FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

“I stopped feeding grain, but haven’t implemented herbs or Whole Foods yet”

Cutting out disrupting ingredients is great, but by NOT implementing herbs and foods that heal the gut you’ve only solved half the problem. (I did this by cutting out the bad BUT my horse still had ulcers that continued to develop because I didn’t feed the foods to heal the gut and to counteract the years of bad that had been done) You’ve started the detox process which is wonderful! But, now you need to boost the immune system and body of your horse by giving it the nutrients it needs to do so. Doing this sooner rather than later is more beneficial. Watch Sis’s Story Then take a look at my diet outline, which I have made simple for you to follow and get started!

Should I paste deworm my horses?

Paste dewormers can strip the gut of good bacteria. They may not be eliminating the worms that are present in the body as many worms are becoming resistant to the traditional pastes used today. Frequent and unnecessary pasting can damages the gut. For my horses, I like to use Essential Cleanse for natural deworming. Then, by evaluation on my horses, may paste 1-2 times a year as needed. A horse that is on a diet that doesn’t support the gut and is pasted every couple of months are ones I tend to see with more issues in regards to worms and toxin overload. Horses that are pasted 1-2 times per year (typically spring and fall) and have the supporting diet in place are better able to flush out the toxins from the paste and react less. I did not need to paste my one horse for almost 3 years, the other showed many signs of needing it after the first year. Each horse is different. I take a look at eyes, coat, weight, diet, issues present when deciding whether or not to use paste for my horses.

Is herbal deworming really effective?

We had GREAT success with my mom’s horse! Herbs reduced her roundworm egg count from over 700epg to 70epg after a month long detox and deworming program. With my own horses I have done different lengths of time for deworming before after evaluating other signs. Mom and I love using Essential Cleanse.

“What do you think about fecal egg counts?”

While I do not think fecal counts are a bad thing, I do believe that they can be inaccurate. Worms cycle with the energy levels, magnetic pull and the moon. So, depending on the time of day, the ball of poo you physically grab from the pile and other factors – the test could be skewed. For example: when my dog had tape worms, the worms were visible and came out every morning but only in her morning poo. So, had I taken in an afternoon sample of her poo, the worms could very well have been missed. These are things that I have observed and learned on my own. If you’re going to poo sample, I recommend doing so at random intervals and within the same time frame to be as accurate as possible.

How often should my horse get a massage?

Muscles that are supple can stretch up to 1 ½ times their resting length and therefore injury can be prevented by having a regular massage routine in place for your horse. Whether your horse is in a pasture 24/7 or you’re riding every day, every horse can benefit from a massage. The more they’re physically doing, the more often they should be getting a massage! When they work more you feed them more, right? The same goes for massage. After speaking with owners about their routine and riding schedule and also the needs of the horse, together a schedule can be determined.

I don’t think my horse needs a massage!

I have never massaged a horse that didn’t show signs of soreness, including my own. I like to call this, life! Horses run, buck and kick up their heels and sometimes get kicked by other horses. They’re animals and this is what they do, but in the process can come back to the barn with little scrapes and cuts and we wonder…where did you get that from? The same thing can happen internally but we don’t always see it right away. It can take 90 days for a horse to show signs of lameness or muscle injury from the time they actually received the injury. Horses are herd animals, and to show pain is to show sign of weakness within the herd and could result in being kicked out of the herd as a weak link. Even IF your horse isn’t sore, massage still assists so many bodily functions that it is beneficial even then! Massage is not something to do just because of an injury, but is a great part of maintenance routine just like the Farrier and Vet care.

Should my horse be getting massage or chiropractic, or both?

Let me mention the importance of Chiropractic work and how beneficial it is in addition to massage, or should I say…massage in addition to chiropractic! I personally had an injury at the age of 16 which is the very day I saw a chiropractor for the first time. For over 6 years I saw only a chiropractor, frequently. It wasn’t until one of my Doctors told me to go and receive massage and bodywork, that I began to improve and see him for less adjustments. I’m grateful for both!

Aside from an injury, sore and tight muscles are not helpful or supportive to the skeletal structure of the horse. Supple muscles are. Massaging keeps the muscles supple and healthy therefore assisting in keeping your horse aligned properly and the joints lubricated. It is not uncommon for the bones of a horse to “go back” into proper alignment when the muscles become supple and return to their own natural state.

It is always good to have a Veterinarian or Doctor of Chiropractic who is also certified in Animal Chiropractic, to take a look at your horse and make any adjustments as needed.

Where did you get your custom saddle from, how do I measure my horse?

I’ve provided all that information and more for you HERE