Jules is settling in nicely, track system set up around the edge of her paddock space to keep her moving and in contact with her neighbours, and it's time to start her exercise regime! Due to having been out of work for quite some time since foaling, Jules needs to be built up slowly. Her …
Author: handsonhorses
Environmental Enrichment
After 25 years+ of 'being the sensible one' - opting to always be the sharer, loaner, rider, carer, therapist for other people's horses - I am proud to say I am finally taking the plunge and buying a horse of my very own (well, shared with my hubby...in theory 😉 ). It was starting to …
I can feel that, you know…
Horses have an acute sense of touch. Their whole-body touch sense has been described as 'as sensitive as our fingertips' and that 'a horse can feel a fly landing on a single hair'. Anyone who spends time with horses has observed this of course, though our horses, often stoic in nature, will sometimes forget to …
Quick fix?
On my recent visit to Olympia's London International Horseshow, I revelled in the opportunity to wander around the stalls occupied by businesses offering various therapies and technologies. On previous visits, I would've avoided these, my eye firmly set on the shopping village, and not wanting to be held back by leaflet-wielding company reps! But this …
Fresh pair of eyes…
Having been kept very busy with my massage case studies over the last few weeks, it is fair to say that while my technique may be improving, my confidence in my own 'diagnostics' is not...this is certainly a case of the more you learn, the less you actually 'know'!! The lovely horses I have been …
Learning from Nature
I am currently sitting in a cabin in the Icelandic north, recovering from a 3 day trek round the Highlands. As well as a sore backside and achy limbs(!), this incredible experience has also given me a brand new outlook on the way we keep our horses back at home. This trek was no ordinary …
Dressage Divas
I have recently been getting my riding fix with a gorgeous little Haflinger-Cob cross dressage pony. This dinky but muscular ball of energy has always caught my eye for the unlikely transformation he makes into the most elegant and impressive ridden pony, when given the right rider combination. While I work on being that rider(!) …
Fit for Purpose
Having finished feeling sorry for myself for my injured hand and horse(!), I am currently putting all my focus onto my Conformation Studies - looking at both static and dynamic conformations of a variety of horses, with the aim to 'get an eye' for correlations between posture/build/movement/behaviours and potential soreness or difficulty that the horse …
Horse Withdrawal
I have found myself suffering from a rather unfortunate bout of horse withdrawal...with a fractured finger and share horse with a potential manica tear, I know it will be a while until I am regularly riding and enjoying an equine companion again. When I reflect on this and previous times when I have had 'horselessness' …
Underage Workers
I am currently in the frustrating limbo of having lots of study to do before I am able to get started on massaging my case studies! What I learn will be invaluable when I'm out with clients though, but is also incredibly eye-opening. Would you send your child out to full time strenuous work at …
Hands on Horses 