Horses have been my passion since I was about five years old. Although my parents (and later my husband) hoped that this obsession was a passing phase, it has not abated. For many years owning my own horse was impossible and I begged, borrowed and leased several horses. In 2009 I lost a wonderful friend and partner, my Trakehner gelding, Kronefurst. Luckily I still have my OTTB, Freedom on the Wind, whom I adopted from CANTER in 2006. In 2014, I was lucky enough to add Zelda to my herd. As a TB/Clydesdale cross, she’s a big girl. And she has a personality to go with her size — exuberant, curious and wickedly smart.
Equine Ink is an equestrian blog where I share my experiences with horses, riding, and equipment. Feel free to chime in with your comments.
Hello there. I really enjoy your blog. This is why I have chosen you as the recipient of the Great Horse Tips Award. When you find another blogger who inspires you or teaches you, please pass it along.
Great Horse Tips Award
Hi – love your blog! I have an OTTB, too – I’m retraining her.
Hi! Love your blog. 🙂 Plan on adding you to my blogroll….
LOVE THE SITE. WILL SHARE WITH HORSE FRIENDS
Good stuff. I linked to your post about blanketing and am adding your blog to my blogroll at “My Healthy Horse.”
As an owner of an aging horse (24) I’m encountering more lameness issues with her ie: obviously some arthritis at this age and stifle issues. I continue to exercise her and ride at a walk 3-4 times a week so she doesn’t get too stiff and she’s getting a good amount of pasture time.Also she’s had a bowed tendon and suspensory….it took me a couple years to get her back to riding beyond a walk.
Over the last 7 years I’ve had her on straight glucosamine, then went toAni-Flex and now I’m thinking about trying Devils Claw along with MSM.. Anyone have positive feedback using Devils claw?
Comments and suggestions are welcome!
THX
Hi, I came across this site when I googled Thinline hoof pads. Anyway, I saw a reader that asked about Devil’s Claw. I’ve had my old mare on it for several years now and she’s MUCH more comfortable. I feed a product called Super Substitute which has the Devil’s Claw in it along with lots of other good stuff for tissue and joint health and I also feed Acti-Flex Senior, has proven to be the most effective and affordable (how often does that happen?) joint supplement I’ve been able to find. And my mare will actually eat them without having to douse them in molasses.
My mare fractured her coffin bone over 10 years ago and unfortunately due to my own stupidity, the fracture wasn’t diagnosed until it had already started to heal incorrectly. She wears shoes and pads and is on a lovely supplement regime and while she’s not sound to ride she is comfortable, still runs and plays with her pasture mates and has a bright eye.
Sorry, I got a little off track. 🙂 Devil’s Claw is not legal in most competitive situations but if you have a horse that is looking at a lifetime of daily bute to keep it comfortable, it’s worth a try to avoid the negative side effects from long term bute use.
Ester c and yucca with msm will do wonders as well as a homeopathic silca email me for more info
I must say in my ten years of experience working with dogs and horses with arthritis and stiff joints I have found Devil’s Claw used with other herbs such as willow bark, meadowsweet and hawthorn to be amazing. The thing I love about herbs and animals is that they don’t understand the meaning of placebo so there is no tricking them into feeling better-yet the proof is in the manner and behaviour of the animal and in my experience the herbs truely can make a huge difference to the quality of life.
Hello there, I came across your blog whilst looking for a bareback saddle for my daughters 13th Bday. I just had to comment on how enjoyable it is and how much I’m looking forward to reading more! All my best wishes to your family for this new year.
Delphine
Hi ,
Hope all is well.
I just wanted to let you know that the February issue of National Geographic Magazine highlights the plight of wild horse populations in the western U.S. and the effects of federal regulated herd management and shrinking protected ranges. Could our romantic image of the West with wild horses running free across the range soon vanish before our eyes? I thought that this would be a great subject to introduce to your readers of EQUINE Ink, to help spread the word. You can read the story and see a gallery of mustang photographs.
Thanks,
John
John McFeely
Communications Coordinator, Communications
National Geographic Society
1145 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
T: 202-857-7659
jmcfeely@ngs.org
I have a Kronefurst baby (now 14) and a grand-babby (6yrs). My older mare looks a lot like him!! Same beautiful face and similar body and color! I am so sorry for your loss! I have always wondered who owned him, what he looked like, and where he was. I knew he was something special! I should have looked sooner. I would love to send you pics directly if you are interested – please email me.
I’m so grateful to read all your comments. I was so moved at the beauty of Kronefurst, and sad to think of him as no longer walking this Earth. How wonderful to know there’s a baby, and a grandbaby!
I love your site. Keep it up !
Thank you for the article on Elmer Bandit and his owner Mary Anna Wood. I rode everywhere as a youth, but work and responsibility took me away until 2007. I now have three 17 year olds, two arabs and one quarterhorse. Your site is filled with wonderful information. I now reside in West Virginia and am participating (and volunteering) in the first West Virginia Horse Expo to be held April 18 & 19, 2009 in Lewisburg, WV, at the WV State Fairgrounds. The WV Horse Expo will be an annual event and we have booked the fairgrounds for the last weekend in April 2010, and plan on having a fall 2009 event. We would love to have Mary Anna Wood and Elmer Bandit at our Expo this coming fall or next year. If anyone knows how to reach her, please ask her to contact me.
Hello Equine Ink!
I’m currently doing research for an global equestrian federation client of ours,
and your site has been a great resource for me. Thanks for all the informative content.
At the moment, I’m working on a social media strategy to promote equestrianism to youth online and would love to hear your experiences with youth riders (if any).
If you don’t mind, I’d like to get in touch and ask a couple questions, you can contact me through my email below. I would really appreciate it.
Many thanks!
Paulino
I came across this blog while researching Devil’s Claw. We manufacture a liquid extract which sells very well and generates a lot of positive feedback. This may help answer Debbie’s question from January 5.
There has been a lot of speculation recently about Devil’s Claw becoming banned in competition and I’d really love to find out if anyone has ever had a positive test.
If you can help I’d love to hear from you.
Thanks
James
I was just googling my new gelding’s name,and came across your mention of him on your website.He is War Storm,the horse you pictured over the summer,that was offered thru NE CANTER.
Hi, I came across this site when I googled Thinline hoof pads. Anyway, I saw a reader that asked about Devil’s Claw. I’ve had my old mare on it for several years now and she’s MUCH more comfortable. I feed a product called Super Substitute which has the Devil’s Claw in it along with lots of other good stuff for tissue and joint health and I also feed Acti-Flex Senior, has proven to be the most effective and affordable (how often does that happen?) joint supplement I’ve been able to find. And my mare will actually eat them without having to douse them in molasses.My mare fractured her coffin bone over 10 years ago and unfortunately due to my own stupidity, the fracture wasn’t diagnosed until it had already started to heal incorrectly. She wears shoes and pads and is on a lovely supplement regime and while she’s not sound to ride she is comfortable, still runs and plays with her pasture mates and has a bright eye.Sorry, I got a little off track. Devil’s Claw is not legal in most competitive situations but if you have a horse that is looking at a lifetime of daily bute to keep it comfortable, it’s worth a try to avoid the negative side effects from long term bute use.
+1
Hi- I really liked your saddle fit video and appreciate your posting it. I just read something on nezvorov’s site (russia) about the horses back going numb after only 15 minutes of riding-is this true? if so, i can’t justify riding my horse! -he’s passing 17hh @ 4 yrs old- i am 114 lbs, but i would never want to hurt him! Now I’m trying to find out if this is true..
Please let me know what you think of this, Thank you.
Hi Diane,
I have never heard of a horse’s back going numb after 15 minutes of riding. If a saddle doesn’t fit and pinches on the nerves over the withers, I suppose it could happen. However, a properly fitting saddle would not cause this effect. I frequently massage my horse’s back after riding to check for sore spots and I can tell you that he feels the lightest touch of my fingers just fine!
You don’t have a category for spouses. My husband found your site.
He appreciated the article on cellulitus. His otttb get’s it occasionally. I don’t know if he got all his new found info from your site, or several. Now not only can he not listen to trainer wife, he can spout off statistics about allergies and cellulitus.
Now if we can get him so motivated to work on his flat work!!!
please share my email, too have alot of information on my site out here in California. I need to update to wordpress. You are doing a great job!
christine amber
I’m always glad if if I can help. Tell him to check out my upcoming series on warming up the older horse. All about flat work!
Wow – loving this site! I too have been riding as long as I can remember, and spent most of my younger years working with’em, too. My sister had an OTTB and he turned out to be a wonderful Dressage horse.
My husband is as supportive as a completely non-horsy guy can be – although once, years ago when I got my daughter into riding lessons instead of skiing, he told me that if he had known I was so horse-mad he wouldn’t have married me. My reply – “that’s OK, my SECOND husband will own a stable”. No more arguments since then, and he turns up for all our shows (she jumps jumper-style and I currently do Dressage on our shared Quarter Horse). Our 25th anniversary is coming up.
I’ve bookmarked this site as a great resource, and will be telling my friends about it, too.
Welcome! Make sure you add your experiences to the site with some comments.
Do you think the recent news about the danger of copper (in vitamin pills) to the health of women can be extrapolated to horses? Copper is in the supplement I feed my horse and, along with zinc, considered to be a mineral horses tend to be deficient in. In light of recent findings in the human realm, would you say it is best not to add copper to a horses diet? Helen
What is the best way to discourage a horse from rearing. My mare, who has become herdbound (as well as becoming the herd leader) has taken to rearing when I try to ride her out away from the other horses, on reentering the field after a ride, or when riding with another horse who leaves us, and even occasionally when she doesn’t want to go forward in the ring. It has also become difficult for me to lift up her front feet (she is good for the farrier). Any thoughts? Helen
I just wanted to tell you that I appreciated your honest opinions re Mike Schaffer. I’m very new to dressage, but have been riding for over 20 years. He was recommended to me through one of the horse forums after I commented on Mark Russell’s book, “Lessons In Lightness.” I ordered Mike’s book also, got on his forum and then started watching the videos he was posting on YouTube. I have to admit, I was not happy with his style at all, but what do I know? I thought he was all over the place even in the one video he had of himself showing. Of course, like all trainers, he has his following, so I thought maybe I wasn’t understanding something. However, when I shared the videos with an experienced dressage rider, she was appalled. You pretty much said the same thing and if you rode with him I don’t think you have to read the book to have an opinion. Also, I’m with you; I like Jane Savoie! Also, who is Mike Schaffer?
I rarely post such negative reviews but it makes me frustrated to see someone get such undeserved praise and I hoped to save at least one person from spending the money to buy his book or take a clinic with him. There are so many better resources available! Finding a trainer is tricky, especially when you are just starting a discipline because it’s difficult to evaluate actual training versus pretty words. Although many people *sound* good, you have to evaluate them based on what they can accomplish either as a rider or as a coach.
There are plenty of accomplished trainers who don’t have big names and there are some Big Name Trainers who are terrible coaches! I frequently ride with a dressage trainer who isn’t well known but she has a solid grounding in classical dressage, rides with some of the best trainers in the area and has helped me tremendously with every horse I’ve brought her by finding ways to encourage/allow proper work. While I was initially intrigued by what Mike said, I didn’t find that his approach produced results. In fact, what encouraged a horse that did not work properly (if you are following the tenants of dressage). Unfortunately, he makes it sound easy, which is very appealing, and then praises incorrect work. That puts you a downward spiral — and is very confusing. The first time you go to a show you might be horrified by your scores and the judge’s comments because you thought you were doing it right.
It’s always good to seek out new ways of thinking about dressage and there are some trainers who are able to give you real insight. The trick is to filter out the ones who don’t. Good luck!
Thanks for sharing your story with us. I, for one, am grateful that your love of horses has
not abated.
Thank you for reading Equine Ink!
What a wonderful discovery I’ve made today! I truly appreciate your site and will visit often. Many blessings, Judith
Little bit of everything, learn something new everyday.
FANTABULOUS site and blog!! Found it in a search for Flax seed as part of a feed program. Thank you for all the wonderful info ~ will be back to visit often 🙂 Viva
Welcome, Viva! So glad you visited EquineINK. Please make sure to add your experiences and insights when you visit.
I love your blog! I am a horsewoman and inventor who has invented a new kind of cooling sheet that targets areas of the horse that traditional coolers miss, namely the belly and the chest. I would love to list it, along with reviews from people who have tried it, on your tack guru site but am having trouble reaching it. I hope it’s OK if I post a link to my website here for now. Thanks!
Great blog! Your posts are well written and fun! A brilliant equestrian blog to read 🙂
Came across your site while doing a Biology project on horses. Now after about half an hour I must tear myself away from the wonderful information I have found here so I can get back on task. Though I will definitely be back at a later date! I really enjoyed the info you have on here!
I was captivated by the Shear Will post. I don’t know how I have never heard that story before as I teach in Arcadia, home to Santa Anita Park and the track is about a mile from my school. At any rate. I reblogged your post as a way to honor all veterans today and share the word of a local (for me) hero. I love that John is still working at 92 and around the horses (and people) he loves. Very heartwarming. Thank you!
It is a wonderful story. I’m glad I was able to share that with you. Thanks for reblogging and thanks for reading Equine Ink.
I came across your site when searching for ‘how to make a holiday horse head wreath’ I found the pics but no where does it give me any info… any ideas?
Hi Melody,
Thanks for reading the blog. The posting was only to show the wreath — unfortunately I don’t know how to make one!
Always fun to check in on your blog! You have a lot of variety in the posts – like it! 🙂
Thank you! So glad you come back to read.
Liz, I recently found this Aussie’s great horse blog and thought I’d share it with you. :)) Dawn
Also, you might enjoy my latest horse revelations:
Thank you! I will add these blogs to the RSS feeds that I use for the Facebook version of Equine Ink https://www.facebook.com/equineink/
Hey Liz, this story seems to be something you’d like :)) Dawn
Thinking of you again, Liz, on this one. When my girls were young and taking vaulting, we saw Erik Montonovich perform a freestyle in Santa Barbara at the vaulting competition there (maybe in mid-90s) and he stole the show. He went on to perform with several big productions, including his own, called Big Horse Productions. But this one is really unusual . . . parasailing while being pulled by draft horses!!! :)) Dawn
I really want a horse my mom and dad can’t afford.
Liz I was re-reading your thoughts on safety stirrups and then read the back and forth from a woman who must have fallen after the horse’s bit got caught on the stirrup and then I was more confused b/c I did not realize your injuries were as a result of your foot being stuck in the stirrup. So the horse slipped on ice under the snow and you fell but your foot stayed in the stirrup? What safety stirrup are you now using?
Hi Jacqueline, I broke several things when my horse fell. My broken collarbone and left ankle were impact injuries as she and I both fell to the left. I’m not positive, but I think my knee fracture was caused when my right foot did not come out of my stirrup right away. It was more of a torque-related injury. Even though I’m not sure the stirrup contributed to the injury, I figured I wouldn’t take the chance going forward. Right now I’m using the Acavallo Arena stirrups on one saddle and the Safestyle on my other. I like them both.
It is truly a well-researched content and excellent wording. I got so engaged in this material that I couldn’t wait to read. I am impressed with your work and skill. Thanks.
Equine Therapy Sunshine Coast
I’m so glad to hear you enjoy the blog. I have a lot of fun writing it.