I believe horses, well, really any animal, come into our care for a reason.
The reason could be to help us... to grow in some way, to change a behavior, to resolve hurt or trauma, to release feelings that are holding us back, to show us problems with our health or anything else that helps us to become better or whole again. When I began to realize the significance the animals had in my life...on my emotional growth, it opened me up to a greater awareness that increases with each day. And it encourages me to do a better job of being a better person for myself as well as for my animals.
One of my past experiences was with Dinah, a senior husky, who came into my life as a foster then I adopted her. She had been surrendered, overweight with difficulty walking as well as getting up and down. She was the redemption for the regret I carried of not knowing how to help our last senior dog, Bryndall. With all that I had learned using Young Living products, I was able to give this girl a couple more healthy, happy and vibrant years with our family. Our horse Frannie came to help me to release emotional baggage. He showed me that sometimes there is nothing we can do to save them. This is from hurt I carried for many years over the death of my father.
So something happened this morning that was really kind of a slap in the face to wake me up out of my funk lately! That I needed to do better and that my horse was showing me the error of my ways. I wanted to share it as I think we can all get caught up in our lives and need a reminder to be in the moment and pay attention to what our horses are telling us!
Here's what happened...
The horses had been out and about foraging. I had put a flake of hay in each of the stall areas for when they came back in. Each horse generally starts out having their breakfast in their chosen stall, then they move from stall to stall eating from the hay bags(in this hot/humid weather they have been choosing to stay in during the day). Saxon always eats in the middle stall as his large dish and place mat are set up for him. Calli happened to be in that stall when I headed down with the dishes of food. Saxon started to go in, saw Calli and whipped his head to the side catching me. It wasn't hard, but I did feel it and it brought up my anger. With that anger and my hands full of feed dishes I sent Calli out of the stall so I could get Saxon set up to eat. I then fed Maggie and Calli as both were then waiting in the other stalls.
I left the area to go make hay bags and on my way up to the barn, I heard a squeal and a bang on the wall. I looked back to see Maggie running out of the stall and a bit upset. Calli had finished her meal and had gone in to push Maggie out with the same kind of anger that I had just displayed to her. I apologized to Maggie, then Calli for the blame of this situation was not on them or even Saxon, it was on me.
My anger that came out is not something I am happy about, but I am glad that Calli showed me what I look like by doing the same thing to Maggie. It made me realize that I must manage my emotions better...regardless of the heat, the bugs and any other things in life that may be bothering me. Being in the moment with our horses is what they show us is important. It's when we are off in our heads that problems arise. So I have pulled out my Feelings Kit of oils to use to help myself feel more relaxed and balanced.
Kind of a coincidence (are there really coincidences?), just this morning I had a message from a friend asking for suggestions regarding a situation with one of her horses. The last thing that she said when we finished talking was that she is noticing the horse is showing the same physical issues that she has! That is the key, notice what our horses are telling us. Our horses are our mirrors and will show us what we need to pay attention to and change to make us better or whole again.
For more information on holistic horse care, be sure to join us over in our FB community The Hearts Of Horses; Empowering Through Holistic Care.
All the best,
Marta
Have you ever felt intimidated, overlooked or even minimized when it comes to working with your horse's health care professionals?
Interactions like this can leave you feeling helpless, frustrated and even angry. Especially if you, as the caregiver, have some reservations about what is happening or just plain disagree! Early on I readily accepted the information from my professionals. After all, I was new to horses and was learning! But as time passed and I dove into a variety of aspects of caring for my horses, especially hoof care, there were many things I had been doing that just didn't feel right. I now had options for new, different and what I believed were better things to do. Things that felt better to me and were more closely in line with what I have for ideas on how I choose to care for my horses.
As I learned more, it became easier for me to speak up and ask questions and even disagree with what I may have been told by my professionals, who I had chosen. At some point, we must realize when and if things may not be working with that professional and seek out another who is more in alignment with our beliefs. Remember, you are the horse owner who hires the professional. You get the last word.
It is important for caregivers to realize that they are the decision makers for their horses.
Knowing we are the decision maker for our horse and actually speaking up and standing our ground, so to speak, are two very different things. For some it comes easier to speak up while others may need some help and encouragement.
Luckily, there ARE things we can do to BUILD OUR CONFIDENCE so that we feel empowered when talking with our horse's healthcare professional. The first thing to do is learn more about the various areas of our horse's care. Dive into books, watch videos, read blogs, go to seminars and webinars and learn from as many sources as you can. I can remember when I first got started I was grabbing every book and dvd collection I could get my hands on, for nutrition and hoof care! Luckily I had a great barefoot trimmer who was willing and happy to share her knowledge and resources with me.
Just having more knowledge gives us a more solid foundation from which to ask questions and feel more secure about having a conversation with a professional. Whether the topic is nutrition, hoof care, vaccinations or parasite protocols it is beneficial for you to learn that there are a variety of ways to deal with and promote good health. And you get to choose what you feel are the best ways to handle these for your horses.
The next thing to do is find and surround yourself with people who feel the same way that you do! Whether it is the barn community you choose or an online community, finding groups who align with our beliefs goes a long way to helping us feel confident in the decisions we are making. It gives us a sense that we are not alone, or crazy, for thinking and feeling the way we do. Just because it's a bit different than the "norm", doesn't make it bad or wrong. I have created an online community for exactly this kind of support and empowerment. It's called The Hearts of Horses; Empowering Through Holistic Care. Join us there if you're ready to feel empowered!
Now get started on these two tasks and see where your confidence journey takes you! I bet even your horses will notice a difference in your demeanor and energy...😉
All the best,
Marta
Did you or your horses have a bad experience with this year's fireworks? Is this celebration (or anytime with loud noises) always a time of stress for you and them?
We are about one week past this year's 4th of July celebrations. NOW is the time to begin preparing your horses for next year's celebrations. Try these suggestions to make some changes and empower yourself to enjoy, and not fear, this yearly event!
Getting your own mind and emotions right first is a good place to start! The Universe says that you get what you focus on... sooo focus on a positive, calm experience that you can see for you and your horse! Do this every time you interact with your horse. Create a calm picture in your mind of what you will be doing. Your horse will see this and feel the calm from you. If you see this picture in your mind ahead of time, doing it multiple times, chances are your experience with your horse will go as you created (pictured) it!
Taking the time to get ourselves grounded before we interact with our horse will also help them to feel that way too! Take a moment to ground yourself through a meditation, a quiet moment or just picture the upcoming interaction. Quiet your breathing and feel the calm with your horse. This will help to set the tone for your time with your horse.
Essential Oils have been a big part of our successful care and that includes helping with calming and grounding. A couple of favorites that work well are Peace and Calming and Stress Away. Another blend called Valor is very beneficial for supporting the lower energy centers that can be the root problem for horses that have these issues around safety. Once I realized how integral the emotions are with what we see outwardly with our horses, in terms of their physical health, I put together a resource that makes it easy to figure out what my horse might be feeling and the potential oils I can use to help open up those areas of the body. Grab the resource here.
Giving attention to my horse's energy systems has been a wonderful addition to their care. The Healing Touch for Animals® techniques allows me to remove the congestion and blockages that contribute to unsettled behavior as well as physical issues. Techniques like Grounding and Focus™, Bridging™ and the Chakra Balance™ are all useful in helping our horses to become more balanced mentally, emotionally and physically. There's even a technique called Trauma Release™ that is helpful when there is deep seated trauma that needs to be released. To learn more about this amazing program, click here.
Now that you've prepared yourself and your horse with a great image, calming oils and grounded balanced energy...now it's time to go explore! Take walks with your horse to expose them to a variety of new things in their life! Allow them to be curious and explore the new objects, whether the objects are stationary, moving, silent or loud! The more you and your horse get out and explore together, the more you will be developing confidence and connection. There is a 30 Day Challenge with daily prompts of activities you can do with your horse that will help to develop this calm, confidence and connection. You can find it in my community The Hearts of Horses; Empowering Through Holistic Care. Remember you are always looking for your horse to find relaxation in each of these new situations.
By putting your attention on these areas and spending time with your horse now to overcome this issue, you'll be enjoying a quiet, uneventful celebration with your horses come July 4th 2023!
All the best,
Marta
The winter can be tough to spend time playing with or riding your horse, especially if you don’t have access to an indoor or good footing. But don’t fret, there are loads of things you can to with your horse! These activities will help to develop your relationship as well as improve your horse’s mental, emotional and physical wellness.
Here is a list of a few things I like to do with my horses when its cold or I’m short on time…
Just be with them. Put your hands on them and breathe. Let your breathing and hearts get in sync. Talk quietly with your horse. Tell them your secrets…
Do stretches. Lifting the front leg with a little stretch forward is great for their shoulders. Tickling the belly with your finger tips is great for getting them to lift their top line. A hind leg, cross in front hold is great for the hind end and balance (there’s a great video of this in Guide 9 of the Hearts Of Horses group).
Ask for yields. Using the lightest of touches, or maybe even just a thought. Ask your horse to move their hindquarters or crossover their front feet moving away from you. Have them back up or move sideways away from you. A challenge…ask them to move sideways toward you!
Pick up their feet and check them. Do a quick clean out and inspect each foot to make sure all is well. A quick spray with Thieves Cleaner goes a long way for keeping the frogs healthy too!
Assess their energy centers to see if all are open and flowing. Not sure how to do this? Watch this video and learn to use a pendulum.
Use energy healing techniques from Healing Touch for Animals to clear away congested energy and blockages from their system. To me this is the most overlooked part of our care for our animals. If you'd like to learn more about energy and vibration tools read my recent blog here.
Use light therapy (red, green and blue). Apply the light to wellness points on your horse for a preventive approach to their care. Use the light on the carotid for 10 minutes to cleanse their blood!
Apply essential oils. Do a RainDrop Kit session to promote relaxation, cleansing and immune system stimulation. Spend a month applying the Feelings Kit daily and you’ll be amazed at how much more harmonious you and your horse will be together! It will bring your partnership to a whole new level!
If some of these things are new to you, or you’ve never heard of them but are interested in learning more, I encourage you to check out the Guide section at the top of the page in our community, The Hearts of Horses, Empowering Through Holistic Care.
Stay warm and enjoy your time with your horses,
Marta
Horses are a herd animal meant to live and roam with their “family”. This offers safety, emotional comfort and a feeling of belonging within the “family”. When we put them in living situations that are very different from their instinctual norm, we are immediately setting them up for problems. How much, what and even when we feed our horses has a huge impact on their stress level, gut health and even their emotional well-being. At the heart of all dis-ease is stress in the body. There is no greater culprit than emotional stress for wreaking havoc in the body. Soothe the animal, set up their life as nature designed for them and release the stress…
Let’s look at how we keep our horses. Horses are built and wired to move and eat continually on a daily basis. In the wild, it is normal for a herd to cover around 25 miles in a day. They browse on a variety of grasses, tree bark and plants while moving over a variety of terrain that proves beneficial for their hooves as well as the rest of their being. When its rest time they hang as a group, with a few of the mares standing watch over the herd. The track system lends to this lifestyle, mimicking how horses live in the wild.
Does your horse’s daily routine look like this? If it does, congratulations to you! Your horses are likely ulcer free and happy in their herd! Getting horses out of the long days and nights in a stall and getting them moving with the herd will increase their feelings of safety and trust. It will allow them to tap into the energy of their herd dynamics and serve to settle them within their group, relieving stress.
Browsing for food! Allow your horse to move about to access their food. Standing in one spot to eat hour after hour does not help their gut or the rest of their body! Offering a variety of whole foods is your best bet for keeping your horses gut balance. Avoiding things like processed grains and instead substituting foods like flax, chia seeds, Timothy/alfalfa cubes will go a long way for providing the nutrients needed while avoiding the stomach upset.
Adding in enzymes like Allerzyme and Essentialzyme has been a game changer for one of my guys! Clearly his gut balance was off and he was acting like a grumpy old man. He is now back to his gregarious, silly self (that’s him in the photo)! Other items like pre and probiotics, Life 9, are beneficial to keeping the gut balanced and have a place in our horse care. There are also products like aloe vera juice or bentonite clay that can offer a soothing solution to the problem gut.
By incorporating some of the things I’ve talked about above, chances are your horse is already feeling better. If there are still troubles, checking in on their emotions by evaluating their energy centers is a helpful thing to do. When the solar plexus is blocked there is a connection with feelings of not belonging, fear of abandonment, defensiveness, feeling trapped, anxiety and even feeling tired. With this knowledge, you can utilize a selection of essential oils to support your horse emotionally. I have a great chart and mini course that outlines how to identify the emotions based on the body and suggested oils to use. Grab it HERE.
If you suspect your horse does have ulcers and would like to confirm that, there is a non-invasive test that can be done. It uses fresh fecal matter to check antibodies to detect two equine specific blood components. It's called Succeed. Positive results for this test confirm the presence and potentially location of inflammation, lesions and/or ulcers. It is necessary to use fecal material within 30 minutes of it leaving the body. Results show as quickly as 5 minutes but not longer than 15 minutes. It is only available to veterinarians, so contact your vet to access this product.
I would also incorporate Healing Touch For Animals techniques to help clear the energy. There are other holistic tools that can be used as well. Tools like red light therapy, PEMF and more!
Interested in learning more about some of these areas I’ve touched on? There’s loads of information in the Guides section of my group The Hearts of Horses; Empowering Through Holistic Care.
Join our community HERE and feel empowered as you care for your horses!
All the best,
Marta
