When it comes to therapy programs for both the physically and mentally challenged, there are a lot of them. You cannot name them one by one and explain them here in detail, but on the whole, they have one goal. That is to help the individual cope with whatever disability he or she might have as of the moment, and to make a better person out of whatever he or she has gone through in life. Maurette Hanson, an Equine specialist in Mental Health and Learning and a certified Therapeutic riding instructor, has helped numerous patients with physical and mental disabilities develop a new person in themselves. She has been working at the Healing Horse Therapy Center, located at Loxahatchee, offering riding lessons and other equine-assisted activities and therapies to their patients. When Hanson began her program the vision was to create a safe, nurturing, supportive and serene environment for [...] Read more »

Having hypertension, otherwise known in layman’s term as high blood pressure, sure is a big problem, not only to the person having it, but with the support system as well. For sure, some of you have known that having this disease means carrying it throughout your lifetime. Similarly, animals also encounter problems with high blood pressure. And it might even have deadly effects on them if they are left untreated and unattended. Animals do suffer from symptoms of increased blood pressure. And in today’s article, horses are in the limelight. For horse enthusiasts out there, they might already have a clue as to what we are talking about. This might seem to be trivial, but headshaking in horses sure is a big problem, both for the horse and the owner alike. For the benefit of those who do not know what equine headshaking means, here is a brief yet detailed [...] Read more »

Horseback riding could sure be a very frightening experience, especially to those neophytes who have never experienced riding a horse. However, experienced riders are not always exempted. Despite the fact that they have ridden on a horse several times already, still some of the fears plaguing them continually disturb their confidence. Training yourself not to be afraid of horses can be a really difficult job and it’s not going to be the same experience for everyone. One person might have a very delightful time with the horses, whereas there are others whose first experience is their worst nightmare and some people never get over their fear of horses. No matter what experience you might have, generally speaking, horses are very gentle creatures. The only times that they get agitated and frightened are when they come across some animals that frighten them, for example, a snake. Like all animals do, horses [...] Read more »

As modern technology gets better and better in the human world, the same trend is also observed in the animal world. Though we could say that there’s still a long way to go, it’s already a good sign that more previously undiagnosed diseases will be uncovered. Thus, better chances for cure, or perhaps, control of the disease. This is true for most animals out there, especially now for horses. So to speak, most of the diagnostic tools used by veterinarians are the same diagnostics used in humans. And just like in humans, no single diagnostic tool solves the mystery behind the present symptoms your horse is manifesting. An accurate diagnosis is imperative to pinpointing and treating lameness in horses. Fortunately, veterinarians today have more sound and accurate options for identifying specific issues than they did just 10 years ago, said Kent Allen, DVM, owner of Virginia Equine Imaging, a specialty [...] Read more »

Ask any equestrian what they consider the most critical piece of tack they own and ninety nine percent of them will tell you it’s their saddle. And because the purchase price of saddles is so high, a lot of them end up buying pre-owned saddles. If you are on the hunt for a good – not to mention any other type of saddle – you’ll have a better experience if you keep a few things in mind. Be sure that you actually see the saddle. This is essential to being sure the saddle is in appropriate condition for you and your horse. You can’t really get the detail you need in one or two photographs. And unless you are buying from your mother, don’t take the seller at their word. It’s too important to overlook. You want to lay your eyes on the physical saddle. If you can’t, then be [...] Read more »