After sustaining two soft tissue injuries to his foot, Dexter suffered from chronic inflammation that caused lameness flare ups. Unfortunately there aren’t many conventional treatments that directly target the ligaments in this area, so I called upon my vet to see what alternative options were available. He performed a lameness exam and reviewed Dexter’s lameness history (complete with notes on how previous treatments did or did not work) to reach a final suggested course of treatment: IRAP. IRAP, which stands for Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Protein, is an anti-inflammatory treatment tha ..read more

I treat my horse like family. Well, that’s because he is family! So when it came time to plan one of the happiest days of my life, I knew I needed to honor my four-footed love. Ahead, you’ll find inspiration from my very own equestrian wedding on how you can incorporate horses into your big day. Engagement photos. Celebrate your exciting news by including your horse in your engagement photo session. Equestrian setting. One of the easiest ways to tie in a horse theme is to host your wedding at an equestrian facility. My venue was in the heart of horse country and also happened to be across ..read more

If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck! The same could be said in the case of horse gastric ulcers. While I often look for a definite diagnosis to my horse’s ailments, sometimes I have to trust my gut, especially when 100% confirmation of ulcers requires a vet consult, scoping and medication to the tune of $1,000 or more. Owning a horse is expensive, but medication doesn’t always have to be. After treating Dexter for EPM, something still wasn’t right. His attitude and willingness on the ground and under saddle greatly ..read more

You never think it will happen to your horse, until it does. EPM (Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis) was something I knew very little about, despite having co-hosted a webinar on the topic with Merck back in 2014. Having always put my horse’s health and well-being first, I was shocked to experience this deadly disease first-hand. EPM Diagnosis On January 1, I moved Dexter to a new barn that was 20 minutes from my house and, coincidentally, the same barn in which I bought Dexter from years ago. This would be the 4th barn we had been at in the past year (one was for rehab and one did not work o ..read more

When given the opportunity by my trainer to ride other horses in her barn, I jumped at the chance. Riding different horses helped to expand my “toolbox”. Get Out Of A Rut. Riding different horses allowed me to try something new since I have a tendency to focus on the same issues each ride. Improved Riding Fitness. I noticed I was much sharper in the saddle mentally and physically when riding three different horses. Better Balance. I realized that I’m not actually ‘centered’ in the saddle and tend to sit to the outside. This forced me to constantly focus on perfecting my position in order to ge ..read more

Every successful #equinegirlboss started somewhere. For some, like Alexandra Martel, the dream of creating a company came to fruition at an early age. With more than 200,000 active members across 32 different countries, it’s safe to say that Alex built a community in Horsealot like no other. And it all started from a passion to connect people who share the same interests in horses. Here’s what Alex had to share about getting her start as an equestrian entrepreneur and growing Horsealot over the years: 1. How did Horsealot come about? I have always been truly passionate about consumer appl ..read more

Here’s the truth about boarding your horse: the perfect barn doesn’t exist. I realized this almost immediately during a recent search for a new boarding barn. After being at the same facility for more than 6 years, I grew accustomed to a certain lifestyle for both Dexter and me.  Everything on my “must-have” list seemed like a priority, which made it tough to figure out where to begin. Moving Dexter felt overwhelming, but the search for a new boarding barn became manageable after I learned to prioritize effectively. Here’s how I cut things down to size: Step 1: Focus on 3 factors that can ..read more

You’ve likely heard the proverbial saying “no hoof, no horse.” This particularly rang true for me while treating and rehabilitating an injury to Dexter’s foot. The damage to his soft tissue structures caused a great deal of pain and lameness. To help provide more comfort throughout the healing process, therapeutic shoeing was introduced. Therapeutic shoeing approach for deep digital flexor tendon injury After identifying the exact location of soreness in Dexter’s foot based on MRIs, my farrier and veterinarian worked as a team to select a therapeutic shoeing approach which included: Press ..read more

If you were unfamiliar with her work before now, you’re welcome. Melissa Hood is creating some the most enchanting horse portraits, and she’s only getting started! Done in acrylic on canvas, Melissa’s portraits have a pretty, lighthearted feel. Not afraid of color, Melissa makes each portrait with your preferences in mind. Her art is bright and bold, overflowing with character. She definitely found a niche that is campy, eclectic and tender. The graphic, colorful backgrounds have become a signature. Inspired by nature, they bring to mind scenes such as a galaxy or underwater. Melissa’s un ..read more

When you ride horses, every day is basically Christmas. Being an equestrian is one of the greatest gifts you can enjoy year-round, but it can also be incorporated in the actual holiday—from stockings to putting up the tree. There are many of us out there who are probably already thinking how to decorate a Christmas tree if you love horses, and it’s time to put that creativity to work. Allow me to inspire with these 14 stylish horse Christmas ornaments. 1. Shine Bright Like A Swarovski Crystal Above: Designs By Loriece, $19.50 If you’re going for a minimalist vibe this year, this ..read more