Blu Diamond Therapy

03/23/2022

Let’s be honest – some horses can be a little lazy😴 They want to rest in the paddock, relax and eat their way through the day, and it’s hard to blame them! Even the most active horses don’t have goals (like we do) to reach peak physical condition, so building his weak muscle zones has to be a combined effort between the two of you. Here are some ideas💡

✅️ Hill work
✅️ Cavaletti poles
✅️ Ride correctly
✅️ Encourage regular movement
✅️ Explore different terrain

08/19/2021

08/04/2021

Something to keep in mind 💡

Boots and legwraps are commonly used to protect the lower legs of the horse from trauma during exercise. However, previous research suggests they can result in increased leg temperature that may be detrimental to underlying tendons. This study, conducted at Middle Tennessee State University, was designed to explore lower leg surface temperature during and after exercise when common leg protections were applied.

Six clinically-sound, mature horses were used to test six boots or wraps: a neoprene boot, a perforated neoprene boot, an alternative neoprene boot, a cross country boot, a combination fleece and elastic wrap, and a polo wrap. The covered leg was selected randomly and the other leg served as a bare leg control. A data logger recorded temperature and humidity every minute during a 20 minute exercise test and for 180 minutes post-exercise (e.g., recovery) during moderate conditions (73°F; 53% humidity).

The bare leg temperature was lowest (82°F), then peaked and plateaued (91°F) during recovery. Conversely, covered legs increased during exercise from 90°F (minute 0) to 97°F at minute 15, then plateaued during recovery. The polo wrap was hotter and more humid than all other covered legs. All covered legs failed to return to baseline temperature and humidity after 180 minutes post-exercise.

The results support the thought that convection cooling is impaired by boots and wraps during exercise and suggests covered legs may reach damaging temperatures. Interestingly, no covered or bare leg returned to baseline temperature within 180 minutes, necessitating further research into the time required for passive cooling of the equine lower leg during exercise and recovery.

06/12/2021

I've been seeing alot of questions about allergies in horses so I figured I'd put in my 2 cents about what I know!

Allergies are a nuisance. Allergies are persistent. Allergies can’t be cured. So, what can we do about them when they effect our horses? Unfortunately the reality is that we can’t enclose our horses in bubble wrap; there’s no way to keep them 100% protected from insects, dust, mold, pollen, etc.
But there are a few natural solutions that may help ease the symptoms!

Several natural options are available to help manage and reduce allergy symptoms. Allergic reactions are marked by an over-responsive immune system and inflammation, so unsurprisingly, treatments generally fall into those two categories.

1. Anti-inflammatories

Reducing inflammation will help tremendously with calming down the body’s allergic reaction and symptoms, including skin and lung irritation. Potent, natural anti-inflammatories include:

Omega-3s: Foods high in Omega-3s have been shown in clinical studies to reduce inflammation. Ground flax seed, flax seed oil, and camelina oil are good options for your horse. While clinical trials focused on the use of ground flax seed, flax’s cousin, the camelina plant, has an even higher dosage of Omega-3d per serving, plus naturally-occurring vitamin E which makes the product easier to administer and more shelf-stable. Either add ground flax to your horse’s bucket or drizzle some flax and/or camelina oil on top of feed. Most horses enjoy the taste.

MSM: A common nutraceutical used in joint supplements, MSM has been shown to be a very effective anti-inflammatory. MSM’s anti-inflammatory properties will block histamine receptivity in affected tissues, thereby reducing symptoms. MSM is commonly sold in feed supply stores; you can top-dress your horse’s feed with the powder.

2. Immune defense

Since allergies are the result of an over-reactive immune system, strengthening this system so it can better identify what is a true threat is a good idea.

Adaptogenic herbs: Adaptogenic herbs and substances include spirulina, ginseng and turmeric. These herbs are rich in minerals and vitamins and also have very strong anti-inflammatory properties. Moreover, adaptogenic herbs can reverse the body’s reaction to stress (which is a powerful immunosuppressant), allowing the body to function longer and healthier. Feeding these herbs to your horse will help strengthen his overall immune system so it can avoid overreacting to irritants. You can often find these herbs in powdered form and can feed them alongside other supplements.

Stinging nettles. Nettles are immune-supporting, as they target the health of the kidneys, which work to flush toxins from the body. Nettles also have some natural antihistamine compounds, which can provide additional relief from allergy symptoms. Horses generally enjoy the taste of dried nettle; you can chop down a good quantity of nettle, let it wilt for at least four hours, and then feed it alongside hay.

Pro & prebiotics. The horse’s digestive system includes tissue function that drives much of his immune response. The healthier a horse’s digestive tract is, the less likely the immune system is to turn on itself. Probiotics are beneficial strains of bacteria in the digestive tract that reduce the presence of harmful bacteria and bolster the immune system. However, in order for them to stay alive, they need enzymes – otherwise known as prebiotics – as food. Once you have bolstered your horse’s digestive system with probiotics, switch to a good source of prebiotics to keep gut health flourishing. There are many good products on the market for horses – top dress feed with these supplements to help ameliorate symptoms.

05/27/2021

If anyone is looking to board near Ann Arbor Willoward has space available! Under new ownership, many upgrades are happening
https://www.facebook.com/WilloWardEquestrian/

Full service horse boarding facility.

05/27/2020

Bad mood to blame? Try taking a look at your horses sleep patterns!

We tend to blame our bad moods, ill manners or clumsiness on the quantity and quality of sleep we get. Yet we never apply this to our horses. When a horse gives us a bad ride, a cranky reaction or other attitude blunder, we react without thinking about how his sleep patterns might be underlying the problem. The truth is, lack of sleep negatively affects our horses – both mentally and physically – so understanding their sleep patterns is extremely important.

How horses sleep
Horses can doze on and off in light sleep throughout the day and night, while standing up. They have a special support structure in their legs called the “stay apparatus” – soft tissue that locks their knees to keep the legs aligned. When the stay apparatus is locked, no muscle exertion is needed for a horse to stay upright and nap. Resting a hind leg that is slightly flexed with the hoof not fully on the ground is a normal position for a relaxed horse. It may appear he’s unsound for not wanting to bear weight on all four legs, but this is usually not the case. It’s just another sleepy stance that horses use to calm themselves and rest.

But despite their ability to snooze standing up, the old farm saying — “let sleeping horses lie” — is certainly wise. If horses can’t lie down and be totally non-weight-bearing with their heads on the ground, they will not achieve REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. This stage of sleep is the most vital for your horse, and he needs 30 to 40 minutes a day. Without this short period of deep sleep, a horse will become sleep deprived within a week or so.

05/24/2020

This is one thing I am very passionate about. Saving the innocent. Save the Mustangs.

03/25/2020

Want to improve your balance in the saddle?

Here are some "off the saddle" exercises you can do while you are stuck at home

Leg Extention: Lay down on your back on the ground. Bend your knees and try to raise your head off the ground and try to raise one leg up and keep it straight. Hold for a few seconds and try with the other leg.


Plank: This one is a commonly known exercise and it helps a lot to improve your core hence to your overall balance. Lay on your belly and push your upper body up only forearms touching the floor. Tighten the core and keep your body straight. Hold the position for around 1 minute and repeat.


Squat: Another commonly known exercise that you can do anywhere anytime. Keep your upper body straight and your feet apart. Lower your body 90-degree angle and slowly rise to stand. Repeat as much as you feel you can.


Warrior Pose: Doing yoga is another effective way to improve your balance. You can try to learn different yoga poses and do them at home. Warrior pose is one of our choices to improve the balance. Stand straight and stretch your leg back behind you. Stretch your arms straight above your head and take a few deep breaths and repeat with the opposite leg.

03/18/2020

An aligned and flexible temporomandibular joint is vital for your horse’s overall health, impacting his digestion, neck, back, balance and more. Massage can be a useful tool to restore proper function in your horse’s TMJ.

03/18/2020

Tips from one of my favorites, Warwick Schiller:

By now I'm pretty certain that much of the world has been advised to stay at home. We can look at it as a chance to slow down (once you go and stock up on toilet paper😆🤪), re-evaluate, and take the time to re-establish a deeper connection with your horse. Here are a few things you can do over the next couple weeks to help pass the time that will not only improve the relationship with your horse, but will allow you to self-reflect and achieve some personal development as well.

Spend time with your horse without asking them to do anything 🧘‍♀️
It will help create a deeper bond with your horse if you are willing to do nothing with them. Think of a herd situation, 95% of the time the herd is grazing, not asking each other to do anything. This can be done from outside or inside of the horse's pasture/stall. Just hang out and share the space with them. This may be hard for your horse because you may have not done this before and they will be anticipating something. Great! Just relax until they do. Some ideas for sharing space: read, listen to a podcast, any mindfulness practice, groom, compare breathing patterns. Anything as long as you aren't asking for something.

Be present.
While you are chilling with your horse, take your time and analyze the smallest parts of your horse's behavior. Notice their ears, how often they blink, their breathing patterns. Be aware of your thoughts, and when you find yourself not thinking about what you are observing bring your thoughts back to your horse. Maybe you start thinking about how long this "home quarantine" will go on, or maybe what you are going to have for dinner. When you notice that just bring your thoughts back to observing your horse

03/16/2020

Sharing this message from the president of IAAMB:

Covid-19 does not appear to affect animals' respiration. They would not be carriers to transmit it through their breath. As potential vectors, any virus that they might have their skin could be available for transmission in the same way as it might cling to our phones, doorknobs and shopping cart handles.

Equine and canine massage are solitary activities. I cannot see any reason not to massage animals.

For equine and canine massage practitioners, while working with an animal client, use the same precautions suggested by the CDC. Wash your hands before and after treatments. Don’t touch your face with your hands.

As an LMT and RN, I know that most viruses are degraded by soap and water, diffused by fresh air and inactivated by time in the sun. So, advise your clients to give their horses baths, turn them out often, and ride in the sunshine.

Warmest regards,

Jonathan Rudinger, President IAAMB/ACWT

03/13/2020

I'm often asked a lot of questions about aging horses and what can be done to help keep them going .... my response is always the same.

Aging animals need to keep moving!

The horse’s body is designed to move and seniors are no exception. This means more turnout, low-stress trail riding, or training in the arena. Physical activity supports the digestive processes, enhances nutrient absorption, and maintains the strength and flexibility of her muscles, joints, and other soft tissues. Additionally, social contact with humans or pasture mates keeps up their mental attitude and spirit. Many older horses are reluctant to keep moving because they are in pain; arthritis is very common. Joints, tendons and ligaments can become very sore due to inflammation and/or degeneration. Keep in mind that once the body slows down, though, the potential for internal disease goes up, so techniques to reduce pain and promote movement are ever so important!

02/28/2020

This facility blows my mind! The doctors, cases....so informative and innovative

02/20/2020

😳

01/22/2020

Knowledge is power!

01/17/2020

Perfect!

01/11/2020

🔻🔺️Red Light Therapy🔺️🔻

Great benefits for soft tissue injuries, inflammation, ligament soreness, tendon problems, sore backs, splints, strains, stifle issues, sprains, swelling, shoulder pain, hip pain, sore backs, sore necks, salivary gland problems, wounds, cuts, scrapes, arthritis pain and for trigger points and acupuncture points. Visible red light is absorbed by skin layers very efficiently and is best for uses such as stimulating trigger and acupuncture points and for treating wounds and infections. Near infrared light penetrates to a deeper level has been used to treat concerns of tendons, ligaments, bones, joints and muscle.

12/01/2019

Beautiful story... impeccable sanctuary 😍😍🥰🥰