Restorative Equine Therapy

06/17/2025

This is an amazing duo!!

Super happy with Tomale’s performance at NASTR 🐎 I had a great time riding with friends in a breathtaking setting. This was our third time in a competitive setting and I really felt like things clicked. Tevis ready, can’t wait 🥰
Special thanks to Rocki Dalen and Restorative Equine Therapy for keeping Tomale feeling good and on her A game! Thanks for letting me ride her Greg Kimler!!

05/06/2025

09/22/2023

Hi All! I have rare Saturday openings on September 30, send me a text if you would like an appointment - 916.626.0738

05/25/2023

I hope you all are doing great! Just a quick note to let you know that I have added Infrared Therapy to my sessions. I am not on Facebook much, but I do answer messages. Let me know if you want to schedule a tune up for your horse. I am now booking July.

09/26/2022

This is true in all things related to horses. I use Patrick's mantra when working on horses.

4 key pieces to solving so many challenges with our horses...

Go slower. Be softer. Wait. Breathe.

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Veritas Saddles * Flexible Fit Equestrian USA * Romfh Equestrian Apparel * LM Boots

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Have you signed up for my NEW email list to stay connected and be "in the know" with upcoming clinics, events, and the online Academy that I'm preparing to launch?

https://www.academyforclassicalhorsemanship.com/default-email-registration

06/23/2022

I heard a great quote the other day that I've been thinking a lot about lately. "The most honest person in the room is the problem child".

When it comes to horses, they are naturally designed to be good liars. From a prey perspective, they're supposed to lie to predators about their physical and mental weaknesses, because their very survival depends upon it.

"Good" horses are good liars. They're stoic about physical ailments, they tolerate mistakes, and they can perform their duties without needing to be heard by their human handler, or requiring a lot of skill from a rider. These are horses we value a lot in our equestrian society, and they're great for many reasons.

Problem horses are very bad liars. They cannot just go on with life when they are hurt, or upset, or feeling like their needs are not acknowledged or met.

They either find somebody who understands that, or they are sent to a trainer who's main job is to teach them to learn to SUPPRESS this urge to constantly communicate their emotions and needs, effectively becoming better liars. Some horses can learn this, but the ones that cannot are labelled permanent problems, and often find themselves shuffled around.

But what happens if we begin to value communication over compliance? What if we prioritize the relationship before our egos, and trust before our human goals?

We can all agree that we would prefer to be in a meaningful human relationship that ivalues empathy to a different perspective/reality. Why wouldn't we consciously cultivate the same relationships with our equine partners? Would that not be beneficial for everyone?

The next time you find yourself making a binary judgement about your horse's behavior, pause for a moment instead and consider the root cause of it. What are they trying to communicate? How can you help meet their needs and build trust instead of prioritizing your ego in that moment and demanding compliance because you've arbitrarily decided you deserve it?

09/08/2021

This is a great illustration and explanation of the pelvis tuck, the back should raise all the way to the withers.

Workout Wednesday: Many of you have asked how to perform a Pelvis Tuck. Here is a photo description from my book, Equine Fitness. A few days per week, I like to perform 3 of these before I ride.

08/23/2021

Here is a article from UC Davis on horses and Wildfire smoke.

"How does smoke affect horses?
The effects of smoke on horses are similar to effects on humans: irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract, aggravation of conditions like heaves (recurrent airway obstruction), and reduced lung function. High concentrations of particulates can cause persistent cough, increased nasal discharge, wheezing and increased physical effort in breathing.

Particulates can also alter the immune system and reduce the ability of the lungs to remove foreign materials, such as pollen and bacteria, to which horses are normally exposed."

Ideas to assist our horses I haven't seen yet ,and some are depending on your situation of course each horse is different:

Keep noses clean so their eyes can drain and won't get build up.
Tapping the glands so they don't stagnate.
Change/clean outside water every couple of days or more often if you can, if you are in heavy smoke.
Curry daily to help lymphatic systems to not stagnate.
My guy is not a big drinker, so I go every few hours and give him a handful of hay to ensure he keeps drinking, and/or add loose salt if you are not already. Keeps the airways ,moist.
Immune supplement or even just vitamin c.

Check with your vet.

Takeaways Unhealthy air containing wildfire smoke and particulates can cause health problems in people and animals. Particulates from smoke tend to be very small, which allows them to reach the deepest airways within the lungs. Wildfire smoke can cause respiratory issues for horses. They may experie...