JL's Equine & K9 Bodywork Therapy

02/14/2026

Happy Valentine’s Day! ❤️🐎💋

02/05/2026

Performing a MagnaWave treatment on a horse before skeletal alignment can be beneficial for several reasons:

1. Muscle Relaxation: MagnaWave uses Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy to stimulate circulation and reduce muscle tension. By loosening tight muscles, it allows the horse to be more comfortable and receptive to alignment.
2. Improved Blood Flow: Enhanced circulation delivers more oxygen and nutrients to tissues, which helps prepare the musculoskeletal system for manipulation.
3. Decrease in Inflammation: Reducing local inflammation through PEMF can help joints and soft tissue respond better to skeletal alignment and stretching.
4. Easier Adjustments: When muscles and fascia are relaxed, the bodyworker can perform manipulation more effectively with less resistance, which may reduce the risk of strain or discomfort for the horse.
5. Better Retention of Adjustment: A body that is warmed up and relaxed tends to hold skeptical alignment longer because the surrounding muscles are less likely to pull the skeletal structures out of alignment after the session.

In short, using MagnaWave prior to an adjustment primes the horse’s body for a smoother, more effective skeletal treatment and supports overall recovery and performance.

02/05/2026

Exciting news!!!! 😎

02/02/2026

When the tension release is just sooo good…

The cold weather lately made for a lot of stiff, tense muscles. Prada Marie was by far the most appreciative of my efforts.

-Aubrey

01/31/2026

01/31/2026

“Alfalfa is making my horse HOT!” 🔥
No… it’s not.

Alfalfa didn’t flip a chaos switch.
It didn’t spike sugar.
It didn’t turn your horse into a fire-breathing dragon.

🌱 What alfalfa actually does:
It provides quality protein and calories.
Calories = fuel.
Fuel without an outlet = expression.

That “hot,” distracted, can’t-focus behavior usually comes from:
• Excess energy with nowhere to go
• Inconsistent turnout or stimulation
• Tight bodies, sore fascia, restricted joints
• Stressy environments (stall time, weather, travel, training pressure)

🚫 What alfalfa is NOT doing:
• Acting like caffeine
• Creating behavioral issues
• “Heating the blood” (old barn myth alert)

💡 Here’s the piece everyone skips:
A tight, uncomfortable horse cannot regulate their nervous system.

When the body is restricted, the brain stays in go-mode.
That looks like:
• Tantrums
• Spookiness
• Inability to concentrate
• “Too much horse” days

✨ This is where routine bodywork matters.

Regular bodywork helps:
• Release chronic tension & fascial restriction
• Improve proprioception and body awareness
• Down-regulate the nervous system
• Improve focus, rideability, and emotional regulation

A horse that feels good in their body can:
✔️ Process energy appropriately
✔️ Stay mentally present
✔️ Use fuel instead of reacting to it

🧠 The truth:
It’s rarely the feed.
It’s the environment + the body living in it.

Feed the horse in front of you.
Support the body regularly.
Match fuel to workload.

For the love of the horse 🤍

01/29/2026

❄️ ICE BALLS BREAK LEGS

The Winter “High Heel” Danger

Hy 5 Equine Bodyworks
For the Love of the Horse

We worry about horses freezing.
We should worry about them tripping.

In slushy snow, horses can form ice balls in under 15 minutes.
These are not soft snowballs. They are rock-hard ice, lifting the hoof several inches off the ground and turning your horse into a walking balance test.

⸻

🌡️ WHY ICE BALLS FORM

• The hoof is warm from blood flow
• The metal shoe is freezing
• Snow melts → then flash-freezes
• The shoe traps ice like a cup

Layer by layer, a solid ice “rock” forms under the hoof.

⸻

👠 THE “HIGH HEEL” EFFECT

Your 1,200-lb horse is suddenly walking on ice stilts.

⚠️ Increased strain on the Deep Digital Flexor Tendon
⚠️ Side-to-side fetlock wobble
⚠️ Stress on collateral ligaments
⚠️ Higher risk of soft-tissue injury & lameness

⸻

💥 THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE?

The barn aisle.

Ice + metal shoes + concrete = zero traction
When they slip, the elevated hoof increases torque, making fractures and pelvic injuries far more likely.

⸻

✅ HY 5 WINTER HOOF SAFETY FIX

✔️ Pick hooves immediately before stepping onto concrete
✔️ Snow popper / bubble pads for shod horses
✔️ Crisco or petroleum jelly on the sole as a short-term hack (15–30 min)

⸻

📌 QUICK HY 5 FAQ

Barefoot horses?
🦶 Safer in snow. The hoof expands and pops ice out naturally.

Cooking spray?
🍳 Works temporarily. Great for quick turnout or moving horses.

Why not stall them during storms?
⚠️ Increased colic risk. Horses need movement. Prep the hooves, don’t stop turnout.

⸻

🩷 HY 5 TAKEAWAY

Ice balls aren’t just annoying.
They are a real mechanical injury risk.

Winter care isn’t only blankets.
It’s biomechanics, footing, and prevention.

*for the love of the horse*

01/28/2026

01/23/2026

🌬️❄️ Cold air is heading our way this weekend! Make sure your horses are ready and have:
🏡 Shelter from the wind
🌾 Extra forage for energy
🐴 Blankets if needed
💧Filled and thawed water sources

01/21/2026

🧠 Read the Label, Not the Hype™
Part 1: “High Protein” ≠ High Quality

If you’ve ever chosen a feed or supplement because it said “high protein”, you’re not alone.
That phrase has been heavily marketed — but it’s often misunderstood.

Let’s clear it up 👇

🧬 What is protein?

Protein is not a nutrient the body uses directly.
Protein is broken down into amino acids, which the horse then uses to:
-Build muscle
-Support topline
-Repair tissue
-Maintain hooves, hair, and immune function

📌 If the amino acids aren’t there — or aren’t in balance — the protein number doesn’t matter.

🚩 Why crude protein can be misleading

“Crude protein” only tells us how much nitrogen is present, not:
-Amino acid profile
-Digestibility
-Bioavailability
-Whether the horse can actually use it

👉 A higher percentage does not equal higher quality.

⚠️ When protein is excessive

Excess protein that can’t be utilized must be broken down and excreted, which can:
-Increase ammonia production
-Stress the liver and kidneys
-Contribute to excess urine and odor
-Still fail to improve topline or condition

📌 More isn’t better if it’s not usable.

🐎 What actually matters more than protein %

✔ Amino acid balance (especially lysine, methionine, threonine)
✔ Digestibility of the protein source (if it says Whey as a protein source, run lollll)
✔ Overall mineral balance (amino acids don’t work alone)
✔ Hay quality and intake

🎯 Bottom line:

“High protein” is a marketing phrase, not a nutrition plan.

Your horse doesn’t always need more protein.
Most likely hey need the right building blocks, in the right form, at the right time.

💬 Next up in Read the Label, Not the Hype™:
Amino Acids — what they are, which ones matter, and why “amino acid fortified” doesn’t always mean balanced.

👇 Have questions about protein, topline, or feed labels? Drop them in the comments.

Maria -Equine Nutritionist
Read the label. Not the hype.
Here's a pic created by my friend, ChatGPT. I love the "hooves"