The Planning – 2013
For Sabots Libres, 2013 should prove an exciting year; rolling out at least two new concepts and expanding horizons. The concept of Subscription Trimming is in itself not new – not unlike a season ticket, it entitles you to a set number of trims within a given period for a fixed price. More information about […]
Stick-in-the-muds
Why oh why do people – well educated supposedly open-minded people – get so stuck in their ways? Ten to fifteen years ago, if you had built a bright airy riding arena with stalls, 3x3m opening onto a wide gangway, reactions would have been “Wow! Fantastic.” Today, we realize that this is no longer acceptable. […]
Laminitis Research
Sadly, all too often, research goes off the rails. What starts out as good intention, collaboration and free exchange of ideas, turns into a race – not for the ultimate cure, but for the most funding to insure “successful” continuation of the project. Sometimes, research gets “found out”: the recent revelation that the various omega […]
Back outside
Having been kept indoors the past few icy days – horses can’t walk on hard icy ground – the local horse-community is back outside and naturally well wrapped up in their jackets! After all, it is still cold. It is always a wonder to me that so many “knowledgable” horse owners seem to think that […]
Barefoot is Not Negotiable…
All horses’ hooves are healthier without shoes, and barefoot horses are healthier than shod horses. They live longer, happier, less painful lives. Barefoot is a requirement for health and should be accepted as a condition for keeping a horse. Humane management is not just preferable, it is nonnegotiable. The foot evolved to function unshod. Nature […]
Give me a reason to shoe…
…and I’ll give you two reasons not to. There are so many arguments why a horse should be shod – but really they are all excuses. And there is no excuse for this continuing mediæval practice. In most western countries there are laws protecting animals against cruelty, unnatural and unnecessary practices – and yet none […]
Hoofing to Nature!
We often eulogize about “The Wonders of Nature” but only when we are actually confronted with them do we realize just how amazing they can be. A few weeks ago I was called out to one of my customers who had just bought an 8 year old horse. The general condition of the horse was […]
When is it time?
I have already made mention in the social media of a horse that is cared for by one of my customers. A beautiful mare that actually belongs to a farmer but that has been tended to by my customer for some 16 years. Like so many people, my customer was convinced that – certainly after […]
Vaccination Routines…
An interesting article by a vet about routine vaccination of horses (and other animals) and the likely lack of necessity for such a rigorous and frequent routine DePaolo Equine Concepts.
Lotje Schoots Reprimanded by FEI Steward at 2012 CDIO Aachen | eurodressage
Yet another example of abuse – albeit on a “minor” scale in this case – within the honourable world of dressage (and competition riding in general) Lotje Schoots Reprimanded by FEI Steward at 2012 CDIO Aachen | eurodressage.