Author: Sherie Vermeer

No matter how careful we are, we all get injured sometimes. That includes our horses. Nothing is scarier than when your horse gets injured though. You want to do everything you can to make them feel safe and comfortable. Fortunately, with a little extra knowledge and the right tools, you can help. Here are the steps to take when your horse sustains any kind of injury from a mild scrape to a bone break.

When you get a horse, you will form a lifelong bond with them. From birth to their golden years, you will share many beautiful experiences. In order to help them have the best life possible, it’s important to provide care that is appropriate for their needs at every age. Here is everything you need to know about the life stages of a horse and how to provide care that will support a healthy, happy life no matter if they are a foal, yearling, or senior.

Too often today, horse owners use mass-produced synthetic products to care for their animals. The use of these products has created numerous health hazards for horses. Horses are now more prone to conditions indicative of poisoning. As a horse owner, you should, whenever possible, want to use products that are 100% natural and safe for horse consumption.

Horses have adapted over the many centuries to self medicate using the herbs and plants they could forage in their natural environment. As owners we can make use of this instinct to help our horses by supplementing beneficial plants into their feed, or even better, by encouraging these plants to grow wild in your pasture. Below, you’ll find four natural herbs that I recommend.

Domesticated horses live very differently than horses in the wild. In order to give your horse their best life, you need to do what you can to create a comfortable habitat that meets all of these natural needs. Although many of us do not have the land or the resources to perfectly recreate a natural environment, there are still many things we can do to create a healthy habitat where your horse will be safe, happy, and live a comfortable life. As someone who believes in the power of nature, I believe the best place to start is to look at how wild horses live. Continue reading The Best Horse Habitat

Summer is here. With that comes a lot of fun activities for you and your horse. However, summer also brings out the flies, who are looking for sources of food and ways to breed. Here is everything you need to know about keeping your horse and stable free of these annoying pests: Continue reading Keeping Summer Horse Pests Away

It’s really important to think about the health of your horse’s skin. Weather changes can wreak havoc on your horse’s delicate skin. So can being out in the pasture all day, where it is exposed to the elements. Luckily there are some simple things you can do to ensure your horse’s skin is protected. Continue reading Ways To Protect The Skin Of Your Horse

As a horse owner, the most important thing to me is my horses’ overall health. I want them to live a long, happy, and fulfilling life. Over the years, I’ve become more and more focused on ways to support a healthy lifestyle for my horses. From making simple adjustments to their daily diet, to developing a line of natural horse care products, I have spent hours researching and speaking with other horse owners. Along the way, I have learned a lot and I wanted to take some time to share what I’ve learned with you. Here are my key tips for helping you boost your horse’s overall health and wellbeing. Continue reading Boosting Your Horse’s Health

If you’re considering getting a horse or are a first time horse owner, one of the more important aspects of their care is hoof maintenance. A horse’s hooves provide the foundation of a healthy life. Without healthy hooves, horses cannot walk, run, or carry. Horses can also get specific illnesses that enter through weak or damaged hooves. Thus, the best way to keep your horse healthy and happy is through routine hoof maintenance. In order to help first time horse owners, we’ve put together this guide that includes details about what hooves are, what kind of damage they can incur, and how to care for them. Let’s get started!

Horse lovers across the globe are well aware of the joys of getting to own their own horse. Without a doubt, horses are lovely creatures. They are faithful, they are agile, and they are beautiful. If you happen to be a landowner or live somewhere in the country, you’ll be aware of the pleasures of riding your equine friend during lazy summer evenings.

But, as with any pet, there is a lot consider before making the commitment to buying a horse, and you need to make sure you can provide the space, money and, above all else, time the horses in your care deserve. Continue reading More Thoughts on Effective Horse Grooming

With the hustle and bustle of modern life, there are few things that get us outdoors or communing with our environment like having a horse. The longer I’m a horse owner, the more I understand how important this connection is for our health and well-being. As a result, I’ve been on a journey to live in a more natural way. This journey is what led me to the power of essential oils and their application in all areas of my life, including my horse’s care. Continue reading Are Essential Oils Effective For Horse Care?

Horses have a highly refined sense of “fight or flight.” Unfortunately, when that instinct is triggered they will react no matter the cost, even if it means injuring themselves. Horses also spend a lot of time outdoors, running, and playing through the fields where they are exposed to all kinds of injury risks like sharp twigs, rocks, and even other animals. Even though they are incredibly graceful, any horse owner will tell you they can be very clumsy sometimes. That clumsiness can cause injury. In short, horses are very accident prone. So it is important that as a horse owner you understand what to do if they get injured. Here are my tips. Continue reading What To Do With A Wounded Horse

Do you ever wonder how expert horse groomers achieve great results? Well, having witnessed and worked with a few amazing horse groomers, I can tell you that great groomers are not born but they are made through consistency, technique, and by using the right products. If you want to achieve similar results, even as a novice groomer, I recommend these top habits. By replicating their ways, you too can achieve expert quality horse grooming. Continue reading Adopt Effective Habits of Expert Horse Groomers For Best Results

Having worked with plenty of horses, all with different personalities, and sensitivities towards grooming, I can say this with confidence: having a complete basic grooming kit that is put together with care and attention will make grooming sessions so much easier. Continue reading Building A Complete Horse Grooming Kit

We all have a routine we use when we groom our horse, but many of us are left wondering why our horse’s coat, mane, and tail don’t ever look as wonderful and healthy as we would like them to. We spend lots of time putting work in, but are never fully satisfied with the results. Many times, we find ourselves asking: what’s missing? Continue reading Professional Grooming Tips and Tricks for a Beautiful and Healthy Horse

Cleaning out your horse’s hooves is important for several reasons. It is an essential part of a good horse care routine. It’s a step that needs to be done frequently and when done properly will keep your horse healthy and happy and free to trot along without any pain or risk of thrush! Continue reading How To: Take Care of Your Horse’s Hooves

Grooming is one of the most wonderful experiences you can share with your horse. It’s a time to show care and bond, and revel in their shiny coats. Sometimes though, even the most bonded horse and owner can run into grooming problems. This series addresses common horse grooming challenges, and today we are covering tips to help with tail rubbing. Continue reading Horse Grooming Challenges: Tail Rubbing

Grooming is one of my favorite things about being a horse owner. It’s a wonderful time to connect, bond, and show your care. However, sometimes grooming time isn’t all sunshine and roses. Even a master horse groomer can run into challenges and this series aims to address some of these challenges. Today I’d like to address another common issue: tangled tails. Continue reading Horse Grooming Challenges: Tangled Tails

Welcome to my series on horse grooming challenges. In each post, I cover one of the most common challenges I hear from my customers. In this post, I’m going to cover bath-time battles because sometimes ornery horses just don’t want to get a bath. Even professional groomers struggle with bath-time battles sometimes, so don’t worry. It’s definitely something that can be overcome with patience. Continue reading Horse Grooming Challenges: Bath-Time Battles

We’ve all dreamed of having a white horse at some point in our lives. They are absolutely majestic and create a sense of fantasy when you see them galloping through the fields. Though undeniably beautiful, it is not a dream to care for a white coat. White coats are prone to staining, yellowing, and looking dull and dirty. However, there are a few grooming tricks you can do to keep your horse’s coat shiny, bright, and white. Continue reading Keeping Your Horse’s Coat White

There is nothing more fun than going for a mani-pedi with your friends. For your horse, a mani-pedi can actually be beneficial to their health, especially in the fall and springtime when the combination of wet weather and changing temperatures can see dangerous microbes thrive. At these times, horses may be at risk of picking up a nasty fungus or bacterial infection on their hooves which can cause deterioration of the hoof and pain when standing or walking. To help prevent these issues we recommend a microbe-busting natural hoof soak. Continue reading Natural Hoof Soaks

Massage isn’t just a great way to relieve equine joint and muscle pain, it can also be a wonderful bonding experience for you and your horse. Learning a few effective massage techniques can help relieve tension and pain, reduce anxiety before a show, and just generally help your horse unwind. Adding the soothing power of essential oils can make the massage experience even better.

Here are four techniques to help introduce your horse to the benefits of massage: Continue reading Horse Massage with Essential Oils

Rain Rot is a type of bacterial infection that can be triggered by prolonged exposure to moisture and rising temperature. Rain Rot can become an issue for horses during wet months of the year, and while most owners will turn to the various chemical potions on the market to help treat it, I prefer a natural approach using essential oils. Continue reading How To Relieve Rain Rot Naturally

I am very passionate about horse grooming. I think it is one of the best parts about owning a horse. It’s a great time to bond, relax, and show your care. Plus, if you do it right, your horse will love it. If you’re just starting out with horse grooming, here are some tips help you become a master groomer:

Continue reading Five Tips To Horse Grooming

Horses are herd animals that are used to open plains. When confined in small spaces without adequate companionship or exercise, it can be an immensely stressful experience for them. Travel can be extremely disruptive to their natural needs, but with a few tips, you can help prepare them for their journey so it is not traumatizing. Continue reading Preparing For Long-Distance Travel

This springtime did you have the pleasure of watching your beloved mare become a mother and meeting their new baby for the first time? Caring for a foal can be a wonderful experience, and now that the first few months are through, the time has come to start training, which means it’s the perfect time to introduce the young horse to essential oils.. Continue reading Introducing Aromatherapy To Your Foal

There are a lot of irritants in the summer. The blazing sun and allergens can be tough on your horse’s skin. Also, in the summer months there are irritating pests everywhere. With the summer months fast approaching, now is the time to put together a strategy to keep your horse cool and comfortable. Equi-Spa offers a couple products that can help battle against these summer irritants. Continue reading HOW TO: Keep Cool and Comfortable All Summer

Equi-Spa recommends cleaning your horses sheath twice a year, Spring and Fall. Spring cleaning is necessary because during the cold winter male horses do not like to drop all the way, so natural cleansing is limited. As responsible horse owners we like to start the winter with clean sheaths for the same reason, so a Fall cleaning is recommended. Continue reading HOW TO: Intimate Cleaning

Updated  5/7/2018

Preparing your horse for dressage takes a lot of dedication. Dressage is both a physically and mentally demanding sport, and one of the best things you can to do prepare is to incorporate stretching as part of your grooming routine. Also regular, gentle stretching can help maintain the health and mobility of any horse throughout its life, so keep reading even if your horse is not a competitor. Continue reading Stretch for Success!