For the most part, the domestication of horses has dramatically changed their lifestyles. They are used to foraging, roaming, playing, challenging and forming social connections of their own volition. Most horse owners don't have the means to re-create anything close to a natural life for their horses but by making some simple changes to our horse keeping practices, we've found that our horses are happier and more peaceful within themselves.
The first thing we changed was the use of slow feeders. It's been about 14 years now and we haven't gone back. Our horses have either had these or been on pasture ever since. We've been through multiple brands, shapes and sizes of nets, and when we started we were weighing out their hay and letting them run out so it just slowed down their two regular feedings. We then switched to 24/7 access and noticed a huge change. The science behind this type of feeding tool is solid. Horses have the digestive system of grazers/trickle feeders, and while they can live without it, they experience greater health - both mental and physical - when we try to align their care with their physiology and natural instincts as much as possible.
From there we've gone on to experiment with and/or study different types of training, hoof maintenance, tack, enrichment, first aid, and other aspects of horse care and keeping. This includes courses put on by Equine Guelph, holistic vets, alternative care practitioners, energy medicine practitioners, and most recently Healing Horses Their Way. All that we've learned and chosen to implement has been great for our herd, with results that exceeded our expectations. We've also started developing a track system due to the loss (through flooding) of our main pasture.
The wellness services we offer for horses are based on our own experiences, knowledge we've picked up from mentors, and certifications we've completed. These theories, ideas, experiments and observations have given us a wide base of information to draw from. With so many clients seeking advice but not having the free time to put into studying and researching, we decided to add this offering specifically based on the care of horses on top of what we provide as part of Holistic Horsemanship. This will look different for each client/horse because every horse and situation is unique, but there are some basic principles that apply across the board. These services are available in person or by distance, and can be provided as one off conversations or as an ongoing program. Contact us for more info!