Equine Balanced Support

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Hand Walking for Foundational Conditioning

Horses may lose fitness due to injury, time off, seasonal changes, or reduced turnout, and returning them to work requires a thoughtful, gradual approach.
Hand walking is one of the safest and most effective ways to begin reconditioning a horse after a period of limited exercise. While it may seem simple, walking activates key muscle groups, improves circulation, and gradually reintroduces movement without placing excessive strain on joints or soft tissues. It is especially beneficial for horses coming off stall rest or those who have had minimal movement for extended periods.

Starting with 10–15 minutes of walking on flat, even ground allows the horse to rebuild baseline fitness. Over time, increasing the walk session duration to 30–45 minutes and varying the terrain to include gentle inclines or different footing types can enhance strength and adaptability. Walking encourages joint lubrication, tendon elasticity, and cardiovascular engagement at a low intensity, making it ideal as a first step.

Hand walking also provides an opportunity to assess soundness and movement quality. Subtle stiffness, uneven stride length, or reluctance to move forward can be identified early and addressed before progressing to more demanding exercises. A rider can also use all this information to assess training schedules, so a 15-minute hand-walk before each ride can drastically improve training results. In addition, it strengthens the horse-handler relationship, reinforcing calm behavior and attentiveness.

When done consistently, hand walking lays the foundation for all future conditioning, preparing the musculoskeletal system for increased workload while minimizing the risk of re-injury

While growing our community we have met some people! Victoria of Mini Therapy Horses is one of them, she spends her days helping bring some light and love to hospitals and visits with first responders to help brighten their day as well. She does all of this with her little herd of amazingly trained mini horses. We are proud our Grazers Nutri-Treats are the treat of choice for this fantastic program!

To learn more about all of the great things Mini Therapy horses does and to find ways to support them, read below.

Mini Therapy Horses Choose Grazers Nutri-Treats Mini Therapy Horses, a nonprofit bringing comfort to thousands in L.A. County, now use Grazers Nutri-Treats to reward their minis safely. Learn why this partnership matters for equine health and healing.

Congratulations to Dr Megan Knoell and Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation!

We are so excited to welcome Dr. Megan Knoell to the TRF Board of Directors!💚
Dr. Knoell grew up in Goshen, New York and is a graduate of Goshen Central High School. She attended SUNY-College of Environmental Science and Forestry, where she earned a Bachelor of Environmental Science. Dr. Knoell attended veterinary school at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Columbus, OH. Following graduation, she completed an equine surgical and medical internship at Chaparral Veterinary Medical Center in Cave Creek, AZ. She founded Knoellwood Equine in 2021 to provide a high level of individualized care to the horses in the area. She's gotten involved with several rescues and sanctuaries locally, Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation being one of them. She has a soft spot for Thoroughbreds and owns 3 herself. Dr. Knoell enjoys general medicine, managing geriatrics, and sports medicine. She also enjoys breeding, though it’s not the main focus of her practice. She is certified in Veterinary Acupuncture and Equine Spinal Medical Manipulation (chiropractic) through Chi University in Reddick, FL and practices both on horses regularly.During the rare times that Dr. Knoell is not working, she can be found with her daughter, Rachel, or on her family’s farm caring for her herd of horses. She currently has 3 dogs and more horses than should be counted, including several young homebred foals.

Check out this weeks top selling products

NEW PRODUCT ALERT

We now offer the Hydra Heal line of products.

We used this on our own here to ensure we loved it before adding it to our curated list of products. This is good stuff, soothing and helps maintain a good moisture level. There is even an easy to use clear adhesive patch available.

Hydra-Heal Gel: Advanced Wound Care for Horses, Dogs, and Other Animals

Accelerate recovery and protect your animal’s skin with a powerful, fast-acting blend engineered for superior wound management. Hydra-Heal Gel utilizes the natural healing properties of Aloe Vera, Glycerin, and Allantoin to soothe and heal wounds. This premium formula promotes fast, natural recovery for cuts, scrapes, sweet itch, summer sores, and other skin irritations. Formulated for horses, dogs, cats, and livestock, this veterinary-grade solution utilizes a targeted triple-action ingredient complex to optimize the healing environment

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Build Trust Through Calm Grooming

Grooming is not only a tool for physical care but also a powerful way to build trust and connection between horse and handler. When done calmly and consistently, grooming helps develop a horse's confidence in humans, especially in young or previously mishandled animals. The quiet, repetitive nature of grooming mimics the mutual grooming behavior observed in herds, where horses groom one another to establish social bonds.

To read the full article follow the link in the comments

Grooming Strengthens the Human-Horse Bond Grooming is not only a tool for physical care but also a powerful way to build trust and connection between horse and handler. When done calmly and consistently, grooming helps develop a horse’s confidence in humans, especially in young or previously mishandled animals.