Horsempower in Buninyong, Victoria | Horse trainer

Horsempower

Locality: Buninyong, Victoria

Phone: +61 400 321 159

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• Pet service
• Horse trainer
• Therapist

24.01.2022 My turn today! Thanks Leni, you certainly have magic hands. So in between collecting poo for her thesis research on Cushings, she offers me some body work/ acupuncture after me staggering around for past couple of weeks after a fall ( yep, off a horse) She just flips out her table, pops some needles in and then proceeds to give me the best psoas release EVER ! BEFORE treatment-very sore ... AFTER treatment -NO PAIN AMAZING!!! See more

24.01.2022 https://www.facebook.com/Saddlefit4Life/videos/381538463198902/?vh=e

22.01.2022 FINAL DAY! Drawn on Dec 20th. Just click the link for info and to purchase your lucky tickets https://www.rafflelink.com.au/spc-win-an-iphone Who wouldn't love a new iPhone 11Pro under the Christmas tree? Our club really appreciates your support. Good Luck!

20.01.2022 Your Saddle. Part 1. How well do you really know your saddle? Do you know what the tree is made of?... What the flocking material is? Is it adjustable? How many times? How is the gullet angled? Where is the lowest part of the seat? What is the seat width? What is the tree width? What is the tree angle? Is the tree straight or twisted? These are just a handful of things that every rider should know about their own saddle. Tree material, why is it important? The material the tree is made determines not only the min/max weight of the rider, but also the amount of flexion in the tree to help disperse impact and not transfer it directly to the horse if the rider lands hard. It also indicates whether the tree can be adjusted, how many times before it becomes weak, and the durability. If the saddle is adjustable, how can it be done to not damage the tree, are there special tools, is your fitter familiar with the needs of that tree type or equipped to adjust it without breaking it. You would be shocked at the amount of broken trees we see from improperly adjusting an adjustable saddle, as well as attempting to adjust a non-adjustable saddle. Most times the rider had NO IDEA their saddle was even broken. Flocking is another extremely important component. Wool or a synthetic/wool blend is typically the flocking of choice, however more and more saddles are being made with foam panels that once flattened, cannot be reflocked. It also determines how much heat it holds and its ability to dampen impact and movement from above or below. Durability is also an important factor as certain materials degrade faster (through usage, heat cycles, moisture, sweat, time), as well as the ability of the material to 'heal' or be repaired from events such as improper storage leading to indents. Certain flocking types are more prone to compressing and shifting, while others cannot be adjusted at all and require a full replacement. Knowing the flocking type is important in helping the rider know when to call someone out to adjust, reflock, repair or replace the material. Knowing your saddle is not only necessary to protecting your investment, but also yourself and your horse from you not realizing or overlooking warning signs that something is amiss. It also gives you better insight on proper care and maintenance of it so you can get the most out of your saddle without unintentionally damaging it. Swapping saddles from horse to horse are also a huge, yet ignored cause of saddle damage and deformation, not to mention the nightmare statement of "this saddle fits every horse"!. Take the time to get to know more about your saddle, although speaking from experience, there are a number of manufacturers who make illogical claims such as "this wooden tree with the gullet plate riveted on all the way around is adjustable". Fun fact, it absolutely is not. Part 2 coming soon! Photos provided by Karen Lewis. All images copyright Karen Lewis. (Thank you for providing them with descriptions!) First Saddle: suspicious crease across seat. Horse sore lumbar and reactive saddle fitting. Rider remembered horse had reared and fallen over onto saddle 2 years previous. Second saddle ( one arrow) synthetic tree ( plastic had fatigued) gullet plate took all movement and sheared across middle Third saddle - fairly self explanatory! broken head plate and rivets loose and seen in my hand, same saddle rather lumpy old flocking, just age deterioration. I forgot to say 2nd saddle fitted everything in the yard Tree Asymmetry - saddle caused owners to seek resolution of back pain- x rays and referrals. Tree is clearly stamped medium, suspicious dent at pommel ( tree machine clamp?) Tree is also twisted out of shape, dents in seat show uneven seat bone pressure and tree is just worn out. Panels are not only asymmetrical they are flocked unevenly and are also positioned off the central line. Next black polyprop tree is a Wintec stock. Tree not broken in half but it has severe fatigue and it had way too much lateral flex to it hence i took it apart and these fractures are evident.

19.01.2022 Horses are not designed to carry us. Therefore it's OUR OBLIGATION as horse riders to ensure that our horses comfort and well being are our top priority! This video demonstrates why I am doing my saddlefit training with Jochen Schleese. He and his team of experts have taken saddlefit to another level and have revolutionist the whole concept. ... I had no plan to train as a saddlefitter until I became an Equine Body Therapy ( EBT) practioner. It involves maths and lets just say I should have listened more to my maths teacher But hey nothing like a challenge especially when your whole heart is steered towards making this a better world for our beloved equines who have suffered and served humans for centuries!! Without question most issues I come across as an EBT practitioner are undeniably saddle related, yes BAD BAD SADDLES hence why I was compelled to further my knowledge and educate owners. So the further I progress into my training the closer I get to my next challenge! Finding saddles on the market that don't cause pain, damage and/or restrict our horses breathing, movement and mental state in some way or another! I am astounded at the amount of saddle brands that are really only fit for bar stools ( according to my new found knowledge) then that's even questionable in regards to our comfort. Then there is the challenge of being the bearer of unwanted news eg: telling owners that their saddle that they may recently had fitted or have just purchased does not fit! However we are training to present that to the saddle owner from a more demonstrative angle which allows the owner to come to their own conclusion. Jochen Schleese is very adamant that there is to be no sugar coating and there is to be no fit that is ok, will do or sort of fits. It has to be 100% or nothing! The right saddle for you and your horse may cost more than your horse initially, but a bad cheaper saddle may cost more in the long run when vet bills start to mount up due to saddle damage. That's a common reality! Jochens inspiration to pursue this career was born from the irreversible damage his saddle caused to his own horse during his early competitive years. Horses display pain in different ways, some appear sensitive others stoic. Let's not label or normalise this behaviour, let's listen and learn from it. When approaching a horse with a saddle, tacking up, in hand work and under saddle also take notice of the less obvious and early warning signs. Posture ,muscle tension, stress lines, breathing, jaw tension, tongue lolling, tongue over bit, tail swishing and facial expression are all things to be acutely aware of. And if you have ever heard a rider say " I just have to warm my horse up for 20 mins before he settles down" ponder this... It takes approximately 20 mins for the horse spinal nerves to go numb! Please take 10 mins to watch this and SHARE widely, help get this message out for our most deserving equine friends Stay warm, well and wonderful

19.01.2022 Just got my treatments in on time today!

19.01.2022 This is my little Welsh Cob who was being filmed today ( on location) for a music video for a young girl for her acting/ singing school! Dont they look the part ?

18.01.2022 Had one of those pivotal moments this morning in my horsemanship! Took Clancy from my place ( where he and his buddy’s are eating out a paddock) down the road to where I give lessons. Sort of went like this: Clancy- I am not happy here!! Can’t you hear my buddy’s screaming out for me to get my big QH butt back there ASAP!! ... Im gunna jump this fence I swear !! neeeiiiigggh!! Me- I really need your attention if I am going to conduct a lesson with you. I mean come on and just settle down ya big stress head!! Clancy - Nobody home, not listening, lalalala ! neigh neigh neigh neigh neigh! Me - mm none of the usual tricks are working! I mean what have they got that I haven’t Ok let’s just see what you are seeing and hear what you are hearing ! Deep breath, stop and listen! Clancy- see I told you, they neeeed me. neeeeiiigh !! Me- yeah that must be tough when you are herd animal. But hey I promise I will take you straight back!! Clancy- yeah yeah promises promises! me - another deep breath, stop, look same direction listen and live the moment. Clancy as he idles up to me very close and lowers his head and starts chewing - so you do understand! - Clancy was a gem for the entire 2 hr lesson and as promised taken straight back to his buddy’s who gave him a bit of a dressing down but were more than happy to have him and his big QH butt back.

18.01.2022 Perfect day for a stroll on the Neddies. They seem to look forward to getting out. We add a couple of fuel spots on the way so there is something more in it for them and they are even more willing to leave home . We make sure they have a grazing cue so they don’t learn to reef their head down whenever they see grass. Both very relaxed.

17.01.2022 Now taking last bookings for the year! Some places still left up to Friday 18th Two spots left on route to Colac today 0400321159

16.01.2022 Fit is not Forever. It's not uncommon to hear someone say they had their saddle fitted.. once. Or they purchased a custom saddle, which technically only fit th...e shape their horse was at the time of measuring. So many people fit their saddles once, then forget about re-evaluating that fit ever again despite the horse aging, maturing, changing workload, changing discipline, turnout schedule, and the list goes on. Imagine if your parents had bought you fitted shoes at 10 yrs old, and never bothered to buy more shoes as you grew. When a saddle is fitted (correctly) and the horse is worked, you will see changes in the horse that need to be taken into consideration to ensure that the saddle KEEPS fitting (if it's adjustable, and not just interchangeable gullet). Fit is not forever. You are riding a living, breathing, changing animal that does not stay the same shape, especially through the back. Keep this in mind when purchasing a saddle, and understand that custom built is not all it's cracked up to be. While custom fit is necessary, so is adjustability in width, angle and sometimes even length with removable panels. A one time custom fit, or a non-adjustable custom build will do you no favors if ti cannot grow and change with the horse.

15.01.2022 I met a lady at a horse event many years ago who’s engineering husband had transformed their float from straight load to rear facing. She had done lots of research and it made so much sense, she never looked back . Her horses travelled the best they had ever travelled. It was a very cool float but she didn’t have front access, she taught them to reverse in! I am looking forward to the launch of this one.

15.01.2022 After a few huge weeks of travel and EBT’s I think I must have over worked my old faithful!

14.01.2022 Just doing a bit of research into Virginiamycin the active ingredient in Founderguard that a lot of owners seem to use. I mean shouldn’t we be focusing on gut health instead? https://thehorse.com//virginiamycin-for-equine-use-to-be-/

14.01.2022 This event was well worth the money and sleepless night. Early hours of the morning not the best time for my old brain to work but this was good stuff! Highly recommend their courses!

13.01.2022 Pretty much sums up my opinion on these!

12.01.2022 View from my office Can’t complain!

11.01.2022 Gotta love my girls permanent crimp

11.01.2022 Skeletal maturity in horses doesn’t complete until approx 6 years of age! Even more reason to ensure that saddle fit is 100% !!

10.01.2022 Two years ago I started my saddlefit/Ergonomist training and I am so excited to say today was my final evaluation!! Thankyou everyone who volunteered their time and their horses and their patience whilst I fiddle farted around making sure every 80 points was evaluated and filled in. I still prob take two hours per fit but it’s thorough and I have learnt boat loads!! and it’s more than saddle fitting! Next level will be flocking and adjusting! Bring it on!

09.01.2022 Scarlett and Red Light Therapy This beautiful stockhorse has endured a lot of pain in her past over a long period. Chronic pain can take a few treatments to 'peel" away the "layers". Fortunately Scarlett has landed in good hands with her new owner. She was so incredibly guarded and sensitive just about everywhere you touched her and she would let you know in no uncertain terms .which is why I was asked to treat her.... EBT worked a treat as its relatively non intrusive, yet so restorative. This was her 3rd EBT treatment and she had allowed me to EBT her everywhere except for her very sore deltoids as she demonstrates in the following before and after video. So I thought this is the perfect opportunity to utilise my relatively new tool that I have dabbling with for a while; a red light photonic torch and I have to say it was not short of a miracle! Two minutes on the area and I was able to do the move without her biting or pushing me. This will never and could never be as lasting and restorative as hands on EBT. I mainly got it to relieve inflammation and pain, soften scar tissue and assist my hands with hardened hypertonic muscles. I am learning my meridians too as works similiar to acupuncture. Its was well worth the investment! See more

08.01.2022 If only I knew then what I know now, I would not have caused so much pain to so many horses! I could let that thought consume me with guilt and sorrow which it does still at times or I could let it drive me to help horses and educate owners today! Think I will take the latter option! I am so unbelievably grateful for the information that is available today! ... The more I learn, the more my eyes are opened to the pain and suffering that horses endure and the more driven I am to help horses and their owners! Horses are prey animals, they know how to suffer without bringing attention to their herd! Horses suffer in silence and seem stoic, yet even a stoic horse can crack it if the pain gets too much or goes on too long. GULLET PLATES I see way too many horses with deep wither pockets/holes, which is atrophy or wastage of the underlying muscles. How can a muscle function properly if it’s constantly being pinched by badly designed gullet plates! Yet saddle manufacturers continue to churn them out! Over time this will cause scapula damage, kissing spine and the list goes on and on.. Most Interchangeable gullet plates only address angle and not width! and they are way too short! and the wrong shape! There are numerous combinations of width and shoulder angles with horses and if by a slim chance there is a gullet plate that just happens to fit angle AND width I can bet it won’t be long enough! And then there is issue with the sizes. The gullet is just one small part of fitting a saddle to horse and rider anyway. Is there at least 13 cm from the middle of the pommel to the top of the vertical panel on your saddle? How long is the interchangeable gullet in your saddle and does it fit width AND angle? If your gullet plate isn’t fitting and is pinching your horses wither and blocking shoulders from moving back, your horse may feel or you may see the following.. Proppy ( shorten stride) Hollowing back, High head carriage Prefer to canter than trot unless saddle is too long ( that’s another post) No forward or seemingly lazy Pinning ears when asked for forward Chomping bit Topline atrophy hypertrophied ( built up) underside of neck. Which if left unchecked will cause joint issues! Many things I see on a daily basis as a body worker! WARNING This video contains content that may cause gob smacking, eye ball popping and possible uncontrollable urges to destroy certain saddles! https://www.facebook.com/Saddlefit4Life/videos/272575290715802/?vh=e&extid=1Y6HbvTTjqPh004h

08.01.2022 A balanced rider in a good fitting saddle with their weight evenly distributed over the least moving ( Just behind the wither) part of the horses back will allow the horse to achieve a balanced walk. End result comfortable happy horse and rider!

07.01.2022 Who needs it? When it comes to saddle fit, or more specifically, saddle fit education, there are a lot of people in the horse community who think they don't nee...d it. "Why would I need to learn about saddle fit when I can just call a fitter?" Good question, however it fails to understand that saddle fitters don't receive the same education globally, unlike when a nurse is learning how to intubate or draw blood, where the process is the same wherever you go. Saddle fitters also are NOT regulated, they aren't required to carry malpractice insurance, nor are some of them even required to re-certify. If something happens with your vet, you know you can file a formal complaint and have some form of recourse, but with a fitter 99% of the time you have nothing. Just a horse who has been injured by saddle fit, sometimes to the point of being unrideable. That brings us back to our main question - Who needs saddle fit education? The answer is everyone. That's not to say everyone should be a certified saddle fitter or saddle ergonomist, but everyone who does anything with horses should at least know the basic concepts (outside of what brand reps tell you). You, as a horse person, should understand both how a saddle should fit and, more importantly, why. This protects you and your horse from those who do not seek to do harm, but do so through lack of proper knowledge or training. Meaning well unfortunately does not protect either horse or rider from harm. Not meaning to hit someone with your car doesn't magically prevent the pedestrian from not sustaining injuries. Also, you cannot know if your horse is in pain without first understanding how to identify the subtle signs of discomfort and pain in the horse.

05.01.2022 We cant lose our brumbys!

04.01.2022 I would love to see all saddlefitters adopt this cutting edge, evidence based saddle fitting practice. And more manufacturers to start making saddles that don’t damage backs!! This is a well worth watching! https://youtu.be/h-BTOIr2jpQ

03.01.2022 EBT is preventative as well as remedial. Even a 6 month or yearly check up and treatment is a good idea for the lightly ridden or non ridden Equine that has no apparent underlying or chronic issues. Ideal for us mere humans to get some body work ( sorry I don’t do humans unless you neigh) to keep us good shape and suppleness for our horses.... There are so many other benefits of an EBT for your beloved Equine. * Contributes to muscle strength and suppleness. * Assists in joint mobility and range of movement. * Improves circulation therefore oxygen and nutrients to the cells. * Contributes to detoxification and lymphatic drainage. Add to that a health point red light session because I love my new tool, but it’s not all about me the horses seem to love it too and I am seeing some horsem results! Sweet Archie was in great shape, well cared for by his very diligent caring owners and an EBT was well recieved. Love these giant feathered ponies. They literally keep me on my toes

02.01.2022 Thought this was an article worth sharing, well explained. I see quite a few horses with this stress line and it often accompanies a stress line ventral to the lumbar region which is another of the cutaneous muscle group that is overcompensating called the Cutaneous Trunci or the fly twitch muscle, so placement of saddle soo important. Sit saddle behind scapula and just as importantly not past last rib (T 18) I mean where the last rib attaches to the spine.

01.01.2022 Keep a vigilant eye on your ponies/ horses at the moment ! Laminitis is rife ! Look out for any out of character behaviour. https://balancedequine.com.au/grass-laminitis/