Remedial SOULutions in Tynong North, Victoria | Pet service

Remedial SOULutions

Locality: Tynong North, Victoria

Phone: +61 466 963 907

Address: Fogarty Rd 3813 Tynong North, VIC, Australia

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25.01.2022 "A thought-provoking read... By Jane Smiley Most horses pass from one human to another - some horsemen and women are patient and forgiving, others are rigor...ous and demanding, others are cruel, others are ignorant. Horses have to learn how to, at the minimum, walk, trot, canter, gallop, go on trails and maybe jump, to be treated by the vet, all with sense and good manners. Talented Thoroughbreds must learn how to win races, and if they can't do that, they must learn how to negotiate courses and jump over strange obstacles without touching them, or do complicated dance-like movements or control cattle or accommodate severely handicapped children and adults in therapy work. Many horses learn all of these things in the course of a single lifetime. Besides this, they learn to understand and fit into the successive social systems of other horses they meet along the way. A horse's life is rather like twenty years in foster care, or in and out of prison, while at the same time changing schools over and over and discovering that not only do the other students already have their own social groups, but that what you learned at the old school hasn't much application at the new one. We do not require as much of any other species, including humans. That horses frequently excel, that they exceed the expectations of their owners and trainers in such circumstances, is as much a testament to their intelligence and adaptability as to their relationship skills or their natural generosity or their inborn nature. That they sometimes manifest the same symptoms as abandoned orphans - distress, strange behaviours, anger, fear - is less surprising than that they usually don't. No one expects a child, or even a dog to develop its intellectual capacities living in a box 23 hours a day and then doing controlled exercises the remaining one. Mammal minds develop through social interaction and stimulation. A horse that seems "stupid", "slow", "stubborn", etc. might just have not gotten the chance to learn! Take care of your horses and treasure them." #wadifarmlife #gowiththeflow photo (c) KAW

24.01.2022 *written by Equichanics- Tina Fitzgibbon Couldn’t agree more with these two posts from KISS Dressage and Hear Your Horse Whisper. I’ve had this conversation many times with clients. ... Some listen and some don’t. Some remain my clients and some don’t. I ask the horses every day, Can you.......? If the answer is no, then I try to figure out, is it because I haven’t educated them enough/I’ve missed a piece of the puzzle, or is it because they can’t/it causes them pain, and after the last few years attending/assisting/hosting dissections I fully appreciate that we sometimes won’t get the answer UNTIL A POST-MORTEM! Think about that next time, before you say, he/she have had all the checks, he/she is all clear. From Hear Your Horse Whisper, Like many others I live with chronic pain. Most of the days I'm fine but when the flare ups come I can really struggle. The pain issues are incredibly difficult to diagnose in humans, many people face judgment from family and friends who disbelieve that fact but also are faced with lack of support from the health care. It's very hurtful to be told by someone else that you're not in pain just because you look or move normal. It's really difficult to come to terms of having had "all the checks done" by the health providers and be told that they couldn't find any visible cause. Now imagine a horse that is expressing behaviour that we find annoying , unwanted or dangerous. This horse can't tell us in words that he is in pain, the behaviour is his only language . The behaviour is driven by his autonomic nervous system in response to triggers that cause or remind of pain. How dare we say that such horse is "defentiely not in pain because checks have been done" knowing that pain is still incredibly difficult to diagnose in humans despite the fact humans can actually communicate with words where and when exactly it hurts ?

23.01.2022 IS YOUR HORSE FED APPROPRIATELY? How's this for a visual you won't soon forget? This is how much stomach acid a horse's body produces each day. Two standard buc...kets full. Why does this matter? Your chosen feeding practices can have a direct impact on whether this stomach acid is beneficial to the horse's well-being, or not. Horses produce saliva when they chew; the more the horse chews, the more saliva is produced. If horses have access to ad-lib forage (hay or pasture), they will produce two buckets of saliva each day. Saliva serves a few purposes in the digestion process, one of which is to help buffer stomach acid. On the other hand, horses who are fed set feedings, with imposed fasting in between, have greatly limited chew time. They can't produce this same volume of saliva. The horse's stomach is relatively small, and only lined with a protective coating on the lower two-thirds. Excess and 'unemployed' acid can splash up onto the unprotected top third of an empty stomach, resulting in pain, ulcers, and psychological distress for the horse. Such discomfort is a common cause of aggression at feeding time. Regardless of the amount of chew time a horse has each day, his body still produces these two buckets of stomach acid 1.5 litres every hour, 24 hours a day. It is our responsibility as the horse's caretaker to maximize 'chew time', and feed the horse as they have evolved to eat. What can you do to increase your horse's chew time, balancing out these buckets so-to-speak? PS. If your horse has metabolic issues, consult with a qualified equine nutritionist to find a hay with an appropriate nutritional profile that can be consumed ad lib. And watch how you carry those buckets! Post courtesy of Understand Horses course provider Lauren Fraser Equine Behaviourist. #UnderstandHorses #3Fs #FriendsForageFreedom #horsebehavior #horses #horsebehaviour #horsewelfare

23.01.2022 Just because a horse does something doesn't mean they're acting up, being difficult or any other layer of human behaviour that we anthropomorphize onto horses ...... and when a horse does something you either didn't expect or don't like, the only "problem" with that is yours. I'm gonna say that a different way; the horse is just fine, you're the one with the problem. Horses, like most other animals, predator & prey alike, have 5 basic requirements; 3 "musts" & 2 "likes". They must have physical sustenance (food & water), and they must procreate. Those are immutable, otherwise their species will cease to exist. Now we've fiddled with their DNA for a few centuries & managed to screw up just about everything nature had working for it, but we haven't managed to create a horse that doesn't have to eat & drink, and even the most docile domestic horse still has that procreative instinct. The third "must" is companionship; they are mentally & spiritually designed to co-exist in a herd environment. That is where the young receive valuable lessons they'll need as adults about finding sustenance, how to get along, how to spot predators & generally "be". I've had horses who were denied that early guidance by their dams & other older horses, and it's almost impossible to instil it later in life. The "likes" are similar to ours; they need companionship, but they also need individuals who are closer to them; buddies, as opposed to neighbours. Something else I've noticed is that horses also like to respect some individuals; it's probably connected to their herd instinct, and having not just an authority figure, but someone they look up to. This is where a lot of the "natural horsemanship" trainers really dropped the ball; they spouted on about being the leader, when what that horse really wants is someone to respect. The two are galaxies apart. That part is your problem too ... Your horse isn't going to automatically respect you, that has to be earned. Your horse certainly isn't going to view you as an authority, just because you want him to. But when he looks up to you, you don't need the authority, you have something far more powerful ... now you have a sentient being who will either ask you for guidance, or he'll wait to read your energy, your responses, searching for a clue of what he should do. I'd far rather be with that horse than the one who does something because he fears what'll happen to him if he doesn't; because it's only a matter of time before he finds something he's more afraid of than you. There are only two things that you'll ever need ... and I cannot over-stress this part; keep these two things actively cognizant in your mind, until they become automatic. Don't just use them until you see their results, use them until you can't imagine looking at a horse any other way. First one - Your horse is not giving you a hard time, he's having a hard time. This shifts our brain from penalizing to understanding. This is the single most important step you can take towards earning respect. Second one - you don't "train" 1000+ pounds of flight animal who could kill you in the blink of an eye; you prove to him that he can trust you more than his own instincts. That is horsemanship; everything else is just window dressing. Ay'Sta ... this is The Way ------------------------ Copyright: Kevan Garecki Image Credit: Lexi Jones Do not copy in whole or in part. Please share from the original post.

22.01.2022 This is a healthy reminder to take your horse's halters off when your not working with them. Another vet happen to see this when she pulled in for her appointme...nt. The clients weren't around and had no idea the foal was choking itself. The foal's gums were purple, yet they were able to cut her halter off in the nick of time. Though shaken up, all are doing well now. Original post by Ambulatory Equine

20.01.2022 There's a lot training can do... but training can't fix Pain Training can't fix pain (though rehabilitative training, especially force fre...e, can improve it, and forced incorrect training can make it worse). Forceful training can temporarily suppress the symptoms of pain, if the horse fears the consequences enough, but you'll always be in a battle against the pain... with the horse caught in between. Nutritional and Dietary causes of behavior We often try and fix with training what is being caused by high sugar feeds, artificial feeding schedules, or lacking nutrients in the diet. Sometimes it works temporarily, but it won't last. What's lacking in the horse's environment and social life Nervous energy from confinement, anxiety from frequent transportation and moving, panic from isolation.. all of these can be temporarily suppressed but not "repaired" by training. We may never be able to fully say that our horses are without pain, and we may not be able to offer them the same life and diet as a feral horse (but with the added benefits of man made comfort and health care), but we should be able to say we've done our absolute best. I'm not saying we will never make mistakes, trying to train something that was actually pain related, but we can try and do better. We can also choose training paths that reduce the risk of forcing a horse through discomfort and distress. By being patient and giving our horses a choice we allow them the ability to communicate to us that something is wrong, as long as we are willing to listen. excerpt from TWE blog post "Training Can't Fix" https://www.thewillingequine.com/post/training-cant-fix #twequote #csPumpkin See more

20.01.2022 NO MORE! Out with the OUT! I have finally reached breaking point, and if things don’t change you might see me on the news, crying and shaving my head and waving... umbrellas at people walking past. For the love all things anatomy and biomechanics, repeat after me. The horses hip CAN NOT GO OUT. Now, before people jump up and down and tell me the examples (rare) of actual dislocations, I am not talking about actual veterinary diagnosed trauma. That shit is real, and is horrific, and has no options but euthanasia and you will see why further down. I am talking about the clients and therapists using the term regarding complementary physical therapies. If your therapist of choice tells you your horses hip is out, or you tell you therapist you think it’s out, you are both ignorant and wrong. Why can’t it go out? The horses hip joint is a ball and socket joint, and it is a big, deep, strong joint. It is super stable at the expense of mobility. For starters, the socket of the pelvis is on average 2cm deep. The femur head is held in place by no less than 3 ligaments, that are approximately 1cm in diameter each. These ligaments are so strong, that people have dissected the joint down to just the ligaments and hung the horse up by the back leg, and tried to manually tear them with no success. One of them, the accessory ligament, actually arises from the tendon of the rectus abdominous muscle and is part of the prepubic tendon. Remember, ligaments are strong and designed to secure bone to bone controlling excessive movement of a joint. The synovial joint capsule is a powerful atmospheric pressured joint. When dissected, if you puncture the capsule it actually makes a loud pop and hiss as it decompresses. That’s a powerful joint compression right there. This is also designed to provide strength and stability, because this joint transfers all the forces from the hind limb to the pelvis and lumbar spine. The ranges of motion possible at the hip joint are flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, exorotation and endorotation The hip joint is surrounded and supported by most of the muscles that make up the hindquarters, some examples are the psoas, iliacus, tensor fasciae latae, rectus femoris, medial gluteal, semimembranosus, biceps femoris, superficial and deep gluteal, internal obturator, gracilis, adductor, pectineus. These muscles are for the majority big and strong, some weighing several kilos and significant in size and depth. So, after learning all this, and understand the fact that this joint has been designed to handle huge forces of a horse galloping, jumping, rearing, doing rollbacks, can you now see that it doesn’t pop or go out? It can be restricted in a range of motion, for example it could be restricted in flexion or exorotation, but it isn’t out, it isn’t subluxating, it doesn’t pop in and out on a whim. Horses that actually do subluxate a hip joint are unable to be rehabilitated, because the horse is heavy and must weightbear on all four legs, and the way the horse is built it can’t get about like a dog or cat does in similar circumstances. Please. Please. Stop using the term out or popped, and start educating yourselves as to correct biomechanics and anatomy, so we can all educate each other and speak intelligently about our horse’s issues. #outwiththeout Edited 2:15pm on 16th November to say... I’m seeing comments about what’s wrong with the term, no one really believes it’s out it just easy to say. I had a vet nurse tell me of a horse they went to see that the owners said they thought the hip went out... horse not lame, no swelling or inflammation. People DO think it actually goes out. Edited 6:15am 17th November: Regarding the comments saying things such as what’s wrong with out of alignment, out of whack, or I mean something is not right when I say out but I don’t literally mean something is not in a joint, no one is that stupid. Merriam Webster gives the following definition for the word out - 1) in a direction away from the middle or centre, 2) so as to be missing or displaced from the usual or proper place. These indicate that the word out implies a movement, a separation of something from a point... This isn’t what happens with the body in most bodywork situations and many people genuinely think that it does, in people and horses. My human chiropractor has shared his thoughts on this as well, people being genuinely surprised when he explained that their neck is all still in place and not looking like a step. The connections of a joint are all still in the correct place, they are just not moving correctly. Many new clients have been very surprised when I have explained the anatomy and range of motion of a joint or area, because they hadn’t been told anything but it’s out, and they simply wanted someone to put it back in. Terms such as restricted, immobile, disorder, are more accurate as to what is actually happening and not encouraging an incorrect mindset. How are therapists supposed to be taken seriously by vets or other industry professionals when we can’t actually say something correctly? Some may think my post is stupid and overly dramatic but I think this is important, and we are only letting ourselves down the longer we keep using what I consider lazy terminology. Sure it’s easy, but that doesn’t always mean it’s the best option.

19.01.2022 Neurogenic Muscle Atrophy: When muscles dissolve from disuse. Have you ever seen a horse that looks like it has a hole in it’s back where the saddle would sit,... or more specifically, where the rider would be? These horses lack functional core strength and stability. This can cause back pain. When the epaxial muscles, ( multifidus, longissimus and iliocostalis) are held in constant contraction to hollow away from the rider, the normal undulation of the back is halted. The multifidus which is pennate in shape and most adjacent to the spine, cannot function properly and begins to waste away due to disuse. The long back muscles which would normally control the movement of rounding and lateral flexion cannot function optimally. A horse moving this way cannot collect and round the back as required for safely carrying the rider. Very quickly, the horse will develop persistent back pain and possibly impingement of the dorsal spinous processes, or arthritis in the vertebrae. Even once back pain is resolved through treatment with NSAIDS, saddle fit correction and rider education, the muscles will not automatically resume a healthy function unless therapy is utilized to condition the core which includes the epaxial and abdominal muscles. Muscle motor neuron activity must be stimulated by a therapist or via therapeutic exercise, to develop the pathways required for a new pattern to be established. Just because pain is removed or tissue has healed does not mean that a healthy movement pattern will automatically be reestablished. Here are some examples of horses I photographed. Each of these horses has neurogenic muscle atrophy.

18.01.2022 We can go catch our horse, bring them in, tie them up and groom them. We can tack them up, jump on board and ride them and that is a privilege but when our hors...e chooses to catch us, to bring themselves in, to hang with us while we groom them. When they say, ‘Yes please’ to having the saddle on and having you on their back, that is a gift that should never be taken for granted. We can go to the field and sit with our horses as they are down on the ground resting and that is a privilege but when our horse chooses to come, stand with us and then sit and lay down with us, that is a gift that should never be taken for granted. We can give our horse a scratch on the head or neck and that is privilege but when our horse comes to us, nudges us with his muzzle and then positions our hand on exactly the spot that they wish to be scratched in, that is a gift that should never be taken for granted. We can attach our horse to a lead rope and take them out walking and that is a privilege but, when our horse chooses to walk with us without one, that is a gift that should never be taken for granted. When it is our horses choice to be with us, to interact with us, when they CHOOSE US, that is a gift that should never be taken for granted. Sharing a horses space is a privilege but when they choose to share ours, that is a gift that should never be taken for granted.

18.01.2022 THERMOGRAPHIC IMAGES OF A NECK INJURY #TBT These thermographic images are of Boris, the horse that led me to change my career and become a horse behaviour con...sultant. Even after riding, competing and managing horses for over 30 years I really struggled with his behaviour. He could be extremely aggressive and would rear and bolt when led or when ridden, not easy traits to manage in a 4 yr old 17.2hh Warmblood. I suspected there was something physically wrong with his neck and he was seen by 3 vets, 3 physiotherapists, an osteopath and a chiropractor over a 2 year period. I was told there was nothing wrong with him, that he was 'having me on', that he 'had a high play drive', that I needed to 'ride through' his behaviour and that I needed to 'give him a good crack with a whip'. Eventually, the lovely vets at Liverpool University x-rayed his neck for me and found he had severe arthritis, consistent with him having had a rotational fall at some point as a youngster. I did know in a previous home he had also been rollkured. These images were from an thermography session taken after we knew about his arthritis. The white and red areas are the hottest, then yellow and green, the blue is the coolest. He became intermittently lame pretty quickly after his diagnosis and eventually had to be euthanised. I wanted to share this as I was told by so many trainers, equine professionals, therapists and vets that he was naughty and badly behaved. This was not true then and is not true of any horse, there will ALWAYS be a reason for difficult or dangerous behaviour. Other horse owners thought I was mad for persevering and trying to find out what was going on with him. I don't regret it for a second he was able to live the rest of his life as comfortably as possible and armed with the knowledge of his injury I knew what he was capable of and so I didn't put either him or I at risk. He taught me more than any lecturer or course I have taken to date. If your horse's behaviour has changed please call a vet and ensure they have a thorough physical check up. If your horse has a physical all-clear or the treatment doesn't improve their behaviour then call a behaviour consultant. Many of the horses I see that have behaviour 'problems' are found to have an underlying physical condition and I am sure some have been in extreme pain. Don't try and 'ride through' problems or use harsh equipment like chifneys or pressure halters to try and suppress their behaviour. The pain that equipment will inflict will just add to the problem and may well cause your horse to become more dangerous. As difficult as it sounds, your horse's behaviour is either your fault or your responsibilty. We need to start being more responsible...

12.01.2022 Need we say more? #equestrian #equestriancommunity #equine #equinewelfare #equinelife #equestrianlife #dressage #showjumping #eventing #crosscountry #barrelraci...ng #polebending #workingequitation #trailriding #horses #horsebackriding #horsesofinstagram #horseriding #horsevet #horselover #saddlefitting #saddlefitter #certifiedequineergonomist #certifiedsaddleergonomist #englishsaddles #westernsaddles #sidesaddle #jumpsaddles #dressagesaddles #saddlefit #saddlefit4health See more

12.01.2022 THE HYOID Every muscle in the horse’s body is connected to the hyoid apparatus, a collection of small bones that form a Y shaped structure sitting between the c...heeks at the base of the skull. The hyoid is not connected to any other bones, it is held in place by ligaments alone. The base of the tongue is attached to the hyoid a horse that cannot move its tongue cannot move its body freely. The muscles of the ventral neck are attached to the hyoid tension here restricts shoulder movement and places strain on the TMJ interfering with balance and proprioception. The pelvic muscles are attached to the hyoid via the abdominal muscles and pectoralis muscles a horse with ventral muscle chain dysfunction cannot engage its hind limbs. Here’s Belinda on the subject: The Hyoid apparatus, TMJ and ventral chain functioning are often discussed in the online Masterclasses. This apparatus is incredibly fascinating because it is so delicate, and so interconnected. With the skull and hyoid bones pictured I demonstrate why we need to be so careful with the weight we place on the reins. We should always be aiming for contact that is only just feeling the tongue's movements because if we exert any additional pressure here, we begin to create problems. This structure is extremely breakable. - special thank you to Maike & Andrew Turnbull for helping me create this great visual with photos!" We hope that by sharing some of Belinda’s insights and knowledge, you will be inspired to apply to our join our Online Masterclasses and experience Belinda's coaching for yourselves. https://www.belindabolsenbroek.academy/Online-Masterclass-I #belindabolsenbroekacademy #horseanatomy #trainingforsoundness #classicalriding #classicalequitation

12.01.2022 How can anyone think that riding like this is ok

07.01.2022 Many riders have a basic understanding of when a horse reaches skeletal maturity, however very few know of the growth plates located in the spine and even on th...e pelvis. We'll look at a few examples of secondary centers of ossification. The first 2 images shows the pelvis of a horse who is under 4 years old based on the lack of ossification. The growth plates were still open when the horse died. The specific point of the pelvis that we see here is the Tuber Sacrale, the top of the pelvis that is seen on the croup of the horse. The next 2 photos show the secondary centers of ossification in the sacrum. This is where the growth plates in the sacrum occur. The vertebrae grow in their growth plates at the end of each one and fuse as the growth plates close. Here they have only partially fused. It is an important reminder that this is a slow process and is completed over the course of 12 months and in stages. It is not the case that the growth plates fuse on the day that a horse turns a certain age but rather that over the course of 12 to 16 months between certain years certain growth plates close gradually. Any disruptive force like an injury will lead to an early closure or injury that my prevent fusion. The fifth image (with the light blue rope) shows a secondary center of ossification that is busy fusing ie. a growth plate in the process of fusing in a cervical vertebra. The vertebrae are the slowest of the bones in terms of maturing age and they are only mature at around 6 years of age. It could take as long as 6 and a half years to be completed. The last image shows an example of kissing spine in lumbar vertebrae. The pink highlighted area shows where 2 spinous processes have fused most likely due to rubbing together and chronic inflammation. Note that the fusion affects the joints below the processes known as the facet joints. This means the mobility of the spine is very adversely affected. The green highlighted section shows how the transverse processes have fused. This horse most likely would have had chronic weakness in this area and the body in an attempt to achieve stability fused these areas. We look closely at skeletal maturity, deformities and injuries in our CEE course, allowing students an in depth look at the equine athlete to ensure students fully understand the physical requirements of the horse and the numerous direct and indirect consequences of improper fit at varying severities. A HUGE thank you to the Helen Davies Equine Research Project and Dr. Catalina Thiersen for collaborating with us and sharing this amazing information and photos.

05.01.2022 "Consider the horse." This shouldn't be a radical idea, or looked down upon in the way it sometimes is. How dare one stop to think about the wellbeing of the h...orse for a change? How dare you not simply show the horse who's boss, muscle them into submission and learned helplessness? What are you, some snowflake-sensitive-hippie-feely horse whisperer? This is the reaction that you sometimes receive when you actually take the time to listen to what the horse is trying to say. To have two-way communication instead of you just talking at the horse and expecting reactions without any fuss. How dare the horse have some sort of feedback to your wishes, it must obey obey obey! Horses are not machines. They think, they feel, they take time to understand, learn and put the pieces together. The time it takes for them to learn and develop directly correlates to the quality of instruction given to them. If your horse seems to take forever to learn something, perhaps you should ask yourself if you understand the ask well enough to be teaching it. You cannot train pain. Just as radical is the idea that a horse who bucks, rears, refuses, pins their ears or kicks out simply needs a firm hand and again, to be shown who's boss or not to mess with so-and-so. It shouldn't be so foreign of a concept to stop and think about what something means, as opposed to blindly reacting via ego and dominance. There needs to be a shift in the conversation, and quickly, so that we stop the premature breakdown of these animals, across every discipline. Mentally and physically, they deserve better.

05.01.2022 This article about scars and fascia and their effect on motor control confirmed my suspicions about the role they play in dysfunctional movement patterns. NKT p...rioritizes scars and fascial distortions because the motor control center in the cerebellum certainly does. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3883554/ See more

03.01.2022 Over Rugging, by our vet Lucy Carmichael As temperatures drop, it’s tempting to reach for one of the rugs in our horse’s wardrobe. However, when we want to thr...ow on the layers, doing the same for them may not be the right choice. There are significant differences in the way horses stay warm to the way that we do, for example: Unclipped horses already have a thick, hairy coat. This coat contains natural oils to repel water, and, if required, small muscles can contract, causing the hairs to stand on end (much like when we get goosebumps). This traps air between the hair and skin, providing an additional layer of insulation Horses have the benefit of a wider thermoneutral zone- for humans this is 25-35C, whereas the horse’s thermoneutral zone extends much lower, 5-25C. The thermoneutral zone is the temperature range at which an animal does not have to expend any energy to keep warm. This means that horses remain comfortable at significantly lower temperatures compared to us Where we have an appendix, horses have a caecum. The caecum acts as a ‘fermentation vat’, where bacteria break down feed and produce heat. Breakdown of forage generates the most heat. Therefore, a diet of low-calorie forage is far more effective for keeping your horse warm than putting on a rug Horses can efficiently divert their blood flow from the extremities to the internal organs, maintaining their core temperature. This is why their ears sometimes feel cold to touch, and it is important to see how warm they are by feeling inside the armpit or taking a rectal temperature (See our video on how to take your horse’s TPR here - https://youtu.be/_bug-U1-hMg) During movement, or even shivering, contraction of the large muscles of the body burns energy and releases heat Over-rugging will affect your horse’s ability to regulate its body temperature and may cause significant distress if they get too hot. Extreme heat stress may result in dehydration, increased heart and respiratory rates, lethargy and even colic. There are long term implications too. When rugged, your horse will use less energy, and the excess will be converted to fat, predisposing them Equine Metabolic Syndrome and laminitis in the spring. Therefore, rather than rugging, providing appropriate shelter and ample forage are likely to be more effective ways of keeping your horse warm through the winter. There are cases, of course, when rugging is appropriate- horses standing in, or those which are clipped will need a rug. However, numerous factors should be considered when choosing which type and weight, including the environment, type of shelter available and the weather. Remember that you are likely to be making this decision in the morning, when the temperature is probably several degrees cooler than it will be in the middle of the day. For further advice on rugging in the winter, call our team on 01323 815120