Lowcountry Equine

Too hot to ride? That doesn’t mean you have to stay out of the barn.

As an equine bodyworker, I actually love the downtime that hot summer days give me. It’s guilt-free time to spend with my horses and work on things we don’t always have time for during a normal riding week.

So if you need some inspiration for the next few hot days, here are some of my favorite things to do with my horses:

1. Offer “tea”
Each horse has their own preferences. I like to make different versions using things like Gatorade, a handful of grain, salt, beet pulp, or alfalfa cubes, depending on the horse. There are also lots of fun recipes using horse-safe herbs.

2. Spray down
Especially for horses who don’t sweat well, cooling them appropriately after being outside is important. I also find a good rinse can help relieve some of the itchiness that comes with sweating.

3. Core activations
These are great because you can do them right in the barn. Some of my favorites include tail pulls, pelvic tucks, carrot stretches/activations, belly lifts, and appropriate isometric exercises like wither and lumbar rocks.

4. Balance pads
These are so versatile and can be easily scaled to your horse’s ability. Start with the hind feet, then progress to the front feet, and eventually all four. Once your horse is comfortable and the sway is minimal, you can add carrot stretches or even experiment with stacking pads.

You can also use them on one leg or one side to work on asymmetries. The possibilities are endless!

5. Massage
No introduction needed here. Massage is a great way to build your bond with your horse while giving them some hands-on attention between bodywork sessions. You can also ask me at your next session what techniques might be appropriate for your specific horse.

6. Grooming
As adult amateurs, most of us don’t have a ton of time during the week to ride, let alone groom. Use the extra downtime to clip, braid, bathe, and generally just fuss over your horse.

7. Red light therapy
There are plenty of pads available, but I particularly like using red light therapy for smaller targeted areas, such as the poll or certain areas of wound healing. It’s not something I’d rely on to treat an entire large muscle group.

8. PEMF
For those of you lucky enough to have access to a Beamer blanket or MagnaWave, hot days can be a great opportunity to use it. PEMF can be a nice addition to your horse’s between-ride routine for relaxation and recovery.

What did I miss? Drop your favorite hot-weather horse hacks below!

And save this post for the next time it’s too hot to ride.

hot to ride? That doesn’t mean you have to stay out of the barn.

As an equine bodyworker, I actually love the downtime that hot summer days give me. It’s guilt-free time to spend with my horses and work on things we don’t always have time for during a normal riding week.

So if you need some inspiration for the next few hot days, here are some of my favorite things to do with my horses:

1. Offer “tea”
Each horse has their own preferences. I like to make different versions using things like Gatorade, a handful of grain, salt, beet pulp, or alfalfa cubes, depending on the horse. There are also lots of fun recipes using horse-safe herbs.

2. Spray down
Especially for horses who don’t sweat well, cooling them appropriately after being outside is important. I also find a good rinse can help relieve some of the itchiness that comes with sweating.

3. Core activations
These are great because you can do them right in the barn. Some of my favorites include tail pulls, pelvic tucks, carrot stretches/activations, belly lifts, and appropriate isometric exercises like wither and lumbar rocks.

4. Balance pads
These are so versatile and can be easily scaled to your horse’s ability. Start with the hind feet, then progress to the front feet, and eventually all four. Once your horse is comfortable and the sway is minimal, you can add carrot stretches or even experiment with stacking pads.

You can also use them on one leg or one side to work on asymmetries. The possibilities are endless!

5. Massage
No introduction needed here. Massage is a great way to build your bond with your horse while giving them some hands-on attention between bodywork sessions. You can also ask me at your next session what techniques might be appropriate for your specific horse.

6. Grooming
As adult amateurs, most of us don’t have a ton of time during the week to ride, let alone groom. Use the extra downtime to clip, braid, bathe, and generally just fuss over your horse.

7. Red light therapy
There are plenty of pads available, but I particularly like using red light therapy for smaller targeted areas, such as the poll or certain areas of wound healing. It’s not something I’d rely on to treat an entire large muscle group.

8. PEMF
For those of you lucky enough to have access to a Beamer blanket or MagnaWave, hot days can be a great opportunity to use it. PEMF can be a nice addition to your horse’s between-ride routine for relaxation and recovery.

What did I miss? Drop your favorite hot-weather horse hacks below!

And save this post for the next time it’s too hot to ride.

Did you know PEMF therapy is a great alternative therapy to support laminitis, hoof abscesses, and anhidrosis (in addition to medical therapy). Victory suffers from chronic laminitis and anhidrosis, and we are using PEMF MagnaWave to keep her the most comfortable during the hottest part of the summer here in South Carolina.

File this under “things no one prepared me for”:
My initial bodywork certification was just a gateway dr*g 🤪
May the learning never stop 👏💅🥰