Welcome to Saddle and Sage Horse Care 101 Blog Series!

Welcome to Saddle and Sage Horse Care 101 Resource Series. We offer Guilt Free horse guidance and resources for you to pick and choose what will work for you! This is not a one size fits all series. The fact that you want to connect with a horse and be owned by one is all that matters. The rest will come naturally, but until then we offer free horse authentic advice with an emphasis on building relationships through understanding their natural behaviors to create personalized care routines for your horse; so they can thrive in the most positive way!

The horse world is a confusing and multifaceted place if it’s your first time here. There are many labels that describe the different styles of care, but we don’t really fall into any of those categories. We have an innate balance between equine science and pure horse experience. We take into account that horses are experts, they were surviving and thriving on this earth way before we got involved. They didn’t have all these high-tech gadgets to tell them when they are stressed or toys to keep them entertained. The horse industry is a multi-billion dollar behemoth that thrives on fear. They use scare tactics to tell you, “if you don’t get this supplement your horse will get sick or if you don’t shoe your horse they will become lame”. Every horse is different; therefore a specific product or hoof care program may not work for your individual needs!

“We are told what is necessary for our horses, so there’s no need for us to wonder what they need. Just do this, buy this, feed this.. and ta-da! Congratulations, we are “good horse owners.” We can “fit in” with the crowd.” –Tomas G Teskey D.V.M

I have spent my entire life with horses learning and worked closely with amazing naturopathic veterinarians. Everything I suggest like equine books, equipment, techniques, resources, recommendations and methods, are only what I use with my own horse, from our experience and learning. Having a healthy connection and care routine with my horse is something that I take seriously. I have tried traditional methods in the past and found that doing things differently have given me better results. Not everyone will agree with everything I share here and that’s alright. I do my life with my horses differently from others and have a horse-focused perspective. So think of my resource as your alternative guide to the traditional practices and use what resonates with you.

I focus on Species Specific Care. When it comes to species-specific care, nature knows best! Committing to species-specific care implies doing your utmost to ensure your horse lives and thrives as close to its natural habitat as possible. This means providing the freedoms they would have in nature, like the freedom of movement, access to food and water, companionship of its herd mates, natural hoof care from different terrain types, accessible shelter 24-hours a day for them to choose if they want it or not. Providing all of this without pushing human assumptions of what you think horses might need/want like stabling, blanket-warming and human-imposed diets that don’t fall into “species appropriate” – this isn’t what nature intended. So to simplify it, Species Specific Care is the necessities nature intended for horses without human intervention.

The decision to make any changes in your horse’s care is ultimately up to you. However, if something doesn’t feel right, don’t hesitate to contact your preferred veterinarian. Whether you are new to horses or you are an experienced equestrian, thank you for exploring alternative methods and horse care options for your horse. I hope you find something to take away and implement into your horse care routine. It is a privilege to have a relationship and connection with a horse and to share my findings with other horse enthusiasts!