Equine Behavior
This section is continually being updated with resources and information. So please check back as I am adding references.
Health
Nosebands – To Use or Not to Use
Horse’s Nosebands Originally published in Holistic Horse Magazine by Mary Ann C. Simonds, B.S. M.A. For most horses, using restrictive devices on their faces is insulting and really not necessary for effective communication. Searching for control, obedience, and connection? These are words used to describe the ultimate goal of training for many equestrians. But … Read more
Smell You Later!
Mary Ann Simonds THE IMPORTANCE OF SMELL IN HORSES Horses have a sophisticated sense of smell, far beyond that of humans. Horses use smell like we use speech, gaining information from their environment, their friends, their sexual partners, and to identify food and water. Smell may be the most important sense to a horse, as … Read more
The Noseband Controversy
Communication, Control, and Comfort by Mary Ann Simonds hh Horse in a tight noseband Three Horses, One Message The black mare refused to go into the arena, backing up and shaking her head, as her rider encouraged her to go forward. Spurring the mare more intently, the mare eventually reared up. When I went over and … Read more
Buns of STEEL
Exercises for Correcting Sacral & Hind End Weakness in your horse. by Mary Ann C. Simonds The large muscles of the hind end are critical for most performance sports, but many horses havedifficulty developing these muscles correctly. Even without exercise, themuscles of the hind end should all be in similar shape and tone, but this … Read more
Boredom in the Barn?
Busy Horses are Happy Horses by Mary Ann Simonds Managing the mental and emotional welfare of confined horses Originally published in Holistic Horse Magazine Horses are “free-ranging social herbivores.” So, from a horse’s perspective, the idea of staying in 12-foot-by-12-foot stalls is unnatural. However, the “social” part of the horse often overrides the “free-roaming” part, particularly if they are able to stay with their friends all day in a … Read more
Mindfulness With Horses
Every good horseman and horsewomen is and should be “mindful” when they are interacting with horses. The silent, interpersonal relationship you share with your horse is a form of meditation for some and just deep connection for others. by B.S., M.A. Mary Ann C. Simonds Every good horseman and horsewomen is and should be “mindful” when … Read more
Vibration Therapy: Making Sense of Subtle and Physical Energies
by Mary Ann C. Simonds, B.S. M.A. originally published in Holistic Horse Magazine In a world filled with frequencies and vibrations, it can be confusing to understand all the language of new and “old” technology. While engineers and physicists cringe at the use of words with clear meanings in their field, subtle energy practitioners continue … Read more
The Origin of the Horse
How the Chinese explorers influenced the American horse by B.S., M.A. Mary Ann C. Simonds ShareThis Facebook Tweet LinkedIn Google + Care2 Pinterest Email RSS Print Her latest book, Did Ancient Chinese Explore America? My Trip Through the Rocky Mountains to Find Answers (2013), is a travelogue which followed an alleged Shan Hai Jing journey. It presents evidence of Chinese exploration in America starting 2000 BC. Charlotte … Read more
Bit or Bitless?
Bridles, with bits and without, have been used through history as various cultures sought to guide, control and communicate with the horse. by Mary Ann Simonds, B.S., M.A, Originally published in Holistic Horse magazine The history of bridles and bits goes as far back as 3500-3000 BC. Early bits were made of bone, horn or … Read more
English Bridle Fit too Tight?
The head has more nerve sensitivity than any other part of the body. by Mary Ann Simonds kt The nose/mouth/smell system of the horse is critical for obtaining and processing sensory information and hence has more nerves-to-pro-preceptor ratio than any other place in the body. In other words, as discomfort and pain increase, the horse … Read more
Keep Flies away with Aromatherapy
When it comes to keeping insects off, nature actually designed the horse fairly well. by Mary Ann Simonds ShareThis Facebook Tweet LinkedIn Google + Care2 Pinterest Email RSS Print Expand kt Long manes with a forelock over the eyes and a tail that can swish and reach the shoulder, gives the horse good coverage. However, since people have begun controlling genetics, not nature, … Read more
Buzz Off
Keep the Insects off of your horse! by Mary Ann Simonds ShareThis Facebook Tweet LinkedIn Google + Care2 Pinterest Email RSS Print Shutterstock swarm of flies When it comes to keeping insects off, nature actually designed the horse fairly well. Long manes with a forelock over the eyes and a tail that can swish and reach the shoulder, gives the horse good coverage. … Read more
Solutions for Bugs on Horses
Repellent sssential oils you can use to battle bugs on your horse by B.S., M.A. Mary Ann C. Simonds ShareThis Facebook Tweet LinkedIn Google + Care2 Pinterest Email RSS Print Mary Ann Simonds and Holistic Horse TV Make your own non-toxic fly spary When it comes to keeping insects off, nature actually designed the horse fairly well. Long manes with a forelock over … Read more
Using Aromatherapy for Natural Fly & Insect Control
When it comes to keeping insects off, nature actually designed the horse fairly well.Long manes with a forelock over the eyes and a tail that can swish and reach the shoulder, gives the horse good coverage. by B.S., M.A. Mary Ann C. Simonds ShareThis Facebook Tweet LinkedIn Google + Care2 Pinterest Email RSS Print When it comes to keeping insects off, nature actually … Read more
How “Green” is Your Hay?
Hay growers are not required to tell you how much fertilizers or how many unlisted contaminants were applied to the fields.BY B.S., M.A. MARY ANN C. SIMONDS Your horse’s main diet may look green, but if it’s grown in toxic soils, how “green” is it? With less good agricultural land available each year, poor soils needing more … Read more
Communication: Horse Whispering
By Mary Ann Simonds – July 24, 2013 933 0 Good horse people have mastered communication with horses and have been talking with them and hearing what they say for thousands of years. However, recently with the “Horse Whispering” wave, we are re-acknowledging our deep and sometimes unspoken relationship with horses. Relationships between horses and people can vary … Read more
Understanding equine stress
By Mary Ann Simonds, B.S. M.A. Originally published in Equine Wellness Magazine. This article has been updated. July 24, 2013 Although you can’t prevent all stress in your horse’s life, by understanding his priorities and attempting to meet them, you can reduce and help manage it. People often think of stress as a human … Read more
Robert Vavra’s “Such is the Real Nature of Horses” – A Movie Review
by B.S., M.A. Mary Ann C. Simonds ShareThis Facebook Tweet LinkedIn Google + Care2 Pinterest Email RSS Print How many people have dreamed of spending time among wild horses? I know I did as a child. As a college student, I did my research on wild horses, but I forgot to take my movie crew with me to document so many of the … Read more