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About stablewomen

Dharmahorse Equine Sanctuary is the home of the Stablewomen Program and the permanent place of Peace for unwanted horses, now cherished. Katharine is the founder and president of this non-profit sanctuary where horses and people learn to interact with Compassion not Compulsion. Katharine is a columnist and contributing writer for newspapers and international magazines on the subjects of horses, schooling, therapy, plant therapies (herbs!) and Dressage in the old, humane fashion.

Beast of Burden

Posted on December 18, 2025 by stablewomen

I saw a line of dozens of Yaks carrying three big, full bags each on their backs, trekking around a mountain in the Himalayas. The photo stayed with me, like pictures of donkeys carrying bricks or pulling carts with five people in them. Animals carry our burdens – and not just physically. Equines, especially, hold the form for humanity and always have.

And not just the animals in the photos haunt me; there are humans struggling, like the miners in tunnels with ponies (or even full-size horses), sharing the burden of hard work, shortened lives and injuries. What has been given (or taken) to build the world we now live in is a debt we owe. The modern world owes the animals and ancestors for the lack of struggle we now experience. Of course, much of this world is still building, struggling, pushing its way for simple existence. The disparity can be mind boggling.

The horses, mules and donkeys (as well as other species) silently conform. When they are well cared for and cherished, their humans stand beside them and there is gratitude. When they are disrespected and “disposable”, the humans show no thanks and offer no comfort for them. Am I speaking only of the horses plowing fields, carrying loads, fighting wars… Nope.

There are equines in competitions, riding schools, racing stables, dude ranches… all living either lives of care and appreciation or lives of exploitation. We see it all in the intakes to Sanctuary. An equine’s needs are pretty basic, for good health and longevity. Meeting those basics is the least a human can do and ensuring other needs (companionship, enrichment, comfort and happiness) is the debt we owe.

I have carried burdens (we all have), physical, emotional, mental burdens. Some by choice and others were imposed upon me. Horses never have a choice. Wild horses (& donkeys) can make choices. Their lives are free from our meddling but are not free from dire circumstances. Every living thing faces the consequences of a finite body and the fluctuations of climate and terrain.

Human beings can offer the equine a safe refuge… it’s what we do here, and hundreds of other rescues and sanctuaries do around the country – around the world. For a horse whose life has been stark, oppressive, even cruel, finding sanctuary is a light at the end of a seemingly endless tunnel. The two horses and one mule we took in this past year from a cruelty seizure were beaten, starved, bloody and oozing infection when taken from the monster who used them as “trail mounts”… until a customer recognized the abuse and reported him.

Beasts of burden. Carrying the burdens of humans. It does not have to be cruel. From working in the fields to carrying a rider in competition, the priorities of the human determine the life of the animal and the extent of their suffering or the degree of their pleasure. Horses try to please us. Only when pushed to the point of unbearable pain or confusion do they lash out in self-defense.

How do we change a mindset of “using animals” to an awareness of stewardship? We set examples. We refer to animals as “he” and “she”, not it. We openly speak of their needs and their sovereignty as sentient beings. We take responsibility for our own and keep them to the end of their lives, compassionately letting them go when their quality of life cannot be restored. And we do that humanely.

And how do we connect more deeply with our horses (or dogs, or Yaks…)? We look into their eyes. The three equines I spoke of (who were brutalized) had dull, half-closed eyes with no life behind them. After receiving proper care and being loved, they became new beings. Their eyes were bigger, their sparkle returned and there was life behind them. All it took was kindness wrapped in nutrition and Veterinary care, the very things they were owed from the very beginning. Love is simple. Healing can be simple. We humans just have to provide for the animals the simplicity of compassion.

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The Universe Knows

Posted on August 29, 2025 by stablewomen

What a lesson we have had in the workings of Universal wisdom, applied for the wellbeing of our equines. As I write this, it has been one week since my friend and I drove across New Mexico and picked up a new intake from up north. This mare, Sugar, had been with her family for over a decade. Over time, Sugar had lost her sight in one eye; then became blind in the other. She had a bonded pony up until he passed over last year. As Sugar lost her eyesight, her people had attached a bell to her pony’s (breakaway) halter. When I got the call about taking her into Sanctuary, she fit the criteria. Her family was moving overseas and, even if they could take her, such a trip would not have been fair to her. She’s an elder.

Our trip to get her was eventful. On the way up, with empty trailer, a car pulled out in front of us and my friend avoided a wreck with some skillful maneuvering! This made us decide to take a different route home! We had an option down through small towns on decent roads without big city traffic.

Sugar’s humans are the most loving people you could ever meet. The mare was and is, adored. She loaded in the big, airy trailer without hesitation, and we got her home safely before dark. Her family drove down with us and could reassure this sweet mare that she was not being abandoned.

Sugar went into the Quarantine Pen beside the house and with the road beside it. We watched her all night on the camera and went out to visit and reassure her. One rattling flatbed trailer went by and it worried her. Mark and I talked about her blindness and the vehicles (some ATV’s with flashing pillars of light and music) that use our road… and although almost everyone slows down passing the Sanctuary, we felt concern.

The facts were – we knew Sugar’s history. She had been cared for by her Vet and farrier, lived by herself, was essentially “in quarantine” at home for ages. Healthy and gentle, Sugar could break quarantine right away without it being a danger. Heck, we knew more about her health than that stallion who used to get loose and “visit”! So, we shifted horses. Sage went to DH1; Andy moved over beside the track; Billy moved over to where Andy had been, opening Billy’s stall/pen for Sugar. This put Sugar right beside the pony, Jasper.

Well, the Universe does direct things. A pony was just the thing for Sugar to feel more at ease. And Jasper, who shakes (literally) in fear around other horses and ponies/minis, just warmed right up to Sugar! That night after moving Sugar, the ATVs were up and down the road. We made the right decision.

Sugar’s people had given us tack, her blanket and an assortment of ropes and halters… including the pony halter with the bell!

The halter fit Jasper perfectly. We put a leather, breakable crown piece on it. The bell is securely attached and just makes a “clinking” sound that, of course, is familiar and soothing to Sugar. Now, we all know where Jasper is, and Sugar has settled in. This is home now.

Sugar wears a fly mask all the time and has a break-away halter, herself, so we don’t startle her when needing to catch her. We got pool noodles to attach to the one corner in her pen (like we did for Gita, who was blind), for a cushion. Sugar has learned the boundaries of her fences and knows where her stall is. It has been quite remarkable and only a week has passed! We had thought we could move her to the pen Gita had, but this is too perfect to change.

Jasper has a friend, Sugar has a pony, they are a bonded pair.

Categories: protecting horses, Uncategorized | Tags: , , | 2 Comments

Compassion fatigue and the fragility of horses

Posted on July 18, 2025 by stablewomen

I’m so often caught between the joy of saving a life and the despair of losing one. Last month, within 2 days’ time, we had to euthanize and bury a beloved blind mare, well in her 30’s, who we had rescued from being dumped in the desert, starving. She lived 4 joy filled years with us. And we had another, Navajo Nations mare, also in her 30’s, colic from sand that builds up in her gut. This mare was saved by our amazing Vet who was able to run a nasogastric tube and release the hard packed “loaf” in her large intestine… I was afraid she could not be “tubed” because she has a large thyroid adenoma. Dr. Heather saved her.

And while these couple of days brought conflicting emotions (to all of us), I held our Vet, my friend, in love and gratitude, thinking about how her profession affects her. She understands my Herbal Horsemanship and we discuss what my medicines can do and what her medicines can do. Together, we have saved many horses here. We also lose some. That is a fact of Sanctuary, especially with such elderly and special needs residents. And that is a fact of the Veterinary profession.

Compassion fatigue definitions vary, but it boils down to feeling worn down by caring for others. How it expresses itself varies from feeling indifferent to the needs of others who are suffering (I have never felt that), to emotional disconnect and physical weariness. I admit, I can feel that. But, in this realm, it has to be short lived, dozens of other horses depend on me. It can even be expressed by “taking on the emotional or physical suffering of another”. Oh, yes… we empaths do that.

A lot of people raise horses, keeping them healthy (emotionally as well as physically) and we have a few here like that. The majority, though, I feel like I hold together with duct tape and Homeopathy! But my life has not just been “caregiver to equines”, I saw my Mum through heart failure, caring for her for over 3 years. I took care of a friend and her farm for 2 years… both up until they passed over. I am caregiver to my brother after his hemorrhagic stroke, which left him unable to walk, talk or see. Now, 9 years later, he can jog, talk and see. I spent 7 months with my teenage stepdaughter, seeing her through a pregnancy when everyone else turned their backs on her. I have saved so many dogs, even living in a shower stall with a Parvo puppy for 10 days… I Vet Teched in my youth and saw how hard it could be on the Vets, day in, day out, caring for clients’ animals and sometimes getting anger in return from devastated owners.

And especially with horses, the “things that can go wrong” run the gamut! While they seem so strong because they are large, their bodies are complex and often puzzling. They are fragile in ways that can creep up and surprise you! Proactive, preventative care is the only way a Sanctuary can run and keep horses (and mules) thriving. And we are not immune from the rage of people who become attached to a horse here. We’ve had helpers who broke down and verbally attacked me over the decision to euthanize a suffering horse or even over the simple decision to move a horse… and I understand their despair or their disappointment. Yet, I’m hurting, too. I make decisions in the best interests of the animals (or, when there is time, the Board of Directors makes the decision). It is actually a privilege to care for these equines and be around them and the majority of those involved here feel that way, too.

Compassion. It is vital. We need to have it for all animals and each other. Some days close with exhilaration and satisfaction (most do!). Some days close with deep, wounding pain and loss (thank goodness, few and far between). Every day has purpose here. When I feel overwhelmed or sad, I do tend to stuff it down deep, as if I might deal with it later… and I can feel the weight of this tactic in my bones. But I wouldn’t want to live any other life. I could learn to take better care of myself… I could find ways to add other “interests” to my life. But that’s not me. Single-minded, sometimes stubborn, always willing to accept help but always wanting to be self-sufficient, I am a horsewoman, a stablewoman. And compassion is my focus.

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Equines Assisting

Posted on March 12, 2025 by stablewomen

I’ve been thinking a lot about “using” horses lately. Back in 2003, my four horses and I helped to establish an equine assisted therapies program locally. While the program had a theme that I did not agree with, the founders agreed that I was in control of my own horses (or I would not have done it!). My decision to participate was based upon helping youth and adults find the peace that I had lived with all my life in the presence of horses. And we did a lot of good.

I had seen some inappropriate horses (temperament-wise) brought into the program before I came on board. And the methodology (leaving clients with a halter and no explanation, to try to put it on a horse or leaving a group of non-horse people to try to move a horse around a paddock) worried me. I worried about humans getting hurt physically and the horses being injured emotionally.

At one point, with a blind-in-one-eye mare and an off the track Thoroughbred, the stable owner had insisted that these two horses were to be led about with a chain end lead rope (they easily spooked and bolted). When a woman came to evaluate the horses for the program being established, I was asked to help out. When I went to get the OTTB mare, the evaluator got right up in my face, took the chain and held it against my throat! She said, “how would you feel if I used this chain on you?”. I leaned into it, stared her in the eyes and said, “I’d figure I needed it if I was knocking people down and running over them”. She left. I was shaking. The husband of the barn owner asked me if I needed a glass of wine!

Later that day, with the evaluator’s daughters working the horses (chasing them) in a round pen, I sat nearby to watch. The lady sat beside me and told me that her daughters were champion barrel racers. I asked her what kind of bridles they used in competition. “Hackamores”, she said. “Mechanical hackamores?”, I asked. She nodded. “Don’t they have curb chains and possibly covered chain noses?”, I asked. She left.

I wasn’t happy with anything I was observing. The program was leasing space at that stable and trying to get “free horses”, volunteer helpers and, as a lifelong horsewoman, I realized that those involved knew little about equines. Fast forward – I ended up helping them.

While I was committed to helping the human clients, I was more dedicated to keeping the horses (especially my own) safe, sane and respected – rather than just being used as tools. To do that, I ran every client session when horses were involved. And I showed them how to halter a horse, then let then practice on my elder gelding. We groomed the horses, bathed the horses, free lunged them gently using communication and compassion. I lunged (slowly) clients mounted on my horses. We did a nighttime group session with the mothers of youth clients, and, with interns, we got every mom on my steady-as-a-rock TWH mare. A lot of good stuff happened.

We had a little girl who would run under my mare, no matter what you told her, how you explained it, the girl ran back and forth under the mare. I decided to make a fake horse with a sawhorse, papier mâché, blankets and cardboard… when the girl came again, I explained that she had to work with “Old Blue” until we could trust her with a real horse. She “groomed” Blue, put a halter on and off. I even found a little saddle and secured it on Blue so she could mount and dismount. She did end up with enough self-control to be with the “real” horses safely.

I have SO many stories from the years I spent, living with my horses, at the place we created for the Program. It continued after my horses and I left, and my hope was that we made an impression… that not all horses are suitable for therapy work, that horses are sentient and have feelings, that horses deserve respect. I was talking with friends today about how a horse knows what he knows – if he has never been tied, he won’t understand being tied. If a horse was never mounted from the off side (it’s important to do both equally), he might be confused or startled by it. Never been in a trailer/float – don’t expect him to hop in!

We humans can “use” horses in so many ways, discounting their needs, feelings and perspectives. We can also build a relationship with a horse based upon recognition of past experiences (for both parties), awareness of species specific and individual attributes and needs while thinking about what we are doing. It can take mere seconds to undo confidence and training in a horse, requiring years to repair – if it can be repaired. While I see so many owners/riders looking for methods and ideas to connect and find harmony with their horse(s), there are equally fervent horse owners obsessed with gimmicks and “quick fixes” to bend their horses to their will.

Those of us who grew up taking care of our horses ourselves, genuinely loving them and learning from them have a different way of approaching all aspects of our relationships with them. Our societies were built upon the backs of horses (and mules and donkeys), and we owe them our gratitude and compassion. Horses were used by humans to build, haul, travel, support and save us in ways we no longer require. So, we do not need to see equines through the eyes of objectification or glorification of ourselves. And even the realization of the innate gentleness and tendency to cooperate with us that equines possess does not mean that exploitation in areas of “healing” us is necessarily an honorable thing.

I’ve found myself deep in introspection through the decades of morphing into a Sanctuary. Here, we see horses (and mules) coming from one extreme to the other of care and handling. Some come from hoarding situations where a well-intentioned person got in over their head trying to save more than they could feed. Some were dumped in the desert to die. Some were beloved companions, and their human died. Some were cruelty seizures… yet these equines were able to forgive humans, given time and large doses of pure love.

In my early life as a Dressage and combined training rider, trainer and instructor, I was not in high demand (until my methods and holistic healing practices could turn a situation around) because I was “on the horse’s side”. Don’t get me wrong, I had many clients who wanted exactly that, but they were not competitive in a way that would “advance” my career and we were, none of us, prepared to sacrifice the wellbeing of a horse for competitive goals.

So, I plugged along writing (articles in Dressage & CT like “You have to listen, too” and “There is no aid for “oops”, on and on), teaching clinics, judging competitions (watching the horses and favoring those whose riders possessed compassion) and coaching my clients and their horses by recognizing effort and supporting their humane progress. As we all felt the deep connection and uplifting effects of our contact with horses, we realized that this whole experience was healing us.

We need to reciprocate. We need to heal them. Cherish them. And we need to teach those within our reach how to heal and cherish horses. While so much in this world is polarized, mankind’s relationship with the horse should not be. “Use them”/”Love them”… Our choice is so clear. Love is the honorable path. Would I use a chain end lead shank on a horse again? I’d prefer not to. I would prefer to connect with and slowly show a horse that I can be trusted (by being trustworthy) through my own behavior – rather than just needing to “get it done” or to placate a human’s needs… those things take time and patience. And love.

A mentor of mine, Mr. Charles deKunffy, taught me that “Love is the active promotion of the wellbeing of the love object”. Let’s choose that kind of love.

Categories: healing, Saving Horses | Tags: , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Change isn’t easy for horses

Posted on September 30, 2024 by stablewomen

Horses are “creatures of habit”. With all of the wildfires, floods and rescue efforts in the news lately, a serious fact of equine nature is being announced across the internet – horses that must be turned loose to escape disasters must be locked out of their barns or they will return to them. Horse people have long known that, in a barn fire, one must blindfold and lead a horse to safety and then secure them elsewhere so they will not return to the burning structure. With frightening storms and flooding, horses must be allowed to find high ground, if possible.

Horses are comforted by familiarity. Just as a human can return to a brutal relationship because it is what they know; horses can find solace in strange situations for the same reasons. Home is safety, home is comfort. And this becomes foremost on my mind when we have a new intake here at the sanctuary.

We rarely know anything about the background on a new horse or mule. Often an estray has been dumped in the desert and if they were once loved, they feel betrayed and confused. All we can do is make them comfortable and start from scratch, making this their home. If we know details from their past, we use that information to make changes gradually.

If you buy a new equine, find out all you can about that horse’s care, training, feeding and preferences. You might be planning to greatly improve aspects of his or her life, but to change things suddenly (even for the better) can be alarming to the horse. Try to maintain some of the familiar routines, especially what has been fed, and make changes gradually for the good health physically and mentally of your horse. They say it takes at least ten days for the horse’s digestive system to adjust to a new item in his or her feed. You want to add the new food in a small amount the first day then slowly add more of it while reducing the familiar feed until the complete change is made. This is especially important when going from dry feed like hay to the richer pasture.

If you plan to dramatically change the style in which your new horse is ridden, spend a few days with the type of equipment he or she has been used to so that your communication makes sense. Then you can change one aspect at a time to allow adjustments in the horse’s perceptions, understanding and how it all feels physically. Do a little bit often. Sometimes working with the horse 3 times a day for 15 minutes does more good for the adjustment period than one 45 minute session.

Think about the type of facility this horse has been used to – if he has never touched an electric fence wire, he may become panicked when he is first shocked on your electric fence! Think about the visibility of your fences. The smaller a fenced area is for a horse, the sturdier the fences and gates must be. The larger the fenced area, the more visible they must be. Tie white rags on fences to make them more visible.

If you want your new horse to become comfortable in his new home, establish a routine that you can maintain and soon, your methods will be the familiar ones that bring confidence and calm to his life. You do not have to have strict, unyielding times for meals, times to ride, turn out times. You do need to maintain consistency in the way you warm up, ride and cool down. You need consistency in the number of meals per day and should keep them within an hour or two of a regular time. I recommend doing turn outs in the day time during winter and the night time during summer if it is safe and convenient to do so.

Keep your horse’s perspective in mind and you can build a great relationship.

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Open Wounds

Posted on May 28, 2024 by stablewomen

You know that feeling of deep compassion when you see torn flesh on an animal or a person? A need to help and to empathize rises inside of us, making our interaction with the wounded a gentle and focused thing. A physical wound is so obvious. A physical wound has consistent, obvious needs and they are immediate.

Emotional and mental wounds are equally damaging, if not even more so, and need the same level of response and care. Yet often, these wounds go unnoticed, unattended and this can drive them deep into the core of a being where they remain open and hurting. They end up hidden from all but the one who is wounded.

Of course, a physical wound will likely include damage to the other embodiments, depending upon how it was inflicted. We think of the “whole horse”, the “whole person” when healing and we come from a place of empathy here at the Sanctuary. Empathy comes from our experiences and none of us get through this life without wounds. If you have never stubbed your toe, you won’t cringe and gasp when someone rams their bare foot into a table leg. One thing I felt grow in me, while caring for my Mum as she became disabled, was awareness of others at the market or in cafe’s who walked with a cane and the observation of those who opened doors and helped as well as those who were oblivious. When we have known hardship, we grow in our compassion.

In animal rescue, we see all fashion of wounds. The recent, either physical or emotional, wounds require triage and dedication. The “open wounds” are screaming for help in unmistakable ways.

CLOSED WOUNDS

The old physical wounds have healed over, have scarred and set. They might be quite visible or barely perceptible. The body might feel the reminder as a stiffness, pain or sensitivity. We all have our “reminders” of old wounds. The animals may have deep, hidden closed wounds and no way to explain to us that things have never felt quite right since an injury.

The emotional closed wounds, the old ones that have buried themselves in memory, are the ones that do not rise to the surface often. When they do, it is because of some trigger igniting the replay of an event that caused the wound and the feelings (no matter how much time may have passed) rise with the same intensity as when it all happened.

With people, we can talk through the feelings, reassure someone that it is not happening now. With animals, especially horses, there is no clear way to let them know they are not being wounded again. All we can do is make absolutely certain that we do not inflict more damage by losing sight of our empathy. If we can come to horses where they are, and listen to them, we can be a comfort to the wounded and through comfort and compassion, heal the deepest of wounds.

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We know what we know and learning as we go…

Posted on March 29, 2024 by stablewomen

Pasture grass is dangerous for horses. Pasture is the best food for horses.

Never feed alfalfa to horses. Alfalfa is the best hay for horses.

Riding bitless is the kinder choice. The nerves in the horse’s face can be damaged by bitless bridles. Using a snaffle bit is milder than a curb bit. The curb bit can convey signals in a softer way.

Never feed treats to horses. Use treats with a signal to mark behavior and train with kindness. “Show the horse who’s boss”. A horse can feel a human heartbeat.

Never hard tie a horse. Horses need to know how to stand tied… getting the picture here?

Horse people have hard-wired opinions from their experiences with a horse/horses and it will always be backed by what did or did not happen when they were gaining that experience. The magnitude of opinions and studies and shifting perspectives can become a confusing mess for anyone starting out (even for those of us with long time experience) in the horse world.

We “old-timers” try to stay open and flexible to new ideas/studies, while holding tight to what we really do know is best for our horses. And that is the key – our horses. Each horse is an individual with specific needs, metabolisms, experiences (that “well of positive and negative experiences”) and personalities. And to be honest, sometimes what heals one horse might damage another.

So how do we navigate the horse world, now filled to bursting with internet sites, social media and Veterinary studies at our fingertips? We can take things at face value or with “a grain of salt” while keeping a discerning open mind, not only about the source, but the applicability to our own circumstances – and that of our horse(s). But that is not easy for the new horse person. No source is going to diminish their own credibility with disclaimers or other opinions contrary to their own. And the reality is, they are drawing from what worked for them from their individual experiences.

Now the good thing here is that there are many paths to the “truth” and sometimes another person’s path is something we can glean insight from, even revelation, from reading or watching. My Mantra is, “if it helps a horse, it’s good; if it harms a horse, it’s bad”. And extremes are often questionable on any front.

The “Middle Way”, a Buddhist principle (I’m Buddhist, that Dharmahorse thing is a clue) is a very good measure of anything presented as a training, feeding, handling or healing methodology. At the Sanctuary, we do not feed composite horse feeds (with fillers and sugar and animal fats and such) – but we have fed Senior Feeds when a horse would not or could not eat anything else… a compromise, I admit, yet necessary sometimes because horses need to eat something. When the herbs we use just have not helped with pain or infection, we use pharmaceuticals – we have to be humane. It isn’t forsaking our protocols, it is taking the middle way to do what helps a horse. Same thing with “training” because we intake horses with such a plethora of experiences – good ones and bad ones.

It is the decades of experience that helps us choose a path for an individual horse. Gaining that experience meant knowing (and loving) thousands of horses. That is not often a possibility for a horse person (that taking decades part!), so vicarious experience through videos and reading can fill a big gap. I believe the real key here is to practice discernment and keep your own horse’s needs in mind. If a teacher/presenter is derogative towards the horse or to people, walk away. Attitude will tell all. There are so many other possible sources of information. Find someone who edifies the horse and the relationship with them.

Just because someone is very vocal or has a huge following does not mean they are “the gospel” in the horse world. Keeping things simple can be the foundation for a good life with our horses and being an advocate for our own horse(s) will always pull us in the right direction.

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Making Mashes

Posted on January 26, 2024 by stablewomen

Two or three times a week, we feed mashes to all the horses (and mules and ponies!). Soaked with copious water, a mash can make the difference between good gut health and mild impaction – especially during weather changes when the horses might not drink enough water. Mashes are a brilliant way to add supplements, salts and, for us, the linseed meal that adds Omega 3’s and pulls sand out of their bellies. We live in the high desert; sand is a fact of life.

We use wheat bran for our base. It absorbs lots of water (cold in summer, warm in winter), provides needed phosphorus (we’re in a high calcium area and also feed supplemental alfalfa which is high in calcium), and horses love the taste of it.

The calcium to phosphorus ratio in an equine diet should be 1.5:1 to 2.5:1. Some people use phosphorus supplements for balance and some of these can even contain bone meal. Horses are herbivores and we feel that the wheat bran is a better source! The bran, combined with linseed meal (about a 4 to 1 ratio) makes a “mud” that keeps gut motility and pulls out ingested sand.

We have fed these mashes for decades, to all manner of equines, always with great benefit to their health. Mixing them is a kind of Alchemy (very satisfying!). Adding mineralized salts, probiotics, black oil sunflower seeds and our custom mixed herbal supplement means we offer a pan of good health and deliciousness without feeding composite feeds or grain, all of which are not natural to a horse’s innate needs.

We mix our herbal supplement (always with magnesium, Vitamin E, Vitamin B2 Riboflavin, fenugreek seed powder, anise seed powder, turmeric powder, red beet root powder, rose hip powder, kelp powder, burdock root powder and slippery elm bark powder); adding seasonal herbs to the mix for summer and winter.

Individual horses get herbs (uva ursi for renal system, cleavers for the gray horses and Appaloosas, etc.) and nutraceuticals for their specific needs. It really is the best way for us to maintain their health!

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It seemed like a good idea at the time…

Posted on January 21, 2024 by stablewomen

We have a new intake. He broke quarantine this weekend. “Teddy” is a sweet little buckskin gelding in his mid-twenties who lived on land that sold and he had nowhere to go. We took him in as an “owner surrender”. He is in good health for a 20+ year old horse – but he is very “over in the knees” and one hoof has grown way forward, probably to support that knee.

Our Veterinarian is coming to X Ray his legs and hoof. This will give us needed information for his care and hoof trimming. He is already on Vitamin E to help his muscles and the Dharmahorse herbal supplement to support organs, immune system and joints.

Teddy is a sweetheart. He is by no means “sound”, and we have Comet (bad arthritis) and Murray (navicular in both front hooves and a rotated coffin bone in a hind) who live as bonded pair. It seemed like a good idea to put the three of them on the small track system together. I felt that none of them were sound enough to harass or harm the others. And Teddy was excited that there were other horses around, feeling the need to be with someone else, I reckoned.

Teddy had lived years alone in an isolated field. Being with a small herd seemed a logical choice for him.

Usually, we put a new horse in the giant round yard to get to know the other horses (& mules) and vice versa. If we put Teddy in the round yard, I was concerned that he might get into trouble at the fence with young Pepper (who often gets too excited about a new equine). He would have no shelter… We had moved Comet and Murray to the small track and had a good team here on Saturday in case we needed help. So, I decided “why not just bring Teddy to the track and let him be with the other two” – it was different from our usual way of doing things… I found out “why not”!

Comet and Murray (especially Murray!) became much more active and pushier than I had ever expected. We quickly got Teddy out of there and rearranged everything! I could not believe what I was seeing. Murray (navicular and founder!) was galloping and bucking and leaping in the air! Comet was galloping (our feeding and healing programs work!).

Teddy went into Pepper’s pen/shelter beside the herd; Pepper went onto the small track system and Comet & Murray went back to their old paddock. It was good we had our remarkable team to help unwind the problem I had caused!

Granted, I know that horses need introductions… I knew better but was swayed by the notion that “three old geldings with soundness issues” would just be mellow with each other. Lesson learned. We all falter now and then. In my defense, I had no inkling that Comet and Murray could move so fast and be so pushy!

So, I apologize profusely to Teddy every time I’m near him. It really seemed like a good idea at the time. And now I know that Comet and Murray are much more capable than I suspected.

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The individuality of horses

Posted on November 12, 2023 by stablewomen

A lifetime with horses makes you aware of them each as an individual. Running a Sanctuary for horses drives that awareness into your very soul. We talk and teach about the “well of experiences” that shapes each horse (and human). Their experiences shape their expectations and responses (sometimes reactions).

A Sanctuary or Rescue rarely has the benefit of knowing an equine’s background. Things can be extrapolated from behaviors and condition, but really knowing can be a guessing game. You learn how to listen to the horses!

Even when you know some details (starved twice before the age of 3; abandoned in the desert; ridden until the back or legs gave out), it’s only a starting point in the journey to understanding. All horses come with baggage, just like we do. We must bend our methods and accommodations to suit each individual, rather than expecting them to acclimate to our expectations.

And you don’t have to be running a sanctuary to need this flexibility, all horses require our compassion and awareness of their point of view. It takes time to figure out the nuances of an equine’s perspective and needs. Horses are masters at hiding their vulnerabilities because, in a natural or wild state, being vulnerable can mean death. And while they all have the basic requirements of forage, friends and freedom (movement), some horses cannot function in a herd… some cannot function without a herd! Bonded pairs need each other for emotional health. Young horses need play for their physical health. Elder horses need movement to stay sound. Mares know when to wean their foals and newly gelded males need time to adjust to their new bodies. It’s dynamic. Providing for the individual needs of an equine is both art and skill, gleaned from experience and observation.

We have a bonded pair of elder Thoroughbred siblings here. They have lived together their entire, long lives. They also need to be in motion to keep them sound as each has had injuries that, if left to just stand around, will overcome them. We have a young mare whose double starvations as a filly have caused her metabolism to store every calorie consumed as fat now. Her body needs exercise and high fiber, low sugar/fat feed to keep her safe. We have a feral mule (older than we had expected) from a hoarding situation whose fear of being touched by a human is overpowering for her. None of these equines can be cared for in the same fashion as the others.

I think horses are also masters of resiliency. They can face abuse, neglect, confusion and illness yet rise to forgive humans and heal and go on, trying to figure us out as best they can. So, our stewardship, our husbandry must be customized to not only the population in our care, but to each member as an individual. That is the measure of our compassion.

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