<![CDATA[Caballo Equine Body Work

<![CDATA[Caballo Equine Body Work - Blog/News]]>Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:57:36 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[New in 2012]]>Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:31:05 -0800http://www.caballo.co.za/1/post/2012/02/new-in-2012.html

I have had a wonderful start to the year with new and exciting opportunities arising. A once monthly trip to Johannesburg to trim being the main excitement. I also have a clinic planned in Limpopo next month as well as a talk in Pretoria. A few days ago I visited a farm in Somerset-East where I got to help a very desperate owner with a Saddlebred that couldn't hold up her back legs long enough to be trimmed. Besides that problem, there are no farriers in the area and everyone that offered to help suggested rather un-savoury methods of restraint! With a little bit of a struggle and an eventual mild dose of sedative, I managed to give the poor mare a good trim. She seemed more comfortable afterwards but time will tell as she was still recovering from the sedative when I left. I have left her in the capable hands of my pupil who impressed me very much with her dedication and trimming skills. We will be in regular correspondence via email so that I can guide her and assist with the mare's rehabilitation.

Corlia injured a sesamoidean ligament about 2 months ago, he is sound but I am not doing any more than a walk until I can get a good vet to scan the leg. It seems he is always hurting himself so nothing comes as a surprise anymore! I have also managed to injure my hamstring and knee which has left me doing only mild work for a while. It is a big frustration in my life at the moment as I have had to quit a lot of the physical activity that was important in my daily life, running being one of them. On a happier note, Corlia and I do basic exercises together, I managed to teach him to rein-back quite nicely a few days ago. My Mom was around and caught it on video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K3bt4lXBo0&list=UUZ2t6ynYVRnE1vQm6EPSqvw&index=3&feature=plcp

Fortunately Fifi is still on her feet and we are having a blast. She is really beginning to muscle up and is learning some new things such as rein-back, trotting over raised poles and cantering on the correct leads. She seems to think that she is very clever. And she is indeed, at least considering I've almost been out of town more than in town this month so riding has taken a bit of a backseat!

The Equine Fusion Jogging Shoes seem to be a success, I have had only positive feedback so far. One of my clients is possibly the first to ride in anything other than metal horse shoes in her country, Namibia. We wish her the best of luck for her 100km race tomorrow!

]]><![CDATA[Summer at long last.]]>Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:54:58 -0800http://www.caballo.co.za/1/post/2011/12/first-post.html

So much has happened in the last few months. A few weeks ago I went up to Limpopo to give a private trimming clinic which was a great experience. It is amazing to see the quality of hoof these horses grow when given the correct natural diet and environment.

I have also been writing a few articles for the HQ magazine which has been great fun. I will get them up online at some point for my international viewers.

I have recently begun the barefoot transition of two very talented and previously shod competition horses. Everything has gone very smoothly so far, I will most definitely be posting about their future successes in the show ring. My friend's horse, Filharmonica has also just begun her barefoot competition career. Their plans are to advance in dressage and showing for at least a year before they consider jumping.

My own two horses are both doing very well with their schooling, Corlia has been jumping a bit more of late and Fifi has finally learned to balance! I am very happy with how she has turned out - she is very quiet, intelligent and willing, an absolute pleasure to work with.

My plans for next year include competing in dressage on a client's horse, a palomino SA Sport Horse named Montana. She has movement, power and intelligence to die for and we have high hopes for her. I am also hoping to back and start showing an Arab colt I have been working with. Both horses are barefoot and will remain so.

Lastly, I have just signed up to become the South African dealer of some revolutionary hoof boots called the "Equine Fusion Jogging Shoes". I have been testing them out over varied terrain including grass, sand, gravel, marsh and tar. They don't chafe, twist or come off and the best part is that they are designed to flex with the hoof and take less than a minute to get on! For more information visit my "products" page.

]]><![CDATA[Winter]]>Tue, 16 Aug 2011 11:01:49 -0800http://www.caballo.co.za/1/post/2011/08/post-title-click-and-type-to-edit.html

It has been a horrible winter in PE. After a LONG drought, we have been blessed with much needed rain. And then, some more...

Not much has been happening, riding-wise. I have been on a few slow hacks but the ground is so boggy that I have only been able to walk or do slow lateral work.

Daz is now giving lessons to a few little girls each week. He has turned into a real little gentleman and everybody loves him dearly. His summer coat is slowly coming through which is quite exciting as he is usually a very dark, shiney buckskin in Summer -can't wait!

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