Favorite Finds Week Nineteen
Ankle Mobility Exercise
Mobility is very important in riding but isolating sticky areas of the body can be tricky especially on the horse. That is why I find exercises such as this one by Stephanie from RideAdvanced to be so helpful. Stephanie has a doctorate in Physical Therapy but she is also an equestrian which allows her to help riders understand their bodies in and out of the saddle. This exercise helps to develop ankle mobility and it is so simple; all you need is a chair and a pillowcase. A lot of riders struggle with ankle mobility especially if they were taught as youngsters to jam their heels down which creates rigid legs and ankles. Check out the exercise below and then scroll through Stephanie’s Instagram for tons of other tips or you can schedule a private session with her as well to really dive deep into your personal needs.
Headphones for the Barn
I first discovered Shokz from my husband who bikes a lot and needed headphones that allowed him to still hear traffic and things happening around him while listening to music. Shokz are bone conducting headphones; what that means is they sit directly in front of your ear, I know, it sounds weird but you can hear everything extremely clear while still staying safe and aware of your surroundings. As we all know, being around horses, you need to be aware and that was always my trouble, I wanted to listen to music or a podcast while doing chores or riding but having traditional bluetooth headphones in meant that I gave up my ability to hear my surroundings. I didn’t feel safe if I had traditional headphones in while turning out horses or riding in a warm up ring so I borrowed my husband’s Shokz one day and it was a game changer. The battery life is great and they are water resistant as well, of course there are different versions, we have the OpenMove which I will link below.
Fruits and Veggies for Horses
Traditionally, apples and carrots are what we offer our horses but did you know about the plethora of other fruits and veggies you can give your horse? For instance, many people are surprised when I tell them that my horse Frank will eat all kinds of fruit like pears, bananas, strawberries and grapes. My mare on the other hand, is quite picky; she will eat a pear, but it can’t be ripe or it is too soft for her. She does not like mushy food. Same with apples and apple sauce; she loves apples, but if you put apple sauce on her food, she refuses. Baby food is beneath her. That being said, it’s kind of fun to see what horses like and dislike because they have flavor preferences just like us. If you have fruit or vegetables you’re not going to eat before they go bad, check to see if it is safe for horses to eat and try offering it to your horse! Just a note though, on the list, it mentions horses with insulin problems and options for them…If your horse has dietary restrictions please consult with your vet before feeding anything different to them. Below is just a short list of fruits and vegetables horses can eat but make sure and read the details about each one, some fruits and vegetables have specific feeding instructions.