Stall and Stable: Ideas for Happy Horsekeeping

Stall and Stable listeners are the BEST listeners ever! In getting know some of you over the last year, I am both overjoyed and humbled by the stories you share with me. Stories about your barns, your horses, your accomplishments, and your challenges. It's really starting to feel like a family. Today, Helena welcomes a listener from South Carolina who brought her horses home for the first time with the help of our podcast. Listen in!

Last weekend, we had the pleasure of hosting Tik Maynard for a 2-day clinic in the Ocean State. It was a very enlightening two days! Advanced Eventer, Horse Trainer, and author, Tik Maynard, is a quality human being. You sorta need to be if you're going to convince horses to be awesome, and Tik does that without even thinking about it. Do you how he's so effective as a trainer? It's because he thinks he is... Listen in! Support the Show

When you finally get your horses home, there is no other feeling like it. Looking out your window and seeing your favorite creatures enjoying life under your care is one of THE most gratifying experiences for a horse lover. But there's a flip side. Happy Horsekeeping isn't as easy as it sometimes seems. While we can design our barns, yards, and turnout to keep our horses safe, feed them the best hay and grains, and provide a low-stress environment for them, there are times when that's still not enough. Listen in!

There's a wonderful surge in horse adoptions this year. Many rescue horses, however, are in poor condition, and that leaves adopters struggling to nurture their horses back to good physical and mental health. Our guest in this episode is Dr. Stacey Boswell, an equine veterinarian whose new book, The Ultimate Guide to Horses in Need, covers the most common issues facing rescued horses, and how we, as caregivers, can best support their return to good health. Listen in!

We're having a conversation about stall doors today. If you're a barn geek like us, every design element in a barn is meaningful, but perhaps none so much as doors, which can be used dozens of times a day. Doors need to be safe, efficient, functionally compatible with your barn's workflow, and of course, handsome. Join Helena and guest, Nick Thornton of Lucas Equine, as they chat about what goes into choosing the right stall doors for a barn. Whether you're building new or ready to replace what you have, it's an interesting conversation about what kind of thoughts go into this important barn component. Listen in!

What's so great about boarding? Lots of things, actually! Helena chats with return guest, Terry Golson, of the Cooperative Horse today, about Terry's recent move to a new boarding barn that has turned out to be quite the surprise for her and her American Paint Horse, Tonka. "Terry is one of my favorite people to talk with because she's not just a horse lover, she's also an animal behavior expert who's done amazing things with her own horse, as well as her clients' horses." Join Helena and Terry as they explore why boarding can be the ideal situation for some horse owners. Listen in!

In today's episode, we revisit a favorite book of ours; The Compassionate Equestrian. The book describes 25 principles that compassionate equestrians use as a guide to create healthy and productive relationships with their horses. As we circle back to the principles of compassion when we work with our horses, this episode's conversation digs deeper into the concept of reducing drama with your horse (and your barnmates) by checking in with yourself and your ego. Ooooh, listen in!

In another installment of "Siouxsie and the Solitary Witch", Helena catches listeners up on the first year (and canter!) with her OTTB mare, Siouxsie. --- One of the hardest things to overcome when you work by yourself, and you're a bit of an overachiever, is to stop second-guessing yourself. And lemme tell ya, a Thoroughbred in your back yard will most certainly give you reason to second-guess yourself! In today's episode, Helena talks about how one middle-aged mom and backyard horse owner is faring as she works on bringing along a green OTTB mare in the midst of a pandemic. From inside the mare's stall, to the life that revolves around the little stable just outside the kitchen window. Listen in!

#BlackLivesMatter means the black community deserves to be heard, embraced, and celebrated, especially in the horse world. We are Equestrians first, whether we're bay or gray shouldn't matter, and yet it does. Still. In an effort to move the dial of racism down to zero, Helena talks with two smart, young women who know a thing or two about horses, podcasting, and grace. Abriana and Caitlin from the Young Black Equestrians podcast explain the origins of their show, what frustrates them as black horse people, and how white people can start to pick up some of the slack and start advocating for our fellow horsemen and women of color. Listen in!

One of great things about podcasting is the opportunity to connect with other horse owners and sharing their stories and ideas for happy horsekeeping. We welcome one such listener today, Lori Rodriguez, from Tallahasse, Florida. Lori shares with us a bit about her life as a new backyard horse owner in the Sunshine State, including how she handles the heat, the bugs, manure, and more. Listen in!

Today's episode was going to be about bailing twine. In light of the recent events in America, the discussion will instead be about how having our horses at home can teach us about silver linings. For every frustration, every complaint, every step backwards we take in our horse lives, there's a blessing hidden just beyond it. Stick around and see if you agree.

There's been a lot of activity at our place these last few months. The quarantine has us sheltering in place here in Rhode Island, but that doesn't mean there's been a lack of things to do. On the contrary! From finishing our new hay shed, to major driveway construction, Buck and I have been busy little bees. Stick around to find out what inspired Buck to get back in the saddle, how our backyard barn has been serving Brody and Siouxsie, and how this time of isolation has also brought an opportunity for self-reflection and a new respect for horsemanship. Listen in!

We had an entirely different episode planned for today. Dr. Karyn Malinowski, was kind enough to agree to a 2-part series on horse keeping at Rutgers University Equine Science Center. Well, we got part 1 down okay, but as we connected last week to begin recording part 2, Dr. Malinowski and Helena found that their casual conversation about their horses was just the antidote to the ho hum glum if isolation. And so that's what you get today - an interesting conversation about Standardbreds, a mid-life crisis, crashes, lessons learned, laughable moments, and horses loved. This is the kind of thing horse people do... when we're not riding, of course. So listen in!

Dr. Karyn Malinowski, an accomplished equine scientist, is the Founding Director of the Rutgers Equine Science Center at the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES). She joins Helena in this episode to talk about current best practices in horsekeeping. Listen in to hear about how the experts at Rutgers manage things like the dietary requirements of their horses, turnout, herd dynamics, and more. Dr. Malinowski is such an enthusiastic leader in our industry, you're going to love this episode!

As we move closer to peak infection rates of coronavirus in the United States, more and more states are reporting their hospitals becoming overburdened with sick patients, healthcare workers are also becoming infected. This makes any visit to the hospital an especially risky one. The governing bodies of most equestrian sports have issued notices to riders to take extra steps to reduce the everyday risks that are inherent in our sport, as well as those risks we take as we push ourselves toward specific goals. For many pleasure riders, taking some time off from riskier activities isn't such a hassle, except for the fact that we're not quite sure what to do to keep our horses busy physically and mentally. In this episode, I have another list for you. This one is smaller than the last. It includes 10 things you can do with your horse to stay active, engaged, and fairly safe. Listen in!

It may seem odd, at a time like this, to talk about saving time, when we're all locked in our homes with nothing but time. But it's actually a great time to talk about time. While our everyday lives have slowed to a crawl, let's take this opportunity to get creative about the ways in which we can optimize our time at the barn so we can enjoy every minute there. In today's solo episode, Helena shares 25 tips that can save you time and energy. Listen in!

Meghan Hamilton runs a quality dressage training facility in southern New England. Like all horse owners, managing the manure pile is something she calculates into the cost of doing business. Unlike others, however, Meghan's manure pile isn't in her debit column. Nope. Meghan has actually turned her horses' manure into a profit center using a pretty straightforward composting system. And the best part is that she funded a good chunk of it with funds from her state's agricultural division. Listen in and learn!

We are talking emergency planning and first aid in this episode. Our guest is Catherine Frend-Gillihan from Equi-First Aid USA, an organization that provides customized health and safety training courses for people in the equestrian industry. Catherine and Helena talk about some of the things we all need to be thinking about before an emergency arises. Even if we are not 100% prepared for whatever chaos comes our way, just thinking about these things and putting some best practices into place can mean the difference between life and death. Listen in!

We're getting down to business today, listeners, and whether or not you own an equine business doesn't matter. As I chat with social media pro, April Hardeman of Make It Rein, you'll come away with a new appreciation for how today's social platforms can improve your access to equestrian businesses, professionals, and opportunities as a user, and how to best leverage the media as a business owner. Listen in!

Whether you are thinking about building a small barn or a large one, there are thousands of decisions to make along the way. When it comes to the actual components of your stalls, this is where you need to really focus on making decisions that are safe and comfortable for your horses. This doesn't mean you have to sacrifice beauty, though. Our guest today is Nick Thornton from Lucas Equine Equipment, makers of fine stall components that are manufactured right here in the United States. Nick is going to help us understand what our choices are when choosing stall components so we end up with a barn that looks as good as it functions. Listen in!

Not everyone can build the ideal barn in size, layout, or amenities. In that case, some creativity and a modest budget can make it all work nicely. Buck joins me today to talk about what's happening at our place these days, how we are managing Siouxsie's life to manage her ulcers, and the thought process behind adding a new shed to our property. Listen in! This episode is brought to you by our friends at LUCAS EQUINE EQUIPMENT, makers of fine stall systems and accessories.

World Class Grooming Pro, Emma Ford, returns to Stall and Stable to chat with us about some interesting tips from her clinic in Rhode Island a few weeks ago. We talk winter blanketing, turnout, horse care, and transporting Olympic horses by air and by truck. We also chat about what kinds of things the team at Phillip Dutton Eventing do in order to prepare their horses for a possible run for the gold in Tokyo this year. As always with Ms. Ford, it is a very interesting and fun conversation. Listen in!

Happy holidays, everyone! If you're a horse person listening to this episode you know full well that stalls don't muck themselves, so keep yourself company today with our final episode of the decade! Stick around as two old friends, horse people, and veteran podcasters talk about life with horses, podcasting, moving from north to south, and everything in between. Our guest this week is Horse Radio Network founder and president, Glenn the Geek. Join us for some chill conversation as we all wind down for a few days of peace and harmony. Listen in!

If you ask 10 equestrians what "quality" means in terms of horse care, there is no doubt you will get ten different answers! That's a problem when business owners open their barns for boarding. It may not be their problem, but it is certainly a problem for the customer - the horse owner. As with any equestrian professional or service provider, accreditation is key to establishing trust with the customer. In this episode, guest Christy Landwehr of the Certified Horsemanship Association chats with Helena about what certification means to equine businesses, why a barn owner should consider getting certified, and how one goes about the process. Listen in!

This episode gets a little personal, and that's Helena for you! She is the kind of "girl" who wears her big ole bleeding heart on her sleeve, welcoming anyone willing to listen to join in on her story. But this isn't a sad story; it's a happy one. Well, it's both, actually. And that's what horses do for us. They help us uncover parts of ourselves that need work, and they help us uncover the parts of us that already perfect. As a horsewoman who spends a lot of time alone with her horses, Helena has learned so much about herself. She shares a particularly important one in this episode. Perhaps you can relate. Listen in!

In horses, we're always looking to build the better mousetrap. Whether it's a product or service that saves time, money, or headaches, we're all about it. Of course, there's a balancing point between the cost of bringing a new product into your barn and the benefit that product offers. In this episode, Helena reviews her experience with a new type of bedding - shredded cardboard - and she chats with the owner of a brand new company that makes this bedding. Listen in!

Piggybacking off of episode 24 and the concept of horse people carving out professional niches for themselves, today's topic covers one of those niches - professional Groom. There are so many different responsibilities when it comes to horse care, and it kinda makes sense that as our industry evolves, and our higher education system starts supporting the development of equestrian professionals, new careers are being born. Our guest today is Kelly Gross, founder of Best Playing Pony, a niche business we can all appreciate. Listen in!

The winner of our Trafalgar Square Books free book giveaway contest is announced in this episode, along with some personal updates that you may find interesting. The life of the backyard horse owner is as different for each of us as we are different from one another. At the same time, there are SO many things we have in common. Perhaps Helena's experiences with equine gastric ulcer syndrome will resonate with some of you who have similar things happening in your horse lives. Listen in!

I think we've all experienced that dreaded moment when your farrier says, "I have bad news; I'm moving to the moon." Ha! It doesn't matter where she or he is moving, if they can't take care of your horses feet anymore, they may as well be moving to the moon. Your heart sinks, you start to sweat, and then the real panic sets in. Where on earth am I going to find someone as good?! Or maybe you run a boarding barn and you stall mucker showed up late one too many times for her own good. Where do you start? Craigslist? Indeed? Your local paper? Just the thought of all this logistical malarkey is enough to make any horse person break out in hives. And that's what we are talking about today - a new online service that connects horse owners with horse professionals. Oh, and we've got something to say about hives, as well. If you've ever handled hay and walked away with itchy, screaming hives, you don't want to miss this episode, so listen in!

We're going world class today with a guest who works at the top level of our sport. She's the kind of person who's brain I could pick for days on end and still never feel satisfied. Her name is Emma Ford, and her career as a professional groom, most notably as Olympian Phillip Dutton's groom, affords her an expertise in horse care that few can rival. The exception would be Cat Hill. You see, Emma and Cat wrote a fabulous book together. It's called World Class Grooming for Horses, and every horse owner should have this book in their horse library because IT. IS. AWESOME. And by awesome, we mean, Has Lots of Pictures. Emma joins Helena in this episode to talk about how she got to where she is today, what has kept her on the Phillip Dutton Eventing team for so long, and a few pro tips you may be surprised to hear. Listen in!

For the small horse property owner, keeping grass turnout grassy enough to be an asset is always a challenge. And while we can't stop horses from being hard on the land upon which they live, we can take certain steps to reduce the damage they do to their paddocks. In this episode, Helena shares 10 tips for helping to keep your small turnout in tip-top shape. Plus, we review an innovative product that can help keep your grass in tact. Listen in!

In our continuing series on books we recommend for your stable's library, we discover a new horse training program called The Compassionate Equestrian. The book, The Compassionate Equestrian, co-authored by Susan Gordon and Dr. Allen Schoen, DVM, MS, describes the 25 principles that compassionate equestrians use as a guide to create healthy, happy, and productive relationships with their horses. One such equestrian is today's guest: Melissa Deal, an upper-level dressage rider, instructor, and trainer. Melissa has an impressive academic and experiential background, so we are thrilled to chat with her about how living and working with the 25 principles of Compassionate Equitation can improve your horse's attitude, help you achieve your riding and training goals, and create a more harmonious relationship with your horse. Listen in!

Our guest this week is Dr. Bob Grisel, DVM, an equine lameness specialist and author of the book, Equine Lameness for the Layman; a must-have book for any serious horseman's library. With a helpful glossary of technical terms, lots of illustrations, and the brilliant use of QR codes and videos that complement specific sections of text, you will really appreciate the in-depth knowledge that Dr. Grisel's book literally puts in your lap. We talk with Dr. Grisel in this episode about ways in which we can better observe our horses to catch lameness issues as early as possible, which can help us actually improve our horses' long term health, soundness, and wellbeing. Listen in!

Wouldn't it be great if every barn could have it's own little library in the tack room, stocked with books old and new about horses and horsemanship? Working with our friends at Trafalgar Square Publishing, the Harris clan is building up our library of treasured reading material. The first new book in our updated library is already a favorite: In the Middle are the Horseman, by Tik Maynard. It is a fantastic read! Tik joins Helena in this episode to talk about some of the experiences he wrote about in the book, and how they translate to modern horsemanship for both the pleasure rider and the competitive equestrian. Listen in!

Horses have a great internal system for regulating their body temperatures when they're at liberty, but sometimes we need to help them find ways to stay cool and comfortable on the hottest of days. In this episode, we share 10 tips for cooling off those hot ponies. Listen in!

If you are plagued by a growing manure pile and no solid plan for disposal, you'll appreciate today's chat about ideas that can relieve your manure pile stress. In this episode, Helena welcomes back her horse husband, Buck, and they discuss some of the more popular options for manure management and removal, what they tend to cost, as well as the pros and cons of each. What did the Harrises choose for their small horse property? Listen in to find out!

Our dreams and realities don't always match up. While many of us would love to have a stable full of happy, healthy horses, and satisfied boarders, it rarely ever works out the way we imagine it should. That doesn't mean, however, it can't be awesome. In this episode of the Stall and Stable show, Helena is joined by guest, Sheri Grunska, author and owner of ProBarn Management, a stable management consulting firm. Sheri and Helena discuss what kinds of things a boarding business owner needs to consider in order to get the reality a little bit closer to the dream. Listen in!

If you dream about owning your own horse property, or if you have one you need to sell, you will appreciate Helena's chat with real estate expert, Megan Stout, of Results Real Estate Solutions. Not only is Megan a great realtor, she's also the Hunt Secretary for Full Cry Hounds in Huntsville, Alabama. As a life-long equestrian with experience in many disciplines, Megan knows a thing or two about what horse people really want when they go house hunting. From home buyers' top wishes, to things you should do when selling your farm, Megan's got some great tips for us. Listen in!

Have you ever wondered where your hay comes from? In this episode, we learn about what it takes to produce the most important component of a horse's diet. Plus, we learn about things like how spot a good bale when you see one, how to measure moisture content, prevent spontaneous combustion, and more. This is an episode that's chock full of really interesting information. LISTEN IN!

Wanna keep your horses at home but don't have much space? This episode takes you through some of the planning and design choices Buck and Helena made while setting up their 2-stall, backyard barn. From sand footing in the barnyard, to a riding ring that multi-tasks like a boss. We talk fencing materials, gate choices, and more. Listen in!

If you run a boarding stable, you have probably experienced more in life than most people! The good, the bad, the easy, and the oh my god will this day ever end? In this episode, we're talking about 5 strategies that can not only ease the pain of those difficult days, but that can actually boost your business by making your clients happy without sacrificing the kind of horse care you know you can offer. Listen in!

Whether you own your own farm or have dreams about it, this is an episode you want to listen to. Making money in the horse industry is tough. The good news, is that there is help you may not know exists. This week, Buck joins Helena to talk about loan programs available to equestrian businesses. Buck is an Economic Development specialist who works with entrepreneurs (yes, Ms. Horse Trainer… that's you!) to help them get the financial and business support they need to start or grow their businesses. From farm purchases and arena construction, to tractors and new footing, these things are closer to reality than you think. Listen in!

I have a nice little Kingston bumper pull. I don't need a new trailer, but whenever I'm at a big horse expo, I find myself inexplicably drawn to the trailer area like a moth to a flame. Last fall, in Massachusetts, I discovered a new line of all-in-one horse trailers from Equi-Trek called the Vision. The urge to hop in and drive away with it was overwhelming! Since I couldn't do that, I invited Lynn Roberge from L and D trailers to come on the show this week and tell us all about these super cool load-and-go miracles of the horse world. Join me as we will learn together what these thoughtful trailers have to offer horse owners both in the US and abroad. Plus, what do the experts say about whether or not horses prefer rear-facing travel. Listen in!

Many of us have had to board our horses at one point or another. And, I bet many of you, like me, have had good experiences and bad experiences. If we're lucky, we learn from both, so that ultimately, we have more good experiences than bad ones. In truth, there is no perfect boarding barn - just like there are no perfect boarders. But you know, things don't have to be perfect to be ideal. In this episode, we explore the concept (or is it fantasy) of the perfect boarding barn with Terry Golson of the Cooperative Horse. Terry is a lifelong horsewoman who combines classic horsemanship with a reward-focused methodology to create enthusiastic and conflict-free partnerships between horses and riders. She joins me today to talk about how we can find (and create) the ideal boarding situation for our horses and ourselves. Listen in!

Best practices in stable management often start with responsible horse ownership. One of the easiest and most effective ways to make sure our horses don't end up on a slaughter truck, or lost in catastrophic situations, is to microchip them. In this episode, Helena and Buck are joined by microchipping expert, Cailin Monahan, from the Datamars corporation. Find out how microchips work, why they are important, and how to get one for your horse. Listen in!

Neat Product Episode! I'm joined by Horse Husband extraordinaire, Buck Harris, today, as we talk the business of horses. More specifically, horse products. Buck accompanied me to the Equine Affaire expo in New England last fall, where we met many equine entrepreneurs as we searched for innovative products and services to feature on our podcast. One of our favorites was the Scratch N All, a self-scratcher product made by Cynthia Garry's company, Animent. We chat with Cynthia today to find out what it's like to be an entrepreneur in the equine industry, and how a product like Scratch N All goes from a lightbulb moment on the farm, to a viable product in the equestrian marketplace. Listen in!

Nikki Alvin-Smith is an international Grand Prix dressage trainer, competitor, and clinician. She also writes equestrian 'How To' articles for horse publications, like Chronicle of the Horse, The Horseman's Yankee Pedlar, Equine Journal, and more. Together with her husband Paul, who is also a Grand Prix dressage clinician, Nikki imported and bred Hanoverians for twenty six years. This dynamic dressage duo currently live on the beautiful Willowview Hill Farm in upstate New York, where they still breed and train horses from start to Grand Prix. While both have worked with more than a few icons in the dressage world, the Alvin-Smith's have been most influenced by their work with Olympic trainer, Raul de Leon, and Grand Master Herbert Rehbein, of Germany. In this episode, I chat with Nikki about Willowview Hill, and how their every day farm routine supports their dressage athletes at the highest level.

Making everyday barn chores easier first requires making them simpler. Take watering for example. Filling buckets lined up in stalls each morning and evening is essential, no matter where you keep your horses. Heading out to faraway lands to prep paddocks and pastures for turnout, however, can be one of those farm tasks that eats up time, energy, and for the professional barn manager… money. In my search for simple products that solve these kinds of problems, I found one called Drinking Post. Today's episode explores the need for, design, and features of this neat new product. Listen in!

Thoroughbred racing has long been a part of American history. So has the unfortunate demise of thoroughbreds when they are no longer able to generate income for their owners. In response to the overwhelming numbers of ex-racing thoroughbreds headed to slaughter, New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program was founded, offering retired racehorses new opportunities for compassionate homes and suitable jobs. Recently, New Vocations completed construction of a brand new, state-of-the-art equestrian facility focused primarily on housing thoroughbreds in transition. This episode is about how the design and buildout of that facility serves the New Vocations mission. Listen in!

Wouldn't it be nice to curry, brush, and tack up in a grooming stall that was warm in the winter? Your horse would appreciate a warm back just as much as you would appreciate warm hands and toes as you hop in the tack for a brisk winter workout. And don't forget the therapeutic bennies from increased O2 to joints and muscles, thanks to low-level laser light solariums from Drimee.