Hello friends!

Hope you all are doing well this week! Today I want to talk a little bit about something that isn’t directly PT-related, but will lay the groundwork for some other ideas I’d like to share and discuss with you all.

So let’s talk behavior science!

Have you heard of clicker training? If you’re familiar with dog training or marine mammal training, you’ve probably seen “clicker training” in action. Clicker training is also called positive reinforcement training, and our typical pressure and release training is called negative reinforcement. That terminology can kind of upset people, because it sounds like maybe I’m saying clicker training is good and traditional training is bad. But in this case we’re using the words positive and negative in the mathematical sense, meaning to add something or to take something away.

Clicker TrainingBarbara ParksFebruary 6, 2021positive reinforcement, behavior scienceComment

How much do you know about saddle fit?

I sent this question out to my Instagram community a few weeks back. Over 60% of respondents said they were unsure if their saddle fit their horse well or not!Truth be told, most of us are just never taught how to check saddle fit correctly. I never learned anything other than looking for sweat marks until I went through my CERP certification course! But the information is SO IMPORTANT! That’s why I made this downloadable PDF guide: Saddle Fitting 101.

horse health, biomechanicsBarbara ParksNovember 18, 2019saddle, saddle fit, 101, back pain Comment

Does My Horse Need A Blanket?: Debunking the 5 Biggest Myths About Blanketing Horses

Every year around this time, I start hearing lots of questions about when to blanket horses. There are posts all over social media arguing one way or the other. Your friend at the barn insinuates you’re a bad horse mom or dad because your horse isn’t blanketed. Someone else tells you blankets aren’t natural and horses should never wear them. But if I’m cold my horse must be cold… right?

horse healthBarbara ParksNovember 11, 2019horse, blanket, winter, snow, cold, hypothermiaComment

Heel First Landings

I’m still hooked on hooves - so this week’s post is all about the biomechanics of the hoof!

When we walk, we land with our heels first. The soft fat pad under our calcaneus combined with the flattening of the arch helps to cushion the impact as the foot contacts the ground. As we roll over our toes, the arch raises and the soft tissue structures are stretched, which creates a more rigid foot to push off with. (This is called the windlass mechanism.)

Getting In Touch With The Sole Of The Horse

No, I didn’t mean soul!

Today we’re talking about the horse’s sole. The extremely important material covering the bottoms of his feet.

The sole protects the sensitive internal structures of the hoof from the outside world. A horse with a thick sole will travel across rocky surfaces with ease, while a horse with a thin sole will often move comfortably on soft surfaces and then pick his way carefully across stony paths.

hoof healthBarbara ParksOctober 28, 2019hoof, sole, horse, foot, feet, pete ramey, barefoot Comments

Hippotherapy 101

Hippo-what?

When I tell people about hippotherapy, I get a lot of “smile and nods,” blank stares, and “what exactly are you doing with hippos?”

Luckily, there are no hippos involved.

“Hippo” is latin for “horse,” and hippotherapy is therapy using the movement of the horse as a treatment tool. Physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists can all utilize hippotherapy as a part of their treatment sessions.

hippotherapyBarbara ParksOctober 21, 2019hippotherapy, physical therapy, AHA, terminology, PATH, health insurance, insuranceComment

Pete Ramey Clinic 10-12-19

Pete Ramey is one of the leaders in the hoof care industry - and I was lucky enough to attend one of his clinics this weekend in beautiful Shelbyville, TN!

We talked anatomy, nutrition, trimming, boot fitting, and glue on shoe applications over the course of two days.

hoof healthBarbara ParksOctober 14, 2019pete ramey, hoof, foot, feet, clinicComment

Resistance Band Training for Horses

I am a huge proponent of evidence-based practice. I hate gimmicks, and I want to be sure that the things I am recommending to my clients really do work.

THIS is why I love my EquiCore so much! Not just because I *feel* like it works and I *feel* like it improves horses’ posture and way of going (And I mean I REALLY feel like it’s working!!), but also because the science says it works! (cont.)

Barbara ParksNovember 10, 2018

Methods for Rehabbing Horse Joints

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Barbara ParksOctober 25, 2018

Can You Spot The Differences?

The truth is that many times with horses things that go "wrong" are our fault and not theirs! And this is one excellent example of that.

These photos show a beautiful comparison of how the rider's posture influences that of the horse. (cont.)

Barbara ParksOctober 18, 2018