Category Archives: Horse Health & Wellness

Natural Hoofcare LIVE!

Only 2 spaces left. PENZANCE’s Natural Hoofcare 101 is open for our 10 week session. Mons. starting Feb 6th at 8 pm ET LIVE on ZOOM. TOPICS:

Topic 1

The Natural Horse

Topic 2

Anatomy & Physiology of the Equine Digit

Topic 3

Natural Feed & Nutrition for Healthy Horse & Healthy Hooves

Topic 4

PENZANCE – Handling Horses Through Partnership

Topic 5

Pathologies of the Equine Digit Part I

Topic 6

Pathologies of the Equine Digit Pt. II

Topic 7

Alternative and Complimentary Hoof Health

Topic 8

THE TRIM – STEP BY STEP PT. 1

Topic 9

The Trim Step-By-Step Pt. 2

Topic 10 – REVIEW or/FINAL EXAM

Practicum to be held in Canterbury, CT Spring 2023. DTBA.

Please feel free to reach out to me if you’d like more information. 😃

gwen.santagate@gmail.com TEXT: 774-280-4227 Prvt Msg: m.me/gwenyth.santagate

A RANT —

A bit of a rant this morning — I’m seeing alot of information about mechanical and topical care for hooves that are dx’d as ‘navicular’. Navicular has become the catch-all word for heel pain. TRUE navicular ‘disease’ is something different than navicular ‘syndrome’ but the proper and EFFECTIVE treatment of balanced hoof trimming as well as other topical, systemic and mechanical relief is basically the same.

With respect to Homeopathics … navicular may or may not be ACUTE – remember, acute is a condition that will repair/resolve itself with no intervention. Chronic is long term condition that will NOT resolve on its own and Constitutional is something within the individual that is needing proper life force balancing.

That being said, ALL ASPECTS aka the WHOLE individual MUST be tended properly for complete recovery/cure.

Now, I see ALOT of stuff being thrown around in recommendations for treatment of Navicular – like the brand of minerals, feed choices, supplements etc. Let me say something — anything that is manufactured, processed, etc is going to inhibit healing! It may appear to help for a bit, but then, long term, after the ‘condition’ is apparently resolved, the ‘symptoms’ WILL re-appear again if the WHOLE individual, including stress control via herd management and husbandry, is not addressed properly – that is, organically.

I’m speaking from over 60 years of living with horses; 36+ of them tending hooves with the last 20-25 yrs of my care being resolving/restoring/recuperating SEVERELY pathological hooves. Pathological as in all 4 coffin bones dropping through the soles at once in severe founder. Navicular that was deemed ‘incurable’ by multiple vets/farriers … etc. NONE of the hundreds of horses over the years whom I treated would have recovered if the owners were not diligent about the care they gave. NONE of the horses would have recovered as well as they did if they remained on chemically processed ‘specialty feeds, supplements, injections, etc. and in shoes. NONE … and I say that in complete confidence because – I was always called in as a “last resort” because – NOTHING had worked prior to my treatment. Sometimes YEARS of treatment and the horse was still not recovering.

Now, granted, when I began this work, specialty feeds for PPID, IR, etc were just being developed and introduced to the public. I was against them then and am even more vehemently against them now. Our commercial feeds are tainted horrifically with all sorts of chemicals, additives, preservatives, artificial coloring and flavoring — being manufactured from “franken-grains” …

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT is a well-known adage and IT IS TRUTH! The horses MUST be fed organically with nothing but FORAGES … specific veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds along with individually determined herbs for healing bone, ligaments, tendons, antiinflammatories etc. This is to complement free 1st cut good quality HAY, all-round NATURALLY chelated minerals, sea or himalayan salt and fresh water. The stress must be reduced with natural environment … that means NO STALLING for extended periods of time. … turnout on VARIED terrain with other horse or horses … NO PAIN RELIEVERS …the body’s way of keeping an animal from injuring itself further is to produce pain …

By emulating the NATURAL lifestyle of a horse healing can take place and the homeopathics chosen can work to their fullest exent and they WILL restore the animal to a balanced state of being — Homeopathic CURE. It is the ONLY treatment known that can. But only when all the other parameters are met as to the NATURAL WHOLE horse with diet being of paramount importance. RANT OVER.

Laminitis

Laminitis :: Lami=laminae Itis=inflammation. There are 4 stages of “Laminitis” … Stage 1 is the Developmental stage and most horses go through this stage at one time or more during their lifetimes and present with no clinical symptoms. Owners have no idea that the hooves are in this state and most don’t realize until a month or two after the episode. This is when you’ll see a ring or two ‘appear’ about an inch or so down the hoofwall from the coronary band. This indicates the horse had an episode of laminitis (Developmental) but was able to itself without progressing into Stage 2 Lamintis – Acute Laminitis. Acute stage presents with the clinical symptoms we all dread to see. From there it will either resolve within 72 hours or then progress to Stage 3: Founder. Stage 4 is the Refractory stage. Most horses don’t ever reach this stage as most western/traditional practices will have deemed it necessary to euthanize the horse prior to this.

MOST Laminitis is caused by metabolic issues although there are cases of mechanical laminitis that occur as well.

What goes into the horse grows out through the hooves.

ARE you feeding your horse like a horse?

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Just 4 months from dire to thriving … with only a change in the diet!

If you are struggling with any of the following with your horse?

EMS
Insulin Resistance IR
Cushings PPID
Allergies
COPD
Skin Issues
Laminitis
White Line
Thrush/Yeast
Repeat episodes of Colic
Lameness Issues
Need to lose weight
Need to gain weight
Behavioral Issues

FOOD & NUTRITION CHANGE EVERYTHING!!

Find out TODAY what you can do to help YOUR horse!



USE THE QR CODE OR —

VENMO: @Gwenyth-Santagate

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I am also on Messenger: m.me/gwenyth.santagate



Start feeding your horse this TODAY!

Fruit and Glycemic Load

Go ahead and feed your horses those apples, oranges, bananas, pears and other HEALTHY fruits!!! Along with fresh vegetables, nuts and seeds, your horse DESERVES a diet that is rich in vitamins and minerals AND fiber!!! FRESH fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds!

LEAVE THE PROCESSED, BAGGED FEEDS OUT!

If you feel your horse NEEDS grain, then feed WHOLE, NON-GMO, ORGNIC grain as an enhancement to FRESH forage.

BUT — you’ve been told not to feed fresh fruits or vegetables to your horse because of EMS, IR or Cushings because they are “too high on the glycemic index”… well, what about the GLYCEMIC LOAD!? “What is THAT?” you ask. Read on –

From [healthfully.com]
“The glycemic load is a value that expresses a food’s relative impact on blood glucose given the total carbohydrates available in a typical serving and how quickly these carbohydrates are assimilated into the bloodstream, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Foods with Low-GL values range from 1 to 10 and have a small overall impact on blood glucose. Medium-GL values range from 11 to 19, while high-GL food values are 20 and above, so they have a more significant impact on blood sugar. Most fresh fruits fall in the low-GL range of 1 to 10 with one common exception: bananas, which are medium-GL, according to the Sydney University Glycemic Index Research Services. Factors such as the degree of ripeness and processing such as canning will increase glycemic load slightly, while drying fruits has a significant impact, yielding medium- to high-GL values depending on the type of dried fruit.

Glycemic Index of Fruits

Since fruits contain carbohydrates, most fruits will increase your blood sugar. However, some can affect it more than others. A good way to determine a food’s effect on your blood sugar is to know its glycemic index. The glycemic index is a rating given to food, indicating how quickly and drastically will increase your blood glucose 3. The scale ranges from zero to 100; the higher a food’s score on the glycemic index, the higher and faster it will raise your blood sugar 3If a food is between 0 and 55, it is considered a low-glycemic food. From 56 to 69, it’s considered a moderate glycemic food, and from 70 to 100, it is a high-glycemic food. Glycemic load is another measure of a food’s impact on blood sugar that takes into account its glycemic index relative to its content of all forms of carbohydrate, including fiber. For example, watermelon has a high-glycemic index but a low glycemic load because it raises blood sugar slowly. Fruits that have a moderately high glycemic effect include bananas, pineapple and raisins. Low-glycemic fruits are apples, oranges, mangoes and grapefruit.

  • Since fruits contain carbohydrates, most fruits will increase your blood sugar.
  •  high glycemic index means a spike in blood glucose, while a low-glycemic index food results in a moderate rise over a prolonged time. Fiber slows the digestion of foods and also blocks the absorption of sugars all at once. These combined factors result in a moderate rise in blood sugar over a significant amount of time. In addition, fruit offers an array of vitamins and minerals

So now, go here: FRESH DIET FOR HORSES (thepenzancehorse.com) to read a full listing of what horses CAN eat safely and healthfully! ,… BUT if your horse is already EMS, IR or has Cushings (PPID) please consult with PENZANCE for a full evaluation and specific diet and health evaluation. gwen.santagate@gmail.com 774-280-4227

Secrets to Feeding the Natural Horse

OCTOBER 30TH AND 31ST 2021
TODAY AND TOMORROW ONLY

eBOOK/PDF Format by Gwenyth Browning Jones Santagate

… The changes observed were astounding. The mare recovered in just a few months and became her former, healthy, active (albeit older) self! This event was also another ‘connection’ to what the author had been seeking for the prior decade – WHY WERE HORSES GETTING SICKER AND SICKER and younger and younger ages even though their owners were spending thousands of dollars on providing “the best grain”, “the best veterinary care”, “the best medicines” that money could buy?

What was going wrong? 
In these pages you will read things that will make you really think if you are truly seeking answers to how to feed your horse … for his or her optimal health and wellness. You may even be seeking an answer to a health problem that your horse is experiencing. 
You’ll find some amazing information within this book that well may be YOUR answer.

Only $17 (Reg $27) SAVE $10!

Check this out if you have a footy horse!

Oh.my.GODFRY … I can’t even. I’m seeing more and more and more inquiries as to “why is my horse so sore!?” and it’s KILLING ME … my motto is now NO HEEL=NO HOOF=NO HORSE!!! It’s that simple. If your horse doesn’t have 1″ of depth of the collateral groove under the seat of corn and heel platform then your horse does not have enough heel! It’s THAT SIMPLE Folks … NO HEEL=NO HOOF=NO HORSE!!!!! Here’s what your horses’ hooves should be lookin’ like from the side: Do y’all see HEELS? From the back of the hoof? You want to be seeing about 2″ between the hairline (straight and NOT “V” shaped!) and the ground! … Take a look and I’ll challenge ya — post a pic of your horses’ hoof here in comments or send to me and I’ll do a quick commentary
(I’ll be positive! 🙂 )

MESSAGE TO ME ON FACEBOOK: m.me/gwenyth.santagate
TEXT to me with images: 774-280-4227
Or EMAIL to me: gwen.santagate@gmail.com

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How to have a healthy happy ir horse

How to Have a Healthy Happy Insulin-Resistant Horse (with NOTES FROM PENZANCE IN ITALICS)

The past few years we have learned so much about how manage our horses’ diets so that we keep our horses healthy and happy. Specifically, we have developed a great deal of practical research about insulin resistance, laminitis, the glycemic indexes of different feed, and the carbohydrate content of pasture grasses, as well as how all of these factors interact. With all of this data in hand, this month I explore how we can provide our metabolically-challenged horses with a high quality of life.

(Glycemic Index is NOT the same as Glycemic LOAD … Please go here: to read more about the differences!!)

As the role of the horse has shifted from that of work animal to companion our breeding programs have changed. Our ideal equine companions are gentle, calm, steady creatures who are happy to be ridden but don’t mind just hanging out and receiving affection. This same laid-back horse is often also an easy keeper. He gains weight when he does nothing more than catch a whiff of feed! He is also the one horse out of the herd who is most likely to encounter the metabolic challenge of insulin resistance.

Insulin is the hormone responsible for moving glucose out of the bloodstream and into the cells to be transformed into energy. The insulin-resistant horse possesses a unique genetic makeup that affects this process, making it less efficient than normal. As a result he is able to conserve more glucose than usual, allowing him to survive in some very sparse environments.

So what happens when we turn out the easy-keeping horse into a pasture full of cultivated and rich grass? Disaster! As the horse consumes rich grass his blood glucose levels climb, causing his body to produce more insulin to compensate. Eventually the sustained high intake of carbohydrates in the grass overwhelms his body’s ability to control the glucose released into his blood. As result, the glucose levels rise, triggering laminitis and other symptoms of metabolic imbalance such as ravenous appetite, exercise intolerance, fertility problems, excessive thirst, or obesity.

(The BEST grazing grass is an old field of uncultivated, un-enhanced grasses, weeds, flowers, shrubs, roots etc! YES! The cultivated and rich grass “pastures” are DEADLY for horses!)

To prevent your horse from becoming such a walking disaster, the first step is to identify whether he is at risk for becoming insulin-resistant. Here are a few traits to watch for:

1. Obesity

2. Heavy cresty neck

3. Fat pones over the withers and at the base of the tail

4. Elevated levels of insulin and triglycerides in the blood

If you discover that your horse has one or more of the traits for insulin resistance you may be tempted to put him in a dry lot and starve him. Unfortunately, while this may keep your horse safe from the serious consequences of insulin resistance, it can also produce a very unhappy horse with a poor quality of life. Instead, try some of the suggestions listed below for giving your insulin-resistant horse a high quality of life. (Putting a horse in a dry lot and withholding forage will INCREASE THE OBESITY of the horse as the body will NATURALLY go into starvation mode and HOARD whatever food it gets)

1. EXERCISE:

Regular exercise helps prevent obesity by allowing the insulin to work more efficiently (fat cells actually produce hormones that interfere with the action of insulin). Even if you are not able to ride your horse daily you can exercise him by ponying him off another horse or driving him around the arena or pasture. Long slow walks are as good as or better than short periods of intense exercise.

(If you can allow your horse to be out 24/7 with his own choice of shelter then this is one of the best ways to encourage movement. Especially if the horse is on a ‘track system’, i.e. Paddock Paradise.)

2. CHECK YOUR PASTURE:

Monitor your pasture grass and limit your horse’s grazing when grasses are likely to be high in sugar, such as when the nights are cool and the days are sunny, after a rain or frost, or during a severe drought. Remove or severely limit access to clover.

(We’ve found here at Penzance that our horses will naturally (intuitively?) stop eating and rest or go into the barn during the strongest sugar periods of the day)

3. MOW:

Keep your pastures mowed to encourage the grass to grow steadily, a process that causes the grass to use rather store sugars.

4. FERTILIZE NATURALLY:

It’s better to use natural rather than synthetic products to fertilize your pasture. Although most articles on pasture management suggest using liberal amounts of synthetic substances such as NPK fertilizers, I recommend against this approach. These types of fertilizers have a negative effect on the microorganisms in the soil that are necessary for plants to absorb minerals.

(The synthetics also have a negative affect on the microbiomes in the gut thus affecting the immune system of the horse as well as totally disrupting the healthy function of the horse’s digestive system!)

5. FEED PROBIOTICS:

Probiotics have a similar effect on mineral absorption in horses that microorganisms in the soil have on plants. Your horse needs minerals like chromium and magnesium for proper glucose metabolism, and probiotics assist your horse in absorbing these with maximum efficiency.

(Feeding a RAW FORAGE aka “Salads” of mixed fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts in lieu of bagged, process grain, will help feed the IMMUNE SYSTEM which lies in the gut. Feeding the immune system goes a long, long, long way in helping the horse stay healthy!)

6. FEED MINERALS:

Offer your horse high quality minerals that are designed specifically for horses and include a wide range of trace minerals. Horses do best with chelated minerals, of which there are two types: plant-based products that are naturally chelated and synthetic products that artificially chelate minerals by combining them with certain proteins. My favorite mineral supplements include blue-green algae, kelp, and free choice minerals from Advanced Biological Concepts.

(Personally, I’ve used ABC and don’t care for them at all. I use, instead, an all ORGANIC and NATURALLY CHELATED mineral … you can learn more about NATURAL HORSE MINERALS here. )

7. FEED LOW AND SMALL:

If you must offer grain to get supplements into your horse, I suggest giving low glycemic index feeds such as beet pulp, wheat bran, or Purina Equine Senior. For IR horses, any concentrated feed should be limited to very small amounts, on the order of a handful, to provide a flavor enhancement.

(PENZANCE ADVOCATES AGAINST PROCESSED GRAIN OF ANY SORT. If the horse needs ‘something more’ then Timothy Pellets can be added to the “Salads” OR one can add some WHOLE FOOD ORGANIC feed – CRYPTO AERO. The processed grains in the USA are almost strictly GMO crops/grains and loaded with GLYPHOSATE (Round Up) which has been PROVEN to not only be CARCINOGENIC but also to cause EXTREME Gut upset from Leaky Gut to Ulcers to total systemic disruption. )

8. USE A MUZZLE:

If pasture conditions are unacceptable for long periods of time, consider letting your horse graze for limited amounts of time wearing a grazing muzzle to limit intake. It’s safest to turn your horse out during the early morning or on cloudy days.

(NO! Feed the daily “salad” that has been developed specifically for the individual horse and one does not need to restrict the grazing!)

9. ADD FAT:

As counterintuitive as it might seem, giving fat to your overweight horse in the form of rice bran, cold-processed vegetable oil, or ground flax seed can be very helpful. These forms of fat help curb your horse’s appetite and slow the release of glucose into the blood.

(Yes, added fat can be in the form of ground ORGANIC Flax or Extra-Virgin Olive Oil or coconut oil and dried, unsweetened Coconut Chips in the salads. Again, Vegetable Oils are made from vegetables that are GMO and highly contaminated with Glyphosate! )

10. MAKE YOUR HORSE WORK:

By placing your horse’s feed, water, salt, and shade in different locations your force your horse to cover as least a little ground every day. If your horse has to spend time in a dry lot then scatter his hay as widely as possible to keep him moving while he is eating.

(Again, avoid dry lotting alotgether. But, it is good to motivate the horse to have to walk a distance to water and hay.)

11. GO NATIVE:

Utilize native grass pastures if possible for grazing. Native grasses are safer since they have not been genetically selected for either rapid growth or high sugar content. If these pastures are mowed regularly and not overgrazed they may not need any fertilizer or additional weed control.

12. ADD ANTIOXIDANTS:

The laminitic horse needs more antioxidants than the average horse to stay healthy and comfortable. Because his cells function less efficiently his body is more prone to create a heavy free radical load. Adding natural antioxidants such as Tahitian noni to your horse’s diet can significantly reduce the free radical load.

(There are MANY fresh vegetables and fruits that will hold beneficial antioxidants for your horse. There are also HERBS that can be added to the “Salad” – just be sure that they are ORGANICALLY GROWN!)

About the Author

Madalyn Ward, DVM, owns Bear Creek Veterinary Clinic in Austin, Texas. She is certified in Veterinary Homeopathy and Equine Osteopathy.

Memberships include American Veterinary Medical Association, American Association of Equine Practitioners, American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, Texas Veterinary Medical Association and the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy.

HORSES FOR HOMESCHOOLERS

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About “Me” – I was an Equine 4-H Leader for well over a decade and have been a Licensed Riding Instructor since 1994. I have helped hundreds of children learn about horses and horsemanship through classes and camps as well as private and small groups. Our horses here on PENZANCE are gentle and well trained to have children around them and handling them. Parents are encouraged to stay with their children and learn, too! I am a Born Again Christian and will reference our Father with respect to the topic study but will not beat anyone over the head about Him! *grin*

You can find out more about me here: (outdated but comprehensive) https://bit.ly/2FbP3aw

I look forward to meeting you and your child(ren)! Please feel free to call me with any questions at 860-556-9199 or send me an email– gwen.santagate@gmail.com