Orions Dream Equine- Bodywork, rehabilitation, and nutrition

03/09/2023

03/03/2023

This pile of beet pulp came out of a horses esophagus.

Dr. Paton, after having seen several beet pulp chokes in the last two days, felt a reminder is in order.

Beet pulp can be an excellent feed for horses. It is an energy-rich source of digestible fiber. However, it MUST be thoroughly soaked and wet when fed.

Dry beet pulp pellets can easily lodge in the esophagus , quickly swelling and causing choke. This is not like human choke , the airway is not blocked , the horse is able to breathe. Almost every case of choke that we see was caused by the pellets not being adequately soaked or horses breaking into the feed room and gaining access to the dry pellets.

Anatomical problems, such as poor dentition and abnormal esophagus anatomy, can also predispose a horse to choking.

Chokes can predispose horses to aspiration pneumonia, which is caused by feed material going down the trachea and into the lungs. This foreign material in the lungs can cause the horse to develop a secondary bacterial infection.

Finally, a common cause of choke is poor dentition leading to inadequate chewing; be sure to schedule a thorough dental exam following a choking episode.

Chokes are common equine emergencies with potentially serious consequences. Call your veterinarian as soon as you notice signs of choke.

01/02/2023

Happy New year everyone!

I have some exciting news! Due to popular demand I've decided to offer package deals for massages.

Regular price $75.00 per massage.

4 pack bundle- $280.00 ($70.00 per massage)
6 pack bundle- $390.00 ($65.00 per massage)
10 pack bundle- $575.00 ($57.50 per massage)

Thank you for your continued support!

11/05/2022

Hey everyone!

I wanted to say thank you to everyone for supporting me while I was off work from my shoulder injury! I'm officially back working my regular hours again.

This lovely mare gave me a very warm welcome back💕

I just wanted to update everyone on the services I offer:
-Equine bodywork $75 per session (group discounts available).
- Equi-taping and bodywork package $100 per session (Group discounts available).
- Equine nutrition consultation $150 per horse (group discounts available)
-Sheath cleaning $50 per horse (group discounts available).

I also have a wide range of knotless haynets available as well, please pm me for pricing.

Again thank you to everyone for supporting me while I take time to heal my body so I can continue to help your horses!

07/22/2022

Hay net repair kits are now available!

Each kit includes your choice of 0.5”, 1”, 1.5” patch and 5’ of repair rope. Photo of black netting is 1” and red netting is 1.5”, I currently do not have a photo of the 0.5” netting.
Repair kit- $8.00 each
Extra patch- $4.00 each
Extra rope- $4.00 per 5’

Custom patch sizes available, please message me for pricing!

07/10/2022

Sadly my pony Nova cut open his back. On the bright side it’s the perfect opportunity to show off Equi-Tapes versatility, it not only if good for training and rehabilitation but it’s AMAZING for wound care. The first photo is right when I put the bandage on and the second photo is 36 hours later after many naps and rolls.

I have rolls of Equi-tape for sale for $25 a roll. Add a roll to your first aid kit to give yourself piece of mind that your bandages won’t fall off over night!

06/28/2022

I went out to massage and equi-tape Marike last week. Sadly she is having another cellulitis flare up due to an autoimmune disorder, however it is always nice to work with this mare. She is so well behaved and very good at communicating where she needs work.

I did a circulation and lymphatic drainage taping on her leg to help reduce swelling. It was just an added bonus that the tape matched her fly mask.

Don’t forget to use my coupon code 5%-OFF-FROM-ERIN-BRUININK at www.madbarn.ca

05/28/2022

I have a few smaller sized hay nets in stock right now.

1. 1.5” trailer bag -$30.00
2. 1” Medium bag- $50.00
3. 1” Medium bag- SOLD

I’m able to make a more of these nets on request as well as other sizes.

05/26/2022

This is a friendly reminder to make sure your geldings and/or stallions are getting their sheaths cleaned regularly. It’s very important to make sure they get cleaned, beans can cause a lot of discomfort for them. This is a picture of a bean I removed from a clients horse a few days ago.

Signs your horse may need his sheath cleaned:
• Not dropping his p***s when trying to urinate.
• A swollen sheath.
• Dirty or flaky look to the outside of the p***s.
• Bucking during trot to canter transitions.
• Noticeable smell.

If you would like your horses sheath cleaned send me a message and we can arrange a date and time!

05/19/2022

Are Ground Poles Really Effective?? 💈🐎

STUDY DEMONSTRATES EFFECTIVENESS OF GROUND & RAISED POLES IN TRAINING & REHAB

Walking over poles is a commonly employed training and rehabilitation tool- but how effective are they really? Researchers set out to understand the effect of ground poles on equine locomotion, particularly joint range of motion.

A recent study assessed the effect of ground poles and raised poles on limb kinematics and poll, wither, and pelvic range of motion at the walk. Researchers hypothesized that walking over poles would increase joint range of motion but have no effect on poll, wither and pelvic range of motion compared to no poles.

41 horses were walked in-hand over no poles, ground poles and raised poles in a crossover design. Limb kinematics were determined via motion capture (240Hz). Poll, wither, and other aspects of range of motion range of motion were determined by inertial motion units.

The study determined that walking over both ground poles and raised poles increased limb-joint range of motion and increased poll range of motion, through increased swing flexion, compared to no poles.

In summary, walking poles appear to be effective at increasing joint range of motion via an increase in mid swing flexion, without vertical excursion of the trunk, compared to normal locomotion.

Given that this is a key early rehabilitation and training goal for many horses it supports the use of poles for these purposes.

Reference: V.A. Walker, C.A. Tranquillle, R. MacKechnie-Guire, J Spear, R. Newton, R.C. Murray,
Effect of ground and raised poles on kinematics of the walk,
Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 2022.

05/17/2022

Ms. Marike enjoying her massage! This lady is such a character and always lets you know when she likes something or dislikes something. She was definitely appreciating the massage!

Thank you Dominica Rak for having me out. Marike was a joy to work with!

05/12/2022

If you are wondering why I recommend working on long and low with your horse please read this!

04/28/2022

Mr. Kermit is a BIG warmblood who tends to carry a lot of tension in his jaw/ TMJ. After getting his massage and loosing up his jaw, I applied a muscle relaxation tape/ fascia release tape application. This application is really good for horses who have a lot of tension in their jaw or just had dental work done!

04/19/2022

I had the opportunity to work on a horse with shivers awhile ago! This one was such a cool case to work on. After his massage I did a nerve stimulation taping.

As an Equine Bodyworker I can not fix or completely stop the progression of Shivers, however I can help stimulate the muscles and nerves. This will help slow the progression of the disease, it will also help minimize symptoms.

Michigan State University definition of shivers:
“Shivers is a gradually progressive, chronic neuromuscular disease in horses that is characterized by gait abnormalities when backing up. Other typical signs include trembling of the tail while held erect, trembling of the thigh muscles and a flexed and trembling hind limb.”

04/10/2022

I’m officially a Certified Equi-Tape Practitioner!

I want to thank everyone who have supported me and my business so far! It means the world to me that I’m able to help your horses feel their best!

This is good opportunity to officially announce that in May I am starting my certification for Equine Nutrition! So keep an eye out for more updates in the coming months!

04/06/2022

Phaira was my first client! We have had a long journey together and I’m so happy with how far she has come!

When I first started working on her she was unbalanced, lazy, and she would offer to kick if you touched her in the wrong spot (never actually kicking). After having the winter off she is now back in work!

When I started working on her she had very minimal flexibility in her hips and was extremely sensitive. Over almost a year of working on her, Margaret and I are happy to say she is using her body correctly. She is more willing to move forward and allows her people to touch her everywhere.

She definitely looks forward to her “spa” time when I come out.

Phaira is one of my trickier cases but she is also one of the most rewarding cases. Being able to watch her develop and improve has been such a rewarding experience for me! I look forward to continuing to work with Phaira and seeing how far this talented lady goes!