Meanwhile Farm

05/29/2026

05/26/2026

𝙇𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙙𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙚𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙦𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙨𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 2026 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣? The Unexpected Farm Clinic Series offers riders from all disciplines a unique opportunity to learn from an incredible group of clinicians right here in Maine.

From rider biomechanics and improving harmony to dressage lessons, horsemanship, and even show jumping fundamentals, this series was designed to help riders develop stronger partnerships, improve effectiveness in the saddle, and continue growing beyond everyday lessons.

2026 𝙐𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙁𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝘾𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙘 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨

💫 June 27–28 — Rider Biomechanics with Suzanne Galdun

💫 July 25–26 — A Weekend with Lauren Sprieser

💫 August 29–30 — Dressage & Show Jump Lessons with Hannah Sue Hollberg

💫 September 19–20 — Finding Harmony with Karen Rohlf

💫 October 17–18 — Dressage Lessons with Amelia Newcomb


💫 November 13–15 — Horsemanship Workshop with Kathy Baar

Whether your goals are in the competition ring, improving confidence and communication with your horse, or becoming a more thoughtful and educated rider, these weekends offer something valuable for every stage of the journey.

Use the link in my bio to register!

05/22/2026

Phenylbutazone—nicknamed “bute”—is one of the most widely used painkillers in horses. It’s cheap, effective, and commonly given for everything from arthritis to post-competition soreness. But there’s a well-known catch: bute can potentially cause gastrointestinal ulceration, and by the time a horse shows obvious signs of stomach or gut trouble, significant damage may already have occurred. This study set out to find early warning signals in the body — measurable proteins that could flag the problem before it gets serious.

The researchers used a cutting-edge technique called proteomics, which is essentially a large-scale scan of all the proteins present in a biological sample. They compared protein expression in the blood and f***s of seven horses treated with a standard clinical dose of bute (4.4 mg/kg) against seven horses given a placebo. Think of it like running a detailed ingredient check on the body’s chemistry before and after the drug — looking for anything that changed in meaningful ways.

The results were striking in scope. The analysis identified over 5,000 proteins in blood and over 3,500 in f***l samples, ultimately finding 226 significant proteins in blood and 181 in f***l samples that were notably different between the bute-treated and control groups.

One protein stood out from the crowd: fatty acid-binding protein 6 (FABP6). This protein, found in the intestinal lining, is normally involved in absorbing fats, but it leaks into the bloodstream and stool when the gut wall is damaged. The researchers validated FABP6 as a potential biomarker using a standard lab test called an ELISA — an important step toward making any future diagnostic test practical and affordable for veterinary clinics.

Why does this matter for horse owners? Early detection of bute-induced gut injury would be useful for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of bute toxicity. Right now, vets often have to rely on scoping the stomach or watching for clinical deterioration. A simple blood or f***l test that could catch gut damage in its earliest stages would allow vets to intervene sooner — adjusting doses, switching medications, or adding gut-protecting treatments before a horse ends up seriously ill.

📎 Continue reading this article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2026/05/14/can-a-blood-or-stool-protein-warn-us-when-a-common-horse-painkiller-is-damaging-the-gut/

05/13/2026

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVCgB0XDRT5/?igsh=MTdxY3NuZHVubnh1YQ==

04/29/2026

🐎 Do you use a micklem or similar bridles?

Many people ask me about the 'micklem' or similar style of bridles that have an 'anatomical' shape.

First of all, I recognise that some horses 'go well' in these types of bridles, but i think that's a matter of opinion as it's likely that previous bridles have been so poorly fitted.

But here are some points about these bridles I'm sure you haven't previously thought about.

This is one of my clients I recently visited. They very kindly allowed me to demonstrate why I tend to find 9/10 micklem or similar bridles dont fit well or suit some horse's head shape.

With everything, the horse has to have the right head for the bridle. Not all bridles are a 'one style for all', much like our human clothing and horse rugs, etc.

So, on the left is an image of where the owner had fitted the bridle.
Points to make here
- The noseband is too low and presses on soft tissue of the nasal cavity and onto the fragile nasal bone
- The strap around the mouth, so many people say to me, 'it's not a flash'. No, it's a drop noseband. Especially fitted too low, which these often are, they act like a drop noseband, and you can over tighten them to forcefully close the mouth. The drop puts pressure onto the danger zone around the nasal areas! There's no arguing here. If people are inclined to do it up tight, this is what happens.
- The buckle is way too close to the TMJ and placed too high on the Trigeminal nerve before it branches and over the main nerve centre up there!

Photo 2 - I lifted it up on the cheek buckles (note that the throatlash strap is actually not done up and I am holding it back so it's not dangling as it was now too small to go around the horses jaw).
- The noseband is in a much better position on the nasal plane. However, the curve of the noseband is rubbing too close to the sharp cheek bones.
- The buckle is now riding the TMJ and the facial nerves
- The headpiece has become tighter to the poll and pressing into the poll, ear, and brow area.

Photo 3 I have dropped it so that the buckle is at eye level between where the Trigeminal Nerve branches. (Again, I'm holding the throatlash strap)
- The noseband is so low!
- The bit can not be lifted any higher in the mouth and is sitting very loosely. With the possibility of sawing in the mouth, hitting teeth, and being very uncomfortable for her.

Bless her she was so very patient with us while we faffed with her bridle.

It demonstrates why these bridles are very hard to adjust and position right on the majority of horses.

I often see other types of bits being used with these bridles too ie gags and pelhams. They are only designed to be used with snaffles. Anything else will negate the poll pressure and transfer 100% of the pressure onto the mouth.

04/25/2026

A clear illustration of what happens when we rely too much on the inside rein 👇

On the right: correct. The horse turns through the shoulders, stays balanced, and moves with control.

On the left: the inside rein pulls the horse off balance, tipping him onto the outside shoulder. To compensate, he drops his haunches inward and starts fighting to regain stability.

Balance isn’t created with the reins — it’s developed through correct riding, straightness, and engagement from behind.

Ride the whole horse, not just the head. 🐎✨

04/24/2026

"One of the healthiest habits to learn: Trust your nervous system when it repeatedly tells you someone is not for you."

~ Yung Pueblo

Image by Renate Gellings-Reese from Pixabay.

04/22/2026