G’day everyone!
Welcome to the first ever NH/VT Happy Horse Sports Therapy LLC newsletter! As I’m sure you’re all aware, I’m not much one for social media or marketing, and my business in the USA has grown organically thanks to all of your word-of-mouth referrals and recommendations. I really appreciate your willingness to support the work I do – a huge thank you to each of you!
Welcome to my website! I would love to put some testimonials from my USA clients on my site. If you would like your horse to be featured on my website, or have your horse be “Facebook Famous” on my Facebook business page, please email me your testimonial along with a nice photo of your horse. Thanks in advance for your participation with this fun little project. I had a lot of testimonials from my Australian clients on my Australian website (now defunct), and I would love to replicate this in the USA.
I am fully booked to the end of the year, and currently booking into late January. Fingers crossed for a warm winter! Please get in touch if you’d like to schedule something.
Speaking of Winter, I am a big fan of my heated socks – they are a game changer when working outside with horses. I’ve had a few clients ask me where I got them from, so I thought I’d share the link. They’re perfect for those cold Winter barn days, and would also make an excellent Christmas gift for someone who spends time outdoors during the cold weather. I love these heated socks (https://amzn.to/3OcomoR), because they are machine washable, the batteries are rechargeable, and also because you can control the heat setting either from the battery itself or from an app on your phone. Very handy!!
Coming into the cooler weather, I also get asked a lot about rugging (the Australian word for blanketing). Horses are very good at managing their own body temperature, so for a healthy horse, I tend to advise against it, as it interferes with their own natural management system. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, and those horses, for example, that have PSSM, are under-weight, or are aged may appreciate a bit of extra warmth from a rug. Those horses that are not rugged, if you see a pile of snow on their backs, the best thing to do is to leave it there as an insulating layer. The worst thing you can do is to wipe it off, because then the horse’s body heat turns the minimal amount of remaining snow to cold water which then gives them a chill.
Usually, at the beginning of the new year, we see people increasing their prices. My consultation rate will remain at $200 per horse, with sessions being about 1.5 hours long. As of 1 January, though, I will be restructuring the way I calculate travel. Thus far, I have been charging travel based on mileage/distance, but as of 1 January 2025, I will be charging based on time/hours. The main reason for restructuring the travel fee is due to relocating to Cornish NH, and opening a new facility at the new Cornish NH property. For more information on the new travel rates, please visit my FAQ page.
Looking ahead to warmer weather, my husband and I have bought 20 acres in Cornish, NH. In the Spring, I will have a treatment facility available at our property for those that wish to float (the Australian word for trailering) their horse/s to me. This will be the most affordable way to have me work on your horse, as it will just be the standard consultation fee with no travel fee or single horse fee attached. I often get asked “won’t standing in the float for the ride home undo all the work you’ll have just done?”, but actually, the opposite is true. A horse uses as much energy and muscle strength standing in a moving float as what they do at an active trot. After an osteopathic session, the best thing for your horse is to be able to move around. I am always saying “motion is lotion”, or “move it or lose it”, and all of these adages ring true. The body was made to move. So having the horse stand in the float and having to shift their weight and move a little bit on their float-ride home is actually a very good thing post-osteopathic work-up.
Something else to look forward to with the warmer weather is that I will be yet again travelling to Texas, this time to undertake further studies on equine teeth and dentistry. This year, I’ve really appreciated the correlation between teeth balance, restricted TMJs (jaws), restricted C0-C1 (poll) and restrictions at C7 (the last neck vertebra before the first thoracic vertebra). It has really got me thinking on the importance of teeth and how they are balanced. So, I’m going back for more schooling, so that I can better understand the nuances of teeth, to better help our equine family members.
Lastly, thank you to each and every one of you for trusting me with the care of your beloved horses throughout the year. I’m honoured to be a part of your team of equine professionals, and I look forward to working with you again in 2025. I wish you and your family a very Happy Christmas. See you next year!
Cheers,
Kate Schaffer
Equine Osteopath EDO
Happy Horse Sports Therapy LLC