| | | Clinics and 3 Day workshops |  |
2012 schedule posting soon email me if you want to host a clinic.
April@HolisticHorseWorks.com
Palmdale CA and Ridgecrest CA 3 day workshop (TBA)
Scottsdale and surrounding area's AZ
Brazil IN 3 day workshop end of may or early june registration form on store page
contact Jane
Florida (TBA)
Feedback from barn owner/trainer of Sweetwater ranch Lancaster CA
Having April Battles at Sweetwater Ranch on Sept 24 - 26 2011 was an wonderful experience for us all. I was impressed with her students skill at handling the horses, most did not need an assistant. They all were quiet and kind to the horses, I never felt a need to step in to assist or defend. The horses, even the ones who are not usually comfortable with strangers, quickly relaxed and enjoyed the work. The energy body work really seems to have a positive effect on the horses, mentally and physically, and the body movements just let the horse's body put itself back into place, there are no violent or radical manipulations.
I have been using chiropractic care for my horses for many years, and have always known that adjustment of C-7/T-1 is a very tricky spot - impossible for many practitioners. It is nice to see a fairly simple quiet way to get this area to settle back into alignment. Having used D.V.M. chiropractors as well as DC's who specifically trained for Equine Chiropractic, I am also aware that some self taught/self proclaimed adjustors are pulling on the ends of legs to get an adjustment, and sometimes they tear a stifle or injure a knee. I saw NO adjustment that was anywhere near that sort of damaging activity (and believe me, I was watching out for my horses).
The demands on a barn manager were minimal - I simply made sure everyone had another appropriate horse to work on, and I did make assignments based on the students skill and confidence level. One woman was very soft spoken and I gave her the older kind ones to work on. Another woman was clearly adept - and in fact, she wound up working on a mare who had been a known kicker and one I still do not trust completely. Tracy was able to work quietly with Rain and the mare's response to her was 100% positive. I would not have believed it had I not seen it.
I don't have a breeze way barn, so everyone worked under my trees. I am sure cross ties would be a nicer situation, but April was willing to work with what I could offer. The students brought their own food and water, I did offer my living room so they could watch videos during lunch. An office would serve just as well. For myself, I think I might have liked to arrange to have a couple assistants available, only because I would have preferred to watch more of the work more closely to have been able to learn more. But if you don't want to observe and learn, then you would be able to do other work while this was going on. April had it all under control with a soft easy flow and I could see the students were enjoying the work as much as my horses were. I did teach a couple lessons over the weekend, and that was not a problem.
The concession of keeping the demonstration horses out of work for 3 days was MORE than offset by the clear physical advantages from having their 'spa weekend'. This was only a request From April, as the students were going to be working on different parts of the body on different days and she explained the horses would get more from the bodywork if they were not ridden till it was completed. My school horses were all much looser and more even in their movements, and the students who volunteered their horses for the program were all 100% complimentary of the positive changes that showed in the week that followed. One horse who has always gotten pacey in the sitting or collected trot, was suddenly 'sittable'! And he went to the 4H horse show and won the hunter hack class - his first ever blue ribbon. I could never possibly afford to pay for all my horses to get such a physical tune up, so the benefits FAR outweigh any inconvenience of fetching new horses, fly spraying them and letting them have 3 days of rest which is all April asked of me.
I will gladly welcome April and her students back at any future time. Next time, though, I will be sure to be a participant, so I can master some of this work myself.
Anyone who has any questions, you can contact me personally, at 661-902-9892 or my email - equipoize@eathlink.net - I will put photos up from the event on my website - www.SweetwaterRanchAV.com as soon as possible. Right now they are on my facebook page - Sweetwater Ranch - Lancaster CA -
April Battles Holistic horse body work is a very positive experience for horses and their owners. I hope you enjoy having her at your location soon. Monica Whitmer - Owner/Trainer - Sweetwater Ranch
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