✨ Hey Get Gooders, something I think that doesn’t get talked about or taught enough is the importance of sheath and udder hygiene as part of whole-horse care. This isn’t just about cleanliness. 👉 When geldings develop beans or heavy buildup, it can: • cause discomfort or pain • change posture and movement • contribute to tension patterns • and in some cases even show up as lameness or behavioural changes ⚠️ Mares are no exception - udder sensitivity and hygiene matter just as much. Especially if they are breeding. We also shouldn’t forget the back end - for both boys and girls. This includes being comfortable with a gentle sponge wipe, taking a temperature when needed, and for mares, having their privates cleaned when required. What I want to gently but clearly say is this: 👉 It IS possible for all horses to be comfortable being touched everywhere. The only reason it often isn’t, is because they haven’t been shown how to feel safe, confident, and understood in those moments. Basically the way I see it is that all body parts should be tamed. Not just the parts we need to lead and ride. I’ll be releasing a way of teaching this soon in my Heart in Your Hand - Body Awareness Scan . It will be available: • as a level unlock, • as a one-time purchase, • and as part of a full course of relatable subjects inside the Get Good With Horses Skool when it is launched. The attached video is for fun filmed yesterday! Lenny the Kid has no issues with this kind of handling because I started early, back when he was a yearling. Weanlings and young horses generally accept these things quite easily, but given time and different experiences, they can become more protective and tense - especially geldings who may carry tension or trauma from castration. How comfortable is your horse with being touched everywhere on their body - and where do you notice the most sensitivity? Or another way of saying it is: If your horse could choose one area of their body to feel more comfortable being touched, where would it be?

✨ Horses don’t need lots of sleep like us but they do need to lie down. Most horses only sleep around 3-5 hours in a 24-hour period, much of it standing up. But REM sleep, the deep, restorative kind can only happen when a horse lies down.💤 If a horse isn’t lying down at least once every 24 hours, something isn’t right. Environment, safety, pain, stress, herd dynamics, or physical discomfort can all prevent it. Lack of REM sleep doesn’t just affect rest, it impacts learning, emotional regulation, soundness, and overall wellbeing. In extreme cases, sleep deprivation can even cause collapse. I witnessed this once in a horse that was standing in cross ties, it was a mess and if I can be honest, preventable! Therefore seeing or knowing your horse lies down regularly is one of the clearest signs they feel safe enough to truly rest. Some questions, you don't have to answer all, is just for fun: 1. What signs do you look for to know your horse is getting enough quality rest? 2. Before today, did you know horses need to lie down for REM sleep? 3. Do you know what signs to look for with sleep deprivation? 4. Are there any factors in your horse’s environment which might affect whether they feel safe enough to lie down? For example here in certain parts of the Netherlands we now have a Wolf epidemic - quite the prooblem as you can imagine. Love to hear your thoughts, Zoë 🐴✨🫶

As we move forward together, I’d love to know what dreams, intentions, or small goals are you holding for next week with your horse? It can be something practical, something gentle, or simply a feeling you’d like to create. There’s no right or wrong answer - just whatever feels meaningful to you right now. If you’d like, share it below, we can support and cheer each other on. Begun → Getting Good → Good Enough — one step at a time, together. Zoë 🐴✨🫶

I created this the other day on co pilot ☺️ Thought you would all appreciate 🫶💫🐴 Have a wonderful week... I will be focused on little one.... look forward to seeing and reading all your posts and horsee learning, reach high for those stars ✨✨✨✨✨🐴🤠💛💫💫💫💫💫

✨ Partnership with a horse doesn’t reset when the calendar changes - it keeps growing through the small, quiet moments. 🔹A softer breath. 🔹One step less tension. 🔹A moment of understanding that wasn’t there before. What’s one small win or spark of progress you’ve noticed this week? Share it below so we can celebrate together - the little things matter here. 🎉🐴✨🫶