Dakota Equine Massage and Sports Therapy

03/23/2026

Baby #2 arrived at 1 am 3/23! A gorgeous, healthy c**t by Seis Shots of Beauty!

03/10/2026

Welcome to the world little one. 🩷

03/03/2026

"You're always at the barn."
Yep. I prayed for this life, this barn, the stalls, and the horses in them. Everything I want is here.

02/17/2026

01/15/2026

Just got this cool new gadget in the mail. Excited to try it out and see how the horses respond.

Massage tool + red light in one.♦️

11/27/2025

11/16/2025

There is a kind of love that needs no words.
When a horse rests its muzzle in your hand, the world seems to pause.
Worries fade, silence settles softly,
and the soul finds the peace it has been longing for.

A horse’s love is honest, quiet, and warm.
It heals, it comforts,
and it reminds us that true happiness can be found
in the simple touch of a gentle muzzle against your palm. 🐴🤍

11/11/2025

My $3k horses stand right alongside my $40k horses.
I’ve had a $500 horse go on to earn $100k.
I’ve watched a $35k horse become a $5k horse with one X-ray.
I owned a mare who earned $107k — and she was purchased for just $700.

Horses don’t know their price tag, and they don’t know what they’ve won.
But they absolutely know how you treat them.

There isn’t a single horse on my place that’s treated any differently than the others.
You can’t put a price on a soul.

Today, as I walked through my pastures,
I petted the noses of horses whose owners failed them.
I petted the noses of horses who could have been winners, had they ever been given the chance.
And I also get to pet the winners.

Today, I kissed the noses of c**ts who could become winners one day —
if their people help them reach their full potential.

Horses don’t understand dollar value.
But they know if you love them, and if you believe in them.
Feed them well — and they’ll feed your soul right back.

Beautifully written by:
Cassandra Witt a page from her book, The Wannabe Cowgirl.

10/30/2025

🧥🐴 Blanketing Horses: When to Blanket — and When Not To

Every fall, horse owners debate: “Should I blanket my horse?”
Here’s what science says 👇

1️⃣ Horses have incredible built-in insulation.
Their winter coats trap air like a down jacket, and skin muscles lift the hairs (piloerection) to add warmth. A healthy, unclipped horse with access to shelter and adequate feed can stay comfortable in temperatures as low as 5°F (-15°C).
📚 Reference: Morgan et al., 2002, “Thermoregulation of Horses During Cold Exposure,” Equine Veterinary Journal.

2️⃣ Over-blanketing can make them colder.
If a blanket is too heavy, it flattens the coat, removing that insulating air layer — and can cause sweating, which chills the horse when it evaporates.
📚 Reference: Autio et al., 2007, “Response of Horses to Cold Weather and Blanketing,” Applied Animal Behaviour Science.

3️⃣ Energy from forage is the best heater.
Digesting hay produces internal heat — up to 30% more warmth than grain. That’s why free-choice hay is often better than a thick blanket.
📚 Reference: Cymbaluk & Christison, 1989, “Environmental Effects on Thermoregulation and Energy Balance in Horses,” Canadian Journal of Animal Science.

4️⃣ When blanketing is a good idea:
✅ Clipped horses (no natural coat)
✅ Senior or underweight horses
✅ Horses with chronic illness
✅ Wet, windy, or freezing rain conditions
✅ Horses newly moved from a warm to cold climate

5️⃣ When to skip the blanket:
🚫 Healthy horses with full winter coats and windbreaks
🚫 When daytime temperatures rise above freezing
🚫 If the horse is active and sweats under the blanket

Bottom line:
👉 Blanket for comfort, not out of guilt.
👉 Use your hands — if the horse’s chest, shoulder, and base of neck feel warm and dry, they’re managing just fine.

10/29/2025

For 10% off visit my link below and use coupon code DAKOTAEQUINE

https://rw.scootboots.com/?ref=DakotaEquine

Scootboot are experts in hoof boots for riding, jumping, dressage, rehabilitation & barefoot transitioning. Easy on & easy off. Suitable for all terrains.