Janice Monk Equine Myofunctional therapist and Acupuncture

12/03/2026

Hi everyone, hoping you all have dried out from this wonderful rain we had, and hoping not to much damage done for you all ❤️
Currently watching the increase of fuel cost, at this stage I won’t change my prices although if it continues to increase unfortunately I will have to for my business to survive, I hope we don’t get to the stage of horse and cart 😂
Thank you all for your understanding 💕

10/03/2026

Horse people friendships are a very specific type of chaos.

You can go from discussing trauma, nervous systems, and deep life philosophy…

To debating whether your horse just spooked at a leaf, a ghost, or its own shadow.

You’ll spend 20 minutes analysing a horse’s facial expression like it’s a PhD thesis.

Then another 20 minutes crying with laughter because someone said
“for f**k’s sake Kevin”
to a horse......or to their husband maybe.....who knows.....

The best part?

Half the time the conversations happen while:
• carrying hay nets
• holding a hoof
• standing in a muddy field
• or drinking a mug of f**koffee in a freezing yard.

And honestly…

Sometimes you and your horsey best friend laugh so much you genuinely feel sorry for people who don’t get to hear your conversations.

Because they are top tier nonsense.

Horse people friendships are absolutely the best kind.

Tag your horsey partner in crime 👇🐴💬

11/02/2026

⚠️ Signs Your Horse May Be Dealing With Heavy Metal Toxicity
Heavy metals like lead, aluminum, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic can accumulate in a horse’s body over time — especially through contaminated water, feed, soil, or even vaccines. The effects can be subtle or severe, often mimicking other conditions like Lyme, EPM, or metabolic issues.

🧠 Neurological or Behavioral Signs
Headshaking

Irritability or anxiety

Sudden spookiness or hypersensitivity

Difficulty focusing or training resistance

Head tilt, twitching, or ataxia (unsteady gait)

Neurologic symptoms with no clear cause (often confused with EPM)

💪 Muscular and Physical Signs
Muscle tremors or twitching

Weakness, fatigue, or reluctance to move

Poor topline or uneven muscle development

Sore back or stiffness with no clear lameness

🩺 Digestive and Systemic Signs
Poor appetite or picky eating

Weight loss or hard keeper tendencies

Recurrent mild colic or gut sensitivity

Skin sensitivities or hair coat changes

Overreaction to supplements or vaccines

Detox “flare-ups” when given minerals, or parasite treatments

🔬 Common Heavy Metals That Harm Horses

Lead
Found in old barn paint, batteries, or contaminated soil
Accumulates in bones and brain
Causes neurologic symptoms, fatigue, and poor coordination

Aluminum
Present in some soils, feeds, water, and certain supplements
Interferes with calcium and magnesium absorption
Affects muscles, nerves, and digestion

Mercury
Found in industrial pollution, fish-based products, or some vaccines
Neurotoxic and immune-disruptive
Can damage the gut lining and nervous system
Cadmium
Comes from commercial fertilizers, contaminated pastures, and air pollution
Damages liver and kidneys
Blocks absorption of zinc and iron

Arsenic
Found in groundwater, herbicides, and some untested natural supplements
Especially concerning in untested bentonite clays used in horses
⚠️ Important Caution: Always ensure any bentonite clay or detox product used on or in a horse has been independently tested for heavy metals. When using something like DMSO with products that may contain heavy metals, or chemicals it will carry everything — good and bad — straight into the bloodstream. If the clay contains arsenic, lead, or other contaminants, it can go from “detox” to “toxic exposure” very quickly.

Arsenic can bioaccumulate in the liver, skin, and nervous system
Can cause chronic fatigue, skin changes, neurologic issues, gut upset, and long-term organ damage

🧲 Why Heavy Metals Are So Problematic
Heavy metals don’t just cause isolated symptoms — they:

Disrupt the nervous system, leading to neurologic or behavioral issues

Interfere with mineral absorption, causing imbalances in calcium, magnesium, selenium, and zinc

Stress the liver and kidneys, which are essential for detox and hormone regulation

Trigger immune dysregulation, making horses more vulnerable to chronic infections (like EPM or Lyme)

Can hide in tissues for years, slowly accumulating without obvious signs — until the horse is stressed or treated for something else, and symptoms flare up

Heavy metals can quietly affect the nervous system, and when your horse starts acting odd, it’s worth looking deeper.

14/11/2025

31/08/2025

23/08/2025

Hi all I am on holidays from 21st Aug to 22nd Sept and won’t to replying to any messages as i am out of the country. Thankyou for your understanding ❤️

19/05/2025

8 Knee Exercises for Strength and to Reduce Pain

https://goto.gentlestretching.net/10ypsk_05_18_25

08/02/2025

I don’t think people realize just how many horses out there carry trauma with them.

With that, I don’t even mean severely abused horses that have been starved, or beaten heavily. There are plenty of those around, and those usually cause a lot of outrage (as they should).

What I am talking about though, is the horses whose trauma is never really recognized as such. The ones who tolerate humans and their requests, but never learned to trust them. Those who get extremely obsessive about food which are labelled as “bossy” or ”dominant”. Those who deal with severe Separation anxiety, which are said to be “dramatic”. Those who cannot self-regulate, or co-regulate and constantly carry tension. Those who try to express their pain, which get punished for it because “just a mare”.
Those who are “perfect” until they finally get a choice.

Between Unethical weaning practices, unsuitable welfare, constantly moving homes & and ownership, and aversive training/handling approaches, most horses at some point experience trauma. And this trauma can present itself in a variety of ways. Some are more subtle than others.
Trauma doesn’t have to be this huge explosive reaction. Just like people, horses can carry trauma and move on with their lives fairly normally. It can shape their personality just like it can shape ours.
However, that doesn’t mean doing so is healthy.

The horse that has been in 6+ homes before the age of 10, and thus can’t cope with changes. That is Trauma.
The horse that has never had consistent companionship and becomes obsessive with certain herd mates. That is Trauma
The horse that has only known corrections when they tried to express their confusion, fear, or dislike, and turns from “a perfect beginner’s horse” to “Don’t touch me” the moment you stop using corrections. That is Trauma.
The horse that never had a chance to learn from other horses or connect with people and thus can’t trust people to make good choices for them, can’t self-regulate or co-regulate, and can’t think their way through a situation. That is Trauma.
The horse who was only ever fed 2 times a day and was left without food for 6 hours each night, and has thus become food-aggressive. That is Trauma.
The horse who experienced highly aversive training techniques, and thus now gets frustrated, tense and severely stressed out anytime they are handled in a similar manner. That. Is. Trauma.

Sometimes, awareness of this can be a frustration and defeating realization. I think as equestrians we are often blind to this reality, because sadly, it’s just so common to see horses like that.
It’s not until you work with young, untraumatized horses, or rehabilitated horses, that you realize: “Oh! This is how it should be!”

01/02/2025

3 Steps to Correct Western Saddle Placement

01/02/2025

Equine veterinarian, CEO Jenquine and consultant nutritionist

01/02/2025