JL's Equine & K9 Bodywork Therapy

01/31/2026

01/31/2026

“Alfalfa is making my horse HOT!” 🔥
No… it’s not.

Alfalfa didn’t flip a chaos switch.
It didn’t spike sugar.
It didn’t turn your horse into a fire-breathing dragon.

🌱 What alfalfa actually does:
It provides quality protein and calories.
Calories = fuel.
Fuel without an outlet = expression.

That “hot,” distracted, can’t-focus behavior usually comes from:
• Excess energy with nowhere to go
• Inconsistent turnout or stimulation
• Tight bodies, sore fascia, restricted joints
• Stressy environments (stall time, weather, travel, training pressure)

🚫 What alfalfa is NOT doing:
• Acting like caffeine
• Creating behavioral issues
• “Heating the blood” (old barn myth alert)

💡 Here’s the piece everyone skips:
A tight, uncomfortable horse cannot regulate their nervous system.

When the body is restricted, the brain stays in go-mode.
That looks like:
• Tantrums
• Spookiness
• Inability to concentrate
• “Too much horse” days

✨ This is where routine bodywork matters.

Regular bodywork helps:
• Release chronic tension & fascial restriction
• Improve proprioception and body awareness
• Down-regulate the nervous system
• Improve focus, rideability, and emotional regulation

A horse that feels good in their body can:
✔️ Process energy appropriately
✔️ Stay mentally present
✔️ Use fuel instead of reacting to it

🧠 The truth:
It’s rarely the feed.
It’s the environment + the body living in it.

Feed the horse in front of you.
Support the body regularly.
Match fuel to workload.

For the love of the horse 🤍

01/29/2026

❄️ ICE BALLS BREAK LEGS

The Winter “High Heel” Danger

Hy 5 Equine Bodyworks
For the Love of the Horse

We worry about horses freezing.
We should worry about them tripping.

In slushy snow, horses can form ice balls in under 15 minutes.
These are not soft snowballs. They are rock-hard ice, lifting the hoof several inches off the ground and turning your horse into a walking balance test.

⸻

🌡️ WHY ICE BALLS FORM

• The hoof is warm from blood flow
• The metal shoe is freezing
• Snow melts → then flash-freezes
• The shoe traps ice like a cup

Layer by layer, a solid ice “rock” forms under the hoof.

⸻

👠 THE “HIGH HEEL” EFFECT

Your 1,200-lb horse is suddenly walking on ice stilts.

⚠️ Increased strain on the Deep Digital Flexor Tendon
⚠️ Side-to-side fetlock wobble
⚠️ Stress on collateral ligaments
⚠️ Higher risk of soft-tissue injury & lameness

⸻

💥 THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE?

The barn aisle.

Ice + metal shoes + concrete = zero traction
When they slip, the elevated hoof increases torque, making fractures and pelvic injuries far more likely.

⸻

✅ HY 5 WINTER HOOF SAFETY FIX

✔️ Pick hooves immediately before stepping onto concrete
✔️ Snow popper / bubble pads for shod horses
✔️ Crisco or petroleum jelly on the sole as a short-term hack (15–30 min)

⸻

📌 QUICK HY 5 FAQ

Barefoot horses?
🦶 Safer in snow. The hoof expands and pops ice out naturally.

Cooking spray?
🍳 Works temporarily. Great for quick turnout or moving horses.

Why not stall them during storms?
⚠️ Increased colic risk. Horses need movement. Prep the hooves, don’t stop turnout.

⸻

🩷 HY 5 TAKEAWAY

Ice balls aren’t just annoying.
They are a real mechanical injury risk.

Winter care isn’t only blankets.
It’s biomechanics, footing, and prevention.

*for the love of the horse*

01/28/2026

01/23/2026

🌬️❄️ Cold air is heading our way this weekend! Make sure your horses are ready and have:
🏡 Shelter from the wind
🌾 Extra forage for energy
🐴 Blankets if needed
💧Filled and thawed water sources

01/21/2026

🧠 Read the Label, Not the Hype™
Part 1: “High Protein” ≠ High Quality

If you’ve ever chosen a feed or supplement because it said “high protein”, you’re not alone.
That phrase has been heavily marketed — but it’s often misunderstood.

Let’s clear it up 👇

🧬 What is protein?

Protein is not a nutrient the body uses directly.
Protein is broken down into amino acids, which the horse then uses to:
-Build muscle
-Support topline
-Repair tissue
-Maintain hooves, hair, and immune function

📌 If the amino acids aren’t there — or aren’t in balance — the protein number doesn’t matter.

🚩 Why crude protein can be misleading

“Crude protein” only tells us how much nitrogen is present, not:
-Amino acid profile
-Digestibility
-Bioavailability
-Whether the horse can actually use it

👉 A higher percentage does not equal higher quality.

⚠️ When protein is excessive

Excess protein that can’t be utilized must be broken down and excreted, which can:
-Increase ammonia production
-Stress the liver and kidneys
-Contribute to excess urine and odor
-Still fail to improve topline or condition

📌 More isn’t better if it’s not usable.

🐎 What actually matters more than protein %

✔ Amino acid balance (especially lysine, methionine, threonine)
✔ Digestibility of the protein source (if it says Whey as a protein source, run lollll)
✔ Overall mineral balance (amino acids don’t work alone)
✔ Hay quality and intake

🎯 Bottom line:

“High protein” is a marketing phrase, not a nutrition plan.

Your horse doesn’t always need more protein.
Most likely hey need the right building blocks, in the right form, at the right time.

💬 Next up in Read the Label, Not the Hype™:
Amino Acids — what they are, which ones matter, and why “amino acid fortified” doesn’t always mean balanced.

👇 Have questions about protein, topline, or feed labels? Drop them in the comments.

Maria -Equine Nutritionist
Read the label. Not the hype.
Here's a pic created by my friend, ChatGPT. I love the "hooves"

01/19/2026

Important to know!! I am sure everyone has experienced equine markup— maybe you didn’t even realize it. Get with Maria Heilig to sort it out and schedule an appointment to have her out to your barn! You will be glad you did- (and your horse will too)— hey maybe even your husband will too 😉 💵

One of the most important parts of my job as an equine nutritionist…
is teaching people how **not** to be fooled by marketing.

Many horse owners genuinely believe that a supplement must*say “for horses” on the label to be safe or effective.

But here’s the truth 👇
👉 It’s not the species on the label that matters.
👉 It’s the INGREDIENT.

Recently, someone told me their horse *could only* have a supplement made specifically for horses — negative.

An apple is an apple.
The horse doesn’t know (or care) what aisle it came from.

What does matter:
• The forms of things (oxide vs glycinate vs sulfate)
• The bioavailability
• The purity
• The dose

What often doesn’t matter:
• Fancy horse branding
• “Equine-only” marketing buzzwords
• A higher price tag for the same ingredient

In fact, many “horse supplements” are simply:
➡️ common nutrients
➡️ repackaged
➡️ marked up
➡️ and marketed with fear-based language

My job isn’t just to recommend supplements —
it’s to teach you how to read labels, understand ingredients and make informed decisions so you’re not overspending or under-supplementing.

Education is power.
And your horse benefits when *you* understand what’s actually in the bucket.

✨ Look beyond the label.
✨ Learn the ingredient.
✨ Feed with intention.

Lets schedule a clinic.

— Maria
Higher Level Equine Services

01/19/2026

❄️ Since appointments got rescheduled today due to Michigan winter weather, I thought it would be fun to re-introduce myself for those that are new and maybe those that know me, but don’t really know what I do!❄️

Hi, it’s me.. Jessica!
This January marks 11 years that I have been working in the equine bodywork industry. 💖🐎
I am very blessed to be able to do this as my full-time job and stay busy all year round. So, if you’re out there trying to make this happen for yourself, I want you to know that it is 💯 possible!!!! You can do it too!
With that being said, I have my own unique style of bodywork that I have developed over the years of hands on experience. I do continued education every year, so it is important to me to keep adding tools to the toolbox 🧰
A session with me will look different from horse to horse as each horse has specific needs. One might need more soft tissue work, where as another may need more skeletal realignment. I use a number of soft tissue techniques that range anywhere from light touch, to a deep tissue sports massage, or myofascial release, trigger point therapy, Masterson Method, acupressure, + additional therapies such as red light, magnets, and essential oils.
What I have learned is that if you just address the soft tissues and not the skeletal system, you will hit a point in the horse’s progress that will plateau until the skeletal system is addressed along with the soft tissues. This is the same if you just do skeletal alignment and don’t address the soft tissues- the soft tissues will hold tension and tend to pull the skeletal system back out of alignment most instances, within 48 hours.
My bodywork method includes using both modalities where needed for prolonged results. You also better be prepared for some “homework” as I love giving stretches and exercises that owners can do with their horses for greater results between sessions. Additionally, I may make some suggestions that can be passed on to your horse’s other “village members” such as, farrier or vet or dentist or nutritionist— because we know it really does take a village to keep these creatures alive and going at their best!!
So to sum it up, I take a whole horse approach, rather than just treating one particular spot- Looking at body/soft tissue condition, along with feet angles, movement, saddle/tack fitting, nutrition and even rider condition! You can guarantee results with my program. I will help you get/keep your horse on the right track!
🫶🏻-JLS
Picture featuring my #1 girl, Okeley Anne 🐎

01/10/2026

💖✝️🐎

Caring for an animal is an act of love that comes from God. When we protect a life, we are also transformed by that divine light. 🤍🐴✨

01/08/2026

Jaylynn did a job shadow with me for her career center project 💖🐎 She did amazing and caught on real quick!!
Thanks Jaylynn for the opportunity!