Divergent DVM

04/10/2026

Had a great day at the 56th Annual Dressage Prix de Ville at Lake Erie College today 😊
Got to watch some really beautiful dressage, spend time observing how different horses move and perform, and even work on a horse while I was there.
What always stands out to me at shows like this are the subtle things—
the little changes that don’t quite look like lameness, but don’t feel quite right either.
That’s usually where the story starts.
I love being able to catch those patterns early and help horses stay comfortable, balanced, and performing at their best.
And honestly… any day spent around good horses and good riders is a pretty great day.
If anyone was there today, I’d love to hear how your rides went! 🐴

04/08/2026

I’ll be at the Dressage Prix de Villes Show at Lake Erie College this Friday 👀
This one’s more of a meet, explore, and connect kind of day for me—
checking out the campus, meeting people, and getting a feel for the program.
Huge thank you to Engelhaupt Embroidery for the new gear—I’m a little excited to finally wear it out 😄
I won’t have a full setup, but I’ll be around and always happy to talk horses.
If your horse has ever felt a little “off” and you couldn’t quite explain why…
that’s kind of my thing.
Listen Before Lameness.
Come say hi if you see me!

Always interested in opportunities to collaborate, teach, and support equine programs.

https://engelhauptembroidery.com

04/06/2026

🌱 WHEN IS GRASS “CANDY” FOR YOUR HORSE? 🍬🐴

Think your pasture is always healthy? Think again…

Grass makes sugar all day long using sunlight.
By late afternoon, it’s basically… pixie sticks for horses.

👉 Highest sugar: Late afternoon & early evening
👉 Lowest sugar: Early morning (usually)

BUT—here’s the catch ⬇️
❄️ If nights are cold (below ~40°F), grass can’t use that sugar overnight…

So even morning grass can be LOADED.

🚨 That’s when we see problems—especially in:
• PPID (Cushing’s) horses
• Easy keepers
• Horses with laminitis risk

🟢 SAFER TURNOUT:
✔ Early morning after a warm night
✔ When grass is actively growing

🔴 RISKY TIMES:
❌ Late afternoon / evening
❌ Frosty mornings
❌ Sunny days after cold nights
❌ Short, stressed pasture

🌾 Grass isn’t always just grass… sometimes it’s dessert.

✨ Listen Before Lameness ✨

04/05/2026

04/04/2026

Spring barn days are filling up 🌿🐴
I have a few spots left in April and May for group barn visits.
If your barn has multiple horses needing bodywork, now is the time to get on the schedule.
📍 Travel days listed below
📱 Text me to claim a spot: 330-647-6622

04/02/2026

🌾 What the hay… is your horse REALLY telling you?

Everyone worries about feed, supplements, grain…
But what if the bigger issue isn’t what’s going in—
it’s what’s being quietly ignored?

👉 Short strides
👉 “Just a little stiff”
👉 Not quite performing like they used to
👉 Attitude changes under saddle

That’s not random.
That’s your horse whispering before they start shouting.

💡 Grain Brain? Maybe.
But more often… it’s a body problem before a feed problem.

✨ This is exactly what I look for:
• Compensation patterns
• Subtle restrictions
• Early dysfunction before it turns into lameness

📍 I have a few barn day spots open coming up
🐴 Acupuncture • Chiropractic • TCVM • Herbal support

⚠️ Once these fill, they’re gone (and spring books FAST)

👉 Message me “SPOTS” and I’ll help you get on the schedule

And tag your barn friends—because one horse turns into a barn day real quick 😉

04/01/2026

New diagnosis just dropped: “Rainy Day Syndrome” 🌧️🐶
Symptoms include:
• moving a little slower
• hesitating on stairs
• not quite jumping like they used to
• “just acting their age”
Recommended treatment:
✔ extra naps
✔ cozy blankets
✔ pretend nothing’s changing 🙃
—
Alright… April Fools 😄
Or…
We look a little deeper.
Because most dogs don’t suddenly “get old” overnight.
They change gradually—quietly—over time.
Those are the whispers.
And if we catch them early,
we can support them before they become limitations.
✨ Listen Before Lameness — Your Dog is Talking

04/01/2026

New service announcement: Rain Delay Diagnostics™ 🌧️🐴
Due to the current Ohio weather…
All evaluations will now be performed by standing quietly in the rain and waiting for your horse to reveal their deepest thoughts.
(No rush. They’ll tell us when they’re ready 😉)
—
Okay okay… April Fools 😄
But here’s the truth:
Your horse is communicating—every day.
Not in words… but in:
• how they move
• how they compensate
• what they avoid
• what they tolerate… until they can’t
Most of the horses I see aren’t lame.
They’re just… not quite right.
That’s the whisper phase.
And that’s where I live.
✨ Listen Before Lameness

03/31/2026

🌿 Spring is here… and so is your chance to get ahead of problems before they show up.

I have a few barn day spots open across Northeast Ohio over the next few weeks—perfect time to get your horses feeling their best heading into the busy season.

✨ What I focus on:
• Subtle performance issues
• Compensation patterns before lameness
• Mobility, comfort, and whole-horse balance

💡 Think: Listen Before Lameness

📍 I travel to your barn (group appointments encouraged!)
🐴 Acupuncture • Chiropractic (EMM) • Herbal support • TCVM-based care

⚠️ Spots are limited and filling quickly — especially for May dates

👉 If you’d like to get on the schedule, message me or comment “INFO” and I’ll reach out

And if your barn has multiple horses—let’s set up a day like a farrier visit 👍

📣 Feel free to share this post with your barn friends!

03/30/2026

“Grain Brain… but make it equine.”

“Does your horse actually need grain… or are we just used to feeding it?”

After my last post about forage, I had a lot of people asking:
👉 “So… does my horse actually need grain?”
And the honest answer is:
Most don’t.
Horses are designed to run on:
• Fiber
• Fermentation
• Slow, steady energy
Not large, processed meals.
But somewhere along the way, grain became the default—
even for horses that don’t actually need it.
Where I start to see problems:
• Horses that are “spicy” 🔥
• Can’t settle into work
• Tight backs, poor topline
• Feel “off” but not lame
👉 Sometimes that’s not training.
👉 Sometimes that’s not attitude.
Sometimes… that’s fuel.

Grain isn’t bad.
It’s just a tool.
And like any tool—
👉 it should match the job.
Some horses truly need it:
• High-performance athletes
• Hard keepers
• Horses who can’t maintain weight on forage alone
But many?
👉 Are getting more than their system was designed to handle.

Before you change the training program…
Before you add another supplement…
👉 Look at what’s in the feed tub.
Because what you address in April…
shows up in May.

03/28/2026

“What the hay are we actually feeding our horses?”

We spend so much time focusing on:
• Grains
• Supplements
• “What should I add?”
But most horses?
👉 Are built to live on forage first.
A horse’s system is designed for:
• Constant grazing
• Fiber fermentation
• Slow, steady energy
Not large, processed meals once or twice a day.
When that foundation is off, I start seeing:
• Tight backs + poor topline
• Horses that feel “off” but not lame
• And the ones everyone calls… “spicy” 🔥
👉 Reactive
👉 Anxious
👉 Can’t settle into their work
Sometimes that’s not a training issue.
Sometimes… it’s the gut talking.

Your horse doesn’t just run on calories—
they run on how those calories are delivered.

Before we add more “stuff”…
Make sure the foundation is right.
👉 Hay first. Always.