Omn Nom Equine Services

05/07/2026

Poor training exists across every corner of the horse world.

But one of the biggest issues in modern training discussions is how quickly entire quadrants become oversimplified, mislabeled, or turned into identities rather than educational frameworks.

No types of handling are immune to poor application, misinformation, or bad training.

R+ IS NOT A METHOD.

It is a quadrant.

Just like R- is a quadrant.

Quadrants explain behavioural mechanisms and what influences behaviour.

They do not automatically define:

• Skill
• Ethics
• Preparation
• Welfare standards
• Practical competency
• Real-world success

And this is where so much misunderstanding begins.

Blanket statements about entire quadrants often ignore the enormous variation in:

• Education
• Application
• Timing
• Welfare priorities
• Trainer competency

By definition, all four quadrants can and will successfully influence behaviour.

Making definitive blanket statements about R+ as a whole would be no different than claiming pressure and release as a whole does not work.

That is simply inaccurate.

And that is exactly why blanket statements fail.

Every training space has people:

• Oversimplifying methods
• Mislabeling practices
• Following trends
• Building brands before building competency

And social media often rewards aesthetics, marketing, and IDENTITY far more than genuine behavioural literacy.

This creates a dangerous environment where inexperienced owners may struggle to distinguish between buzzwords, methods, marketing, and morality wars.

This becomes particularly sensitive when methodology turns into identity.

Because no training approach should ever place someone above scrutiny.

No method should be immune to critical discussion.

No influencer should be mistaken for representing an entire behavioural framework.

And no buzzword should ever replace competency.

We need to move beyond clickbait quadrant wars.

Because nuance matters.

05/04/2026

Just finished watching the wonderful Lindsey from The study of the equine hoof in Part 1 of the webinar she is putting on for Progressive Hoof Care Practitioners. What a great first part, I can’t wait for next week! 😊

I d been invited to speak at a webinar next week. The first session is equine hoof anatomy and the second is white line disease. The session is being run by PCHP.

I’ll be using anatomical models and real dissections to help clarify

The webinar details are in the comments.

05/03/2026

How to Keep Your HCP (Hoof Care Professional) Happy This Summer! ☀️ 🥵

With the first official week of 25+ degree weather this summer, it already has your HCP (aka me!) dreading the heat. If you want to be your HCP's favourite stop, here are five ways to ensure you're providing a safe and sustainable setup:

1. Have a dedicated trimming spot located in the shade, with flat, hard-packed footing or cement. Bonus points for breezy areas or fans on hot days!

2. Keep fly spray on hand and spray your horse before your HCP arrives - we don’t want to be working with flies, but no one wants to be inhaling fresh fly spray fumes while working either!

3. Staying on a regular schedule ensures your HCP can keep your horse comfortable, without excess wear and tear on their body from overgrown, hard summer hooves.

4. Have your horse waiting and ready for their trim - avoid riding or bathing right beforehand, as neither your HCP nor your horse wants to be trimmed soaking wet from sweat or water!

5. Have a horse that **stands well!** Your HCP never wants to be getting pulled around, and it’s even worse in the summer heat when working on rock-hard hooves. Work with your young and/or green horses regularly, and ensure they can stand comfortably for a trim before asking your HCP to work on them. If you can’t easily pick up and hold your horse’s hooves for 2+ minutes, neither can your trimmer.

And if you want to be a teacher’s pet… fresh, cool water or electrolytes are always appreciated! 🧊😉💧

Bonus thank you to my wonderful clients who already do all of these! It’s always appreciated! 🙌

03/30/2026

The cardinal sin in the equine industry is being a wuss.

Weak. Timid. A coward.
Show them you're the boss.
Don't let them get away with it.
Make them listen.

It's a strong cultural norm in the equine industry at large that I have spent the past decade attempting to defy and unlearn.

The reality is the horse has the physical power.
So we chose to add leverage, pain, and punishment to overpower.

Dominate. Overpower. Control.

If you were in a relationship with someone like that, everyone in your life would be telling you to get the hell out before he kills you.

"But horses aren't people."
That's true. But we're both mammals. We're both highly intelligent. We both have complex social bonds. We both have a nervous system that reacts to the world around us. We both read energy and respond accordingly. We both experience physical and emotional pain.

The main difference is that one of us can verbally communicate in words and the other cannot.

But back to being a wuss...

You're not allowed to show fear around horses.
You're not allowed to step back, take a minute, and problem solve.
You're not allowed to *remove* pressure to de-escalate the situation.
You're not allowed to say "I don't feel comfortable with this."

The "real" horse people will scold you for trying to break any of the above rules. And if they're in a position of power over you, they'll treat you just like the horse - dominate you until you submit.

So what does that mean?

For me, it means people expect you to risk your life and career to trim their horse who is untrained or in pain. And then be upset with you if you won't.

It means anyone walking down the barn aisle judges you immediately for doing anything but status quo.

It means that showing up as you, with your energy, is a threat to the way "things have always been done."

It means you get fired for putting the horse first.

It means you'll be seen as inferior for wearing pink.

If you only follow the rules of dominate, overpower, and control as a farrier, the horses you're under won't trust you. They will fight you. If they spook, they're going through you. They don't have a relationship with you and they will not consider you in their time of fear. They will disassociate while you work and then suddenly panic.

Accidents can always happen. But why not seriously reduce the chances of someone getting hurt?

Maybe you should be scared. Maybe you should come face to face with your fragility. Maybe you should value your body and your livelihood.

Maybe you should consider new rules.

03/28/2026

I’m attempting to get better at taking photos of the pretty feet on my books, as my default is to only photograph the bad ones (for comparisons and tracking hoof progress).

It makes things difficult when I’m trying to find a nice, healthy foot to show clients and explain things! But this guy has lovely feet that I’m always admiring when I’m trimming him. And - most importantly - I remembered to get a photo! 🤣

This (big) beautiful pre-trim hoof belongs to a lovely gelding I started trimming at the end of last year, and he has simply lovely feet. Nice concavity, collateral groves and sole depth, and a strong, robust digital cushion 🤠

03/13/2026

One of the hardest parts of working in hoof rehab isn’t the trimming or hoofcare, the diagnostics, or even the management changes. Sometimes the hardest part is asking the question: are we truly putting the horse first?

When a horse is struggling with their soundness, our instinct is often to find ways to keep them rideable. More support, more protection, more intervention. But sometimes the horse is telling us something different. Comfort should always come before performance, and “rideable” doesn’t always mean sound or thriving. Ethical hoofcare sometimes asks us to pause, step back, and reconsider our expectations as riders.

These conversations can be uncomfortable, but they matter. In our newest episode of The Humble Hoof Podcast, Becky Bawn, Kat Christieson, and Lisa Agius-Gilibert talk about the ethics of hoof rehabilitation, when it may not be appropriate to ride, and why putting the horse first sometimes means making harder choices.

You can hear the entire conversation on any podcast app under "The Humble Hoof," or directly at this link: https://thehumblehoof.com/2026/03/13/horse-first-rider-second-ethics-in-hoof-rehab/

For more information, visit:

https://www.hooftohorse.academy/

02/23/2026

Everything about this! Beautifully put, EQ Therapeutics! 💕

To my self-employed friends — I see you. I am you.

And for those who are not self-employed, this is educational.

When you see a service fee, understand that roughly 30% becomes take-home income.

The other 70% sustains the infrastructure required to operate legally, ethically, and professionally.

* Secure booking systems
* Website hosting
* Licensing and mandatory continuing education
* Liability and commercial insurance
* Facility costs and maintenance
* Vehicle, travel, and farm expenses
* Technology platforms and software
* Sanitation standards
* Payment processing fees on every transaction

In my case, fixed annual overhead exceeds six figures before I pay myself. That does not include corporate and personal tax, CPP (both portions as self-employed), accounting, legal fees, marketing, or equipment replacement.

It also does not include the educational investment behind the work.

To date, that investment is approximately a quarter of a million dollars:

✅ BSc in Kinesiology (UBC)
✅ Human Kinetics diploma (Langara College)
✅ Regulated healthcare license (RMT from WCCMT)
✅ Human Osteopathy diploma in progress (CSO)
✅ Multiple equine certification(s)

**And over 25 years of clinical experience

Maintaining credentials is ongoing.

Initial education is a capital investment.
Continuing education is a recurring operational cost.

And then there is time......

👉 A one-hour human appointment requires nearly another hour behind the scenes for charting, sanitation, billing, and communication.

👉 An equine session includes travel, vehicle costs, assistant support, video review, report writing, and follow-up.

👉 One educational webinar can take 150 hours from research to delivery.

Fees reflect the entire structure — not just hands-on time or one-one time.

Self-employment means carrying the whole system: compliance, risk management, infrastructure, sustainability.

Revenue only exists when work is performed.
Expenses exist regardless.

Pricing is not about what an hour feels worth. It is about sustaining a system built on depth of training, experience, and responsibility.

That is the cost of doing business.

02/13/2026

Hi everyone, and welcome to the official page for Omn Nom Equine Services!

I’ve been slowly sharing bits and pieces over on Instagram for a few years now, but I’m excited to finally bring Omn Nom to Facebook and start posting more consistently here, too.

For those of you who don’t know me, hi! I’m Maren, a barefoot trimmer and equine bodyworker based on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia.

My journey into hoof care and equine bodywork started with my OTTB gelding and the various challenges he faced. What began as trying to help my own horse quickly turned into a deep passion for barefoot trimming, rehabilitation, and supporting true, whole-horse soundness. Since 2021, I’ve been committed to continuing my education through mentorships, clinics, and ongoing study. I’m currently working toward certification with the Progressive Hoof Care Practitioners program.

At Omn Nom Equine, I offer
• Barefoot and corrective trimming
• Composite shoeing for select rehab cases
• Equine bodywork
• Hoof boot fitting and support

My approach always focuses on the whole horse. That includes diet, movement, environment, and biomechanics, but also the horse’s emotional well-being. I am a strong advocate for positive reinforcement training and low-stress handling. I believe in taking the time to explain what I see, talk through management options, and work collaboratively with owners, veterinarians, and other care professionals to build a practical, sustainable approach that truly supports your horse.

Thank you for being here and supporting Omn Nom Equine!