Deborah & Winston - Faith, Family, Fitness, Fun - Part 2

*Faith, Family, Fitness, Fun* 

Part Two

Just last week, we hearkened back to Kayla's post introducing Deborah Herbert and also Deborah's blog, The 50+ Equestrian. We then recapped Deborah's first month with her Equicizer, Winston, and saw the exciting progress she was making. 

The goal of this Wooden Horse Wednesday blog series is to get you caught up on Deborah’s journey and encourage you to follow along directly with her! While the recap here will “hit the high notes”, be sure to check out her blog page for more pictures, videos, healthy eating advice, and detail! We just love her narrative style as it shows her fun, quirky, and positive personality.

May 2018

Deborah begins the month of May with some speculations about what effect a workout on Winston has in comparison to a workout on her "AQHA princess", Belle. While there is plenty of evidence that both horses have stolen her heart, more specifically she was interested in what they did to her heart rate. Deborah employed her fitness tracker and tracked herself riding Belle at a walk and sitting trot... then riding Winston at a trot (with some posting) and canter. Deborah noticed that her heart rate increased and peaked in similar ways on Winston that it did with her mare, yet the workout on Winston was more vigorous.

The first peak is with Belle. The second is on Winston.

Deborah notes that the increased rate during her ride on Belle actually starts about an hour before the lesson. This could be attributed to the anxiety she carries when riding "real" horses ever since her accident. After noticing this evidence on the fitness tracker app, she took it upon herself to meditate on a Bible verse and take that verse in her heart to the lesson the following day rather than carrying the burden of anxiety.

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-8 New King James Version (NKJV)

You can see the clear difference from the first riding lesson on Belle that she tracked to the next. While there is still a pre-ride spike, Deborah's consciousness and faith allowed her to be in control of the anxiety. Besides the fact that the pre-ride anxiety spike is noticeably absent on Winston, Deborah noticed another difference between her living room workouts and her arena workouts: 

I also recorded my footsteps, started my ride in the evening at 8590 steps, after my 30 minute session with Winston it was up to 11,646…a difference of 3050 added during my workout!

In conjunction with the health benefits - mental and physical - of riding, Deborah touches on the ways that eating better has impacted her entire household. Not only does she feel much healthier, but her husband was able to lose weight and avoid being put on insulin, and her mare Belle even gets benefit out of a healthy concoction Deborah cooks up for her each day.

Progressing through the month saw one little set back for Deborah. Mini horse Caspian was trying to get in on Belle's belly rub and, when Belle went to give him a warning bite, she caught Deborah on the leg instead. OUCH! Luckily Deborah had Winston there for her to hop on to test out the injury before getting back on Belle.

Swinging up in the saddle on Winston Saturday was not only a safe test of whether I should ride, but also a gentle, then gradually more rigorous work out between my lessons.

In May, Deborah made a creative adjustment to her training regimen in response to the rainy spring weather in Florida. She started using weights with Winston! She made a very cool video showing some of the basic workouts she developed with the weights and how she first masters them without the horse's movement. Then she challenges herself to remain balanced as she completes the same maneuvers with the weights while the horse is in motion.

Weights & Winston... a winning alliteration!

We love that Deborah is pointing out here one of the most appealing elements of the Equicizer. It's a workout your way and it does not matter what the weather is doing! You can ride it while watching TV and do different exercises during each commercial! It doesn't matter if it's raining, snowing, or just unbearably hot outside. You can always enjoy a workout on the Equicizer from the comfort of your home.

Hubby says I am going to wear poor Winston out.

I secretly think Winston really isn’t concerned…we’re having too much fun!

The end of May saw a rough patch for Belle. She came in with some hives after some particularly heavy rain. The suspect? Ground wasps. Luckily she is was still eating well and responded great to a holistic treatment. 

June 2018

 The month of June came with more tough weather - heat and rain - and the onset of hurricane season! When the forecast is gloomy, Deborah has no fear that she will have the opportunity for a workout.

I can ride in my pjs or after I’ve sloshed through the yard back from cleaning the barn. Yay!!! He doesn’t care, and he doesn’t get crabby!

Deborah had the opportunity to invite a few friends over and they gave her some feedback on Winston. One rider is an equine/human physical therapist and the other is a licensed psychologist who works with riders and is working toward a silver medal in dressage. They said:

Winston has amazingly authentic gaits ! Perfect to facilitate or maintain riders muscle memory from beginners to advanced . Practice upper level moves even when you don’t have an upper level horse ! Lots of fun.

I was pleased to meet her patient and SAFE riding exercise partner and quickly learned he was a real workout. Winston requires the use of my core muscles to move and a non-restricting hand to keep him going. With Deb’s guidance I was able to experience walk, trot and canter, as well as feel how to keep my arms and legs independent from my seat. Winston was also very sensitive to any changes in the rhythm of my seat or lifting my seat from the saddle. He was also a real tattle tale if my rein contact became inconsistent. In about 10 minutes I was sweating and 20 was all I could handle. Winston was a fun and instructive way to stay in condition for riding.

As we all know, June also brought about the very exciting win for Justify and jockey Mike Smith at the Belmont Stakes. Deborah writes that she watched from atop Winston and cheered as the pair made their Triple Crown winning victory. 

Deborah joked with her trainer that her mare seems to go out of her way to get out of work. Belle came in once with a mysterious scrape that put her off work for a few days. Later in the month, she came in a little colicky and Deborah spent the night out in the barn checking in on her. She pulled through okay and Deborah had a chance to work on this beautiful new painting!

Click here to see more

After a workout at LA Fitness with her daughter, Deborah's suspicion that her left side is weaker was confirmed by the trainer. She was able to have a productive workout and she even picked up a few targeted exercises to incorporate into her workouts with Winston. Another exciting moment was having the Alpha Dressage Association GMO Club stop by and check out the horse in the living room! Everyone took their turn riding Winston and was impressed.

I LOVE my Equicizer! (He’s a party animal!)

Check back with us next week for Part Three of this special three part series!

By Amanda Elia

www.equicizer.com 

Deborah & Winston - Faith, Family, Fitness, Fun - Part 1

*Faith, Family, Fitness, Fun* 

These four things are the pillars identified by this week's Wooden Horse Wednesday woman in the spot light for the next few weeks. 

Back in late April, Kayla introduced you to an inspirational woman named Deborah Herbert who was just beginning a journey with her Equicizer, Winston. In the months since, she has been sharing her story and we will recap it for you in a short blog series. As far as the background info (in case you missed it), here is a quick rundown:

• ·        Who? Deborah is a “50+” equestrian from sunny Florida. She is an equine artist (Hearthstone Studio), art education consultant, grant writer, and so much more! Until her injury, she was actively competing with her American Quarter Horse mare, Belle, in Level 3 Western Dressage. 

  

  Deborah and Winston in her home.

• ·        What? Deborah started a blog call “The50PlusEquestrian” to chronicle her journey back to competition-level fitness with her Equicizer, Winston. Her blog is an engaging look into her spiritual, emotional, and physical journey back to (and hopefully past!) the place she started when he arrived. As of late March, Deborah hadn’t ridden in six months, had broken her wrist three months prior, and was suffering from increasing anxiety over getting back in the saddle with every day that her mare was laid up with an injury of her own. 

  

  https://50plusequestrian.com/

• ·        How? Deborah originally got in contact with us hoping to find a used Equicizer. We were honest with her in replying that used Equicizers are very hard to come by. People generally hold on tight once they get one! That said, the stars aligned so that she was able to find a used Equicizer in Ohio and arranged for it to be transported to the Equicizer workshop. We packed it up and shipped it to her in Florida. 

  

  Winston and Beau the black lab.

• ·        Why? While Deborah’s goal of regaining her mental and physical competitive edge is a very clear one, there are many more “whys” in play. The answer to why she chose the Equicizer over strictly doing traditional physical therapy or exercise, is because there is nothing else that can so closely replicate the motion of a real horse and the muscle movements needed to ride effectively while also providing safety. You can work at your own pace, ensure safety, and not worry about training or untraining the horse.

The goal of this Wooden Horse Wednesday blog series is to get you caught up on Deborah’s journey and encourage you to follow along with her! While the recap here will “hit the high notes”, be sure to check out her blog page for more pictures, videos, healthy eating advice, and detail! We just love her narrative style as it shows her fun, quirky, and positive personality.

April 2018

So of course the first step of the process was the arrival of Deborah’s (in her words) dreamy buckskin. After some help from the kind-hearted delivery driver with getting the package up her driveway toward the house, Deborah was able to unpack, assemble, and get Winston in his stall…er…her living room, in 20 minutes!

Winston, you were worth the wait!

In the next installment of her blog, she writes of having developed a 30 minute workout regimen on the Equicizer after some good stretching. Deborah was kind enough to mention how the videos found on Equicizer.com were of great help to her as she learned to ride Winston. She also spoke of her fondness for the Equicizer Elastic Rein Attachments.

These little elastic wonders create that magical feeling, when reins are gathered up, with contact, a correct seat, following hands, stacked core, lower back strong yet supple….of an honest to goodness... REAL half halt!

By the time we reach mid-April, Deborah had posted about what an amazing impact eating mindfully and organically has had on her body. Warning: Don’t read this post if you are hungry! Likewise, she writes of noticing a substantial difference in her fitness since having the Equicizer to exercise on. Where regular exercise is a chore, riding Winston is a pleasure. She says,

In the month I’ve had the “horse in the house”…I can already tell a big difference. A difference in my attitude, my body and my joy, because although I AM exercising and eating right…I’m having fun doing it.

As April comes to a close, Deborah has us laughing alongside her as two little girls visit her home. She was able to divert their attention from the horse in the barn to the horse… in the house!! The Equicizer provided a safe and calm learning environment for the girls and for Deborah. 

Two adorable little girls took turns clambering like squirrels up onto Winston, held reins correctly, walked and trotted with perfect transitions and no rein snatching. What a joy!

Next we hear about Deborah’s progress with her mare, Belle, who had needed some time off. Fortunately, Deborah has a great trainer whom she trusts to both challenge her and gently guide her through her return to competition with Belle. One of her greatest hurdles, stemming from an accident years ago, is anxiety and this is not at all an uncommon issue for many equestrians. Again, this is where the Equicizer can provide a safe and calm environment to build confidence. It works for the beginners who were visiting the house and it works for Deborah who is a Level 3 Western Dressage competitor!

Winston is helping me rehab my body back into rider fitness, and I’m enjoying myself!

For today, our parting gift is this fun video Deborah made. You can really tell how fond she is of her "horse in the house"!

Check back with us next week for Part Two of this special three part series!

By Amanda Elia

www.equicizer.com

Equicizer Model Comparison

If you've been reading our blog, there's a good chance you're at least slightly familiar with who we are and what we do. You've probably checked out our main product - the Equicizer - in our online store and you might even be aware that we make two Equicizer models, the Equicizer Classic and the Equicizer Elite. By far one of the most common questions that we get asked in inquiries from prospective customers is what the difference is between our Classic and Elite models. 

Do they function the same? 

Are they the same size? 

Why are they priced differently? 

These are all great questions and those of you who own an Equicizer or follow our blog and social media may be familiar with the differences between the two models but I'd go so far as to guess that some of our customers and many of our supporters are not completely acquainted with all of the nuanced differences between the two models. Today we're going to cover the things that make both of our models uniquely different.

First, some similarities: 

• Both of our Equicizer models are entirely hand crafted by Frankie Lovato. The quality and durability of the materials used are identical and the building processes for both are very similar (keeping in mind the additional customization that comes with the Elite). 
• Every Equicizer can support up to 500lbs.
• All Equicizers come with the option of Short, Medium or Long mane.
• Customers also get their style rein of choice - English, Western, Therapy or Racing.
• Each Equicizer comes with our Indoor MedCasters or the All Terrain Wheels, which are better suited for outdoor use.
• We offer a $450 flat rate shipping fee to anywhere in the continental USA no matter which model you purchase.

Now the differences:

Body Color:

The Classic is available in only Black or Brown/Bay. The Elite comes in Black, Brown/Bay, Brown/Sorrel, Buckskin, Gray or Palomino. 

Mane & Tail

We offer a black mane and tail for our Classic model. The Elite mane and tails compliment the body color that the customer chooses but are customizable to allow for a wide range of variety. You can see the variation in color available shown on our color chart below.

Facial Markings:

Both our Classic and Elite model heads are made from a select grade pine grown in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Elite model offers a head that is fully hand carved by Equicizer creator Frankie Lovato, which includes the eyes and nostrils. Once the carving is complete, the painting and finishing process begins. Customers have the option to request custom facial markings on their Elite Equicizer and many send photos of their beloved (or ideal!) horse to base them off of. Again, Frankie Lovato himself airbrushes the custom facial markings on each Elite and applies the finishing accents and clear coat to each Equicizer revealing a beautiful wood grain finish. Custom facial markings are not offered on the Classic model but each head is still hand carved by Frankie and given a smooth, sleek finish.

Nameplate

A personalized nameplate is another perk that comes with our Elite Equicizer model. Customers often enjoy naming their Equicizer after their favorite horse, real or imaginary, and many schools/programs who purchase their Equicizer with the help of a grant or donor, will include the sponsor's name on the plate in a continuous display of gratitude. The Classic model does come with a nameplate but it is not personalized. Customers who buy the Classic do have the option of purchasing a personalized nameplate in our online store.

Side Rails

Our Classic models come with solid black, metal side rails versus the sturdy wooden running boards made of solid oak that accompany each Elite model.

Warranty

Finally, both of our Equicizer models come with a warranty, which is extended considerably on the Elite model. This warranty applies to both springs and neck bands, the only parts that may need replacing. The average lifespan of these parts is around 5-10 years for the bands and 10-20 years for the springs and while we have many Equicizers that are 20+ years old and have never needed any replacement parts, a band or spring does occasionally go sooner than expected (for one reason or another) and we do all that we can to make sure you're covered if this happens. 

Our Classic model includes a 3 year warranty on springs and neck bands for personal use, 18 months for schools, programs etc. where being used by multiple riders. 

Our Elite model includes a 10 year extended warranty on springs and neck bands for personal use, 5 years for schools, programs etc. where being used by multiple riders.

~~~~~~~~~

Both of our Equicizer models are made with great care. Aside from the added perks outlined above, the Elite model does take a great deal longer to build because of the extra attention to the finer details that are required, and this necessitates the price difference between the two. A lot of our customers love the extra involvement in the building process that the Elite allows for and the more elegant look of the finished product. The Classic, however, is a great option in it's own right - functioning the same as the Elite - and offering a sporty look for those that do not need the more refined look of the Elite model. We would be happy to personally answer any additional questions not covered here. Please send us an email at info@equicizer.com or give us a call, 419-663-1472.

Look out for the answers to some common questions about the Equicizer, including our building and shipping process, in an upcoming Wooden Horse Wednesday!

by Kayla Jarvinen

www.equicizer.com