Tania's first encounter with EPM and equinety turns the severe Lameness Around
Tania Gibson was lost when she had her first encounter with EPM which caused severe lameness in her prized reining horse but after she found Equinety everything turned around like never before. With a great success story in hand she began using Equinety with all of her clients and saw amazing results across the board.
John Dowdy:
Hello and welcome to another Equinety podcast. We are going to the land down under and talking with our guest this week, Tania Gibson who is- splits her time between Tennessee, her home here in the States and back home in Australia. So without further ado, Tania, welcome to the show.
Tania Gibson:
Hi thank you very much. I'm excited to talk to you about how my journey has been with your product Equinety for sure.
Tania's History as a Trainer
John Dowdy:
Well that's great and were excited to have you and I know we're gonna get a little bit into your background but this podcast is going to be based around something a lot of people have questions about which is EPM and you have one of your good horses that has kind of battled that through the years. And also in your sport of reining there's a lot of lameness issues and all kinds of things there to keep those horses healthy because it's a pretty demanding sport. But before we get into that, why don't you just spend a little bit of time and tell us a little bit about your background, how you got started in the horse industry and where you are now.
Tania Gibson:
Okay, too easy. I'll make it as short and sweet as I can. I grew up in central Queensland in Australia which is in the cattle country. My dad was on cattle stations, and then we got into the coal mining industry. Always had horses, my dad always [inaudible 00:01:22] stuff like that, mainly we did cow work more than anything.
Tania Gibson:
Campdrafting is a big sport back home so I grew up in that field. When I left school at 15 I went on a cattle property so. Hence I campdrafted for ages. Had my kids, got married, kept in the campdraft world, done a bit of bower racing, that sort of thing, and then eventually we too got into the coal mining industry, bought a property and I did actually start to see reining probably in the early or mid 90's rather. And then by the late 90's/early 2000's I looked a little bit more at the AQHA reining, we didn't have a lot of reining in our area.
Tania Gibson:
So I stepped out of the campdraft world into the western performance world I guess you could say. And from there I moved up into reining, traveled 11 hours four times a year to go to major shows. And from there ended up training probably 2007. Moved to the States in 2013 to further my education in the reining being that over here is way way bigger than over home and then from Westboro moved to Tennessee where I met my husband of now and have been here ever since pretty much.
Tania Gibson:
And yeah I split my time up between going home and I still have coaching and training things back home. Probably more so over home than here. Just a little hard to get into when you're not really anybody. It's a big industry over here but I'm learning heaps and that's the main thing.
John Dowdy:
Sure.
Tania Gibson:
That's sort of about me, yep.
John Dowdy:
So you put on a lot of clinics and travel back and forth back home to Australia.
Tania Gibson:
Yes.
John Dowdy:
Right.
Tania Gibson:
Yep. When I go home for four weeks it's pretty much my feet hit the ground from that plane and I start work until I leave, yeah.
John Dowdy:
[crosstalk 00:03:13] And for those who have never flown to Australia from the middle of America, Tennessee how long of a journey is that?
Tania Gibson:
Usually you know by the time you get in the car, get to where you’re going to start and then get back to Australia and get in a car and go home from there, probably anywhere between 20-23 hours I guess. By the time you go from shower to shower.
John Dowdy:
[Laughing] [crosstalk 00:03:37] Make sure your stamina is up to par before you take that little journey huh.
Tania Gibson:
Exactly, yes. And like I said, getting over there is okay it's usually the longer I stay over there the more it kicks my butt when I come back here.
John Dowdy:
[laughing]
Tania Gibson:
For some reason. I don't know what it is but yeah.
John Dowdy:
Right. Well and speaking of that you just got back here about a week or so ago.
Tania Gibson:
Yep. About last Wednesday night, yep.
John Dowdy:
All right, well
Tania Gibson:
6 weeks back home and was great.
John Dowdy:
Good well you sound pretty refreshed right now on this recording
Tania Gibson:
Yeah
John Dowdy:
[laughing]
The Battle With EPM
John Dowdy:
So, uh, okay so now you're big into the Reining world, do a lot of coaching and clinics and so lets jump right into the, this one in particular horse. That was dealing, you had been dealing with EPM, which is a big issue. Tell us a little bit about EPM and how that affects a horse?
Tania Gibson:
Well for me, when I first found she had it I didn't even know what it was. I had no idea at all, I mean at first I was, you know, my farrier actually picked up on it and I said I don't even know what you're talking about. And he's like oh it's Possums disease, I said I still don't even know what you're talking about? So, but what it does or what it did to my mare is it, the neurological, I can't even say the word very well.
John Dowdy:
That's pretty good, though you did good.
Tania Gibson:
[laughing] I did say it very very terribly.
John Dowdy:
You just say it super fast and keep right on going and people are like
Tania Gibson:
Exactly like all the times I could get away with
John Dowdy:
[laughing]
Tania Gibson:
So its kind of hit all of that but I'm not going to try and say it again now, her right hand side and I had really no idea because I've always had a few issues with her to the right. Whether it being, you know, she would just get a little, she would drop her hip to the left a lot, erm sorry to the right.
Tania Gibson:
And I had to get chiropractic work done to her, especially when I was stopping a lot and stuff like that. So when she first started showing signs of being, I'm going to say bitchy, to the right and lifting her head up wouldn't staying correction wouldn't slow down without having a hissy fit, I had no idea so I got too cranky with her.
Tania Gibson:
And I ride along her and try and fix things and then when I really noticed it worst was I was doing [inaudible 00:05:50] really good forte, and she almost flipped over on me. She sorta when into the stop and then just about flip over backwards on me.
Tania Gibson:
She just lost her balance. And I was like "Man somethings not right", then the weight loss.
Tania Gibson:
Like she was deteriorating away to nothing, and she was on phenomenal amount of feed and then I upped her feed more, and at the time then I did not know anything about Equinety, wasn't using it was on different oils, which was something I don't try a lot of supplements that being that I was in the reining community and a lot of people used this particular oil, so I was using it and nothing was working and I went over to [inaudible 00:06:30] and you know he did these few real tests and he said hang on I think she has this EPM. And then when he explained it to me I said "Oh hell yeah" she's done all of that.
Tania Gibson:
[crosstalk 00:06:40] We did a video on her, and did her video tour to a vet in Houston who deals a lot with that. And he come back and said absolutely, he said without me even coming to a visit which he goes up to Bob and Marne's place quite a bit, three times a year I believe.
John Dowdy:
Sure
Tania Gibson:
He said definitely, you know we need to get this sorted and so she went on a month program of, whatever I can't even think of the name make that they, that they had [inaudible 00:07:10] but its ml though the tongue for like 28-31 days. And she is on that once a year, every year that she's had EPM, just to make sure that you know, she doesn't, actually as a precaution now.
John Dowdy:
Sure
Tania Gibson:
But it was not long after that, when my farrier suggested he was using Equinety, so he suggested try this, and honestly I haven't looked back. She hasn't looked back.
Tania Gibson:
I mean she looked good though, but I was still having the chiropractor
John Dowdy:
So from the time that things were going wrong and then she was diagnosed with EPM, it was 2 or 3 months in that time frame. [crosstalk 00:07:56] and then you learned about the Equinety?
Tania Gibson:
For sure
How Things Changed with Equinety
John Dowdy:
Okay and then, so tell us so you started giving her Equinety, which you mentioned you're not a huge supplement fan. But you took this as a recommendation from your Farrier, so
Tania Gibson:
Exactly
John Dowdy:
Okay so how's, how is your horse doing now? That's full blown EPM.
Tania Gibson:
Yes absolutely I have not had an issue with her, with EPM full stop. That's not at all. And its been like I said, I feel its probably 2 years so she's been on Equinety probably 18, 19, 20 months something like that. A good year and a half anyway, but no signs of like I said even before the EPM we had you know a few minor issues. A little bit in her breeding and stuff, with having to go to chiropractor and stuff like that. I've not had to do that, but maybe once and that was just as a precaution to see whether she needed anything done and actually she didn't it was just basically a waste of money, but anyway.
John Dowdy:
[laugh]
Tania Gibson:
She probably enjoyed the massage, that was about it.
Tania Gibson:
But now you know when I first started her on the Equinety even though you know, she had put all her, she put a reasonable amount of weight back on. She was back in full work, and she looked to me, I thought she looks good after having all that trouble with EPM. That in within the 15 to 20 days of having her on the Equinety I, like I said I didn't think I would see much of a difference but there was a huge difference. Like from, I'd have to say from the inside out more than anything really because one she was not at all needed any extra work with her coat, I mean that really come out in her coat for sure. But even her mind set she used to not be able to hold stamina very well especially in the heat up here Tennessee. But that's gone on leaps and bounds and she's not [inaudible 00:09:55] in the sun ever anymore.
Tania Gibson:
I just think its been, its like yeah its like a wonder powder. I don't know
John Dowdy:
[laughing] Well, a wonder powder. Well I tell people its not a miracle supplement but it sure does miraculous things.
Tania Gibson:
Absolutely
How Equinety Works
John Dowdy:
I think its important too, people when they first phone about the Equinety and they start doing their initial research and they start reading these reviews. It sounds like Oh My Gosh this stuff is amazing, but then the more you read about it your like, okay well now this sounds too good to be true there's no way that it can do all this stuff. And you know we're blessed, there's no doubt about that but one of the reasons why this product works in so many ways is because ultimately what its doing is, its simulates the Pituitary Gland to release the necessary hormones and then the body makes the determinations of where to send those hormones for the healing. So its customizing to the horse and whether it be with an EPM horse, whether it be a horse that needs stronger and healthy hooves or top line.
Back to Tania and Using Equinety Across Other Horses
John Dowdy:
We get into the next topic here which is in the sport of reining, which is really hard on these horses, so it helps really well with weakness issues in recovery stand point, so tell us a little bit about what you experience priory to using Equinety in the sport of reining and then what kind of difference you seen just by adding the Equinety?
Tania Gibson:
Well like I said before, before EPM she had been a few different trainers places only due the fact that I didn't have anywhere to have her. So I had no choice and that being that I lived a couple of hours away and one trainer that had her was 6 hours away, so I really couldn't get up there to see how she was going. They had told me that you know she was getting really sulky in the farm [inaudible 00:11:54] and she needed to have x-rays and basically was told in her three year old year that she was had it.
Tania Gibson:
Like she was like you know you might get 2 and a half grand for her, for me. I was like man this horses has cost me 40,000 dollars.
John Dowdy:
[laughing]
Tania Gibson:
So that was a real kick in the gut, so I went and picked her up I rode her up that particular place and I was so disappointed. I could not believe like yeah you was saddle up care in a circle, she was terrible you know.
Tania Gibson:
And so I had her x rayed and took her to another training facility closer to me , where I could stay and go ride her myself and anyway she had some really bad hoof angles from bad farriering and we think that's what contributed to the soreness in the front legs for sure, but that sort of stayed with her a little bit, you know right up until after the EPM and then you know having had her on the Equinety and that silkiness has never come back. So I'm going to say that I believe has helped with that entire problem that she had. Judy though, the hard [inaudible 00:13:05] remaining horses and she was always like I said drop that right hip from stopping hard, she's a really hard stopper and for me to be able to do all that now and she not need extra vet bills or extra chiropractic bills and all I've got her on is the Equinety.
Tania Gibson:
I mean what I've basically have her on is, she's paddocked she's not in a stable any longer, hasn't been for, since I've had her on Equinety actually , so she's in a paddock she has a round barrel.
Tania Gibson:
And you know obviously now that summer is coming in [inaudible 00:13:40] but its Bermuda but I mean nothing hugely that would keep her from completely in great condition. She gets strategy and a scoop of Alfalfa Tennessee Carrots twice a day, that's it and she looks amazing, and all through winter her coat she hardly even, I mean she did get a little bit hairy but mainly just her head where the rug wasn't, or blanket [crosstalk 00:14:07] but she was outside in the freezing cold enjoying the time and her [inaudible 00:14:14] I can't talk highly enough about it, especially in the Reining world I've got clients back home now that've just started the Equinety, I think some of them are going on to their second and third month in it and they are absolutely loving it.
Tania Gibson:
I had one young lady that her horse had actually been out all of last year with a bad stake that she got in her front, no no was the back sorry just below the hock and she was out for 8 months so we started her on Equinety in January and she was back in work by the end of January , believe it or not mid-February she staked her chest just before I went over to Australia she put her [inaudible 00:14:56] was 6 inches long about 2 inches wide, she cut a big stake rock through her chest.
John Dowdy:
Ooh
Tania Gibson:
We kept her on Equinety, the vet removed it and he you know gave her a heap of stuff and Marne was like I’ll give her what he said but I said make sure you, if anything I said double the Equinety. I said just give her 2 scoops of that a day you know. And we did that and she was riding her in 6 days. And we showed her
John Dowdy:
WOW
Tania Gibson:
We showed her in reining pen end of March early April was when we had our big show, so I mean for us we feel that, that really helped with her [inaudible 00:15:35] in that healing of you know that [inaudible 00:15:39] and stuff like that
John Dowdy:
Yes
Tania Gibson:
Another client just sent me photos the other day she had a yearling that she cannot put out in the paddock because every time she does it goes through a fence. I don't know what its problem is but she has a few
John Dowdy:
[laugh]
Tania Gibson:
Every time she puts her outside and she felt that this is the perfect time ill try this Equinety that Tania gave me and, anyway so this little mare has been on just grass hay and enough of a mixed feed just to be able to give it the Equinety and man what hell of a difference.
Tania Gibson:
And this is just a yearling, you know and she's healed up all her ailments are good at the moment.
John Dowdy:
Yeah
Tania Gibson:
But yeah and just heaps of I've probably got nearly 20 clients over home that are using it, so they are really excited I've had reorders just come in this week, from ladies that have just been using it for a month and have reordered the big tub now.
John Dowdy:
That's great
Tania Gibson:
I'm excited like
John Dowdy:
It is exciting and you know again I tell people it's not a miracle supplement but it sure does some miraculous things and that's of course always encouraged when you have an issue going on with your horse, to please make sure that you, well you did what you did you went through your vet
Tania Gibson:
Exactly
John Dowdy:
Do the proper things there but adding the Equinety, one of the other great things about it there's no negative side effects with any medications or other supplements or feeds or anything its 100% pure amino acids the building blocks are protein and so this is, yeah this is really really great and I know there is a lot of people that's going to benefit from listening to this podcast for the EPM story. That's pretty amazing we hear these stories all the time, I'm so happy to be able to get this one up and published
Tania Gibson:
Yeah I mean cause like I said this mare like you know they said to me that she would be out for at least 8 to 12 months of the reining pen after EPM, you know, In all seriousness [inaudible 00:17:42] and I had her back in the reining pen when she was on and shed only been back on the Equinety probably, shed only just started the Equinety maybe 6 to 8 weeks and I had her back in the reining pen without an ailment.
John Dowdy:
Within 2 months?
Tania Gibson:
Yep after starting the Equiniti
John Dowdy:
And it was supposed to be 12 months?
Tania Gibson:
Yep
John Dowdy:
[laughing] I don't know
Tania Gibson:
I was very fortunate, she had needed different severities under EPM. I mean like I said she was wobbly when I rode her it wasn't as visible when you looked at her walk in the paddock, I mean it was a little bit but some horses are [inaudible 00:18:22] I think I was very fortunate that my farrier picked up on it as early as what he did.
John Dowdy:
Sure
Tania Gibson:
But he like I said she had wasted away like her muscling, it was, I should of took photos I never ever thought. I was too embarrassed because I'm thinking my god people gonna think I'm not feeding my horse, you know
John Dowdy:
Right
Tania Gibson:
And at the place where I had her, the lady was like because I have a shay cloth rag on, which is like a mesh rug, what you would call a mesh rug?
John Dowdy:
Yes
Tania Gibson:
And yeah we knew that she [inaudible 00:18:48] stuff here and she was telling me that, she said it was my fault that my horse is losing weight because I had this mesh rug on, and I said "no" I said I live in 110-120 degree weather in Australia. I have these rugs on, mainly therefore to stop the sun bleaching and stuff like that, and the flies and that. I said no way this has causing her to waste away like she is, its impossible.
John Dowdy:
[laugh] Right
Tania Gibson:
And all this time it was just the EPM, but yeah [inaudible 00:19:19] she was back in, I took her to her first, her first major derby and that would of been in the May in at the end of May in Ohio, so we had the EPM in January like full blown where yeah, and we started the Equinety might of been December, but I know it wasn't much longer, I was 6 to 7 months back in the pen earlier than what was the said I would be.
John Dowdy:
WOW, That's astounding
Tania Gibson:
So I was, yeah exactly and that's, I mean that's one of the reasons I asked you about taking it to Australia. I wouldn't be trying to push it if the stuff didn't work or do
John Dowdy:
Sure [crosstalk 00:20:04]
Tania Gibson:
I love it
John Dowdy:
[crosstalk 00:20:05] What's the demeanor of the horse now? How are the eyes I would assume happy.
Tania Gibson:
Oh yes absolutely like, she's your typical blue eyed. She's gonna special night so she thinks she's kind of special[crosstalk 00:20:25] [inaudible 00:20:25] so she's got a bit of sass there, and she's like any other typical mare. I call her sweet and sour sometimes, she's as sweet as ever and other times she's a crown bitch but.
John Dowdy:
[laughing]
Tania Gibson:
Her whole demeanor since I've had her on that she's a lot happier, and I also believe to what probably helped with that is not being stabled so much
John Dowdy:
Sure
Tania Gibson:
Its a shame, like over here you stable a lot. And I understand that you have weather and these horses are in you know 200,000 dollar horses that they don't want to put in a paddock that I always feel paddocked horses if you can are a lot happier as well so, all in general shes yeah, even when I go to a show shes a lot better, the handle and stuff she used to get a little, I guess stressed or anxious at shows. She’s been a lot better at most of my shows now that's I’ve taken her to last year and stuff like that and at the moment actually she’s just got AI'd so she should be about [inaudible 00:21:31] so, shell be on Equinety through that as well
John Dowdy:
Right which [crosstalk 00:21:38] no we get that question a lot too is it safe for a pregnant mare? It absolutely is, so its a great all round product.
Tania Gibson:
Absolutely
John Dowdy:
Well Tania I can't thank you enough for coming onto the show and sharing the story I know a lot of people going to get great benefit from it, so thank you so much.
Tania Gibson:
Oh no its’ been great. Thank you, very good
John Dowdy:
Awesome well keep us updated with everything
Tania Gibson:
Will do, thank you so much
John Dowdy:
Okay thank you
