If you're a woman and you say you're going to "go natural" it most likely means you're going to let your hair return to its natural color. If you're on a beach in Spain it could mean you are going to leave your bikini behind and go for a truly all-over tan. If you're a horse owner, however, that is making the plan to "go natural" it means that you are going to attempt to give your horse a style of life as near as possible to that of its wild ancestors.
Granted, "natural" only goes so far. And, your horses will thank you for knowing where the lines are. While it sounds romantic and idyllic to think of your horse roaming free across the range, common sense should remind you that the death rate of wild horses is far higher than that of our domesticated horses. Horses in the wild have the constant threat of predators, injuries and illnesses with no caring owner to keep them safe, and when injury or illness does occur, to help nurse them back to health. Only a handful of foals born in the wild make it to adulthood yet foals born to domesticated mares have a very good chance of living to be a ripe old age. Old horses in the wild are targets for predators and illness, yet most people who own horses know the value of a tried and true teenager (or older) and give them the respect and extra care that they deserve. It is not uncommon for a well-loved horse to spend 40 years or more with a caring owner. Few wild horses become teenagers.
All that is true, but there is still much to be said for a natural lifestyle for horses. A horse that is trained using natural horsemanship methods. Horsemanship is the "relationSHIP between HORSE and MAN. It should not be a quest for dominance, it should not be a harsh breaking session that ends with a horse allowing a human to sit on him simply because he was dominated. There is a huge difference in 'breaking' a horse and 'training' it. A well-trained horse, trained using humane natural horsemanship methods will allow a human on his back because he feels that they are partners. Equals.
If you've spent a lifetime in horses, using methods taught to you by "old timers" to "break" your horses, it will likely take you some time to realize the difference. I would suggest that the first thing you should do before you attempt this natual lifestyle is to attend a seminar with Pat and Linda Parelli, Clinton Anderson, Monty Roberts, Linda Tellington-Jones or any of the other wonderful trainers that can open up your eyes (and your mind) to the differences in being a partner with your horse, and being simply an owner. These trainers can train you to understand body language, both yours and your horse. Learn how to use your own body language to give signals to your horse of what you expect from him. And learn your horse's body language to realize what he thinks, sees and feels. Once your eyes have been opened, you will literally ache to watch most people with their horses, knowing the mistakes they are making for which their horses will inevitably suffer.
I attended a Parelli weekend in Jacksonville, Florida last year, and I learned more about horses in those two days than I had learned in an entire lifetime (50 years and counting). A few months ago I went to a Clinton Anderson clinic in Georgia and learned still more. I personally am more attuned to Pat and Linda Parelli, but I believe that to be the best you can be, you can take away something from any natural horsemanship clinic or seminar that you can attend. Learn from the best, pick and choose that which will work best for you and your horse, and be amazed at the difference you'll quickly see in your horse's attitude.
It is sad to realize how much we humans are geared to act as a predator towards a horse. No matter how evolved the species is, horses will forever go through their life as a prey animal. Generations and ages of evolution for the horse created a species that is sensitive and highly attuned to every action, smell and sound around him. In ages past, only the horses that were wary and overly-sensitive managed to survive and breed. Their offspring carried these traits and soon it became simply ingrained in the DNA of the horse to be super-aware of everything that goes on around them.
Let's say you just bought a horse about which you know nothing other than perhaps its pedigree, color and name. You brought it to your home and turned it loose in a paddock. The next morning you go out to see it, and what is the first thing you do? You go through a gate or climb the fence and enter his space. Without asking permission. Would you do that to a new neighbor? No, you'd stand at their front door and ask for permission to enter their home. If the horse shows his disapproval at your action by running or walking away from you, what is your reaction? You likely will walk or run towards him. Probably holding out your hand with a tasty treat To a horse's eye however, you are stalking him, much as a cougar or wildcat stalked his ancestors. So, he runs faster. You try to corner him. He gets away. And you both end up angry and frustrated.
Next time, try the following. Walk quietly to the paddock and stand for a while outside the fence. If you have a treat for him, show him. If he comes straight over to the fence, give him the treat without asking him to share his space any further. If he shows interest in you, you can enter the paddock, quietly and slowly. If he walks away, find something to do. Pick up a water bucket, examine the nails in the boards, check the tautness of the fence. Anything except look at the horse. Soon, you'll likely feel hot breath as he walks up behind you. Again, don't enter his space without his permission. Once he gives it, then you two can begin getting to know each other.
Just as it would be rude to enter a neighbor's home and immedately start bossing her around and asking her to perform for you, it's rude to enter a horse's space, snap a lead on him and immediately start giving him instructions.
After you've given him some treats, rubbed his favorite spots (or searched for them, if this is a new horse) and made him comfortable with you being in his space, snap on a lead line and walk slowly away. If the horse doesn't follow, turn around and face him. Pull slowly on the lead, putting gentle pressure. As soon as he takes a step towards you, RELEASE the pressure immediately. If this is an untrained horse and this is likely a new experience for him, be lavish with your praise, and keep your admonishments for bad behavior to a minimum.
What you've just done is to take the first steps towards understanding what natural horsemanship is all about. Understanding a horse's feelings, and learning how to share your own with him in return. Learn to use your body language for both good and bad. Soon your horse will know when you are pleased or displeased by his actions without a harsh word having to be uttered. He will learn to watch for small signals that ask him for action, and you two will begin a long happy journey together, working as a team. True Horse-Man-RelationShip.
We have owned several rescue horses in the past that came to us because previous owners had abused them so badly that they were now believed to be beyond hope as riding horses. Most of them were victims of people who were too much cowboy and not enough man. Men (and women) who believed that you have to be dominant to be able to maintain respect from their horses. Owners who believed that to spare the rod would spoil the horse. In the end creating horses that had a severe mistrust of humans (who could blame them?) and who were considered lost causes. Most were headed to certain death or worse.
In almost all cases, as soon as we allowed the horse to just be a horse for a while, then started sharing his space only after he invited us in, and then after we'd gained his trust began slowly introducing training in a positive manner, we ended up with a horse that could be placed in a forever home with no problems.
Once you've begun the natural training process, you'll find yourself wanting to provide everything for your horse as naturally as possible. From his feed and diet supplements to his hoofcare. Since the dawn of their time, nature has provided everything a horse needed to survive. The least we can do is work with Mother Nature instead of against her!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Growing Herbs for Horses
Most people who enjoy sharing their life with horses also enjoy other outdoor activities, and for a great many of us, that includes gardening. I have always loved gardening with herbs and heirloom flowers, and enjoyed finding ways to incorporate the herbs in beneficial ways with the purebred dogs that I bred and exhibited. Now, I am having to relearn everything as my focus has narrowed on our horses.
When we moved from our old homestead, I left behind my herb garden. In the "new place" (how many years does it take before the 'new' wears off? We're in the 7th year now and I'm still not really settled in...of course, there were three generations of roots at the old place) I haven't been able to get anything really established, although I do have little "mini gardens" here and there with groupings of the herbs that I use the most. I have lots of friends who herb garden that luckily are generous with their clippings, and there's always my friends at www.herbalcom.com to fill in the gaps with affordable bulk priced herbs.
When you're choosing plants to grow in your garden, you'll need to do as much research as possible before you head for the nursery. There will sometimes be several species of the same plant available (if you're lucky and have a well stocked herb nursery nearby, certainly the array of possiblities online is staggering). The last year I had my old herb garden I had almost 20 different varities of mints in a special "mint garden" made up of different heights of concrete pipe standing on end on top of concrete blocks (mint likes to travel, and it likes to marry outside its race, so its roots must be kept contained and above ground as much as possible). Sometimes one variety of an herb may be more potent than others. Know your species!
Most herbs like sunny beds, so be sure to choose a spot for your herb garden that doesn't get more than a couple of hours a day of shade. When the plants are newly set out, they'll need lots of water and some tend to be very tender so may need temporary "roofs" made out of tented newspaper. (After they get stronger, simply tear up the newspaper and poke it beneath the mulch, it's a great source of vitamins for the soil.) If you set out plants before the last threat of frost is gone, cut the bottom out of milk jugs and large soda bottles and place the bottle over the plants. Remove the lids during the day and replace them at night. You can also make slow waterers out of small plastic soda bottles. Take a nail and punch small holes in the bottom of the bottle. Bury the bottle up to its neck near the roots of the plant. Remove the lid (they can be recycled) and fill with water. The water will soak out slowly to the roots and you can easily refill the bottle when it's empty. This is a great water saver as well, since y ou're not watering a lot of unnecessary area. This works for the garden, potted plants and hanging baskets using bottles of any shape or size.
If you're growing your own herbs, you have to absorb a lot more information than someone does who just opens a jar and measures. Different herbs must be harvested in different ways, including what part of the plant is beneficial and what is not. With some herbs you use just the seeds, flowers, roots, leaves or stems, and in some cases the whole plant. Some are most beneficial when fresh, some need to be dried. You'll also need to learn the best time to harvest each part. Some leaves should be picked early in the morning on sunny warm days, most roots can be dug almost anytime and stems should be picked according to how potent you want them to be. Before you begin harvesting, it takes a while to prepare a place for the drying or bottling and gathering the supplies that will be necessary.
During the year, I rinse out every small plastic or glass bottle and jar that I empty, run it through the dishwasher and store it in a box I keep under my sink. When it's time to harvest my herbs, I have a supply of interesting sizes and shapes of containers without having to purchase any. Recycling at its best! I ask friends to save me their baby food jars, fruit and veggy jars, wine bottles, even interesting shaped drink bottles. Everything has its use eventually.
I use a lot of herb vinegars for both human and horse consumption, so I try to keep a lot of wine bottles on hand. If I die in an accident and someone comes in to clean my home (may the Lord have mercy on their soul) they're going to be certain I was a closet wino, for I have box after box of wine bottles. I hope they notice that the labels have been removed (unless they were interesting or humorous) and they're washed and ready to be reused. I also am always on the lookout for good quality apple cider vinegar on sale, and when I find it I stock up. I'm sure an "outsider" might wonder why anyone would need 10 gallons of vinegar. Must be making a looooot of pickles! Remember when you're dealing with vinegar, that "icky" stuff that floats in it is a VERY good thing, and the more it has the better its healing qualities. That "ick" is called the "mother" and if you are lucky enough to have found vinegar that is growing it, you can take out small quantities of it and add it to wine, cider or cheaper vinegars to produce good quality vinegars.
One good standby vinegar for a tonic for daily feeding that will help build up a horse's immune system as well as aid digestion and increase strength in hooves contains apple cider vinegar, rosehips, garlic and fenugreek. Mix together well and store in a cool dry place. Feed a little more than a tablespoon for an average sized horse. If you have a horse that has kidney or bladder issues, try adding a bit of apple cider vinegar to his drinking water. Most horses love the taste, so they drink more which helps flush the system, and the acid in the vinegar helps heal the damage.
There are lots of different ways to "prepare" herbs for use - infusions, decoctions, tinctures, teas, fresh herbs, wilted herbs, dried herbs, poultices and compresses, salves and ointments, essential oils, and flower essences. There's no 'right way' or 'wrong way' there's only what works best for you. Do your research and ask a lot of questions, then do what fits your lifestyle, your horse's individual needs and in some cases, your pocketbook.
The most important thing to remember, whether you purchase your herbs or grow them, is to work with a veterinarian when diagnosing and treating your horses. Be sure you always tell your vet that you are treating with herbs, so he does not prescribe something that could have an adverse reaction. Some herb and drug combinations can have fatal results.
I firmly believe we are killing our planet with our careless use of pesticides, fungicides, fertilizers and other chemicals. Try to keep your herb garden as organic as possible. Certainly if you're a horse-owner you won't need to purchase any fertilizer!
Grow in good health!
When we moved from our old homestead, I left behind my herb garden. In the "new place" (how many years does it take before the 'new' wears off? We're in the 7th year now and I'm still not really settled in...of course, there were three generations of roots at the old place) I haven't been able to get anything really established, although I do have little "mini gardens" here and there with groupings of the herbs that I use the most. I have lots of friends who herb garden that luckily are generous with their clippings, and there's always my friends at www.herbalcom.com to fill in the gaps with affordable bulk priced herbs.
When you're choosing plants to grow in your garden, you'll need to do as much research as possible before you head for the nursery. There will sometimes be several species of the same plant available (if you're lucky and have a well stocked herb nursery nearby, certainly the array of possiblities online is staggering). The last year I had my old herb garden I had almost 20 different varities of mints in a special "mint garden" made up of different heights of concrete pipe standing on end on top of concrete blocks (mint likes to travel, and it likes to marry outside its race, so its roots must be kept contained and above ground as much as possible). Sometimes one variety of an herb may be more potent than others. Know your species!
Most herbs like sunny beds, so be sure to choose a spot for your herb garden that doesn't get more than a couple of hours a day of shade. When the plants are newly set out, they'll need lots of water and some tend to be very tender so may need temporary "roofs" made out of tented newspaper. (After they get stronger, simply tear up the newspaper and poke it beneath the mulch, it's a great source of vitamins for the soil.) If you set out plants before the last threat of frost is gone, cut the bottom out of milk jugs and large soda bottles and place the bottle over the plants. Remove the lids during the day and replace them at night. You can also make slow waterers out of small plastic soda bottles. Take a nail and punch small holes in the bottom of the bottle. Bury the bottle up to its neck near the roots of the plant. Remove the lid (they can be recycled) and fill with water. The water will soak out slowly to the roots and you can easily refill the bottle when it's empty. This is a great water saver as well, since y ou're not watering a lot of unnecessary area. This works for the garden, potted plants and hanging baskets using bottles of any shape or size.
If you're growing your own herbs, you have to absorb a lot more information than someone does who just opens a jar and measures. Different herbs must be harvested in different ways, including what part of the plant is beneficial and what is not. With some herbs you use just the seeds, flowers, roots, leaves or stems, and in some cases the whole plant. Some are most beneficial when fresh, some need to be dried. You'll also need to learn the best time to harvest each part. Some leaves should be picked early in the morning on sunny warm days, most roots can be dug almost anytime and stems should be picked according to how potent you want them to be. Before you begin harvesting, it takes a while to prepare a place for the drying or bottling and gathering the supplies that will be necessary.
During the year, I rinse out every small plastic or glass bottle and jar that I empty, run it through the dishwasher and store it in a box I keep under my sink. When it's time to harvest my herbs, I have a supply of interesting sizes and shapes of containers without having to purchase any. Recycling at its best! I ask friends to save me their baby food jars, fruit and veggy jars, wine bottles, even interesting shaped drink bottles. Everything has its use eventually.
I use a lot of herb vinegars for both human and horse consumption, so I try to keep a lot of wine bottles on hand. If I die in an accident and someone comes in to clean my home (may the Lord have mercy on their soul) they're going to be certain I was a closet wino, for I have box after box of wine bottles. I hope they notice that the labels have been removed (unless they were interesting or humorous) and they're washed and ready to be reused. I also am always on the lookout for good quality apple cider vinegar on sale, and when I find it I stock up. I'm sure an "outsider" might wonder why anyone would need 10 gallons of vinegar. Must be making a looooot of pickles! Remember when you're dealing with vinegar, that "icky" stuff that floats in it is a VERY good thing, and the more it has the better its healing qualities. That "ick" is called the "mother" and if you are lucky enough to have found vinegar that is growing it, you can take out small quantities of it and add it to wine, cider or cheaper vinegars to produce good quality vinegars.
One good standby vinegar for a tonic for daily feeding that will help build up a horse's immune system as well as aid digestion and increase strength in hooves contains apple cider vinegar, rosehips, garlic and fenugreek. Mix together well and store in a cool dry place. Feed a little more than a tablespoon for an average sized horse. If you have a horse that has kidney or bladder issues, try adding a bit of apple cider vinegar to his drinking water. Most horses love the taste, so they drink more which helps flush the system, and the acid in the vinegar helps heal the damage.
There are lots of different ways to "prepare" herbs for use - infusions, decoctions, tinctures, teas, fresh herbs, wilted herbs, dried herbs, poultices and compresses, salves and ointments, essential oils, and flower essences. There's no 'right way' or 'wrong way' there's only what works best for you. Do your research and ask a lot of questions, then do what fits your lifestyle, your horse's individual needs and in some cases, your pocketbook.
The most important thing to remember, whether you purchase your herbs or grow them, is to work with a veterinarian when diagnosing and treating your horses. Be sure you always tell your vet that you are treating with herbs, so he does not prescribe something that could have an adverse reaction. Some herb and drug combinations can have fatal results.
I firmly believe we are killing our planet with our careless use of pesticides, fungicides, fertilizers and other chemicals. Try to keep your herb garden as organic as possible. Certainly if you're a horse-owner you won't need to purchase any fertilizer!
Grow in good health!
Friday, September 12, 2008
Dr. Nature I Presume?
One of the things of which I am most proud in my life is that I have been able to help make a difference to some very deserving animals that were destined for death or worse.
When a newcomer arrives that is distrustful of humans and other animals and is unable to believe his good fortune in waking up into a world with plenty to eat and little to fear, the first thing we do is not to smother him with kindness or stuff him with tasty tidbits, but simply put him in a natural landscape and allow him to assimilate all the new knowledge of his surroundings.
With little fanfare, he is given plenty of grass, a few flakes of hay and a full barrel of clean water. We allow him to stay there a day or two, either alone or with a well-socialized horse, before attempting any kind of physical contact that he doesn't ask for. (If a horse is yearning for attention, they let you know without any doubt, and of course we are all ready to step in and offer as much as they can handle!)
Nature can heal wounds that many of us may not even know exist. I know when my soul is damaged or my heart is aching, a walk in the woods can bring a peace when nothing else can. Listening to bird song is greater therapy than any professional can give, and the feel of the breeze across your face is far more relaxing than any masseuse's fingers. Hearing the leaves crunch beneath your feet is therapeutic as well, as is sitting in a patch of wildflowers feeling the sun on your face. Whatever life doles out, nature can counter if you give her a chance.
We have seen horses heal from wounds that should have killed them, and recover from abuse that we had thought had surely damaged their psyche for life. While we are proud of our part in the healing, we can actully take almost no credit for ourselves. We simply exposed them to a natural lifestyle and let them heal themselves. We were there to offer support and daily maintenance, but nature provided the rest. We are constantly seeking new information and learning old ways to provide the things that have been removed from a "modern horse's" life. We urge everyone we meet to "try natural first" from training to diet to daily maintenance.
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away" indeed, but a few teaspoons of this, a tablespoon of that and a little pinch of those helps make everything better still. :)
Right now, we're trying to get everyone fat and happy before winter sets in. With hay at an all-time low around the southeast, our horses may have to rely on bagged grains and pellets to get through at least the last part of winter. For now, we're building and fixing fences on our home property and moving everyone we can up to feast on the bermuda grass and fescue along with a plethora of wild herbs and other beneficial flora. We expect to see some bemused and grateful faces as they realize what bounty is being set before them.
We give thanks too...for being given this chance to "make a difference."
When a newcomer arrives that is distrustful of humans and other animals and is unable to believe his good fortune in waking up into a world with plenty to eat and little to fear, the first thing we do is not to smother him with kindness or stuff him with tasty tidbits, but simply put him in a natural landscape and allow him to assimilate all the new knowledge of his surroundings.
With little fanfare, he is given plenty of grass, a few flakes of hay and a full barrel of clean water. We allow him to stay there a day or two, either alone or with a well-socialized horse, before attempting any kind of physical contact that he doesn't ask for. (If a horse is yearning for attention, they let you know without any doubt, and of course we are all ready to step in and offer as much as they can handle!)
Nature can heal wounds that many of us may not even know exist. I know when my soul is damaged or my heart is aching, a walk in the woods can bring a peace when nothing else can. Listening to bird song is greater therapy than any professional can give, and the feel of the breeze across your face is far more relaxing than any masseuse's fingers. Hearing the leaves crunch beneath your feet is therapeutic as well, as is sitting in a patch of wildflowers feeling the sun on your face. Whatever life doles out, nature can counter if you give her a chance.
We have seen horses heal from wounds that should have killed them, and recover from abuse that we had thought had surely damaged their psyche for life. While we are proud of our part in the healing, we can actully take almost no credit for ourselves. We simply exposed them to a natural lifestyle and let them heal themselves. We were there to offer support and daily maintenance, but nature provided the rest. We are constantly seeking new information and learning old ways to provide the things that have been removed from a "modern horse's" life. We urge everyone we meet to "try natural first" from training to diet to daily maintenance.
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away" indeed, but a few teaspoons of this, a tablespoon of that and a little pinch of those helps make everything better still. :)
Right now, we're trying to get everyone fat and happy before winter sets in. With hay at an all-time low around the southeast, our horses may have to rely on bagged grains and pellets to get through at least the last part of winter. For now, we're building and fixing fences on our home property and moving everyone we can up to feast on the bermuda grass and fescue along with a plethora of wild herbs and other beneficial flora. We expect to see some bemused and grateful faces as they realize what bounty is being set before them.
We give thanks too...for being given this chance to "make a difference."
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Remember to Forget
The biggest part of being a good horse owner is simply realizing what your horses really need. The small things that mean the least to you are likely the things that mean the most to them.
Remember that they don't really care how fancy and expensive the saddle is that sits on their back, and they don't care if their saddle blanket is new, so long as their old one was comfortable. They couldn't care less if their halter matches their blanket, or if their tack is all oiled and shiny. They aren't going to be embarrassed to drive up at a ride or a show in a trailer with a little rust showing. They don't care if you wear designer jeans, or where you bought your boots. They probably wouldn't notice the difference if you showed up naked. They only notice that you showed up. They don't notice if their tack is dusty or worn or old or mismatching. They only notice that the hands that fasten that tack to their body stops working occasionally to pat them. They don't care if your hair is brushed or that you have on no makeup. They only notice when your face has a smile for them.
Don't get so caught up in horse ownership that you forget about the horse. The most important thing to remember when you own a horse (or any other animal for that matter) is to focus on what really matters. To them! Forget what the neighbors might think if you ride by their house on a horse with a pink striped halter and red plaid blanket. Stop caring so much about whether other saddle club members are going to say if your tack is a little dusty. No matter how busy you get, remember to spend quiet time with your horse. Work with him often so you continue to be a team, and remind him that you are his best friend.
They say the best way to learn to train a horse is to first learn how a horse thinks. Once you've done that, all the matching tack in the world won't matter to you, because you'll realize what is truly important. The welcome post when you join Yahoo's "Healthy Horse" E-Group packs a lot of thought in one line in the sig file "A horse doesn't care how much you know, but he does need to know how much you care"
We're busy here getting the horses moved into winter pasturing, so my posts may be a little shorter and not as sweet for a while. Am impending tax audit for the stable certainly isn't adding any time to my schedule. Please send positive thoughts this Friday. *shivering*
Remember that they don't really care how fancy and expensive the saddle is that sits on their back, and they don't care if their saddle blanket is new, so long as their old one was comfortable. They couldn't care less if their halter matches their blanket, or if their tack is all oiled and shiny. They aren't going to be embarrassed to drive up at a ride or a show in a trailer with a little rust showing. They don't care if you wear designer jeans, or where you bought your boots. They probably wouldn't notice the difference if you showed up naked. They only notice that you showed up. They don't notice if their tack is dusty or worn or old or mismatching. They only notice that the hands that fasten that tack to their body stops working occasionally to pat them. They don't care if your hair is brushed or that you have on no makeup. They only notice when your face has a smile for them.
Don't get so caught up in horse ownership that you forget about the horse. The most important thing to remember when you own a horse (or any other animal for that matter) is to focus on what really matters. To them! Forget what the neighbors might think if you ride by their house on a horse with a pink striped halter and red plaid blanket. Stop caring so much about whether other saddle club members are going to say if your tack is a little dusty. No matter how busy you get, remember to spend quiet time with your horse. Work with him often so you continue to be a team, and remind him that you are his best friend.
They say the best way to learn to train a horse is to first learn how a horse thinks. Once you've done that, all the matching tack in the world won't matter to you, because you'll realize what is truly important. The welcome post when you join Yahoo's "Healthy Horse" E-Group packs a lot of thought in one line in the sig file "A horse doesn't care how much you know, but he does need to know how much you care"
We're busy here getting the horses moved into winter pasturing, so my posts may be a little shorter and not as sweet for a while. Am impending tax audit for the stable certainly isn't adding any time to my schedule. Please send positive thoughts this Friday. *shivering*
Sunday, September 7, 2008
At The Polls
If you scrolled down to the bottom, you saw an informal poll asking the question "What was the original reason people put shoes on horses?"
While this was an opinion poll, there IS a right answer. And, it's behind door #2.
In the times of war in the Middle Ages horses had to be massive beasts able to bear enormous weight, for knights rode into battle wearing full body armor and the horses themselves had vital organs protected by metal plates. Guns had not yet been invented, so these warriors had to create unique weapons for hand-to-hand combat that would not only cause damage through armor, but would cause a rider to lose his balance and fall from his steed. To increase their chances in battle, these men trained their horses to help them fight, and since the horse's only weapon was his hooves, they clad the bottoms with heavy iron so that each strike would cause more damage. Kicks from hind feet could knock a man from saddle and once he was on the ground, the front hooves could pulvarize him. If the horse couldn't reach the rider, it could still do damage to the opposing horse, and once a soldier was on foot he didn't stand much chance.
Over the years, weapons changed, the need for hand-to-hand combat was not so prevalent yet still horses were regularly shod with these iron weapons. Over time, owners tried taking these weapons off their horses' hooves only to find that the horses oftentimes limped. They believed that the shoes were then necessary and they nailed them back into place, instead of remembering how surefooted those horses had been before their feet had been trimmed and nailed to strips of iron, and thus didn't give the horses time to grow their feet into their natural, tough shape.
In the generations to come, horsemen shared the story that a horse's feet must be trimmed to fit these U-shaped irons to keep them surefooted and to avoid lameness over long journeys. And each generation passed the belief to the next.
There is no question that there is a time and a reason to shoe a horse. There is also no question that shoeing is not necessary for a huge percentage of today's horses. If you have queries and concerns about natural hoof care, mustang trims, etc. check out the links at the bottom of this page on the subject. Read some current issues of Horse & Rider, Horse Illustrated, etc. that have articles praising the natural trim.
We do own a couple of horses that wear shoes on our vet and farrier's recommendation because of medical issues (founder, etc). The rest are trimmed regularly into a natural, "mustang" shape and then left alone. The only time we have had foot problems is when an unscrupulous stable helper kept horses in very unclean stalls and the horses developed abscesses. Occasionally (and I do mean rarely!) a horse will get a stone bruise that puts him out of commission for a day or so, but the rest of the time they happily go on long trail rides (on pavement, gravel and dirt) without a hint of a problem. We never have to lead a horse home because he threw a shoe and our horses aren't able to hurt each other (or us) as easily with their feet (through accidents or on-purposes). It's an added bonus, the cherry on top, that our farrier bill is quite a bit lower.
Remember, no horse was ever born with iron shoes on his feet. Through the ages they managed to travel long distances on rough terrain, fight off predators and still be surefooted as a goat without intervention from a farrier. Generations and ages of misinformation and "we do it this way because we've always done it this way" have trained horsemen into believing that keeping your horse shod is some sort of "good horsemanship seal of approval." Do your homework and make your decision. If you make the decision to go natural, remember that it will take a while for your horse's feet to adjust to not carrying the extra weight and it will take time for his hooves to grow into a natural shape that keeps the tender part of the hoof off the ground.
Thanks to everyone who took the time to take part in the poll. Y'all come back soon!
- 22% of the people who responded said "To protect their feet."
- 25% said they were used to aid their rider in combat in ancient battles
- 0% thought it's done to make them sound pretty on pavement
- 2% said it was done to help dominant horses keep order in the herd.
While this was an opinion poll, there IS a right answer. And, it's behind door #2.
In the times of war in the Middle Ages horses had to be massive beasts able to bear enormous weight, for knights rode into battle wearing full body armor and the horses themselves had vital organs protected by metal plates. Guns had not yet been invented, so these warriors had to create unique weapons for hand-to-hand combat that would not only cause damage through armor, but would cause a rider to lose his balance and fall from his steed. To increase their chances in battle, these men trained their horses to help them fight, and since the horse's only weapon was his hooves, they clad the bottoms with heavy iron so that each strike would cause more damage. Kicks from hind feet could knock a man from saddle and once he was on the ground, the front hooves could pulvarize him. If the horse couldn't reach the rider, it could still do damage to the opposing horse, and once a soldier was on foot he didn't stand much chance.
Over the years, weapons changed, the need for hand-to-hand combat was not so prevalent yet still horses were regularly shod with these iron weapons. Over time, owners tried taking these weapons off their horses' hooves only to find that the horses oftentimes limped. They believed that the shoes were then necessary and they nailed them back into place, instead of remembering how surefooted those horses had been before their feet had been trimmed and nailed to strips of iron, and thus didn't give the horses time to grow their feet into their natural, tough shape.
In the generations to come, horsemen shared the story that a horse's feet must be trimmed to fit these U-shaped irons to keep them surefooted and to avoid lameness over long journeys. And each generation passed the belief to the next.
There is no question that there is a time and a reason to shoe a horse. There is also no question that shoeing is not necessary for a huge percentage of today's horses. If you have queries and concerns about natural hoof care, mustang trims, etc. check out the links at the bottom of this page on the subject. Read some current issues of Horse & Rider, Horse Illustrated, etc. that have articles praising the natural trim.
We do own a couple of horses that wear shoes on our vet and farrier's recommendation because of medical issues (founder, etc). The rest are trimmed regularly into a natural, "mustang" shape and then left alone. The only time we have had foot problems is when an unscrupulous stable helper kept horses in very unclean stalls and the horses developed abscesses. Occasionally (and I do mean rarely!) a horse will get a stone bruise that puts him out of commission for a day or so, but the rest of the time they happily go on long trail rides (on pavement, gravel and dirt) without a hint of a problem. We never have to lead a horse home because he threw a shoe and our horses aren't able to hurt each other (or us) as easily with their feet (through accidents or on-purposes). It's an added bonus, the cherry on top, that our farrier bill is quite a bit lower.
Remember, no horse was ever born with iron shoes on his feet. Through the ages they managed to travel long distances on rough terrain, fight off predators and still be surefooted as a goat without intervention from a farrier. Generations and ages of misinformation and "we do it this way because we've always done it this way" have trained horsemen into believing that keeping your horse shod is some sort of "good horsemanship seal of approval." Do your homework and make your decision. If you make the decision to go natural, remember that it will take a while for your horse's feet to adjust to not carrying the extra weight and it will take time for his hooves to grow into a natural shape that keeps the tender part of the hoof off the ground.
Thanks to everyone who took the time to take part in the poll. Y'all come back soon!
Friday, September 5, 2008
Intervention
There are many descriptions for intervention: in legal terms it means an interruption can be made in the middle of a lawsuit already in progress, in addiction recovery it is the actions of family and friends to bring a loved one to the realization that they need help and politicians can use the term as an excuse to muck around in the affairs of other countries.
In the horse world, I think intervention is simply best described in the words of D. E. Harken, as being "the act or fact of interfering with a condition to modify it or with a process to change its course." ie. Changing something that you think was not perfect before.
If one is trying to get an addict friend to lengthen and better his life by kicking a substance abuse habit, intervention is noble. If a better way of life can be found for another country's people,I can see the reason behind our interference. I can even see a reason for it in the legal community. However, I can see no reason for it in our horse community. Why would you want to change what was absolute perfection in its natural state?
In her paper "Herbs for Horses", http://www.horsejunction.co.za/sahorseman/images/acrobat/2006/health_herbs_apr06.pdf Jennis van der Byl states a quite unmistakeable (although sometimes unpopular) truth. "For millenia wild horses were able to develop an acute sense of which herbage to browse on regularly to keep them in peak health throughout the seasons of their lives. By domesticating horses, we have taken that privilege away from them."
Not only have we taken away that privilege, but as the generations go by, we are continuing that "domestication" by taking more and more privileges away from our horses until we are turning them into something far different than we have to believe Mother Nature ever intended. Just as the original dog differs so much as to be almost a different species from the foo foo lap dogs we have created through our generations of genetic fiddling, many horses of today are milestones away from their predecessors.
Genetics gave the original horse a tail to switch to keep away flies, a forelock to keep the sun and insects away from their eyes, tough hooves to maintain sure footing no matter the terrain and carry them for miles to safety, and to use as weapons when their predators were swift enough to make flight not an option. Their coats grew and shedded with the seasons providing the protection they needed against whatever environment surrounded them. If they became sick, nature gave them cures in the leaves and roots that they craved. They were given a sharp wit, keen mind and basic instincts to keep themselves and their companions safe.
We are lucky. No matter the generations of intervention much of the natural horse has survived in most of our domesticated breeds. Most still maintain the keen sense of preservation necessary in a prey animal in the wild. This can work in our favor if we train horses using natural training methods (Parelli, Anderson, Kuhn, etc) or work against us if we treat horses in a predatory manner. However, being humans, we constantly believe we know more than Mother Nature, can understand animal behavior better than animals themselves, and that we can not only change but we can improve.
And so, we use cruel and unnatural ways to train and mold our horses into our idea of the norm. They are blanketed against flies, sun, wind, rain and cold and kept in boxes that never allow them to know the true season or realize the passage of time. Natural maintenance of coats and skin are no longer necessary against the elements, so we humans must douse them with chemicals to maintain gloss and shine of coat and elasticity of skin. We spray them with chemicals to keep away insects, killing even beneficial ones in the process. Every injury, no matter how slight, is treated with concern and pampering and more chemicals. Because they are not allowed to forage for the foods they need to not only survive but to flourish, we feed our horses costly additives and supplements, most of which are bound together with even more chemicals. Hayfields are sprayed with chemicals in the form of fertilizers and weed control, adding even more chemicals into a horse's diet. Because our forefathers did so and we are told that it is what we must do, we mold our horse's hooves into unnatural shapes and then nail pieces of iron to them. Some breeds of horses are maimed and wounded in horrifying ways to fit the parameters of "perfection" that breeders and exhibitors and judges desire, and their owners are revered for their prowess in doing so.
Horses in the wild constantly are scraped and bruised and broken, yet they heal and continue the hard work of living. Their hooves are used as weapons and transportation over dozens of miles a day, and yet rarely show the ravages of wear. Their coats may show the scratches and dents of day-to-day life, but their hair is usually glossy and gleaming and their skin is tough enough to withstand accidents that would cause life-threatening injuries in our truly "domesticated" horses.
Screw around with Mother Nature long enough, and she's going to backhand us. She's giving us some gentle nudges now and then, with more and more problems arising that are brought about by our desire to change the perfection that was the truly natural horse. What can we do to appease her? Allow our horses to be at least near what was intended. Give them as close to a natural lifestyle as possible and treat them with the respect they deserve. Allow nature to heal and better what it can, and use discretion in intervening when it appears nature is failing. Find a balance in new and old medicine and diet.
There is a quote among herbalists, the author anonymous. "2000 B.C. "Here, eat this root."
A.D. 1000 "That root is heathen. Here, say this prayer." A.D. 1850 "That prayer is superstition. Here, Drink this potion." A.D. 1940 "That potion is snake oil. Here, swallow this pill." A.D. 1985
"That pill is ineffective. Here, take this antibiotic." A.D. 2000 "That antibiotic doesn't work. Here, eat this root."
My interpretation of that is that herbs and "natural living" is where we began, and it is where we will end. What came in between is all beneficial, if we learn to find balance between the old and the new. If my animals have a health problem, I will spare nothing to heal them. I might chant, pray, wrap them in colored glass beads, practice reiki, feed them hand-prepared herbal remedies and even dance naked in the light of the moon if I thought it would help (luckily I have no close neighbors to shock)...but I will keep my veterinarian's phone number on my speed dial and first follow his instructions to the letter to the best of my ability.
I am not a radical. I do not think that all horses "must roam free as god intended" (the mantra of some welfare groups) nor do I think that we should turn our back on the myriad things that those before us have learned through co-existance with these magnificent beasts. I do not believe we should keep them as ornaments to look at, but should share our lives with them. Some of the more radical groups (I believe PETA fits this bill, but your own research can decide) believe that horses should not be "forced" to "work." Unless you are going to set them all free, then anyone who has spent any time at all with a horse knows that statement is hogwash. Horses live to work. They were designed to cover up to 25 miles a day foraging for food and finding shelter. Put them into a small enclosure (and few of us are landowners to the degree of being able to fence in an area large enough for that 25 mile daily stroll) and soon they will become "wild." And not "wild" as in natural, but "wild" as in insane. And some breeders and exhibitors will describe this temperament as "high spirited" and still be pleased with their results. Give your horse a job and share that job with him (be it trail riding, jumping, driving a wagon or cart, or just leading a small child about the pasture). And never be fooled into believing that you are the master of that beast because you are a superior being.
Intervention is not a bad thing, one must simply remember the mantra of all of those who have the ultimate care of others in their control... "In all things moderation."
In the horse world, I think intervention is simply best described in the words of D. E. Harken, as being "the act or fact of interfering with a condition to modify it or with a process to change its course." ie. Changing something that you think was not perfect before.
If one is trying to get an addict friend to lengthen and better his life by kicking a substance abuse habit, intervention is noble. If a better way of life can be found for another country's people,I can see the reason behind our interference. I can even see a reason for it in the legal community. However, I can see no reason for it in our horse community. Why would you want to change what was absolute perfection in its natural state?
In her paper "Herbs for Horses", http://www.horsejunction.co.za/sahorseman/images/acrobat/2006/health_herbs_apr06.pdf Jennis van der Byl states a quite unmistakeable (although sometimes unpopular) truth. "For millenia wild horses were able to develop an acute sense of which herbage to browse on regularly to keep them in peak health throughout the seasons of their lives. By domesticating horses, we have taken that privilege away from them."
Not only have we taken away that privilege, but as the generations go by, we are continuing that "domestication" by taking more and more privileges away from our horses until we are turning them into something far different than we have to believe Mother Nature ever intended. Just as the original dog differs so much as to be almost a different species from the foo foo lap dogs we have created through our generations of genetic fiddling, many horses of today are milestones away from their predecessors.
Genetics gave the original horse a tail to switch to keep away flies, a forelock to keep the sun and insects away from their eyes, tough hooves to maintain sure footing no matter the terrain and carry them for miles to safety, and to use as weapons when their predators were swift enough to make flight not an option. Their coats grew and shedded with the seasons providing the protection they needed against whatever environment surrounded them. If they became sick, nature gave them cures in the leaves and roots that they craved. They were given a sharp wit, keen mind and basic instincts to keep themselves and their companions safe.
We are lucky. No matter the generations of intervention much of the natural horse has survived in most of our domesticated breeds. Most still maintain the keen sense of preservation necessary in a prey animal in the wild. This can work in our favor if we train horses using natural training methods (Parelli, Anderson, Kuhn, etc) or work against us if we treat horses in a predatory manner. However, being humans, we constantly believe we know more than Mother Nature, can understand animal behavior better than animals themselves, and that we can not only change but we can improve.
And so, we use cruel and unnatural ways to train and mold our horses into our idea of the norm. They are blanketed against flies, sun, wind, rain and cold and kept in boxes that never allow them to know the true season or realize the passage of time. Natural maintenance of coats and skin are no longer necessary against the elements, so we humans must douse them with chemicals to maintain gloss and shine of coat and elasticity of skin. We spray them with chemicals to keep away insects, killing even beneficial ones in the process. Every injury, no matter how slight, is treated with concern and pampering and more chemicals. Because they are not allowed to forage for the foods they need to not only survive but to flourish, we feed our horses costly additives and supplements, most of which are bound together with even more chemicals. Hayfields are sprayed with chemicals in the form of fertilizers and weed control, adding even more chemicals into a horse's diet. Because our forefathers did so and we are told that it is what we must do, we mold our horse's hooves into unnatural shapes and then nail pieces of iron to them. Some breeds of horses are maimed and wounded in horrifying ways to fit the parameters of "perfection" that breeders and exhibitors and judges desire, and their owners are revered for their prowess in doing so.
Horses in the wild constantly are scraped and bruised and broken, yet they heal and continue the hard work of living. Their hooves are used as weapons and transportation over dozens of miles a day, and yet rarely show the ravages of wear. Their coats may show the scratches and dents of day-to-day life, but their hair is usually glossy and gleaming and their skin is tough enough to withstand accidents that would cause life-threatening injuries in our truly "domesticated" horses.
Screw around with Mother Nature long enough, and she's going to backhand us. She's giving us some gentle nudges now and then, with more and more problems arising that are brought about by our desire to change the perfection that was the truly natural horse. What can we do to appease her? Allow our horses to be at least near what was intended. Give them as close to a natural lifestyle as possible and treat them with the respect they deserve. Allow nature to heal and better what it can, and use discretion in intervening when it appears nature is failing. Find a balance in new and old medicine and diet.
There is a quote among herbalists, the author anonymous. "2000 B.C. "Here, eat this root."
A.D. 1000 "That root is heathen. Here, say this prayer." A.D. 1850 "That prayer is superstition. Here, Drink this potion." A.D. 1940 "That potion is snake oil. Here, swallow this pill." A.D. 1985
"That pill is ineffective. Here, take this antibiotic." A.D. 2000 "That antibiotic doesn't work. Here, eat this root."
My interpretation of that is that herbs and "natural living" is where we began, and it is where we will end. What came in between is all beneficial, if we learn to find balance between the old and the new. If my animals have a health problem, I will spare nothing to heal them. I might chant, pray, wrap them in colored glass beads, practice reiki, feed them hand-prepared herbal remedies and even dance naked in the light of the moon if I thought it would help (luckily I have no close neighbors to shock)...but I will keep my veterinarian's phone number on my speed dial and first follow his instructions to the letter to the best of my ability.
I am not a radical. I do not think that all horses "must roam free as god intended" (the mantra of some welfare groups) nor do I think that we should turn our back on the myriad things that those before us have learned through co-existance with these magnificent beasts. I do not believe we should keep them as ornaments to look at, but should share our lives with them. Some of the more radical groups (I believe PETA fits this bill, but your own research can decide) believe that horses should not be "forced" to "work." Unless you are going to set them all free, then anyone who has spent any time at all with a horse knows that statement is hogwash. Horses live to work. They were designed to cover up to 25 miles a day foraging for food and finding shelter. Put them into a small enclosure (and few of us are landowners to the degree of being able to fence in an area large enough for that 25 mile daily stroll) and soon they will become "wild." And not "wild" as in natural, but "wild" as in insane. And some breeders and exhibitors will describe this temperament as "high spirited" and still be pleased with their results. Give your horse a job and share that job with him (be it trail riding, jumping, driving a wagon or cart, or just leading a small child about the pasture). And never be fooled into believing that you are the master of that beast because you are a superior being.
Intervention is not a bad thing, one must simply remember the mantra of all of those who have the ultimate care of others in their control... "In all things moderation."
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Memory Lane
When I was mixing up the herbs for Sophie's new owner to take with her, it crossed my mind yet again what a wonderful addition herbs are to our lives; not only for what they offer in terms of medicinal value, aesthetics and culinary, but just to our overall senses. Every time I open up the container of rosehips, I can close my eyes and easily believe I'm in a luscious sunny rose garden. Sprinkle a little peppermint or spearmint leaves over someone's grain, and I can make myself believe it's almost Christmas. Almost every smell brings back a wonderful memory or can transport me away from the dreariness of everyday life to someplace special.
The scent of wormwood doesn't bring a lot of memories, but it does bring back the ahhhha moment when I first read that wormwood is the main ingredient in absinthe. For those of you that are interested in trivia, it might be interesting to note that Van Gogh was drinking a tea made from wormwood (some reports say he was simply overindulging himself in absinthe) when he cut off his ear, and throughout the ages it has been used as an enbalming aid. Obviously, wormwood is an herb we keep away from uneducated hands, but it's very advantageous when modern dewormers don't seem to be doing the job. Also, when a tincture or concoction of wormwood is worked into the skin of a horse suffering from fungal or bacterial issues it can work absolute wonders.
Dandelion doesn't have much of a scent, but when we're doling it out to our older horses who need a mild dieuretic or are suffering from inflammation of some kind, just seeing the label brings thoughts of springtime and those sassy little yellow flowers. I know that those of you that prize your lawn hate dandelions, but I have always loved them. Their cheerfullness in full bloom, their puffability when they go to seed, and for the benefits our horses reap from both their leaf and root.
Garlic not only keeps away vampires but should be a staple in any natural horse's diet. Of course after opening that cannister you may be transported in memory no farther than the local Italian restaurant, but the benefits of feeding garlic to almost any horse (or other animal) can't be disputed. Got a finicky eater? A sprinkle of garlic on their food may increase appetite. Bothered by insects? Most insects won't bite an animal that has garlic in its bloodstream (guess there aren't any Italian mosquitos and flies?) and most internal parasites apparently find it fairly non-tasty too. Garlic naturally contains Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), a supplement that is commonly used on people and animals for joints and allergies, so it's a great additive for a horse that is feeling his age in his joints on cool mornings. Maybe that's why we all love pizza and spaghetti so much? Can I include it back in my diet now that we know that I'm really eating it for medicinal purposes?
Alfalfa leaf is an excellent choice for almost any diet. Bury your face in an open container and you're instantly in a sunny meadow filled with fresh-mown hay. It can be beneficial as a dieuretic and laxative, replaces vitamin K that is depleted during a lot of traditional medications (such as antibiotics etc), it acts as a blood purifer and detoxifier and is a great source of alkaline minerals that aid in digestion. It can be used in greater doses to treat ulcers (Dan was on a steady diet of it for a long time) because it includes vitamin A which helps to maintain the stomach's overall health and can help a horse with a problem balancing sugars to keep things in order.
One of my favorite places to visit used to be a true "herb shop." Not one of those pristine shoppes you see in the mall that have nicely lined up bottles of brightly labeled pills and capsules and tinctures, but the herb shops of old that have now, thanks to Uncle Sam and legislation been put out of business by the well-regulated and FDA-approved markets. When you opened the door to one of the old shops you became instantly able to travel through time to mystical, magical destinations, or maybe just back to your grandmother's knee as she washed her face with rose glycerine and patted her shoulders with lavender powder. The scents being used in today's products cannot come close to the smells of yesterday. I understand the need for regulation, and I understand how dangerous herbs can be in the wrong hands, but....I still long to be able to walk up a stone path, push open a creaky heavy old oak door and have those scents waft about for a moment as I stand there on the step in the sunshine and inhale as deeply as my lungs will allow. Occasionally, I still follow a hand-lettered sign down a dusty road to an almost-hidden greenhouse and garden where a smiling gardener may invite me in for a glass of tea before I head back home with my bounty (usually small pots of herbs for my own garden) and when we walk through that door and I inhale with a look of bliss on my face, for just a moment I can see my grandmother smiling at me through a veil of powder after she's blotted my nose with her powder puff.
Memory Lane. What a wonderful journey.
PS: Plagued by blackflies? They hate the smell of lavender oil. Put a drop or two on your horse's coat where the flies seem to be attracted and watch them scatter!
The scent of wormwood doesn't bring a lot of memories, but it does bring back the ahhhha moment when I first read that wormwood is the main ingredient in absinthe. For those of you that are interested in trivia, it might be interesting to note that Van Gogh was drinking a tea made from wormwood (some reports say he was simply overindulging himself in absinthe) when he cut off his ear, and throughout the ages it has been used as an enbalming aid. Obviously, wormwood is an herb we keep away from uneducated hands, but it's very advantageous when modern dewormers don't seem to be doing the job. Also, when a tincture or concoction of wormwood is worked into the skin of a horse suffering from fungal or bacterial issues it can work absolute wonders.
Dandelion doesn't have much of a scent, but when we're doling it out to our older horses who need a mild dieuretic or are suffering from inflammation of some kind, just seeing the label brings thoughts of springtime and those sassy little yellow flowers. I know that those of you that prize your lawn hate dandelions, but I have always loved them. Their cheerfullness in full bloom, their puffability when they go to seed, and for the benefits our horses reap from both their leaf and root.
Garlic not only keeps away vampires but should be a staple in any natural horse's diet. Of course after opening that cannister you may be transported in memory no farther than the local Italian restaurant, but the benefits of feeding garlic to almost any horse (or other animal) can't be disputed. Got a finicky eater? A sprinkle of garlic on their food may increase appetite. Bothered by insects? Most insects won't bite an animal that has garlic in its bloodstream (guess there aren't any Italian mosquitos and flies?) and most internal parasites apparently find it fairly non-tasty too. Garlic naturally contains Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), a supplement that is commonly used on people and animals for joints and allergies, so it's a great additive for a horse that is feeling his age in his joints on cool mornings. Maybe that's why we all love pizza and spaghetti so much? Can I include it back in my diet now that we know that I'm really eating it for medicinal purposes?
Alfalfa leaf is an excellent choice for almost any diet. Bury your face in an open container and you're instantly in a sunny meadow filled with fresh-mown hay. It can be beneficial as a dieuretic and laxative, replaces vitamin K that is depleted during a lot of traditional medications (such as antibiotics etc), it acts as a blood purifer and detoxifier and is a great source of alkaline minerals that aid in digestion. It can be used in greater doses to treat ulcers (Dan was on a steady diet of it for a long time) because it includes vitamin A which helps to maintain the stomach's overall health and can help a horse with a problem balancing sugars to keep things in order.
One of my favorite places to visit used to be a true "herb shop." Not one of those pristine shoppes you see in the mall that have nicely lined up bottles of brightly labeled pills and capsules and tinctures, but the herb shops of old that have now, thanks to Uncle Sam and legislation been put out of business by the well-regulated and FDA-approved markets. When you opened the door to one of the old shops you became instantly able to travel through time to mystical, magical destinations, or maybe just back to your grandmother's knee as she washed her face with rose glycerine and patted her shoulders with lavender powder. The scents being used in today's products cannot come close to the smells of yesterday. I understand the need for regulation, and I understand how dangerous herbs can be in the wrong hands, but....I still long to be able to walk up a stone path, push open a creaky heavy old oak door and have those scents waft about for a moment as I stand there on the step in the sunshine and inhale as deeply as my lungs will allow. Occasionally, I still follow a hand-lettered sign down a dusty road to an almost-hidden greenhouse and garden where a smiling gardener may invite me in for a glass of tea before I head back home with my bounty (usually small pots of herbs for my own garden) and when we walk through that door and I inhale with a look of bliss on my face, for just a moment I can see my grandmother smiling at me through a veil of powder after she's blotted my nose with her powder puff.
Memory Lane. What a wonderful journey.
PS: Plagued by blackflies? They hate the smell of lavender oil. Put a drop or two on your horse's coat where the flies seem to be attracted and watch them scatter!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
The More You Have...
My neice and her family lost one of their dogs today. Actually, that's a poor way to describe what happened. Why do we say we "lost" a loved one? Do we share with our ancient forefathers a magical fear of the very word 'death', or is it maybe because we have such a sense of loss that the phrase just comes naturally? They are lost, we are lost without them. We all seem to try to avoid simply using the phrase "he died." We have an entire dictionary of different euphamisms we may use instead of saying someone is deceased: they bought the farm, kicked the bucket, left us, went on, went with the angels, bit the dust, turned his toes up, cashed in their chips, bought the big one, gave up the ghost, croaked, went south, is pushing up daisies, is sleeping the big sleep, assumed room temperature (that one came from a mortician friend), or as Willie S. so eloquently stated "shuffled off this mortal coil."
We can't even bring ourselves to say that we made the choice to end the life of our beloved animals. We say we "put them to sleep," "put them out of their misery" or "had him put down." It's hard to admit you played god and made the choice of who lived and who died. Even when we know we have made the kindest choice we could make for a being that shared our lives and our hearts it's never easy...anyone who doesn't mist or choke up in the vet's office waiting for the blue needle to arrive (yet another euphamism) is a heartless bastard who doesn't deserve to own an animal! For your trivia file, the term euthanasia is an euphamism of sorts, being Greek for "the good death."
When our animals leave us for another plane, we can't stand the thought of them simply ceasing to exist, so we do our best to believe that they are waiting for us at Rainbow Bridge. If indeed there is such a place (and OH! how I hope that indeed there is) I am going to be one happy newcomer indeed when I get there. All of those furry faces so long past, so much loved while they were here, so much missed when they were no longer. My neice says she won't be getting another dog anytime soon. "The more you have, the more you have to lose..." She's right. I remember when my beloved Bookie died, I sat and cried for weeks. The song with the chorus "I always wondered what I'd do without you, now I know.." became my memory song for him, and I still cry every time I hear it. He died at Christmas time, and that was the last year I truly enjoyed decorating. And I'd been a decorating fool up 'til then.
We're still watching Freckles very closely. The vet believes for certain now that he has an obstruction in his esophagus. This can be a recurring thing (not a good long-term prognosis) or it could be a one-time thing, hastened by a bout of colic that kept him from drinking enough to keep his whistle wet (gee, when you get started with these colloquisms, you just can't stop can you?). He's on antibiotics and steroids and supposed to keep on a diet of nothing but grass. I'd love to put him our best grass field (lots of fescue and meadow grass, among a lot of weeds and herbs that have a lot of calories and other benefits) but a recent disagreement with a neighbor who used her love for and superior understand of animals as an excuse to not want a thin one grazing on or near her property (weird reasoning? I thought so too.) has made that impossible. I'll have to get the fence across the road back up and 'hot' and then there should be plenty of grazing over there for all the debilitated and needy guys that are having problems digesting grains.
Odd isn't it how we can let our love for animals override our common sense? Take this neighbor (please). She knows we do horse rescue. If she has gone to our website, she has seen the success stories of what we've done to rehab and rehome abused and neglected horses. She knows I have 30 years experience taking care of animals, and I do so to the very best of my ability, with the aid of an army of vets that not only speak highly of me but consider me a personal friend as well as a good client. She should know that I would never just put a horse out to pasture to starve to death. The horse in question is our "Ethiopian Dan"...thin as a skeleton, and out-eats every other horse in the herd. He can put away a bale of hay a day (square) and 10 pounds of grain...but, he has ulcers which makes it hard for him to digest anything but grass. After spending close to a thousand dollars on special foods, medications, and supplements, all to no avail, the vet said "just put him on good thick grass and leave him alone and let's see what happens." What was happening was that he was actually beginning to gain weight. About 50 pounds (which on a 16.2 horse doesn't show up much, but does matter) in 2 weeks to a month. For now, to avoid further issues that can't end well, instead of debating property lines and the simple stupidity of some of her reasonings, Dan has been moved temporarily to a paddock where he's eating hay again. In her very insulting letter to me explaining her disgust and requesting that he be moved, she informed me that he shouldn't be in that pasture at all..."he needs hay and love." Actually, hay is not good for him at all, and he never was without the love. But, as I said up there somewhere, it's easy to let our love for animals take over our common sense. Or maybe any sense at all.
Anyway, the pasture in question is just a few acres, and it floods in the winter anyhow, so the horses will all be much happier across the road in the 20 acre field with its bermuda, fescue, and 7 acres of small trees that are growing up where timber was cut a few years ago. We would love to put some of our goat herd in there to help clean it up, but Tucker the Donkey is a goat-o-phobic and tries to kill every one he sees. So, we'll see how fast the horses can clear it out, and if they're not doing it fast enough, we'll let Tucker visit with Elizabeth the Cow for a while and let the goats take over the big place.
I love letting the horses and goats and cow graze down a meadow that hasn't had anything done to it in a while. All the natural plants are beginning to come back, there's no chemicals within acres, and I know that for a while at least, they are truly getting to live "all-natural."
We can't even bring ourselves to say that we made the choice to end the life of our beloved animals. We say we "put them to sleep," "put them out of their misery" or "had him put down." It's hard to admit you played god and made the choice of who lived and who died. Even when we know we have made the kindest choice we could make for a being that shared our lives and our hearts it's never easy...anyone who doesn't mist or choke up in the vet's office waiting for the blue needle to arrive (yet another euphamism) is a heartless bastard who doesn't deserve to own an animal! For your trivia file, the term euthanasia is an euphamism of sorts, being Greek for "the good death."
When our animals leave us for another plane, we can't stand the thought of them simply ceasing to exist, so we do our best to believe that they are waiting for us at Rainbow Bridge. If indeed there is such a place (and OH! how I hope that indeed there is) I am going to be one happy newcomer indeed when I get there. All of those furry faces so long past, so much loved while they were here, so much missed when they were no longer. My neice says she won't be getting another dog anytime soon. "The more you have, the more you have to lose..." She's right. I remember when my beloved Bookie died, I sat and cried for weeks. The song with the chorus "I always wondered what I'd do without you, now I know.." became my memory song for him, and I still cry every time I hear it. He died at Christmas time, and that was the last year I truly enjoyed decorating. And I'd been a decorating fool up 'til then.
We're still watching Freckles very closely. The vet believes for certain now that he has an obstruction in his esophagus. This can be a recurring thing (not a good long-term prognosis) or it could be a one-time thing, hastened by a bout of colic that kept him from drinking enough to keep his whistle wet (gee, when you get started with these colloquisms, you just can't stop can you?). He's on antibiotics and steroids and supposed to keep on a diet of nothing but grass. I'd love to put him our best grass field (lots of fescue and meadow grass, among a lot of weeds and herbs that have a lot of calories and other benefits) but a recent disagreement with a neighbor who used her love for and superior understand of animals as an excuse to not want a thin one grazing on or near her property (weird reasoning? I thought so too.) has made that impossible. I'll have to get the fence across the road back up and 'hot' and then there should be plenty of grazing over there for all the debilitated and needy guys that are having problems digesting grains.
Odd isn't it how we can let our love for animals override our common sense? Take this neighbor (please). She knows we do horse rescue. If she has gone to our website, she has seen the success stories of what we've done to rehab and rehome abused and neglected horses. She knows I have 30 years experience taking care of animals, and I do so to the very best of my ability, with the aid of an army of vets that not only speak highly of me but consider me a personal friend as well as a good client. She should know that I would never just put a horse out to pasture to starve to death. The horse in question is our "Ethiopian Dan"...thin as a skeleton, and out-eats every other horse in the herd. He can put away a bale of hay a day (square) and 10 pounds of grain...but, he has ulcers which makes it hard for him to digest anything but grass. After spending close to a thousand dollars on special foods, medications, and supplements, all to no avail, the vet said "just put him on good thick grass and leave him alone and let's see what happens." What was happening was that he was actually beginning to gain weight. About 50 pounds (which on a 16.2 horse doesn't show up much, but does matter) in 2 weeks to a month. For now, to avoid further issues that can't end well, instead of debating property lines and the simple stupidity of some of her reasonings, Dan has been moved temporarily to a paddock where he's eating hay again. In her very insulting letter to me explaining her disgust and requesting that he be moved, she informed me that he shouldn't be in that pasture at all..."he needs hay and love." Actually, hay is not good for him at all, and he never was without the love. But, as I said up there somewhere, it's easy to let our love for animals take over our common sense. Or maybe any sense at all.
Anyway, the pasture in question is just a few acres, and it floods in the winter anyhow, so the horses will all be much happier across the road in the 20 acre field with its bermuda, fescue, and 7 acres of small trees that are growing up where timber was cut a few years ago. We would love to put some of our goat herd in there to help clean it up, but Tucker the Donkey is a goat-o-phobic and tries to kill every one he sees. So, we'll see how fast the horses can clear it out, and if they're not doing it fast enough, we'll let Tucker visit with Elizabeth the Cow for a while and let the goats take over the big place.
I love letting the horses and goats and cow graze down a meadow that hasn't had anything done to it in a while. All the natural plants are beginning to come back, there's no chemicals within acres, and I know that for a while at least, they are truly getting to live "all-natural."
Sunday, August 31, 2008
A Mixed Bag Kinda Day
What a mixed-bag kinda day.
On the upside, I think the "mule of my dreams" joined our herd today. 
Meet "Charlie" (at least that's what I think his name is going to be). He's sort of nervous at the moment, and he needs a lot of work, but I think he's gorgeous and exactly what I've dreamed of owning someday. And, no, that doesn't mean I love Whisper one bit less...he's still my main man, but on days that my body isn't cooperating with me, riding a mule is just easier than riding a Quarter Horse.
Meet "Charlie" (at least that's what I think his name is going to be). He's sort of nervous at the moment, and he needs a lot of work, but I think he's gorgeous and exactly what I've dreamed of owning someday. And, no, that doesn't mean I love Whisper one bit less...he's still my main man, but on days that my body isn't cooperating with me, riding a mule is just easier than riding a Quarter Horse. On the downside, Freckles isn't doing well...again. Now it seems as if he has an obstruction that isn't allowing him to swallow what he eats and drinks. It being Labor Day weekend, there's no one at the vet clinic, and we've been panicking about what to do. He seems a little better now than he did earlier, so fingers are crossed that he'll hang in there until we can get him help.
Another upside is that one of our rescue horses went to her new home. This <--- is a photo of her on May 22, when we brought her home. She was one bid away from becoming dog food when we raised our hand and bought her. This ---> is her with her new owner going for a test ride today, before they loaded her up and 
took her to a WONDERFUL new home in Tennessee. Not sure if you can tell how much weight Sophie put on in the 3 months she's been here (a lot!), but I'm sure you can see the difference in her spirit and attitude. We got a phone call this evening saying she was safely in her new home, and eating grass like there's no tomorrow. What a great feeling to know you made such a huge difference in an animal's life. Best wishes to Sophie and her new family! She went with a new purple halter, three baggies of herbal goodies and supplements, and a lot of love.
took her to a WONDERFUL new home in Tennessee. Not sure if you can tell how much weight Sophie put on in the 3 months she's been here (a lot!), but I'm sure you can see the difference in her spirit and attitude. We got a phone call this evening saying she was safely in her new home, and eating grass like there's no tomorrow. What a great feeling to know you made such a huge difference in an animal's life. Best wishes to Sophie and her new family! She went with a new purple halter, three baggies of herbal goodies and supplements, and a lot of love. We're hoping to go to the Mule Days in Ider tomorrow, assuming my kidney stone will cooperate. Man! This is when you know you're getting old. When your choices of activites are governed by how your body parts are working.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Order Up!
The best laid plans of mice and men...and all that. A visit to the doctor's office yesterday afternoon sent me immediately home to bed, where I have been until just a few minutes ago. Amazing what a little thing like a kidney stone/infection can do to a human body. Especially a body that's still reeling and recovering from a year of cancer treatments. Anyway, I'm a day behind now, but peddling really hard to catch up.
I had the list mostly made up before I left yesterday, so it didn't take much to fine tune it this morning.
First on the list is something for Newt. Newt is a two year old sorrel stallion that is one of our rescues. He was foundered as a young colt (rare) and went without care for well over a year. During that time, his feet were so sore that he couldn't take so much as a step without crumpling from pain. A thorough vet check when he came to us gave the report that he was actually in surprisingly good health, considering his inability to move around to forage for food. His growth is stunted, but no other long-lasting ill effects. We were given instructions to pass along to our farrier, and otherwise given a clean bill of health.
I'm a bit of a foot fairy. I don't believe in keeping a horse shod full time (our horses go entirely barefoot in a mustang trim, except for those that need shoes for correction of some sort) so the thought of following the vet's instructions made me cringe. But, we called our farrier (Smith Horseshoeing...and if you're in North Alabama, by all means call this man! He's not only a sweetheart of a man, but he's a farrier extraordinaire!) and made the appointment to not only get shoes put on Newt, but to get them put on backwards! To make a long story short (unless it's too late?) the shoes were a great success, and combined with our home-made herbal regime and good food, Newt is now gaining weight and muscle and yesterday we saw him actually galloping across the field, which brought tears to our eyes. What a wonderful moment!
I had the list mostly made up before I left yesterday, so it didn't take much to fine tune it this morning.
First on the list is something for Newt. Newt is a two year old sorrel stallion that is one of our rescues. He was foundered as a young colt (rare) and went without care for well over a year. During that time, his feet were so sore that he couldn't take so much as a step without crumpling from pain. A thorough vet check when he came to us gave the report that he was actually in surprisingly good health, considering his inability to move around to forage for food. His growth is stunted, but no other long-lasting ill effects. We were given instructions to pass along to our farrier, and otherwise given a clean bill of health.
I'm a bit of a foot fairy. I don't believe in keeping a horse shod full time (our horses go entirely barefoot in a mustang trim, except for those that need shoes for correction of some sort) so the thought of following the vet's instructions made me cringe. But, we called our farrier (Smith Horseshoeing...and if you're in North Alabama, by all means call this man! He's not only a sweetheart of a man, but he's a farrier extraordinaire!) and made the appointment to not only get shoes put on Newt, but to get them put on backwards! To make a long story short (unless it's too late?) the shoes were a great success, and combined with our home-made herbal regime and good food, Newt is now gaining weight and muscle and yesterday we saw him actually galloping across the field, which brought tears to our eyes. What a wonderful moment!
- Anyway, for Newt we ordered white willow powder for inflammation and pain, along with glucosamine and feverfew. We'll include some fenugreek to keep his gut working well with all the extra feed he's getting for weight gain and then some celery seed, rosehips and chamomile to keep a healthy blood supply to his hooves. Because of his debilitated state, his coat is a little dull and his skin is paper thin, so we'll add in a teaspoon or so of dandelion and garlic to help with that. I think I still have some burdock, so no need to order more just yet.
- Jazz is next on the list. He has an ongoing issue with an eye that weeps. For him we'll get some billberry and eyebright. (I love the way so many herbs are named for what they actually do).
- Poor Dan. He is our resident "Ethiopian horse" looking like the photos of all those poor starving children with skeletons showing through papery skin. When he came to us a year ago he was a little thin, but got a glowing report from the vet otherwise. We put him on our weight gain program and he showed some improvement, but started getting really bad diarrhea. Our vet suggested we slow down his input and we began giving him marshmallow, fennel and licorice to help maintain his digestive tract health. Nothing seemed to help. If he ate enough to gain weight, he developed diarrhea and lost ground instead of gained. Blood workups show that all levels are exactly as they should be, and other tests came up equally unhelpful. It was finally decided that Dan is suffering from ulcers. He was given a prescription for Zantac (21 a day for 20 days, do the math...definitely not our cheapest fix ever!) and antacid liquid. This took care of the diarrhea and allowed him to sometimes eat alfalfa/oat pellets without problem. Eating too much hay not only upset his allergies, but made him prone to impaction colic (like poor Freckles), so that was out. Finally, we were told to put him on a diet of mostly field grass, something he could eat slowly and his system could digest. He will be getting as much grazing as he can ingest, and since it's mild weather at the moment, he can eat around the clock if he wants. He gets regular doses of antacid still, but he's off the Zantac for a while to let his system rest. He gets doses of slippery elm, fennel, licorice and marshmallow along with peppermint, garlic and dandelion. To an undeducated and perhaps judgmental eye, he looks like death walking, but we can see the tiny signs that he's beginning to hold his own. It still breaks my heart to look at him this way, he is the most loving, wonderful, considerate horse we've ever owned, but we have full confidence in our vet, and in Dan's will to thrive.
- We offer horse training, and sometimes when horses first come to the stable they're nervous and leery of not only being in a strange situation but being asked to do things they've never done before. We will be ordering some passion flower, ginger and motherwort to aid their nerves and help calm them so their lessons can sink in.
- Although we do not do any breeding on purpose, a "goodbye action" from a disgruntled stable hand has put us in a position of expecting some colts this spring. Veterinary exam has proven one expectant mother, and educated eyeballing is suggesting at least three others. For them, we'll order some raspberry leaf and parsley leaf and they can share Dan's fenugreek. A little closer to foaling, we'll add in red clover and barley grass for better quality milk.
- For our mares that managed to keep their legs crossed until we could get our rescue stallion castrated, we'll get extra raspberry leaf (this seems to help with their PMS) and chaste tree berry powder to help regulate their sometimes raging hormones.
- For our older horses that have problems with metabolic funtion, we'll add a bit of dandelion, lemon balm, rosehips and garlic to their daily ration. A bit of kelp should boost liver function and if Cushing's is suspected, a teaspoon of chasteberry powder will be given twice daily for 2 weeks, then off a week, then back on for two, etc. Those that have joint issues will receive white willow root as needed for pain along with peppermint to help them digest all the extras. Old age isn't for sissy horses any more than it is for humans!
- Whisper (the chestnut love of my life, pictured over there to the left ---->) is prone to get allergies in the fall. He'll get a bit of marshmallow, slippery elm, anise, garlic, and alfalfa leaf to help ward off the sniffles. He's an easy keeper most of the time, but even when he's in perfect condition, he gets a pinch of peppermint leaves in his food...just because he likes it and he's The Whisper and that is good enough.
OK, the shopping list is completed. I'll check and see that I'm not doubling up on something already in our storage closet, mail off the order form and then start checking the mail for a big, weird-smelling box!
Today is Harley's (our stable baby) birthday, so we're off to celebrate with Skeeter and Nancy and their friends and family. She was born on her mom, Nancy's, birthday, so it's a double celebration. We took Skeeter and Nancy to Georgia for a Clinton Anderson clinic for her birthday. Definitely the gift that keeps on giving!
Friday, August 29, 2008
A Day Off
Haven't seen a horse all day. I'm in withdrawal! I know they're in good hands with Skeeter and Nancy (our caretakers, that live in the barn and play mom and dad when we're not there) but it's sort of like sending your kids off to camp. I just hope I packed enough clean socks!
Today is "take care of me" day, which, instead of being a "day off" as the header implies, means I've been catching up on emails, trying (quite unsuccessfully I might add) to get a path through this cluttered mass we call home, getting the shopping list created for this month's herb order, and to finish off the day, a visit to the doctor to see if I have a kidney stone, an infection, or a pulled muscle. Getting older is NOT for sissies!
I'll finish the shopping list tonight and we'll go over what's being ordered and why. Need anything?
Today is "take care of me" day, which, instead of being a "day off" as the header implies, means I've been catching up on emails, trying (quite unsuccessfully I might add) to get a path through this cluttered mass we call home, getting the shopping list created for this month's herb order, and to finish off the day, a visit to the doctor to see if I have a kidney stone, an infection, or a pulled muscle. Getting older is NOT for sissies!
I'll finish the shopping list tonight and we'll go over what's being ordered and why. Need anything?
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Another Crisis Averted
This morning Freckles woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed and worrying about when his next meal was going to get there. It was hard to say no to him, but the vet made me promise not even an apple or molasses treat until after noon. Needless to say, as soon as the bell tolled at twelve o'clock, Freckles knew it was tolling for him and he dove into his food dish like he'd never seen food before. A far cry from the pitiful writhing hunk of freckled horseflesh he was just a dozen hours earlier.
I've spent most of the day today picking the brain of everyone I know that feeds a natural diet, to see what additives I can start including with his food to keep this from happening again, as well as to get some weight on him before winter sets in. We have three horses, him included, that are about 100 pounds underweight, and even though our Alabama winters are not as harsh as some (ok most) other parts of the US, we still have some pretty frigid days and nights.
One of the first things we learned when we started taking in rescues was how hard it is to put weight and muscle back on a severely debilitated horse. Our vet says we've done a good job at it, but it's taken a lot of research, a lot of work and a lot of fretting and worrying.
We have recently started getting more serious about including moistened beet pulp with our feed. Not only does this add moisture to their diet (which if you'll remember was the vet's diagnosis as to what caused poor Freckles' bad night) but it's a great source of easily-digested non-starchy fiber. Something else that keeps popping up in my quest for the ultimate weight-gain diet is fenugreek. I plan to order a pound or two and begin supplementing all of our underweight and older horses with it. I'll keep you posted on how it works for us.
One of the things that we have learned after turning our back on some of the traditional horse-keeping ideas in favor of something more natural, is that our horses stay healthier on a much lower budget than I hear some of our equine friends discussing. I purchase our herbs in bulk and create individualized diets based on plants that a horse could theoretically find in the wild where Mother Nature would point him in the right direction to choose something from nature's pharmacy to cure what ails him. Read the label on some of the diet additives you'll see in fancy tack shops and feed stores and think about what you're putting into your horse's mouth. In my opinion, I'd rather see individual leaves of herbs mixed in with our horse's grains and pellets and know what plant produced it and why it's in there, than to stir in a generic mixture of heaven-knows-what-and-why simply because it has a fancy label (and price tag).
I'm getting a shopping list prepared for my bulk herb order. We'll walk through it next time and make sure I haven't forgotten anything. Until then, happy trails!
I've spent most of the day today picking the brain of everyone I know that feeds a natural diet, to see what additives I can start including with his food to keep this from happening again, as well as to get some weight on him before winter sets in. We have three horses, him included, that are about 100 pounds underweight, and even though our Alabama winters are not as harsh as some (ok most) other parts of the US, we still have some pretty frigid days and nights.
One of the first things we learned when we started taking in rescues was how hard it is to put weight and muscle back on a severely debilitated horse. Our vet says we've done a good job at it, but it's taken a lot of research, a lot of work and a lot of fretting and worrying.
We have recently started getting more serious about including moistened beet pulp with our feed. Not only does this add moisture to their diet (which if you'll remember was the vet's diagnosis as to what caused poor Freckles' bad night) but it's a great source of easily-digested non-starchy fiber. Something else that keeps popping up in my quest for the ultimate weight-gain diet is fenugreek. I plan to order a pound or two and begin supplementing all of our underweight and older horses with it. I'll keep you posted on how it works for us.
One of the things that we have learned after turning our back on some of the traditional horse-keeping ideas in favor of something more natural, is that our horses stay healthier on a much lower budget than I hear some of our equine friends discussing. I purchase our herbs in bulk and create individualized diets based on plants that a horse could theoretically find in the wild where Mother Nature would point him in the right direction to choose something from nature's pharmacy to cure what ails him. Read the label on some of the diet additives you'll see in fancy tack shops and feed stores and think about what you're putting into your horse's mouth. In my opinion, I'd rather see individual leaves of herbs mixed in with our horse's grains and pellets and know what plant produced it and why it's in there, than to stir in a generic mixture of heaven-knows-what-and-why simply because it has a fancy label (and price tag).
I'm getting a shopping list prepared for my bulk herb order. We'll walk through it next time and make sure I haven't forgotten anything. Until then, happy trails!
PS: The photo is of Freckles on a trail ride, jumping across a swollen creek. His inexperienced rider almost didn't make it across with him.
In The Wee Hours
My grandfather always said there's "no rest for the wicked." Not sure about the wicked part, but there's certainly no rest for anyone around here tonight. We have a colicky horse.
To anyone who knows anything about horses, those words are sure to strike fear. We all know that every horse we have, no matter how healthy he is, no matter how much he cost, no matter how much we love him, is always just one grain or one pellet away from colicking.
Knowing that colic is the number one cause of equine death made our hearts beat quite a bit faster when our Freckles refused his evening feed and then started showing signs of severe distress. We tried making him walk (the best way to keep the gut working and cause him to pass gas and stool) but his knees kept folding and he'd try to crumple to the ground. The vet (ours is on speed dial, I'll bet yours is too) said to allow him to lie down if he insisted, but to keep him from rolling at all costs. So, we aimed him to his stall and prepared ourselves for a long vigil.
After a while on the ground, Freckles apparently decided that this position didn't hurt any less than standing up, so he labored back to his feet, and then without any fanfare...he pooped and farted. What a wonderful sound! First the pfffffffft and then plop plop plop.
Looking at the pile of manure proved the type of colic we were dealing with. Most are treated identically at the beginning, but post and preventative treatments vary according to the type, so it's important to realize what's causing the problem. With Freckles, the dry flaky stool showed he was suffering from "pelvic flexure impaction". We'd been out of town over the weekend, and to make things easier for our barn sitter, we'd put out extra hay for everyone and lessened the numbers of feedings of grain per day. All of this extra hay had impacted and stopped moving, most likely in the left colon where the intestine takes a 180 degree and turn and narrows. What fluids he'd managed to intake were not keeping his gut moist enough to keep food digesting, so every bite he took kept piling up and up and up like cars in a wreck on the interstate until finally he simply...filled up.
Because his bowels were functioning now and he was able to pass fecal matter and gas, the prognosis for Freckles began looking brighter immediately, but still requires overnight watch which will include no feed for 24 hours, free range to graze if he chooses, as much water as he will drink (putting apple cider vinegar in a pail of water will sometimes entice them to drink, and is great for their system) and a new diet when he starts back to eating. This diet will include wheat bran (32 oz every day) to aid digestion, no hay at all for 10 days, and as much fluid as we can get him to take. We'll soak some beet pulp and add that to his food, and probably soak the bran before feeding it too.
While Freckles was down, we gave him a shot of banamine and that was when he began to made a turn for the better. At times like this, I am grateful for every moment of medical study and research and every single medication that is available to us to make life easier and healthier for our animals. As much as I believe in the power of alternative and natural medicine to heal, and as much as I want to give our animals a natural lifestyle, I also believe that we are responsible for providing as safe an existence for them as possible. This means taking the boat when you are offered it (are you familiar with that old joke about the man in a hurricane who keeps telling rescue workers to go save someone else, God will save him....as he is about to go under water he asks God how he could have failed him so and God speaks "Fail you? I sent you a boat, I sent you a helicopter, I sent you a.....")
I am lucky to have vets nearby who are willing to help me find a balance between old and new medicine and who have given my animals truly the best of both worlds. There are not enough words to express my gratitude.
Now, it's time for a check-in, and then if all is well, maybe an hour or two of sleep. Perchance to dream. Most likely about new saddles, clean stalls, and maybe even a nice moist poop or two.
To anyone who knows anything about horses, those words are sure to strike fear. We all know that every horse we have, no matter how healthy he is, no matter how much he cost, no matter how much we love him, is always just one grain or one pellet away from colicking.
Knowing that colic is the number one cause of equine death made our hearts beat quite a bit faster when our Freckles refused his evening feed and then started showing signs of severe distress. We tried making him walk (the best way to keep the gut working and cause him to pass gas and stool) but his knees kept folding and he'd try to crumple to the ground. The vet (ours is on speed dial, I'll bet yours is too) said to allow him to lie down if he insisted, but to keep him from rolling at all costs. So, we aimed him to his stall and prepared ourselves for a long vigil.
After a while on the ground, Freckles apparently decided that this position didn't hurt any less than standing up, so he labored back to his feet, and then without any fanfare...he pooped and farted. What a wonderful sound! First the pfffffffft and then plop plop plop.
Looking at the pile of manure proved the type of colic we were dealing with. Most are treated identically at the beginning, but post and preventative treatments vary according to the type, so it's important to realize what's causing the problem. With Freckles, the dry flaky stool showed he was suffering from "pelvic flexure impaction". We'd been out of town over the weekend, and to make things easier for our barn sitter, we'd put out extra hay for everyone and lessened the numbers of feedings of grain per day. All of this extra hay had impacted and stopped moving, most likely in the left colon where the intestine takes a 180 degree and turn and narrows. What fluids he'd managed to intake were not keeping his gut moist enough to keep food digesting, so every bite he took kept piling up and up and up like cars in a wreck on the interstate until finally he simply...filled up.
Because his bowels were functioning now and he was able to pass fecal matter and gas, the prognosis for Freckles began looking brighter immediately, but still requires overnight watch which will include no feed for 24 hours, free range to graze if he chooses, as much water as he will drink (putting apple cider vinegar in a pail of water will sometimes entice them to drink, and is great for their system) and a new diet when he starts back to eating. This diet will include wheat bran (32 oz every day) to aid digestion, no hay at all for 10 days, and as much fluid as we can get him to take. We'll soak some beet pulp and add that to his food, and probably soak the bran before feeding it too.
While Freckles was down, we gave him a shot of banamine and that was when he began to made a turn for the better. At times like this, I am grateful for every moment of medical study and research and every single medication that is available to us to make life easier and healthier for our animals. As much as I believe in the power of alternative and natural medicine to heal, and as much as I want to give our animals a natural lifestyle, I also believe that we are responsible for providing as safe an existence for them as possible. This means taking the boat when you are offered it (are you familiar with that old joke about the man in a hurricane who keeps telling rescue workers to go save someone else, God will save him....as he is about to go under water he asks God how he could have failed him so and God speaks "Fail you? I sent you a boat, I sent you a helicopter, I sent you a.....")
I am lucky to have vets nearby who are willing to help me find a balance between old and new medicine and who have given my animals truly the best of both worlds. There are not enough words to express my gratitude.
Now, it's time for a check-in, and then if all is well, maybe an hour or two of sleep. Perchance to dream. Most likely about new saddles, clean stalls, and maybe even a nice moist poop or two.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Howdy!
Howdy and Welcome!
I figure you're either here because you want to see if I've come up with something new under the sun regarding natural horsemanship, you want to share your own ideas, or you're here to see if I can write as well as I say I can. Either way, I hope you find what you're looking for and I'll look forward to meeting you.
In my opinion, natural horsemanship covers every aspect of horse ownership, every choice you make large and small: choosing your horse and its equipment, training, environment, diet, health care, hoof maintenance, daily life and grooming.
Going natural may mean a complete break from everything you've ever learned about horse ownership. It will likely mean you'll be going against the advice of your peers and it may mean taking a different direction entirely from the way you've enjoyed your horses in the past. It doesn't mean you can't exhibit your horse but it may limit which exhibitions will embrace you and decide which will shun you. Choosing a natural lifestyle for your horse may also mean you will have to defend yourself to less knowledgeable horse owners who insist that all horses must be shod, must cost a fortune to maintain, must be trained with heavy hands and cruel equipment, and will never be totally trustworthy unless they're ridden with bits and spurs, etc etc etc. These are usually the same people that have a hard time understanding the difference in fear and respect, and find it difficult to believe that a horse will obey a person it loves and respects far faster and with more dedication than it will someone who has beaten it into submission.
In the pages ahead, I'll share what I've learned while owning and operating a public stable, maintaining our many horses as naturally as possible. We offer trail rides, pony rides, beginner riding lessons and horse training to help pay the bills for our first love...our rescue horses. Come along and meet my family. Like everyone else's family we have all sorts of personalities, or as Pat Parelli says "horseanalities," some of them loveable, some of them not so much.
I'd love to hear from you if you think we're doing something wrong, if you think we're doing something right, or maybe you can help us solve some of the problems that are bound to arise when you share your life with a batch of misfit equines.
I figure you're either here because you want to see if I've come up with something new under the sun regarding natural horsemanship, you want to share your own ideas, or you're here to see if I can write as well as I say I can. Either way, I hope you find what you're looking for and I'll look forward to meeting you.
In my opinion, natural horsemanship covers every aspect of horse ownership, every choice you make large and small: choosing your horse and its equipment, training, environment, diet, health care, hoof maintenance, daily life and grooming.
Going natural may mean a complete break from everything you've ever learned about horse ownership. It will likely mean you'll be going against the advice of your peers and it may mean taking a different direction entirely from the way you've enjoyed your horses in the past. It doesn't mean you can't exhibit your horse but it may limit which exhibitions will embrace you and decide which will shun you. Choosing a natural lifestyle for your horse may also mean you will have to defend yourself to less knowledgeable horse owners who insist that all horses must be shod, must cost a fortune to maintain, must be trained with heavy hands and cruel equipment, and will never be totally trustworthy unless they're ridden with bits and spurs, etc etc etc. These are usually the same people that have a hard time understanding the difference in fear and respect, and find it difficult to believe that a horse will obey a person it loves and respects far faster and with more dedication than it will someone who has beaten it into submission.
In the pages ahead, I'll share what I've learned while owning and operating a public stable, maintaining our many horses as naturally as possible. We offer trail rides, pony rides, beginner riding lessons and horse training to help pay the bills for our first love...our rescue horses. Come along and meet my family. Like everyone else's family we have all sorts of personalities, or as Pat Parelli says "horseanalities," some of them loveable, some of them not so much.
I'd love to hear from you if you think we're doing something wrong, if you think we're doing something right, or maybe you can help us solve some of the problems that are bound to arise when you share your life with a batch of misfit equines.
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