There’s been a movement afoot (no pun intended) for several years which is confusing horse owners across the country. The line between barefoot horse advocates and those who believe a shod hoof is a safe hoof has been drawn deeply in the arena footing, and the opposing teams appear to be determined to bring the battle to an either/or conclusion. The reality of the situation, however, is anything but cut-and-dried. As with so many horse-ownership questions, appropriate care of your horse’s feet is a subject under constant study by equine science people around the world. As a result of th... [continue reading]

Here’s some practical horse advice, based on owning five horses for several years: 1.  Don’t let the horse step on your foot.  It hurts really, really bad.  Keep track of your toes.  Sometimes walking a little pigeon-toed helps. 2.  If you get anywhere near the rear end of the horse, you are in range for a kick.  Horse kicks are so fast you’ll be laid out on the ground before you even realize what happened.  Make sure the horse knows where you are at all times, as by talking to the horse when walking behind it. 3.  You must let the horse know you’re the boss.  ... [continue reading]

So you have purchased a horse and you’ve committed yourself to the task of caring for it on a daily basis. As your horse’s owner and caretaker, you need to become familiar with its personality, attitude and idiosyncrasies. Each horse has habits of its own and being and astute horse owner, you will want to recognize a problem with its health from the very beginning. If your horse is usually bright eyed and frisky and suddenly turns grumpy and won’t eat, there will be a reason for its change in attitude. Always be aware of changes in your horse’s habits and demeanor. This will allow you ... [continue reading]

Adapted from The Healthy Pet Manual: A Guide to the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer by Deborah Straw (Healing Arts Press, 2005). http://www.care2.com/ Garlic has been given medicinally to humans and animals for at least 4,000 years. In the past 20 years, 2,000 studies have been performed on garlic’s impact on our most serious, widespread illnesses. One report concluded that the herb may have direct benefits against the “seven major diseases of our time: Hypertension, hyperlipemia (high cholesterol), heavy metal intoxication, infectious disease, free-radical damage, cancer and immune def... [continue reading]

Dog aggression can have various causes. The various kinds of aggression observed in dogs are categorized based on what causes it – fear aggression, dominance aggression, territorial aggression and others. Aggressive dog behavior can be induced by fear. Fear is an emotion that we generally do not associate with dogs. However, it is a reality that some dogs can feel threatened or fearful due to certain specific objects, people or actions. If somebody, regardless of it being a human being or another animal, approaches a dog that is otherwise cringing in a corner with fear, the dog is likely to ... [continue reading]

The function of the immune system in a dog’s body is to recognize and destroy foreign substances and pathogens. Sometimes this system can go awry due to one reason or the other and starts attacking the body’s own cells. Conditions caused by such self-destructive responses are known as autoimmune or immune mediated diseases. The immune system normally removes and destroys red blood cells that are four months old. New red blood cells are produced in the bone marrow to replenish the loss. Immune mediated hemolytic anemia is a condition where the immune system starts destroying red blood cells... [continue reading]

Autoimmune diseases in dogs follow an almost similar pattern as in humans. Just as autoimmune diseases in humans are suspected to be related to a genetic predisposition, certain breeds of dogs are more vulnerable than others. The immune system is the body’s internal and natural self-healing system of reciprocation that comes into action as soon it recognizes an intrusion of foreign bodies. We call a disease as immune mediated when some underlying cause has caused the immune system to stop recognizing foreign substances. The immune system stops creating antibodies for combating the invasion a... [continue reading]

Infuse together in a canola or soybean oil 1 oz each of crushed rosemary, thyme, lemongrass, catnip, basil, bay leaf and crushed cloves (to infuse add 3 cups of oil to a pan or crock pot and simmer on low for about 1 hour, Let sit 24 hours and then strain out the herbs.) Apply rub to horses around ears ,neck, jaws, legs. Apply to humans on the arms ,neck legs, exposed skin. Quick Hints Lemon Balm or a yarrow tea can be misted on to children to help repel mosquitoes Put bay leaves in your cupboard to repel roaches & moths. Lavender sachets will help to repel moths . Patchouli sachets wil... [continue reading]

There’s a horse show across the state in a few weeks, and you’re planning on being there with your horses. However, it’s been awhile since you last pulled a horse trailer, and you’re a little concerned about your trailering skills. After all, you want to arrive at your destination safely, with the horses as calm and relaxed as possible. Guiding a loaded horse trailer down a country road or highway requires practical experience and know-how. There’s very little room for error. What do you do to ensure a safe, uneventful journey? How to Ensure Safe Trailering If you’re out of practice, or ... [continue reading]

By Tanya Nolte – Natural Horse An expression that I’m sure many of you are familiar with is “the eyes are the window of the soul”! Let this be a reminder to take heed of your equine companion’s state of health by paying close daily attention to his eyes. Your horse’s eyes will reflect a lot about both his mental and physical condition, revealing telltale signs if something may be amiss. Obvious physical expressions of unwellness include a glassy appearance, dullness, redness, swelling, lachrymation (tearing) and other discharges, itching/ irritation, small w... [continue reading]