For the Love of Horses

Innovations in Confinement Area Horse-Keeping | TheHorse.com Ever since I became a horse owner I have been a seeker of all things natural for horsekeeping. From pasture and paddock rotation to organic fly control and interactive curiosity stimuation. This article by Alayne Blickle for TheHorse.com, discusses an novel way (at least to me) to design and manage confinement areas for horses. Specifically, how to "keep it from becoming a muddy smelly equine prison." I cannot agree more emphatically with one horseowner interviewed, Kelly Munro. She says, “I believe that quality turnout time is one of the most important things for horses, so we want to create really healthy, enjoyable turnout spaces for each horse that are usable year-round." Kelly's solution surpised me. She designs her paddock/turnout/sacrifice areas by creating "track paddocks" with "rain gardens!" A rain garden consists of a "shallow depressions in the ground stocked wi

Two weeks ago we had a foal in our stable who was orphaned. Everyone, including myself, has been offering their best advise from how to best keep this filly warm to what kind of formula to feed. Of course, nothing is better than a vet's care and instructions. But what do you do if seeking a vet is not an option. It can be difficult to accept when cultural and economic differences define what care is given. As a concerned fellow horse owner sometimes it comes down to digging up the best information possible and passing it along to those who can communicate it best. Almost always it can be a delicate situation when differences in culture and language are the shakey bridge we face crossing. For myself, all I know is that it is paramount for the life of this creature, and giving and showing respect for others that I do what I can to contribute what vital information I can find. Surprisingly, in these two brief articles very good information is given. I pray that those who have the

This article is a VERY wise reminder to pay attention to the details of horse care especially after the summer is over. Here's a snapshot below, but read the article. It contains many bits of insight worthy of attention! Don’t Just Put Horses Away For The Winter | Farms.com 1. Fresh air and/or good ventilation are major requirements for horses kept inside. Keeping stalls clean is necessary to keep ammonia levels low. 2. Horses need free-choice, good quality hay. Hay generates more heat than grain does during digestion and thus is more helpful in maintaining body heat during cold weather 3. Horses not wanting to drink cold or freezing water can cause dehydration. Lack of water is the number one cause of impaction colic in horses. Loose salt and water warmed to 60 F will increase water consumption by 40 to 100 percent. 4. Horses not in competition should have shoes pulled and hooves trimmed regularly, every six weeks. 5. Exercising three times a week for an hour and

In this Montana Standard report "Cowboy gives thanks for horses the only way he knows how" (article copied below), we learn about a fella that is living a horse-lover's life of thankfulness.  John Thompson or "Jonie T" discribes his effort to live by  "the cowboy tradition. That's respect, trust and honor. I'm praying our country gets back to those, but unfortuately those words are dying, just like the true cowboy is."   So many of us horse prople (and Texans) strive to live up to life like that. For Jonie however, living the cowboy's life has come via a winding, wrong side of the tracks way that left him with no easy deal. But that is not his point anymore. For him, it's about living to repay the horse victims of a abuse. He has since learned horses have the capacity to forgive men and heal from their own suffering as much as facilitate the healing of men. His way of helping horses heal is to "walk them though it, and

http://www.timesdaily.com/news/local/breast-cancer-patients-use-horses-for-therapy/article_0ded15ba-6769-55d1-a889-677932ddccf9.html Are you a woman? Have you suffered through cancer? Can you imagine what life would be like after breast cancer? I attend the North Davis Church of Christ in Arlington, Texas. In our congregation too many of our members are or have suffered from cancer. In fact, just today in Sunday class two prayer requests were given for ladies recently diagnosed with breast cancer! One is for a new friend of mine who I am only just getting to know! Sometimes there is not much more one can do but to pray for the welfare, care and comfort of anyone struck with such a terrible disease.  But here, again, as a horse owner aware of the special influences our equine partners can impart, I am honored to find there are others who have the insight to apply to the special friendship of horses to benefit others! In this article  Breast Cancer Patients use Horses for Therapy  

Khlown  and 'Lina http://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Corralling-children-s-grief-10625048.php   Some of my friends know how I feel about horses as a form of therapy. My Khlown and 'Lina (full brother and sister 25+ years old) have been my therapy for decades helping me through loneliness in marriage and divorce, depression, anger, finding peace, comfort, and care-giving where none was to be had. I have often thought how interacting with horses has changed my outlook in life, and how I know they can affect others. Now a days the therapy benefits of relationships with horses are widely researched and validated. So, in this vein of interest,  I came across this article in the San Francisco Chronicle that caught my attention:  Corralling children's grief .  It speaks of an innovative way the observation of horses is used to interpreted one's own emotions in dealing with grief. Recently, I was touched by a friend of mine who mom just passed away and I wonder