People Problems

Years ago, 60 to be exact, a riding instructor told me, "There is no such thing as a bad horse, just bad riders." She was right. Instead of people learning to fix their problem horses, our horses need help fixing their people problems.

Everyone needs to spend at least a weekend observing horses in a pasture with their mothers, other foals, and other herd members. They have an amazing social order. It's pretty simple, but very effective. Something from which we can all learn.

In order to establish dominance with an equine, it's important you do it within the first two minutes of handling. Horses really don't care who the leader of the gang is, they just need to know quick. First, they need to respect your space, then you can start educating them in other areas. Once you've established a comfortable distance between the two of you, the beginning of a trusted, respectful bond starts to occur.

A well-trained, educated horse starts with hours of groundwork. It's the basis for everything you'll do with your equine. It's safe, fun, and stress-free for both you and your horse pal.

Happy trails.

Peace, Joy, and Dark Days

"Through the days of love and celebration and joy, and through the dark days of mourning - the faithful horse has been with us always."   ~Elizabeth Cotton

Last week was was a tough week emotionally. I won't go into detail. The one, true constant was the horses. They are always there to remind me of  what's really important in life. There seems to be an "other world" spiritual connection when I'm around the power and graceful presence of my horses. All the emotional pain goes away. Balance returns. Peace returns. The world becomes...beautiful.

The Hand of Allah

Following is a Bedouin legend. To me it's more than mere legend. It truly captures the spirit of the horse. It's what motivates me to go out to the barn each morning, this time of year, in freezing temperatures. It's what makes my spirit soar and my heart sing.

"And Allah took a handful of southerly wind,
blew His breath over it, and created the horse.

He said to the magnificent creature,
"I have made thee as no other.

All the treasures of the earth lie between thy eyes.

Thou shall carry my friends upon thy back.
Thy saddle shall be the seat of prayers to me.

Thou shall fly without wings,
and conquer without any sword. Oh, horse."

~ Bedouin Legend ~

Horse Allergies

It's been over a year since I've posted to this blog. Life has thrown me some curves, but the horses remain constant. I actually thought about doing away with this blog, but my soul wouldn't let me.

For you equine enthusiasts or wanna be equine fans, I'll continue to supply you with facts, funny stories, spiritual connections, and tips on horse care.

Here's a tip for you horse owners. My mare, Silver City Sadie, affectionately referred to as "Sadie", developed allergies this winter. Sadie had a yellow discharge out of one nostril only, along with upper nostril inflammation. She was a little "off", but had no fever, was eating fine, and the discharge had no odor, so it was assumed she had either a sinus infection or allergies. The vet put her on antibiotics (SMZ) twice a day for two weeks. It cleared up for a while, but the discharge came back. Again more antibiotics.

To make a long story short, I took matters into my own hands and started giving Sadie a 1/2 oz. scoop of MSM in her daily feed. It cleared up the discharge and the nasal inflammation within a week. It's one of those supplements if tried and it doesn't work, it won't hurt anything.

Equine MSM supplement (methylsulfonylmethane) is an antiflammatory powder that aids in the reduction of joint inflammation. I figured, I'd put a 1/2 oz. scoop in Sadie's feed to see if it works on the nasal passages. It didn't surprise me that it did work.

It cost me $180 for the antibiotics, which didn't work, and $48 for a barn call. Not to mention the cost of gas for a 58 mile round trip to the barn twice a day. In contrast, the MSM cost me $15 for a two month supply. The best part is, it worked! Most important, Sadie is happier because she feels much better.

I'm not advocating taking matters into your own hands when your horse gets sick. By all means, call your vet if you suspect any sort of illness in your horse. Having been around equines all my life, my common sense prevailed, in this case, because nothing else was working.

Happy trails!