Author Archive

Honza Bláha – Open Borders

Sometimes all it takes is a video like the one you are about to watch to remind you why you keep trying to reach that place of perfect connection with your horses.

We can all achieve this.

Click on the link below to watch…

Open Borders- Honza Blaha

Pack and prey animals, horses have evolved to be incredibly attuned to the emotions of those around them, and when a horse and an equine assisted therapist get together, it results in a powerfully revealing therapeutic method.

You can lie to your therapist, but a horse – a horse only accepts the truth!

Equine assisted therapy occurs un-mounted, there is no riding involved, and it is an emerging treatment for people suffering an addiction to drugs or alcohol.

How does it work?

In equine assisted therapy, the client will be asked to interact with a horse. Asked to lead, feed, groom or even catch a horse loose in the stables. As we perform this task, and interact with the horse, the therapist observes closely, and by watching the horse, learns something about us!

Horses are said to mirror the human soul. Read the rest of this entry »

This is an article I read on www.teendrugabuse.org. We are starting a Youth program this year so I thought this was a good article to explain the work we do with the horses. Please visit www.unbridlingyourbrilliance.com for info on all the different types of programs we offer, not just for Youth.

Click here to read out our specialized Youth program called Youth with purpose…A new Kind of Horsepower^TM

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Horses Help Troubled Youth

Many youngsters exposed to abuse and trauma are turning to horses in order to confront their emotional issues. A horse doesn’t judge you. A horse doesn’t answer you back; it just listens, which is sometimes exactly what’s needed. Horses have a way of getting kids to smile and let their guard down – something that may be difficult to achieve through a traditional therapy session – even with the help of a trained and experienced counselor.

Some teens express that certain types of therapy did not work for them. Whether it is because they have a hard time trusting, letting down their guard, or are just not ready to face their demons, traditional therapy is not for everyone. Horses can be a very calming force. They are very in-tune to Read the rest of this entry »

We are back! After a few weeks of technical problems with the blog all is resolved and we are back to bringing you articles every week…Enjoy!

This article was featured in Riva’s Remedies March 2012 Newsletter and I wanted to share it with all of you. I’m sure we have all, at some point dealt with a moody mare! We have a very hormonal mare that greatly benefits from these herbal treatments. Hope this helps you too!

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Helping Hormonal Mares

By Marijke van de Water, B.Sc., DHMS

Many mares exhibit hormonal problems through mood and behaviour changes. This is often seen during a mare’s cycling days, however many mare owners report this behaviour even when they are not cycling. Unfortunately, too many times we have simply attributed this to “mares being mares”, and have not recognized that these horses are not feeling well and that they can suffer from the same anxiety, irritability, aggression, sadness and depression as women do during PMS or an unhealthy menopause. These emotional symptoms can make it very hard for mares to tolerate being handled or ridden, or to cooperate with other horses. And, unfortunately it often gets dismissed as a training problem.

Hormones are powerful chemicals that have a profound effect on the neurotransmitters of the brain: estrogen has an excitatory effect on the brain, increasing serotonin and acetylcholine levels whereas progesterone has a more calming effect. Serotonin is responsible for creating positive moods and acetylcholine is necessary for focus and memory.

As with humans, diet can be an important factor – high-sugar feed such as oats or sweet feed will exacerbate hormonal symptoms. Horse owners also report that high quantities of alfalfa can negatively affect behaviour as well. (For humans, caffeine and dairy products are the most common culprits with PMS and menopausal symptoms.)

For a hormone balancer and calmer the Riva’s Herbal Blend for Mares is an effective remedy. It contains Blue Cohosh, Black Cohosh, Licorice Root and Chamomile to tone the ovaries and sooth the nerves. This blend will also help to regulate erratic cycles, ease uterine cramping and/or to increase fertility – although it is not advisable to feed it during pregnancy.

The best nutritional supplements are Vitamin B6 (800 to 1,000 mg daily) and Riva’s Primrose Oil (4,000 mg daily).

Vitamin B6 is essential for the synthesis of both hormones and neurotransmitters and has the added benefit of regulating blood sugar levels. It will also support pituitary and thyroid function.

Riva’s Primrose Oil also helps to synthesize hormones, and is a natural anti-inflammatory and immune stimulant. Both of these nutrients can be used with the Herbal Blend for Mares and are also safe to feed during pregnancy.

If the thyroid or pituitary glands need extra support, use Riva’s Hormone+Boost to stimulate and tone the entire glandular system, to optimize metabolism, improve immunity, relieve stress, and enhance mental and emotional well-being. It contains Ashwaghanda, Chaste Berry, Kelp, Licorice Root and Raspberry Leaf.

Once the hormones are stabilized but a mare is still uncooperative then the training program should be assessed. Some horse owners have allowed their behaviour to become a pattern, in which case competent but compassionate handling will help them re-learn a healthier attitude. And don’t put food down in front of “cranky” mares until their ears come forward – this might take time at first but they will learn to “smile” to get fed. In fact, don’t let them eat at any time during handling or riding as many horses will consider this as dominance. With good food, supplements and common-sense handling most mares will become happy and healthy partners.

Some moody mares are simply trying to express that they want to have a baby, after which their hormones “settle down”. There are no guarantees though…and if you choose to breed make sure that you can provide the foal with a permanent home for life; we already have too many unwanted horses that end up in situations of neglect and/or abuse.

Click here to see this article in its entirety on Riva’s Rememdies Website: http://www.rivasremedies.com/hormonal_mares.php

Marijke van de Water, B.Sc., DHMS

Equine Health & Nutrition Specialist
Homeopathic Practitioner
Medical Intuitive & Healer
Author of two books:
Healing Horses: Their Way!
Healing People: The Marijke Method

by: Marcia King

Click this link for the original article in its entirety: TheHorse.com

Whether you consider a horse to be old at 18 or 25, at some point, senior horses are going to start showing clinical signs of aging–moving more slowly or stiffly, becoming unthrifty, developing a dull coat, or displaying subtle or obvious signs of a disease process. Here are some of the common problems you could encounter in your aged friend and what you should know about those topics to help him through those golden years.

In today’s Part 3 we will cover the following topics:

- Eye Problems

- Hoof Changes

- Reproductive Function

- Respiratory Factors

- Weight Loss

- Take-Home Message

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Eye Problems

“Any older animal will eventually develop age-related ocular disease,” says Ursula M. Dietrich, DrMedVet, Dipl. ACVO, ECVO, assistant professor in the department of small animal medicine and surgery at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia. “This is due to the biologic clock ticking and decline of the cells’ regeneration capacity, but it is not known if the aging process may also be influenced by environment, nutrition, care, etc. Treatment of some ocular diseases in horses can be Read the rest of this entry »

by: Marcia King

Click this link for the original article in its entirety: TheHorse.com

Whether you consider a horse to be old at 18 or 25, at some point, senior horses are going to start showing clinical signs of aging–moving more slowly or stiffly, becoming unthrifty, developing a dull coat, or displaying subtle or obvious signs of a disease process. Here are some of the common problems you could encounter in your aged friend and what you should know about those topics to help him through those golden years.

In today’s Part 2 we will cover the following topics:

- Cushing’s Disease

- Degenerative Joint Disease

- Dental Disease

- Chronic Diarrhea

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Cushing’s Disease

Equine Cushing’s disease (ECD, or pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction) is commonly diagnosed in aged horses, says Rachel Jahnke, BSc, DVM, of Wisconsin Equine Clinic & Hospital in Oconomowoc, Wis. Due to a tumor that forms in the pars intermedia of the pituitary gland, Cushing’s results in excess production of cortisol hormone, which in turn leads to hirsutism (a long, often curly hair coat that does not shed out well), laminitis, lethargy, Read the rest of this entry »

by: Marcia King

Click this link for the original article in its entirety: TheHorse.com

Whether you consider a horse to be old at 18 or 25, at some point, senior horses are going to start showing clinical signs of aging–moving more slowly or stiffly, becoming unthrifty, developing a dull coat, or displaying subtle or obvious signs of a disease process. Here are some of the common problems you could encounter in your aged friend and what you should know about those topics to help him through those golden years.

In today’s Part 1 we will cover the following topics:

-Cardiac Dysfunction

-Colic

-Compromised Immune Function

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Cardiac Dysfunction

“Older horses, in general, do not commonly develop life-threatening or career-limiting cardiac problems,” reports Laurie A. Beard, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, associate clinical professor at Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “Nevertheless, a decrease in aerobic and exercise capacity occurs in older horses. Older horses are not as able to Read the rest of this entry »

Written By- Dr. John Kohnke BVSc RDA.
Talking Horses Equestrian Issue 22

Rain Scald or ‘mud fever’ is a common skin condition which is favoured by wet weather. The common cause is a fungal-like organism (Dermatophilus congolensis) which colonises the skin of horses, cattle and sheep.

Horses which share pastures with sheep or cattle often have a higher risk of rain scald or even ‘greasy heel’, which is also caused by the same organism, combined with skin reaction to sunlight on non-pigmented skin (horses with white socks on their hind fetlocks and pasterns).

Although it is a soil contaminate, it is difficult to culture the fungal-like organism from soil in muddy areas. Studies have shown that the common black house fly Read the rest of this entry »

This shows why the traditional opinion of how hoof mechanism works is completely backwards.

This video contains essential information maximizing your horse’s performance and keeping him sound.

Hoof mechanism is what keeps the hoof alive and frog pressure is what keeps the hoof mechanism alive.

If your horse suffers poor hoof growth, poor horn quality or poor healing capacity the hoof mechanism is most likely out of order.

There is much more information on NoFrog.NoHorse on Facebook.

Thanks to EasyCareInc.com for posting this very interesting video on their Facebook page a few days ago…

This is extremely enlightening and once again opens up the debate of Traditional VS Natural (Barefoot) Hoofcare…

This video shows what could be considered one of the most important breakthroughs in modern hoof research. It proves the complete foundation for the traditional hoof care to be wrong. Since the coffin bone apparently is NOT hanging from the hoof wall the hoof wall should not be forced to carry the horse’s weight.

On the contrary- it would indicate that the hoof wall AS WELL AS frog and sole also need to bear the horse’s weight.

Therefore the practice of traditional hoof care and shoeing is forcing the horses to carry its ENTIRE weight peripherally (on the walls). This can cause significant damage as well of discomfort and even extreme pain.