Archive for the ‘Equine Nutrition’ Category

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

Minerals are necessary for most chemical reactions occurring within your horse’s body.  Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium and sulfur are the main minerals needed by your horse.  Common salt blocks usually only contain very small amounts of minerals, and are in fact mostly sodium. 

Although your horse will get some of these other minerals from his hay and grain, it is sometimes necessary to feed a supplement.  If you have concerns that your horse’s diet may be lacking in this area, check with your veterinarian.  Minerals are very important parts of your horse’s diet, and deficiencies can cause such Read the rest of this entry »

By Scott Hansen

Salt is one of the things that all animals need in one form or another.  It’s been around for as long as man has been in existence and has been a staple of his diet.  While man has learned to mine salt from the ground and turn it into a variety of products, animals have always relied on obtaining it from natural sources.  Animals, including man, can not live without some salt and without minerals. 

Unfortunately, man seems to have overstepped his boundaries when it comes to salt.  Salt in its natural form is often bound with other minerals.  This salt is usually a light grey or pink in color.  Minerals and salt go together in their natural environment. 

Salt is an electrolyte and one of its primary purposes is to attract and retain water as well as to balance our cell fluids.  This is why athletes were often given salt tablets during training in hot weather.  You and your horse will likely need more salt if you’re riding in hot weather. 

However, today all salts are not created equally.  The problem with most salt today is that Read the rest of this entry »

We have recently taken an older horse into our care who was retired from work due to his declining health. He was unable to live in a herd enviroment and fend for himself anymore and so he has come to us so that he can recieve personalized care and feeding.  

Although this horse came from a good home and was by no means a ‘rescue’ it did make me think about all the rescue horses that we have nursed back to health and what a difficult and long journey it can be.

Taking in and bringing a starving horse back to health should always be approached with adequate information and preperation for the task ahead and this article helps you to understand a little of what this involves…

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If a malnourished horse has come under your care, it is important you know that feeding him is delicate. The horse’s stomach is a fragile organ, prone to distension and colic and other problems, so you have to carefully monitor the feed a malnourished horse receives, and make adjustments accordingly.

Instructions

ONE—-It is a sight that is far too common these days–horses starved to the point of death or near death. If you are kind enough to try and help, remember that no good deed is easy, and often you will find yourself wondering why on earth you got yourself into this mess. Read the rest of this entry »

As Natural Horsecare becomes more and more understood and more widely implemented it is important that we re-educate our children as well as adults in the new and yet age-old practice of natural horse care.

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My Natural Horses  (by Anne Louise MacDonald) is a unique introduction to creating exceptionally healthy, happy horses.

This full-color photo-illustrated book is the first to show young readers the principles of Natural Horse Care, taking an entirely positive approach by following two horses, Isabelle and Prince, through all four seasons of the year.

Designed for ages seven and up, this book includes 150 exceptional photographs to delight everyone from the child who dreams of ponies to the active equine owner.

Larger text allows younger readers to get a basic understanding of Natural Horse Care, while smaller text gives more details to entertain and inform an older audience.

My Natural Horses is a joy just to look through, and an eye opener to an option in horse care that many horse people know little about.

Here is a Video Preview of Anne Louise’s book. Anne lives in Eastern Canada.

My Natural Horses is available on AMAZON. Click here: My Natural Horses

by: Heather Smith Thomas

Testing Grass

Some grasses are more problematic than others, and this can vary greatly. “There are many species that have a wide variance in sugar levels (under the same weather conditions and time of day),” says Ralston.

“For instance, there are hundreds of subtypes of fescue, and some are very high in sugar and some are not,” she notes. “Kentucky bluegrass tends to be lower in sugar than the fescues, but this is a very vague generalization. Testing the grass won’t help you determine if a certain grass is high or low in sugar because it will all depend on the time of day you take the sample. Read the rest of this entry »

This is an intro article for the next few articles which will be specifically about ‘Pature management’. We are now nearing the beginning of summer and no doubt your horses have been out grazing on the lush spring grass. There are 2 things we need to keep in mind:

1.The high sugar content in the grass 

2.Being sure  not to overgrazing and to practice good pasture management.

PASTURE SUGARS

by: Heather Smith Thomas

Understanding how grass grows and how horses use sugars in grass and hay can help you better manage your equine charges.

Grass is grass, right? Wrong! That lovely green pasture you’ve diligently watered and kept weed-free can be like Jekyll and Hyde. If your horse is at risk for grass founder or has a low tolerance for high levels of sugar, a pasture that might be perfect feed in the morning can be his biggest enemy in the afternoon.

Sugars are building blocks for plant growth. Grasses create sugar during daylight hours by using carbon dioxide, water, and energy from the sun via photosynthesis. The sugar made by day is then turned into fiber for cell walls and energy for other necessary life processes. During the night sugar sources are generally depleted. Thus, the safest time of day for horses at risk for grass founder to graze is early in the morning. Read the rest of this entry »