Archive for the ‘Natural Healing’ Category

Madalyn Ward, DVM

None of us want our horses to be in pain. Horses can’t tell us in words what hurts, but they do communicate to us with their body posture and behavior. Acute pain, such as colic or injury, is pretty straightforward to understand and treat, but chronic pain in the musculoskeletal system is more of a challenge.

There is a tendency in conventional medicine to treat all pain in the same way, by reaching for steroids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These products have a place in treating acute injuries, but their side effects limit their use for chronic pain. Chronic pain is almost always related to a systemic imbalance, and needs to be approached in a way that addresses both the immediate pain and the underlying cause. Read the rest of this entry »

A Note from Faye: Well, September is upon us…which also means that Fall is rapidly approaching! So this month we will once again focus on Holistic Horse Care & Natural & Herbal remedies for our horses. The colder weather brings with it a host of health issues, but instead of rushing out and buying a ‘traditional’ (possibly toxic!) treatment, first explore the possibility that there may be a natural remedy that will not only cure what ails your horse, but also support his immune system and treat the horse as a whole being instead of merely treating symptoms!

FOOD ALLERGIES & SENSITIVITES IN HORSES

 By: Madalyn Ward, DVM (www.holistichorsekeeping.com)

Normally when we think of allergies, symptoms like a runny nose or cough come to mind. A horse owner may more quickly think of the horrible skin itch that occurs with sweet itch, the allergy to culicoides gnats. But not all allergies have such obvious symptoms. Read the rest of this entry »

The following article is an excert from Marijke’s new book ‘Healing Horses their Way’.

This wonderful book is available at www.rivasremedies.com

The Do’s of Parasite Control

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

What to DO:

DO perform fecal egg counts to determine who needs treatment, what programs are effective and which horses in the herd need the most attention.
Egg counts are the only way to determine if what you’re doing is working. These tests can be done at most veterinarian clinics or through do-it-yourselves kits.
Regular testing will bring more accurate results since Read the rest of this entry »

COLIC

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

Colic is the number one cause of death in horses. The majority of colic cases are caused by either a build up of gas or by impactions in the hindgut.

Affected horses exhibit symptoms that include pawing, sweating, passing small amounts of stool, looking at, or kicking at their abdomen and wanting to lie down or roll. Read the rest of this entry »

Article written by: Dr Joyce Harman

Summary
Herbal medicine is being used with increasing frequency. Many people are unaware of the best way to use herbs, or what conditions can be treated. This article is an introduction to the many aspects of the use of herbs in horses with discussion about some specific herbs useful for older horses. Over time I will publish more details about herbal medicine and individual herbs. 

An Introduction to the Use of Herbs

Horse owners are becoming increasingly interested in natural medicines and herbal medicine in particular. There is much lack of knowledge about Read the rest of this entry »

A GUIDE TO AN ACUPRESSURE TREATMENT SESSION

Start by finding a comfortable location for you and your horse where it is calm and you both can relax.  Slowly, take three even breaths in and out.  Think about how you want to help your horse feel better; taking a moment to formulate the intent of your treatment is very important. Begin by resting one hand near your horse’s shoulder.  Using the heel of your other hand, place it at the poll and gently Read the rest of this entry »

“FIT TO CONTINUE”

(an article about an Alternative & Natural Therapy for Horses)

By Amy Snow & Nancy Zidonis,

authors of Equine Acupressure: A Working Manual

It is dark and downright cold.  The ride starts at 5:00 a.m. and it is 3:30 a.m.  Too cold to sleep and Samson, my 8-year-old gelding, is probably just as cold and stiff as I am.  He’s been able to move around in a pen to keep his blood circulating, but I’ve got to do something to help him warm-up and prepare for the many miles ahead…. Read the rest of this entry »

A note from Faye:

Natural Horsemanship is not just about riding without a bit…it is far bigger than that…Natural Horsemanship is a mindset, it is a new way of being with horses. It is developing a more natural & closer relationship with your horse. It also means exploring alternative therapies that can improve your horse’s quality of life…

Here is Part 3 of ‘Yoga with Horses’ written by Linda Guanti

Developing yoga with horses was really hard for me at first. Like I said, yoga with horses was something I created from necessity, not something that was put together intentionally. I had many different opinions about what I wanted it to become. I finally decided that a set routine was the best idea. I had been doing Bikram yoga for years. Bikram yoga is a series of 27 poses done in a heated room. It’s the same 27 postures every time. It may seem surprising but it never ever felt like the same class. I bet anyone who does it will attest to this. Each time you do the class your body and mind are in a different place and thus your class always has different challenges and successes. I felt that this would be the same. Especially because in this case, it’s not just your body and mind but your horses as well.

My routine combines Read the rest of this entry »

A note from Faye:

Natural Horsemanship is not just about riding without a bit…it is far bigger than that…Natural Horsemanship is a mindset, it is a new way of being with horses. It is developing a more natural & closer relationship with your horse. It also means exploring alternative therapies that can improve your horse’s quality of life…

Here is part 2 of ‘Yoga with Horses’ written by Linda Guanti

Now you might be thinking the same thing I was at this point. How can I possible have time to stretch myself, stretch my horse and groom and ride and do barn chores and…? Some details started to get left out…but some started to combine!

Time to pick the horse’s hoof out? Why not throw in a forward bend. That makes 4 forward bends if you do it for each hoof! How about brushing the legs? Why not side lung to the front, then to the back. That’s 2 of each when you go to each side of the horse. Girth’s all done up? Now time to stretch the horse’s legs forward. It’s a stretch in addition to smoothing the skin under the girth area! Want to give you horse a treat? Make him stretch his head to each side to reach it, or down to his chest or between his front legs. This also helps to prevent or deter bad manners. The horse learns Read the rest of this entry »

A note from Faye:

Natural Horsemanship is not just about riding without a bit…it is far bigger than that…Natural Horsmanship is a mindset, it is a new way of being with horses. It is developing a  more natural & closer relationship with your horse. It also means exploring alternative therapies that can imporove your horse’s quality of life…

“Yoga with Horses” written by Linda Guanti

Necessity is the mother of invention so They say. Who are They? I don’t know but I must agree in this case. Yoga with horses developed as more of a necessity then an inspiration. It grew in small and very gradual stages.  Firstly I was doing yoga regularly for my own benefit. Stretching, breathing, meditating, strengthening my own body, mind and soul. A chronic back injury was finally being tamed with a combination of Physiotherapy and Yoga. It not only helped my riding but many other aspects of my life too. As my riding abilities improved the athletic demands on my horse increased. My ongoing concern for his well-being made me wonder what I could do to help his body with the stresses of my demands. I realized that Read the rest of this entry »