The competitive Wood horse temperament loves to play rough, even if it means he hurts himself. Most horses will back off when in pain but the Wood horse’s instinct is to power through. In the case of the horse with the torn shoulder he did not slow down when he snagged his skin on an exposed gate latch. Instead he pushed on through the partially open gate, collapsing it and several posts.

My Wood mule did similar harm to himself when he refused to slow down when galloping over sharp rocks. The result was a broken coffin bone. The competition Wood temperament horse will continue to run of jump even when injured. They feel the pain but love competing so much they keep going. Think Barbaro and the injuries he sustained racing because he could not be pulled up.

So what to do to protect the Wood horse temperament from himself:

Scan stalls and pastures for any possible danger
Avoid overfeeding and underworking
Consider relaxing herbs such as Relax Blend before turning out
Turnout with more sedate horses
Provide safe toys like giant rubber balls(expect to replace these regularly)
Keep free choice hay available to keep your Wood horse occupied

The other side of the self destructive behavior of the Wood horse temperament is what makes him so fun to compete on. For the Wood horse there is no race too long or jump too high. He loves the challenge. Madalyn

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Did you know that almost 20 million people in the U.S. are looking for constipation relief? That’s the number of people who suffer from constipation in this country. That’s bad news.

The good news is that there are probiotics for constipation relief. What are probiotics? They are the “good” bacteria that live in your gut, helping with everything from digestion to the production of B-vitamins (which are beneficial for good moods).

Are You Seeking Constipation Relief?
If you are tired of laxatives and stool softeners, you are on the right track. While the occasional use of these products can help move your digestive tract along, long term use leads to dependence. Your digestive tract simply stops working because the
laxatives and stool softeners are taking care of business.

The thing is, you WANT your digestive system to be strong and functional. A healthy digestive system not only helps your body absorb nutrients, but also boosts your immunity.

Natural Solutions for Constipation Relief
Luckily there are natural solutions for constipation relief. One of the best options is to add probiotics to your daily regimen.

Why do you need to add probiotics if these beneficial bacteria already live in your gut? That’s easy … lifestyle choices can kill probiotics, leaving room for harmful bacteria to take up residence in your gut. For instance, drinking chlorinated water, living under chronic stress, or eating unhealthy foods can all kill the probtioics in your gut. This in turn can lead to digestive upset, and have you seeking constipation relief.

The really cool thing about probiotics is that they are easy to add to your daily regimen: just pop some capsules filled with live probiotics in your mouth, swallow with non-chlorinated water, and voila! Probiotics added.

Effective Probiotics for Constipation Relief
One way to ensure that you are getting the most out of your probiotics supplement is to use a full spectrum probiotic
product. For example, Spectrabiotic from Simplexity include 8 different types of beneficial bacteria, as well as blue-green algae, which supports the digestive tract.

Spectrabiotic is verified to be active. That means that when it is manufactured, each two-capsule serving contains at least:

• 825 million active L. acidophilus bacteria
• 495 million active B bifidum bacteria
• 10% each of the other six key beneficial bacteria
• Jerusalem artichoke, acerola, and rose hips (helps probiotics stay active)

The recommended dose is 2-4 capsules daily before bed. Many a sufferer has found constipation relief and digestive support with this regimen, with many experiencing changes in their digestion within 24-48 hours.

Best of all, this solution for constipation relief is all natural and supports the beneficial bacteria that are meant to live in
your gut. Natural is good. Constipation relief is even better!

If you liked this post, please leave a comment or get more great holistic horse info at Holistic Horsekeeping, Horse Harmony Test, Horse Harmony, and on Twitter.

If you know your equine partner too well, or if you don’t know him
enough, you may have trouble figuring out his horse temperament type.

Don’t worry … lots of people have this problem. Lots of people have
this problem not just with their horses, but with their life partners
as well, so it’s no big deal!

Nevertheless, if you really want to live in horse harmony and know
your four-legged partner’s horse type, then we have 11 little quirks
which just might help! The difference between one horse temperament
and another may be subtle, but quirky enough for you to see.

Horse Temperament: 11 Quirks for 11 Types
We list 11 quirks below, one associated with each horse temperament
type. Scan through the list and see if any of these quirks rings a
bell. This will help you determine your horse’s temperament type,
especially if you are straddling the fence between two types!

Fire: Often rolls the tongue or flaps the lips, especially when
younger or under stress

Earth: When happy, often gives a contented sigh and carries an air
of calm and peace

Water: When balanced, has the keen look of the eagle and is one of
the most regal-looking types

Metal: Thrilled to do his job as soon as he learns it. Does a
trademark grimace with his mouth when he can’t figure out his job.

Wood: Loves to break things. If every gate, post, and horse toy on
your place is busted or bent, you’re horse is a Wood!

Shao Yang (Fire/Wood): Dislikes being touched, especially on the
feet or toward the hind end

Jue Yin (Wood/Fire): Causes trouble in a playful way … loves to
mess with you!

Tai Yang (Water/Fire): Exuberant and loves to move … the happier
he is, the faster he moves, ears pricked and exuberant! Why walk when
you can trot? Why trot when you can canter?

Shao Yin (Fire/Water): The most affectionate type, likely to nudge
you, loving, innocent

Yang Ming (Metal/Earth): Willing to please, not very spontaneous
(will give lots of warning before bucking or shying or causing
trouble)

Tai Yin (Earth/Metal): Very dedicated to one-person to the point of
happily doing just about anything for the person they love, even if
the task is difficult. Will perform for others, but not eagerly.

Horse Temperament: Quirks Ring a Bell?
Hopefully the above list of quirks will help you more easily determine
horse temperament type. Sometimes it’s the little things that our
horses do that make them stand out as one horse temperament type or
other.

For more Horse Harmony Temperament Typing Resources, check out these
dedicated resources:

www.HorseHarmony.com
www.HorseHarmonyTest.com
Horse Harmony Facebook Page
Horse Harmony Youtube Channel

If you liked this post, please leave a comment or get more great holistic horse info at Holistic Horsekeeping, Horse Harmony Test, Horse Harmony, and on Twitter.

Much of the time I stay so busy that even God has trouble getting my undivided attention. This changes when I drive to Del Rio to work on horses. I have no cell or radio service for most of the trip so God takes advantage. Last trip he had me pondering my pastor’s sermon on getting my soul and Spirit in agreement so I can stay in His will. He gave me these words of wisdom from the viewpoint of an old soul.

When Two Agree

I am an old soul and I came into this world with a flash of remembrance.
I have been here before and I know how this place works.

I called out for the one who brings the light and his helper, the Holy Spirit.
I wanted to be in agreement with the Spirit from the beginning.
I have been here before and I know how this place works.

The Spirit was waiting and moved right into my heart.
Even with His protection and guidance I sometimes found myself lost and uncertain but I did not despair.
I have been here before and know how this place works.

Life has been full of abundance and joy mixed with occasional sadness.
With the help of the Spirit I have been able to weather all of my troubles and minister to those younger souls who do not yet know how this place works.

Now my time on earth is coming to an end. I have had a blessed adventure.
I was able to put a world of hurt on my old friend, the devil. He won’t miss me.
Yes, this earth can be a fun place to be when you know how it works. Madalyn

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In a world where the cost of nutritional supplements comes directly out of your pocket, you definitely want to get the most bang for your buck. We applaud you for the fact that you are taking active measures for caring for your health by choosing to take nutritional supplements. Yes!

And, we want to help you get the maximum out of what you take. One of the best ways to maximize every molecule of the health supplements you take is to improve your digestion. After all, what’s the point of pouring hundreds of dollars worth of nutritional supplements down your throat if your body can’t absorb it? If your body absorbs only half of the supplements you ingest, you might as well be throwing the other half in the trash!

So how do you improve your digestion to improve absorption? In 3 easy steps!

3 Easy Steps to Maximize Nutritional Supplements
Improving your body’s digestive function can be quite simple. You just need to break your day into three different time periods:

1. When you eat
2. When you digest
3. When you rest

Let’s take a closer look at each step.

1. When You Eat
When you eat (including when you take nutritional supplements like healthy smoothies), you can increase your body’s digestive ability to taking enzymes at the same time. Just because you eat healthy food and take nutritional supplements doesn’t mean your body can use them directly. Many times, enzymes and other co-factors need to be present before your body can break down and use the nutrients in food and supplements.

Taking enzymes when you eat a meal ensures that your body can break down and absorb the maximum nutrition from what you eat. Enzymes also ensure that you are less likely to suffer from stomach upset or indigestion, which is really nothing more than your body telling you that it can’t fully process what you have just eaten.

Taking enzymes between meals can also help. When enzymes are not needed in the digestive system, they are released into the rest of the body to scavenge for toxins and for cellular health and replenishment.

Simplexity’s SBG Zymes and SBG Zymes Plus are enzyme formulas that help your body digest what you eat, and are proven to survive longer in the digestive system than many other types of enzymes on the market.

2. When You Digest
Long after you have eaten or taken nutritional supplements, your body continues the digestive process. To maximize nutritional absorption during the digestive process, you need to have healthy bacteria in your small and large intestines. These bacteria, known as probiotics (literally meaning “for life”) live in your gut and help your body further break down anything you swallow.

The bad news is that these “good bacteria” can be killed off by stress, chlorinated water, toxins, and poor nutrition. The good news is that you can repopulate your gut with these bacteria by taking probiotic supplements. For instance, you can take Acidophilus to repopulate the bacteria in your small intestine, and you can take Bifidus to repopulate the bacteria in your large intestine. It’s as simple as that.

We recommend taking Acidophilus in the morning (before breakfast) and Bifidus at night before bed) with pure spring or well water.

3. When You Rest
Whenever you rest, your body has a chance to rejuvenate and reinvigorate. You can help your body’s digestive function when you rest simply by living a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle might include actions like drinking plenty of water, meditating, participating in daily exercise, and enjoying life. Will these directly help your body maximize the nutritional supplements you take? Absolutely! Your body is incredibly responsive to your lifestyle, and the more appreciatively you treat your body, the more it will repay you in kind!

If you liked this post, please leave a comment or get more great holistic horse info at Holistic Horsekeeping, Horse Harmony Test, Horse Harmony, and on Twitter.

You’ve heard of the 80/20 rule, right? Well, this rule applies to
managing equine parasites just as much as it seems to apply everywhere
else in life. Studies show that about 20% of horses in most
populations are responsible for generating or “shedding” 80% of the
parasite load.

What does that mean to you as a horse owner? It means that an
over-the-counter deworming “annual pack” isn’t going to necessarily be
a good fit for your horse. One size does NOT fit all, and you will
need more information about your horse and his environment before you
can take a holistic approach to managing the parasites in his life!

Equine Parasites: The Holistic Program
For healthy horses with strong immune systems and not under severe
stress or work, I find that this holistic deworming program works
well.

1. Build a solid nutritional program by feeding Simplexity Essentials
or APA Blend daily. This improves your horse’s overall digestion,
health, and immunity.

2. Feed 15 capsules of Simplexity’s Spectrabiotic (a full-spectrum
probiotic) every new and full moon as a non-chemical dewormer.

Having said that, this program does not work for every horse. There
are many factors that can affect your horse’s parasite load, and you
will need to do some research to build a profile about your horse’s
particular needs.

Equine Parasites: Factors to Consider
To take a truly holistic approach to deworming and managing equine
parasites, you have to consider a number of factors:

1. What category of “shedder” is your horse: high, moderate, or low?
2. How strong is your horse’s immune system for limiting infection by parasites?
3. How much contact does your horse have with equine parasites in his environment?
4. What time of year is it?

Let’s take a closer look at each of these factors related to equine
parasites.

1. What Kind of Shedder is Your Horse?
When it comes to shedding parasite eggs, there are three categories:
high, moderate, and low. The category is determined by the number of
parasite eggs found per gram of feces (eggs per gram, or epg).

Low = Less than 200 epg
Moderate = 200 to 500 epg
High = more than 500 epg

Low shedders are able to contain parasite infections and shed few eggs
in the pasture. These shedders can most likely be managed with the
holistic program outlined above. Other options include homeopathic
products and diatomaceous earth. These options may not work for high
shedders.

To get an accurate picture of which category your horse is in, you
will need to perform fecal tests in spring, when the weather is warm
and moist. In addition, once you get on a deworming program, you will
need to perform fecal tests every 3-4 months for a year or two to be
sure your program works.

2. Your Horse’s Immunity
First and foremost, let go of the notion of “zero tolerance” when it
comes to equine parasites. Parasites are becoming more immune to
chemical dewormers, and the presence of parasites isn’t all bad.
Parasitism is a natural state in which the horse has evolved, and the
presence of parasites can stimulate your horse’s immune system as long
as there are no adverse effects.

Second, a horse with a strong immune system is less likely to be
adversely affected by equine parasites. Some horses may need to be
supported with additional probiotics, enzymes, and immune-enhancing
products like ImmuSun.

3. Your Horse’s Environment
I am definitely in favor of holistic deworming protocols, but this may
not be an option for horses in the following situations:

•     boarding stables with high populations or where high shedders are not managed
•     pastures that are regularly dragged (spreads parasitic larva everywhere)
•     traveling to many destinations, as in the case of performance horses
•     in hard training or under high stress

In other words, if your horse either constantly comes into contact
with equine parasites (any fairground is a perfect example) or is
working under conditions of high stress, these holistic
recommendations may not work.

4. The Time of Year
Most parasites thrive in the warm and moist times of the year–spring
and fall. Moderate and high shedders may need to be dewormed
chemically during these times of year, but may be fine with
non-chemical dewormers the rest of the year.

Manage your horse’s living environment especially diligently during
the spring and fall. Remove manure from stalls and paddocks. Allow
dung beetles to break up manure piles in the pasture rather than
dragging (and don’t overdo the chemical dewormers because this tends
to inhibit dung beetle activity). Mow pastures and keep the grass
short–this limits the number of places where parasites can hide.

Photo Credit: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=503

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Horses thrive on quality grass but how many actually have access to pasture on a regular basis. These days, not many! High land values have forced horses into smaller and smaller acreage and some horses with access to pasture can’t have it because of metabolic imbalances. Fresh, well cured grass hay is becoming harder to get with ongoing drought conditions in much of the country. So how is a horse supposed to get his greens?

I have found one of the best ways for a horse to get his greens is to include blue green algae in his diet. Twenty years ago people looked at me like I was a martian when I suggested they feed their horse algae. Now most just nod their head yes. You see, in the past 20 years nutritionists have come to realize the amazing value of algae, in particular, micro algae.

Here are a few qualities that most food source micro algae share and then we can look at their individual qualities.

Easy to digest with modern processing methods
Cleansing to the liver and kidneys due to chlorophyll content
Build blood due to chlorophyll and iron content
Prebiotic to support healthy gut bacteria
Good source of beneficial fatty acids

Now lets look at the three most popular micro algae and compare their benefits.

Spirulina

Highest in protein
Highest source of vit A in the form of beta carotene
Salty flavor
Cooling energy
Builds yin fluids in the body
Cell wall supports healthy connective tissues, decreases inflammation and lowers fat levels in the blood
Requires a larger dose than Chlorella or AFA
Contains phycocyanin to support brain function and discourage tumor growth
Not a good choice for cold or damp conditions

Chlorella(actually a green algae)

Lowest in vit A in the form of beta carotene
High in a specialized nucleic acid called Chlorella growth factor which keeps cells healthy
Cell wall binds toxins so they can be removed from the body and supports immune function
Least cooling and most tonifying for weak individuals
Highest in beneficial fatty acids
Does not contain phyocyanin

AFA( contained in Simplexity products)

Wild grown in natural environment
No heat used in Simplexity processing so enzymes are still present in product
Very bitter flavor which supports the nervous system and provides a sense of well being
Highest source of chlorophyll
Drying
Cooling
Builds Yang energy

You can see how the micro algae as a group are very beneficial but lets look at which would be best for your horse.

Spirulena would be a good blue green algae choice for a Metal or Water horse with overall good energy but who shows some mild inflammation of his joints or connective tissues. Spirulena would not be a good choice for a sluggish or overweight horse that showed a tendency to stocking up or other tissue swelling.

Chlorella would be a good choice for an older horse with low energy and generalized weakness
Chlorella would not be the best to increase beta carotene or vit A levels.

AFA would be a good choice for a hard working performance horse or any horse with good energy that did not have access to quality pasture.
AFA would not be the best choice for an old frail horse with generalized weakness and failing systems.

So now that you know how beneficial algae can be there is no excuse for your horse ever missing his greens. Madalyn

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A lot of people know that Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is important to
health, but they may not know HOW important this vitamin is. Did
you know that Vitamin B12 is critical for:

- energy production (red blood cell production)
- a healthy nervous system
- a strong digestive system
- vibrant hair skin and nails
- antioxidant protection

So B12 is definitely important to a healthy diet. Unfortunately
B12 is also one of the vitamins that is very difficult to get
from plants. That’s bad news for vegans. If your diet consists
exclusively of food plants, chances are that you are not getting
enough B12.

Vegans and B12
If you are a vegan and want to ensure you get enough B12 in your diet, you may think that simply taking a B12 supplement is enough to cover the bases. It’s not. It turns out that your body can only absorb B12 in the biologically active form of cobalamins. So taking any random store-bought B12 pill may not help you much. Vegan nutrition is much more specific.

The good news is that there are natural sources of vegan food plants that have high levels of biologically active B12 easily
absorbed by the body. One of these sources is blue-green algae, specifically AFA (aphanizomenon flos aquae) blue-green algae from Klamath Lake. Compared to spirulina and chlorella, this AFA algae has a higher content of biologically active B12.

Whether or not you are a vegan, getting enough B12 is crucial to health. Luckily, AFA blue green algae from Simplexity Health offers a well-balanced, plant-based superfood that provides a dense source of easily absorbed B12. Health in a pill–you can’t ask for anything simpler than that!

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If your horse was a dog, would he be an English Sheepdog?

If your horse loves to have fun, and is affectionate, uncomplaining,
reliable, good with kids (when trained), and likes to figure things
out … then he might very well be an English Sheepdog!

And if your horse is like an English Sheepdog, then he is probably a
Fire/Water or Shao Yin temperament type.

Check out the sweet innocent face of this dependable and affectionate
temperament type who truly “wants to get along.” The new Shao Yin
video can be viewed by clicking the image below.

If you cannot view the video above, please click this link:
Is Your Horse an English Sheepdog?

Learn more about Horse Harmony temperament typing with our other
entertaining videos that compare the essence of each horse type to
dogs. Check out the Horse Harmony Channel on YouTube:

YouTube Horse Harmony Channel

Or give us a shout! Tell us about you, your horse, and her temperament
type on the Horse Harmony Facebook Page:

Horse Harmony on Facebook

We love to hear from you!

If you liked this post, please leave a comment or get more great holistic horse info at Holistic Horsekeeping, Horse Harmony Test, Horse Harmony, and on Twitter.

Are you ever too tired to ride? As horsemen, we work ourselves hard to pay for and take care of our horses and then we are often too pooped out to enjoy them. If you find yourself tired every now and then that is to be expected but when it becomes a fact of life you are probably dealing with some level of burnout.

Burnout occurs when your body’s energy systems are no longer functioning properly. In burnout, rest does not restore your energy. You can sleep 10 or 12 hours and wake up tired. Constant fatigue often leads a person to seek stimulants in the form of caffeine, drugs or alcohol. When physical substances no longer provide the required energy then one will seek emotional stimulation such as new projects or conflicts.

After long term energy dysfunction physical symptoms such as body soreness, poor digestion or mood swings develop. If burnout is not addressed then a downward spiral into deeper and deeper energy depletion occurs. In other words you start to feel bad all the time. Not exactly the best condition to be in when you want to get anything done. Even fun tasks like riding become a chore.

Fortunately your body’s energy systems can be brought back into balance but unfortunately this does not happen easily. Energy dysfunction is a very deep seated imbalance and recovery takes a dedicated program of physical, emotional and spiritual lifestyle changes. The good news is you can continue to live a very productive and fulfilling life while dealing with burnout. You will want to cut yourself some slack and make sure you are surrounded by supportive friends and family. More advanced cases of burnout may require help from a health practitioner.

Symptoms of burnout:
Fatigue even with plenty of sleep
Chronic body soreness
Digestive issues
Craving for stimulants
Moodiness

I have been personally dealing with burnout since vet school. Years of stress and over use of stimulants took its toll on my system but it was not until recently that I recognized the burnout syndrome. Thank heavens I was introduced to the Simplexity whole food health supplements back in the early nineties. These products have improved my health immensely and helped me cope with burnout. The severe drought last year kicked up some of inflammation and anxiety symptoms but the Xango juice and Eleviv products were a huge help.

On a spiritual level, burnout keeps me looking to God for my strength since I often can’t generate it in my physical self. Burnout has helped me focus on the most simple pleasures in life such as my wonderful animals and the beautiful land around me. Burnout helps me appreciate my incredible, supportive friends and family. Now that I understand more about this energy imbalance, I can catch myself when I reach for that extra cup of coffee or look to start a new project rather than follow through on what I already have in process. In a way burnout has been a blessing. Madalyn

I would be glad to talk to anyone who feels they are dealing with burnout. What has worked for me may or may not be the answer for you.

Here is an article that goes into way more detail on burnout. Check it out.

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Photo credit: Flickr via creative commons