Holistic Horse Health: Does your horse have a rib out?
For no obvious reason your normally gentle riding horse starts bucking. This could be caused by him having a rib out. What does it mean to have a rib out? Normally all the ribs move together during inspiration and expiration but having a rib out means that rib is moving the opposite of the other [...]
Holistic Horse Health: Is your horse’s back tightness coming from his belly?
Did you know that 80% of back tightness originates from causes other than injury? It is true that sore lower leg joints or overwork do cause back problems but they are often secondary to other issues. The most common reason for back tightness is constriction of the connective tissues surrounding internal organs. Internal organs do [...]
Holistic Horse Health: Could your happy, well managed colt have horse ulcers?
Cooper is a 3 year old colt with everything going for him. He is on a holistic horse care program and trained with natural horsemanship methods. Cooper’s owner loves him and spends lots of time with him but still horse ulcers are a problem for him. How do we know Cooper has ulcers? We know [...]
Holistic Horse Health: Dying with dignity
Yesterday I has the privilege of helping a horse with cancer pass onto the next realm. He was not quite ready to go because he loved his life here on earth but his cancer was affecting his quality of life to the point we had to help him move on. I consider timing when to [...]
Holistic Horse Health: What are adhesions?
As an osteopath I am very concerned about adhesions and the negative effects they have on the horse. I spend much of my time releasing adhesions so thought it would be good to explore exactly what they are and why they are so bad. An adhesion is an area of connective tissue that is not [...]
Holistic Horse Health: Can pigeon fever be prevented?
Pigeon fever is a bacterial infection that normally manifests as superficial abscesses. The chest of the horse is the most common location for a large abscess and the swelling resembles the chest of a pigeon. The condition normally shows up in the dry summer months when the bacteria is picked up from the dirt by [...]
Holistic Horse Health: Is your horse’s gut smart?
Imagine my surprise when I read an article in the Wall Street Journal comparing the gut intelligence to that of the brain. I was introduced to this concept years ago when I read the great book, Molecules of Emotions, by Candice Pert. As it turns out, your horse’s gut is smart and any holistic horse [...]
Holistic Horse Health: Blue green algae as a feed for horses
As I was finding yet one more use for my empty algae containers I got to thinking. Since I started on a holistic horse health program about 20 years ago Simplexity blue green algae has been one of my most consistent recommendations as a feed for horses. Blue green algae has been part of the [...]
Holistic Horse Health: Why I feed probiotics
What is the first rule in feeding horses? Don’t make drastic feed changes. This is true because horses depend on a population of friendly bacteria to maintain healthy digestion. Drastic feed changes can alter the balance of healthy bacteria which can lead to colic or laminitis. Stress, drugs and weather changes can also alter the [...]
3 Steps to Helping Horses with Smoke Inhalation
The hottest summer on record for any state in the history ofAmericahas resulted in horrific wildfires in the centralTexasregion. Over 1,400 homes and farms have been destroyed, and many people and horses have been exposed for days to severe smoke and ash in the air. Those owners with a holistic horse health program are looking [...]
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