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With the downturn of the economy, we are hearing of more breeding facilities that have cut back their stock and are chosing in some cases not to breed at all. There are even facilities out there that have been breeders in the past and now are in the business of horse rehabilitation. We applause all these people for being pro-active in their choices. Does this mean that the sport and pleasure of equestrian is over? I would say not!! With so many sound and servicable horses out there and what we know today about preventive health care for both ourselves and our horses, we have much to look forward to as far as our equestrian activities. For example our ex-racehorses; both standardbreds and thoroughbreds make excellent saddles horses, they just need to be retrained to be ridden for pleasure and or other sports such as jumping, dressage or endurance riding for example. Sure, some of these horses might require some rehab work but is it worth it? Most definitely!! I have heard it said that the standardbreds are excellent saddle horses, they just need to have their gaits retrained and the thoroughbreds can make amazing event, dressage and hunter prospects. On the other hand we have older horses, let us say 15 years plus. These horses are smart, they definitley have savvy and they are trustworthy. They are experienced and have been around long enough to be grounded and usually a safe mount. A great horse for a beginner or novice rider that can provide many years of service if maintained properly.
Through out this page you will be learning about natural health alternatives, different forms of equine therapy and natural horse keeping practices. We will see the interesting parallel of what works for the horse, often works equally as well for us people!
If you are new to the world of horses and are interested in animal care, both large and small I recommend that viewers of the VFTH site tune into the Voice America Talk Radio Show ~ Pet Shop Talk hosted weekly by Lola Jean Michelin. I personally attended her school NW School of Animal Massage and could not recommend a better teacher! The show airs Tuesday evenings at 5PM (8PM EST) on the VoiceAmerica Talk Radio Network. Lola and her guests will discuss a different topic in animal health and well-being each week from October 20th through January 12th, 2010. Archived shows online.
Shiatsu Massage and the Equine Athlete
Understanding why we need to use massage, chiropractic, acupuncture and nutrition in combination with other techniques to maximize the performance of the body, gives us many reasons why we would want to provide the same for our horses. Much can be said for the benefits of regular body care and a balanced lifestyle for both horse and rider.
To help us understand how shiatsu massage can benefit our horses, let’s take the words “emotion” and “disease” and ask what they have in common. We will find that they are related to both energy and health. The word emotion put in its proper understanding relates to dynamics; the greater the E-motion, the greater the dynamics, the greater the power and healthier the body. Read more
Essential Oils for both You and Your Horse
Since personally experiencing the amazing results of pure therapeutic essential oils on our own horses and ourselves, At Ease Natural Scents has additionally added our own line of some of the more popular oils that may be of benefit for both you and your horse. With this comes the responsibiltiy to provide approved guidelines on the proper use of these essential oils in Canada. Most North American references indicate for example that taking essential oils internally is not advised, even though in countries such as France this is a common practice. We suggest that before using any of these oils that you educate yourself by checking out a few of the many great references available either online or at your local book store. Read more
Equi-Stim Leg Saver
The Equi-Stim Leg Saver treatment system provides a non-invasive therapy protocol that accelerates a healthier recovery from injuries. Through micro-stimulation, small micro-currents are applied to the areas of injury or soreness which cause them to heal better and faster than non-treated injuries and alternative traditional procedures. This ensures your horse a faster recovery to performance based productivity. Read more
Laminitis - By Christina Cline
Laminitis is a word no horse owner wants to hear associated with her horse. It is a crippling disorder that takes weeks or even months for the horse to recover from, and that is if all causative factors are removed and the best equine husbandry is provided. It can be permanently debilitating if not dealt with properly and promptly, leading to much pain and suffering for the horse. Read more
Horse Talk - From the Horse to You - By Carole Serene
How Animal Communication Identifies Disease
Dis-Ease: unwell, anxious, fearful; physical or emotional imbalance that renders the horse unable or unwilling to comply with routine activities and caregiver requests. It’s really very simple. By communicating directly with the horse we learn why he is, as he is, in all ways.
Let’s say that you the owner, trainer or caregiver, notice the horse’s reluctance to participate in activities to a previous level, or outright refusal. Or you notice escalating anxiety related to what have previously been common daily practices, but you can’t find a physical reason for it; what do you think and what do you do? I recently heard a veterinarian recommend Prozac, and was disappointed to hear a professional’s first response being to ‘mask the symptoms’ and force the issue. Read more
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