Author Archives: stablewomen

Most people are drawn to horses. They are elegant beings who possess gentleness coupled with great size and strength. They can be dangerous to the inexperienced person; the inexperienced person can be dangerous to them.

When a horse lives in the neighborhood, he is a magnet to many. If you find yourself wanting to visit a horse that is not yours, ask his owner for permission to see him and never visit if the owner is not there.

You should never feed a horse you do not own. Horses have complicated digestive systems. They cannot vomit and they choke easily. If you think the grass clippings from your lawnmower would make a tasty treat for a horse, pony or donkey – stop and think again. Grass clippings are so fine that one mouthful could choke a horse to death. If the mown grass has been sitting for several hours in the heat, it will have become rancid and will likely cause a potentially fatal digestive disturbance called colic.

Horses love carrots and apples. Both contain sugars that are dangerous for a horse with metabolic issues (linked to insulin resistance). Letting a horse bite off pieces of a whole carrot from your hand could teach him to bite a finger off of someone else. Horses cannot see what is held by their mouths, they cannot tell the difference between a carrot and a finger until they taste it!

A whole apple offered to a horse can be grabbed and swallowed, which will choke him so quickly that he cannot be saved.

People foods can be toxic to horses. Any gas producing vegetables like cabbage, kale, broccoli, etc. will cause colic. Chocolate is dangerous as are many weeds that grow along ditches. To pull plants growing nearby and hand to a horse might poison him or they could have been sprayed with chemicals!

Even appropriate horse food can be detrimental if a horse is not accustomed to it. It takes 10 days to gradually change a horse’s diet; so to suddenly give him unfamiliar hay or grain can be damaging.

Going into a pen or field with a horse you do know puts you at risk. Horses are prey animals who react quickly when frightened and, while they will turn and run away (the flight instinct); they often kick out defensively as they flee. If a horse lands a kick on a person, the sheer force of it can break bones or worse! And flimsy footwear puts you at risk of severe foot injury should you get stepped upon.

A horse’s owner can take you in to meet their equine and her presence reassures that horse. Should the horse become worried, she will recognize that and keep you (and her horse) safe. Each horse has individual mannerisms and levels of tolerance that can only be perceived by their person.

Consideration and awareness can make you an advocate of horses. That neighbor with the beautiful mare will be grateful for your thoughtfulness in asking permission to pet, visit or feed her horse. And if she declines, know that it is just to protect her horse. They are complicated and fragile creatures.

Decades ago I made a pact with the Universe. Every horse who came under my “ownership” (stewardship) would have the best life I could provide and a new good home if that was what the future brought for them. I kept a lot of horses from birth to death, but many more horses and some mules moved along to loving homes for a plethora of reasons. My brother and I made a list in the ’90’s of the horses we had owned – after remembering the names of 300+ horses, we stopped counting…

That sounds like we were turning horses over “right and left”, but the reality was, I bought, trained and sold dozens. I ran three schools of horsemanship from 1973 to 1997 and continued to teach after that. Dozens of school horses worked with me. Sometimes, a better type of home was found for some. At times, a horse proved to be more suited to “family life”. I rescued horses from dire situations… I started my 4th school in 2010 here in Las Cruces and it morphed into this Sanctuary.

During all those years, I made some mistakes. One time, when I had to move to Arizona, I gave a horse I had raised to a lady I thought would be the perfect home… she could handle him, I knew that. He was complicated because he was orphaned at birth. They are never easy because they model after humans instead of other horses.

When I returned to New Mexico, I learned that this horse had been for sale, had not sold and was going to auction! Friends bought him to save him. He was difficult for them to handle, so I found a woman who I had worked with in the past who had known and loved him. They gave him to her, and it was a perfect match. He was safe.

We do the best we can. I learned that a horse sold for a lot of money would be “worth” more to the buyer than a horse given away, no matter the circumstances or the horse’s abilities. I learned that people’s lives can change and their priorities change. In the rescue world, we can adopt out lots of horses to make room for more intakes – but making sure the adopted horses continue to be cherished isn’t easy.

We all have contracts that stipulate an adopted horse is to be returned to us if it doesn’t work out. I am so grateful that our adopters have honored that. But many times, for friends of mine, it has not gone that way.

At Dharmahorse, we have so many senior and special needs horses. They stay with us for the rest of their lives. Of course, that means they die here. They are cherished and cared for – sometimes in heroic ways – through their last months, weeks, days… even hours. Crickey, it’s not easy. But I’ll tell you what is harder. It is much more painful to learn of a horse who had been in your care who was ridden into the ground, ignored, brutalized or left to suffer. No matter how you try to keep tabs on them, horses can fall into at-risk situations in the blink of an eye. So, these beloveds stay with us. They stay as long as the quality of their lives is good and their day-to-day existence is worth living. If a rescued horse had been dumped in the desert, starved, brutalized or injured, to put them at risk of falling into that same situation would be unconscionable!

Decisions are very much made “in the moment”. The passing of a resident (the last euthanasia’s here were horses aged 35, 42, 40 and 31) will make room for an equine who needs us. And intake is decided from a 2-page list of criteria… and a Board of Directors meeting, even if it has to be virtual.

Rescue/Sanctuary isn’t easy. Sometimes we are a “nursing home”; sometimes we’re hospice. Always, we are home for these horses.

Horses learn to anticipate movements, transitions and such when we are riding.  They anticipate places on the trail where scary experiences have happened to them.  They anticipate being fed or turned out at specific times.  They are creatures of habit.

We can use this to help the horse in his schooling.  And by understanding his need for routine and the way in which he forms habits through anticipation, we can avoid habits that we don’t want him to manifest. We are responsible for the habits our horses form because they are either learning or unlearning.

Under saddle, we can use “props” to help channel the horse’s energy and keep his attention.  Soft plastic cones work well.  I buy inexpensive ones in different colors (to help my human students) at a soccer supply store.

So if you have a horse that is nervous or distracted about riding out away from the stable, start teaching him to do serpentines around six cones in a line at the walk.  It helps to have an assistant on the ground, but you can do this alone with preparation ahead of the ride (and two sets of cones). I used this exercise with a student whose horse was terrified by a neighbor’s garage door opening just as she rode him out of her gate! She was also frightened by the experience.

When your horse has become very calm about the cone serpentines (over several days) and finds it habitual to focus on them, put the cones in a similar line outside of the stable on the trail.  Go a very short distance at first.  Walk the horse on the same serpentine around the outside cones.

In time, you will have your assistant pick up the first cone (nearest home) and take it to the end of the line (furthest from home) while you continue walking around them.  You will continue this exercise as long as the horse remains focused upon the cones, the serpentine and your aids.

If he gets distracted, make the figures smaller or more complicated and do not extend the cone line any further out.  You will do this quietly over a long period of time.  The horse becomes complacent about the whole thing, and you can eventually set the cones in a line way out from the home and ride to them.

Your horse anticipates the serpentine when he sees the cones.  In this way, his energy is focused upon the turning movement.  You are using his anticipation of the quiet figure to defuse his nervousness.  It will also help a timid rider keep her aids on the horse when riding out.

Cones can be used to help horse and rider with spirals at any gait.  You need at least eight cones.  Set them in fours at the “corners” of the concentric circles of the spiral: you will ride outside of the main four cones (I call this the “large” circle), in between the path inside of the main cones and the smaller circle created by the other four cones (this is the “medium” circle), and the “small” circle inside the last cones.

If each group of four cones has its own color, that helps the rider.

If your rider starts riding squares instead of circles, add more cones to actually shape the circle for her.  You can ride large, then medium, then small to spiral in.  Then ride small to medium to large to spiral out.  While the spiral itself may not step as much laterally as it will later without the cones, getting this exercise accurate in its shape and concept is so much easier with props. 

I have a student whose entire property in on a slope.  She is either riding uphill or downhill.  She has long, wonderful sand arroyos where we place pairs of cones (just like empty jump standards) randomly through the area so that she and her horse must focus on the middle of each cone set and ride, at each gait from one to the next.  This particular exercise helps her with her youngest horse’s canter work.  He maintains his rhythm and impulsion better by having to focus on the next “obstacle.”  She does this without the lead changes right now, but they will come next; first simple changes and, later, flying changes.

We do leg-yield zigzags and half-pass zigzags up and down the arroyo at each gait.  This establishes much needed balance and concentration for both horse and rider.

Another exercise with cones is to create a square with a cone at each corner.  You can rider into this cone square at each gait, halting within it.  Your horse will anticipate the halt and become more focused upon your aids.  The square can be the center of your figure-eight (two circles connected at the middle) and, in this way, you will work the horse equally to the right and to the left.  You are using the props to help teach the horse to listento your aids.  He will learn that something is going to happen within the cones and will get ready for it with you.

After your halts become soft and even, ask for only half-halts with a strong driving aid right after.  Your horse will learn to re-balance himself easily from the half-halt.

When your horse begins to anticipate too much, you change tactics and begin to leave him guessing.  You will ride past the cones, ignoring them.  You can do a different transition each time you pass between cones.  All you have to do is use the horse’s habit-forming nature to help him learn and be on guard against habits that you don’t want him to have.

Anticipation is the very reason a horse can become so light and so tuned to the rider’s aids that he appears to move of his own volition.  It is his awareness of the subtle shifts of his rider that lightens him.  But to get there, the rider must be consistent and every movement she makes must have meaning to the horse.  Otherwise, he learns to ignore everything but the most blatant signals.

Our horses rely upon the foundation of healthy hooves in the same way that a building relies upon its foundation – without a good one, everything above is compromised.

The hooves, like all body systems, are created from the foods ingested. Certainly external forces are at play as well, but, without the complete nutrition needed the hoof cannot meet these forces with strength and flexibility.

Horse feeds came about at the same time with the same philosophy as livestock feeds which were designed to create muscle and fat for meat production. The goal was not the consumption of horses; it was the feeding of muscles and creation of fat layers and slick coats, along with energy for working in fields and on roads. Horses did not live very long and a preponderance of draft blood made for larger, better equipped hooves as foundations.

Our horses now are family members living longer lives, often with smaller hooves from the breeding of lighter types for sport or show. While proper farriery or trimming are absolutely essential – the creation of the hoof structure, strength and health will be determined by diet.

The horse, being designed as a browser/herbivore requires the high fiber diet filled with herbs and forage that Nature provides (we can provide this, too!). To “feed the feet”, we need to supplement the grassy pastures and/or hays with herbs and foods that support hoof health by providing minerals, amino acids, enzymes and safe lipids (fats).

To process and extract the components then provide them in a bag of “complete feed” can often corrupt the very nutrients that are desired. Heat destroys nutrients and most processed foods are created by steaming or cooking. Chemical extraction is used to isolate many nutrition oils before they are blended into feeds and the result is a less digestible lipid with potential residues of the extracting agent. Just as processed foods leave us feeling hungry because we’ve eaten “empty calories”, the horse will feel undernourished and seek roots, barks, even eat dirt in an effort to find what his body craves.

Foods that are grown with chemical fertilizers, pesticides (herbicides or insecticides), or are genetically modified present health problems that may show up dramatically in the hooves. The hoof depends on proper blood circulation and nutrient availability to keep the multiple layers of tissue intact. This laminated structure holds the bones within the hoof and lower leg at precise angles. Since our horses walk on “digits” – their legs corresponding to one of our fingers – anything out of balance degrades the entire structure and creates pain.

Humans will show traces of toxins or deficiencies in the growth, color, shape and structure of their finger nails – the cutaneous structure of the horse’s hooves is the same and serves as an indicator in this same way. The choice of organic foods whenever possible will help lessen the body’s exposure to possible toxins.

My personal belief is in simple solutions and simple, nature based practices with horses.  Of course, we need brilliant surgeons for injuries; experienced practitioners for diagnosis and allopathy to assist with overwhelming symptoms – but it is the body itself that knows how to heal and what to do with the nutrients we provide!

Foods that Feed the Feet:

A quality grass hay or pasture source is the base of an equine diet.

To this base, a legume hay or pellet may be added such as alfalfa – Medicago sativa – (Lucerne) for gestating, lactating or growing horses. A 10% to 20 % ratio to grass is a safe margin for the addition of the rich legume. It will add protein, calcium, biotin, silica and vitamin A (as well as many trace elements, etc.) to the base diet.

Sea Vegetables are supreme hoof support nutrients.  Kelp – Fucus vesiculosis – provides over 30 trace elements and iodine, calcium, magnesium, potassium, silica, sulfur, iron and vitamin K. One teaspoon daily of powdered Kelp can be added to a bucket feed (of water-soaked wheat bran/pellets/beet pulp or specially blended senior feed or grain combination for the hard working equine) to nourish hoof health and growth (use ½ teaspoon for youngsters under 2 years old).

Rose Hips – Rosa species – are a good source of Rutin, Vitamin C, Selenium and Manganese. While horses do synthesize vitamin C (their milk is the only source of C for Mongolian nomads); it is a water soluble vitamin that can be used up quickly during stress or illness. The bioflavinoids and vitamin C are required by the body to strengthen capillary walls, clear edema and maintain blood circulation – essential things for hoof health, laminar health. Use one tablespoon daily.

Flaxseeds – Linum usitatissimum – are full of valuable Omega fatty acids. It is the Omega 3’s that are most nourishing and abundant in Flax (Omega 6 is often inflammatory and can be detrimental especially during injury or laminitis – corn oil has Omega 6 fatty acids). Flaxseeds should not be fed whole – they can be gas producing in the gut. Ground into meal, pressed into oil (not chemical solvent extracted) or boiled into jelly; flaxseeds will increase the strength and suppleness of the hoof wall, nourish collagen production, maintain moist shock absorbing properties of the hoof capsule and add multi amino acid proteins to repair the wear and tear of the entire hoof. You can feed up to one ounce of oil daily; mix the meal with water into a mud like consistency (building up to 8 to 12 ounces of meal over a 10 day period) with wet wheat bran (when phosphorus is needed) or soaked pellets or beet pulp; or use one handful of seeds to a pot of water, soaked overnight then boiled for one hour to make a thick jelly. These ratios would be per horse, per day except for the jelly which can be fed 3 to 4 times a week.

Nettles – Urtica diolica – when dried (the herb leaves are dangerous fresh as they “sting” the skin and cause histamine reactions!) can be fed, one handful dried leaves to the bucket feed or made into a tea, per day per horse. They are full of silica which holds intact the structure of all skin, nails, hair, hooves and claws. Nettles are rich in iron which creates hemoglobin, the oxygen carrying property of blood. This iron is organic – an inorganic iron supplement has been proven toxic to fatal. Copper is also present in nettles and required along with the iron for support of circulation and nerve/muscle fiber functioning. Nettles aid hoof health by also strengthening nerve endings and receptivity.

Fenugreek seeds – Tigonella foenum-graecum – are rich in Lysine (amino acid that maintains normal cell growth, regulates pineal and pituitary glands and is necessary for formation of collagen in connective tissue – lysine is necessary for all amino acid assimilation; the building blocks of protein!), vitamin A and vitamin D (it compares to fish liver oil, an animal source not recommended for herbivores). Fenugreek internally and externally aids in the release of abscesses. Feed up to 1 tablespoon daily.

Black oil sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds are rich in oils, vitamin E and minerals as well as the amino acid Methionine (essential to hoof health, it is sulfur based to protect and maintain the integrity of skin, coat and hoof). Sunflower seeds with hulls can be fed from 1 to 2 cups daily; hulled – feed ½ cup.  Raw, dried pumpkin seeds can be fed up to ½ cup daily. They also have anti-parasite properties and are prostate “friendly” (male horses do have prostates!).

The horse on fresh pasture receives abundant enzymes. A horse with no fresh foods in the ration will need supplementation of enzymes for proper digestion of all the other good foods provided. Enzyme rich, fresh additions can be yams, carrots, bananas, oranges, fresh parsley, peppermint, garlic and/or papaya flesh. If your horse is laminitic, IR or Cushinoid, avoid the fruits and roots with sugar content.

“Feed the feet” and your horse will reap the rewards with better health and soundness.

Bruises are a fact of life for horses and horse people alike. A bruise is an area beneath the skin where trauma, usually from a blow, stresses and breaks vessels allowing blood and serum to leak into the surrounding tissues. Inflammation sets in to supply fresh blood and often, to act as a natural “splint”, kind of stabilizing the area. All of these occurrences cause localized pain!

Upon immediate injury, the application of cold will lessen tissue damage and reduce swelling. For horses, bags of frozen vegetables, long “ice pop” frozen sweets or simple cold water from a hose will cool the area of injury. At the time of the bruising, a dose of Homeopathic Arnica orally every 15 minutes for a few hours, then a few times daily can bring the damage to a halt. Arnica gels, ointments and sprays work wonders externally.

The herb comfrey is an amazing healer for bruises. The root, boiled in water, makes a strained liquid that can be applied every hour to an injury (cold for a new bruise, warm for an old injury site). I have used comfrey for catastrophic injuries of horses and had such success that even Veterinarians were impressed.

The equine hoof has a propensity for bruising because of its small size in relation to the bulk and the weight it carries. A bruise to the hoof can be helped by the oral dosing of Homeopathic Arnica immediately. I carry the pellets on trail rides in case a horse becomes sore-footed on rocks or hardened paths.

A bruised hoof will benefit from soaking in warm epsom salt water. Most of our horses here at Dharmahorse Sanctuary will stand with one hoof in a tub of medicine – Majic would stand with all four hooves in tubs. The epsom salt water will draw pain and inflammation away from the hoof and the magnesium reduces pain. After the soaking, I will cover the bottom structures of the hoof with pure, strong iodine. This is all repeated three times daily until the horse feels relief.

There are pain killers that can be administered to the injured horse (talk with your Veterinarian) and there are herbs that will work in anti-inflammatory and analgesic ways also. These types of herbs that are safe to feed to most horses (do a test with a small amount at first) are: Meadowsweet, White Willow Bark, Devil’s Claw, Yucca Root, Turmeric, Comfrey Leaf in small amounts and Gotu Kola.

When I think a horse might be at risk of hoof bruising, I will put on a hoof boot to provide protection. If a horse has weak hooves, we will feed Methionine, Biotin, Lysine, Kelp and Rose Hips to strengthen the hoof structures. For protecting a horse’s legs, there are an assortment of sports boots and “bell” boots and large shipping boots to cushion any blows that might occur while riding or hauling or when turned out for a run.

And for any of us who receive a bruising blow or injury, the first step is to apply ice; second step is to protect the area from further damage; third step is to provide systemic healing through herbs, Homeopathics and essences that support the body’s healing rather than masking the symptoms.

I saw a funny statement the other day, “How do you make a million dollars with horses? Start with two million!” It makes us chuckle, but it speaks to a truth that is hard to ignore. The price you pay to buy a horse is the least amount you will pay.

And when we set out to care for a horse either at home or in livery (boarded), the day to day choices determine long term costs. Because horses are built to eat pasture or hay near continuously, a diet based upon either or both makes the most sense and creates good health. If you have to skimp on something, never make it the feed! Buy or insist upon the highest quality hay available. Equine health is just as dependent upon whole, unprocessed foods as is our health. To feed poor or very old hay and then add processed, composite feeds full of grain products and fats to make the horse “look good” is a false economy. It takes its toll on the health of the horse’s organs. If a horse is racing, competing heavily, lactating or recovering from illness it is possible that simple hay, pasture or pellets cannot be supplied in high enough quantities to meet that horse’s needs. This is when simple grains fed “rolled” (to avoid choke) need to be gradually added.

Even if you have wonderful pastures, horses will require hay in the winter. The hay should be free of weeds, between 3 and 6 months old if possible, have no mold or dust and there should be some “aroma”, a sweet smell. Grasses are the basic equine food and legumes (alfalfa) make nice additions. At Dharmahorse, we sometimes save money by getting the large half-ton bales of grass and alfalfa hays. A bit harder to transport and to cover (pallets and tarps serve us right now) we find it is costing us near half as much as buying the smaller bales. And a healthy, whole food diet saves on Vet bills.

Diligent care and awareness also reduces Veterinary costs. Catching any disorder early can even be a life saver. Know your horse well. Be aware of the consistency of his manure because it will tell you the condition of his overall health. A horse will usually have from 8 to 12 bowel movements every 24 hours.

To economize on facilities, you can reinforce questionable fences with electric fencing. It is cheap, effective and quick to install. A horse does not need a posh box stall. As a matter of fact, horses kept in small enclosures with limited air flow are prone to respiratory disorders. A horse needs shade and shelter from pouring rain or hail (a roof) and wind break (here, a west wall mostly). He may rarely choose to use it, but should have that option.

If your horse can go barefooted, all he will need is to have his hooves trimmed every 6 weeks or so. The bare hoof is healthiest, but if you ride on rocks; boots are a kindness (and will add some expense). The horse’s teeth need to be checked for sharp points and the Vet will have health recommendations beyond that. If you can organize a Veterinary visit to your area or a gathering of clients in one place, you may be able to save on the fee for a farm call.

We check feed stores for used tack for sale. I found a bag of 5 pair of barely used hoof boots one time for $100.00 (about a $900.00 value!). If you clean and oil tack often, it lasts longer. Same goes for winter blankets, grooming tools, etc.

We grow and create most of our medicines at the Sanctuary using herbs and plants. We make colloidal silver with a machine that cost very little and use it to kill pathogens internally and externally!

Some horse owners get together, not only for Veterinarian and Hoof Care visits but to buy hay in bulk, bring in an instructor, share a tractor, haul together to competitions and “horse sit” when someone has to be out of town. A little creativity can go far!

SIDEBAR: A general guide to expenses with horses is:

A horse will eat about 2 tons of hay per 6 months. In our area, that means about $350.00 a ton for regular bales or $140 per ton for a giant grass hay bale; $200.00 a ton for a giant bale of alfalfa from the farmer. If a horse eats grains, the hay needed will go down, but the grains cost more. A hoof trim can run from $40.00 to $75.00. Tooth care can cost from $75.00 to $300.00 and more, if complicated. De-worming about every 6 months is a minimal cost for the paste ($6.00 to $14.00). A horse needs to drink from 15 to 30 gallons of water daily to remain healthy and that could be more in extreme heat. Boarding a horse in our area can cost from $275.00 per month to $550.00 per month depending upon the facility. Planning ahead and knowing what general expenses can be will help cut down on the “surprises” that come with horse ownership.

I am feeling keenly aware of the disturbing nature of miscommunication in my own life and this makes me think about how we need to maintain clarity, consistency and compassion in our dialog with horses.

My phone went down and the calls to me were broken up into hearing every third or fourth word. This is likely how we can sound to our horses when we are working with them and become distracted or simply inconsistent with our requests. It can be difficult enough to communicate with a member of our own species in a shared language, let alone try to convey our desires to a thousand pound prey animal whose instincts tell him that we are predators.

How we accomplish the almost magical feat of rapport with a horse is by not only putting our desires forward but by listening as well. And when we work with a new horse, it is imperative that we find out as much as possible about how that horse was schooled. This will help us avoid triggering fears (in a horse who perhaps was in a wreck while riding in a trailer), confusing the horse (one might neck rein in western style, another may direct rein in English style) or simply asking more of the horse than he has been prepared to do.

Communication with a horse is actually dialog and not the mechanistic force of signals used as if driving a car or riding a motorcycle. The dialog must be clear so the horse has no doubt that it is meant for him. We must get fully present to engage with a horse. If we are not, his realization of that fact will keep him distant emotionally because he can only be as present in the moment as we ourselves are present.

Consistency is the real key to gaining the horse’s respect and attention. If we allow something, such as eating grass on a trail ride; then the next day we “punish” the horse for eating grass, and allow it the next day, we will set up confusion and disrespect. We must “be the same person” day by day. Equine mental health is absolutely tied to how calm, compassionate and consistent the human handler remains.

My advice when anyone acquires a new horse is to ask the previous humans about not only diet and exercise programs, but to ask things like if the horse ties or needs a quick release snap; does the horse stand at a mounting block; does he accept being sprayed with fly repellent; those type of questions (considering your own plans and routines) can help to avoid some serious, even dangerous miscommunications.

And we can always change an equine’s routines and responses; we just must remember to do so gradually and with clarity, consistency and compassion. One cannot take a horse who is used to having his stall door opened, allowing him to run out on his own, and expect calmness when we try to catch him and lead him out instead. He will be a product of his conditioning and habits and these can only be changed by teaching new habits as substitutes. Therein lies understanding, safety and rapport.

Most minor injuries that horses receive are of the bump or scrape variety and can be treated at home by an owner. When large areas of skin are removed or deep wounds cause profuse bleeding, the Veterinarian must be called at once. Things like non-weight bearing of a leg, inability to move forward, extreme distress in any form are also emergencies.

For simple, acute injuries at home, cold running water is the treatment of choice. Ice can actually damage tissue if applied for long periods and heat exacerbates the swelling at a fresh injury, which impedes healing. Bruises and wounds that have stopped bleeding can have a low stream of cool water from the hose run over them for up to an hour with beneficial effect (we suggest doing so under a tree to keep from wasting water).

Horses can receive heat, friction or chemical burns and the cool water is often a good choice for those, after consultation with the Vet. We make our own herbal ointments with calendula infused olive oil, melted beeswax and lavender essential oil. This is used on any dry, abraded or old wound. We use organic, powdered rosemary herb on weeping, wet or lower leg wounds (this forms an antiseptic scab).

A wound that is bleeding heavily needs pressure applied while waiting for the Vet. Such wounds on the leg can be bandaged with a leg wrap over a clean pad. Body wounds need hand pressure over a clean pad or towel.

With objects stuck in an eye or a hoof – it is best to leave it in place if no further damage will occur. When the Vet arrives, she will be better able to assess the situation and remove the object properly. When a horse gets cactus spines or splinters in his skin, we use Icthammol ointment to draw the spines to the surface.

Become familiar with your horse’s normal mannerisms and vital signs (pulse, respiration and color of mucus membranes) so that a deviation is easy to spot. A dehydrated horse will have tight, dry skin that does not “snap” back when pinched on the neck. Pink gums are healthy; yellow gums are an emergency (signaling liver trouble); bright red gums can indicate stress from exertion; blue gums are an emergency (signaling heart, renal or respiratory trouble); white gums could mean anemia or shock.

First aid for colic (digestive trouble) while waiting for the Vet can include slow walking in hand, gently pulling the horse’s ears from base to tip and covering the loins with blankets in cool weather.

For bruises anywhere on the body, we apply comfrey root infused oil and if we suspect bruising of the hooves (say, after a trail ride) we dose homeopathic Arnica Montana pellets in pieces of apple. For pulled tendons, we dose homeopathic Ruta grav. For joints we use homeopathic Rhus tox.

Any blow to the head is an emergency! Any potential back injury is also! These require keeping the horse calm and still until the Vet arrives. If you see any swelling of the face, insert a soft piece of hose/tubing into a nostril since horses cannot breathe through their mouths.

In emergencies, remain calm, handle the horse safely while you wait for the Veterinarian and be sure to give her all the information you possibly can so she can arrive prepared.

“No hoof, no horse” is a saying that has been around forever for a very good reason. Our horses rely upon the foundation of healthy hooves in the same way that a building relies upon its foundation – without a good one, everything above is compromised.

The hooves, like all body systems, are created from the foods ingested. Certainly external forces are at play as well, but, without the complete nutrition needed the hoof cannot meet these forces with strength and flexibility.

Horse feeds came about at the same time with the same philosophy as livestock feeds which were designed to create muscle and fat for meat production. The goal was the feeding of muscles and creation of fat layers and slick coats, along with energy for working in fields and on roads. Horses did not live very long and a preponderance of draft blood made for larger, better equipped hooves as foundations.

Our horses now are family members living longer lives, often with smaller hooves from the breeding of lighter types for sport or show. While proper trimming is absolutely essential – the creation of the hoof structure, strength and health will be determined by diet.

The horse, being designed as a browser/herbivore requires the high fiber diet filled with herbs and forage that Nature provides (we can provide this, too!). To “feed the feet”, we need to supplement the grassy pastures and/or hays with herbs and foods that support hoof health by providing minerals, amino acids, enzymes and safe lipids (fats).

To process and extract the components then provide them in a bag of “complete feed” can often corrupt the very nutrients that are desired. Heat destroys nutrients and most processed foods are created by steaming or cooking. Chemical extraction is used to isolate many nutrition oils before they are blended into feeds and the result is a less digestible lipid with potential residues of the extracting agent. Just as processed foods leave us feeling hungry because we’ve eaten “empty calories”, the horse will feel undernourished and seek roots, barks even eat dirt in an effort to find what his body craves.

Foods that are grown with chemical fertilizers, pesticides (herbicides or insecticides), or are genetically modified present health problems that may show up dramatically in the hooves. The hoof depends on proper blood circulation and nutrient availability to keep the multiple layers of tissue intact. This laminated structure holds the bones within the hoof and lower leg at precise angles. Since our horses walk on “digits” – their legs corresponding to one of our fingers – anything out of balance degrades the entire structure and creates pain.

Humans will show traces of toxins or deficiencies in the growth, color, shape and structure of their finger nails – the cutaneous structure of the horse’s hooves is the same and serves as an indicator in this same way. The choice of organic foods whenever possible will help lessen the body’s exposure to possible toxins.

My personal belief is in simple solutions and simple, nature based practices with horses.  Of course, we need brilliant surgeons for injuries; experienced practitioners for diagnosis and allopathy to assist with overwhelming symptoms – but it is the body itself that knows how to heal and what to do with the nutrients we provide!

Foods that Feed the Feet:

A quality grass hay or pasture source is the base of an equine diet.

To this base, a legume hay or pellet may be added such as alfalfa – Medicago sativa (Lucerne) for gestating, lactating or growing horses. A 10% to 20 % ratio to grass is a safe margin for the addition of the rich legume. It will add protein, calcium, biotin, silica and vitamin A (as well as many trace elements, etc.) to the base diet.

Sea Vegetables are supreme hoof support nutrients.  Kelp – Fucus vesiculosis – provides over 30 trace elements and iodine, calcium, magnesium, potassium, silica, sulfur, iron and vitamin K. One tablespoon daily of powdered Kelp can be added to a bucket feed (of water-soaked wheat bran/pellets/beet pulp or specially blended senior feed or grain combination for the hard working equine) to nourish hoof health and growth (use one teaspoon for youngsters under 2 years old).

Rose Hips – Rosa species – are a good source of Rutin, Vitamin C, Selenium and Manganese. While horses do synthesize vitamin C (their milk is the only source of C for Mongolian nomads); it is a water soluble vitamin that can be used up quickly during stress or illness. The bioflavinoids and vitamin C are required by the body to strengthen capillary walls, clear edema and maintain blood circulation – essential things for hoof health, laminar health.

Flaxseeds – Linum usitatissimum – are full of valuable Omega fatty acids. It is the Omega 3’s that are most nourishing and abundant in Flax (Omega 6 is often inflammatory and can be detrimental especially during injury or laminitis – corn oil has Omega 6 fatty acids). Flaxseeds should not be fed whole – they can be gas producing in the gut. Ground into meal, pressed into oil (not chemical solvent extracted) or boiled into jelly; flaxseeds will increase the strength and suppleness of the hoof wall, nourish collagen production, maintain moist shock absorbing properties of the hoof capsule and add multi amino acid proteins to repair the wear and tear of the entire hoof. You can feed up to one ounce of oil daily; mix the meal with water into a mud like consistency (building up to 8 to 12 ounces of meal over a 10 day period) with wet wheat bran (when phosphorus is needed) or soaked pellets or beet pulp; or use one handful of seeds to a pot of water, soaked overnight then boiled for one hour to make a thick jelly. These ratios would be per horse, per day except for the jelly which can be fed 3 to 4 times a week.

Nettles – Urtica diolica – when dried (the herb leaves are dangerous fresh as they “sting” the skin and cause histamine reactions!) can be fed, one handful dried leaves to the bucket feed or made into a tea, per day per horse. They are full of silica which holds intact the structure of all skin, nails, hair, hooves and claws. Nettles are rich in iron which creates hemoglobin, the oxygen carrying property of blood. This iron is organic – an inorganic iron supplement can be toxic. Copper is also present in nettles and required along with the iron for support of circulation and nerve/muscle fiber functioning. Nettles aid hoof health by also strengthening nerve endings and receptivity.

Fenugreek seeds – Tigonella foenum-graecum – are rich in Lysine (amino acid that maintains normal cell growth, regulates pineal gland and is necessary for formation of collagen in connective tissue – lysine is necessary for all amino acid assimilation; the building blocks of protein!), vitamin A and vitamin D (it compares to fish liver oil, an animal source not recommended for herbivores). Fenugreek internally and externally aids in the release of abscesses.

Black oil sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds are rich in oils, vitamin E and minerals as well as the amino acid Methionine (essential to hoof health, it is sulfur based to protect and maintain the integrity of skin, coat and hoof). Sunflower seeds with hulls can be fed from 1 to 2 cups daily; hulled – feed ½ cup.  Raw, dried pumpkin seeds can be fed up to ½ cup daily. They also have anti-parasite properties and are prostate “friendly” (male horses do have prostates!).

The horse on fresh pasture receives abundant enzymes. A horse with no fresh foods in the ration will need supplementation of enzymes for proper digestion of all the other good foods provided. Enzyme rich, fresh additions can be yams, carrots, bananas, oranges, fresh parsley, peppermint, garlic and/or papaya flesh. If your horse is lamanitic, IR or Cushinoid, avoid the fruits and roots with sugar content.

“Feed the feet” and your horse will reap the rewards with better health and soundness.

Your dogs and cats (and ferrets and iguanas and hamsters, etc.!) have a totally different view of the world around them than you and I do. We will concentrate on dogs here with most of our information also being applicable to cats.

Your dog is looking up most of the time when relating to you and other people. With his/her eyes set in the front of the face in predator position, it makes it possible to do this comfortably. A prey animal (like a horse or llama) would have to tilt its head to focus both eyes on us if looking up all the time (their eyes are set on the sides of their heads).

The dog is close to the Earth outdoors and uses information that comes to his nose (scent lingers near the ground and drops with cool air) to learn about a new place, to know who has been there and to make decisions moment by moment. If your dog has long floppy ears and big folds of skin around his face, he will gather scent more effectively than a smooth, short eared dog.

Indoors, he gets the same connection to smells from your floor/carpet. If you use strongly scented cleaning products, his senses can be overwhelmed. If he is the reason you use strongly scented cleaning products, try washing floors with vinegar instead; dusting carpets with baking soda before vacuuming; dusting his body with powdered lavender blossoms, parsley leaf powder or activated charcoal then brush him.

Your dog has acute hearing. He can detect a siren on the highway miles in the distance. He can hear a gopher deep underground (again, the long, floppy ears can channel sound, too) or the rustle of a bug in the closet. He may or may not appreciate Opera or Reggae or Rap.

You need to become aware of how your lifestyle can impact your pets’ lives. They certainly learn to adapt to us, but that can sometimes mean that they acquire strange (to us) behaviors as coping skills.

If your dog runs to the closet at 3:00 AM and starts digging in the corner (don’t yell “bad dog!” – I always say, “Good dog doing a bad thing”, really), try to understand why this is happening and give him something else to do.

Most predators re-act to stimulus. Their instincts are intact, even if the most hunting action they get is trying to locate the piece of popcorn that shot under the refrigerator last week. So the best trained dog and the sweetest cat in the world will both re-act without thinking when a bird flops down from the rafters to grab a grasshopper.

As you become aware of the instincts and qualities that your dog shares with his species, you can prepare his surroundings to enhance the things you want and to discourage the things you don’t want from him. Socializing him to people and other animals is of supreme importance because those very instincts that ensured his species’ survival in the past are the deep seated stimulus that could spark an attack under certain circumstances. Your dog will feel protective, even jealous of you to one degree or another. If you are unsure how to help him learn the important things, find a KIND, WISE, NON-AGGRESSIVE trainer to help you.

Consider the things your dog needs to live a healthy life. An important ingredient is a “place of his own”. This just means that he needs a “den”, a bed in a corner of a room, a dog house, a whole room or a shed where he can be alone (or with his pack if he has other dog companions). To be blunt, he needs to be able to get away from people sometimes (know the feeling? I feel that way sometimes).

Because he is looking up at us most of the time, he will want to get on sofas and beds and chairs to be closer to our perspective. This may or may not agree with your desires, but if it is not acceptable, at least try to understand why he does it.

I have a friend whose dog was raised at a boarding and grooming facility where he was taught to jump up on the grooming table. He doesn’t understand the difference between a grooming table and my friend’s dining room table. She is patiently explaining to the good dog that this is a bad thing.

It goes without saying that a compassionate provider does not chain a dog to a tiny dog house out in the elements with not enough food and filthy water; with no companionship, no grooming and no love. This is not a life; this is Hell for a dog. If this is the only option, do not have a dog.

Your dog only knows what he is allowed to do. He does not innately know what is “right” or “wrong”. You have to teach him, because all people have their own sets of “rights” and “wrongs” for their animals.

Consider his viewpoint. Consider, ahead of time, what you want him to do and not to do and be CLEAR and CONSISTENT and especially COMPASSIONATE.

Consider his perspective. Try to not offend his highly developed senses and give him lots of attention (focused just on him) at least once a day.

Be Kind.