Newsletter XVIII
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Edition XVIII |
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Hi Welcome to this month’s HorseConscious Newsletter. Hello and welcome to this month’s HorseConscious Newsletter. As you may recall last month’s editorial focused on the YouTube video featuring a well-known horseman. After the newsletter was published we received a considerable volume of comments and replies. Happily, most were backing my thoughts and feelings on the subject. However, there was a handful that criticized me for criticizing Mr Parelli, despite the fact Mr Parelli was not mentioned in the piece at all! Now, whilst I will admit, that the video in question did feature Mr Parelli, the editorial was at pains to attack the type of events and training that needs to produce a result rather than any individual or style of training. My conclusion therefore is that it will be a mighty long road to convince the horse public in general that there is a kinder, gentler way to be with and work with horses if the HorseConscious Newsletter subscribers take offence, which is a little sad. The other focus of my piece was to do with relationships, whether with horses or with humans and the respect that is a necessary ingredient in all relationships. As you may know, I have worked quite closely with Carolyn Resnick for a number of years and when I first stated working with Carolyn, my suggestion was that we should video her Waterhole Rituals in detail in a very systematic and formulaic way to enable people to learn them easily. In other words, DVD 1 would cover Waterhole Ritual 1, DVD 2 would show Ritual 2 and so on. However, after singularly failing to achieve this, I realized it’s for good reason. There is no clear cut ABC 123 to relationships. What is good for the goose is not necessarily is good for the gander. One can’t teach relationships by rote. They have a natural, organic way of developing over time and of course each relationship is different. So what I have come to realize with Carolyn’s Method is that a 7 DVD series on her 7 Waterhole Rituals would be doing her a great disservice as well as for those who follow her Method, not to mention their horses. So what we are currently developing a series of videos, both DVD and online, that track the development of the relationship that Carolyn has with a couple of horses under her care and training. We see them at their first meeting together and then follow their progress over the weeks and months. This is of course a fascinating journey in and of itself but to be able to witness it ‘live’ is incredibly valuable as you can watch how Carolyn deals with each situation as it arises and how she deals with them. What you end up with therefore is a much more natural way of learning actually and one which is based on real day-to-day, inter-species communication and transactions. Watch for further news on these videos in future Newsletters or on Carolyn’s site. Whilst I can speak with more authority about Carolyn than I can perhaps for the other HorseConscious Teachers, due to our close working relationship, I feel sure that all of the Teachers would echo my sentiments here. It is less about method and more about connection, communication and authenticity in a relationship situation. Of course, it is very easy to fall into the ABC 123 trap of teaching because that is how we are taught at school but this rules out any use of imagination and free will. I read a fascinating article in the Sunday Times recently, which was written by Imogen Stubbs, a well-known English actress, whose husband, Trevor Nunn, is one of the most prominent and famous directors in British theatre. Their 18-year old daughter was studying English Literature for her A-Level exams and so they offered to help her given their vast knowledge of Shakespeare and the classics. As it turned out, during her mock exams (a kind of dry run for the actual exams themselves) she scored very badly because she hadn’t ‘ticked the right boxes’ in her essay. Her Mother was understandably astounded and so decided to do some further research into the matter. She was able to get hold of a recent examination paper and asked her husband and another well-known Shakespeare director to sit the paper under exam conditions. She then had the finished papers marked by an ex-examiner and guess what happened? Yep, both men scored badly because they didn’t provide the answers that the examining board would have been looking for! In other words, they were using too much imagination and thinking outside of the (tick) box. Horror of horrors. So what does all this have to do with horses? Well, I’m sure you know already. It’s about relationships, it’s about imagination and it’s about beauty. Shakespeare often referenced horses in his works and of course probably the most famous of these being this from King Richard III: "A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!" but he also wrote a great many others such as: “When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes.” “He’s of the colour of the nutmeg. And of the heat of the ginger…. he is pure air and fire; and the dull elements of earth and water never appear in him, but only in patient stillness while his rider mounts him; he is indeed a horse, and all other jades you may call beasts.” If you are a Twitter user, you can get more of these great horse quotes by following our Twitter account: www.twitter.com/horsequotes You may be interested to hear that I actually worked in the theatre world in my 20′s after having studied stage management and set design at college. I worked all round the UK and ended up working at the National Theatre and in London’s West End for a number of years in box office and management. It was great fun and I met some wonderful people. So continuing the theatrical theme, last week I watched the first part of a 2-part series on horses called ‘Horsepower’ and featuring the British actor, Martin Clunes. In this first episode, he tried to unravel the story of how man and horse first got together, what the horse has done for us through the ages, and what the horse still means to us in the modern era. I thought it was a very honest piece of work and Clunes himself came across very well. Like me, he was introduced to horses by his partner/wife and also like me he openly declares himself to be no horseman. Having said all that, he is clearly very enamoured not just by his own horse but by horses in general and his innocence in all things equine meant a good deal of questioning on his part of the accepted norms. For example, he didn’t seem to be altogether happy when a prominent racehorse trainer was explaining that racehorses run for the same reasons they do in the wild, to escape danger. The same doubts seemed to reappear when he received tutelage at the hands of yet another very well known horseman. Again he did not like having to alienate his horse in order to achieve the desired, trademark result. Clunes also took part in some equine facilitated learning, which appeared to have a pretty big effect on him actually. His assignment was to go into a pen and ask the horse what his lesson was for the day. Well of course, being an actor and rather self-centered by his own admission, he wanted the immediate love and attention of the horse. What happened of course was that the horse blithely ignored him the whole time. With the help of the facilitator, he was able to see the irony and the truth of what was going on for him. Quite touching. The only disappointing fact in all of this is that he went all the way to Arizona to take part and didn’t end up at Linda Kohanov’s. Does anybody know whether the facilitator is a student of Linda’s? I shall watch the second episode with interest this week when he concludes his worldwide search to discover the secrets of man’s partnership with horses, travelling to Italy, Las Vegas and the remotest parts of central Asia. I should just mention that I have also tracked down his agent and will be sending Mr Clunes a copy of Stormy’s ‘The Path of the Horse’ documentary DVD. I think it could be right up his street Before I close, I must just say congratulations to the British British film company Ruby Films, which has just picked up 7 Emmys for its production of ‘Temple Grandin’ and which we featured in the HorseConscious Newsletter back in February. The movie won Outstanding Made For Television Movie as well as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Mini-Series or Movie for the film’s You can learn more: http://www.hbo.com/movies/temple-grandin# or watch the 2 trailers below.
Temple Grandin paints a picture of a young woman’s perseverance and determination while struggling with the isolating challenges of autism. Grandin became a successful doctor in animal science through her unique connection to animals and is now a world-renowned consultant in the field. She is widely recognized within the animal welfare and livestock-handling industries as a pioneer in the ethical treatment of animals.
I hope they decide to release the movie around the world. Or failing that, one can buy the DVD from the HBO website but I just looked and it is currently Sold Out. If anybody has seen the movie, it would be great if you write and send us a review, which we can feature in next month’s Newsletter. We look forward to hearing from you. So until next month, go out and have fun in them fields, y’all! Best wishes |
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‘Gypsy gold does not clink and glitter. It gleams in the sun and neighs in the dark.’ |
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SEEKING SOLUTIONS TO SEPARATION ANXIETY When teaching young horses to accept separation from their pasturemates, it might seem like a good idea to train them in pairs first for a while before training them alone. However, new equitation science research suggests that pairing them up might just delay the anxiety of separation and, in the end, the results of this method don’t differ much from those of immediate individual separation. A researcher watches a mare eat after she’s been separated from the herd. The band around the horse barrels is a device for measuring heart rates. Elke Hartmann, PhD, researcher in the department of animal environment and health at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala, presented her team’s research on the topic at the sixth International Equitation Science Conference in Uppsala on Aug. 2. She and her colleagues divided yearling and 2-year-old Warmblood mares into two groups for a monthlong test period of social separation methods. The test comprised three successive steps, with each step representing greater distance away from the herd. Before moving on to a new step, the horses had to succeed in the previous one (by showing calm feeding patterns). Researchers separated the horses in one group from their pasture herd for daily individual training sessions. In the other group, investigators separated the animals in pairs first, but when these paired horses were feeding calmly at the final testing area, they repeated the training steps with each horse individually. Hartmann and her colleagues studied how long it took for the horses to adjust to each of the three stages of the experiment. They also regularly monitored the horses’ heart rates as a measure of anxiety. The researchers had expected the paired horses to accept herd separation faster and with less stress, but their results showed that this was only true so long as the pair stayed together, according to Hartmann. While still in pairs, horses’ heart rates were much lower than when they were separated from each other later, she said. These animals also quickly advanced through the three steps. However, the horses started over again individually, their results (heart rate and number of sessions needed to succeed in each training step) were very similar to those of the mares that had been individually separated from the beginning. "It appeared that the (paired) horses were having to relearn being in the test situation alone when switching to the individual training," Hartmann said. "Our results suggest that from a practical point of view, it may not be efficient to train naive (previously untrained) young horses to tolerate social separation initially with a familiar companion." However, it’s possible that results could be improved if the paired companion is an older horse who has already had significant experience in being separated, Hartmann added, noting that further research will address this question. thehorse.com, Christa Lesté-Lasserre August 26 2010, Article # 16868 |
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‘His mane is like a river flowing, his pace as swift as light.’ |
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NUTRITION FOR HORSEWOMEN: EXCERPT FROM RIDING FOR LIFE As an equestrian, you know the importance of your horse getting good nutrition. You realize the quality of the feed and forage is key in determining how he looks, feels, and performs. You probably invest in high-quality grain, hay, and nutritional supplements to maximize your horse’s health. If your non-equestrian friends ever caught a glimpse of your feed bill, they might shake their heads in disbelief. Not only do you pay close attention to what your horse eats, you’re also careful about when he eats. You feed him on a schedule, and you wouldn’t dream of asking him to skip a meal. You’d never intentionally underfeed or overfeed your horse, nor would you give him anything detrimental.
Fueling the Female Athlete The female body is a miracle in motion. As the owner of such a miraculous machine, you have an opportunity to improve its performance and increase its longevity by supplying it with wholesome, nutritious foods. Nutrition dramatically impacts not only your health but also your ability to function, both intellectually and physically. To a large extent, your diet dictates the way you look and feel. The foods you eat determine your weight, your moods, and your energy levels. A substandard diet can leave you irritable, zap your energy, and rob you of strength and stamina. Even if you’re not competing in equestrian events, the fact that you’re riding, handling, or caring for horses qualifies you as an athlete, with specific nutritional needs. Your diet can either enhance or impede your motivation to ride and, ultimately, your ability to ride effectively. Fuel or Filler? When you fully appreciate the importance of good nutrition in all areas of your life, you realize that every bite matters. Because you can consume only a finite number of calories each day, it’s essential to make those calories count. This strategy may require you to analyze your eating habits. Many women-ever conscious of their weight–have trained themselves to evaluate foods only in caloric terms. Frequently, this leads us to adopt a mentality in which we consider low-calorie foods to be good and high-calorie foods to be bad. In reality, many relatively high-calorie foods are extremely healthy, making them well worth the caloric investment. The opposite also is true. Many low-calorie foods are hardly worth eating. While there’s no harm in snacking on a serving of pretzels or a handful of animal crackers, there’s also no benefit. These foods may fill your stomach to some degree, but they offer little more than empty calories because neither is a rich source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, or high-quality protein. A serving of fruit or vegetables or a handful of nuts would be a far better choice because these foods contribute to your health. As you’re making decisions about what to eat to optimize your health, it’s a good idea to look closely at some of the foods you normally choose. Before you dig in, ask yourself whether the food you’ve chosen is merely filler or if it truly a source of high-quality fuel, worthy of consumption. If your diet and eating habits are less than desirable, it’s time to start choosing foods that support you as a hard-working female athlete, so that you’ll feel and perform better, in and out of the saddle. Even better, you’ll increase your chances of living a longer, healthier, and happier life. The Three Key Nutrients No matter what foods you eat, your diet contains varying amounts of the three nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Although each is necessary for good health, it is the balance of these three nutrients that is of primary importance. By getting the proper proportions of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in your daily diet, your body is better able to ward off common ailments and illnesses, while keeping you as strong and energetic as possible. As an added bonus of eating a nutritious, balanced diet, you’ll notice that your hunger is suppressed, your food cravings are quieted, and your metabolism is maximized. You’ll find it far easier to achieve and maintain an appropriate weight than you might have thought possible. |
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‘He was a giant stallion with a wonderful physical perfection that matched his savage, ruthless spirit .’ |
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WHEN DISASTER STRIKES: COPING WITH EQUINE EMERGENCIES It begins as a cold southerly breeze. As the day progresses the wind grows to storm force, bringing with it driving rain. The wind chill is close to zero all day and, as dusk approaches, it begins snowing heavily. By morning, you have 30cm of snow, no electricity and no telephone services. With no power, your water supply is out of action. The planet has no shortage of curve balls it can throw at horses and their owners. If it’s not snow, it’s flooding, scrub fires, hurricanes, windstorms or – if you prefer slower-moving crises – drought. If weather-related calamities aren’t your thing, consider exotic diseases. You only have to train your binoculars on the equine influenza outbreak in Australia to see the consequences of a new disease in a population never before exposed to it. A few questions:
When disaster strikes, emergency services are likely to be stretched and the continued welfare of your equine friends will rest squarely with you. Horses are little different to people in their requirements: they need food, water and shelter. The problem during a disaster is being able to deliver all three in adequate quantities to see your horses safely through the crisis. There is also the issue of trying to minimize the effects of the disaster on your own property, and circumstances. It’s all about being prepared. That means assessing the kinds of disasters most likely to befall your property and having a management plan in place to cope with as many contingencies as possible. Your equine disaster management plan should have three parts: What Problems Could You Face?
Document your emergency management plan and ensure everyone involved with your horses, or who lives at your property, has read it and understands it. Advertisements exhort us to be ready for natural disasters, with adequate stores of food, water, candles, first-aid supplies and the like. We’ll concentrate only on the specific areas as they affect horses. Identify Your "Safe Haven" For example, one paddock might provide excellent shelter from wind, but is too low-lying to be useful in a flood. Some compromises may be necessary. You need shelter for your horses but you don’t want them standing under trees when there is a risk of lightning strikes or gales that could bring the whole tree, or part of it, down.There must be no overhead power lines which likewise run the risk of coming down. Select a paddock that is unlikely to flood and where you can easily monitor the horses, preferably one close to your stocks of hay and other feed. Remember that if your water supply fails, you might be reduced to bucketing it to paddocks. Sodden or snow-covered paddocks can be dangerous and difficult to cross. You don’t want to be travelling any further than you have to. Cover your animals early to help conserve their energy if cold, rain or snow features in the equation. If your safe haven is a stable, be aware that heavy snow and severe gales could cause collapse, particularly if the building is past its prime. Stables and yards are not suitable safe havens when fire threatens. What about water? Are you storing rainwater? Do you have a house or farm building where the rainwater simply runs off or is piped into a soak pit? Collecting rainwater means those on restricted supplies will have water for their garden – which in itself will reduce fire risk – and a handy reservoir of up to 30,000 litres in the event of problems with your main supply. Expect to pay $4000 or more for a large tank and the associated spouting and pipework work needed to collect the water. You needn’t invest in an electric pump to move the water, either. Gravity will do fine if you position the tank properly – and it never fails in a power cut! It’s essential that you organise a supply to keep your horses watered for at least three days, preferably up to seven. Every horse owner’s circumstances will be different, depending on your water’s source, whether you’re reliant on electricity or a gravity feed, and whether you have large storage tanks that could potentially hold weeks of water. In some circumstances, your only option will be to fill anything that’s clean and will hold water if you’re starting to have fears about the security of your supply. Allow for 50 litres of water a day for each horse: use baths, basins, sinks, old troughs, drums that you may normally keep grain in, rubbish containers, even empty spa pools. Never assume you can simply drive off to get water. There’s no guarantee the roads will be open – or safe. Big, clean drums are probably your best bet if you have several horses. They’re cheap and, with a snug lid, will keep the water in the dark, which will keep it fresh longer. If you’re getting drums specifically for the purpose, ensure they have no residues that could contaminate the water. They won’t be going anywhere once full, so fill them somewhere where you can bucket the water into your horses’ safe paddock. Aim for seven days worth of water in reserve – three at a minimum. Feed Supplies Whatever your circumstances, you need enough feed on hand to see you through any potential disaster – preferably at least a week’s worth, but three days at a minimum. If you live in a remote location, you might consider it wise to have several weeks of feed in store. Every owner has a feeding regime they will be keen to stick to. For most horse owners, that diet will consist of forage (grass, lucerne or meadow hay, or baleage) and, depending on the work the horse is doing, some higher-energy supplementation such as grain or prepared feeds. What you don’t want to be doing is buying your feed one bag or bale at a time, and finding yourself with only a day’s supply when disaster strikes. If you’re giving your horses a sweetfeed which dates quicker, squirrel away a few bags of a pelletised preparation, which will normally have a much longer shelf life. But don’t introduce a sudden feed change when you’re forced to feed it, thereby risking colic. Gradually introduce it by mixing it with your normal feed. Watch the expiry date and feed it out in good time, replacing your stores. Continued below… |
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‘Closeness, friendship, and affection: keeping your own horse means all these things.’ |
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UNWANTED HORSE COALITION MATERIALS AVAILABLE The Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC) continues its efforts to educate the industry about the issues relating to unwanted horses and owning responsibly. The UHC has prepared and distributed a variety of materials that will educate horse owners on various topics. The materials describe the efforts of the coalition, offer alternatives for horse owners to consider for their horses when they can no longer care for them, and detail ways the horse community can get more involved. With the number of unwanted horses increasing, the industry and horse owners must step up their efforts to educate themselves about potential solutions. The materials suggest options an individual or an organization can take so that the number of unwanted horses does not increase.
The UHC brochure, The Problem of the Unwanted Horse, which explains the Coalition and its activities. The UHC handbook, Own Responsibly: Guidance for Current and Potential Horse Owners from the Unwanted Horse Coalition, which includes chapters on the responsibilities of horse ownership; options for owners with unwanted horses; programs that extend the useful lives of horses; questions to ask when trying to place a horse; and the tax ramifications of contributing your horses to a charitable organization. "Own Responsibly" flyers, which describe what it means to act responsibly regarding the long-term needs of your horse. The 2009 Unwanted Horses Survey, the results of a national survey taken by more than 27,000 horse owners, equine industry stakeholders, rescue and retirement facilities and non-horse owners regarding the issue of unwanted horses, its importance, causes, solutions and effects. The UHC handbook, Best Practices: How Your Organization Can Help Unwanted Horses, which details initiatives and activities organizations can undertake to help reduce the number of unwanted horses. Rehabilitating the Neglected Horse: A Caregivers’ Guide, a brochure covering basic care for rehabilitating a neglected horse. Subjects include nutrition, farrier care, vaccination, and deworming. "The UHC hopes that horse owners and breeders will use the materials offered to educate themselves and spread the word about unwanted horses to their colleagues. Once educated about the issues facing unwanted horses, individuals and organizations can help to implement programs that assist horses in need," said Ericka Caslin, Director of the UHC. All materials are available for download on the UHC website or they can be purchased in hard copy by contacting the UHC. Contact Ericka Caslin at ecaslin@horsecouncil.org or 202/296-4031 for additional information. thehorse.com, August 13 2010, Article # 16818 |
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‘Give a horse what he needs and he will give you his heart in return.’ |
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NEW ARTICLES ON HORSECONSCIOUS Are You Following Your Passion? – Kathy Pike
Several times during the weekend I heard myself say to the group, “Instead of focusing on what your end result would be –instead what would be your next best feeling step?” “What keeps coming to you?” Each time I offered these questions, I realized these were good questions for me too. To read the compete article and more of Kathy’s articles, visit Kathy Pike on HorseConscious |
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Excerpt From My Upcoming Book – Carolyn Resnick As we go along, you will learn many ways in which your approach can affect the relationship you share with a horse. The rules of your behavior will change according to whether your horse approaches you, or you approach your horse. The rules for working at liberty to bring about a true instinct in a horse to want to bond and stay with you are: 1. If the horse does not like the direction that he is given, he goes away, signaling you to stop your interaction. 2. To reconnect, you must seek permission to enter the horse’s personal space through the Hello Ceremony. 3. If the horse objects by walking or running away from you, you must then go away, giving the horse time to naturally choose to reconnect. To read the compete article and more of Carolyn’s articles, visit Carolyn Resnick on HorseConscious
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Trailer Loading Using Positive Reinforcement – Debra Olson Daniels Having a calm, confident and relaxed horse self load is a delight. We can use clicker training to teach our horse anything, including calm and confident trailer loading and traveling. I like to work first with the horse at liberty in an enclosed safe area so they can take a break if they need to. To read the compete article and more of Debra’s articles, visit Debra Olson Daniels on HorseConscious |
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‘All horses deserve, at least once in their lives, to be loved by a little girl.’ |
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LUKAS’ DOCUMENTARY RELEASED Filming has completed on the life documentary of Lukas, the Guinness World Record titleholder for the "World’s Smartest Horse." The self-titled documentary follows him as a "racetrack reject" to his explosion on the world scene as a "horse hero" of sorts.
Lukas, which was produced by Hadi Khalil of International Production and Advertising, will include excerpts from the horse’s racesat Santa Anita Park in California from 1995 (courtesy of HRTV), as well as his most recent appearance on the television news magazine Inside Edition. The film will also feature interviews with key people in Lukas’s life, such as Don Scott Vrono, DVM, (Lukas’s veterinarian); Dawn Mellen, founder and president of nonprofit organization After The Finish Line; book editor Andrea Glass; Stacey Erb, wife of Lukas’s "personal driver" Chuck Erb; and Tat Yakutis, who started filming Lukas in 2009. The purpose of the movie, according to owner/trainer Karen Murdock is "To convey a message that not fitting into a mold, or even failing, perhaps many times, doesn’t mean we should give up on ourselves or others. It is still entirely possible to thrive and flourish and best of all, to help others through difficulties, despite hardship." Scenes from Lukas’ training, which includes such tricks as the Spanish walk, playing fetch, being blindfolded, and others, will be shown throughout the movie. It will also show newer skills Lukas is learning such as noticing proportion, spatial relationships, and object permanence—all of which could be future Guinness record attempts. For more information, check out Lukas’s website |
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WHEN DISASTER STRIKES: COPING WITH EQUINE EMERGENCIES The Perils of Fire Your float should be kept roadworthy and your towing vehicle should never be left hovering around empty. Keep the fuel tank at least a quarter-full at all times, preferably more. Teach your horses to load as soon as possible. You don’t want to be giving lessons as an orange glow is growing ever-stronger along your ridgeline. You may not have enough capacity to remove all your horses at once. If you have friends or neighbours with a double float and only one horse, chat to them about options in an emer Evacuate sooner rather than later. Your options become more limited as time pressures increase. Bear in mind that flames are not the only risk. Smoke inhalation can be fatal, and overseas research indicates thick smoke can cause serious damage to a horse’s wind in just four minutes. Late evacuations are fraught with danger. Visibility and air quality will get worse as the fire gets closer. Smoke – and even the sirens of emergency vehicles – can panic horses. Trees and power lines may be down; emergency or other vehicles may be blocking roads. If in doubt, get out. If you evacuate, leave a note indicating where you intend going. If possible, take enough food and water to keep you and your horses going for a while. Three days would be ideal, but even enough for a day will provide some breathing space. When fire threatens, you’re much safer wearing natural fibres such as cotton and wool, preferably long-sleeved, along with leather gloves and sturdy footwear – also leather. Synthetic fibres melt and can cause serious burns. The same goes for your horses. Don’t leave synthetic covers on in a fire emergency. Either let your horses go without, or throw on canvas covers. Synthetic halters and ropes run the same risk, so if you have them, opt for leather halters and lead ropes made from natural fibres. Stay calm. Your horses will probably be agitated. Having you running around yelling and in a state of panic will only increase their concern. Turn off power to your buildings if it’s not essential, and switch off electric fences. If you are forced to take a horse close to fire, hose it down first, which research suggests can provide another 30 seconds of protection; some horse owners blindfold them, believing it keeps them calmer. If evacuation is no longer an option and fire is bearing down on your property, you have to give your horses every chance you can. The worst thing you can do is confine them in a small area, which limits their options. Never use yards or stables when fire threatens. Overseas experience indicates that horses given plenty of space are surprisingly adept at escaping serious burns. Bear in mind that grass fires can be fast-moving and, while burning on a broad front, may not have much "depth." A fleet-footed horse may be able to run around the fire if its advance is on an uneven front. If forced to run through flames – and they will do this if cornered – horses stand a good chance of coming out the other side pretty much unharmed, and see out the rest of the blaze in a blackened area where the fire has already passed. It is hard to imagine circumstances so dire that an owner is forced to turn their horses loose. The dangers are obvious – to both horses and motorists – and owners may be liable if their horses are involved in an accident. If smoke or driving rain are reducing visibility, the risks are even greater. In California’s wildfires last year, desperate owners did release horses. If you feel that is your only option, be sure their halters carry tags that allow them to be traced back to you, or mark each animal with a crayon or spray-can of stock marker. But be sure you’ve exhausted every other option first, such as letting them loose in a large paddock as a grass fire approaches. Overseas advice suggests shutting your gates after releasing horses into any new area where you feel they will be safer. Their original paddock or stable may be viewed as a safe haven and they may try to return there, with potentially fatal consequences. Be sure to have access to a firefighting kit and be aware of the after-effects of smoke inhalation. Fire Emergency Kit: The last thing you want to do during a fire is hunt around for a garden hose or a shovel. Having some gear set aside – or at the very least religiously returned to the same place after use – could save you valuable time, and possibly even a building. Ensure you know where you can access a ladder long enough to reach the roof of all your buildings. If fire takes hold on a roof you need to be able to access it. You should have at hand:
Reduce Your Risk Manage your pasture in dry seasons so that you don’t end up with too much standing hay, which poses a fire risk and would offer significant fuel to a grass fire. A fire driven by wind could attack your property from any number of directions. Make sure you’re not the one who starts it. Ensure smokers don’t flick ash or drop butts and be careful using chainsaws and other motorised equipment. Mowers of any description can easily start a fire by creating a spark when they hit a stone. Only mow in dry periods when the grass is damp from a passing shower. Monitor and comply with all district fire restrictions or bans. Floods, Snow, Cold Again, be prepared and have an action plan already laid out. If cold is a factor, ensure horses have covers and shelter. High ground is obviously crucial in a flood, but be sure you don’t have to cross any streams or potentially dangerous floodwaters to reach them. Your life will be much easier if you can reach them easily from your house. The back paddock is no place for stock if you’re up to your knees in snow or floodwaters. The same principles apply for evacuation. Ensure your horses are properly identified in case you become separated from them, and make the decision to go sooner rather than later. Power and other services are likely to be affected and roads impassable. That’s why it’s important to be prepared and have adequate supplies, including feed, on hand. Helping Each Other The main advantage is that other horse-minded people could be left with the care of the animals, allowing owners to return to remove other animals, or deal with any other crises – but only if it is safe to do so. Even a group of horse-owning friends could agree to their properties being evacuation points, with the property under least threat being nominated during any given emergency. It’s important people know you’re safe. Remember, your telephones may not be working. Develop a buddy system with like-minded neighbours. It can be dangerous heading out in freezing conditions. What would happen if you slipped in a paddock and were badly injured? In treacherous conditions, team up to get jobs done. Better safe than sorry. Never forget that you’ll be unable to help your horses if you don’t look after yourself. Don’t take risks. Forward planning and clear thinking will be your most powerful allies. First Aid Advice Burns are the obvious consequence of fire. They are often about the face, as well as damage to the coronets, and swollen and possibly burnt eyelids. Problems from smoke inhalation are likely and there may be lacerations or other injuries if the horse has run into fences. Veterinarians may be a while getting to you, so flush or gently sponge burns with cold water. Your horse may be in shock so provide drinking water and something to eat. Keep the horse warm and calm. The vet’s arrival will provide additional options such as painkillers, anti-inflammatory medications and intravenous fluids if the burns are more serious. Smoke inhalation can be serious. The symptoms may not be apparent immediately, but develop some hours later. Rapid and laboured breathing, wheezing, coughing, a fast pulse and frothing about the nostrils are common symptoms. Veterinary measures include intravenous fluids and drugs which dilate the tiny airways in the lungs, making breathing easier. Horses suffering from smoke inhalation are likely to need four to six weeks of complete rest before being able to work again. Early exercise can easily delay recovery. Monitor your horse’s recovery carefully as lungs damaged by smoke are more likely to suffer secondary bacterial infections. http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/features/disasters-154.shtml |
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SUMMER READING
So begins the extraordinary account of Karen Murdock and her horse Lukas. In 2002, when she purchased the nine-year-old chestnut gelding, a former Thoroughbred and now a sorely neglected yard animal, neither had any idea how both their lives were soon about to be transformed forever. At the time, Murdock worked as a psychiatric nurse handling mentally ill patients. Using her experience as a neglected child herself, and the employing the traits of patience, appreciation, kindness, compassion, and humor she used in her work, she eventually formed a deep bond with her horse and trained Lukas to perform many tricks. Today, Lukas is being billed as the “World’s Smartest Horse”. Click to buy Playing with Lukas
Purchase a copy of Riding for Life for $19.95 at ExclusivelyEquine.com. |
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‘And God took a handful of southerly wind, blew His breath over it and created the horse.’ |
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USERL: CHANGING HORSE’S LIVES US Equine Rescue League’s latest video commends the effort of many….that create the Ripples that can move mountains… |
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| DIARY DATES: | |
| September 4-11 | Liz Mitten Ryan with Edwin Coppard, E.A.R.T.H program level 1 & 2, www.equinisity.com |
| September 8-25 | Liz Mitten Ryan with Alexandra Proctor (@earthhealer), E.A.R.T.H program level 1 & 2, www.equinisity.com |
| September 11 | Kathy Pike, Experience Your Emotions through the Eye of a Horse Download Flyer (this program is facilitated by Kathy’s EFLC Apprentices), http://coachingwithhorses.com/calendar |
| September 11-12 | Anna Twinney: Animal Communication Weekend (fundraising), Ray of Light Farm, East Haddam, CT. anna@reachouttohorses.com |
| September 11-12 | Debra Olson Daniels: Clicker Play Weekend, Toutle, WA, debraolsondaniels@wildblue.net |
| September 12 | Kathy Pike, Horse Wisdom in Human Relationships Download Flyer (this program is facilitated by Kathy’s EFLC Apprentices), http://coachingwithhorses.com/calendar |
| September 24-25 | Kathy Pike, Black Horse White Horse: A Spirtual Journey, Kamp Linfort, Germany Download Flyer, http://coachingwithhorses.com/calendar |
| September 24-29 | Kathy Pike, Equine Facilitated Learning and Coaching – Level 3 European Apprenticeship, Kamp Linfort, Germany http://coachingwithhorses.com/calendar |
| Setember 25-27 | Anna Twinney: Three Days of Reach Out to Horses, Golden, CO, info@reachouttohorses.com |
| October 2-3 | NHE International Seminar 2010, featuring Dean of the online School and Canadian Representative, Cloé Lacroix, and featured speaker is Michael Bevilacqua of Equi-Forme and NHE Worldwide Representative.http://www.nhe2010seminar.com/ |
| Various dates – Please quote HorseConscious when booking | For details of all of all Anna Twinney’s events and workshops click here |
| Various dates – Please quote HorseConscious when booking | Kathy Pike’s calendar and clinics can be found here |
| Various dates – Please quote HorseConscious when booking | Details of Epona workshops by Linda Kohanov can be found by clicking here |
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Remember: |
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‘He dipped his head, snorted at us. We heard the thunder where he fled;and we saw him like a shadow.’ |
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While you’re working hard to ensure that your horse eats a perfectly balanced, nutritionally complete, and irresistibly tasty ration, is it possible you’re fueling your own body with foods full of fat, sugar, and empty calories? This isn’t an uncommon occurrence. Many perfectly sensible, highly intelligent women who obsess about every single micro-nutrient that passes their horses’ lips think nothing of filling their own bodies with burgers, fries, and soft drinks. If you fall into this category, it’s time to rethink your nutritional strategy.
The following is a list of materials currently offered by the UHC:
Last month I facilitated the first Passion, Purpose and Your Path with Horses program. Over the course of four days, each participant gained insights about her path with horses. One woman decided that creating a center to explore the connection between horse and human is her purpose, another feels passionate about helping riders with fear, and one is drawn to the Apprenticeship program. One woman who has struggled with cancer almost all of her life decided, after experiencing the round pen sessions with horses, that for the first time in her life she felt she truly wanted to live. Yes, live. No longer would her health run her mind. It was a great honor to facilitate with my herd of horses and to know that each participant received a greater sense of who they are on their life path.
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