Essy's Wishes : Sweet itch

Saturday, 14 June 2014

KIS-S

... Keep It Simple - Stupid!

I really don't think we place enough value on keeping things simple!

In London yesterday a colleague and I were discussing the virtues of growing up in corporate life and learning to negotiate with Trade Unions. We had other great 'career grooming' experiences we shared, all of which boiled down to one premise:

"it takes a lot of effort to make something look simple"

Tonight, as I was enjoying grooming my herd one at a time, outside in the evening warmth I noticed how little I have had to do this year to groom out their winter coats. Unlike last year where I remember weeks of daily rubber curry combing.

What's different this year?


Either Grace or Essy insist on sticking out their tongues for Barn Photos! Always!

I can only think that its somehow linked to less rugging up over the winter. An advantage of indoor American Barn life has kept the temperature in the stables a lot warmer than normal, and much more consistent. Less severe rises and falls and no howling winds.

As a result, is it possible that their skin just hasn't had to 'hang onto' its fur so ferociously?


Essy early June 2014


Solar Sue early June 2014

They've also been out in the field rug free a lot earlier in the year than normal. All told these things have somehow made a difference. The thickness of their coats wasn't any less, compared to other years. Coat loss didn't start any earlier or later, its just required a lot less man power and intervention by me!

Essy's sweet itch has still not returned for another year, nor too thank God did last year's 16 weeks of mud fever 'hell' make a come back!

We've had no mystery rash on Grace's neck, nor any cellulitis and everyone is still barefoot without an abscess in sight! Given all the rain and flooding we endured this winter I'd say that alone was quite a result!

.... Long may it last!

I'd say a simple life is paying back ten times over for this little herd of happy horses. So has it been easy or does it take a lot of effort behind the scenes to have so few problems to show for it?

It does take a continual level of human effort, vigilance and "thinking". James Hart tonics and Naturally Animals herbs are critical to maintaining internal health, varying what i offer by month and in response to the environment and weather.

This was especially important this winter given we moved yards in October 2013 and didn't know the grass and soil quality, acidity etc. of the new yard, not having experienced a winter there before.

Grace early June 2014

Foot care still takes daily wire brushing, stone removal and close scrutiny. I check walls for rings, cracks and signs of equine digital elastocis. Soles and frogs are treated daily with Iodine disinfectant solution. On top of that once a week I carry out a health check on the herd so I know what's normal for each horse in terms of their temperature, breathing rate, gum colour, hydration, digital pulses and pelvis alignment.

As with any good film, theatrical production or business presentation - there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes to keep different breeds, of different ages in fine 'fettle'.

It's a job I wouldn't swap for anything or with anyone. It's a job I highly recommend and the devil is most definitely always in the detail!

Tuesday, 13 August 2013

Sweet Itch - sorted?

For the last decade, since moving to the UK Essy has lost tail hair each year, during the month of May. It grows back in September.

He looses the hair at the top of his tail in a diamond shape. Reluctantly I resigned myself to the fact that it must be a form of sweet itch. (Strangely it's something I never noticed happening to him when we lived in America). However what other explanation is there?

This May. Essy still had a neck full of winter coat so when he didn't begin to lose his tail hair I put it down to his entire coat going through a "confused.com" period!

However, even when his coat finally did shed, his tail hair didn't!

Today, his tail looks more beautiful than ever - worthy of a quick rear end shot taken this morning.
Weirdly a new layer of tail hair seems to have appeared across the top and in sharp contrast to the normal image at this time of year; namely a bald patch.

What's different? Well his living environment has not changed. The only thing I can thing of is that since September last year, he has consistently been having a tonic by James Hart called Old Friend, added to his daily feed. Could it be that sweet itch has some dietary basis or relationship?

I do have other evidence to support my belief in the value and miracle of herbs and tonics when used to treat internal causes of external symptoms!

In September 2011 Essy broke out with a nasty attack of Uciteria.

For two months nothing helped him. Steroids worked for only 3 days at a time then he would break out just as bad as before. Skin tests revealed a horse allergic to most feeds (oats, barley etc) all dust, tons of mites, every spore and fungi known to a lab test kit - even carrots (despite having eaten them for donkey's years before).

Vets told me to keep him in, then turn him out but into a different paddock, keep him in on windy days, track the weather, keep him away from trees, sterilise his stable, replace every rug, replace the grooming kit, buckets, bowls and put him onto paper bedding. I did it all. One change at a time and yet still nothing made a shred of difference.

By the end of October I was desperate and reached out to alternative therapies. I booked an Iridology session for early November. This showed a very compromised immune system, stressed kidneys and under-functioning liver. It also offered solutions to the problem i.e. herbs and James Hart tonics.

That night Essy started on the James Hart Liver Purify in his evening feed, and as much dry dandelion root, as he wanted, offered by hand.

After 4 days all the lumps had gone!

Essy now has the liver purify as the seasons change - when the leaves open up and then drop off. He has dandelion as a treat every other day. The lumps have stayed away.

I can not think of any other evidence needed for me to be convinced that whilst herbs and tonics may not be the cure for all ills, and I'm not suggesting we all go around waving parsley and margarine at every problem, however, they are definitely on my short list of options when treating ailments in my horses or dogs.

As another example - on the last May Bank Holiday Monday at 8.45pm I got a call to say Essy had colic. He's never had colic before so in a panic, I drove straight round. He was being walked (reluctantly) around the yard. His mouth was open, straining, as if trying to scream, his muzzle tight and pinched. He looked a very unhappy, uncomfortable boy.

I called the vet and while we waited I reached for my essential oils: Peppermint, Fennel and German Chamomile. Within 20 minutes of offering him the oils to inhale, his muzzle relaxed and he had stopped opening his mouth in pain. It got to the point where I thought about calling the vet back and saying 'hold your fire'. However, better to be safe than sorry and so at 10pm she arrived and checked him out for an impaction. He was given the all clear.

Since then he's had an 'invasive examination' on 22nd July for his nose bleeds. The resulting hole drilled into his head, has healed at speed. I won't show pictures of the hole (as it was bigger than I expected), but I can say that my biggest fears have been a) infection b) proud flesh and a disbelief that a hole that size could close without stitches!

I've used specific oils to inhale (at his choosing) and Calendular Macerate onto the wound to manage all 3 concerns. I will NEVER ever again be without Calendular Macerate for wounds and preventing proud flesh. It has worked miracles in a very short period. Here is the wound today just 3 weeks on - no proud flesh and there's been no discharge or infection or swelling.

I'm no 'push over' nor a closet hippy but if I hadn't seen these things with my own eyes I might be curious but not convinced. Now I can say I am curious, convinced and confident in their help to any animal owner or care giver.

If this gets you curious look up some of the talented and gifted companies and individuals listed at the bottom, who aren't yet blessed by vets, which is such a shame. When I think how many horse owners struggle on, spending small fortunes, with veterinary treatments, as I did with Essy's Uciteria - without an adequate fix - it's such a helpless feeling.

There seems to me to be no reason why vets can't sell tonics, herbs or oils too. They don't need to see these tools as a threat. They compliment Vet science nicely. There is after all, more to life than just things that can be proven in a lab or under X Ray.

If you're still in doubt about the value of herbs - ask yourself why is the herb Valerian banned under FEI regulations? Answer: because it works as a calmer and so therefore, YES it is seen as a performance enhancer. Aren't we all missing the point however ....that it WORKS as a calmer!

When two of my fellow yard liverys hacked out together at the weekend, one of them allowed her horse to stop and graze wild herbs in the hedgerows. They both noticed how her horse selected very specifically what he wanted to eat and told me about it on their return.

Horses aren't greedy. They will self regulate. They will also self medicate if given the chance! It's up to us to at least offer them that chance.

If horses 'get it' why can't humans with all our intellect and powers of reasoning and science?! I guess first we have to 'want' to get it and be willing to learn or UN-learn stuff that we have been too quick to accept and absorb as LAW.

My wish is that there's a future where we can throw out the rule book, and look beyond, below and above what Science alone offers us.