Finding your "WAY" can feel like a cross road of decisions ...

Ever felt surrounded by experts; all with different view points, all making sense...?

At times I feel lost amongst the myriad of contradictory opinions, experts and research vying to give me their advice - delivered with passion and often a dollop of emotional 'guilt' if you don't do as they suggest.

Today started well: I had time for an early morning coffee, and watched the rush hour traffic scoot by.  I was wearing my favourite new top in cheerful peach - I love heart warming winter wear!

I was to spend the day immersed in herbs, oils, macerates and tinctures. What could be better?

Early into the day I leaned Ive been making a mistake by adding my Garlic granules into my horse's feeds.  Ive done this for over a decade.  I felt stupid and sick with guilt for not letting my horses self select given all the other self selection herbs I offer daily.  However,  it is an easy fix, I will implement the change tomorrow; garlic will be offered separately from now on.

Despite this, it was a great day.  I learnt how to make ointments for mud fever; solutions for swellings; a compress for abscesses, injuries or aching muscles.  I even picked up some unexpected tips on home made Christmas gifts; facial toners, face packs and rejuvenating bath oils!

My note book was bursting.  My mind full.

Some of my take aways from today are below.  They may pose a question or two and challenge some of the things you thought you knew! It has me....

1. Never use Front line on animals - horses or dogs
2. Annual vaccines are not essential - flu protection lasts 3 months only! 
3. Large quantities of hard feed can induce colic and should be avoided at all times - body weight percentages quoted by feed manufacturers are there to sell the product not because the horse needs that amount
4. Frozen/frosty grass or very wet grass disrupts gut flora which can lead to colic
5. Ask your feed supplier if any of their feeds use oils?  If so, are those oils Genetically modified?  If so, don't feed to your horse for high rates of ulcers
6. Never give a joint supplement with animal derivatives in them
7. Don't let your dog eat horse poo if you use chemical wormers
8. High worm burden should NOT be dealt with using chemical wormers
9. Oregano kills MRSA better than ANY known manufactured product
10. Horses will clear choke if we can help encourage them to lower their heads
11. Valerian works like a sedative if inhaled, so don't use before going out jumping!
12. Juniper removes lactic acid (must be why I drink Gin a lot)!
13. Have a bath in Epsom salts for aching, tired muscles
14. German Chamomile works against Herpes, Strangles, and Cold sores!
15. Yew is the only tree poisonous to horses
16. 10 % of a horses diet should be bark, wood, twigs etc!  (Now you know why they eat your menage fence posts)!
17. Add a drop of Essential Oils to hot water for a human 'night cap' 
18. Tackle insomnia with a few drops of ylang ylang or Valerian on your pillow!
19. Old scars CAN improve and reduce in appearance even if 10 years old
20. Horses have over 5 million sensors in their nose compared to 1 million in humans
21. Every hair follicle has it's own blood supply - beware insect repellents as they are absorbed into the blood stream!
22. Do NOT STARVE laminitic horses - this is the worst tactic possible.
23. Bucket of fresh water with Peppermint Essential Oil drops in the field will help combat frosty morning gut inbalance, that could result in colic.

I'm not expanding on the above; I'll leave that to the experts!  What I am including at the end of this article are links to some interesting articles that discuss some of these issues further.  Read, enjoy and make up your own mind.  At least that way we all have the chance to move beyond 'doing what we've always done' - without knowing why, or worse - following others example which is just as likely to be as uninformed as our own, but without the honesty!

Vets will argue against some of the above coming from a position 180 degrees in the opposite direction. Everyone is adamant that they are right.  We - the untrained owners and carers of our horses, sit in the middle struggling to find the correct way forward and to know who to trust.

My best advice is to take your time, when reviewing lifestyle options for your horses.  Like me if we make some mistakes along the way, it shouldn't be a cause for recrimination.  Remember...

....we have to be willing to be wrong in the pursuit of what is ultimately right! 

 

I believe our horses will be on our side in our journey.  Their survival depends on their effective decision making.   A horse in the wild will never poison itself.  They smell new things intently, in order to decide if it is safe and necessary to eat.  If not, they won't eat it.  If they do eat it - they have to be sure it is safe to do so, as they can't vomit it up.  They need to get it right! Years of evolution helps them make wise choices, even in domesticated situations.

Our own evolution seems in many ways to have taken us further away from making wise choices, rarely taking enough time to assess our options.  Modern life thrives on speed, convenience and at times, someone else making our decisions for us. We have lost touch with abilities we used to possess as a species: telepathy, astral travel, aura reading, and we downplay instinct and intuition.  Luckily we are discerning beings and should remain so especially when it comes to making lifestyle decisions for our horses which impact their health and happiness.

It's decision time AGAIN for me - the next round - all as a result of today's education session.

Currently outstanding decisions to be made in support of my horses are:-

1. How do I keep my horses eating ad lib hay (while stabled at night) so their guts can work as planned without it costing me an arm and a length in extra livery fees?

2. Do I now stop annual vaccinations going forward?

3. Do I reduce feed volume to prevent colic, trusting that my elderly thoroughbreds wont drop weight with the same speed that I put it on?!

4. Can I wean myself off the love of offering different dried herbs each day for self selection, when I need the budget for extra hay?   Is it in the best interest of my horses?

5. How can I best provide my horses with bows, branches and twigs to replace absent hedgerows and tree bark to eat?

6.  Do I continue with investigatory work for Essy's nose bleeds despite lack of conclusive outcomes thus far and despite any apparent discomfort for him?

Big decisions I've already made that have worked fantastically well over the last year include:-

1. Going barefoot all round, in all three horses - without any abscessing!

2. Worming only using Herbal Wormers NOT chemical based ones - with great results!

3. Self selection of herbs and oils for illness, depression, even colic - again with great success.

4. Not riding Essy (as per his request via Margrit)

5. Investing in ground work with Grace to improve riding safety and our mutual understanding instead of riding her

6. Working with Margrit and listening to my horses as a result

7. Investing in Sue Devereux's chiropractic magic

8. Recognising it was time to change yards despite the ensuing disruption for the horses

9. Managing my mood before hanging out with my horses

Tomorrow is another day.  Tomorrow I'll start to address my outstanding list of decisions and know that some really big ones are behind us, worked well, and weren't so hard really! What's left I hope, should be the icing on the cake and I do love CAKE!

Thought provoking Reading: 

Flea control 

Forage and Turnout 

Animal Vaccinations: