Contributors M.I. Mym
Contents
James Hart Alayne Blickle
Letter From The Editor
Frankie Lovato, Jr. Diane J Solomon Dominique Normand Connie Weinsoff
ft. Dominique Normand
Creative Therapies
Echinacea For Horses ft. Diane J Solomon
Winter Pasture Tips
Cause & Care
Magazine Design Private Commission Web & Graphic
Erica K. Frei
Bright Future
Holiday Issue
Get Centered. “To find the center, we have to know the ends. To find the balance we have to know both sides of imbalance. This is how we refine our balance, to know our limitations and have intimacy with the aids and cues we use with the horse.� -Erica K. Frei
Centered Self,
Centered Horse
Letter From The Editor Greetings, and welcome to the very first issue of Haute To Trot Magazine! I cannot express to you just how exciting this moment is for me, not only as the editor but also as an equestrian. I have been passionately involved in horses for nearly 15 years and in all that time I cannot recall ever picking up a horse publication that was not devoted to the riding, training or business aspect of horses in some way, shape or form. As a model I am made privy to amazing images and artwork nearly every day, and still find it takes time and effort to see equestrian artwork or photography unless it has been main-streamed to the public eye. There is simply no large scale outlet to connect equestrians with artists. It is for that reason that Haute To Trot was inspired. Equestrians were once enveloped in a world not only of tradition and wealth, but also a world in which art and creativity was held in great esteem and made available daily. The great masters of Classical Dressage were also trained in the ways of painting, dance, fencing and music. This no longer holds true for most equestrian schools of thought, and I cannot help but ask myself, “is the quality of equitation put at risk largely due to the lack of culture and creativity surrounding what has become more of a sport than an art form today?” As Pablo Picasso said, “There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a spot into the sun.” As equestrians we work with a living medium every day, we mould and shape our horse using all the beauty and grace which has been bestowed on him from nature. And while many of us manage to paint yellow spots on our canvas of the horse, few harness the skill, tact and ability to bring to life a seemingly dull yellow spot and make it shine out like the brightest star in the galaxy. In my mind, I cannot help but believe that we can all transform our horses into a brilliant star if only we adhere to the idea that,
‘Seeing is believing, Believing is seeing.’ If we are to embrace this empowering idea, then it is my hope that Haute To Trot can provide a little fuel for you as an equestrian, a rider, a trainer (aren’t we all?), a horse whisperer, a groomer, a horse lover, an admirer, and most of all - as an ARTIST. What is featured in these pages has been carefully selected for just that purpose. To ennoble this magnificent animal that we have the honor of working with, while also bringing to light the wonderful nature of us as humans on our own individual quests. So, without further delay, as promised - Haute To Trot Magazine!
F
rom
one
painting
to
another,
Dominique Normand is guided by
the will to bring into the light the world’s splendors and effervescence. Through her art, she aims to create an opera for the eyes. She searches themes and subjects soothing to the heart and spirit. The painted image must be impregnated with significant content and bring up an intention.
The reflections that nurture her quest concern
evanescent
manifestations
of nature and beings. She aims at communicating her passion for life. In order to valorize theses precious moments in time, she translates them in paint. Her work reflects vibrant energy through fluid brush strokes and highly emotional content.
H
er goal is to initiate contact with the heart’s viewer. She
is taken by a pictorial experience filled with musicality. The “Chevaleresque Series” was an occasion for her to treat a fascinating subject in depth. The painting is punctuated by a painterly approach, with a concern for structure,
form and meaning. She seeks satisfaction of the charm of apparent easiness. Harmonious arches, organic patterns, suggestive shapes and spontaneous lines join to suggest familiarity. A subtle color palette reinforce the viewer’s feeling of known territory.
D
ominique’s explorations are a pretext to enter in relationship with the chosen
subject. Her desire is to create a bond that will dictate her senses. Each brush stroke is a response to it’s will to be born. Capricious and fertile matter modulate under each stroke.
Dominique Normand Opera For The Eyes
www.dnormand.com
From Bed Ridden at Sea Level to the Heavens at 10,000 Feet - Thanks to Horses. Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center When One Dream Leads to Another
e v i t a e r
Stampede of Dreams Therapeutic Riding Program
C
Get Involved
Therapies
longed to go where cars can’t. When I was what I consider the “real me,” I was a jogger, an avid kayaker, an intrepid backpacker, an outdoors woman. I lived in Seattle, where every conversation inevitably turns to the relative thickness of down sleeping bags, and I fit the part. Like most of you, I worked full time (as a writer at The Seattle Times), I was a wife (with the lion’s share of housekeeping chores), a mother (with the lion’s share of parenting duties), I volunteered at my son’s school, at work, and in the community. Then, while jogging in February, 1989, I felt a strange pain between my legs. It turned out to be a perineal abscess requiring emergency surgery. Then the abscess returned two months later, requiring more surgery. Then it came back again. After a total of four full-anaesthia emergency surgeries, and one full-anaesthia exploratory surgery, from February 1989 to February 1990, the problem was solved and a new one began. That was the trigger that brought on fibromyalgia. These days, people are fairly familiar with the disease. Back then, most physicians considered fibromyalgia the same a hypochondria. “It’s all in your head,” was the common response. And “You just need to exercise more,” actually good advice, but when your body screams in constant pain and unremitting fatigue, not so easy to accomplish. In the fall of 1990, my excellent internist, Dr. Betsy Plotkin of Seattle, recognized and diagnosed me early. My symptoms included loss of energy, waking up feeling unrested and depressed, with terrible back pain. The lack of sleep caused the depression. Studies back from World War I concluded that interrupted sleep brings about depression, and Paxil was the first line of defense. Twenty years later, and no one’s going to take my Paxil away! I struggled through work, although I actually was too ill to be working, unable to imagine not working. Finally, in 1996, I collapsed. I was at the doctor’s office and I couldn’t get up, much less get to work. I finally went on disability. I then spent most of the next three years in bed. My son became the teenager from hell. My husband became increasingly bored with me, wearying of coping with my pain and my inability to play anymore. The best part was acquiring my Portuguese Water Dog Rosa, born in February 1998. She and I worked with a specialist to train her to take care of my needs and she has remained my best friend and solace. Eventually my son went off to college and my husband, coinciding with his mid-life crisis, decided that the “in sickness and health” part of the marriage vows just didn’t really include him. He found a healthy, younger woman at the office, had a horrid and sordid affair, and announced to me he wanted a divorce. The shock and heartbreak hit me worse than all the pain of fibromyalgia. I still believe heartbreak hurts more than the worst physical pain.
From Bed Ridden at Sea Level to the Heavens at 10,000 Feet Thanks to Horses.
I
They say that women are better off after a divorce in every way except financially. This certainly holds true for me. Although I, ridiculously, haven’t healed from the heartbreak, I managed to move back to sunny California, so much healthier for my condition. I chose Santa Barbara as I went to college here, still had friends here, the weather’s perfect, and I didn’t have the wherewithal to move somewhere where I knew no one. Because my husband refused a fair settlement and I continue to live on a penurious disability salary, I slipped into involuntary simplicity and downward mobility. From owning a grand home in a nice part of Seattle, I live in a tiny apartment affectionately referred to as the hovel! But Santa Barbara has been good for my health. After living here about a year, someone told me about therapeutic riding. It seemed counter intuitive. Wouldn’t all the bouncing up and down on a horse hurt my back worse? But my desperation to get back in the healing back country overwhelmed my skepticism.
And my life changed completely for the better.
I
had ridden a mere handful of times as a kid. There I was, at 49 years old, staring closely into the eyes of a beautiful, large, blue roan named Big Blue, nuzzling his soft muzzle, and I fell in love. The reciprocity in those eyes won me over. The gentle empathy and sweet communication that was so evident moved me deeply. Irrationally, I suppose, I felt not a quiver of fear. That may also have come from the serene air of safety provided at Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center. And then the magic-workers at Hearts helped me mount Big Blue. I felt at home, a home I never knew I had, a home I had been longing for. And with a few tentative steps around the corral, my confidence must have shown. The lead walker dropped the line and I walked by myself around the circle, fully empowered. With the popularity of therapeutic riding centers, and the not coincidental aging of the population, you should be able to find an adequate center near to just about anywhere you live. Hearts, however, stands many hands higher than an ordinary center. Hearts is an extraordinary Therapeutic Riding Center! NARHA, as the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association is better known, conferred the status of a “premier center” on Hearts, officially recognizing that Hearts “has achieved the highest possible level of accreditation, demonstrating a superior level of adherence to national industry standards.” That oxymoron about bouncing up and down on a horse further injuring my back, is all wrong. As all good riders know, the only time you bounce up and down is when you are sitting the trot, and the simple (and more elegant) alternative is to post. When sitting properly on a horse, the posture precisely mimics the perfect posture physical therapists, doctors, osteopaths, and body workers of all kinds help us to achieve. After just a short time riding, I found my core muscles strengthening, allowing me to sit and stand straight for the first time in my life. Being a large busted woman, totally opposed to flaunting it, I learned, as so many large busted and tall women do, to hunch over, to round my shoulders, to the great detriment of my back muscles. Therapeutic riding fixed that. I walked tall, elegantly.
Riding provides me with another therapeutic aspect I could never have anticipated: active meditation. When I am riding, I am so focused, that all the clutter in my mind drops away. I think of nothing but the horse and the two of us together as one smoothly moving animal. Hearts inevitably includes a short trail ride during the lesson. Located in the foothills above Santa Barbara, this means a sage-filled saunter through eucalyptus groves and oak-dappled shade onto a plateau overlooking the Pacific. Not too shabby an exercise routine! And horseback riding, I learned at Hearts, actually can be an aerobic exercise. As I improve and have learned to canter, my heart rate increases, and, consequently, so has my ability to breath deeply. Shortness of breath plagues fibro folks because the passageway in the thoracic region is so compromised, literally squeezed by scar tissue. Increased stamina, better flexibility, decreased pain, increased strength and peace of mind : all resulted from therapeutic riding. I finally began to feel so well that, with the assistance of a full-time caregiver who handles for me all the necessary tasks of everyday life, I even began writing unpaid freelance articles. Combining my devotion for horse and life-long passion and knowledge of art, I now write, as a volunteer, stories about artists who specialize in depicting horses and Western art. One day one of the thoughtful staff at Hearts handed me a brochure. Nancy knew that by this time I was riding at rental facilities whenever I went out of town. The brochure described a program designed specifically for disabled riders, with all safety procedures included, that allowed riders to have a comfortable week-long backpacking, camping trip in the Colorado Rockies. I received a generous scholarship from the organization run by Barbara Staples of Back Country Discovery. We gathered in Fort Collins, Colorado, and drove to the outfitters, Old Glendevey Ranch. We spent a week riding and camping in the Rawah Wilderness. We made our base camp at 7,000 feet where a moose frequently visited.
Every
day we’d ride for hours, exploring where cars can’t go.
Our first night we talked about our goals for the trip. I explained my background. Then I became very quiet and honest. Tough old cowgirl that I wanted to be, I admitted that my true goal was just to make it through the week. Could I really do this? I remembered myself bed bound, wracked with pain and frustration, not knowing where my husband was, not even expecting a call. All I wanted was the miracle of actually doing it. And then I did it. For the first time in nearly five years, I was pain free on that horse, riding for hours, passing by a sparkling glacier lake. I made sure I was alone. I blamed the wind for the tears in my eyes. When we rode to a 10,000 foot peak, I saw herds of elk grazing on an alpine meadow below me. I looked over the horizon to the Canadian Rockies. I breathed in that pure, intoxicating air.
survived.
I
triumphed.
Thank
you,
Hearts! by M.Y. Mim
I
Well known and well regarded throughout the greater Santa Barbara community, Hearts has provided approximately 40,000 lesson hours to over 2,200 members of the community. Approximately 125 clients per year ride at Hearts, ranging in age from 3 to 83, with disabilities including autism, cerebral palsy, cancer, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, learning disabilities, Down Syndrome, developmental delay, stroke and fibromyalgia. Some students may not always ride, but receive benefits through ground training or stable management. This year, Hearts launched the Horses for Heroes program, pairing Veterans and horses for riding and relaxation. Hearts also runs Yee-Haw, a program for at-risk kids that employs the horses. If you ask any of the staff what makes Hearts so successful, each invariably credits the volunteers. Approximately 80 volunteers assist with lessons, facility maintenance, fund raising, and special events. Even the hard-working Hearts Board of Directors serve as volunteers. In recognition of the valuable part volunteers play in keeping Hearts so effective, Hearts hosts an annual Volunteer Appreciation Day. This year, in both awareness of the part volunteers play and the part Hearts plays in the community, the Santa Barbara Tiffany’s Jewelry store has generously donated their famous silver open-heart pendants as gifts to the outstanding volunteers. No matter where you live, you too can help support Hearts! According to Program Director Connie Weinsoff, “Donations to our general rider scholarship fund would be great as this year has been especially hard on students due to the California state budget cuts.
“We would love it if readers would visit our website or give us a call. Of course anyone living close or visiting this area is more than welcome to take a tour. Just give us a call and we’ll arrange a special visit.”
Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center
Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center celebrates 25 years of service in 2010.
Calypso
is an old fashioned Morgan horse, a breed that was developed for working and driving. She’s a large, steady girl, and willing to do whatever is asked of her. She was a lesson horse before being donated to Hearts.
Joe
is a very laid back gentleman of a horse with excellent training. He has competed in horse shows, played polo and been a trail horse. These various experiences make him an excellent horse for our new riders to start on. Joe is leased to Hearts by Julie Wendt.
Lilly
is a registered Icelandic dapple-gray mare. Icelandic horses are pony sized but are considered a horse breed with a very strong physical constitution. Lilly has smooth gaits including the told, a natural running walk specific to the breed. Lilly has a gentle, calm disposition and loves the kids. She was partially donated and purchased by a generous grant from the Venoco Corp. in 2002.
Starwars
is a wonderfully trained appendix quarter horse gelding that can do jumping, dressage and western pleasure. He spent some time at the Thatcher school in Ojai before being purchased by the McCarthy family, who generously lease him to Hearts. He is easy to cue and smooth gaited making him great for beginner and advanced riders alike.
Max
is a retired forest service horse that spent most of his twenty-plus year career in the back country as a ranger’s trail horse. He’s a big softie and everyone loves his unique “moustache!”
Patches
is a sweet, gentle guy who is perfect for beginner riders due to his quiet nature and smooth gaits. He spent most of his life as a trail horse and was recently a beloved family pet. He loves children and is very patient. His smaller size makes him very versatile for many different types of riders.
Make
a
Difference!
Hearts depends on the generosity of our volunteers and supporters to make a difference in the lives of children and adults with disabilities. There are so many rewarding ways you can support our life-changing work! Hearts is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and all contributions are taxdeductable.
Wish List!
We can always use office supplies, copy paper, stamps, etc. Or maybe you have something that would be useful for our facility maintenance, lessons or events?
Tell A Friend! Make
a Donation! Sponsor a rider or horse! Or dedicate a donation in someone’s honor...
Donate
or Lease A Horse! It takes a very special horse to do this job! Potential horses must be healthy and sound, able to walk, trot and canter, and of course be calm and reliable.
Donate Tack
or Horse Supplies! We appreciate donations of all sorts of Western or English tack and horse supplies. And if we can’t use it, we can raise money by selling it at our annual tack sale.
We can come make an inspiring presentation to your group or organization. Or better yet, come to one of our VIP Tours- see an actual demonstration and enjoy refreshments while meeting our riders, instructors and horses.
Volunteer!
Join our team! Make new friends and be a part of a great community!
About The Author M.Y. Mim is a free-lance journalist based in Santa Barbara, Ca. The author wishes to thank Mr. Almqvist for his assistance in making this article possible. Mim may be reached at mymim3@cox.net, or through her agent/caretaker R. Almqvist, 805-705-5349. Mym – as she is known to her friends – is a dedicated Hearts student and an eager volunteer for the organization. ©M. Y. Mim
Everything went according to plan, and all of my hard work and determination paid off; by the age of 16 I had begun my career as a professional jockey, and by 17 I was the nation’s top apprentice and ranked among the top ten jockeys in North America. However, in 1981, at the age of 18 something on which I had not planned was a racing accident that left me with a badly broken leg.
When One Dream Leads to Another
Since the age of three, there was nothing else I dreamed about more than being a jockey. There was no other plan or anything else I could ever imagine doing with my life. The speed, the danger, mud flying as I raced down a track astride 1,000 pounds of racehorse were things for which I yearned.
Once I had begun my rehabilitation process, it became evident that the equipment and exercises I was using to regain mobility and strength were not specialized enough to provide the type of rehabilitation necessary to enable me to return to riding horses. That’s when I had a great idea: I will make a horse. And that’s just what I did!
I
built a horse of wood and springs,
and there was nothing else like it in the world. Although I still was unable to walk without the use of crutches, I was now able to ride! I was able to safely get in riding positions and gently move my wooden horse by working the muscles and joints I would use to ride an actual horse. Through this process, my injured leg was becoming stronger and more flexible, and that gave me the confidence to know when I was ready to again ride a real horse. When I went for my final checkup and x-rays, my doctor was exceptionally pleased with my strength and condition. He gave me the OK to start riding horses again, and I said that I had already been riding for three months! The look on his face was priceless... I did go on to explain I had been riding my wooden horse. I never imagined I would be building wooden horses for other people, but word spread fast. Jockeys and representatives from jockey schools began contacting me from all parts of the world. This eventually led to establishing the Wooden Horse Corporation, which my wife Sandy and I formed in 1990, and officially naming my wooden horse the Equicizer. At this point I was still maintaining my career as a jockey, making Equicizers was just a hobby and side job that I really enjoyed. But again, something I never imagined would stem from the Equicizer was the discovery of its usefulness as a therapy tool for those who have physical or developmental disabilities.
Therapeutic horseback riding programs began learning of the Equicizer and also began placing orders. Because of this, Sandy and I would become very friendly with many wonderful people in this line of work and passionate about their purpose. As we began seeing the benefits and rewards resulting from their work it was not long before this would become a new dream for Sandy and me; to create our very own therapeutic riding program. In late 2004 my 25-year career as a jockey was complete, and I stepped away from racing. The Equicizer business was established, but our dreams were now revised. Sandy and I moved from New York back to her hometown of Norwalk, Ohio in 2006. Once here, Sandy met a new friend, Amy Leibold, who also had a vision of starting a therapeutic riding program. Sandy, Amy and I rallied with other wonderful people within the community and began developing the foundation of the Stampede Of Dreams Therapeutic Riding Program.
Our
new dream has come true!
In June of 2009, Stampede Of Dreams Therapeutic Riding Program officially launched its first session with students and lessons. Sandy holds the reins as head instructor, NARHA-certified, mentored by our dear friend and awesome horseman; NARHA-certified instructor Jesse Howell.
Currently our program has three live horses. They are boarded at a local horse farm with an indoor arena where the Stampede Of Dreams sessions take place. With great pride, the Equicizer is also used throughout the program for conducting all evaluations and introductions, as well as for practicing proper mounting and dismounting, performing warm-ups prior to all rides, and reviewing and practicing the skills which the riders will perform during the day’s lessons aboard real horses. So this journey of mine started when I was a small child with the dream of becoming a jockey. Some misfortune along the way, in the form of a racing injury, led to my creating the Equicizer as well as to new paths and dreams. The Equicizer also took new paths which led to its being used for such meaningful purposes so different from that for which it was first intended. My life is now in a new place so very far away from where I first started, back when I wanted to fly dangerously down a racetrack aboard the fastest racehorse. Sandy has watched me perform on the track for many years; now it’s my turn to watch and assist her as she does her magic along with our staff and volunteers, working with our riders and horses. I am now in a place where achievement comes from giving a child with a disability the chance to have that feeling of freedom, accomplishment, and being so alive astride a horse. Witnessing the rider’s triumphs provides a feeling for me that is just like winning a race. Although there is no grandstand or roaring crowd, still... “They’re off!!!”... in a Stampede Of Dreams!
by Frankie Lovato, Jr.
The mission of the program is to offer students with physical and emotional disabilities the opportunity to learn companionship, responsibility, leadership, and vocational and educational skills, as well as to enjoy the physical benefits horseback riding provides.
Stampede Of Dreams
is in the process of attaining its 501(c)3 nonprofit status and currently operates through volunteer work, donations, and fund raising efforts to care for the horses and manage other expenses.
www.stampedeofdreams.org
Haute To Trot Magazine encourages you to support your local Therapeutic Riding Program! There are so many wonderful ways in which you can make a positive change in the lives of others...
As a volunteer you get to witness and experience the amazing experiences that these programs offer riders, meet the most amazing people from every facet of life and share your love of horses with people who are just as passionate about them as you are! Donations to TRP’s are often welcome in many different forms, from cash to tack and supplies for both the barn and office. Most programs can let you know what they are the most in need of, and as non-profits your donations are tax-deductable. There is simply no way to lose when donating to a Therapeutic Riding Program!
Volunteer
Donate
Many TRP’s are also actively involved in their community through outreach programs intending to educate the public about riders with disabilities, and how riding horses can bring such drastically positive results - physically, mentally and emotionally! Giving presentations allows your community to give better support to riders through awareness, in turn making sure the TRPs in your area get the active community support they need to make a difference!
Educate
your local Therapeutic Riding Program to be featured in the next issue of Haute To Trot Magazine!
Contact us by email hautetotrotmag@gmail.com
Change Lives
Is Your Horse...
Ready For Winter? After the easy living of summer and fall, winter can be harder for horses. Climatic change causes stress on the body as it tries to cope with the variations in temperature and daylight hours. Hormones released as part of the stress reaction reduce immune function and so make the individual more prone to infection. Along with the climatic changes there is also a higher risk of respiratory disease purely due to spending more time in the barn. Anytime we bring horses together in tightly confined situations there is a much higher risk of coughs and colds passing between them all. Echinacea is one of the world’s favourite medicinal herbs and as we would expect has been exposed to a lot of research. Much of it has been carried out in vitro, on rats and particularly on humans but since all mammals have basically similar immune systems, much of it is directly applicable to horses. Its traditional use has been to boost the immune system and it is widely used as a preventative and in acute upper respiratory infections. Scientific studies on humans confirm Echinacea’s traditional use to boost the immune system, particularly in times of stress. In
by James Hart
humans it is used to treat not only acute infections of the upper respiratory system, but
number of red blood cells, but also a higher concentration of hemoglobin. The effect of the
also longer term immune system insufficiency, and although Echinacea has been used for
improvement in blood quality was most noticeable from the 28-day mark on. The significance
years only recently has work been done to study the effects on horses.
of this is quite far reaching.
The Equine Research Centre
As we know red blood cells
in Guelph, Ontario, Canada
carry oxygen to muscle tissue
published the results of an
and, simply put, the more
extensive series of tests on the
oxygen there is the better or
effect of Echinacea on horses.
harder a muscle can work. So
The results not only confirm
if we increase the number of
the traditional use but has also
red blood cells and increase
yielded some interesting new
the amount of oxygen each
effects that were previously
can transport this should help
unknown. As we would expect
in the performance of the
the tests showed that whilst
muscle... and we would hope
being given twice daily doses
the horse. As far as we know
of Echinacea the horses had
no tests have been carried out
increased
to challenge this theory.
immune
function.
It
The unexpected and interesting
is then a short step to think
results showed that while on
about the effects on horses of
Echinacea the horses not only
long term Echinacea combined
showed
with
increased
size
and Asteraceae - Echinacea purpurea
Flora. Afbeeldingen en beschrijvingen van boomen, heesters, éénjarige planten, enz., voorkomende in de Nederlandsche tuinen by Heinrich Witte. Groningen, J.B. Wolters, (1868), plate 12. Chromolithograph by G. Severeyns after Abraham Jacobus Wendel
Asteraceae - Echinacea purpurea - Rudbeckia purpurea
La flore et la pomone françaises, ou histoire et figures en couleur, des fleurs et des fruits de France ou naturalisés sur le sol français by Jean Henri Jaume Saint-Hilaire. Paris, the author, 1831, volume 4 (plate 381). Unsigned stipple-engraving in colour by Jean Henri Jaume Saint-Hilaire finished by hand.
Schisandra
(Schisandra
chinensis) which helps to slow the buildup of lactic acid in the muscle.
A paper by Dr. Sandra Miller of McGill University, Canada has blown apart the myth that Echinacea is unsafe for long term use and should only be used for short periods. Her paper on the long term effect on Echinacea on mice, showed that daily consumption of Echinacea has a preventative effect. It extended the life span of aging mice, significantly abated leukemia and extended the life of both leukemic mice. In her paper Miller writes, ‘given that humans are 97% genetically common with mice and that virtually all our basic physiology is identical, it is neither unjustified to extrapolate these observations to humans...’ . Echinacea therefore can be given on a continuous basis, however, unless there is a special reason it is usually enough to use it over periods of stress to support the immune system. These include travelling, mixing with new horses at shows or in a new barn, changes in routine; moving from field to barn and seasonal weather change. As a general rule with quality ethanol-based extracts you should expect an effect within
develops a cold it would also be worth giving it to all resident horses while the cold is
20 minutes. You can see this with quick acting herbs like Valerian (Valeriana officinalis).
still present. Echinacea is generally quite safe to mix with other herbs and we find it
With Echinacea the effect is internal so start giving it 24 hours before expected stress
particularly effective when used in conjunction with Cat’s Claw (Uncaria tormentosa), a
and continue for 5-7 days after exposure to cover any latent period of possible infection.
South American herb.
In a barn situation it can be given before the horses are brought in for the winter and ideally throughout the season.
What should I buy? When you go looking for Echinacea you may find three main types of preparation. First,
If
the dried herb. This is purely the raw herb dried and chopped, and it may include roots
this is not possible, for whatever reason,
but is probably just tops, which are inexpensive. Second, you may find liquid extracts.
the first two or three weeks are probably
In my view these are the best because absorption starts in the mucus membrane of
the most critical and after that if any
the mouth and is rapidly continued in the stomach. It is therefore taken into the blood
new horses are introduced. If one horse
stream more quickly and so the active compounds are more bio-available. Third, you
may find tablets. These are generally designed for the human digestive system, and may not disintegrate as well in the equine stomach.
Dose. Finally remember that herbs are dose dependant so it is important to make sure you
When reading labels it is important to understand the terminology. If the label says
give enough. I find that a preventative dose of 10-20 ml twice a day of a 1:2 extract is
“Root” it will mean root. However if it says “herb”, as in “this preparation of Echinacea
a good base to work from. The dose you decide on will depend on the size of the horse,
purpurea herb extracted in our special way”, it usually means that it contains only tops
its general state of health and the challenges it faces. Echinacea is a very safe herb so
and no roots.
I always tend to err on the generous side. I have not heard of or been able to find any
So which Echinacea should you buy? The two main Echinacea species are E. purpurea and E. angustifolia.
The two species have similar but not identical pharmacological
profiles and either is fine although you will probably find that angustifolia is more expensive. This is because it is harder to cultivate, slower to grow and produces lower yields. More important is that the roots of either species contain much higher levels of the active compounds and, although more expensive than herb or top products, are much more effective. It is also very important to look for an indication of the strength of the extract’s strength. This should be expressed as a ratio; eg 1:2, which means 1 kg of dry herb has been extracted into 2 liters of liquid. This is the equivalent of 500 mg per ml of extract which is the other way of expressing the same thing. Remember that the a 1:2 is a more concentrated extract than a 1:5. Without the disclosure of this strength on the label it is impossible for you to compare products and know what you are buying. There is no reason for this not to be there and personally I never buy anything that isn’t properly described.
reports of contraindications or effects of overdosing. The best liquid extracts will contain alcohol, which helps with absorption and is an excellent preservative and extraction medium. Horses are able to cope well with the small amount involved.
James Hart | Solutions Equine Herbals Range
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riting
http://www.writingofriding.com
Too Complicated? Let us help you with that.... http://www.awarenessinriding.com
Diane J. Solomon by M.Y. Mim
Diane Solomon is an excellent equine artist who has discovered a new technique that, in this critic’s opinion, catapults her into a new level. When an artist discovers a unique presentation, she or he pushes the enormous canon of equine art forward. Diane achieves this through her painting on antique papers. She, herself, is thoroughly excited about this technique.
“I think I might love the process of finding and resurrecting the vintage papers as much as I do painting on them. The excitement unfolds as I begin the hunt for papers. There is just nothing like sitting on the floor of an antique store/barn/old house and sifting through the boxes of papers. I’ll run my fingers across each piece of paper, admiring the soft surface or luminous patina of age. I’ll imagine who’s touched it over the years; what it has meant to them. With a piece of sheet music, I wonder if they had a mean piano teacher (I did!) or if their first recital was a huge success. “I trust my instinct as I decide what to keep and what to discard. “Once I choose an image to paint, I gather my papers, pile them on my long table and start looking for just the right ones. It may take an hour, it may take days, I deeply enjoy the process of going through my papers and letting my mind run free. Sometimes I’ll pull a full sheet of music or newspaper page. At other times I tear out words or phrases. Eventually I end with a pile of delicious puzzle pieces! Now I clear the table and bring the image and the papers together. “From the beginning, I felt the mystical pull of the shadowed Andalusian mare dancing across the dappled pasture. ‘Maiden’s Prayer’ sheet music captured that feeling perfectly. The paint simply flowed onto the paper to the sound of music in my head. When it was finished, I could see it needed a little something else. I picked up a scrap piece I’d torn, turned it over and there was part of the musical score with the words ‘dancing on the shadow’d air’. I’d never noticed those words before, but of course they were perfect! That’s the magic... and it happens when I’m out of my head and into my heart!” Diane loved to draw as a child, and usually drew horses. In fact, “horse” was her very first word! She has been a horsewoman nearly all her life. She received her first horse at thirteen and lived and breathed horses for the next 25 years, going on to raise and train Arabians. At the same time, she was president of a commercial construction company for most of her adult life, and then a marketing and human resources consultant. She was married, professionally successful, had two children, and worked with horses. Then...
“In 1979 my world came to an end when my 10 year old son, Shawn, was killed in an ATV accident. Without understanding the reason, I began to sell off my thirteen horses, one by one. We eventually sold our farm and moved into the city. In 1995 my marriage of 32 years dissolved due to unresolved pain over the loss of our son.”
Diane remarried in 2002, still working as a part-time HR director for one of her clients. When asked to give more time to the company however, she suggested less so she could paint.
“The man fired me. Wow!! First time ever! My new husband said, ‘Perfect! Now you can do what you’ve always wanted to do.’” Thus, Diane began her equine career about six years ago. A chance conversation led to a commission to paint “Loki.”
“I took photos of Loki, packed up my art supplies and drove to a two-room cabin on the Olympic Peninsula. I spent four days painting and watching the Warmblood’s spirit emerge on paper. First I painted his eyes, I always start with the eyes so the connection with their spirit is present from the beginning. I cried more than anytime since Shawn’s death. It was then I understood I had ‘given up’ the horses because my grieving didn’t allow any joy - or things that brought me joy - in my life. That was the beginning of my healing process, and when I became a professional equine artist. I haven’t looked back since then. Horses are again in my life... forever! Any time I want I can be with them, breath in their smells and their spirits, then take them back to the studio and paint them.”
Diane J Solomon Equestrian Artist
www.djsolomonartist.com
About the Author M.Y. Mim is a free-lance journalist based in Santa Barbara, Ca. The author wishes to thank Mr. Almqvist for his assistance in making this article possible. Mim or
may through
be her
(805) 705.5349. Š M.Y. Mim
reached
at
mymim3@cox.net,
agent/caretaker
R.
Almqvist,
by Alayne Blickle
Winter Preparedness Tips
cabin-bound for weeks on end. Are
1) Bring in footing material for paddocks, confinement areas and other high traffic areas. It is much easier for delivery trucks
pasture plants are dormant and unable to regrow in the winter pastures simply cannot
you ready for another potentially wet
to back into paddocks and drive through
survive continuous grazing. Also, soils are saturated and easily compacted during soggy
and wild winter?! Now is the time of
pastures before the ground becomes slick,
winters. The best option for managing your horses during winter is to create a winter
year when an ounce of prevention is
muddy, or snow covered. These materials are
paddock or sacrifice area. Confine your horses to this are during the witner and in the
worth a pound of cure. The following
usually more readily available during this time
summer when pastures become overgrazed.
are a few of Horses For Clean Water’s
of year, plus putting footing in key areas now
top tips to getting your horse property
will help prevent a mud mess later on!
4) Tarp your manure piles.
ready for the worst that winter can
2) Check gutters and downspouts.
Who
can
forget
last
winter’s
weather? Record snowstorms, arctic temperatures, flooding. Many of us
t
equestrians (and our horses!) were
dish out.
Now is the time to clean
and make needed repairs or additions to your roof runoff system. Think “keep clean
This will help keep the nutrients you are trying
to save IN the compost and not allow them to get washed OUT into the surface waters where they can cause a potential problem and contribte to more mud and yuck. Be sure to store manure as far away as possible from streams, ditches or wetlands to avoid potential environmental problems, as well as away from fence lines to be a good neighbor!
rainwater clean” by diverting rainwater away from your paddocks to areas where it won’t
5) Spread compost.
get contaminated. Good places to divert to include areas on your property such as a grassy
soil enhancement that adds micro and macronutrients and replenishes natural microbial
ditch, a dry well, rain barrels, stock watering tanks, a rain garden, well-vegetated woods,
life all of which improves the health of the soil and plants. Spread compost in pastures
or an unused portion of your pasture. Doing this will GREATLY benefit you by reducing
during the growing season, no more than a 1/2 inch layer at a time, or a total of 3-4 inches
the amount of mud your horse spends the winter standing in, while making daily chores
per season.
easier for you.
6) Consider liming your pastures.
3) Close down your pastures.
Fall is a great time to spread compost. Compost is a rich
Have a soil test done for your
If you’re lucky enough to have pasture
pastures. If it indicates your pastures need liming then fall is an excellent time to do this.
then fall is the time to baby them. Pastures grazed too closely in the autumn are subject
Fall applications allow the lime to neutralize soil acidity as it reacts with the soil over the
to winter damage and slow regrowth in the spring. For winter protection it is best if you
winter. Changing the pH also allows grass plants to be more competitive during the next
allow the grass plants to produce a good amount of leaf growth, at least 4 inches. Because
growing season.
Alayne RenĂŠe Blickle,
a life-long equestrian and reining
In her personal life, Alayne is a
Horses for Clean
life-long equestrian and horse lover.
competitor is the creator and director of the award-winning program
Water. Since 1997, Horses for Clean Water has taught environmentally sensitive horse-
She owns a 10-acre environmentally
keeping practices through classes, workshops, demonstration farms, farm tours, and
sensitive horse farm in Maple Valley,
individual consultations. The program is funded through grants, contracts, and consulting
WA, where she raises reining horses.
and program fees.
She has experience with a variety of horse breeds and disciplines and
With more than 15 years of experience as an environmental educator, Alayne works with livestock owners on regional issues of manure management and non-point pollution
currently, along with her horse, Bob, she competes nationally in reining.
reduction. She is also in demand as a presenter for educational institutions, natural resource agencies, horse groups, and other audiences in many parts of North America.
In conjunction with Horses for Clean Water, Alayne also publishes
The Green
Horse, a monthly on-line newsletter supporting sustainable horse-keeping practices.
Photo Credit : Cheryl James Photography 2008
Started in January 2004, The Green Horse now reaches more than 1,000 email addresses nationwide.
Alayne contributes to other publications as well, including her monthly column for Northwest Horse Source, and articles for Equus, Horse & Rider, and John Lyons’ The Perfect Horse. As a photographer and producer she has created educational material and slide presentations.
Alayne is a life-long learner. Her undergraduate college work focused on psychology and natural sciences (BA, Southern Illinois University). She has continued to expand and refine her education ever since, with an MA in communications (SIU) and post-graduate work in educational media (University of Washington) and fine arts photography (University of Alaska). She keeps her training current in the areas of natural resources, rangeland science, and equine studies. She holds the titles of Washington State University Livestock Advisor and King County Master Recycler and Composter.
www.horsesforcleanwater.com
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