Beet Pulp for Your Horse

There are thousands of modalities available to a Therapist to use on many thousands of injuries and diseases. Most people aren’t educated in the uses of all of them. Often, a client will say that they “have tried everything,” but their horse is still lame. I wonder what everything includes.

Have they tried MyoFascial Release, Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs, Chiropractic, Neuromuscular Therapy, Reiki, Deep Tissue Massage, Aromatherapy, and Hydrotherapy? Generally, the answer is no.

Each modality can address one little thing that the others cannot. Also, each body responds differently according to the indication. I’ve seen horses respond really well to Aromatherapy or Chinese Herbs when all else has failed. Chinese therapies, after all, have been used with positive results for thousands of years. In addition, each modality will address a different pathology or part of the body or mind that another does not.

Yes, sometimes the representative of a certain therapy can be strange. I understand that a typical 60 year old cowboy isn’t going to attend an energy healing workshop on behalf of his horse. That’s why it’s up to a motivated Horse Therapist to sort through the riff raff on behalf of your client and his horse.

My personal preference is Sports Massage. I like to give and receive it. My background and core education is in muscles. If your muscles are flexible, and have adequate blood flow, they will function properly, and adjoining joints will not have stress placed on them. There are, however, always special circumstances when it comes to chronic pain syndromes. Sometimes the cause needs to be addressed, other times the mind causes the stress that can affect the organs. When Sports Massage doesn’t bring relief, and the attending Veterinarian has used up his bag of tricks, sometimes a Therapist needs to research further.

The modalities that I’ve listed below can be researched on behalf of your horse, but a human will benefit from the variety of choices, as well. It is important to consult with the horse’s Vet, and to check references and required certification or licensing before using any Therapist. Most Certifications or Licensing Boards require practitioners to carry Liability Insurance, so it’s not inappropriate to request proof of insurance before hiring a Practitioner. In fact, it is recommended. If they don’t carry insurance, it’s likely that they are not property certified.

Myofascial Release Therapy: In many cases, fascia becomes stuck over an area of the body. This can be caused by scarring, or by chronic inflammation. A lot of sport horses have this condition over the rump area, specifically, the Gluteus and Bicep Femoris areas. It is somewhat like placing plastic wrap over the kitchen counter. In this case, you can slip your hand under one end of it to peel it up. In an enclosed body part, the release must be achieved without slipping your hand under one end.

Myofascial Release Therapy is a technique that requires a sustained hold against the tissue to cause it to release from the outside. This therapy is beneficial in areas that have been stuck for some time. It can bring great relief, add to mobility, and prevent further injury to nearby joints. An expert book on the subject is called Release The Potential by Doris Halstead. There is also a great video course for Equine Therapists by Mark Barnes.

Acupuncture: It’s as old as the hills. For over 2000 years, Acupuncture has been practiced for pain relief, disease, and anything health related. Animals respond well to Acupuncture where a fine, hair like needle is inserted into points on the body that correspond to meridians relative to the organs. I’ve seen many cases where acute and chronic pain has been relieved through the use of acupuncture. You shouldn’t necessarily wait until nothing else works to try Acupuncture because it can improve the overall well being of a body. If you want your horse to be generally well, an Acupuncture treatment can do just that. Acupuncture is governed by each state, and practitioners are required to be licensed. It is not unusual to find a Veterinarian that is a licensed Acupuncturist. That’s the perfect scenario.

Equine Acupressure is based on the same principles as Acupuncture, except the finger is used to place pressure on a point rather than a needle. There are many qualified teachers and schools around the world in this modality. I highly recommend Equine Acupressure, A Working Manual by Soderberg, Zidonis, and Snow. There is an accompanying poster showing the meridians, and these women teach their well-researched methods worldwide.

Chinese Herbs: If you’ve found a Veterinary Acupuncturist, they are usually an educated Herbalist, as well. This is important because not only is the equine digestive system unique, but some herbs can be toxic if not properly administered.

Herbs are very effective when used as poultices as they can draw heat from an area. They are also effective in relief of pain, relaxation, allergies, and digestive ailments. Be sure that you consult with a qualified expert before using Chinese herbs on your animals or yourself.

Chiropractic: Based on the principles that a structural imbalance can lead to internal disease by way of disturbance to the nervous system. Treatment includes manipulation of soft tissue, the spine, and other joints to bring the rest of the body back to normal function. Most Chiropractors also work with nutrition and other behaviors that affect overall health and wellness. Generally, a Chiropractor will massage the soft tissue around the problem area before persuading a joint to move back into balance.

Chiropractic was one of the first alternative or complimentary therapies accepted in the modern Equine world even though The American Medical Association called Chiropractic an “unscientific cult” and boycotted it until losing a 1987 antitrust case.

A modern Chiropractor must be licensed as a Veterinarian or a Human Chiropractor before attaining a license to perform treatments on horses. Like Acupuncture, it is not uncommon to find a Veterinarian that is also a licensed Equine Chiropractor. Be sure to confirm that a person has the proper qualifications to perform a manipulation on your horse.
Chiropractic treatments have been proven to bring substantial relief to a subject with spine and other joint subluxations.

Neuromuscular Therapy: Commonly known as Trigger Point Therapy, this therapy is applied to specific areas of pain. An important part of this therapy is that the client tells you if a point refers pain to another area of the body. Of course, a horse can’t communicate this verbally, but an experienced Therapist will watch the ears or other areas of the body for flinching or tightening.

This type of treatment is used as both a diagnostic and therapeutic technique and there is now a Master’degree available in the Therapy. A powerful soft tissue technique, many experts that have researched other types of therapy have become involved in this ever evolving and powerful technique. The St. John Method is a popular method.

Reiki: Reiki is an ancient form of energy healing. A student must perfect and be attuned by a Reiki Master in 3 levels of Reiki before becoming a master himself. Reiki is an energy that brings love and positive thoughts. Although a silent, energetic therapy, horses respond very well to this ancient form of healing. As in the other therapies that I’ve mentioned, beware of unqualified practitioners.

Aromatherapy: The best way to describe how aroma can affect the body’s endorphins is to remind you of a specific smell from childhood. Maybe the smell of your Grandmother’s kitchen, the incense that was burned in your church, or the ground after a rainfall. A familiar smell can awaken parts of your brain that relate to wellness or even sadness. It is described as the limbic brain anchoring past experiences with certain aromas. Therefore, as with all therapy, the wrong oil can trigger a negative response so you should derive your therapy and advice from a qualified Aromatherapist. Aromatherapy can be beneficial in horses with anxiety issues where drugs have not worked.

The next time that your client tells you that they have tried everything, ask them again. There is a plethora of even more therapies to try!

http://www.equinemassageschool.com, Kathy Duncan is the author of The Fit Horse Companion, a manual for horse health and fitness including massage therapy and hydrotherapy.

Author: Kathy Duncan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Benefits of electric pressure cooker

Every business owner wants to attract customers to his store. It is not any different if you have a horse related business. Whether you own a farm, boarding stable, train horses for the public, have a feed and tack store or any of the other business that depends on the horse owning public.

Some think that if you have a WEB site, that is all you have to do. They have the assumption that the public will find you eventually and your business will prosper. Most find out that it takes more time than you have to make your business profitable.

Your advertising should include all available forms of the media. Print, TV spots, sponsorships of classes at horse shows, press releases, WEB sites, etc.

Print media are magazines, newspapers, directories, posters, and flyers among other forms of printed matter. Your advertising budget should include this form of advertising as a priority. You can use print to advertise your WEB site, upcoming events that you will be participating in, what your horses and owners are doing, open houses and other happenings at your place of business. You can advertise your horse for sale, special offerings of items or services, tack, and a multitude of other things that are horse related.

Most magazines have special rates for 3-6-12 month advertising. It does not have to be the same size each month. In fact, some magazines will let you carry a business card ad as part of your contract and give you the reduced rate. Always ask the sales representative what is the best rate they have available and what it consists of. How many photos, type of print, special promotions, (stallion issue, foal issue, etc.), that may be of help to you in advertising your business.

If you use a logo or catch phrase to describe your operation, use it consistently in every piece of advertising you do. This includes printed matter but your Internet site, TV ads, sponsorships, etc. Plan your advertising in advance. You should determine what your budget is for the year, what media you will use, and the size of each ad.

Showing or exhibiting your horses can be a form of advertising. Stallion auctions can be used as an advertising tool. Futurities can be useful in exhibiting your foals especially if you own the stallion and the foals are excellent representatives of your breeding program. If you are a trainer, showing the results of your training programs can be helpful in securing new customers and securing sponsorships from feed, tack and trailer manufacturers.

TV spots are available on your local cable provider at a very reasonable cost. They show programs that are suitable to their area’s viewing audience. In order to recover some of the cost of doing so they sell spots to local advertisers. These spots are dispersed throughout the program in place of the national advertising. You can pick the programs that you want your ads to appear in and reach a larger audience that is interested in horses and the industry as a whole. The cable provider probably has their own production company to film your ad but if they don’t, ask your local TV station if they have someone who does it for them. The money you pay for this service may seem high but you own the ad and it is professionally done. Home video does not work unless you are a very talented amateur. Hire a good announcer to do your voice over on your ad. Nothing turns people away like a poorly produced video.

A very useful piece of advertising is not really advertising. It is the use of press releases to your local newspaper and TV station about things happening at your business. I learned when I first got started and money was tight, that I could call the local newspaper and ask them if they would be interested in a story about what was going on in my barn. I only did this when something was going on that was news worthy. There is a difference between being news and just bragging. A World champion is news, selling a horse for a zillion dollars is news, having a new foal is news if it is a slow week or day. Talking about how many horses you have or how you beat the competition at a schooling show is just bragging. If you know the difference and only call the news editor or director when it is pertinent or people oriented, in time they will call you to see if you have something going on that is news.

WEB sites are just another tool of advertising. They should not be the only tool. Most of us are capable of building a web site using one of the software products available and our ISP’s web server. Take time to analyze what your site is to look like and what content you want it to have. In a time, where imitation is rampant, make yours look original. If you use the free sites, you may as well use your time doing something more useful. There are millions of them that do not receive many hits if any.

If you do not feel that you can produce a suitable site, contract with a reputable person who has sites that are running. Look at the sites, ask the owners if they are satisfied with their site and ask for references. There are many people advertising themselves as WEB designers who have only produced one site, their own. Find out what search engines they use and how to get your site on as many search engines as possible at a reasonable cost.

Use of print media such as magazines who have an Internet site can work in your favor. For a small fee, they will post your ad on their site and post a link to your WEB site. So you not only get print coverage and WEB coverage, you get potential customers to your homepage.

Open houses or clinics held by you at your farm, barn or stable is another form of publicity that entices the potential client to your business. To have a successful open house or clinic, one must utilize all of your advertising resources. Advertise your event well in advance of the date it is to be held. Ads should appear in print, press releases to the local newspapers, TV and your WEB site. If you have door prizes or special offers put them in your ads. What you want to happen is to entice people who have never seen your business to come and shop. You should have someone, who is familiar with your operation, greet them when they come in. If they have questions, answer them honestly and as quickly as possible. Your barn should be clean and in good shape. Broken fences, dirty stalls and poorly lit arenas will diminish the impression that you are trying to present.

Above all, be consistent with your advertising. It will pay off as you grow your horse business. Repetition makes an impression on prospective customers so that the next time they want to buy, board, breed or have a horse trained, they will think of you.

M. R. Bain has been a horseman all his life and a professional trainer since 1955. He is an owner and breeder and has been employed as a breeding and stable manager. His intent on writing these articles is to educate horse people on how to operate a successful horse business. You may contact him at MRBAIN@msn.com with your questions and comments.

Also, look for his upcoming book, The Business of Horses–Creating A Successful Horse Business

Author: Ralph Bain
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Canadian crossborder shopping

The Arabian horse has scholars in disagreement about his exact origins. Some argue that the proto-Arabian horse evolved in the northern part of the Fertile Crescent, where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers run. Others believe the southwestern Arabian Peninsula once boasted natural pastures, citing as evidence dry riverbeds that date back to the Ice Age.

Scholars also differ in their theories about the progenitors of the Arabian horse. Some think the Arabian descended from one of the four subtypes of Equus caballus:

Akhal-Teke of western Asia
Barb of North Africa
Marwari Horse of India
Turkoman Horse (now extinct)

Others assert that the Arabian had its own subtype: Equus caballus pumpelli.

Whatever his ancestry, aside from having grown somewhat larger, the Arabian horse has remained largely unchanged through thousands of years. His wild progenitor originally appeared as far back as 2500 B.C., in rock paintings found in the Arabian Peninsula. By 1550 B.C., an Egyptian painting depicted a chariot pulled by a horse with certain recognizable characteristics of the Arabian type: a refined head, an arched neck and a high-carried tail.

It is doubtful that the horse migrated on his own into the desert of the Arabian Peninsula. The area has been an arid, inhospitable land for some 10,000 years and it would have been nearly impossible for horses to exist there without human caretakers, since horses can only survive for 72 hours without water. The Bedouins, a nomadic people of the Nejd desert, seem to have domesticated the Arabian horse prototype around 5,000 years ago, shortly after they began making use of the camel. In the midst of the desert, with no natural pasture available, the Bedouins provided their horses with water and food in the form of camel’s milk and dates.

Bedouins had a purist philosophy of horse breeding, maintaining bloodlines through inbreeding and line-breeding. Over time, prized strains evolved, each with distinguishing characteristics. Horses were bred for intelligence, speed, agility and endurance. Weak horses were culled from the gene pool. Though beauty was not necessary for survival, the Bedouins nevertheless selectively bred their horses for refinement. Mares were preferable to stallions because they were more tractable and also because they were quieter, facilitating nighttime raids. Prized mares were often kept inside the family tent to guard against theft, and so a good disposition was vital. What becomes apparent is that the Arabian horse is the oldest human-developed breed of horse in the world.

As the Arabian horse spread to the East – through trade, abduction, bribery, deception and tribute – he changed the world. Estranged cultures were united. Empires rose and fell due to the warhorse’s prowess. The Arabian horse appears in hieroglyphics, his image is carved in monuments and on signet rings, his glory is extolled in paintings, and ancient documents attest to the fearsome beauty of his thundering hooves.

One day, the question of the Arabian breed’s origins may be answered definitively. Archaeologists could make new discoveries that upend previous assumptions about his beginnings. Or perhaps his true origins will be forever cloaked in mystery. Until then, we can only marvel at the serendipity that brought us such a magnificent animal. Through the ages, caretakers and breeders have preserved his qualities for posterity and have passed down this most important bequest – the Arabian horse.

Randy Meyer, along with his family, are well-respected breeders of high-quality, beautiful purebred Arabian horses on their farm, Red Oak Arabians. They usually have fine quality Arabian horses for sale at all times.

Author: Randy Meyer
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Pressure cooker

Decorating your home doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, maybe all you need are a couple of well placed art prints.
A plain wall can really look boring, but having a quality framed art print on your wall can really add the
needed finishing touch to create the illusion of a perfect room. Just imagine a room with a bare wall versus
a living room with a large art print of a beautiful scenic image of nature like a national park, a waterfall, or maybe the Grand
Canyon. Today, thanks to the Internet, in scenic art prints alone you can literally choose between thousands of art prints online and have them delivered to your door. Scenic images are available for beaches, oceans, castles, sky lines, lighthouses, meadows, rainbows, seasonal nature scenes, tropics, sunsets, and my favorite, western art.

In choosing a work of art for your home wall, you, of course, have to consider the function of the room you are
shopping for and your own personality. While your teenager might want a poster of the latest movie like Pirates of the Caribbean on their wall put up with thumb tacks, you’ll probably want something a bit more elegant for your living room. If you have a home library, you might want a historical piece, perhaps showcasing one of the Presidents, American history, education, or world culture fine art prints. Perhaps something by one of the great artists like Vincent Van Gogh would be fitting for your home.

Obviously the atmosphere you want to represent in your home is of key importance. If you want a western feel to your home then art featuring horses, cattle herding, canyons, wagon trains, and of course western sunsets should be right up your alley. It’s all a matter of capturing your personality with the look and feel of your home.

If it’s a garage or work area it doesn’t hurt to add an poster of a classic car. Images of Elvis Presley, James Dean, or other classic 1950’s images really go well in areas like this.

If you’re a collector at heart then you might consider a vintage art print. These are considered art today, but once they were simply ads for products like soap, Coca Cola, travel, and magazines.

For the collector of entertainment related items, like movie posters and comic book characters, take note that these posters have never been hotter. Original movie posters are becoming extremely collectible. Movie posters are great for the contemporary home or family rooms.

Shopping online for art prints offers a wider selection than you can possibly imagine. There is no other logical way to shop for
fine art, particularly if you are searching for a that perfect art print or poster or have an item already in mind you’re looking for.

This article is by http://www.posterlovers.com the home for art prints and posters find what you are looking for to decorate your home.

Author: Tim Frady
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
How Electric Pressure Cookers Work