I'm a BODYWORKER! I know what straight is...

A couple of weeks ago I had a (long overdue) session with my bodyworker. She specializes in myoskeletal (re)alignment, "more" than massage, not quite chiro (though I do have a chiropractor I visit fairly regularly). While on her table, face up, she told me to align my body where I felt I was most balanced and "straight." Easy peasy I thought.. So I made some adjustments, gave her a nod. She asked, "this is where you feel straight and balanced?" I gave a very firm "yes, " thinking in my head that I TOTALLY aced it! She looked at me, pursed her lips very briefly, and said, "Ohhhhkayyyy.." She then placed one hand one the side of my left ribcage, and other hand on my right hip and literally moved my ribs over a few inches. "THIS is where you're straight," she said. "What?!?! No way! How can that be?? I'm an animal body worker for crying out loud! I KNOW what straight and balanced is!" I thought.  She then had me line my fingers at the top of each of my hip bones and glide them to my midline. Right hand an inch or two above my left. Same thing at the bottom of my ribcage… again, right hand slightly higher than my left. "My dear," she said, "Your proprioception is a bit off, dontcha' think??" We then went on to discuss muscle imbalance, posture, neural pathways, and next steps to kick start my proprioceptors as she worked diligently to get me and my body back into balance. I'll save the compensatory conversation for next time, today I want to focus briefly on *proprioception*

 

PROPRIOCEPTON= the body's sense of its own position, balance, and movement,  "body awareness," or the "sixth sense." In other words, this is the body "knowing" where it is and how to respond. For example, touching your nose with your hand, picking your feet up over the curb,  or in my case, aligning yourself "straight" on the massage table.

 

Now, let's apply this to horses (the same is true for dogs, cats, etc):

 

Proprioceptors are tiny neurological sensory receptors that provide information about joint angle, muscle length, and muscle tension, they are what synchronize movement. They are responsible for the skill a horse has navigating an extreme trail course, or the fluid, seeming effortless "dance" of the dressage horse. Proprioception as part of the neurological system is paramount in the most graceful and exceptionally moving horse. The better one's proprioception the better the horse's reflexes. This in turn effects his coordination, endurance/stamina, and balance.  If there is an injury to the body, the proprioceptors can become confused and the body will no longer move correctly, nor does it have the much needed information to bring itself back to proper alignment (this can also be true due to other imbalances in the hooves, body, teeth/TMJ, and improper compensatory posture) .  Now, how to correct this? Some ways include neuromuscular retraining and biofeedback, this helps by increasing awareness of muscular, and other postural holding patterns, allowing the body to become aware of the pattern, then make the choice to change on its own. Specific exercises, bodywork, and chiropractic, including postural imbalance, addressing the TMJ, proper hoof balance, and body, are all ways to help. The horse is a prey animal; in the wild, this means that his proprioceptive ability is literally a matter of life or death. Thinking of proper functioning proprioceptors in this way exposes how important they are.

Do any of you have experience or thoughts about this subject?? We'd love to hear your take! Please *COMMENT*, *LIKE* and *SHARE* on our wall. We'd love to learn from you.  ~**Inez

"Recent studies have shown that recognizing our own bodies depends upon integrated information from the senses of vision, touch and proprioception (the sense of how our bodies are positioned in space). These cues can easily be manipulated, leading to an altered sense of body ownership." (plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0004040 )

I've included a few of links that may be helpful and are definitely educational:

 

http://www.holistichorse.com/component/search/?searchword=proprioception&searchphrase=all&Itemid=101

 

http://holistic-herd.com/article/what-you-must-know-about-equine-posture/

 

http://www.ridemagazine.com/horse/article/jec-ballou-improving-your-horses-proprioception

Taking a deeper look at Vaccines and Nutrition in Animals from a Holistic Perspective...a recent independent study..

Taking a deeper look at Vaccines and Nutrition in Animals from a Holistic Perspective

            Vaccines and Nutrition.  Two separate topics that are both related to each other and to the well-being and health of an individual.  Two separate related topics that could easily each be an independent study all on their own. Going into this Independent Study I had already created a story about both.  I came with slight bias and believed this to be the perfect opportunity to immerse and engross myself further into these topics.  Perhaps my internal questions and subconscious bias would be answered, validated, or negated. As with my first Independent Study, each learning sent me to the next; each answer created more questions.  And down the rabbit hole I went, feeling much like Alice from the tale, Alice in Wonderland.

            Beginning this Independent Study, I stated my objectives to be as follows:

v  My objective is to develop the capacity to more deeply understand the efficacy and use of vaccines in animals (horses, dogs, and cats). 

v  My objective is to learn and understand more about animal nutritional needs (horses, dogs, and cats).

v  My objective is to make this learned knowledge more open and available to others.

v  My objective is to network with like-minded practitioners to create a space for larger conversation.

Reflecting back, while I did achieve the objectives stated above, I will also state that there is room for more learning and that this will be a lifelong process.  As the world and our treatment of the earth and each other shifts, so also will the needs of each individual shift to allow for the change(s) we will experience.   

            As I researched and processed the information about vaccines, I am undecided about whether they are necessary or needed.  To be perfectly candid, I believe they do more harm than good. I also question current recommended nutritional practices and "feeds."  I believe that nutrition is the foundation to wellness, and quite frankly, optimal and balanced nutrition cannot be found in a box of processed product, cannot be found in a bag of processed product, cannot be found in a pellet, and cannot be found in a kibble.  I equate pellets and kibble to cereal for humans; it is not good, balanced, "nutrition."  There are so many variables to consider.  First and foremost, I assert current practices in conventional medicine does us (animals, humans included) a grave disservice and great harm. This is not to say that conventional medicine does not have its place, because if I break a leg conventional medicine may come in handy, it is more to say that the western and conventional practices and their ideas about health are significantly skewed.  From a holistic perspective to treat an issue we must look at the whole of the body, mind and spirit and the whole must be in communication. Treating a headache isn't only about the head. In contrast, western/conventional medicine divides the body. We have "specialists" for the head, the kidneys, the liver, the heart, the bladder, the list goes on.  And these "specialists" do not necessarily communicate with each other when seeking to heal; they do not take into consideration that each organ, each system, supports the next and all must be in balance. Rather than search for the root of the concern, conventional treatment tends to only address the symptoms by masking them and as a result the underlying issue may continue to present itself as different symptoms in areas not necessarily related to the original manifestation. In my opinion this is the equivalent of using duct tape to cover a hole in the water pipe. The issue lies at the pressure tank, but rather than address the water pressure, more duct tape is applied to the various holes that pop up and out along the pipes.

It has been my learning that the majority of conventional veterinarians and doctors tend to lean more towards pushing products, both vaccines/pharmaceuticals and foods, that are not necessarily in the interest of wellness and thriving health.  I assert that current recommendations by the conventional pet and vet industry organizations (AVMA, AAEP, AAHA, NASPHV, AAFP, etc) are not in the best interest of the animals they are supposed to represent. I assert that Big Pharmaceutical (Big Pharma) and the Pet Food industries as organizations that continually pump money and funding into the vet and pet organizations and schools have vested interests; these interests do not include that of thriving health and wellness of the animals they claim to support. 

            I look back at what I have been told and learned from my conventional small animal and equine vets over the years.  I think about the "health" workshops I attended put on by the vet clinics, thinking that I was furthering my education into my pets' health and well-being. Workshop topics included, "How to Feed the Senior Horse," or, "What Do You Know About Disease?" or "Optimal Health for Your Active Partner." Reflecting upon those experiences I realize those workshops were not about health and wellness.  They were about pushing and selling products.  The "vets" and speakers at those workshops were representatives of either a major food distributor and manufacturer, or vaccine and pharmaceutical company.  I think about how the representative would stand at the front  of the room with their power-point slides and share with us why only Purina's "Wellsolve Low Sugar, Low Starch" pellets were THE FOOD our horses needed if they were insulin resistant (IR) and/or had equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), or how only Duramune Max5-CvK/4L by Fort Dodge (now Boehringer Ingelheim) is the protection we need to  save our dogs from coronavirus, canine distemper, adenovirus cough, hepatitis, parainfluenza, parvovirus, and four strains of leptospirosis. Additionally, that recommended vaccine should begin being administered for dogs 6 weeks of age and older, then given as a booster every 2 to 3 weeks until 12 weeks old, per manufacturer recommendation, then additional boosters given yearly, per vet recommendation. I ask myself now, how are these practices in the best interest of our pets? How is injecting live viruses, neurotoxins, known carcinogens and genetically modified organisms year after year a "good" thing?? How is feeding our pets species inappropriate foods setting them up for thriving health? How is feeding my dog, cat, or horse genetically modified corn and soy based , highly processed "food" preserved with ethoxyquin (a known toxin) possibly "good" for their health and well-being? The answer I receive to these questions is a resounding and echoing, "NO!"  NO! NO!!  The current accepted practices promoted and recommended are NOT in the best interest of those we are charged to represent and advocate for. 

I find myself pushing strongly back at the current and accepted practices of today.  We are our pets (and our children's) greatest advocate. It is up to us as their caretakers to do what is best for them to thrive.  I say it is also up to us in this role as advocate to share this knowledge with others. It is equally important to share this information so that it is inclusive and not offensive.  Two tools I use often when making this information more readily accessible is social networking and my website.  I post often about recommended books and studies that are related to both vaccination and nutrition.  I will include links to articles and other resources for further learning. I utilize my personal Facebook page, my business Facebook page, and Twitter.  It is my hope that these postings will stimulate curiosity and draw a person in to reading some of what is posted.  Perhaps reading the information will spark a question in them that will lead to more questions and they will seek to learn more.  I also find and believe that sharing this information with like-minded practitioners is invaluable.  We have so much to learn from one another and from the animals we treat. The animals prove to be our greatest teachers and sharing our experiences creates larger conversations that we are able to learn from and of course, leads us deeper into the "rabbit hole."

Because the wellness and health of animals is so near to my heart, I found this independent study to be invigorating and easy to dive into.  I was (and continue to be) all over the place when researching and reading material.  The more I learn, the more I find to learn, the more questions I have, in turn, these questions lead me to seek answers, which then lead to more questions, and so the cycle continues.  For me, this study began far before I even put my thoughts and words into the initial Independent Study Application.  This has been a cumulative process and path that I have been walking. The animals themselves have been my guides.  The research material that I gathered my information and learning from also has proved to be invaluable.  In particular are the books, websites, and articles shared and/or written by Catherine O'Driscoll, Susan Thixton, Ann Martin, Dr. Don Hamilton, Dr. Patricia Jordan, Dr. Karen Becker, Dr. Ronald Shultz, Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, Dr. Christina Chambreau, Dr. Suzanne Humphries, Barbara Loe Fisher, Dr. Joseph Mercola, Dr. Peter Dobias, Dogs Naturally Magazine, The Whole Dog Journal, Holistic Horse Magazine, The Holistic Horse-Care Cooperative, Prevent Diseases.com, Natural News, The National Vaccine Information Center and VacTruth. The previously listed resources were paramount in disseminating information and leading me to resources, links, and websites for further research and investigation. 

In my own life and practices, I have opted not to vaccinate and I feed the animals in my care (horses, dogs, cats, and humans) species appropriate foods.  Species appropriate to me translates simply to mean that the carnivores eat meat and the herbivores eat forage.  I believe one of the best ways to support and prevent them from contracting disease is to minimize the toxins they are exposed to.  This means, no chemical treatments for fleas, ticks, and other pests, no injections, and inhalations that are toxic (vaccines), support their overall health and wellness by feeding an optimal diet, and providing nutrition that will lead them to thrive, not survive, and looking at the whole of the animal to help balance and support them when needed.  There are a host of holistic modalities available to help support and heal.  These modalities include: homeopathy, chiropractics, Reiki, flower essences, acupuncture, aromatherapy and essential oils, healing touch, craniosacral, massage, acupressure, animal communication, cold laser treatment, etc.  I say it is important to create a healing "team" for each individual.  A collective of modalities and practitioners one can call on to help support the being when dis-ease occurs.  Additionally, I often share what I have learned (and continue to learn) with friends, clients, peers, and anyone else who is interested and curious to hear and learn what I have to share. 

It is said that the animals in our care are reflections to us and take on much of what we have to offer within ourselves.  They take on our ills, our dis-ease, our struggles, our destruction; it is my intent that when this information becomes more widely learned and distributed all humans will recognize all beings as sacred and when this happens the reflection the animals have to take on will be those of thriving health, happiness, joyful living, and peace.  As more individuals learn this information, it will lead them to more questions and the answers they find will then create a shift in the way society views life and wellness.  The shift in this view will lead to honoring of earth, all life, and each other; that is my intent.           

~*~*~* Addendum (additional thoughts, questions, and information)~*~*~*~*

Theories: sort of covered. 1. Why vaccinate - develop Ig.... so that when exposed, has ...ready to go. 2. If not vacc, can Ig...develop? 3. IF yes, then you can titer test ONCE. Why only once needed? 4. which vaccines last for life? 5. Which are ineffective?

1.      To "teach" body how to fight when exposed to certain or organisms.. it will "remember" how to fight it

2.      yes, by natural exposure and when young passed through mothers milk.  Though some are finding that when dams are vaccinated it is not necessarily passing on immunity

3.      theory is that the antibodies will be elevated to show that protection against disease.

4.      (viral) rabies, parvo, distemper (though I believe this to be subjective and due to exposure and overall health of the animal. How do we really know?? Do we have any long term studies?  And, studying this would be difficult, not all animals are equal and the same.  Some may be more susceptible.. also there needs to look at the "whole picture".. foods, environment, energetics of the household).

5.      Parainfluenza, bordetella, lepto, corona, lyme, strangles, botulism, anthrax, equine influenza, Potomac horse fever., rhino

 

RISKS: You covered a bit of this - the toxic side from the adjuvants. 1. Cancer - conventional reports of what in what vaccines? 2. Autoimmune diseases - any evidence? 3. Chronic illnesses per holistic approaches.  

1.      Formaldehyde

2.      Kidney issues, thyroid issues, liver, allergies

3.      Holistically, body stating out of balance, expelling.

4.      Additionally, vaccine inserts state to only vaccinate "healthy" animals.  This protocol is not practiced.  Many conventional vets/owners are vaccinating animals with allergies, kidney disease, laminitis, ppid, ems, epsm, etc.  This then asks the question.. what is "healthy" and do we recognize healthy… the term, "health" is purely subjective.

  

EFFICACY: 1. How many years do "they" say good for in each vaccine? (mfrs. AVMA. AHVMA.) 2. Can shot be given and no immunity? 3. How know if immunity? 4. If positive titer, then later not positive, does that mean not protected? Why?

 1)      Depends on vaccine- most manufacturers state 1 year, AVMA- (rec) 3 years, though some practices are still pushing yearly, for equines, bi-annually for some vaccines. There is also a push by some sects for double vaccination, and beginning vaccines as early as 5 weeks of age, or in the mother. Core vaccines yearly AHVMA- may use nosodes for "core", and 5-8 years to life, vaccinating may weaken immune system (vital force), making animal more susceptible to dis-ease.

2)      Yes, shots do not equal immunity, honestly immunity is not "known" for certain. 

3)      Some say to pull titers and look at antibodies. Others say that that is not an effective way of looking at whether an animal is truly immune since it does not always have the same results year after year.  Additionally, "immunity" is determined by "memory cells" or the body remembering how to "fight" the disease

4)      While some reading suggested that prior to having titers drawn to give nosode that will increase antibodies to "show" immunity.

5)      Additionally, schedules between conventional v. holistic vets differ with conventional recommending vaccines much earlier than holistic practitioners. And holistic practitioners saying it is the overall health (vital force) of the animal that must be supported and that (wellness) will lead to the animals ability to stave off dis-ease. Foundation being proper diet, maintaining energetic balance, etc.

 

 

VACCINE INGREDIENTS (include and not limited to):

 Some are:

Mercury

Aluminum

Paraffin oil

Antibiotics

Squalene,

Egg white

Formaldehyde

Other animal tissue (cell cultures)

Genetically engineered animals

Virus (living and killed)

 DIET

Need anatomy and physiology of dog/cat/horse, etc. and how that dictates what they should eat. 

 

Dog/cat- relatively short digestive tracts, also look at teeth (canines) and way in which animal chew (up & down,like scissors) made for tearing and swallowing, shape of skull and strength in neck and jaw, also claws. (predator) eyes in front. Expansive stomachs. Do not have the enzymes necessary to break down (amylase) or the "friendly" bacteria to break down  carbs and starches/plant matter. Made to digest proteins/fats. May not eat often/every day . expend more energy seeking food (prey).

 

Horse- longer digestive tracts. Have a foregut and hindgut. Saliva aids in buffering/transporting food and breakdown of plant matter. Need forage constantly due to acid content, and to get necessary nutrients and energy.  Teeth are flat, chew by grinding/crushing. Hooves, eyes on side. (prey) relatively small stomachs. Have the necessary bacteria to digest plant matter. Do not expend as much energy seeking food. Horses unable to relieve gas or obstructions by vomiting.

 

Healing with Homeopathy for Animals~ my thoughts and reflection from this journey

            Healing with Homeopathy for Animals

 

When I decided to embark on this independent study, I wasn't certain exactly where this would take me, nor did I expect homeopathy to resonate within me as much as it does.  I am hungry to learn more about this modality and know it is something that will take longer than the four months I gave myself to master. 

Beginning this Independent Study, I stated my objectives to be as follows:

v  My objective is to develop the capacity to more deeply understand the basic principles of Homeopathy in animals (horses, dogs, and cats). 

v  My objective is to learn, understand, and potentially determine treatment protocols using Homeopathic remedies in animals (horses, dogs, and cats).

v  My objective is to make this learned knowledge more open and available to others.

v  My objective is to network with like-minded practitioners to create a space for larger conversation.

As with my previous Independent Study, while I did achieve the objectives stated above, I will also state that there is room for more learning and that this will be a lifelong process.  I barely touched the tip of this iceberg and there is a wealth of information, learning, and understanding still yet to venture to. Something that I found myself bumping up against was my own practiced way of being. I have been taught from my beginning a western/conventional (palliative) way of seeing medicine in which one goes to the store and seeks remedies that address and suppress symptoms. You find much of the same now with homeopathic remedies. For example, you can go to Whole Foods, or some similar store and the homeopathic remedy is labeled with the symptom.  The person then chooses their remedy simply based on what is written on the tube.  On one hand, a part of me feels that homeopathy, even if palliative, is better than the chemically derived "medicines" and pharmaceuticals that are readily available. I also feel that having homeopathic remedies displayed in a way that appeals to the western way of thinking is a step in the "right" direction and will make homeopathy more available and allow more people to be accepting and seeking of these types of treatments.  On the other hand, choosing a homeopathic remedy is not that "simple" and there is beauty in the actual determination process of what remedy best suits the whole of the animal. I understand that one must look at the whole of the being, taking in not just physical, but also emotional, and mental well being before than determining which remedy will most closely match and this understanding is not as accepting of homeopathic remedies being displayed in the same manner as conventional pharmaceuticals (palliative/symptomatic/suppressive). This understanding is also what leads to hesitation on my part when looking to determine a remedy best suited for my own animal companions.  I have an internal tug of war between seeking a "quick fix" and my lack of knowledge when case taking. I realize I am a beginner and this knowledge will come with further study and practice.

            Reading Hahnemanns, Organon, was a challenge and will require a few more sittings and read throughs to fully understand.  Some of that may be because the edition I have is from 1849. I have since ordered a more "modern" edition and version and I was fortunate to also find "outlines" of the Organon on-line. I foresee that this writing will be something that I refer back to quite often as I continue to walk this path of learning more about Homeopathy.  On the surface, I understand many of the key principles (Introduction to Veterinary Homeopathy, Chambreau):

1.      Knowledge of disease

2.      Knowledge of medicines

3.      Knowledge of how to select remedy

4.      Knowledge of potential outcomes of secret

5.      Knowledge of obstacles to recovery

6.      The remedy itself does not heal. Stimulation of vital force is what heals

The second objective: to learn, understand, and potentially determine treatment protocols using Homeopathic remedies in animals (horses, dogs, and cats) I do have the basic understanding and concept of.  I have been able to determine a couple of treatment protocols with my self, my husband, and a couple of my animal companions.  On Christmas day, 2012, my young, "baby" feline, PartyTime, was "off." I wasn't certain of exactly *what* was going on with her, it wasn't anything I could pinpoint.  She was very sedate and lacked appetite; this was very uncharacteristic of her usually ravenous, exuberant self.  I observed she was more "still" than usual, much more subdued, and "lost" looking.  I immediately began reading some of the books I keep on hand on homeopathy and homeopathic remedies; I also pulled out my material medica and repertory from George MacLeod. I looked at what remedies I had available and on-hand and matched those up with the symptoms PartyTime was presenting.  I decided on Nux Vomica.  A few minutes after administering this remedy to her she vomited. It was a very odiferous "tube" of "I don't know what"; I then gave her a "kitty raindrop" essential oil treatment and Reiki. Within 15 minutes she had returned to her characteristic "goofy" and ravenous self.

            I was able to successfully integrate and synthesize the work of this course. In fact, the only limit I found in this duration was time.  I had more than enough material to meet and exceed the hours required.  The research material that I gathered my information and learning from also has proved to be invaluable.  In particular are the books, websites, and articles shared and/or written by Dr. George MacLeod, Dr. Christopher Day, Dr. Glenn Dupree, Dr. Christina Chambreau, Dr. Joyce Harman, Dr. Madalyn Ward,  Dr. Peter Dobias, Dogs Naturally Magazine, The Whole Dog Journal, Holistic Horse Magazine, The Holistic Horse-Care Cooperative, Natural News, Natural Horse Magazine, ABC Homeopathy.com, Earthclinic.com, Hpthy.com, Natural Center for Homeopathy.com, Shirley's Wellness Café, and a host of many more.  The previously listed resources were paramount in disseminating information and leading me to resources, links, and websites for further research and investigation.  Not only were the work materials plentiful, they will also prove to carry me past the scope of this particular independent study, into farther learning on my own.   

I say it is important to share this information so that it is inclusive when looking at healing.  Two tools I use often when making this information more readily accessible is social networking and my website.  I post often about recommended books and studies that are related to holistic health.  I will include links to articles and other resources for further learning. I utilize my personal Facebook page, my business Facebook page, and Twitter; more recently I have started a blog and will be writing articles that I intend to submit to various websites and publications.  I am also part of the Education Committee for the Holistic Horse Care Cooperative. Some of my duties there include sharing information about holistic practices.  It is my hope that these postings will stimulate curiosity and draw a person in to reading some of what is posted.  Perhaps reading the information will spark a question in them that will lead to more questions and they will seek to learn more.  I also find and believe that sharing this information with like-minded practitioners is invaluable.  We have so much to learn from one another and from the animals we treat. The animals prove to be our greatest teachers and sharing our experiences creates larger conversations that we are able to learn from and of course, leads us deeper into the "rabbit hole."

Because the wellness and health of animals is so near to my heart, I found this independent study to be invigorating and easy to dive into.  I found that, as with previous studies, I was (and continue to be) all over the place when researching and reading material.  A common theme for me is the more I learn, the more I find to learn, the more questions I have, in turn, these questions lead me to seek answers, which then lead to more questions, and so the cycle continues. 

Something that came up during the course of this Independent Study was an anti-homeopathy move by the Connecticut VMA to the AVMA requesting a resolution to discount homeopathy as ineffective and to be discouraged.  Given what I have learned during this study, should this type of resolution pass, the implications on an ethical, global, and social level may have a negative impact. Many individuals, like me, may become disillusioned and embittered with the AVMA and western medicine. Of course, on the positive side, should this occur, many people may be ready to seek more holistic options and holistic practicing veterinarians. 

When people begin to utilize homeopathy more for their home, family, and animal companions this may spill-out into other holistic modalities and become a way of life. As more holistic methods and modalities become known, I say the change will be felt globally.  Taking a more natural approach to living will not only heal the being, but will also help to heal nature and the earth.  Personally speaking, as I have voyaged through this study and have shared what I have learned and am learning with others via conversations and social networking, I have found that many have become intrigued and have begun to question some of the practices they currently incorporate in their life. Questioning is good. Questioning leads to seeking answers and in the case of homeopathy and holistic care, answers will then beg one to change the way in which they dance with life.

 

Happy questioning to you! With thoughts of joyful sunshine and radiant peace,

Inez

 

Do you have a "messy" eater?

Do you have a "messy" eater? You know, one that will kick/paw over his feed pan, and/or flip it with his nose? Spreading all of those precious (and sometimes co$tly) supplements all over the ground?? Personally, I have one of those in my herd (pictured). I've used feed bags, placed his feed pan in a tire, placed his feed tub in a cinder block frame and still he's found methods to spread his food around, with most of it meeting the dirt/mud and not his stomach. I began to ponder the many ways we have changed and altered what is natural for the horse. Which led me to how important it is to feed a horse in a way most natural to them and which best honors them(after all, evolution created the perfect creature). Feeding from ground level is how the horse was created to eat, additionally, this manner of feeding has physical benefits too. That said, after trying and not having success with the previous ways mentioned, I started thinking some more of how to feed him in a way that allows for a more natural headset and posture, yet still kept his supplements contained so that he would get them. The picture is what I've come up with and so far is working exceedingly well! ~**Inez

"Let food be thy medicine"

Fantastic article in The Integrative Veterinary Care Journal about whole food feeding of small animals (dogs/cats). The same can be applied to any animal companion in our care, from guinea pigs to horses to humans. The emphasis being species appropriate, whole foods. Proper nutrition is something I often talk about. Nutrition is the very foundation to optimal health and wellness. What we choose to nourish us is more powerful than any medicine the pharmaceutical industry will dispense.~**Inez

"Whole food raw diets are beneficial
From my research and clinical experience, I have concluded that many pets benefit from being fed raw, evolution-based diets, since dogs and cats evolved over millions of years eating such diets. Simply looking at a pet's teeth indicates they are carnivores in every sense of the word. If they had evolved significantly from their wild roots, and now required processed foods, their teeth and jaws would reflect that change. There are many ways to provide a whole foods diet."

" One concern often cited with the above two methods is the possible contamination of the food with pathogenic bacteria and/or parasites. Raw meat products for human or animal consumption are loaded with pathogenic bacteria that are killed when the meat is cooked. Serving these meats raw would appear to pose a danger to pets and their human companions. In my opinion, this danger is overblown. In one recent study, 33% of dry dog food samples and 8% of canned dog food samples tested positive for non-type specific E. coli, and 4% of canned food samples tested positive for cryptosporidium.15 Another report found up to 36% of healthy dogs and up to 18 % of healthy cats shed salmonella in their stool.16 Decades of feeding raw meat diets shows fewer problems than commercial foods with their frequent recalls."

http://www.ivcjournal.com/articles/the-case-for-whole-foods/

Coffee Clutch with Dutch Henry: "Feature Friday- Dr. Glen Dupree – For The Animals...

Here's a great blog post from Dutch Henry w/Dr. Glen Dupree! Dr. Dupree has crossed rainbow bridge. His great work lives on and will continue to help humans and their animal companions......

Coffee Clutch with Dutch Henry: "Feature Friday- Dr. Glen Dupree – For The Animals...: Howdy Folks, I had the honor of interviewing Dr. Glenn Dupree, Tuesday for my column "Holistic Horse Heroes" coming up in the...