Newsletter - volume 1 (2007)
- The Power of Preventive and Therapeutic Nutrition
- Just How Open Minded Are You?
- Conventional Medicine vs Alternative Medicine
- Pearls of Wisdom
- Next Issue
Questions and feedback are always very welcome. I invite you to live this day without guilt. Acknowledge the wonderful things that you do accomplish. Give yourself permission to make mistakes.
I started taking Yoga a few months ago. The advice my instructor gives is:
Honor and accept what you can do this day.
Let go of any judgement, competition, or expectation.
Your growth is like a flower, it takes time to bloom.
Be patient with yourself.
This relates directly to you and your horse. Listen to that knowingness and forget what your well-intentioned friend told you should be doing. The journey of learning patience, presence and focus to develop a relationship of mutual respect and trust with your equine partner might not be a quick fix, but it will be richly rewarding. A colleague of mine noted recently, "What is difficult about this is disciplining myself!"
 |
I would like to acknowledge my mentors, Mary Beth Meyers, of Harmonic riding, and Dr. Louie Enos, DVM. Without them I would not be doing what I am today.
The Power of Preventive and Therapeutic Nutrition ~ Milk thistle - should you be adding it to your horses diet?
Milk thistle (silybin marianum) is an herb known for its protective and healing influences on the liver. I have always thought of milk thistle as a cleanser. So why does the liver need a cleansing? Your horse's liver is a large organ that is situated under the rib cage which, among other things, filters all the toxins taken in through breathing, oral ingestion and absorbed throught the skin. These toxins can accumulate in the liver and not only decrease its function, but kill cells as well.
There has been a lot of sound scientific research on humans as well as animals (although research specifically on horses is lacking) showing the efficiency of silybin. This amazing herb protects liver cells from damaging molecules called free radicals. Milk thistle alters liver cell membranes, allowing the liver to defend itself from environmental toxins. It stimulates the flow of bile which helps the digestive system do its work. This herb also increases liver cell regeneration when damage does occur.
An added note – physical activity increases the liver’s detoxification cycle by almost 60% - but only with regular exercise. It takes about a month of regular workouts to see benefits. All the more reason for you and your horse to workout together!
I recommend that all horses, dogs and cats over the age of 8 be on an appropriate dose of silybin for 30 days, repeated every 6 months, for preventive maintenance. This is especially appropriate during the time of year when you might be using fly sprays. Unless you are using a strictly herbal spray, and most of those are ineffective in my experience, the drugs are absorbed into the skin to some degree and need to be detoxified by the liver. The bioavailability of milk thistle is promoted by vitamin E, Zinc, and a substance called phosphatidylcholine, so look for these in any preparation you choose. Two of my personal favorite companies are Advanced Biological Concepts (web site – a-b-c-plus.com) and platinum (platinumperformance.com). Both companies are highly reputable and produce high quality products.
I have always considered myself open minded, but I had an experience lately which showed me that I was only open minded to the limits of my “box”. This had to do with judging techniques used by a popular horse trainer. I trusted someone else’s opinion instead of looking to myself and forming my own opinion. It turned out that I really didn’t know anything about the method. As I watched my obviously accomplished friend give a demonstration, I came to a whole new understanding of how the techniques could be beneficial. For me it was a huge change of perspective.
When you are present with your horses listen to your own knowingness and be confident in your knowledge and skills. If someone that you trust tells you something that just doesn’t feel right, listen to that voice and continue to learn and explore until the answer is clear.
Conventional Medicine vs Alternative Medicine
Weaknesses of conventional medicine include:
Invasive
Harmful side effects
Expensive
There is no conventional medical model for the treatment of chronic and degenerative diseases.
Benefits of Quantum healing work and adjustment:
Reduces the frequency & severity of injury & illness
Increases production of joint fluid
Increases joint range of motion
Releases stored toxins in the body
Decreases & eliminates problem behaviors
Optimizes physical performance
Optimizes function of circulatory, respiratory, lymphatic, digestive & neurological system
Prevents disease through the optimized function of the above systems
Less is more
The routine is no routine
Give treats when least expected
"Ask" your horse how he/she is today and formulate a game plan together. Every moment you and your equine partner are together, be flexible and present. Throw out the agenda.
Intent is everything. When you are asking your horse to square up, visualize in your head where you want the feet to be. If the stretches and squaring become frustrating for you that is also true for your horse partner. In that case it’s time to switch gears and maybe just hang out and eat your lunch with him/her out in the pasture or in the stall.
I would like to invite my readers to submit pearls of wisdom to be shared in this newsletter. Pictures of you and your horse(s) are also welcome.
In the next issue:
• The purpose of asking your horse to stand square.
• Omega 3 and 6 – essential fatty acids, what you should know and why.
• Electromagnetic fields and what they have to do with you and your horses.
• What does being “present” mean for you?
• Meet Tango – a 3year abandoned filly living at Orphan Acres in Viola, ID undergoing Quantum healing treatments.
