First off, on the humorous side let’s just clear something up right now. Shoeing horses is very arduous strenuous work and as a result it may very well be “Joy” is the last thing you might be feeling while shoeing. Mostly you’re just sweating and praying the horse behaves – at least that’s my take on things.

As a Farrier part of my job is to accept an enormous amount of responsibility. Responsibility to keep my clients horses free from lameness. In fact my reputation depends on it. Fortunately from the beginning of my career I discovered a method of shoeing not taught me in the school I attended or in any textbooks I’ve ever read which has produced for me a 16 year 100% track record- Not One Single Lame Horse. I hope you can realize how good it makes me feel to have this track record. Personally I don’t know how long I would have continued to shoe horses if I were responsible for horses coming up lame due to my shoeing methods.

Well I have been the Farrier for a ranch in Palo Alto California for about 16 years. It was one of my very first accounts. For years I would faithfully just show up every Saturday morning right at 9:00am on the dot. I never knew how many horses or people would be waiting for me that day. Sometimes there’d be several horses waiting and then as the hours would pass more and more people would show up for me to shoe their horse. Not quite sure but my best day there may have resulted in 11 or 12 horses being worked on. It’s a tough job but somebody’s got to do it.

Interestingly enough sometime in 2006 I started to get the feeling I was being taken for granted at the ranch. Maybe because I made it so easy for people to have me as their Farrier there by just showing up every Saturday on time the boarders could just expect for me to be there. So I’m not immune to getting my feelings hurt so I just decided to stop showing up on those Saturdays at all. My reasoning became “Ok if they want or need me they can just call me and make an appointment”. Problem was I had changed cell phones and most of the people there didn’t have a way to get in contact with me.

It was about 7 months before I decided I kind of missed the ranch and one day I was in the area and decided to stop by to say hello. Well to my surprise I was welcomed with open arms, it was as if everyone was and had been looking for me. While I had been gone people were forced to use someone else as their horseshoer. Some of what I heard was along the lines of “well we thought that other horseshoer was good” – but then something happened and my horse doesn’t seem to be traveling too well – or my horse is coming up sore etc. And we need you back.

It’s not that I like to hear that someone’s horse has become sore or lame but the truth is I do like to feel appreciated for the quality of work and effort I put into my shoeing to make sure my clients horses continue to stay sound for them. So the joy for me was hearing the praise for my work and watching the people’s face’s light up when they saw me again. Validation! Reputation! Self esteem.

I’m one of the lucky ones. Having not caused a lame horse due to my method of horseshoeing has been very rewarding for me. As I mentioned – if I were making horses sore and lame I may have quit the Farrier trade long ago. It’s really all about the horses and the clients who own them. It’s just not acceptable when horses come up lame due to improper shoeing practices. Yes I’ve been lucky and I suppose even blessed. So now i would like to pass this luck on to you.

Do you want to be lucky? Would you like to feel sure you’ve done everything possible for your horse’s safety to prevent lameness? Lameness is a risk you – and your horse – really can not afford to experience. Find out for yourself the truth about shoeing correctly and remove the risk. Find out what the schools and textbooks can’t tell you. Just visit the website below in the author bio. Your horse will love you for it.

Reprint rights allowed providing nothing is changed.

Author Bio: John Silveira a practicing Farrier since 1991 in the San Francisco Bay Area. Native born and still living in San Mateo California. Having graduated from one of the most prestigious horseshoeing schools at the top of his class went on to discover a method of shoeing that has produced a 16 year 100% track record- Not One Single Lame Horse. The information available at: Farrieritis.Care4Horses.com Farrieritis.Care4Horses.com

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Several months ago I adopted Hank, a five-year old mutt, from the local Humane Society. I had every hope that he would be a companion and playmate for Banjo, my Australian Shepherd. Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out the way I expected. All in all, it was a very bad day for me, for the local veterinarian, for the people at the animal shelter who had come to love quiet, mild-mannered Hank, and, of course, for Hank himself.

The first inkling I had that something was very wrong with Hank came while walking him around the exercise yard at the shelter. Hank stopped to piddle so often that I remarked on it, but the shelter volunteer said it was common with animals that are locked in their pens for so long every day. A housebroken dog, she said, will “hold it” until he gets outside, and then the floodgates open. That sounded reasonable to me, so I filled out the adoption paperwork, handed over the fees, and took Hank out to my car, where I saw the second indication of severe illness. Hank actually fell into my small car. This lack of coordination seemed like a small problem, but it did put me on alert.

He and Banjo seemed to get on just fine when I introduced them at home, but Hank still wasn’t acting right. The floodgates were still open, and he couldn’t stay away from the water dish. His fur was falling out in great gobs, and something in Hank’s eyes told me he just didn’t feel good. I called the local vet and asked for an emergency appointment.

To make a long story short, Hank had to be put down that afternoon after tests showed his kidneys were shutting down. The vet said it was most likely that Hank had been poisoned, probably with antifreeze, a sweet-tasting liquid that dogs find irresistible, but which can cause mental confusion, vomiting, kidney failure, and death. Hank would have lapped up the antifreeze before he was brought to the shelter, where he spent several weeks waiting for someone to take him home. If the shelter volunteers had been more observant, could they have saved Hank? It’s possible, but we’ll really never know.

Unfortunately, antifreeze is not the only common household chemical that can cause serious illness in dogs. Since dogs are curious creatures, and some of these poisons taste good to both dogs and children, special caution should be taken to keep the following substances away from your pets. If you suspect that your dog has ingested any of these products, or if it shows any of the following signs of illness, he must be taken immediately to the nearest veterinary clinic.

Antidepressant drugs, which can cause irregular heartbeat, vomiting hyperactivity, tremors and seizure.

Pesticides, such as flea and tick collars, sprays and powders; rat poisons; strychnine; and zinc phosphate. The symptoms of poisoning will vary, depending on the particular pesticide that was ingested. Symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, lack of balance or coordination, nosebleeds, internal bleeding through the gut or urinary track, difficulty breathing, listlessness, nervousness, seizures, and death. If your pet gets into one of these poisons, try to take the container with you to the vet’s office, so he or she can give the appropriate antidote and emergency treatment as quickly as possible.

Antifreeze, as noted earlier. Immediate veterinary treatment may be able to save your pet, from kidney failure if it is rushed to the animal clinic in time.

Ammonia, disinfectants, and fabric softener can cause vomiting, diarrhea and seizures. Call your pet’s veterinarian immediately - the clinic may suggest that you give the dog milk or water to dilute the poison before rushing it to the clinic.

Household bleach can cause excessive salivation (or slobbering), and vomiting. Again, call your vet immediately to see if you should try to dilute the poisons by giving your dog emergency care at home before rushing it to the clinic. Bleach can cause ulcerations to the stomach lining and gastrointestinal tract.

Lead from old paint, batteries, lead glazing on pottery, and bird shot may cause vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, muscle spasms, blindness, and personality changes. The dog’s veterinarian will need to run some tests to see if lead is the cause of the illness, and may need to perform surgery if the item is still in the dog’s stomach.

Petroleum products, like gasoline or other fuels, solvents, and paints, can poison a dog either through eating it, breathing it, (which can burn the lining of the lungs), or getting it on the skin. If one of these products gets on your dog’s fur, immediately wash it off with water and detergent, and then get him to the vet. If the product has been ingested or if the dog has been breathing the fumes, medical care will be required to reduce the damage.

Less potent but still dangerous substances that can cause symptoms of poisoning in dogs are chocolate, caffeine, onions and garlic.

Jonni writes about older-dog.com dog adoption and dog health on her website at older-dog.com older-dog.com

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Did you ever wonder if cats love? Are you ever curious about their origin, about what they dream of, about the way they communicate?

“Cat Facts” by Marcus Schneck and Jill Caravan is a great book to answer these and more questions about cats, their history, their behavior, their care, and then some. Filled with interesting facts, anecdotes, and information, this is a great reference book for a pet lover’s collection.

This isn’t, by any means, the ultimate guide to caring for your cat. There are much better books on actual pet care on the market, and your vet would be the best person to recommend a good one. This book is meant to be fun and informational, to give you more of an insight into your cat’s breed, behavior, and background.

A fun book to flip through, the pages are filled with photos and color illustrations. Boxes on many pages present assorted cat care and cat watching tips as well as common myths and the truths behind them. What’s nice about this book is that it isn’t a book you need to devote a large chunk of time to in any one sitting. A minute here or there can provide you with entertaining tidbits and digestible chunks of information. There’s also an index in the back for quick reference, something I always find particularly useful in any reference book.

An entire section of the book is dedicated to detailing the individual breeds of cats. Though it doesn’t cover every single exotic breed that’s out there today, I particularly like this section. It’s informative, entertaining, and easy on the eye. For each breed, there are photos and/or illustrations, maps detailing where that particular breed originated, information about the breed’s characteristics and personality traits, special care for the bred, and other assorted information. In a short amount of space, there’s actually a wealth of information and it’s presented in a reader-friendly manner.

Though it’s obvious that this isn’t an expensive coffee-table book — there are obvious flaws in the book’s binding and the pages, though slightly glossy, have an odd feel to them — it’s still a fun piece to keep out for conversation with other pet lovers.

For a cat owner, or anyone interested in learning more about the world of cats, this book is a worthwhile purchase. Fun and filled with interesting bits of common and not-so-common knowledge about cats, it’s a great addition to any cat lover’s book collection.

This article has been submitted in affiliation with PetLovers.Com/ PetLovers.Com/ which is a site for PetLovers.Com/ Pet Forums.

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Proper dental health is important for all pets. Often owners of older pets are concerned about the anesthesia that must be used in order for a proper dental procedure to be performed. Because every doctor does anesthetic procedures differently, I strongly encourage pet owners to discuss these topics with their veterinarians.

Here’s the way I approach anesthetic procedures. First, I think it’s important to make sure that the pet is healthy prior to performing any anesthetic or surgical procedures. Except in emergency situations, most anesthetic and surgical procedures are elective procedures that can be performed any time. If the pet is not in the best health prior to the procedure, it’s usually best to improve the pet’s health then move forward with the procedure. This means a thorough examination and lab testing, such as blood, urine, or radiographic testing, should be done prior to anesthesia. Since many pets have 1 or more abnormalities on the exam or lab testing (most of which do not necessitate postponing anesthesia but may cause problems later,) this pre-anesthesia evaluation is important. Assuming nothing on the pre-anesthesia evaluation postpones the procedure, the type of anesthesia is important. In our practice, we use a balanced holistic approach to anesthesia so that pets go to sleep quickly, wake up quickly (most are ready to go home within 5 minutes of the procedure,) and experience no pain. For dental cleanings, gas anesthesia administered via an endotracheal tube placed in the pet’s throat is essential (veterinary dentists consider it malpractice to perform dental cleanings if this is not done.) Discuss these concerns with your doctor to make sure the procedure is done safely and quickly. One final note:age is NOT a reason to skip cleaning your pet’s teeth. Most older pets, using a holistic approach, are safely anesthetized and do very well.

In summary, it’s important not to neglect dental health in your pet regardless of age. Anesthesia can be performed effectively and safely in older pets. Using a holistic approach to anesthesia will ensure a safe procedure that will keep the pet healthy.

Dr. Shawn Messonnier is the author of 8 Weeks to a Healthy Dog, The Allergy Solution for Dogs, and the award-winning The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats. Dr. Shawn is the medical consultant for Pet Togethers, a pet supplement company.

pettogethers.net/healthypet pettogethers.net/healthypet

petcarenaturally.com petcarenaturally.com

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Proper bedding for horses is extremely important. Their health and performance depends on them having the proper amount of rest.
Studies have shown that sleep can be divided into 2 stages, Slow Wave Seep (SWS) and Paradoxial Sleep (PS) .
Horses normally fall asleep while standing up and they enter SWS during which the muscles gradually relax.

If the horse is feeling comfortable in its environment it will lie down and drift further into SWS with further relaxation of the muscles.

The horse may then lie down flat to enter PS where the muscles are totally relaxed, that is, there is virtually no muscle tone.

An important point about sleep cycles is that the horse must lie down flat to complete a sleeping cycle that includes PS. If a horse cannot, or chooses not to lie down then it can rest in SWS but cannot achieve the total relaxation of PS.

Paradoxial sleep is sometimes termed the sleep of the body because of the general muscular relaxation.
SWS is known as the sleep of the mind.

And so with that in mind I started researching the different types of bedding for horses.
Here are the various types of horse bedding I have found.

Straw bedding especially wheat straw was used in virtually every stable some fifty years ago. Horses were mainly kept for hunting, competitions or belonged to riding schools. Some horses had “hay coughs”,now called Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and since the majority of horses were looked after by professional grooms, COPD meant nothing to the average horse owner.

Today’s the situation is so different. The growing trend to keep equines as pets and not only as work animals has spurred a growing trend to find new types of bedding.

Straw as Horse Bedding

Benefits

• If clean and dust free, it makes an excellent bed.

Disadvantages

• amount of waste material generated

• costly to dispose
• Heavy to cart to the muck heap
• Dangers of spores and dust

• May create respiratory problems for horse and humans

• horses often eat straw bedding.

Findings from other studies have shown that when given the choice of straw or wood shavings as a bedding type, horses spend more time on straw.

Horses appear to spend more time performing bedding-directed behaviours on straw and this seems to reduce boredom in stabled horses

The use of beddings other than straw may increase the risk of abnormal behaviours such as weaving.

Both straw and wood shavings are economical and easy to obtain.

Straw is generally warmer bedding than shavings because it traps air.

Sawdust as Horse Bedding

Benefits
• Readily available almost everywhere
• Relatively inexpensive

Disadvantages

• May irritate a horses lungs

• Can cause the “heaves” (a respiratory problem)
• Heavier to load and muck than straw, shavings or wood chips.

• Horses with respiratory problems should not use this type of bedding.

Peat moss has countless tiny air-filled cells that provide a comfortable cushion under the horses foot, making it a bedding recommended by veterinarians for convalescing horse’s with severe foot problems.
It naturally neutralizes, not covers up, but organically neutralizes, ammonia fumes.
Veterinarians have long recommended peat as a beneficial alternative stall bedding for horses suffering from COPD, commonly known as “heaves”.

Peat moss has long been recognized as one of the most effective natural filtration materials found in nature. The natural beneficial microbes, and the material’s outstanding absorbency trap and contain harmful urine and ammonia fumes.
Benefits

• Counters the build up of stall ammonia.
• No further need of special stall deodorizers.
• Generates less waste volume than shavings or straw, or pellets
• Requires less storage space.
• Small amount of daily waste generated
• Rapid break down time compared to wood products or straw
• Keeps a white horse from getting urine stains

Disadvantages

• The brown earthy colour makes the stalls look dark
• More expensive initially than sawdust or shavings

Hemp as Horse Bedding

Hemp has been cultivated in North America since the 17th century. For a number of years it was against the law to grow hemp, it is once again legal to grow hemp commercially in Canada .

The outside of the hemp stalks are harvested for use in the textile, composite and paper industries. The core of the stalk is used for animal bedding, garden mulch and building materials.

Queen Elizabeth of England,uses the European company “Hempcore”, producers of hemp bedding, as her equine product supplier.

HempChips, an Ontario based company, researched the wide spread use of hemp bedding in Europe and did stall trials and test marketing of the product in Ontario prior to launching HempChips at the Royal Winter Fair in 1998.

Benefits

• HempChips are dust extracted and cleaned of any impurities
• Ensure a clean stable environment
• Reduction in conditions that lead to respiratory problems in horses
• All natural – there few chemicals used to grow the hemp stalk and no chemicals used during processing.
• Highly absorbent – therefore you can use less
• Horses will not eat hemp stalks

Disadvantages
• High initial Cost of putting down the bedding
• Difficulty in locating local sellers.

Newsprint bedding is shredded newspaper/cardboard. It is ecologically conservative and very absorbent.

Benefits

• Soft and comfortable
• No Dust
• Horses usually will not eat it
• Horses are easier to clean after lying in newsprint as opposed to shavings
• Easy to store and transport in the small bales
• Good for places that are allowed to burn muck

Disadvantages
• Light weight can make the muck heap prone to blow around the yard in windy weather.
• Makes the stable look unkempt with the newsprint blowing all over the place

Branded Wood Pellet Products.
Wood pellets are compressed shavings (usually pine). They are treated to remove toxic substances and dust, and they expand when wet.

Benefits

• Some pellets clump so it’s easy to clean.
• Very Absorbant therefore you need to put down less
• Branded wood pellets are free of dust and toxic substances
• Greatly lowering the chance of respiratory problems
• Easy to sift through with pitch fork
• Mucking out is faster easier and less wasteful
• Reduction in the amount of waste thrown out
• Requires about 1/3rd the space of a traditional flake shaving bale.
• Comfortable, shock absorbing, and aesthetically pleasing.
• Stalls are drier and cleaner
• More Cost Effective in the long run
• Easier to use

Disadvantages

• Upfront cost is higher
• More difficult to find than sawdust or wood shavings

The Benefits of Rubber Matting are numerous. Just like us, horses and ponies feel the strain from standing on hard surfaces. If they slip, injury is also likely to be greater on concrete than on a softer surface.

Benefits

• Rubber matting provides a very comfortable standing surface
• Extra traction helps to reduce the risk of injury in the stable.
• Provides a much warmer, safer and more comfortable floor
• Reduces the quantity of bedding required.
• Different brands and differences in cost and quality.
• Good buffer between the horse and the floor.
• Extra cushioning alleviates pressure and stress of hock and knees.
• Less bedding need

Disadvantages of Rubber matting

• The cost of some stall matting is quite high

A good friend of mine uses the ComfortStall® System for her 2 box stalls. It is true that she goes a little overboard (to say the least) when it comes to caring for her horses. They not only have the Comfortstall® system for the floor of their box stalls but peat moss as bedding. To me this is the best type of sleep arrangement for any horse. By the way, the matting for the 2 stalls cost a total of 1500 $ cdn including installation.

Like any other bedding, the amount of material you will need depends on the type of horse being housed, how many hours the horse spends in the stall, weather conditions, and the size of the stall.

Also be aware that stabling is not natural for equines, so measures must be taken to ensure a healthy, comfortable and happy environment is created.

Having lived all of my life in a big city, moving to a horse ranch in the country was a dream come true. Far from the hustle and bustle to the peaceful life with horses.

I love the new life I have here in St. Lazare, Quebec.
Besides taking care of 9 horses, 2 crazy dogs, a pig…and lets not forget the cats.

My husband and I also have a graphic design studio. But I wanted something new, something different - something that would weave together: design - horses - and anecdotes about my new life.

Oh yeah…I also wanted to find a new income source. Something that I could do from home. No commuting to the city

So I started this website livingwithhorses.com www.livingwithhorses.com

I am continuously updating with information for the novice horse rider and the new horse ranch owner.
Lots of horsekeeping tips, and information on managing your horse boarding stable.

Visit us at livingwithhorses.com www.livingwithhorses.com

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