I grew up being taught by some of the best horse persons around. From a BHSI graduate early on to a FBHS in my early 20's and many famous trainers and Vets to herbalists, shamans and midwives. (BHSI - British Horse Society Instructor, FBHS - Fellow of the British Horse Society) My life was designed to compile as much experience and education as humanly possible to create this system of integrating natural methods for the physical, emotional, mental and spirit bodies of us all.

 

To use this system for horses, we start with nourishing the physical body with the highest quality foods we can find. Because horses are browsing herbivores, their digestive tract is designed for a roughage based diet. Good quality hay and/or pasture may be all they require if it is full of healthy herbs, minerals and vitamins. With plenty of good water and access to salt (sea salt and crystal rock salt are best), a horse can build a strong body.

 

Now some people are having a very difficult time affording the feed for their horse(s) and it is possible to get by in a less than ideal fashion during very lean times. Beet pulp soaked in equal amounts of water for 12 hours can provide a base for a meal when there is no hay or grass.

 

Being browsers, horses can ingest the twigs, branches and leaves of nourishing trees (non-toxic) like willow and mulberry.This can provide the necessary roughage while a grain product to keep the body functioning should be added. Pound for pound, corn is a cheap choice that can keep a horse alive. Corn must be "rolled" for horses and it cannot have ANY mold (there is a blue mold corn can get that causes brain damage). Rolled milo is another "maize" that can be fed. These are high carbohydrate, dense, high oil content foods that are unnatural for the horse but can be used short term for survival. They must be mixed in with the roughage to make the horse chew and eat them slowly. They must be added slowly to the diet and increased slowly, over several days.

 

Once, when I was stuck in Florida without a job, I survived on peanut butter. This is a short term "fix".

 

Horses are totally dependent upon us. When we have to compromise content, we must not compromise quality - moldy food will make a horse sick. If we have to feed nutrient dense grains or beet pulp, we have to add some kind of roughage and, ideally some alfalfa or fresh grass for some vitamins. But never feed lawn clippings - they will choke a horse. If the lawn is chemical-free, graze the horse on it.

 

Belief in limitation perpetuates it, but these suggestions are offered for circumstances where limiting factors are affecting the animals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you provide the highest quality foods for your dog(s), they can thrive while building a strong immune system, bones, ligaments, organs, etc.

 

If hard circumstances require spending less to feed your canine companion, do not buy cheap, poorly formulated commercial foods. Instead, make non-toxic meals for him with economical pieces of chicken or turkey or ground turkey. Boil them in a large amount of water and add brown rice as it simmers. Keep the whole pot cooking with extra water. Add what you can of carrots, broccoli stems, peas, green beans and such to cook with the meat and rice. Break it all up with a fork into small pieces when cooked and add enough oatmeal to soak up the broth and cover it to cool. If you can add a little vegetable oil after it cools, or some sardines, that will add nutrition for skin and coat.

 

We are focusing today on "making ends meet" with the diets for our animals. I have heard too many stories of animals turned loose to fend for themselves because their persons had little resources. We have Community food banks for people, the same concept could be applied for food for animals. It was Gandhi who realized that the character of a nation could be measured by the way in which it's animals are cared for and cherished. We are all in this together. And that includes our Pets and Companions.

 

Let's be creative caretakers.