A huge part of our success with the horse is through placing the foot in an exact place over and over again. We need to develop knowledge of where the feet are in any given moment--on the trail, in the ring, in a meadow--regardless. When you know where the feet are going to land, you can influence the flight of a particular foot, thus producing a new outcome, whether it is speed, direction, tempo or balance. Yet we are forever settling for 'close enough' or 'I'm not sure where those feet are going!'.

 

To many riders, the connection between rein and foot is not a given; they associate pulling the rein with steering and braking, and what the horse does with its feet is secondary. A far more powerful and effective approach is for horse and rider to connect reins and feet in an exchange that is less about pulling, and more about partnering. It requires feel, timing, connection, and rhythm. Connecting the feel of the reins to exact foot placement in any given moment might seem like an expert skill, but the benefits are immediate, and you don't need to be an expert to start. Practice at the walk and backup is the place to begin: the walk is slow and easy to synchronize, and believe it or not, the backup is even slower and easier. 

 

After you warm up, do these walking and backing exercises: At the walk, feel for the motion of the feet, and try to connect to it, even lightly moving your hands as if you are picking each front foot up and moving it to the right, left, or forward. Slow, gentle backing exercises, with a light turn to each side, are a good next step, with the same feel in reverse. With practice, you will get to where you and your horse are so synchronized that each foot will feel as light as a feather. Your horse will fall in love with this sensation quickly, and begin to look for it. 

 

With practice, this sense of connection between rein and foot will become more important than pulling. You will begin to develop a feel for influencing the foot in its natural rhythm. Certainly there is much more for all of us to learn about connected riding; however, these simple exercises alone can create positive change in the way your horse responds to you.

 

By Marilyn Crimmel and Dallas

 

An interesting thing happened just after the Farm Tour, while hand walking Dallas along the bike path. This walk is always a special treat for Dallas - she enjoys watching the cows, munching on grass and alfalfa flowers, and enjoying an occasional apple along the way. 

 

I should mention that at this point, Dallas had been dealing with loose stools for about a week. I had never known her to have this condition, and needless to say, I was a bit worried (who, me?). All of a sudden, as we walked along the path, she suddenly looked up, practically dragged me over to a patch of weeds, and started to devour them.  I had no idea what they were and they didn't look particularly yummy to me. She was snatching them up by the stalks and all and eating them as fast as she could. She managed to munch down quite a bit of this mysterious weed before I was able to encourage her away. 

 

Although Dallas seemed fine after the walk, I was a bit concerned about her trailside snack. Might it be poisonous? I walked back to that location and picked a sample of the mystery weed to see if someone could identify it for me. I brought it over to Mary Gallagher, who was holding Danny at the time, and he reached for a bite of it.  It appeared that horses like to eat this strange thing. Mary suggested I give the sample to Jess, who might be able to identify it, and indeed she was: it was sow thistle or Sonchus oleraceus, for those who prefer the scientific name. 

 

Of course, I had to do some internet research. One site I found, Survival Plants Memory Course had some interesting details. A few tidbits from their description: 

 

"In legend, sow thistle was supposed to have been given to the Greek Hero Theseus before he defeated the bull of Marathon. In Italian stories, the phrase "Open Sow-Thistle" was used for the same purpose as the words 'Open Sesame'." 

 

Of most interest to me was the fact that it is very edible and has medicinal uses, primarily antidiarrheal:

 

"COMMON CONDITIONS: Diarrhea - Infusion of whole plant to cleanse or purge; purpose of removing offending materials, as indigestible food, discharges, bacteria, etc." 

 

Supposedly, the authors claimed, horses don't like to eat it, but what do they know; apparently, Dallas had a problem and knew what she needed to fix it: her stool firmed up within a day or two and has stayed healthy and solid. And that's the rest of the story! 

 

 Pictured: Sow thistle; Dr. Dallas enjoying the fragrance of tiger lilies! 

(photos courtesy Rick Crimmel)

Over the years, veterinarians and horse owners have gotten into the habit of deworming too frequently, without considering the negative consequences.  The chemicals are hard on your horse's gut (they damage beneficial bacteria) and their overuse has created chemically-resistant parasites. Some veterinarians call them super worms.

 

Obtaining a fecal egg count from manure will ensure that you deworm only when necessary. A fecal egg count is a simple test that can be performed in a few different ways. The easiest and most common method is called the flotation method.  A small amount of fresh manure is mixed with a saline solution and allowed to sit for a period of time. Then a small sample of the manure/saline solution is placed on a slide and viewed under a microscope.  Generally, if there are more than 2 or 3 eggs on a slide, deworming should be done.* A fecal egg count is recommended about four times per year for adult horses and more often for younger horses.  Most adult horses with good, healthy immune systems build up a fairly strong resistance to parasites.

 

If, like me, you prefer to be self-sufficient, you can purchase a fecal egg count kit and perform the test yourself.  By observing your horse's overall condition and knowing what to look for, you can manage your horse's parasite loads quite well.  Here are some signs that may indicate your horse needs to be dewormed: 

• A distended belly
• An unthrifty or dull coat
• Tail rubbing
• Bad breath
• Depression or lethargy
• Recurrent colic
• Weight loss and/or inability to maintain a healthy weight
• Diarrhea (may be intermittent)
• Poor hoof condition
• Chronic cough and/or nasal discharge
• Worms are visible in the horse's manure (this is an obvious indication your horse has worms)

By obtaining this simple test and making sure you're employing good pasture management, you can be sure you're doing your part in helping keep the worms from becoming super worms!

Beware the super worm...!

 

 

Many of you know that Jerry Schmidt, co-owner of Freedom Farm, is a nationally known expert in equine tooth and hoof care, traveling thousands of miles a year to practice and teach these aspects of basic animal husbandry around the country. Our own Washington State, however, forbids the professional practices of dental care to non-veterinarians, even trained experts like Jerry. The Stiles Center for Liberty has taken up Jerry's case, and has provided a thorough, informative site for learning more about this important action. Although the article is long, it is very descriptive, with important details throughout, and a terrific video. We welcome you to learn more and support this good fight.