Heart Rate and Equine Preformance

How we act around a horse during horse therapy or equine courses effects the outcome of the entire session. If a horse is experiencing stress or anxiety it will increase the heart rate and the horses Equine Preformance can decline.

"A new show ring and a new environment can equate to stress--and even poor performance--for your horse. Because according to Danish equitation scientists, the faster a horse's heart rate in a new environment, the more likely he is to perform poorly.

New places are also not the ideal environment for teaching your horse a new trick, added Janne Winther Christensen, PhD, from the faculty of science and technology at Aarhus University in Tjele, during the presentation of her study at the 2011 International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) Conference, held Oct. 26-29 in Hooge Mierde, The Netherlands. As she and her colleagues discovered, not only do horses tend to perform better at home, they also tend to learn better.

Studying 25 Danish Warmblood geldings (aged 2 to 3 years) all pastured together, Christensen and her fellow researchers compared heart rates when the horses were being taught something new at home, and when they were being taught the same task again in a novel, competitionlike environment a month later. At both sites, the horses were trained to sidepass (crossover) when the handler cued the horse with a whip.

Before training started at each site, the researchers gave the geldings a basic "fearfulness test," in which they noted and rated the horses' behavioral reactions in response to a surprise object. They also checked the basic cortisol (the "stress" hormone) level in the horses' droppings while they were at pasture and observed their social rankings within their group to determine if that had any impact on learning and performance ability.

The researchers determined that not only was heart rate generally higher in the novel environment than in the home environment (65 versus 53 beats/minute), but it also was a good indicator of how the individual horses would perform in the show ring, as performance quality (in reference to performing the sidepass) decreased as heart rates increased, Christensen said.

However, individual heart rate wasn't related to how the horses performed at home, she said. Neither was their basic level of fearfulness.

Performance in the new environment was significantly associated with the basic level of fearfulness, with individual performance levels the lowest for the horses determined to be the most fearful. "Performance in a stressful environment may be predicted by a fear test in the home environment," Christensen said.

That being said, performance in the show ring cannot be predicted by performance at home. "There was no correlation between performance in the home environment and in the novel environment, meaning that horses that performed well in the home environment did not necessarily perform at the same level in the novel environment," added Christensen.

A horse's basic stress level and social ranking had no effect on performance at home or away, Christensen said. But an interesting side finding was that the basic stress level was clearly related to the social ranking in this study: the higher the social rank, the lower the basic stress level."

Source: http://www.thehorse.com/viewarticle.aspx?ID=19193&source=rss&utm_sour...

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Horse Slaughter is Legal Again

This may or may not affect California, I don't know yet, but this is a just a terrible thing to hear! Whether you're involved in horse therapy or equine courses or not, your taxes may still go towards this aweful deed. More on the story...

"The week before Thanksgiving, while you weren't looking, Congress and the president did something the vast majority of Americans opposes.

 

The president signed an omnibus-spending bill approved by Congress that makes it legal to slaughter horses in the United States once again.

Polls show more than 70 percent of Americans oppose horse slaughter and few if any eat horse meat.

Given the fact we are divided politically by a gap the size of the Grand Canyon, recognize that a 70 percent majority is an unheard of amount of backing.

But wait, it gets worse.

The reintroduction of horse slaughter plants in the United States comes with a hefty price tag, much of which goes to line the pockets of people in other countries who own these dens of incalculable abuse.

The way it works is that ever since 2005, there has been a section of the Agriculture appropriations bill that de-funds (to wit, bars the expenditure of taxpayers' dollars on) a program for the USDA to inspect foreign-owned horse plants.

Now that the de-funding law has been deleted, supporters of the grisly, completely inhumane process of horse slaughter will go back to lobbying Congress for millions of dollars annually to run the inspection program.

Without inspection, it is illegal to transport horsemeat across state lines. Once they succeed, horse slaughter will resume here.

Let's forget for the moment that candidate Barack Obama in 2008 pledged to keep the ban on horse slaughter permanent (another promise to voters reneged?)

Let's forget, too, that American horses are not bred or raised for consumption.

Let's forget that the few countries where horsemeat is consumed (France, Belgium and Japan among them) are ignoring the outright cruelty to horses that raises the hackles of right-thinking Americans.

The simple question is: Do we want our tax dollars spent to inspect horses that were slaughtered in incredibly cruel fashion (a bolt through the forehead that doesn't kill them immediately) so foreign owners of slaughter plants can profit?

In the midst of a recession when other crucial programs such as Medicare and education are suffering deep cuts, the answer is a resounding, "no."

Supporters of horse slaughter say the reintroduction of slaughter plants in the U.S. will create jobs.

An article in the Desert Independent in Blythe, Calif., this month noted, "Horse slaughter plants operating until 2007 ... never created a total of more than 178 jobs." The kind of jobs they do create are of dubious economic value to the individuals who take them and to the communities where slaughter plants are located.

The Independent quotes Paula Bacon, former mayor of Kaufman, Texas, where a horse slaughter facility operated for years as saying, "Horse slaughter means very few, very low-wage jobs, meaning workers and their families overtaxed local resources like the hospitals and government services.

"This so-called business brought in virtually no tax revenues, and local governments incurred substantial enforcement costs in trying to regulate these facilities.

"The standard of living dropped during the time horse slaughter facilities operated. Having a horse slaughter facility drove away good businesses."

Studies have shown that when slaughter plants are opened in rural areas, violent crime quickly rises.

Think about it. Horses are sometimes cut into pieces while still alive and screaming.

What kind of person would accept the minimum wage to engage in this horrific behavior? The question answers itself.

Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., sponsored the de-funding amendment in the House version of the Agriculture Appropriations bill.

He said he regrets voting for the overall bill (which did not include the de-funding language) but felt compelled to do so, to keep the government operating.

He said the only alternative is to assure passage of a permanent ban on horse slaughter, which he and other compassionate members of Congress are working to do. Let's wish them success."

Source: http://www.kjonline.com/opinion/taxpayers-to-pay-for-unpopular-revival-of-hor...

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Winter Driving for Horse Owners

With Winter rolling in again many horse owners, whether apart of equine courses or not, are going to have to 

"With the change of seasons, USRider--the national provider of roadside emergency assistance for equestrians--reminds those who travel with horses to be careful when traveling and invest time doing routine preventive trailer maintenance to enhance their travel safety.

It is imperative to make sure your vehicle is ready for winter driving. Be sure to maintain your vehicle according to the manufacturer's service schedule. It's also important to take your vehicle to a trusted mechanic.

"When it comes to vehicle maintenance, especially heavy-duty vehicles towing precious cargo, it is better to be proactive than reactive," said Bill Riss, general manager of USRider. "If you have not already done so, establish a relationship with a trusted ASE (the National Institute for Automobile Safety Excellence, www.ase.com) mechanic. It is essential that you do this before your vehicle breaks down on the side of the highway while towing your horse trailer."

USRider recommends that you check tire pressure before each trip. This is especially important with temperature changes. If you are traveling from a warm climate to a cold climate, air pressure in your tires will drop. On the other hand, when traveling from a cold climate into a warm climate, the air pressure will rise.

A weak battery will usually reveal itself during cold weather. If your battery is more than a couple of years old, be sure to check it prior to cold weather setting in. Otherwise, you will most likely be inconvenienced on some cold morning when the battery fails to start your vehicle.

When driving, a good rule of thumb to follow on the road is "rain, ice, and snow-- take it slow." Before setting out on a trip, take the time to check weather reports and plan accordingly. Be sure to allow extra time for inclement weather. Mother Nature doesn't care that you need to be somewhere at a certain time.

Always drive with your headlights on during inclement weather--even if it is not dark. USRider recommends that owners drive with headlights on anytime when trailering horses, regardless of weather, because of increased visibility afforded by using headlights.

Also during inclement weather, be sure to increase distance between vehicles to allow more stopping time. USRider recommends that you double the normal distance between vehicles when towing a horse trailer.

"Stopping on snow or ice without skidding and/or jackknifing takes extra distance. Use brakes very gently to avoid skidding," added Riss. "If you begin to skid or jackknife, ease up on the brake and steer into the skid to regain control."

During winter months, traction tires are recommended. In order to qualify as a traction tire, tires must have at least an eighth of an inch of tread and be labeled Mud and Snow, M+S, All-Season, or have a Mountain/Snowflake symbol. Since tire performance can vary, a trusted area dealer could be able to advise you on the best tires for your vehicle.

Since it's difficult to know what road conditions you may encounter during the winter, make it a practice to refuel when your vehicle fuel gauge drops below the halfway mark. In many states, you can dial 5-1-1 for travel conditions and road closures.

In some states, vehicles over 10,000 gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), including some passenger trucks, SUVs, RVs, and vehicles towing trailers, must carry chains on certain highways Nov. 1 through March 31. Check with the Department of Transportation or Department of Motor Vehicles for information on the states you will be traveling through.

One of the most confusing decisions when trailering in cold weather is whether to blanket your Horse, said Neva Kittrell Scheve, author and equine travel authority. Horses are very comfortable in cold conditions, and most will travel very well during the winter. Two important factors should be considered when making this decision, according to Scheve:

• Ensure that the trailer is well ventilated because horses are prone to respiratory illness. A trailer that is not properly ventilated becomes filled with toxic air from the hay dust, shavings, and any gases from urine and manure. The body heat produced by the horses also builds up inside the trailer.
• Keep horses hydrated. Dehydration is the most common cause of colic. Horses can become dehydrated even during the winter if they do not drink or they lose water through perspiration. If a horse is dressed too warmly, it will tend to lose more fluids than it should.

Be sure to dress the horse according to the situation. If the horse has a full winter coat and does well in daily life, it will not need a blanket for the trailer trip. In this case, open the roof vents and a few windows in the back so the air does not blow directly on the animal. If you have a stock trailer that does not have windows that close, a light sheet can protect the horse from the wind. If the horse is body clipped or does not have a heavy coat, it should wear the same weight blanket that it would normally wear, and vents and windows should be open.

Long-distance trips require a little more preparation. Be ready for driving through different temperatures. Pack blankets of different weights so you can change them as the weather changes during travel. Be sure the horse does not sweat too much. It could get wet and get chilled. Also, the horse can lose water through sweat and become dehydrated."

Source: http://www.thehorse.com/viewarticle.aspx?ID=19155&source=rss&utm_sour...

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Conventional or Natural Horse Training?

TheHorse.com takes a look at conventional and natural horse training for young horses in this article. Typically, the horse therapy community uses body language and natural training for their therapy horses and if you've seen the Documentary "Buck" then you exactly what that is like. Here's the study....

"How to properly train a young horse to be a riding mount is a topic now being discussed in equestrian science circles, as researchers recently compared the emotional effects of "natural" versus "conventional" methods of early training. Their results indicate that natural training methods produced fewer signs of stress in young horses at three important stages of training.

In the current study led by Polish equestrian scientist Witold Kedzierski, PhD, from the department of animal biochemistry and physiology at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, natural training consisted of working with horses individually in a round pen, starting them with ground work, schooling them to avoid pressure, and helping them get used to unfamiliar objects. Natural trainers waited for each horse to show acceptance to the saddle and to having the weight of a human over its back before mounting the horse in a seated position, Kedzierski said.

"Essentially, the natural trainers used body language to communicate with the horses," he added during a presentation at the 2011 International Society for Equitation Science Conference, held Oct. 26-29 in Hooge Mierde, The Netherlands.

Conventional training in this study involved first training the horses to walk on an automated walker and then longeing the horses in a training arena. Once the horse could be controlled at a trot on the longe line, it was saddled and longed under saddle until it accepted the saddle, and then it was mounted by the trainer.

Working with 32 two-and-a-half-year-old purebred Arabian colts and fillies divided into the two training groups, Kedzierski, along with fellow researchers Iwona Janczarek, PhD, and Anna Stachurska, PhD, from the department of horse breeding and use at the University of Life Sciences, monitored the horses' heart rates at three specific moments in the training program: the first time they were saddled and had the girth tightened; the first time they walked under saddle; and the first time the trainer mounted the horse. He also monitored them at rest prior to training as a control.

Upon reviewing the study results, the team found that the horses' heart rates differed significantly depending on the training group they were in. And the horses that were trained naturally had the lowest heart rates--which is generally accepted as indicating less excitement.

The conventionally trained horses had higher heart rates the first time the girth was cinched and the first time the rider mounted than did the naturally trained horses, particularly the colts, Kedzierski said.

"The initial training of naive purebred Arabian horses with the use of natural training methods involved less emotional response than with that of conventional training methods, and this difference was most pronounced in colts," Kedzierski said.

It remains unclear why colts in this study were most affected by the natural training. Additionally, it's important to remember that each horse responds differently to specific training methods, so use caution when changing training methods."

Source: http://www.thehorse.com/viewarticle.aspx?ID=19137&source=rss&utm_sour...

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Buck

So I watched a movie the other night on Netflix called Buck. Now I must say, whether you're a horse owner, someone in horse therapy, or don't know anything about horses, you must see this movie! Sometimes horses can tell us more about a person than a human could.  

If you liked the trailer I highly recommend watching the movie on Netflix and going to our website at Pegasusect.com. We do counseling with individuals and groups so give us a call and maybe you will learn something about yourself! 

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Pegasus is an organization that brings recovery through Horse Therapy and Equine Courses to help people achieve an addiction cure! Visit PegasusEct.com for more information! :) 

 

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Building Self-Esteem

So many people who come into horse therapy suffer from Social Anxiety, but honestly I think almost everyone does to some degree. This article was written a while back on PsychCentral and I wanted to take the time to share it because many of us secretly want more Self Esteem!

"Self-esteem is how you feel about yourself as a person. Those with high self-esteem believe that they are adequate, strong and worthy of a good life, while those with low self-esteem feel inadequate and worthless. Low self-esteem can develop in childhood and continue throughout adulthood, causing great emotional pain. Therefore, it’s important to develop a healthy, positive sense of self.

Many people base their self-esteem on external factors, such as how much money they earn, how much they weigh and whether people like and appreciate them. If one of these external variables change, self-esteem can be broadly affected. For example, if your self-esteem is based on the fact that someone else loves you, then you risk feeling extremely vulnerable and worthless if that person’s love ends. By the same token, building self-esteem is not an easy task if you have been abused or have suffered years of personal or professional failure.

Building your self-esteem and creating a positive self-awareness comes from taking an inventory of your own strengths and abilities as a human being. Being at peace with who you are and what you have to offer the world is a major part of having high self-esteem. This “inner peace” does not mean that you are unaware of your weaknesses; it merely means that you accept who you are and genuinely like the person you have become.

You should think about yourself as deserving of attention, admiration and proper maintenance. Avoid the pitfall of paying too much attention to the happiness and well-being of others and too little to your own. Maintaining self-esteem involves becoming fully aware of your strengths and seeing challenges as opportunities to employ those strengths.

Low self-esteem is often linked to depression or anxiety. If your emotions feel overpowering or out of control, one way to build self-esteem around this issue is to learn to manage your mood and gain control over your feelings. Some people are able to do this with the help of friends and family. Others need to work with a mental health professional to manage the problems that may lie beneath the surface of low self-esteem.

If you struggle with low self-esteem, it is often helpful to connect with others with the same problem. Co-Dependents Anonymous, a self-help group, can be helpful in building the skills necessary to believe in your own wishes, needs and feelings. Other self-help groups may be located by talking with a mental health referral service or by asking a therapist or other health professional for a referral. In addition, you can contact your local mental health center about individual and grouptherapy. Clergy and pastoral counsel may also be of assistance. Other steps you can take to increase self-esteem include looking at community bulletin boards and newspapers for opportunities to demonstrate your skills and abilities, working with others to change the things you don’t like about yourself and meditating twice a day to increase your awareness of the current moment and of the goodness of being alive.

Beginning the inner dialogue about who you are and what you have to offer the world is an important process in building self-esteem. However, it is not unusual to have trouble defining your strengths and abilities. Sometimes it is helpful to talk to a therapist about this inner dialogue and about how you might come to the genuine feeling of being a good person who is worthy of the good things in life. Talking to friends, family and colleagues can also be useful in further defining who you are and what you have to offer. But remember that the most important conversation you have about self-esteem is with yourself. Become your own personal cheerleader. Don’t be afraid to celebrate even your smallest successes. Ask yourself what you fear, and search within yourself for ways you can cope with these worries and fears.

Learning to know and trust yourself is a long but worthwhile process. Throughout life you may need to search within yourself again and again to find your own empowerment and strength."

Source: http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/building-self-esteem/

Pegasus is an organization that brings recovery through Horse Therapy and Equine Courses to help people achieve an addiction cure! Visit PegasusEct.com for more information! :) 

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