Stress and Money

I really wanted to share this article from PsychCentral.com because I feel those in the equine therapy and horse therapy communities should take a look! Everyone has days where they are stressed about money, so this is a list of 8 things to do when you're stressed. 

"1. Ignore Amy.

The amygdala, the almond shaped group of neurons in the limbic system of the brain, isconsidered by most neurobiologists our fear system, and it acts like an ape or a how a human would have acted, say, back when we still had lots of hair all over. The adrenaline that you are feeling when you see stock exchange plummet is the amydala getting crazy, hosting a party in your head, whatever. I call my amygdala “Amy.” And whenever I panic, I tell her to go take a nap, that I can’t tolerate her noise and ruckus right now.

 

2. Distract Yourself

It’s not easy to quiet your amygdala, which is why the best thing you can do for yourself at times is to distract yourself. My mom knew the importance of this point when she knitted 100 blankets the year my dad left. For every occasion for about 10 years, everyone would receive an afghan as a gift. Until she stopped getting invited. (Just kidding.) This activity pulled her through the worst years of her life.

3. Surrender Control

The most uncomfortable part of financial anxiety is the lack of control most of us feel. It’s contrary to our human psychology. We want to drive the car, or at least be the passenger in the front seat giving directions. But in an economic downturn, we’re not even in the car. We have no say on which rest stations we are stopping at. In fact, much of the time if feels like we are riding in the trailer hitched to the back of the car. With the horses. Admitting that we’re not in control can be somewhat liberating. Because the stock market is life: you win some, you lose some, and you don’t have a whole lot of say in the whole matter.

4. Know Thyself

I have a friend who always freaks when the stock market dives. She sells all of her stocks and then invests again when they go back up. And she loses a lot of money in the process. Part of her problem, I think (and I can say that with authority because I am not her), is that she doesn’t know her risk tolerance. If she would realize that she has a low risk tolerance, then she’d see that she’d be better off in bonds and more conservative investments. Instead, she pulls out whenever there’s movement on Wall Street. Just like every other kind of anxiety, knowing your financial comfort zone can lead you to a path of peace. Or so they say

5. Turn It Off

Just like I said in my post “8 Ways to Manage Anxiety on an Anniversary,” one of the worst things you can do for your amygdala, or fear system in the brain, is to keep the TV and radio tuned into the latest news on Wall Street, to keep checking cnn.com to find out what the newest number is. This kind of compulsive behavior is toxic for the obsessive, sensitive folks who are prone to anxiety even without a reporter telling them to run for cover. Treat your amygdala well. Turn the news off. Except for this piece, of course.

6. Get Greedy

This point may seem contrary to the others, but I have studied investment strategies, and think there’s logic to what Warren Buffet once said: “When everyone is fearsome, that’s the time to be greedy, and when everyone’s greedy, that’s the time to be fearsome.” What does he mean? It’s the same sort of logic I describe in my “12 Depression Busters”: when the last thing you want to do is to get dressed and say hello to some folks, that is the time when doing so is more important than ever. So if you are afraid to invest a few hundred dollars into a course that could potentially get you a raise … don’t think about the dollars and concentrate on the potential raise.

7. Do Nothing

If you realize that your risk tolerance is quite low or if you have absolutely no money to invest, you can relax and do nothing. A story I read the other day profiled a guy who threw away his PIN number so that he couldn’t check his stocks any more. Just knowing that downturns are part of the economic process for the reward of high gains — that you have to risk volatility to acquire any profit and that this is all the nature of the beast — can sometimes help you sit tight and hang on during the wild ride.

8. Trust

I often make the point in dealing with severe depression that you absolutely have to trust that you won’t always feel so horrible and hopeless, that you will get better. Part of successful cognitive behavioral therapy is trusting in that optimistic message.

It has the power to pull you forward.

So know this: the economy will run its course and you will one day have a bulky wallet again."

Source: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/09/07/stressed-about-money-8-bette...

 

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Water and Horses

Though this may seem like a trivial article to post, it's actually a very essential thing we all need to know about horses, whether in horse therapy or not! 

"Water is one of the essential nutrients a horse needs to perform a number of life-support functions, including digestion and thermoregulation. Especially with the hot summer weather prevalent in much of the country, it's important to ensure horses have access to water at all times.

As horse owners, we know it's important to provide free-choice water to horses at all times, but it is also imperative that the water is of good quality, clean, and palatable.

A number of circumstances can lead a water deficiency in horses, including unpalatable taste, lack of water offered, or loss of thirst due to exertion. The effects of insufficient water intake include decreased performance, decreased feed intake, dehydration, and eventually, if not remedied, death.

On average, a typical 1,100-pound horse at maintenance consumes four to nine gallons of water per day. The amount of water a horse requires can vary depending upon several factors:

The type, amount, and quality of feed consumed

• Fresh pasture contains between 60-80% moisture and provide a large amount of the horse's water requirements when grazing.
• Hay and grain are very low in moisture, causing horses to drink more water to meet their needs.
• Higher levels of protein and sodium in the diet also increase the horse's water requirement as urinary volume increases.

Temperature and humidity

• Ambient temperatures above 85°F will increase a horse's drinking frequency and volume.
• Colder temperatures (below 45°F) can reduce a horse's water consumption"

Source: http://www.thehorse.com/viewarticle.aspx?ID=20241&source=rss&utm_sour...

 

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Fighting Fatigue While Fighting Addiciton

Having intense fatigue while fighting addiction isn't something rare while going through equine therapy. 

"Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that affects every organ in your body. Alcohol is absorbed from your stomach and small intestine and rapidly travels into the bloodstream. From there, your liver metabolizes it.

A large problem for alcoholics is that your liver can only metabolize a small amount of alcohol at one time, so the excess alcohol is left to circulate throughout your body. Once someone becomes dependent on alcohol, the body goes throughwithdrawal symptoms if it does not have a continual supply of alcohol. These withdrawal symptoms can be extremely dangerous, which is why addiction treatment programs are the best plan for people who are ready to give up alcohol.

How Detox Adds to Fatigue

People who enter into treatment for alcohol addiction often feel extreme fatigue when they are in the early stages of the program. While in an addiction treatment center, you will first go through a safe medical detox process. The detox process is simply the elimination of alcohol and the toxins that it produces within your body. You will not focus on anything else other than having a safe medical detox during this phase of treatment for alcohol addiction.

Withdrawal symptoms for alcoholism can begin within five to 10 hours after your last drink, but withdrawal peaks after several days of abstinence. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms also vary depending on your age, how much alcohol you consume on a daily basis, and how long you have been abusing alcohol.

There are many different symptoms experienced as your body adjusts to the idea that the supply of alcohol has stopped. Some of these are:

Mental Symptoms:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Nervousness
• Emotional fatigue

Physical Symptoms:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Insomnia
• Sweating
• Rapid heart rate
• Body tremors
• Loss of appetite

With all of these possible symptoms added to the stress that people usually feel during their first phase of treatment for alcohol addiction, is it any wonder that you feel extremely tired? In fact, fatigue is one of the most common problems that people must adjust to when entering addiction treatment programs.

Tips to Combat Fatigue

Your body and brain have been abused by excess alcohol, which has taken a toll on your physical and mental health. Fatigue is simply a symptom rather than an illness or a disorder. You may feel tired all the time and just seem to lack a healthy energy during the first portion of your addiction treatment.

The following tips will help you to combat that feeling of tiredness while in treatment for alcohol addiction:

• One of the best things that you can do to fight fatigue during this time is to be patient with yourself. Understand that your body has been beaten up by alcohol abuse and it needs time to bounce back. Don’t rush it.
• Follow a healthy nutrition plan. Your counselors will work with you to develop a proper nutrition plan for your body type. You will need to increase your niacin intake along with each of the B vitamins, as alcohol depletes your body of these. Women must also monitor their iron intake, as the body can’t absorb iron without proper levels of vitamins B and C. Proper nutrients and diet can help you feel more energetic.
• Exercise as your treatment plan instructs you to do. Your plan of care will consist of exercising and/or breathing exercises. You will need to participate in these as often as possible. Once your body begins moving and breathing, it begins to repair itself. Endorphins begin to flow through your brain again and your body gets back some of its own natural energy. Exercise does a body good!
• Get needed rest. Your body is going through a lot when you are in the beginning stages of recovery from an alcohol addiction. Be sure to get plenty of sleep each night and rest when your body tells you it needs it.

Understand that it takes time for your body to recover from alcohol abuse. Once you begin to do the work involved in your treatment for alcohol addiction, your fatigue will slowly begin to fade. Day by day, you will feel much better. Everyone experiences different symptoms during recovery, but fatigue is something that you can easily overcome."

Source: http://www.clearviewtreatment.com/fighting-fatigue-while-in-treatment-for-alc...

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Video: Family is a Verb

I am just loving these PsychCentral videos because they can heavily apply to horse therapy and what is going on in a session. Not only that, but they can help both therapists and individuals further understand subject that get brought up in therapy so often. 

"You may not be aware, but our own Dr. Marie Hartwell-Walker has an e-book entitled Tending the Family Heart that highlights the importance of creating and nurturing the “heart part” of our families — that almost magical bond that interconnects every family member with all the others.

According to Dr. Marie’s philosophy, it is the heart that provides safety and warmth to all within its embrace. It is what transforms the very ordinary and repetitious tasks of daily life into expressions of mutual support and care. It is what celebrates the dailyness of love and belonging and helps everyone cope in times of challenges, separations, and even tragedies. When the “heart part” is strong, it provides both children and adults with what they need emotionally and psychologically to become their best versions of themselves in spite of whatever stresses come their way.

Psych Central’s Ask the Therapists Daniel J. Tomasulo, Ph.D. & Marie Hartwell-Walker, Ed.D. discuss Dr. Marie’s bestselling parenting book and how “family” is actually a verb in this video."

Source: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/05/30/video-tending-the-family-hea...

 

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Communicating in Every Relationship

Though this article is about communication in a love relationship, we can apply this to every aspect of our life just like horse therapy! 

"One of the key ingredients to a successful, strong relationship is constant, consistent, and strong communication. Although this skill comes easier for some (more often women than not), both partners need to work on communication in a relationship.

A relationship where communication is weak or non-existent is a relationship where at least one party is likely not getting their needs met.

Communication isn’t just, “Hey, how was your day, dear?” It’s talking about simmering resentments and the big life issues in a reasonable and respectful manner. It’s finding ways to open up your heart — and your mind — to really listen to what the other person is trying to say.

In this video, Psych Central’s Ask the Therapists Daniel J. Tomasulo, Ph.D. & Marie Hartwell-Walker, Ed.D. discuss the issue of how to improve communication in your romantic relationship. Find out more by watching the segment below:

"

Source: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/04/14/video-communicating-in-relat... 

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Vaccinations!

Whether you're involved in horse therapy/equine therapy or not you should really make sure your horses are up to date with their vaccinations!

"With warm weather gathering and mosquito season under way, horse owners are being advised to make certain their equids' vaccinations are current to protect against the threat of two potentially fatal diseases.

Unvaccinated horses suffer severely when infected with either West Nile virus (WNV) and Eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE), which are spread by mosquitoes and can be fatal to horses, said Delaware State Veterinarian Heather Hirst, DVM, MS, who heads the Delaware Department of Agriculture's Poultry and Animal Health Section.

"Vaccination is a simple and cost-effective way of preventing these diseases--far cheaper than treating them," Hirst said. "Horse owners should take full precautions to keep their horses safe, and be on the alert for signs of infection."

Both horses and humans can contract WNV and EEE if bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus, but it is important to note that the viruses cannot be transmitted between horses or from horses to people. The viruses normally exist in a cycle between mosquitoes and birds, but occasionally EEE can be transmitted from mosquitoes to mammals.

Delaware's last confirmed equine case of EEE was in 2005, and its last confirmed equine case of WNV was in 2003.

Hirst said horse owners should contact their veterinarian immediately if they suspect their horse may be showing signs of WNV or EEE:

• Clinical signs for WNV include flulike conditions where the horse seems mildly anorexic and depressed; fine and coarse muscle and skin fasciculations (twitching); hyperesthesia, or hypersensitivity to touch and sound; changes in mentation (mentality), when horses look like they are daydreaming or "just not with it"; occasional somnolence (drowsiness); propulsive walking (driving or pushing forward, often without control); and "spinal" signs, including asymmetrical weakness. Some horses show asymmetrical or symmetrical ataxia (incoordination on one or both sides, respectively). Equine mortality rate can be as high as 30-40%.
• Clinical signs for EEE include moderate to high fever, depression, lack of appetite, cranial nerve deficits (facial paralysis, tongue weakness, difficulty swallowing), behavioral changes (aggression, self-mutilation, or drowsiness), gait abnormalities, or severe central nervous system signs, such as head-pressing, circling, blindness, and seizures. The fatality rate for EEE-affected horses is 75-95%. The course of EEE can be swift, with death occurring two to three days after onset of clinical signs despite intensive care. Horses that survive might have long-lasting impairments and neurologic problems.

Owners should consult with their veterinarians about the WNV and EEE vaccinations, as well as vaccinations for herpesvirus (rhinopneumonitis), equine influenza, rabies, and tetanus, among others, Hirst said.

Horse owners can also help during mosquito season by keeping horses inside during dawn and dusk, which are peak mosquito times, and using topical insect repellents labeled for use on horses, Hirst said."

Source: http://www.thehorse.com/viewarticle.aspx?ID=19847&source=rss&utm_sour...

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First Online Equine Biosecurity E-Session

This is a great opportunity for everyone involed with horses! Whether you just own a horse or are actively doing equine therapy / horse therapy, then this is a must!

"Equine Guelph is launching its first-ever online course on equine biosecurity from April 16-29 for horse owners and caregivers. Over a two-week period, attendees will learn how to best protect horses by identifying risks of infectious disease in a barn and applying practical methods to reduce risk of disease and illness in horses.

"Attendees of this online course will get a detailed explanation of the various aspects of infection control and have an opportunity to discuss the topic with industry experts," says Josie Traub-Dargatz, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, a professor of equine medicine and epidemiology for Colorado State University's veterinary school in Fort Collins. "Infection control is an important part of caring for your horse(s). Assessing your current control plan in an objective way through use of the biosecurity calculator, which is part of the course, can help you identify strengths in your control plan. It can also help you determine if there are areas you may want to discuss further with your veterinarian based on identified low scores."

Equine Guelph's "Beat the Bugs with Biosecurity," program promotes biosecurity throughout all sectors of the horse industry. The program is funded through the Agricultural Biosecurity Program, part of the Best Practices Suite of programs under Growing Forward, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. The Agricultural Adaptation Council assists in the delivery of several Growing Forward programs in Ontario.

"Beat the Bugs" has been developed by with the assistance of its 12 industry partners, including two partners from the United States: American Association of Equine Practitioners Foundation, Colorado State University, Central Ontario Standardbred Association, Grand River Agricultural Society, Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, Ontario Association of Equine Practitioners, Ontario Equestrian Federation, Ontario Harness Horse Association, Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association, Ontario Veterinary College, Standardbred Canada, Vétoquinol Canada Inc. and Woodbine Entertainment Group.

Register before April 10 for this two-week e-Session. The cost is $75 + GST. Visit www.equineguelph.ca/biosecurity_esessions.php for course details. For more information about Equine Guelph's biosecurity programs contact Susan Raymond at slraymon@uoguelph.ca."

Source: http://www.thehorse.com/viewarticle.aspx?ID=19823&source=rss&utm_sour...

 

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The Power of Slow

I love finding articles like these on PsychCentral.com and this one is helpful for everyone, whether you're involed with equine therapy or not! It's all about slowing down. 

"Moving by the seat of our pants isn’t that helpful for efficiency. For one, rushing can mean making silly but time-consuming mistakes, like misplacing important items, locking your keys inside the house or glossing over errors at work.

And we might miss out on life altogether. “When things go too fast, we aren’t cognitively able to process the information, so a lot of our lives literally whizzes by,” according to Christine Louise Hohlbaum, author of The Power of Slow: 101 Ways to Save Time in Our 24/7.

Below, Hohlbaum shares several helpful tips on slowing down and saving time.

 

1. Know your custom speed.

My idea of fast and furious is probably a day at the beach for anyone in NYC. (I know this because my friends in NYC tell me regularly.) But that’s OK. This is where your custom speed comes in.

“When you live at your own speed, you absorb experiences more fully,” according to Hohlbaum.

Your happy medium lies somewhere between bored and harried, she said. To figure out what speed works for you, keep a diary, she said. Record the times you feel rushed and the times you feel bored, along with the circumstances and the reasons.

Keep in mind that your ideal speed will vary, depending on the season and the time of day, Hohlbaum added.

2. Segment your life.

Hohlbaum suggested looking at your days like a puzzle. “Segment each piece into bite-size chunks,” she said. For instance, your segments might include household chores, creative work and bill-paying. Try to work on each segment separately, and avoid multi-tasking.

Hohlbaum has a helpful exercise for segmenting your schedule. You’ll need a whiteboard, index cards, a pen and magnets. Write down your priorities on the index cards. Tape a magnet to each card, and place the cards vertically on a whiteboard. Put the most important priority on top. Once you’ve accomplished that segment, move it to the bottom, and so on.

“[This activity] helps you visualize your day, makes it more manageable and gives you a semblance of control,” Hohlbaum said. “It’s also great to know that priorities can shift, as easily as magnets on a board, and that sometimes you need to be flexible in the face of change.”

3. Say no and set boundaries.

Hohlbaum suggested creating boundaries around your availability. As she explained, that includes “letting things go to voicemail, not answering text or instant messages when you’re busy or turning off your cell phone altogether for stretches of time.”

Saying no also is important for preserving boundaries. If saying no is excruciating for you, just remember that extra commitments only take time away from what’s truly important to you. The key is to say no and move on, without naming excuses, Holbaum said.

“Most of the time people ask you to do things because they think you are competent.” (Or they don’t want to do it themselves.) “But in my book, just because you can, doesn’t mean you have to,” she said.

4. Delegate.

“You don’t have to run a one-person show all the time,” Hohlbaum said. Accept help from others, or hire help if you can. Delegating helps you attend to the more meaningful things in your life — and have the energy for it.

5. Take time setting up.

Rushing can rob you of much-needed setup time. When you start a household or work project, it’s important to make sure that you have everything you need.

Say you’re renovating your home. “It’s much smarter to ensure you have all your supplies first before getting started only to realize you’re out of something, have to stop what you’re doing and go to the store — or worse, to discover the store is closed,” Hohlbaum said.

6. Think before you speak.

Another con of rushing?  Careless communication, according to Hohlbaum. “Careless communication can be extremely time-consuming as you have to then clean up what you could have avoided had you been clear the first time around,” she said. So, before sending an email, ask yourself: “How would I react to this message?”

“We all have 24 hours a day. It’s not the time that matters as much as the things you choose to do in the time that you have,” Hohlbaum said."

Source: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/03/27/6-ways-to-slow-down-and-save...

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Equine Medication Rules

If you haven't read one of these books yet you need to! This is a must for all horse owners and those involved in equine therapy. 

"Wind Publications released the fourth edition of “World Rules for Equine Drug Testing and Therapeutic Medication Regulation” on Feb. 14 and has sold more than 100 copies. Thomas Tobin, MVB, MSc, PhD, MRCVS, DABT, professor at the University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Center; Kimberly Brewer, DVM, a private practitioner; and Kent Stirling, executive director of the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association authored the 286-page book. 

The newly released fourth edition covers medication rules around the world for the first time and features a forward written by Kentucky First Lady Jane Beshear. The book addresses specific regulatory procedures in place around the world to regulate the use of therapeutic medications and endogenous, dietary, and environmental substances in racing and performance horses. The book is based on the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) classification system for foreign substances and lists many of the specific regulatory thresholds/withdrawal time guidelines in place for the approximately 99 such substances--from acepromazine to xylazine--in use around the world. 

Some widely used therapeutic medications are associated with an unusually high risk of inadvertent identifications or overages; where appropriate, each of these substances is marked with a Horsemen’s Alert, which sets forth the reasons for the alert and suggests avoidance actions. Additionally, and somewhat unusually, three substances are listed as Chemist’s Alerts, with explanations provided. 

Regulatory thresholds are defined as plasma or urinary concentration of drugs/drug metabolites and are the essential regulatory tools. What the horseperson needs, however, are withdrawal time guidelines: simple, unambiguous medication administration guidelines scientifically linked to the regulatory threshold and which serve to greatly reduce the probability of a therapeutic medication “overage.” Appendix 1 of the book reviews the critically important matter of withdrawal time guidelines and the factors influencing withdrawal time guidelines in some detail. 

Many horse people are unfamiliar with the language of equine forensic science. Appendix 2, therefore, presents the language, definitions, and abbreviations used. Appendix 3 lists the equine therapeutic medications identified by the American Association of Equine Practitioners and by the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium; it is noted the therapeutic medication status of some of these substances is under review. Appendix 4 sets forth the need for suitable reference standards for therapeutic medication regulation and outlines National and local Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Associations’ (HBPAs) contributions in this critically important area of forensic science. Appendix 5 lists the HBPAs that have supported these research efforts, and the book closes with Appendix 6, a list of scientific references.

The book can be purchased on Amazon."

Source: http://www.thehorse.com/viewarticle.aspx?ID=19771&source=rss&utm_sour...

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Building Resilience!

I found a great video from Psych Central that I wanted to share with all horse owners and those involed in equine therapy, because there are some great tips in here to increase our wellbeing and happiness! 

"We all know that having resilience in life is tied directly to one’s happiness. In general, the more resilient a person is — that is, the more easily they can bounce back from life’s downs — the happier a life they will lead.

So the question then becomes, How does one build resilience? Can we nurture it like we nurture our creativity or intimacy?

In this video, Psych Central’s Ask the Therapists Daniel J. Tomasulo, Ph.D. & Marie Hartwell-Walker, Ed.D. discuss the issue of how does a person make their relationship work. What goes into making a relationship successful? Find out by watching the segment below:

 

The 4 tips offered by Dr. Marie in the video to help build resilience are:

1. What’s going right with your day?
2. Act more positive than you feel
3. Acting kind
4. Dress as though you’re successful"

Source: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/03/19/video-building-resilience/

 

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Does Your Horse Look Uncomfortable?

This is an article every horse owner should look at. I advise everyone in or out of the equine therapy community to view this and take a look at your horse. 

"There's something not right with your horse. He's sweating, his muscles are twitching, and he can't seem to stand still. He just looks uncomfortable. You call your veterinarian and suggest it could be colic, but at the 2012 Western Veterinary Conference, held Feb. 19-23 in Las Vegas, Nev., one researcher suggested another ailment to consider: equine motor neuron disease, or EMND.

Elizabeth G. Davis, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, associate professor and equine section head at the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, explained that while the first cases of EMND were reported in 1990 by Divers and colleagues, researchers and veterinarians are still working to better understand both the etiology and the disease itself. She gave an overview of what we, as an industry, know about EMND and what we're still working to figure out.

EMND Basics

Davis began by describing the EMND-affected horse and relaying what is known about potential disease causes. Affected horses, she said, appear thin due to a loss in muscle mass. These horses often stand in a "camped under" stance, hold their heads in a relatively horizontal position, and have an elevated tail carriage.

According to Davis, clinical signs of EMND include:

• General weakness;
• Anxiousness;
• Muscle fasciculation (twitching);
• Recumbency;
• Tachycardia (elevated heart rate); and
• Sweating.

Affected horses also have an urge to constantly shift their weight and continue moving, she added. Although researchers have not yet identified one specific etiology, they have demonstrated that EMND is associated with vitamin E deficiency. However, other mineral deficits or intoxications are likely involved because some horses with EMND exhibit vitamin E levels within the normal reference ranges.

Researchers have also observed that Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds seem to be overrepresented in some patient populations and gender does not appear to be a factor in the disease, she added. The breed association is most likely a result of management practices rather than a true breed predisposition.

"Horses with EMND have frequently been housed at the same location for at least 18 months," Davis noted. "There is minimal or no pasture for the great majority of cases." Additionally, she noted, the majority of affected horses consume grass hay and concentrate grain.

IS YOUR HORSE AT RISK?

Although researchers are still working to fully understand equine motor neuron disease (EMND), Elizabeth G. Davis, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, associated professor and equine section head at the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, relayed they have identified some risk factors for disease development. Some of those factors, she noted, put obese horses or those with equine metabolic syndrome at risk, simply from a management standpoint.

Common risk factors include:

• Drylot housing;
• A lack of fresh grass/fresh alfalfa hay; and
• Maintenance in the current living arrangement for at least 18 months.

Other less common risk factors include:

• Malabsorptive disease;
• Infiltrative intestinal disease; or
• Restricted movement or turnout due to injury.

Consult a veterinarian if concerns arise regarding particular horses and potential EMND development. Additionally, applying some EMND management techniques to at-risk horses could minimize the probability of disease onset.

--Erica Larson

Diagnosis

Davis relayed that EMND diagnosis is based on clinical signs along with histology and serologic tests. Specifically, she noted, pathologists examine a muscle biopsy from the tailhead to look for characteristic abnormalities typically associated with EMND.

"The characteristic lesions within muscle of the tailhead are a result of damage of very specific motor nerves," she explained. "The site of biopsy sample from the tailhead is very specific in order to obtain a sample of muscle tissue that has lost the normal innervation from health nerves; instead it has been innervated by these damaged nerves, which is referred to as an axonopathic effect."

In serologic tests a low plasma vitamin E level is often, but not always, found in EMND horses, Davis said. Additionally, she said, researchers and veterinarians consistently identify a mild to moderate elevation of the muscle enzymes creatine kinase and aspartate aminotransferase in EMND horses.

"The muscle enzymes are slightly elevated because of low-grade chronic muscle damage due to the loss of proper (normal) innervation from healthy nerves," Davis explained.

Management and Prognosis

Once a horse is diagnosed with EMND, owners should implement management changes carefully but aggressively: Provide horses with moderate to severe EMND with a deeply bedded stall to encourage rest, provide green forage, and administer about 10,000 IU of natural vitamin E daily via a feed supplement, relayed Davis.

For horses with mild to moderate EMND, feed green forage, administer 10,000 IU vitamin E, and if possible, offer pasture access, Davis said.

She stressed that when choosing a vitamin E supplement, avoid synthetic products. Natural vitamin E products are "well absorbed" by horses and are able to enter the central nervous system (CNS) at therapeutic levels, she explained, while synthetic products aren't well absorbed and typically don't reach therapeutic levels in the CNS. In most cases Davis recommends EMND horses be kept on vitamin E as long as they remain in an at-risk environment (see sidebar at left).

The prognosis for EMND varies and depends on the severity of clinical signs, Davis explained.

"Approximately 40% of horses with EMND continue to deteriorate and are euthanized within four weeks of the onset of clinical signs," she said. "Approximately 40% have marked improvement in clinical signs within four to six weeks after either relocation to another stable and/or administration of antioxidants, and approximately 20% remain permanently and noticeably atrophied."

Take-Home Message

Although EMND is not yet fully understood, it's a treatable--and often time preventable--disease. As with many equine ailments, early detection and treatment tends to yield more positive results, so consulting a veterinarian at the first sign of a problem is advisable."

 

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Illegal Photography- Whats it got to do with us?

This is an interesting article that I found on TheHorse.com and it can have some interesting effects on the equine therapy community. It is becoming illegal in Utah to even photograph a starving horse and present it to authorities!

"Those who photograph or videotape conditions at livestock operations without farm owners' consent could be criminally prosecuted if a bill now pending in the Utah legislature becomes law.

Sponsored by Utah State Rep. John Mathis, DVM, HB 187 (the Agricultural Operation Interference bill) would forbid anyone from recording still or videotaped images and sounds at agricultural operations used to produce livestock, poultry, livestock products, or poultry products without the expressed permission of the farm's owner or the owner's agent. If the bill becomes law, violators could face misdemeanor criminal charges. Members of the Utah House of Representatives approved HB187 by a 60-14 margin. The bill was introduced into the State Senate on Feb. 28.

Utah Farm Bureau Chief Executive Officer Randy Parker said that his organization supports the bill because it protects farmers and ranchers from overzealous animal welfare advocates and disgruntled employees who could use photographs and videotapes to make unfounded animal abuse allegations: "We (the Farm Bureau) don't condone the mistreatment or cruelty toward any animal. But farmers have a right to private property and privacy. There has to be some balance."

Some animal welfare advocates opposed the bill on grounds that its passage would eliminate evidence-gathering tools used to prosecute animal cruelty and neglect cases.

"If an individual steps on someone else's property and takes a picture of a horse that appears to be starving, and then provides that photograph to the authorities, that person would be in violation of this proposed law," said a written statement from Gene Baierschmidt, executive director of the Humane Society of Utah.

The agency also opposes the bill on grounds that it would provide special evidence-gathering protection for agricultural operations not extended to other industries such as health care and manufacturing operations, the statement said.

HB 187 remains pending in the Utah State Senate."

Source: http://www.thehorse.com/viewarticle.aspx?ID=19677&source=rss&utm_sour...

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Growing Equine Groups!

The Equine Therapy community is growing and this is just a perfect example of how it is. Over 1.5 million worth of grants have been given to equine groups that support horse therapy! 

"The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has announced that it awarded $1,682,352 in the form of 183 grants to support equine rescue groups in 38 states in 2011. This number represents a $600,000 increase over 2010, the first year equine grants exceeded the million dollar mark.

"With record drought and hay prices in the stratosphere, we are thrilled the ASPCA Equine Fund has been able to extend its support to so many more agencies in need," said Jacque Schultz, senior director of the ASPCA Equine Fund. "In these tough economic times, many equine organizations would not have been able to help horses without additional funding. The ASPCA remains committed to equine rescue and welfare efforts."

Twenty-seven percent of the equine grant money was distributed to 13 thoroughbred rescue organizations in 2011, the second year of the Million Dollar Rescuing Racers initiative, a program to save retired racehorses from neglect, abuse, and slaughter.

In addition, 70 equine organizations received 23% of the funds to provide emergency feed support, including funds that were distributed through the "Hay Bale-Out" program for horses impacted by the high cost and low supply of hay in drought-stricken Texas and Oklahoma.

An additional 13% of the funds were distributed to 35 equine rescues and sanctuaries for capital improvements for safety and expansion. Grants were also awarded to organizations for additional education on best practices, to conduct disaster preparedness training, rehabilitate equines rescued from cruelty and neglect, and to provide a safety net for low-income horse owners.

Texas and California each received 26 grants, more than any of the other states. Both are in the top three states for equine ownership. California has more equine rescues than any other state; Texas was hit hard last year by a record-setting heat wave and drought resulting in a tremendous need for hay transported from out of state.

The ASPCA Equine Fund provides grants to non-profit equine welfare organizations in the United States for purposes in alignment with its efforts to protect horses. The ASPCA Equine Fund grants program seeks to award equine organizations that strive to achieve best practices, including sound horse care, maintenance of up-to-date websites and robust fundraising practices."

Source: http://www.thehorse.com/viewarticle.aspx?ID=19660&source=rss&utm_sour...

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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Healthiest for Horse and Environment!

Taking some time to read this article relating to equine therapy and horse ownership can really give you some insight on a healthy diet for your horse and the enviorment. 

"When most caretakers develop a diet for their horses, the environmental impact of the comestibles once they're passed through the horse's body often isn't the first thing they consider. But a team of researchers recently set out to see which forage-based diet is healthiest for both the horse and the environment.

Protein, a key factor many horse owners consider when choosing a feed, is often inadvertently fed in excess of the horse’s nutritional needs. This can lead to increased nitrogen (a component of protein) in the urine, which can cause ground water contamination and poorer air quality.

The Michigan State University (MSU) research team recently completed a study comparing the protein quality of several commonly fed equine diets and the horse's utilization of the dietary protein. They aimed to determine which diet best met protein requirements without leading to excess nitrogen excretion. 

Nathalie Trottier, MS, PhD, associate professor of monogastric animal nutrition in the MSU Department of Animal Science and principle investigator of the study, explained, “In order to determine nitrogen utilization by the horse, you first need to measure the difference between the amount of nitrogen being consumed and the amount being excreted.”

In the study, researchers fed six mature Arabian geldings in moderate exercise six different diets (each of which they analyzed beforehand to determine protein content) over six 14-day time periods.

The diets included:

• Full-bloom timothy grass hay (first cutting);
• Timothy grass hay + 0.2% body weight oats;
• Timothy grass hay + 0.4% body weight oats;
• Mid-bloom alfalfa (first cutting);
• Early-bloom alfalfa (second cutting); and
• Early-bud alfalfa (third cutting).

During the last three days of each feeding period, the team collected feces and urine and analyzed samples to determine the horses’ daily nitrogen excretion. They drew blood on the final day of each feeding period to determine amino acid concentrations and assess post-gut nitrogen utilization.

Key study findings included:

• Apparent whole tract nitrogen digestibility was greater for horses fed alfalfa than those fed timothy hay diets;
• Feeding alfalfa of decreasing maturity (mid-bloom, to early bloom, to early bud) exceeded protein requirement and significantly decreased post-gut nitrogen utilization, leading to increased urine volume and urinary nitrogen excretion;
• Urinary nitrogen excretion was greater in horses fed alfalfa versus timothy hay diets; and
• Feeding oats at 0.2% or 0.4% body weight with timothy hay met protein requirement and greatly enhanced apparent nitrogen digestibility without increasing nitrogen excretion relative to feeding second and third cutting alfalfa hay.

Trottier concluded, “When good quality grass hay availability is not limiting, feeding grass hay in combination with oats (if more calories are needed), is more environmentally desirable than feeding legume hay.”

The study, “Protein Quality and Utilization of timothy, oat-supplemented timothy, and alfalfa at differing harvest maturity in exercised Arabian horses,” was published in July 2011 in Journal of Animal Science. The abstract is available online. "

Source: http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=19597&src=VW

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Grants for Equine Non-Profits!

I love to post these types of articles to the horse therapy community because it really can help others expand their businesses and non-profits! 

"The USA Equestrian Trust is pleased to announce that IRS-registered equine nonprofit organizations now have two opportunities to submit grant applications. Applications for financial grants to be funded in 2012 are due May 7 or Oct. 8 at 5:00 p.m. EST. 

In 2011, the Trust's board was pleased to grant nearly $200,000 to ten applicants. Past recipients of grants include those doing equine health research, land conservation, and educational programs. The Trust welcomes applications for need-based and means-tested worthy equine projects and encourages applicants to detail those in their applications.

Funding available for grants includes approximately $70,000 reserved for hunter/jumper nonprofit programs and activities in the states of California and Nevada. Applicants for this fund should make clear their intention to apply for funds available from this specific reserve.

Among the Trust's 2011 grant recipients was the Morris Animal Foundation, which received a grant of $10,000 for researchers at the University of Massachusetts who are focusing on ways to treat equine laminitis. The grant was used to help develop more targeted therapeutic drugs that could slow and/or prevent laminar tissue damage in horses. Morris Animal Foundation CEO/President David Haworth, DVM, PhD,said, "Morris Animal Foundation is thankful for the continued support from USA Equestrian Trust. It's partnerships like this that help us work to give horses longer, healthier lives."

"The board of USA Equestrian Trust felt it was crucial during this continued time of economic instability to expand our grants program to assist the many worthy equine nonprofits in need of assistance," said Alan F. Balch, USA Equestrian Trust president. "And while no charity can make grants to every deserving group, the Trust has significantly increased its giving since 2009 and hopes to continue to do so."

All applicants must submit a proposed budget for their projects as word processing documents. Applications cannot be submitted without one. All grant applications must be submitted online or postmarked no later than May 7 and Oct. 8. No late applications will be considered. The targeted date for notifying grant recipients is within 60 days of due date. If you have any questions about applying, please e-mail grants@trusthorses.org. To learn more about USA Equestrian Trust and/or its grant program for equine nonprofits, visit www.trusthorses.org."

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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Submit Your Psychotherapy Story :)

Hey Everyone! Today I wanted to share with you a small event Psych Central is doing because I know many of you involved in the horse therapy or equine therapy community will have some great stories. Here's how you can share them...

"There are a ton of good stories out there about people’s experiences with psychotherapy, and we want to feature them each week here on the World of Psychology. By shedding more light on the process of therapy, we believe it will make people more comfortable and perhaps get a better understanding of it.

So we’re putting out a call for any and all psychotherapy stories — from therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, clients and patients. If you have a story you want to tell and can do so in under 1,400 words, we’re interested.

We’re not looking (just) for salacious stories. We’re looking for stories that show the personal nature of therapy, and how it can help people.

Read on for details…

 

We are looking, first and foremost, for your psychotherapy story(or that of a loved one; or if you’re a professional, one involving your psychotherapy session with a client). We don’t want fictional stories. We also don’t want you to tell your story in public if you’re not ready to share it and have it be read by thousands of people.

We are also looking for submissions that meet our editorial guidelines. These include:

• Good English grammar.
• Simple formatting — no indenting, but please use paragraphs and spaces between your paragraphs.
• Spell-checking before you send.
• Make the details anonymous. We don’t want you to be too personal with your details, to ensure no one recognizes you (or your client) from the story.
• Taking 5 minutes to proof-read your submission before sending it to us, making sure it reads well and makes sense.

All entries will be published anonymously, unless you specify otherwise.

There may be a small stipend involved if your submission meets our editorial guidelines and is a story we end up publishing. If this is the case, we will contact you for your billing details. (We’re not guaranteeing any stipend or giving details about it, because we prefer people do this for sharing their story, not for the money.)

Submit Your Psychotherapy Story

Ready to go? So are we! So go ahead and send us your best story about psychotherapy to:

stories at psychcentral.com

(We can take any format you care to send it in.)"

 

Source: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/02/10/submit-your-psychotherapy-st...

 

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! :) 

 

Please support us by "Liking" our page at...Horse Therapy!