RodeoClassifieds.com is excited to announce a special guest to The Round Pen. On Monday April 16 at 12:30 pm MST we will have Donna Weatherly of Spirit Horse Enterprises and Horse Medicine Woman Herbals online to answer your questions live. Donna is open to questions regarding horse health and healing.
To accommodate everyone who may not be able to be online at the time, you are welcome to start posting your questions now and check back on or after the 16th for answers.
Donna Weatherly currently practices a variety of forms of holistic healing such as energy work, herbology, acupressure, color and massage therapy with an emphasis on horses. Donna has recently acquired a new hydrotherapy unit called Game Ready Equine. To learn more on the scope of her business check out www.spirithorseent.com
May 2nd answers from Donna Weatherly posted
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May 2nd answers from Donna Weatherly posted
Last edited by admin on Mon May 14, 2007 12:31 pm, edited 6 times in total.
What happens is not as important as how you react to what happens. -Thaddeus Golas
Congrats to Admin for getting us a special guest, and thank you very much for your time to answer our questions!
What would you suggest for a horse that has really bad dandruff? She is a healthy weight, has access to mineral and salt, and water at all times, she's just always struggled with bad dandruff? Is there something that might help this?
What would you suggest for a horse that has really bad dandruff? She is a healthy weight, has access to mineral and salt, and water at all times, she's just always struggled with bad dandruff? Is there something that might help this?
Hi Donna, happy to see you sharing some of your vast knowledge! My gelding will sometimes have a lot of mucus blow out of his nose after I ride him or run him hard. I am suspicious that he has mild alergy's, as he also gets eye infections in the spring and in the summer when the plants are blossoming. His lungs are clear, and he doesn't have problems getting his breathing back to normal. Is there anything that I can give him to help with the mucus?
Thanks,
Laurie
Thanks,
Laurie
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HORSE-MEDICINEWOMAN
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[quote="Sam"]Congrats to Admin for getting us a special guest, and thank you very much for your time to answer our questions!
What would you suggest for a horse that has really bad dandruff? She is a healthy weight, has access to mineral and salt, and water at all times, she's just always struggled with bad dandruff? Is there something that might help this?[/quote]
Hi Sam,
The skin is the biggest organ of elimination so having skin and or hair issues is not uncommon. I would likely try to add some flax seed or oil to her diet. If you choose the whole seeds...it works really well to soak them first as this will release the oil. I just add a handful to some boiling water and then let it sit tll its cool. If the oil trick doesnt work then we could look further into her system to see if maybe there is something she is trying to get "rid" of through her skin. It may also have to do with blanketing over winter which may cause the body to release a whole bunch of "stuff" when it finally gets to breath...LOL !!
What would you suggest for a horse that has really bad dandruff? She is a healthy weight, has access to mineral and salt, and water at all times, she's just always struggled with bad dandruff? Is there something that might help this?[/quote]
Hi Sam,
The skin is the biggest organ of elimination so having skin and or hair issues is not uncommon. I would likely try to add some flax seed or oil to her diet. If you choose the whole seeds...it works really well to soak them first as this will release the oil. I just add a handful to some boiling water and then let it sit tll its cool. If the oil trick doesnt work then we could look further into her system to see if maybe there is something she is trying to get "rid" of through her skin. It may also have to do with blanketing over winter which may cause the body to release a whole bunch of "stuff" when it finally gets to breath...LOL !!
Thanks Donna for taking time out to answers so many question.
My mare stepped on a nail almost 3 weeks ago. The puncture closed up within a day. I have been doctoring her (soaking her foot in hot water & salt, she is on antibiotics, and a poultice once a day)
The questions is :
How long sould an abscess drain for (it has been 6 days)? Do you recommend x raying her if she doesn't come sound in the next few days? I am thinking she hit the coffin bone with the nail. Any recommendations if she did hit the coffin bone.
Thanks in advance
AJ
My mare stepped on a nail almost 3 weeks ago. The puncture closed up within a day. I have been doctoring her (soaking her foot in hot water & salt, she is on antibiotics, and a poultice once a day)
The questions is :
How long sould an abscess drain for (it has been 6 days)? Do you recommend x raying her if she doesn't come sound in the next few days? I am thinking she hit the coffin bone with the nail. Any recommendations if she did hit the coffin bone.
Thanks in advance
AJ
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HORSE-MEDICINEWOMAN
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[quote="MPowell"]Welcome Donna,
I have heard of great things that you are doing with horses. My question is - Do you know of a natural alternative to bute? As well as what do you recommend for horses so that they don't get body sore when you haul longer distances?
Thanks for your help.[/quote]
Thanks so much Marci...
A neat alternative to bute is white willow bark..it is what aspirn is made of and you could also add devil's claw (antiflamitory)..these are the two that I can think of right off the bat...amounts of each herb are very individual...but it is fairly user freindly. Will do a bit of research and see what else I can find...I would also think that maybe a muscle and joint combo might also help..lots of them have these in them too. Oh and maybe feed apple cider vingear too...this will also help with the hauling...but not in the winter cause it cools the kidneys and we dont want that when its cold already. In my experience with the hauling its always real important that they drink and pee...some of these new trailers it seems dont give them a bunch of room to stretch out..with the mangers as they are and wheel wells in the back...so it may be neccessary to let them out to do that...then there are those geldings that "heaven for bid they got any on themselves" once again..outside...the apple cider will help here too...and lots of water......oh and another trick is hauling backwards...we used to do that going into Sask with that little old trailer and never had any soreness or hock issues for that matter. Anything that you would use herbally for soreness would help with the long hauls too.
I have heard of great things that you are doing with horses. My question is - Do you know of a natural alternative to bute? As well as what do you recommend for horses so that they don't get body sore when you haul longer distances?
Thanks for your help.[/quote]
Thanks so much Marci...
A neat alternative to bute is white willow bark..it is what aspirn is made of and you could also add devil's claw (antiflamitory)..these are the two that I can think of right off the bat...amounts of each herb are very individual...but it is fairly user freindly. Will do a bit of research and see what else I can find...I would also think that maybe a muscle and joint combo might also help..lots of them have these in them too. Oh and maybe feed apple cider vingear too...this will also help with the hauling...but not in the winter cause it cools the kidneys and we dont want that when its cold already. In my experience with the hauling its always real important that they drink and pee...some of these new trailers it seems dont give them a bunch of room to stretch out..with the mangers as they are and wheel wells in the back...so it may be neccessary to let them out to do that...then there are those geldings that "heaven for bid they got any on themselves" once again..outside...the apple cider will help here too...and lots of water......oh and another trick is hauling backwards...we used to do that going into Sask with that little old trailer and never had any soreness or hock issues for that matter. Anything that you would use herbally for soreness would help with the long hauls too.
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HORSE-MEDICINEWOMAN
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[quote="KatieB"]Thanks for coming online. 
What are your reccomendations/opinions for treatment/prevention/maintenance of ulcers in horses. Thanks! 
[/quote]
Miss KatieB,
For treatment of ulcers it is best to take away the irritant of course....then there are some really great soothing and healing herbal choices marshmallow, slippery elm are two that seem to work really well. You can also feed cayenne...its a wierd choice, but in my research it seems to do very well...just a small amout though...like a teaspoon. In regard to prevention once again we need to have a look at what and how we are feeding. If there is enough roughage in the diet too. Some of our supplements for more energy can "feel" really hot in the gut. Another issue may be too much protien in the diet...I tend to lean more toward grass hay then alfalfa. Of course it is best to have the most natural setting for your horse as possble...stalling and small outside pens can also cause agression, aggitation and/or worry this certainly wont help with the rest the situation....oh almost forgot pepsin will also help....but its hard to find....It is also important to understand that the horse is a whole unit....and what is presenting itself in the gut my be just a symptom..so an overall test my be neccessary to see what else is going on. Hope that helps....
What are your reccomendations/opinions for treatment/prevention/maintenance of ulcers in horses. Thanks! [/quote]
Miss KatieB,
For treatment of ulcers it is best to take away the irritant of course....then there are some really great soothing and healing herbal choices marshmallow, slippery elm are two that seem to work really well. You can also feed cayenne...its a wierd choice, but in my research it seems to do very well...just a small amout though...like a teaspoon. In regard to prevention once again we need to have a look at what and how we are feeding. If there is enough roughage in the diet too. Some of our supplements for more energy can "feel" really hot in the gut. Another issue may be too much protien in the diet...I tend to lean more toward grass hay then alfalfa. Of course it is best to have the most natural setting for your horse as possble...stalling and small outside pens can also cause agression, aggitation and/or worry this certainly wont help with the rest the situation....oh almost forgot pepsin will also help....but its hard to find....It is also important to understand that the horse is a whole unit....and what is presenting itself in the gut my be just a symptom..so an overall test my be neccessary to see what else is going on. Hope that helps....
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HORSE-MEDICINEWOMAN
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[quote="laurie"]Hi Donna, happy to see you sharing some of your vast knowledge! My gelding will sometimes have a lot of mucus blow out of his nose after I ride him or run him hard. I am suspicious that he has mild alergy's, as he also gets eye infections in the spring and in the summer when the plants are blossoming. His lungs are clear, and he doesn't have problems getting his breathing back to normal. Is there anything that I can give him to help with the mucus?
Thanks,
Laurie[/quote]
Hey Laurie,
If I was speaking to you direct I would ask..."what color, texture...etc is it"...cant be shy when we're talking about mucus..LOL !!!
Seriously this would give me abit of an idea of what is happening inside. I think you may be right about the allergys...my teacher used to say that having allergies is like having a bucket with water in it...if the bucket gets full....exposure to too many allergins...then it will overflow....the body reacts....and we need to get the level of water down in the bucket...enable the body to heal so it can handle its situation. So I would suggest a good cleanse...you could use something as simple as nettle with maybe dandelion, or get a herbal product that is designed for this...It is really important to stay gentle here....and to do the kidney system first is best....then the liver....and I feel one system at a time is important too...then you won't overwhelm the body.....
Thanks,
Laurie[/quote]
Hey Laurie,
If I was speaking to you direct I would ask..."what color, texture...etc is it"...cant be shy when we're talking about mucus..LOL !!!
Seriously this would give me abit of an idea of what is happening inside. I think you may be right about the allergys...my teacher used to say that having allergies is like having a bucket with water in it...if the bucket gets full....exposure to too many allergins...then it will overflow....the body reacts....and we need to get the level of water down in the bucket...enable the body to heal so it can handle its situation. So I would suggest a good cleanse...you could use something as simple as nettle with maybe dandelion, or get a herbal product that is designed for this...It is really important to stay gentle here....and to do the kidney system first is best....then the liver....and I feel one system at a time is important too...then you won't overwhelm the body.....
soreness in the hind end
First of all, glad that you are promoting this, Donna. As you know, I have been a fan for many years, and relied on you from time to time for help.
Well, once again, I need help! My mare, who has been running great from the day that I bought her, is suddenly all strung out in her turns, and quite frankly, she wins in her turns, not her run in between, so I am very frustrated, and not doing as well as I could be. Not to mention, I have entered a rodeo, and am going to it not very confident. I believe she is sore in her back end...what can I do to help her along, and get me through this rodeo in 5 short days. I don't want her to pick up bad habits because she's sore...any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Lisa
Well, once again, I need help! My mare, who has been running great from the day that I bought her, is suddenly all strung out in her turns, and quite frankly, she wins in her turns, not her run in between, so I am very frustrated, and not doing as well as I could be. Not to mention, I have entered a rodeo, and am going to it not very confident. I believe she is sore in her back end...what can I do to help her along, and get me through this rodeo in 5 short days. I don't want her to pick up bad habits because she's sore...any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Lisa
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HORSE-MEDICINEWOMAN
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[quote="Kris"]Any great stretches that barrel horses should be doing??[/quote]
Well Kris...here I could write a book...humm, not a bad idea....LOL !!
Before I start here...two things...always always stay within you particular horses range of motion..by this I mean, please dont pull his leg sideways eitherway....keep it within his normal "footpath"...some horses do "track" to the inside or outside a lttle bit...and you will know if your horse does when you pick up his leg.
Second....be gentle and hold the stretch for at least 20 seconds. Oh, and listen to what he has to "say".
Shoulder stretches....pick his foot up and move to the front of him...cradle his leg just under the knee (you want his foot to be a a ninety and for the lower part to "dangle"..great word..aye!) now gently pull forward you can see the muscles behind the shoulder stretch...hold for 20 to 30 seconds..then move your hands down the leg to the fetlock (dont go down to the foot here....this may harm the suspensorys) and continue to gently pull...this stetches the same area...but a different set of muscles...same deal..20 to 30 seconds.
Next we move the leg under the horse...like you were asking him to put his front foot on top of his back one. Important here to note that you put pressure just above the knee..support the fetlock but let it drop toward the ground...I could sure show you this way better...
This will stretch the front of the shoulder..you may even find your horse will drop his head and turn it away from you....gives him an even better stretch. You may notice that your horse is more free one way or it's easier for him or his stretch is bigger...can mean he needs some therapy..or he may be just need some more stretching.
Hindlegs....stretch the hamstring by picking up the foot like you were cleaning it..but pull it forward, through its range of motion under the body, hold for 20 to 30 seconds.....stretching the hip area...take the leg backward from there....I always cup my hands around the front of the fetlock and stay low to the ground...through the range of motiion and straight back. It is ideal if they totally straighten their leg here...cause this indicates that their stifles are in great shape...they can not straighten the leg totally unless the patella (kneecap) of the stifle joint is inline.
You can do a bunch of stuff with treats too to stretch their back and "open" the withers.
Also exercises over poles on the ground works well to get some movement in the hips and strengthen the gaskin muscles as well as everything around the hock.
There are definelty more stretches but this will get you started.
Well Kris...here I could write a book...humm, not a bad idea....LOL !!
Before I start here...two things...always always stay within you particular horses range of motion..by this I mean, please dont pull his leg sideways eitherway....keep it within his normal "footpath"...some horses do "track" to the inside or outside a lttle bit...and you will know if your horse does when you pick up his leg.
Second....be gentle and hold the stretch for at least 20 seconds. Oh, and listen to what he has to "say".
Shoulder stretches....pick his foot up and move to the front of him...cradle his leg just under the knee (you want his foot to be a a ninety and for the lower part to "dangle"..great word..aye!) now gently pull forward you can see the muscles behind the shoulder stretch...hold for 20 to 30 seconds..then move your hands down the leg to the fetlock (dont go down to the foot here....this may harm the suspensorys) and continue to gently pull...this stetches the same area...but a different set of muscles...same deal..20 to 30 seconds.
Next we move the leg under the horse...like you were asking him to put his front foot on top of his back one. Important here to note that you put pressure just above the knee..support the fetlock but let it drop toward the ground...I could sure show you this way better...
This will stretch the front of the shoulder..you may even find your horse will drop his head and turn it away from you....gives him an even better stretch. You may notice that your horse is more free one way or it's easier for him or his stretch is bigger...can mean he needs some therapy..or he may be just need some more stretching.
Hindlegs....stretch the hamstring by picking up the foot like you were cleaning it..but pull it forward, through its range of motion under the body, hold for 20 to 30 seconds.....stretching the hip area...take the leg backward from there....I always cup my hands around the front of the fetlock and stay low to the ground...through the range of motiion and straight back. It is ideal if they totally straighten their leg here...cause this indicates that their stifles are in great shape...they can not straighten the leg totally unless the patella (kneecap) of the stifle joint is inline.
You can do a bunch of stuff with treats too to stretch their back and "open" the withers.
Also exercises over poles on the ground works well to get some movement in the hips and strengthen the gaskin muscles as well as everything around the hock.
There are definelty more stretches but this will get you started.
-
HORSE-MEDICINEWOMAN
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[quote="aj"]Thanks Donna for taking time out to answers so many question.
My mare stepped on a nail almost 3 weeks ago. The puncture closed up within a day. I have been doctoring her (soaking her foot in hot water & salt, she is on antibiotics, and a poultice once a day)
The questions is :
How long sould an abscess drain for (it has been 6 days)? Do you recommend x raying her if she doesn't come sound in the next few days? I am thinking she hit the coffin bone with the nail. Any recommendations if she did hit the coffin bone.
Thanks in advance
AJ[/quote]
Hi AJ,
What does the drainage look like? Does it smell? These are things I would ask you too. If it really stinks and is "dead" smelling then you may have something much bigger going on. Because it is a puncture and not just an absess...I would think that maybe a trip to the vet would be a good idea..just because you cant be sure how far into the foot the nail went.
The bugger with the puncture as you likely know, is they often close over and leave the "junk" inside to continue giving you grief. You might want to get someone to open it up a bit.....I cant really say because I havent seen the horse though. And if you have got a bone issue this might not be the best thing either.
In the case of the poultice....I would wash it as best you can with the warm salt water...then you may want to use a recipe of egg whites, white bread, slippery elm and comfrey for your poutice. The first part is a very old racehore remedy and the other is something I have put together and had great success with... the slippery elm heals and is very drawing, and the comfrey is traditionally known as "boneknit"...it will also allow the wound to heal from the insdie out. Once agian...if you think that the nail went in really far...you may want to get to your vet.
Sorry I cant be more specific...may variables here
My mare stepped on a nail almost 3 weeks ago. The puncture closed up within a day. I have been doctoring her (soaking her foot in hot water & salt, she is on antibiotics, and a poultice once a day)
The questions is :
How long sould an abscess drain for (it has been 6 days)? Do you recommend x raying her if she doesn't come sound in the next few days? I am thinking she hit the coffin bone with the nail. Any recommendations if she did hit the coffin bone.
Thanks in advance
AJ[/quote]
Hi AJ,
What does the drainage look like? Does it smell? These are things I would ask you too. If it really stinks and is "dead" smelling then you may have something much bigger going on. Because it is a puncture and not just an absess...I would think that maybe a trip to the vet would be a good idea..just because you cant be sure how far into the foot the nail went.
The bugger with the puncture as you likely know, is they often close over and leave the "junk" inside to continue giving you grief. You might want to get someone to open it up a bit.....I cant really say because I havent seen the horse though. And if you have got a bone issue this might not be the best thing either.
In the case of the poultice....I would wash it as best you can with the warm salt water...then you may want to use a recipe of egg whites, white bread, slippery elm and comfrey for your poutice. The first part is a very old racehore remedy and the other is something I have put together and had great success with... the slippery elm heals and is very drawing, and the comfrey is traditionally known as "boneknit"...it will also allow the wound to heal from the insdie out. Once agian...if you think that the nail went in really far...you may want to get to your vet.
Sorry I cant be more specific...may variables here
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