There’s probably a good reason that someone made up that old saying of “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”. My guess is because apples are loaded with all kinds of good nutrients for your body… like enzymes, minerals, trace minerals and potassium. And after all, our horses love them too! These important life building nutrients are all contained in Apple Cider Vinegar.
Quite a few years back I changed how I was eating due to the physical discomfort in my body. I did a fast (3 days without food!) and learned to gradually reintroduce certain healthful foods back into my diet.
As part of my new regimen, I learned about the many health benefits of and started using Apple Cider Vinegar, the good stuff with the “mother” in it! It contains an enzyme that “eats up” the toxic waste in the body.
Some of the amazing benefits I’ve learned about ACV include…
- Detoxifies the blood stream and organs
- Helps to achieve and more balanced pH
- Assists kidneys, bladder and liver
- Promotes circulation
- Supports digestion
Also for animals (including the above)…
- Deters fleas, ticks and mosquitos
- Relives skin and ear problems
- Promotes a healthy, shiny coat
I started drinking ACV in a tea first thing in the morning. One of the things it does is jumpstart my digestive system. All I know is that I am feeling so much better by starting my day with ACV/Thieves tea with honey!
At some point along the way I decided that it was doing so much good for me that I should give it to my horses too! I was already using it topically for their hooves for thrush by soaking and spraying. The ACV can be added to their water for drinking, but for me, I just add it to their daily feed. I add about a third of a cup of ACV to a liter bottle and fill the rest with water. Then I mix some into their milled flax and supplements.
Potassium is one of the key constituents offered in ACV. Did you know 75% of the body’s potassium is found in skeletal muscle and is necessary for function? Horses are able to excrete excess potassium through urine or sweating but when there is a deficiency in the body, there can be some pretty detrimental effects.
A horse with low potassium will exhibit…
- Muscle weakness
- Fatigue
- Reluctance to exercise
- Decreased water and food intake
- Restlessness
- Spookiness
Offering your horse a lifestyle with unlimited forage will help to avoid low potassium issues. It’s always good to test your hay to know what the levels of minerals are contained within it. From there you have a clearer picture on what to supplement.
An excerpt from the book, Apple Cider Vinegar; Miracle Health System by Paul Bragg ND PhD and Patrice Bragg ND PhD…
Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, in 400 B.C. treated his patients with amazing raw Apple Cider Vinegar because he recognized its powerful cleansing and healing qualities. It is a naturally occurring antibiotic and antiseptic that fights germs and bacteria in the body.
I have found that adding Apple Cider Vinegar to my horse’s daily routine has been a great boost to their health. It has added another beneficial layer to their holistic lifestyle!
Give it a try and see how your horses like it.
Marta
We live on about 3 acres of rocky limestone hillsides loaded with cedar trees and roots! While it’s not what one would think of as an ideal horse environment, it is actually a far better choice of living space, especially if your horse has metabolic challenges.
At the beginning of my horse journey, I was introduced to the benefits of creating a track system for my horses’ living environment. It benefitted their hooves, their digestion, in general their overall wellness. It was easy for me to see this was what I wanted for my horses. In addition, the concept fit extremely well with our small acreage and varied terrain. We even have access to an old road to utilize which has a great hard packed base for a trail.
As fate would have it, I acquired a couple of foundered horses (from my trimming practice) as well as a Morgan horse (a hardy breed that does not need rich feed to maintain weight and good health). Our track system has proved to be the ideal living set up for horses with metabolic issues, hoof troubles and for avoiding the problems with spring and fall grasses.
Our track contains no lush grass. It does offer a variety of plants, shrubs and trees that our horses browse as they move around the different paths on the track system. We have the benefit of monitoring our horses’ grass intake by allowing them to roam the rest of the property at strategic times to benefit them. We choose times when the sugars are lowest in the grass. When the sun is out, plants are producing their sugars for energy through photosynthesis. This is high sugar content time and should be avoided. It is at night when the grasses use up their sugar stores from the day, so the very early morning is the safest time for the lowest sugar levels.
Once the fall comes and the temperatures drop at night, grass begins to hold onto their sugar stores for its growth. This “stressed” grass is now very high in sugar. Any stressed grass will have increased sugar levels so be aware, especially for your at risk horses. Some other ways that grass gets stressed are by over-grazing, drought and frost. Even the brown grass late in the fall when it’s still warm during the day will have sugar filled green sprouts that your horse would love to snack on!
Waiting for the temperature swings to stop and the grasses to go dormant is a safe option for your horse.
Other safe options…
- Consider setting up a track system or at least elements of it for your horse. Creating a forage based, movement centered space will do wonders for them!
- Create a dry lot for your horse and encourage movement within the space through the placement of hay bags or hay piles.
- Use a muzzle and monitor their time of day out as well as the amount of time out.
- Consider a probiotic to benefit their gut health. This is a key component to overall health. Life 9 is the probiotic I love and use for my herd.
If you’re curious to learn more about setting up your own track system, take a look at Guide 3 in my community The Hearts of Horses; Empowering Through Holistic Care. You’ll find videos with information on how to create your own track system.
May you and your horses enjoy this fall season in good health...
Marta
A recent post that I shared in my Hearts of Horses group about the importance of salt for our horses especially in hot weather, opened a discussion on the use of Himalayan salt. It got me wondering…so I did a little research.
The only mineral which a horse has a taste for is salt. In situations where an animal is deprived or deficient, they will seek it out readily. As caregivers for our horses, it is critical that we provide some form of salt, as many functions of the body depend upon it.
Some of these critical functions are…
- Heart contraction
- Intestinal movement and fluid balance
- Absorption of nutrients in the gut
- Muscle contraction
- Nerve function
- PH balance
- Keeping the body hydrated
- An averaged size horse, in cool weather, needs a minimum of 1 oz per day of salt. 2-4 oz for that same horse in hot weather.
Legend has it that the salt beds of Pakistan were discovered by Alexander the Great’s horse, Bucephalus, who stopped to paw and have a lick! Side note: Bucephalus died in battle in that area and a town was later named after him.
Much of the Himalayan salt we purchase originates from an area of hills in Pakistan known as the “salt range” which is hundreds of miles away from the Himalayan Mountains. The hills are a remnant of a lagoon that existed 600 million years ago.
This Himalayan salt does contain minerals, but only in very minute amounts. Such minerals as magnesium, zinc, calcium and even iron. Again, they contain only very minute amounts that would not be enough to consider as a supplement for your horse.
The fact that Himalayan salt is very hard, in chunk form, your horse would not be able to bite it. Even with steady licking, they would not be able to consume the minimum needed on a daily basis especially in hot weather! However, the salt chunk is resistant to rain so hanging it for your horse, in or out of the stall/barn area would be a great relief and/or distraction during a confinement situation.
The fact that it is salt, means that it does encourage your horse to drink more water. This is always a good thing as approximately 70% the body is water and many body functions also require it!
There is one very important mineral that you cannot get from Himalayan salt though and that is iodine. Iodine is necessary for healthy thyroid function. The thyroid regulates hormones and is easily thrown out of balance by deficiency and/or toxins that are in many horse care products. Granulated iodized white salt covers your bases on this one. Or if you feed a kelp product your horse is probably already receiving their necessary amount of iodine.
While the benefits and popularity of the Himalayan salt make it seem terrific for your horse, the bottom line is… it is safe and ok for your horse. It can even be included in the salt/mineral area of your track set up. It would also be beneficial as a relief and distraction for a confined horse.
The big question you want to ask yourself is… are my horses getting their minimum daily requirements for salt? The easiest way for them to get this is by providing a granulated salt, either in their feed or free choice in their living space as they generally cannot take in enough by licking a block.
Are you interested in more helpful information for caring for your horses? Join the community I mentioned, The Hearts of Horses; Empowering Through Holistic Care and be sure to look through the GUIDE section at the top of the page for all kinds of helpful holistic care topics!
All the Best,
Marta
Early on, when I got started with horses, I learned traditional ways to care for them. This involved chemical fly sprays, ointments that contained potential carcinogens and other questionable chemicals in a variety of products including their food.
Along the way, as I was learning, I was drawn to more holistic ways of caring for my horses. Following my heart, with regard to these ways, has led me on a path of discovery, healing and much healthier horses!
When I first got Calli, every year she would get bit up by the little No-see-ums that come out in May at our wooded home. They would bite her on her underside and she would end up having a crusty line of gunk from her chin to her udders! Definitely gross and I'm sure uncomfortable for her.
Things started looking up when I started using a plant based cleaner on these areas of her body. The crusty stuff started disappearing and there was not as much of it covering her underside. I was super happy about that! I had been learning about these new holistic care options and part of that process was removing the products that had toxic chemicals in them. The fact that I was reducing the amount of toxins in her world was making a difference for her and helping to keep these bugs at bay.
Adding an essential oil to her daily feed was another thing I did. It served to improve her immune system. It is such a huge benefit at a very small price! Adding the oil along with the spray (which also helps to improve her immune system) really made a huge difference for this "seasonal" problem.
Another piece of this puzzle that was beneficial, because it removed toxins and sugar, was getting rid of the processed grains that we had been feeding. Processed grains have chemicals and toxins added to them along with a significant amount of sugar (which causes inflammation). All of our horses are on an anti-inflammatory diet. It is better for joints, over all wellness and, I believe, makes them less tasty to the bugs too!
As we are now into another May, I am happy to say that its been quite a few years since we've had to deal with the crusty underside! And there are few and far between reactions to bug bites now that we have addressed removing toxins and improved immune systems.
If you're interested in knowing what products I used, check out this brief video...
If you're interested in more holistic care information for your horses, join our community...
Goin’ Bare…It’s Easier Than You Think For Your Horse To Go Barefoot!
There are, however, some key lifestyle factors that are critical to include in your horse’s life in order for the transition to be successful! First, the hooves need proper nutrients to grow in healthy, strong and well-connected, there needs to be stimulation through movement over varied terrain, you’ll need a regular trimming schedule either by a professional or by learning to trim your own horses and lastly, there will be a transition period where the hooves will need protection with padded boots.
Let’s look at nutrition first. It’s a great place to start to grow healthy hooves. One of the most detrimental ingredients that ruins more feet… is sugar! There are hidden sugars in so much of what is given to our horses. Everything from grain to supplements to treats. It is in virtually every item that goes into your horses mouth, including grass and hay! Understanding and controlling the sugar in your horses diet is going to be a major step in going barefoot with your horses. One of the easiest ways to do this is put your horse on an anti-inflammatory diet. This means you primarily feed grass hay and provide minerals needed that are not accounted for in the hay. If other feeds are needed look at whole foods like flax, chia or hemp seeds that add beneficial Omega-3’s. The important thing is to avoid processed grains and ingredients like corn, soy and molasses. There is also a supplement that I started giving mine for joint health yet realized how great it was for creating healthy, strong feet! It contains the building blocks for good skin, hair and hoof growth. You can read about it here. And if you'd like more information on the basic nutrition for your horse's needs, check out the guide I made up here.
Next you’ll want to make sure you’re encouraging your horses to move in their home environment. The hoof is a blood pumping mechanism who’s purpose is to expand and contract to pump blood back through the rest of the body. The simple act of spreading hay into multiple piles in their environment will encourage them to move and eat. Putting up a series of hay bag stations around their space will offer the same benefit as well. By incorporating this simple feature you will be encouraging the growth of healthier, stronger hooves as well as supporting a healthy digestive system! Include, in some high travel areas, abrasive terrain to help stimulate and condition the foot to grow a more dense sole and create go-anywhere hooves!
Maintaining a regular trimming cycle for your horse’s rate of growth is crucial to going barefoot. The cycle can vary depending upon your horse’s nutrition and even the amount of wear their hooves get. In some environments horses can self- maintain their hooves! For many though setting up a 4-6 week schedule to maintain a healthy foot is a good guideline. Finding a good barefoot trimmer is helpful or if you are so inclined, you can learn to do the trimming for yourself. With the help of your trimmer checking in on you, it is possible for you to learn to use a rasp and knife to maintain your horse’s hoof walls and bars. Of course there is some learning that needs to happen first and practice with guidance. Taking an active role with your trimmer right now can set you on that path. Asking questions, paying attention at your trimming sessions and in general being curious about your horse’s feet. If trimming your own horses is something you’d like to pursue, I have a go at your own pace course along with a FB support group for any help you might need. Get the course here.
Lastly, your horse will most likely need some sort of padded hoof boot protection for a period of time. This time will vary for each horse. The factors I talked about above and how well you have incorporated them into your horse’s lifestyle will have a great impact on this. Having been an Easy Care dealer when I had my practice, I am partial to them. However, the important thing here is finding a boot that fits and will stay on well while your horse is out with his herd. Boots need to be taken off daily to give the foot time to “breathe” and to check for rub spots or any other possible discomfort. Utilizing boots to protect your horses hoof and reduce any potential pain in this process will significantly impact their transition time.
Are you interested in learning more about transitioning your horse out of shoes, nutrition, booting or living a healthy, holistic lifestyle? Maybe you'd like to check out a free workshop on hooves? Its all in here... The Hearts Of Horses; Empowering Through Holistic Care
