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Warning: Do Not Buy A Horse From Anyone Unless He Or She Is A Horse Breeder

Monday, October 1st, 2007

Aren’t horses awesome animals? It seems they have been with us humans since the beginning of time assisting us with work and chores, we’ve been using them for recreation as well as entertainment purposes and yes, even for food. Before there were cars we used them for transportation purposes, be it on the roads but even on our waterways.

It is no wonder why so many people love horses: smart beings that they are and able to give mankind a great deal of commitment and allegiance. The decision to get a horse is a very easy one to take. The question then remains: where to go to find this very first horse? Undoubtedly the answer would have to be the horse breeders.

Horse breeders are the best place to buy your horse

In order to become and stay a horse breeder you have to love horses. There is much work involved in the breeding of horses, looking after their well being and grooming needs and without the love no one lasts long in the horse breeding business. Even if you are no rookie with horses and have been around them for some time you can still learn a lot from these horse breeders. These professionals handle their horses every day and are well acquainted with the daily matters and troubles.

A good horse breeder will help you with identifying horses and identifying what horse breed is best for your needs; do you want a racing horse or is it just for some riding delight? Horse breeders can tell the age of a horse by examining their teeth, but they can also advise you on the necessary equipment depending on your needs. Not every horse breed is suitable for every human personality and even within a certain breed horses, just as us humans are unique. Horse breeders can match you to the perfect horse for your personality.

Since the horse breeder knows the horse he is selling to you, you can always fall back on his knowledge and expertise in case something happens. His advice can be priceless since he does not have to guess: he knows his horses from the birth on and has raised them, knowing their little perks and habits. Horse breeders are also the best people to talk to for questions about feeding, grooming, exercising and maintaining your horse.

How to find a Horse Breeding Farm

To start with you could do a search online to find a horse breeding ranch near you, there are plenty of them around in the US. Do not buy a horse online though: you need to see the horse first. Good horse breeders won’t even let you buy online and insist that you examine the horses in person. That way you can take the horse for a test ride and find out if the horse has the qualities you are looking for. Depending on your desiderata the horse will have to own certain characteristics.

A word of warning

Buying a living thing, be it a horse or a cat or dog brings about a lot of responsibilities. Even more so in the case of a horse: they need open spaces not only for you to ride them but also for them to roam about.

Frank Rom runs and operates an information site about owning, training and buying horses.

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Horse Breeds- A Variety of Useful Horse Types Developed

Friday, August 17th, 2007

The planned mating of horses that is directed by humans has given rise to a number of special breeds of horses. Breeders, the persons who help facilitate healthy horse breeding, seek to bring about an enhancement in the physical performance abilities of the offspring or foal even more than improving their appearance. This matching of ‘form to function’ is a successful means of development of different healthy and (functionally) superior breeds.

People from all over the world have owned horses for various reasons. This is just the reason why various breeds of horses had been developed over the years to provide improved efficiency at particular tasks. Horses can now be classified into three main categories- pony, light and heavy. There can, however, be created further subcategories like draft horses, gaited horses and warmbloods.

It is by learning about these various breeds that an idea can be formed on the kind of horse best suited for a situation and a particular type of work. Some horses are best suited for children to ride on them while some are right for the whole family’s riding purpose. Again, some other horses may be appropriate for racing- the race horses while some others may prove to be helpful on the ranch.

There are a number of popular breeds of ponies the smallest among which is the Shetland pony which is given to children as their first horse to ride on. For older children the Connemara pony is recommended. This being larger than the Shetland is suitable for older children. The Welsh pony little larger than the Connemara is a good breed of horse for young adults and young teens to ride on.

Among the light breeds of horses feature the Miniature Horses. Though this may seem like a pony but it is not actually one. It does not have the characteristics of the pony. This horse serves as a companion for children and also acts as a guide for the disabled. The adored Arabian horses also come into the category of light horses. These are attractive, loving, graceful and speedy horses. The Arabian horse is perceived to be a perfect breed. Not only does it possess the required speed and endurance for racing but it also has got a kind and noble disposition.

The popular light breed horse Thoroughbred is a descendant of the Arabian horse. This being a fast horse is well suited for racing purposes. For ranching a Quarter Horse, an American breed, is most appropriate. The Morgan Horse, a family friendly and hardworking horse is another smaller but useful horse.

Besides these there are also the heavy breeds or heavy horses which include the draft horses or the horses that were used in battle at a time. The Percheron is a small and powerful heavy horse which is easier to train while the attractive Clydesdale is the most famous of the draft horses which were bred to work on farms or pull carts and wagons.

Tania Penwell is a professional author who writes for All Horses, where you can find information on horse breeds, horse pictures, and more.

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Healthy Measurements For Avoiding GERD

Monday, June 25th, 2007

For more than 18 000 adults and children who have GERD Mayo Clinic has improved the treatment.By using a team approach Mayo specialized in the medical endoscopic and surgical treatment of GERD.A treatment team for GERD is composed by an gastroenterologist,chest (thoracic) surgeon, pulmonary specialist, ear nose and throat (ENT) specialist and radiologist.

For treating children, pediatric specialists are indicated.Leading-edge research are conducted by a team of specialists.In screening and diagnostic Mayo offers the most performed services for GERD.Esophagoscopy, barium swallow, cardiac evaluation, esophageal manometry and esophageal pH monitoring are tests given to the patients.Also for diagnose GERD Mayo is used.

The most appropriate approach for there patients Mayo Clinic is an important one.Treatments include medication, endoscopic treatment or surgery.Treatments like sewing, burning or injections are approved by the Mayo Clinic.The endoscopic treatments are investigated by the Mayo physicians.For the repair the hiatal hernia laparoscopic surgery is used.

In a given condition in which stomach acids or bile salts back into the esophagus producing a burning sensation behind a breastbone and esophageal irritation or inflammation it is in case of GERD, also known as acid reflux.The acid is transported to the stomach by a circular band of muscle called esophageal sphincter (LES).The heartburn is caused by the stomach acid.The sensation of heartburn can be exacerbated by the presence of a hiatal hernia.

About 17 millions Americans suffer at heartburn and other symptoms of GERD.In many cases people can be treated with a proper combination of lifestyle, changes and medication and in others a surgical intervention is necessary to eliminate the symptoms and to prevent damages to the esophagus.

For more resources about acid reflux or especially about acid reflux diet please click this link http://www.acid-reflux-info-guide.com/acid-reflux-diet.htm

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Winter Care For Horses

Tuesday, April 3rd, 2007

Special horse care for the cold weather season usually starts in early November We here in eastern Canada (Saint-Lazare, Quebec) were pretty lucky with winter up until a few weeks ago (January 2007). Except for the missing leaves on the trees, riding conditions were similar to those in early fall.

Alas, winter is back, and with it come certain concerns on how to keep our equine companions in top shape.

Some experts in horse care say that a horse has to be exercised the same in winter as in summer. (These experts probably have never experienced real winter conditions)

Icy weather conditions in many cases makes it an impossible task without an indoor arena.

But the cold damp and dusty atmosphere of most arenas are also detrimental to the health of the horse.

Maintain a baseline of physical fitness by riding outside three times a week for an hour at a walk and trot.

a well exercised horse needs to be cooled out thoroughly then brushed to stand the hair up again before turning them back out.

Fluffy hair traps air and keeps the horse warm; hair plastered down flat or wet lets body heat escape.

Check the sole for bruising that may occur on the hard ground and ice.

Many of the abscesses that develop in early spring can be attributed to undiagnosed bruises that started in winter.

Water intake for horses in the winter is also a problem.

Much of the time a horse will not drink as much water if it is too cold.

The best method to keep a horse hydrated is to supply a heated water bucket.

A heated water bucket is akin to a warm cup of tea.

Dehydration (lack of water) is the number one cause of impaction colic in horses.

Another idea for coddling your horse in the winter is to prepare it a nice hot homemade meal.
One example of a warm meal that can be offered to horses at least once a week is bran mash.
Horses will love this. It consists of bran sweet feed, chopped apples, sliced carrots, and molasses. For more recipes click http://www.livingwithhorses.com/horse-treat-recipe.html

Keep your horse supplied with free choice quality hay outside. A horse needs to keep eating to produce enough body heat to stay warm in winter. Besides, eating is more fun than standing out there in the cold with nothing to do.

Access to a draft free run in shelter is very important. If a horse stays outside all winter place an ample amount of straw or shavings on the floor of the shelter. This will encourage the horse to lie down and have a more restful sleep.

The website http://www.livingwithhorses.com was born a year after we moved to our equestrian property. The first year taught us so much about what we did not know that I felt there must be others out there crazy enough to jump into a new life with little experience. Sharing my experiences as well collecting information the novice horse owner, stable manager and new rancher need to make life easier.

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Owning a Horse is Time Consuming

Saturday, February 17th, 2007

Every little girls wants to have a horse or a pony of her own. Of course the time commitment is huge and time consuming. If your daughter wants a horse and you are not involved in the local equestrian community, then you need to get involved and learn a lot more about it first. The costs to owning a horse are not a mild commitment either.

Horses eat a lot, wouldn’t you if you were that large? Who knows maybe you are and do? Indeed, you need a diet, but a horse needs the food and bulk and they love treats too. Then there are the boarding costs and that is not cheap at all. Horses must be ridden and exercised and if one does not have time, often someone else must be paid to do so.

If you pay someone to take care of your horse and board it, you are talking about some serious money. Owning a Horse is Time Consuming and someone has to get up early and feed it, ride it and take care of it. There are often issues when specialists must be called in also. Horse shoe technicians are not cheap and vets are outrageously expensive if your horse gets sick and they do too.

Owning a horse is a serious commitment and you must know what you are getting into before you buy one. I certainly hope this article is of interest and that is has propelled thought. The goal is simple; to help you in your quest to be the best in 2007. I thank you for reading my many articles on diverse subjects, which interest you.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

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Book Review - The Treasure of Khan by Clive Cussler

Saturday, January 6th, 2007

The Treasure of Khan is the second Clive Cussler novel that I have read of late. The first was “Black Wind,” a novel that I found mildly entertaining. So, I guess what I was doing here was either confirming my opinion of Mr. Cussler or giving him a second chance.

Yes. I was giving Mr Cussler a second chance to hook me with his leading character Dirk Pitt. I don’t know how others feel but for me, it’s the characters rather than the actual story itself - though it is a bonus when the story is a ripping yarn too.

The Treasure of Khan starts in Hakata Bay, Japan in 1281 AD. From there, pretty much it goes like a James Bond novel - all over the place. We get to visit Siberia, Russia, China, Hawaii, Mongolia and even the mythical Xanadu. Most of the action is in Mongolia - a place where all the names have as many vowels as consonants. For example, the capital Ulaanbaatar. Is that a mouthful, or what?

In Mongolia we meet the evil descendant of Genghis Khan and Kublai Khan. Through a means that I will not discuss so I don’t spoil it for intending readers this bad guy (like - what else could he be with an ancestry like that?) is using priceless treasures from Great, Great, Great (add ten more “Greats”) Grand-pappy Genghis to fund a method of oil exploration. He hits the jackpot and expects to make an even bigger fortune by selling the oil to the Chinese who are desperate for it - thanks to a few other things that he organizes along the way.

I noticed in the previous novel that Clive Cussler gave his own name a little cameo appearance. He does so again in this novel. I actually like this idea. It’s nothing much more than a fleeting mention but it is cleverly done. It’s a bit Hitchcockish.

One other thing that I couldn’t help but notice was several references to AK-74 assault rifles. I don’t know who proof-reads Mr Cussler’s drafts but I think they missed that. Surely, he meant AK-47 assault rifles - every half-decent terrorist’s weapon of choice. There are other errors as well, such as:

“Like an oasis nourishing a heard of thirsty camels…”

You won’t get a prize off me for picking the obvious error in the nine words quoted verbatim above. Hmm, maybe I am just way too picky!

Then there was the incredibly UN-believable fight scene between the 20 year-old bikini clad Summer Pitt (our hero Dirk’s daughter) and a mean, heavyweight, evil thug more than twice her age and twice her weight. Cussler’s description of the so-called techniques used in that encounter made me cringe (Side bar: I have 36 years’ experience in these matters). There is just NO WAY on God’s green earth that it could happen. Utterly ridiculous.

All in all I found the story limped along, the characters were fairly ordinary and the situations rather extra-ordinary. I don’t think I will bother reading any more of Clive’s books. The characters are just too woody for me. And Cussler gallops from country to country more often than I make visits to the corner shop.

The Treasure of Khan gets a pass mark but only just - 5.5 out of 10. I was going to mark it a 5.0 but I did learn a few interesting things about seismology, specifically the term seiche wave. For anyone interested it is the freshwater lake equivalent of the ocean’s tsunami and it is smaller in size.

See? You can still learn things from books that you don’t particularly like.

Brought to you by: Gary Simpson’s http://www.MotivationSelfEsteem.com/Zenspiration.html website where you can receive motivating “Zenspirational Thoughts” plus an immediate FREE copy of the highly acclaimed, life-changing e-book “The Power of Choice.” Here you will also be able to get your password for the “Wealthy Minds” Newsletter which will give you access to the MEMBERS’ ONLY area of the http://www.turn-debt-into-wealth.com website.

Gary Simpson is the author of nine books covering a diverse range of subjects such as motivation, self esteem, affirmations, self defense, wealth creation and much more. His many motivation and success articles appear all over the web.

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Stretch Your Carpet The Right Way – An Important Step For Keeping Beautiful Carpets

Thursday, January 4th, 2007

Don’t you just hate it when you trip over the wrinkles in your carpet? Such wrinkles or loose carpeting comes about over time, when various activities contribute to loosen the carpet from the moorings at the edges. When a carpet is first installed, it will be properly installed and secured at the edges with tacks to keep it in place. But with constant wear and tear, such as dragging heavy furniture across the carpet, vacuuming that pulls at the carpet constantly, it can loosen the carpet somewhat.

In order to remove the wrinkles from your carpet, all you would need to do is to perform a simple carpet stretching procedure and your carpet will be back to looking as new in no time. Of course, it is always best to engage professional help as there are technical issues involved: such as moving the heavy furniture away before the tacks can even be taken out.

The entire procedure is relatively painless and fuss free, usually taking less than an hour to complete, although the size of your room would have to be a consideration as well. Do remember that for the carpet to be stretched, it tends to require more than one sole person attempting to do all the manual work, so starting the job all by yourself is usually not advisable.

The cost for stretching a carpet would cost approximately $0.50 cents a square foot or more depending in the size and quality of your carpet. The general rule of thumb is that thicker carpets require far more strength and labor to be stretched and thus the cost will be proportionately higher. Should your carpet require trimming, the professional team will also handle it as well.

How would you know when you need to stretch your carpet? A simple test can be conducted. The simplest way is to try and pull at the centre of the carpet and if it is possible, to hold if for a couple of minutes before releasing it. Should it bounce back neatly and tightly in place, chances are, you do not need to call in professional aid for carpet stretching.

However, when the carpet does not return to its original elasticity and forms wrinkles instead, it is time for your carpet to be stretched. Another method is to monitor the condition of your carpet whenever you vacuum it. Should there be wrinkles forming whenever your are vacuuming, it is a sure sign that your carpet needs stretching.

For those who still think that they are up to the job of stretching the carpets themselves, there are some guidelines to follow to ensure that the procedure is as painless as possible. Do ensure that there are more than two people to render help. It would be best if someone in the group has a talent for carpentry as the tacks would need to be first removed and then replaced.

At times, the carpet might need trimming and a steady hand would come in useful for the task. Of course, manual labor is needed as all the heavy furniture must first be shifted away before the carpet stretching can commence, and that is the laborious part!

Moses Wright is a webmaster of many sites. He offers more useful information on Carpet Choosing , Carpet Cleaning and
Carpet Cleaning Company that you can find online on his website. You can reprint this article if you keep the content and live link intact.

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Taking the ‘Frenzy’ Out of Feeding Time

Tuesday, October 24th, 2006

Horses are natural grazers. They would like nothing better than to stand around the pasture, alternating grazing and napping, 24/7. It’s what they are born to do. So in the winter months when grazing isn’t an option, it’s no wonder they get a little over-excited and rambunctious at feeding time. But it doesn’t have to get out of control.

Defending your personal space at feeding time, and demanding your horses are respectful, is simply a matter of safety. If you’ve ever carried a grain bucket or a bale of hay into a pasture and found yourself in the middle of 8 horses fighting over the food you know what I’m talking about. Teaching your horses to respect your space at feeding time isn’t difficult, and could save you a trip to the emergency room.

My Space Is Not Your Space
In my pasture and barn our horses are not allowed to get within 4 feet of me when I’m carrying hay or grain. And, they must stand at the back of their stalls before I’ll put grain in their buckets. It’s just that simple - they want food, they need to back off. So, how do I get them to cooperate?

I never enter the pasture with food without having a training stick and string. As the horses approach me, I hold up the stick up in the air. They have the choice at that point to stay out of striking distance or get tagged. I slap the ground in front of them before they enter my space to give them an extra warning. If they continue into my space, they get tagged. After several days of being consistent with the consequence of entering into your space, most horses will get the idea and stand back until you get out of the way.

Mmmmm…. Grain…..
I use a similar technique when graining my horses in their stalls. I ask them to go to the back of the stall and don’t put the grain in their buckets until they are standing quietly in the back of the stall. This takes patience. You have to be consistent and not allow your horse to rush the grain bucket while you are pouring in the grain. Be willing to stop, step back and ask them to go to the back of the stall until they can stand quietly. If you’re consistent for 4-5 days, soon your horses will go the back of the stall as soon as they see you coming.

Feeding time at our farm has gone from ‘every man for himself’ to a controlled, safe event. Most of the time, our horses don’t even attempt to approach their hay or grain until we walk away. Take the time to teach your horses respect and politeness at feeding time - you’ll be so glad you did.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Stacey Christiansen runs a natural horse boarding and learning center in Delhi, Iowa, which provides articles and resources from training tips to technical help about setting up your own horse website. Sign up for her newsletter at http://www.DelhiEquestrianCenter.com and get a FREE horse care guide.

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Laminitis - The Hidden Danger Of Pasture

Thursday, May 11th, 2006

Springtime. A collective sigh of relief goes up around the country as horses can spend more time turned out. But beware. With the surge of grass growth comes an increased risk of laminitis.

Acute laminitis should be treated as an emergency. Within only a few hours the disease can cause permanent damage to the feet. So, if you think your pony has laminitis, ring the vet straight away. The sooner treatment can be started, the better the chance of limiting the damage.

What are the signs of acute laminitis? Often the first indication is that the pony spends more time standing still in the field. He is reluctant to move, often leaning backwards to take his weight of his front feet.

Obviously it is much better to prevent your pony getting laminitis in the first place. Recently the mechanisms behind pasture -associated laminitis have become a little clearer. But the full story is still not completely understood.

The main culprits appear to be fructans, large carbohydrate molecules used by the grass for storing energy. Horses can not digest fructans. So they pass into the hindgut unchanged, where they are rapidly fermented by bacteria. The gut contents become more acidic, disturbing the balance of bacteria and micro-organisms.

Bacteria that can survive under the acidic conditions increase dramatically in number; those that cannot, die. Potent chemicals are released, which may trigger the laminitis.

So, to reduce the risk of laminitis it is important to limit the intake of fructans. The fructan content of the pasture is influenced by factors such as the amount of sunlight, temperature and stage of growth. Fructans are found in significantly greater amounts in the stem than in the leaves. The amount of fructans present in the grass also varies during the day. Generally there is less at night and early in the morning.

Certain grasses, such as timothy, tend to have larger fructan molecules. These may be fermented more slowly in the hindgut and so may be safer than other grasses.

Some horses and ponies are more susceptible than others to the condition. One pony may be able to gorge himself without developing lamintis; another may go down with the disease at the first taste of grass. Recent research has found a way of identifying those ponies that are likely to develop laminitis. All that is needed is the pony’s condition score, and a simple blood sample. Ask your vet for details (or see http://www.equinescienceupdate.co.uk/plms.htm). There is also some convincing evidence that ponies with laminitis are more likely to come from mares that have themselves had laminitis.

Identifying susceptible ponies allows them to be managed with special care. This may reduce the risk of them developing laminitis.

So what can you do to reduce the risk of laminitis?

Restrict grazing in spring and autumn when the fructan and water soluble carbohydrate levels are high.
Turn horses onto pasture late at night and bring them in before mid-morning, so they are grazing when the fructan content is likely to be lowest.
If you can, choose pasture that is regularly grazed or cut (the grass stems tend to have high fructan content) and contains species such as timothy that produce lower levels of fructans.
Don’t use stubble grazing (i.e. after it has been cut for hay) - because the stems are likely to have a high fructan content.
Don’t turn horses onto pasture that has been exposed to frost and bright sunlight. (The sunlight produces energy, which the grass cannot use for growth because of the cold, and so it is stored as fructan).
Consider using a muzzle to prevent the pony eating too much. Or, if you really cannot control the grass intake any other way, keep the pony in the stable and feed hay with a vitamin/mineral supplement.

Remember that it is so much better to take steps now to prevent laminitis occurring, than to have to treat your horse or pony for this painful disease.

Copyright 2007 by Mark Andrews / Equine Science Update. This article may be freely used by newsletters and web sites without permission as long as the copyright notice, links and contact information remain unchanged. Mark Andrews, an experienced equine veterinarian, is author of The Foaling Guide, (http://www.thefoalingguide.com) and publisher of Equine Science Update. For the latest information in equine science, subscribe to the free newsletter from Equine Science Update. (http://www.equinescienceupdate.co.uk)

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Golf Putting Drill To Make More Short Putts During Your Round

Thursday, March 9th, 2006

The dreaded 4 to 5 foot putt. Do you drain many of these during a round? If not, you are in need of a golf putting drill…or two to improve this. Making this distance putt can save many pars and shave strokes off your score. It’s worth it to incorporate some golf putting drills into your practice sessions.

Golf Putting Drill

When it comes to drills, they can get boring real quick. The solution to that is to make them fun! Change them up, and don’t do any one drill for over 10-15 minutes. This will help avoid boredom and keep you doing them to see improvement on the course where it counts.

Make sure the drill is specific to your putting weakness. If it’s long putts, do more distance-type drills. If it’s short putts, do more putts within 3-5 feet. Either way…you’ve got to gear it to YOUR golf putting needs. You will avoid wasting a huge amount of time and effort taking this approach.

Short Putting Drill

There are many different types of short putting drills…just make sure whatever one you do, you see improvement fairly quickly. Short putts are more of a condifence and focus issue than they are an ability issue. As you stick with your drills, you’re confidence and concentration will go up. You will then start making more and more of these putts…shaving a handful of strokes off your score quickly!

Consistency = Results

You’ve heard this a thousand times, but it is true in everything in life! If you are consistent with your putting drills…success will happen! It won’t take long at all to see more short putts being made. As you make a few, you’re condifence will soar…and you’ll be making even more. End result is a much LOWER golf score!

Just remember…a golf putting drill can make or break your overall golf improvement!

About The Author: Curt Smith is an avid golfer, who has spent a lot of money on golf instruction, videos, schools and more. He is passionate to help the average golfer. For more golf putting instruction information, visit his golf instruction guide site today!

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