Pet-Safe Holiday Decorations

Cover Your Tree Stand: Dogs and cats alike seem to be irresistibly drawn to the standing water in Christmas tree stands. Since this is a breeding ground for bacteria, you really want to discourage your pets from drinking out of this particular water bowl. Covering stand with an attractive Christmas tree skirt will add a decorative feel to the tree, while preventing your pets from drinking the standing water.

Pet-Safe Holiday Decorations

1) Create Pet-Friendly Scents: I love the smell of cinnamon, apple cider, and cookies baking. And many of my friends re-create that scent this time of year with deliciously scented potpourri and candles. Unfortunately, potpourri and candles are hazardous to pets. Potpourri can be toxic if eaten by a curious animal, and birds and cats alike find it hard to resist a flickering candle. Along with the risk of your pet singeing herself, an unattended burning candle can prove to be a fire hazard if knocked over by a rambunctious pet.

Instead of using potentially toxic substances, recreate those same scents with pet-friendly items. Baking a batch of holidaydog cookies for example will fill the air with the same delicious scent as human cookies, and Fido can share in the treat (since I have a tendency to eat the batter before I ever get to the baking part when I’m making human cookies, my waistline thanks me greatly whenever I choose to bake cookies for the dog instead).

You can also create simple, inexpensive, and attractive centerpieces of oranges and cloves to fill a room with a delicious scent. DIY Life offers some great tips on making these simple and inexpensive centerpieces.

Couch potato

I am often asked if greyhounds need a lot of space for running. They do enjoy running in an enclosed area, but we never allow them to be offleash outside. The sight of a bunny or ..... would be too tempting to resist and off they would go. In no time, they could be in the next county wondering where they are, when they gave up the chase. Most of their time is spent on the couch, earning their reputation of "couch potatoes".

animals are good for your health:

http://www.everydayhealth.com/blogs/healthy-aging-and-me/animals-are-good-for-your-health

Compulsive Behavior in Horses

From ASPCA:

Compulsive Behavior in Horses

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The term stereotypy describes a sequence of behaviors that’s repeated over and over with no apparent function. Stereotypies occur in all types of animals who live in the care of people. Because stereotypies become increasingly fixed—the behavior sequences all begin to look exactly alike—and because they take up more and more of an animal’s time, they can interfere with other aspects of an animal’s life.

Without treatment or management, stereotypies in horses can lead to health problems, damage to the stable area and a great deal of distress for the horse’s guardian. Most equine stereotypies develop when horses are stabled or kept where they can’t interact socially on a regular basis with other horses or don’t get enough exercise or grazing opportunities. However, studies show that horses sometimes develop stereotypies even when they live in a pasture with other horses. Also, once a horse develops a stereotypy—for whatever reason—she will continue to do it even after the original problem has been dealt with. The behavior is particularly likely to resurface if the horse is stressed—even in a small way, such as having to wait an extra few minutes for a meal.

Equine stereotypies are categorized by a horse’s actions. The following is a short list by category:

Oral Stereotypies

• Cribbing - Horses who crib place their upper teeth on a stationary object—such as the feed bin, their stall door or a fence board—and then arch their necks, pull a big gulp of air into their upper throat and abruptly release the air with a grunt. Approximately 4% of adult horses crib. Wind-sucking is similar to cribbing, but the horse doesn’t use a stationary object to steady herself when she takes the air back into her throat.
• Wood-Chewing - Horses who chew wood nibble on any available wood surface. Many people confuse wood-chewing with cribbing—probably because both cause damage to the horse’s stall—but horses who wood-chew don’t grab the wood with their teeth, pull back and grunt as do horses who crib. Approximately 12% of adult horses wood-chew.

Locomotor Stereotypies

• Weaving - Horses who weave rock back and forth against or in front of their stall doors or stall walls. If prevented from weaving against the stall door, they’ll weave wherever they are standing. Approximately 3% of adult horses weave.
• Head-Bobbing - Horses who head-bob stand relatively still and bob their heads up and down repeatedly.
• Head-Weaving - Horses who head-weave stand still and repeatedly swing their heads from side to side. Similar to head-bobbing and head-weaving are head-shaking and head-nodding. Shaking and nodding can develop because of inadequate stimulation, but they can also be the result of improper bit fit or other problems associated with the horse’s mouth, or flying insects around the horse’s face.
• Stallwalking or Circling - Stallwalking horses usually pace back and forth close to the front of their stalls, although some circle continuously around the entire stall. Approximately 2% of adult horses stallwalk.

Self-Mutilation

• Self-Biting - Self-biting, sometimes referred to as “flank-biting,” describes repeated biting by horses at their flanks, legs or tail, or at the sides of their body and their lower shoulder blade area. Horses are very flexible and can bite at flies and other pests, of course, but horses who self-bite do so over and over when there is nothing touching their skin.
• Wall-Kicking - Wall-kicking is common in horses, particularly at feeding times, but this behavior can develop into a stereotypy that occurs in the absence of specific triggers.

Comparing Stereotypies to Other Types of Behavior

Certain characteristics are associated, sometimes mistakenly, with stereotypical behavior. The following sections look at some facts and assumptions about these characteristics.

Horses with Stereotypies Are Persistent

Studies suggest that, compared to horses without stereotypies, horses with stereotypies have less self control and are more likely to persist in doing the same thing even when it doesn’t get them what they want. Studies also show they might have more trouble than other horses learning new things, but this is usually because they persist with an old response rather than trying something new.

Stereotypies Might Be an Addiction

Some horse stereotypies, particularly cribbing, cause a release of endorphins, the brain’s natural opiate. The release of endorphins is the body’s way of reducing pain, but endorphins can also cause a general feeling of well-being. This release of endorphins may maintain cribbing behavior with a horse similar to how an addiction is maintained in a person.

Are Stereotypies a Vice?

Some people refer to horse stereotypies as “stable vices.” However, most experts discourage the use of the term vice because it implies that a horse is being unruly or has some diabolical intent for engaging in the behavior.

Are Stereotypies an Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior?

Stereotypies are also often referred to as obsessive-compulsive behavior. Referring to stereotypies in horses as an obsessive-compulsive behavior also is not supported by some experts. This hesitancy is based on the fact that, in humans, obsessive-compulsive disorder is a diagnosis that suggests a cognitive component—particularly with regard to obsession—a component that can’t be assumed when assessing equine stereotypies. Labeling equine stereotypies as obsessive-compulsive implies that they all share a common cause and will benefit from the same treatment, which is not the case.

Causes

Insufficient Grazing

Given the opportunity, horses will graze almost continually. Pastured horses spend about 8 to 12 hours a day grazing. Most scientists believe horses require this amount of grazing time not to satisfy nutritional needs—something that can be achieved through grain supplements—but to satisfy their behavioral needs. Unfortunately, stabled horses can’t be provided continuous daily grazing time, either for management reasons or because it isn’t practical or safe to do so. In the usual stable situation, where horses are given a morning and evening feeding of hay and grain, stabled horses spend approximately 15% of their time eating. This drastic difference between their natural behavior and their stabled behavior is thought to be very stressful for horses and one reason for the development of stereotypies. .

Limited Social Exposure to Other Horses

Horses are a social species, and a horse’s natural desire to be with other horses is very strong. Studies show that horses who have limited social contact with other horses, especially limited visual contact, engage in more stereotypies than horses who socialize regularly with other horses.

Excess Energy

As might be expected, horses with high energy levels, such as thoroughbreds and warm-blood breeds, engage in stereotypies more than other breeds of horses. It has been estimated that as many as 10% of racing thoroughbreds exhibit stereotypies, and most stereotypies remain when a horse is taken in as a companion following her racing career.

High-Concentrate Feed

Racing thoroughbreds are weaned relatively early in their lives, and some experts think the stress of early weaning might contribute to the development of stereotypies. However, one study of thoroughbred horses in the United Kingdom suggests cribbing might be influenced not by early weaning, but by the feed the foals eat. This study found that some foals began cribbing at the age of 20 weeks while they were still out in the pasture with their dams. These foals all had access to their dams’ concentrate feeds. Many experts now believe the high-concentrate foods contributed to the cribbing rather than the early weaning. High-concentrate feed can increase stomach acid, and cribbing might somehow reduce this acid.

Low Fiber

Scientists who observe stabled horses during the day find that horses engage in stereotypies more often in the afternoon than in the morning. In one study, horses received less hay in the afternoon meal, and this finding might indicate that reduced fiber contributes to stereotypies. However, fiber content versus amount of time grazing was not evaluated.

Genetics

Horse owners have long noticed that some families of horses are more prone to developing stereotypies than others. Recent studies in the United Kingdom of captive Przewalski horses support this observation, because although all the horses had the same care, some families of Przewalski horses had more stereotypies than others. However, it’s important to note that genetics don’t cause stereotypies, they simply increase the likelihood that certain stressors will produce stereotypies in certain families of horses.

Frustration

Frustration and stress are the two factors most likely to produce stereotypies in horses. Studies show that, in general, horses with stereotypies have higher levels of stress hormones than their stable mates, even when they aren’t practicing their stereotypy. Some experts suggest stereotypies might simply reflect overall frustration caused by such things as training and riding styles that are confusing for the horse. But most experts agree that the frustration is related to the horse’s feeding, social and leisure-time activities. In an evaluation to determine whether increasing the number of meals a horse eats might decrease stereotypies, half of the horses in a large stable were fed their normal ration of concentrate divided between two, four or six equally sized meals while the other horses continued to eat two meals per day. Oral stereotypies such as cribbing, wind-sucking and wood-chewing decreased as the number of meals increased, but weaving and nodding prior to feeding increased. At the same time, the horses who weren’t given more meals also showed increased weaving and nodding and an increase in oral stereotypies as their stable buddies received their extra meals. This tells us that frustration is a key trigger for stereotypies.

Consider Other Possible Causes of Your Horse’s Behavior

Photic Headshaking

Recent studies have found that some headshaking in horses is actually induced by bright light. The disorder is likely similar to photic sneezing in people (sun sneezing) and is more common in the spring than during other times of the year. Light—and sometimes sharp sounds as well—appear to over-stimulate the cranial nerve responsible for sensation in the face, resulting in the horse experiencing an uncomfortable stinging or pricking sensation in her nasal cavities.

The photic headshake is a relatively abrupt and violent toss, whereas stereotypic headshaking is rhythmic. Unlike stereotypic headshaking, photic headshaking generally worsens during work and can occur while the horse is trotting or even cantering, and it will stop abruptly when the horse gets back to the darkened barn. Covering their eyes will also stop the shaking. Photic headshaking is also usually accompanied by snorting and attempts by the horse to scratch her head on anything handy, including her foreleg or even the ground.

Injury or Medical Condition

Horses can engage in repetitive behavior or produce unusual movements when they are in pain, or as the result of neurological disorders. If your horse has no history of stereotypic performances and suddenly begins to do things such as head-bobbing, self-biting, foot-stomping or other behaviors that might indicate distress, have your veterinarian come out to your barn to rule out medical causes.

What to Do About Your Horse’s Stereotypic Behavior

Different stereotypies require different changes in a horse’s care to manage. However, as suggested by the causes listed earlier, you can take some general precautions to reduce your horse’s stereotypies:

• Increase the amount of forage to at least 15 pounds per horse per day.
• Use a variety of forage. In addition to your horse’s usual hay, you can feed commercial fiber cubes, whole carrots and other varieties of hay.
• Feed flake hay up to six times per day.
• Bed the stall with straw. Horses generally won’t eat straw, so it is excellent bedding in which to scatter hay and other grasses to increase your horse’s foraging time. Studies have also shown that horses prefer straw to other types of bedding, such as paper or wood chips.
• Feed concentrates from a foraging apparatus, such as an Equiball. This choice is inappropriate for beddings where your horse could ingest sand or other fine particles.
• Exercise your horse regularly. You can help your horse get adequate exercise by regular training, lunging or round pen work. Because stress increases stereotypies, be certain to include casual rides with your horse’s more stressful daily work sessions.
• Provide access to other horses. The best way to do this is to increase pasture turn-out time with other horses because that will also increase forage intake. But simply increasing paddock turn-out time with barn buddies or increasing the number of turn-outs per day can also reduce stereotypies. If barn management or the horse’s monetary value prevents communal turn-out, creative barn adjustments such as installing bars in place of walls between stalls can help. Even increased opportunities to see other horses can help, so leaving the stall door open and installing a stall-guard can help.

Physical Management of Oral Stereotypies and Horse Welfare

Although treatment of any stereotypy begins with providing your horse adequate exercise, foraging opportunities and contact with other horses, management options are available to prevent horses from engaging in oral stereotypies. For instance, wooden fences coated with creosote can deter chewing, cribbing and sucking. An electric wire on the fence will prevent access to the wood. Cribbing and sucking wind can be prevented in some horses through the use of a “cribbing collar.” However, it is important to realize that these practices simply manage (avoid or prevent) the behavior. They do not remove the underlying motivation, and while they might decrease stress in horse guardians, they have been found to increase stress in horses. Studies have shown that stress hormones are highest in horses that perform stereotypies just before they begin to do the stereotypic behavior and lowest just after they’ve done the behavior. This tells us that performance of stereotypic behavior probably reduces stress for the horse. With this in mind, you’ll find it is better to treat stereotypies with changes in your horse’s management—changes that reduce your horse’s frustration levels or diet—rather than by using devices that simply prevent the horse from cribbing or wind-sucking. As mentioned, guardians should consider ways to increase foraging, decrease concentrate feed, increase contact with other horses and increase the amount of time the horse is out of her stall on a regularly basis.

Please see our article on Cribbing for more information on managing cribbing in your horse.

Management of Locomotor Stereotypies

Because almost all locomotor stereotypies are displayed while the horse is stabled, allowing your horse more time out of her stall can greatly decrease these behaviors. Social access to other horses is most important in reducing locomotor stereotypies, and keeping horses in a herd setting on pasture is the best treatment (and prevention). If increasing your horse’s access to other horses isn’t possible or your horse must be stalled for extended periods of time, providing social interaction with other horses in an adjacent stall as described earlier can help you meet her social requirements. Also, daily structured exercise will help ease frustration and boredom. Because horses are very social, they enjoy the company of not only other horses but other animals as well. So if there are no other horses in your barn, you can provide a different companion animal. Ponies and goats are the most common companions for horses because their size reduces the risk that they’ll be stepped on by the horse.

Studies also show that a mirror placed in a horse’s stall that allows her to see her own reflection can reduce locomotor stereotypies. Mirror size should be gauged by the horse’s size, but a mirror approximately 4 ½ feet x 3 feet is standard. For safety, mirrors should be acrylic, and acrylic mirrors made specifically for horses are available commercially. The mirror should be mounted where the horse can see into it at a natural relaxed head height. Avoid hanging the mirror near the feed manger to prevent perceived food competition.

As with oral stereotypies, you cannot always eliminate a locomotor stereotypy by correcting the deficiency. Care should be taken to provide your horse with a highly enriched environment so as to prevent behavior problems.

Autism: How Horses are Helping

Written by L A Pomeroy

After reading Horsepower from Within: How Horses Restore Strength and Spirit in the latest edition of Holistic Horse, you'll want to know more about these amazing horses and individuals: Benny the Autistic Horse Honesty was the unexpected message that (W)hole Horse© trainer, Missy Wryn, received through Benny, a Palomino Paint gelding diagnosed as autistic. Their story began when Wryn was asked to take -- for free -- a 4-H project not working out for its eight year-old owner. “Sure,” she said. “Little did I know that would lead me on a journey of understanding mental illness in horses.” When Wryn went to get Benny, the property’s owner offered, ‘I’ve got a shot gun if you want it’.” Missy knew Benny’s rescue, seven months earlier by the Humane Society, had left a physical toll, including stringhalt and four sunken coffin bones, but this remark hinted at deeper problems. “I started working on foot handling and basic ground manners, but Benny would rear and bite. He would flip out when I took him in-hand for a stroll down the road. One day a neighbor stopped to chat and Benny had a melt down. My neighbor was concerned for my safety. I knew Benny was going to be a challenge and needed time to heal.” Progress was slow. Benny learned to lead more safely, but struggled with boundaries, entering her space without permission, and continuing to bite. “I’d hear his teeth snapping in the air. Whenever I reprimanded him he didn’t seek the comfort of appropriate behavior, as a normal horse would. “This was puzzling. From my trainer’s point of view, horses are fairly predictable and learn that dangerous behavior doesn’t pan out, so they are willing to adopt appropriate behavior to get along with me as herd leader. Benny could not grasp that language or understand herd communication.” A PhD child psychologist diagnosed Benny with autistic behavior; an autistic specialist in Wryn’s school district drew a similar conclusion. She began to understand why his behavior had been so atypical. Benny is now in his late teens and has a barn buddy, Gabe. “Between Gabe and his owner Becky, who is an aromatherapist and Reiki master, Benny has made remarkable strides in normalizing behavior. Gabe is the first horse to consent to mutual grooming with Benny, which encouraged another horse to accept Benny as well. This interaction has been remarkable to witness.” Benny is now displaying more normal horse behaviors, standing quiet and relaxed next to Wryn during clinics “without needing to roll or holler.” He also loves to be ridden to music. “Benny has been my best teacher and mirror,” Missy claims. “Being authentic is one of the biggest lessons he's taught me.” Molly That horses accept us without reproach or guile makes it easier to accept imperfection in others and our selves. The matter-of-fact courage displayed by a three-legged pony named Molly, after Hurricane Katrina, became a healing symbol for scores of Americans. Molly was an abandoned mare, rescued in the wake of Louisiana’s monster hurricane who, in a cruel twist of irony, lost her foreleg in a dog attack while at the shelter. Successfully outfitted with a prosthetic limb, she is now a therapeutic ambassador, offering amputees, veterans, and nursing homes her nonjudgmental, gentle inspiration. “A lot of people I met through Molly never had any expectation of an uplifting experience from a horse,” says Fran Jurga, who recounted the pony’s story on her blog, the Jurga Report. In late 2009, Molly received the Courage Award from the Barbaro Foundation, and will have her own pavilion and title, Official World Equestrian Games Ambassador, when the Kentucky Horse Park hosts the international competition in 2010. Her book, Molly The Pony: A True Story, was adopted by the Shriners’ Library as suggested reading by young trauma victims. “She’s ultra quiet and calm. Molly has brought common people – not just horse lovers – together. Her story teaches diversity and accepting people for who they are. “She does great at schools, but her presence is very powerful at nursing homes. When Molly ‘does her thing’ it can have a very moving effect. She won’t necessarily go to people reaching out to her but will find the least likely candidate, the one who is least communicative, and will insist on getting a response. “She’s amazing. We can’t explain why she picks whom she does, but she is an incredible therapy pony, and has made me more open to the emotional aspects of horses.” Breaking Free of Prison Susan Domizzi, who works with horses and autistic children, has said, “It is wonderful to see children connect with something outside the prison of their mind.” Mental prisons are not the only ones where horses have helped people break free. The Colorado Wild Horse Inmate Program serves a dual healing purpose: giving wild mustangs and incarcerated men hope for a better future. When mustangs from California were taken in by the Mustang Heritage Foundation, as part of a project under the federal Bureau of Land Management to increase adoption of wild horses, inmate Lonnie Aragon, who had served eight years of a 24-year sentence at a Canon City, Colorado, prison for aggravated robbery, was selected for its wild horse program and Trainers Challenge at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. He was paired with a buckskin gelding he named Chance: “Because the horse gave me a second chance. We’ve both been locked up. Wild horses taught me how I cannot go through life kicking and spurring. You have got to stop and think.” After 100 days of training, Aragon and Chance parted company, with the once-wild horse ready for his new role on a ranch or in a family barn. “He will change their life with who he is as a horse, just like he changed mine,” Aragon asserts. At Aragon’s parole hearing, a nearby equestrian center manager who had witnessed the transformation from prisoner to horseman, testified on his behalf. Aragon earned an early release from prison and a job at the center, where he can share his love of horses with his daughter. Good Hope Hard evidence on the healing effects of horses may soon be available, following research conducted by Good Hope Equestrian Training Center in Miami, Florida. In November 2008 it was awarded funding by the Horses and Humans Research Foundation to evaluate the effects of equine interaction on 7- to 12-year-old children diagnosed with autism. “To date,” say the Good Hope team, “there have been few studies that have shown animal-assisted activities benefit the cognitive, psychological, and social domains of individuals with developmental disorders. Equine-assisted activities, a sub-type of animal-assisted programs, have been used to treat populations with physical and mental disabilities. We hypothesize that our group, exposed to 12 weeks of equine-assisted activities, will exhibit improvement in social functioning and attention (and) provide evidence that equine-assisted activities are a viable option in treating children with autism.” Good Hope reports that preliminary results “appear promising” and has observed improvement in the physical, cognitive, social and emotional wellbeing of more than 600 children, youth and adults participating in equine-related programs. “It seems the bonding between horse and participant facilitates a relaxed, emotional shift that promotes self-awareness, confidence, communication and learning. Physically, the horse’s natural gait exactly duplicates the vestibular motion of the human walk – side-to-side, forward, and up-and-down. The horse is a multi-sensory tool that can assist the autistic rider in integrating the senses and better understanding how the body relates to external forces. The non-judgmental feature of the equine creates a bond with another living being, which is especially difficult for autistic children to achieve.” EAGALA The Equine-Assisted Growth and Learning Association founded in 1999 to address the need for resources, education, and professionalism in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) and Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) is often asked, "Why horses?" Because, EAGALA explains, “Horses are like humans in that they are social animals. They have defined roles within herds. They would rather be with their peers. They have distinct personalities and moods. An approach that seems to work with one does not necessarily work with another. At times, they seem stubborn and defiant. They like to have fun. “In other words, horses provide opportunities for metaphorical learning. Using metaphors, in discussion or activity, is an effective technique when working with even the most challenging individuals or groups. “Most importantly, horses mirror exactly what human body language is telling them. Many people will complain, "The horse is stubborn. The horse doesn’t like me," etc. But the lesson to be learned is that, if they change themselves, the horses respond differently. Horses are honest, which makes them powerful messengers.”

Cats, Dogs, Horses - Companion Animals' Importance to Humans

Cats, Dogs, Horses - Companion Animals' Importance to Humans
- By Lisa J. Lehr

While humans are unique in all Creation--in our awareness of self, of time and mortality, and of our responsibility to care for the rest of Creation--companion animals have a place of special importance. Although humans have befriended, benefited, and been benefited by many and varied species over the generations, cats, dogs, and horses stand out in their ability to bond with humans.

A brief history of the domestication of cats

Some experts think the cat was first tamed by 3500 BC. The ancient Egyptians were the first people to keep cats as pets; they also worshipped cats as gods. The goddess Bastet, daughter of the sun god Ra, had a cat's head. The Egyptians loved and worshipped her, and so loved cats. Deceased cats were mummified and given the same kind of burial as human family members.

The ancient Romans, in the conquest of Egypt, brought cats home to Europe. After a period of disfavor during the superstitious Middle Ages, cats were restored to hero status: when rats from Asia brought the Black Plague to Europe, people who had kept cats survived, for their cats killed the rats. Soon cats became protected by law.

In Victorian times, cats were a favorite subject of artists and writers, and were considered part of a happy home. Studies have shown that petting a cat lowers a person’s blood pressure and that elderly people who are able to keep their pets live longer. The healing power of cats is being used to help people in increasingly popular programs in which pets are taken to visit nursing home residents.

...of dogs

Fossil remains suggest that five distinct types of dogs existed by 4500 BC. Illustrations of dogs, dating from the Bronze Age, have been found on walls, tombs, and scrolls throughout the Middle East, Europe, and North America. Often the dogs are pictured hunting alongside their human companions. In ancient Egypt, dogs—like cats—were pampered and revered, and only royalty was allowed to own purebred dogs.

Perhaps humans and canines discovered a potential partnership when dogs would scavenge near humans’ campsites, and the humans learned that the dogs offered protection, as well as help in hunting, in exchange for a share of their food.

Through the ages, dogs have been bred and trained to help people with hunting, herding, sporting, and countless types of work, in addition to companionship.

Since then, dogs have been taught to provide an incredible variety of services to humans. While guide dogs for the blind are not a new thing—a blind Germanic king supposedly had one in 100 BC, and a wall painting in Pompeii depicts a blind man being led by a dog—it was not until after World War I that a systematic school for guide dogs was established. Now we have hearing dogs for the deaf and service dogs who assist disabled people in a variety of ways. As with the nursing home visitors, the animals used in these programs often are rescuees from shelters.

Dogs locate people lost in the wilderness and buried in the wreckage of disasters. They sniff cargo for drugs, guns, bombs, and stowaway snakes; some are being taught to detect cancer in people before it's diagnosed by doctors. There are innumerable stories of dogs who have rescued their people--as well as other dogs and cats--from fire, flood, and human perpetrators of evil.

...and of horses

Archaeological and paleontological evidence indicates that the horse was domesticated about 3000 BC—later than dogs and cats. At first, horses apparently were herded for meat and milk. Later, when people had learned how to cultivate grain and abandoned the nomadic hunting lifestyle, they began to appreciate the horse for its finer qualities.

It would not have been easy to tame the horse for human use. The horse is a skittish animal by nature; its instinct is to panic and flee when someone mounts its back, because that is exactly how predators bring down a horse. Yet, fortunately, humans persisted, eventually earning the horse’s trust. Domestication and training of horses had a profound impact on the peoples of Europe and Asia. Travel became much easier, and people began to explore and conquer.

As society became more civilized, the horse’s job requirements changed from carrying the knight into battle to pulling plows, stagecoaches, mail wagons, and even the first trains. With the invention of the internal combustion engine, the horse’s importance on farms and other workplaces all across America became threatened. Most families were unable to keep such large animals as pets, and untold numbers of work horses, tragically, were slaughtered.

Thankfully, horses, not unlike dogs and cats, are now being recognized for their giftedness in helping humans on a more personal level. Organizations are pairing horses with people—both kids and adults—with special needs, to the benefit of both. Generally, the horses used in therapeutic horseback riding programs are “senior” horses, who otherwise might be put out to pasture (or worse). Individuals with a wide range of physical, mental, and behavioral challenges gain self-esteem and discipline as well as balance, posture, and strength. Further, it has been discovered that a horse’s walking motion closely resembles that of humans, and that riding a horse can stimulate a person’s nervous system to duplicate that motion. A disabled person might actually learn to walk by riding a horse.

People in prison and in programs for troubled youth are often given the job of rehabilitating retired racehorses and abused dogs. These people not only save animals’ lives; they return to the outside world with both career skills and social skills. Companion animals are an invaluable gift to mankind, and Gandhi was right: “The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”

© Lisa J. Lehr 2006

Lisa J. Lehr is a freelance writer and Internet marketer specializing in direct response and marketing collateral. She holds a biology degree and has worked in a variety of fields, including the pharmaceutical industry and teaching, and has a particular interest in health, pets, and conservative issues

Share Your Christmas Memories - Gaylord Hotels

Share Your Christmas Memories - Gaylord Hotels

Christmas Memories Sweepstakes!

Upload your favorite Christmas memory via video, picture or written text and be entered to win our Christmas Memories Sweepstakes! Grand prize winner will receive a 2 night stay at any Gaylord Hotels resort destination in one of our atrium garden rooms, daily breakfast for 2, spa treatments at Relache Spa and roundtrip airfare on Southwest. Share your stories now or click here for rules.

Christmas Memories Sweepstakes!

Upload your favorite Christmas memory via video, picture or written text and be entered to win our Christmas Memories Sweepstakes! Grand prize winner will receive a 2 night stay at any Gaylord Hotels resort destination in one of our atrium garden rooms, daily breakfast for 2, spa treatments at Relache Spa and roundtrip airfare on Southwest. Share your stories now or click here for rules.

Leonardo DiCaprio with his dogs at Malibu

http://teens.aol.com/entertainment/celebrity-petshttp://teens.aol.com/entertainment/celebrity-pets

Leonardo DiCaprio is all about his dogs on a beach in Malibu. We'd take our dogs to Malibu ... if we had millions of dollars to buy a house within 100 miles of it. Still, we do love a guy who likes to play with his dogs.

Natural Horsemanship in 14 days!

Every horse owner has faced it-that difficult moment when you need to put him in the trailer for the first time. Some horses are hard to trailer load no matter what. Learn how to get any horse in a trailer within minutes using a proven technique. Shot live, this video shows Eric Bravo trailer loading a horse no other horse trainer was able to get in the trailer. Desperate and confused, the owner called Eric as a last resort. Eric promised he would get the horse in the trailer in a half-hour-watch as the action unfolds in real time and Eric has the horse in the trailer in almost exactly 30 minutes. http://gentle-horse-training.com/ground-training.html?hop=petschats