Look at those alien eyes!
Never mind, instead look at those beautiful, healthy hounds.
Although we have had some issues with allergies, (Ruby is allergic to chicken,) we have sought out some of the best and most nutritive foods for them and it seems to be paying off, in healthy dogs. Adding fruits and vegetables to their food gives additional antioxidants. Plain yogurt and nut butters add healthy protein and pro-biotics for good digestion. You can read all about that here.
There definitely is a link with good nutrition and good health which brings me to the horses.
There are so many natural supplements available for good horse health. We have been giving Rosie "Mare Magic" for some time now and it seems to make a difference in that little mare. "Mare Magic" is a supplement of dried raspberry leaves that helps to regulate a mare's cycle and thereby her moods. I've been paying quite a bit of money for this supplement because I feel it's worth it... it seems to work on her moods and probably makes her feel physically well too. Of course it never occurred to me, that raspberry leaves are abundant in summer and I can probably make my own "magic." That is until I read that Washashe's Mom has been doing this for a while, with excellent results.
Never mind, instead look at those beautiful, healthy hounds.
Although we have had some issues with allergies, (Ruby is allergic to chicken,) we have sought out some of the best and most nutritive foods for them and it seems to be paying off, in healthy dogs. Adding fruits and vegetables to their food gives additional antioxidants. Plain yogurt and nut butters add healthy protein and pro-biotics for good digestion. You can read all about that here.
There definitely is a link with good nutrition and good health which brings me to the horses.
There are so many natural supplements available for good horse health. We have been giving Rosie "Mare Magic" for some time now and it seems to make a difference in that little mare. "Mare Magic" is a supplement of dried raspberry leaves that helps to regulate a mare's cycle and thereby her moods. I've been paying quite a bit of money for this supplement because I feel it's worth it... it seems to work on her moods and probably makes her feel physically well too. Of course it never occurred to me, that raspberry leaves are abundant in summer and I can probably make my own "magic." That is until I read that Washashe's Mom has been doing this for a while, with excellent results.
And, our horses face many other health issues, physical and emotional, that can also be greatly remedied through the help of homeopathic aids.
Joe Camp, author of "Soul of a Horse," believes in keeping his horses according to a wild horse model. Of course this doesn't mean denying your horse preventative medicines and medical treatment. Instead Joe is talking about feeding your horse a variety of forage for the best nutrition and most of all, allowing your horse to be a horse!
And offering a widely varied forage is an interesting concept.
Wild horses tend to live longer than domesticated horses, and without all the "extra" stuff that our horses receive. A wild horse, unimpeded, could cover an average of 100 mile in a day... foraging all the while. And just thinking of how flora and fauna can change, in the span of just 100 miles, would lead one to believe that wild horses have an incredibly varied diet. Obviously we can't allow our horse to graze over hundreds of miles. We can, however, supplement their diet with a variety of natural grasses and shrubs that they would seek out if the were wild.
Take for example, the raspberry leaves.
We know these are things that our horses seek out on trail rides and now we also know that there are some healing properties to the plant as well.
Certainly there are many more plants out there with healing qualities, with benefits for digestion or mood or antibiotic properties, that we know and some we don't know yet. So, having said that I have become inspired. I will be doing some research on the healing qualities of plants for horses and will be formulating my own supplements this Summer while the harvest is good. In addition to raspberry leaves I want to dry (in my dehydrator) some things with other benefits as well. Herbs to help digestion, to repel bugs and to offer calm and concentration. And I also want to make it palatable without any added sugars that could have the opposite effect of my intended goals.
In essence, I'm gonna conduct a little experiment! Ya'll wanna join?
Let me know what experiences you have, or have had in the past, with using herbs and native grasses in your horse's diet.
Got any suggestions on the best way to dry or preserve?
I'm dieing to know what ya'll think AND I want to hear any victories or failures you encounter along the way!
Joe Camp, author of "Soul of a Horse," believes in keeping his horses according to a wild horse model. Of course this doesn't mean denying your horse preventative medicines and medical treatment. Instead Joe is talking about feeding your horse a variety of forage for the best nutrition and most of all, allowing your horse to be a horse!
And offering a widely varied forage is an interesting concept.
Wild horses tend to live longer than domesticated horses, and without all the "extra" stuff that our horses receive. A wild horse, unimpeded, could cover an average of 100 mile in a day... foraging all the while. And just thinking of how flora and fauna can change, in the span of just 100 miles, would lead one to believe that wild horses have an incredibly varied diet. Obviously we can't allow our horse to graze over hundreds of miles. We can, however, supplement their diet with a variety of natural grasses and shrubs that they would seek out if the were wild.
Take for example, the raspberry leaves.
We know these are things that our horses seek out on trail rides and now we also know that there are some healing properties to the plant as well.
Certainly there are many more plants out there with healing qualities, with benefits for digestion or mood or antibiotic properties, that we know and some we don't know yet. So, having said that I have become inspired. I will be doing some research on the healing qualities of plants for horses and will be formulating my own supplements this Summer while the harvest is good. In addition to raspberry leaves I want to dry (in my dehydrator) some things with other benefits as well. Herbs to help digestion, to repel bugs and to offer calm and concentration. And I also want to make it palatable without any added sugars that could have the opposite effect of my intended goals.
In essence, I'm gonna conduct a little experiment! Ya'll wanna join?
Let me know what experiences you have, or have had in the past, with using herbs and native grasses in your horse's diet.
Got any suggestions on the best way to dry or preserve?
I'm dieing to know what ya'll think AND I want to hear any victories or failures you encounter along the way!
And the same for our canine friends....
Anything, about your hound's diet, that your dieing to share?
I wanna know!
...and so does Ruby!
Anything, about your hound's diet, that your dieing to share?
I wanna know!
...and so does Ruby!
