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BITS N PIECES |
| MURPHY'S HORSE LAW | TRAINING MYTHUNDERSTANDINGS I |
| HORSE TREATMENTS | EQUESTRIAN BEHAVIOUR |
| MEREDITH MANOR | RHYTHM, PULSE & PERCUSSION IN TAPPING TREATMENTS |
| DID YOU KNOW... | |
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MURPHY'S HORSE LAW There is no such thing as a sterile barn cat. No one ever notices how you ride until you fall off. The least useful horse in you barn will eat the most, require shoes every four weeks and need the vet at least once a month. A horse's misbehavior will be in direct proportion to the number of people who are watching. Your favorite tack always gets chewed on, and your new blanket gets torn. Tack you hate will never wear out and blankets you hate cannot be destroyed. Horses you hate cannot be sold and will out live you. Clipper blades will become dull when your horse is half clipped. If you approach within fifty feet of your barn in clean clothes, you will get dirty. The number of horses you own will increase to the number of stalls in your barn. Your barn will fall down without baling twine. Hoof picks always run a way from home. If you fall off, you will land on the site of your most recent injury. If you are winning, quit there is only one way to go. Down! Excuses People Use Why Not To Work Their Horses Just when I though I heard every excuse, someone has another.
So, what is your best excuse? |
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TRAINING MYTHUNDERSTANDINGS I by Ron Meredith Games People Play Close up, horse shows look like serious business. They're certainly business because their economics affect an awful lot of different people in a lot of different ways. For breeders and trainers and show managers and hamburger slingers and farriers and lots of other people, horse shows are a big investment both literally and figuratively. They're certainly serious because look at what a big thing so many people make of them in their lives. Of course winning or not can make a big difference in the value of an individual horse or the ability of a farm to sell horses or lessons or whatever they have. But winning or not can make a big difference in how a lot of people go home feeling about themselves. Horse shows are a big ego thing. If you win you feel pretty positive about yourself and your horse. You feel like you must be doing something right and you especially like the part that someone else--the judge--thinks so, too. (Boy, that judge sure saw things right today.) If you lose, your self esteem is damaged. You wonder if you're ever going to amount to anything or why your horse is so dumb. (Boy, that judge was blind today.) But if you stand back a ways and look at horse shows from a different perspective, you can see they're only games that people like to play with their horses. A bunch of people get together, make up some rules, and then play that game until some one of them starts to win the game all the time. So then somebody else decides they need to change the rules so more people or different people can win and they start all over again with a new set of rules. And so on. Whether a horse or rider wins or loses at a horse show doesn't necessarily tell you anything about how well the horse is trained or the rider rides. All that can tell you is how well the horse's handler or rider knows the rules of the game--or how to work around them or how to fool a judge -and whether that horse was able to play by those rules on a given day. A lot of people make winning at a horse show their goal. They find out the rules and then they train the horse to perform whatever specific tasks the rules require. Instead , they should make it their goal to have a horse that has a solid basic understanding of and response to methodically applied, horse-logical corridors of aid pressures. That kind of understanding can be channeled into any game the rider wants to play. In a good training system, every new thing the horse learns should build horse-logically on what the horse already knows. The horse never has to unlearn something it has learned in order to make progress. When people use horse show rules as the basis of the things they train their horse to do, they can wind up with a "trick" horse. They've taught him to do a certain thing a certain way because that's what judges look for. Then some group of somebodies decides to change the rules a little bit one day and now the horse has to stop doing what he used to do before you can teach him the new tricks he's supposed to know. Good training means communicating with the horse in such as way that you can control every single step the horse takes. Once you're controlling every single step, you can control a series of steps. Once you're controlling a series of steps, you can stop controlling every single one if you want, but in the beginning, you must control every single step or stride individually. Back when I was judging a lot, I used the back up as one way of figuring out who was really in control of their horses and who was just sitting there on a horse that was programmed to do tricks. The trick horses were all programmed to take so many steps back and stop and then go forward and they knew the routine. Their riders couldn't modify the routine the horse knew or the whole thing would start to fall apart. The really good riders could get their horses to back up smoothly and quietly one step at a time in any sequence I asked them for. When people go to horse shows and win, they love the game. When they lose, then they gripe about judges or politics or people weaseling ways around the letter of the rules, or some other excuse for why they weren't the one with the blue or the tricolor ribbons at the end of the day. Horse shows can be a negative experience. In fact, some judges judge them that way. They get a big class and place it by process of elimination. Instead of looking for the horses and riders that are doing everything right, they watch for mistakes and eliminate horses one after another until just a few are left. If you go to a horse show with winning as the only goal that will make you feel good about the day, the odds are that you are going to go home feeling like a loser. But horse shows can be a positive experience every single time whether you bring home a handful of ribbons or not. Every class gives you an opportunity to play by the rules using the understanding you have developed with your horse about the meaning of corridors of methodically applied pressures. You have the opportunity to shape your horse's performance stride by stride. No tricks, no just hoping the right thing will happen at the right time. You'll shape the horse's performance to fit the rules but if someone changes the rules, you'll just reshape the performance. Your horse won't have to unlearn any tricks because he was never programmed for them in the first place. Every class becomes an opportunity to practice. Good basic training prepares the horse both mentally and physically for whatever game you ultimately want to play. As the horse gets more advanced, he'll start to specialize in one particular game. But his training is such that if you decided to play a different game with him some day, you wouldn't have to go back and "unteach" anything he knows. If you make methodical, horse-logical training your goal rather than just winning ribbons, you can have a well trained horse that can play any game you want. © 2000 Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre.
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HORSE TREATMENTS White vinegar is good for sweating a horses leg. Soak a If you think your horse may have a strained tendon have your vet do
an You can give Thuja 30c internally and externally using a few tables softened in mineral water, add to a teaspoon of glycerine or castor oil, will make an oil that can also help dissolve warts. www.animalholistichealth.com |
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EQUESTRIAN BEHAVIOUR by Ron Meredith Where it All Begins
The dream of getting paid for doing something they love is what attracts young people to the horse business. And what better way to start that career than with a solid education in equestrian studies. Education is, after all, concentrated experience, and two years in a good horsemanship program can be more valuable than 10 years out there trying to figure it out by yourself. The increasing number of horsemanship programs, whether college affiliated or not, makes choosing a school baffling. Let me offer this starting place: the single most important factor for the serious horseman to consider in comparing programs is total number of hours spent on horseback. This may sound obvious, but it's not. More than a few schools offer curricula of horse-related activities, but only two or three hours per week on horseback. But horsemanship is a sport requiring unique physical and mental skills, and there's only one way to develop those skills: on the back of a horse. A good school will pair students up with a variety of different horses over the duration of study; and to maximize individual attention, will maintain a teacher/student ratio, in riding class, of around 1/6 (one teacher for every six students). The outside limit for riding class size in my opinion is seven students. So while several prestigious universities are entering the equestrian field, the programs that can give you the most saleable skills are the ones that keep you in the saddle the longest. Directly related to this is the matter of theory. The body of knowledge of the average amateur horseman is generally a patchwork of insights, tips, and hints gleaned from books, clinics, and the many disparate experiences of the show ring. But a school producing professional horse people must provide a unified central philosophy of horsemanship enabling students to organize and use their knowledge. To that end, a strong core of theory classes directly supporting the riding time is a must. Inquire into the nature of the theory classes, and how they support the riding time. A well-rounded school must offer courses in practical skills such as Business Management; Teaching Techniques; Public Relations; Stable Management, Horse Health, or Facilities Maintenance courses. Whether you own your own facility, or manage someone else's, advancement in the horse business depends on these real world skills. Additionally, a few schools offer studies in related fields such as farrier science, leather working, breeding, judging, and the like, which can be taken as a major or a minor. Here again, the more you know the greater your chance of earning a living in the horse industry. Ask about a school's room and board situation if the student is to live on campus, and stable space if the student will take their own horse. Personal preference and individual circumstance applies here: I suggest narrowing your choices down to a few, and then touring the campuses, if possible. The school should be accredited by one of the various accrediting agencies listed with the United States Department of Education such as the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET). Accreditation with such an agency certifies, among other things, that the school's program is sound and up to date; that the program is continually evaluated and improved; and that participants have reported gaining worthwhile benefits. Such accreditation is also a prerequisite to Federal student financial aid in the form of loans and grants. (Veterans note that not all schools authorized by the VA to provide Veterans Benefits are accredited by an accrediting agency. So if you want college credit, and/or federal student aid, be sure to look very closely at this.) A job placement service at the school, with an impressive record of placement is a must. Finally, investigate the career records of some of the school's graduates. Talk to some graduates, if possible. Ask how they felt about the school in general, and the instructors in particular. Was adequate attention paid to developing their skills? Have those skills enabled them to distinguish between innovations in the horse industry, and the many fads that come and go. The answers to these questions will prove a good indicator of whether you will be getting the most education for your money at any given school. Be assured that there will always be a place for excellence in any field. If you know without a shadow of a doubt that working with horses is your calling in life, then commit yourself to be the best you can be, through hard work, dedication, and keeping your mind open to always learning as much as you can. © 2000 Meredith Manor
International Equestrian Centre. All rights reserved. |
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MEREDITH MANOR
Dr. Meredith has over thirty years experience as president of the school and has developed it from its humble beginning of six students in 1963 to its current world class level. Because of his outstanding contributions to the horse industry and specifically to equestrian education he has received a number of distinctive recognitions. One of the most significant is an Honorary Doctorate of Equestrian Studies Degree from Salem College in 1981, the only degree of this kind in the world. Dr. Meredith has held seven AHSA judges cards and has trained top level horses and riders in the cutting and reining world.
As the Director of Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre for over 20 years, Faith has played an integral role in the development of the Centre's current curriculum and programs. Faith takes a hands on approach to managing the day-to-day affairs of Meredith Manor. She not only directs and coordinates the activities of the Centre's entire staff but also remains in close touch with the student body through her riding classes. As a horse industry professional for 30 years, Faith has successfully trained and competed horses through FEI levels of dressage. She currently coaches riders in dressage, reining, and eventing. She holds a BS Degree in Education from Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts Bryan is a Riding Master VI graduate of Meredith Manor and holds a BS Degree in Accounting. Bryan is a certified journeyman with the Brotherhood of Working Farriers and continues his education with Dr. Doug Butler. He has been actively shoeing for ten years and teaching for six years. Bryan is the Head of the Farrier Department at Meredith Manor
This is just a personal note to thank everyone at Meredith Manor for allowing me to use their wonderful article to help get my new website started. Without their assistance, and wonderful articles, my life would have been a total nightmare. Please visit their website and learn, as I have. With Sincere Thanks to all - Samantha |
RHYTHM, PULSE & PERCUSSION IN TAPPING TREATMENTS
It is interesting to observe people "tapping themselves". People have very different natural rhythms, and then there's of course a great variance in how hard or softly someone taps. Some tap very half heartedly, barely touching the spots at all, others tap so hard it hurts. I was once tapped by a practitioner who nearly drilled holes into my head and I had to physically stop them because it was so extremely unpleasant. Considering what fine and responsive systems we are dealing with here in the form of complex meridian points and nerve junctions, it stands to reason that the "how to" of tapping with fingers on skin has a lot to do with how effective the treatment is.
To Tap Or Not To Tap? There are, of course, alternatives to tapping. In Touch & Breathe, you just hold the points (here, once more, is the issue of how hard you push down or what "holding" means to an individual). I personally like to gently and lightly massage the points with a single fingertip in a very small circular movement. There is a technique called Tellington TTouch where acupressure points are stimulated by sliding the skin over the point first in a full circle (from 12 o'clock to 12 o'clock) and then and without releasing the light pressure that holds the skin steady, back to the 6 o'clock position. Try it for yourself, it is an interesting effect. Stroking downwards as though you were removing a small stain is another movement that is nice and stimulates the area in an unusual way. The non-tapping, more massage orientated ways of stimulating the points is a good alternative on "painful points" where tapping is actually rather uncomfortable, or when the points appear to be very sore. In cases of headaches or any other type of pain that is made worse by the application of percussive beats, these are the only possible choice.
"Percussing" We usually nowadays talk of tapping, but when the techniques were first invented, it was called "percussing" on the points. The reason for this phrase was that the tapping movement has a fast "touch - release" pulse to it, like one would tap on a drum to make it ring out. This is a particular movement because if you "follow through" too much with your original tap or impact, it deadens the resonance response and in the case of a drum, the sound is dull and stops dead after the impact. In order to allow the drum to resonate, a pulse has to be swiftly put in and then the pressure removed so the drum's skin may resonate and vibrate backwards and forwards to make the sound.
Resonance This is similar to the effects of tapping - the most beneficial responses are received when the tapper knows how to do the swift "tap and release" movement. In trainings, I sometimes have practitioners practise this on any object that serves like a drum to find the exact type of movement that gives the most resonance and doesn't "deaden the instrument".
Pulse and Rhythm Many times, people tap themselves and nothing seems to happen; yet when a friend or a practitioner takes over the tapping for them, with the self same opening statement, often the shift we are looking to create does occur. I have noticed in other areas that people have *one preferred rhythm* which they will produce under many different circumstances time and time and again - whilst walking, dancing, breathing, in repetitive tasks of work and often also reflected in their choice of music. It would be interesting to speculate that when they tap in that self same rhythm as they would naturally do, a sameness to the already existing conditions makes it less effective. Unless you tell people to try some different rhythms, they will usually fall back on the "one and only" preferred type of pulse that generally pervades them. There are a number of ways to try different tapping rhythms. One would be to just speed up and slow down, but more interesting rhythms develop when one considers for example, a popular or well known song that "matches the problem" and applies that rhythm to the opening statement. With small children who need to tap themselves repeatedly, doing this in conjunction with "their favourite song" can be most effective as well as providing an incentive to be doing it. Non-rhythmical tapping is another interesting possibility to unstick stuck states (i.e. problems or opening statements that have been addressed many times but nothing seems to happen). It is actually quite difficult to not fall back into one's preferred rhythm and that in and of itself adds a new dimension and new possibilities as established, old patterns are being challenged with a "new rhythm".
Echo Pulses Try different types of strength, rhythms (from a woodpecker beat to a slow, steady heartbeat and the range in between) and also what I call "echo pulses" where you give one tap and wait for all reverberation to have ceased, then place another pulse after it. This gives a particular rhythm which is usually completely different and entirely dependent on the opening statement or issue you're currently working with. In conclusion, I would encourage anyone who uses METs to play with all the aspects of stimulating the meridian points and to especially notice what people are actually doing as well as noticing how making changes in "the way you tap" affects the outcome of the treatment. Silvia Hartmann Licensed Trainer, Association For Meridian Energy Therapies AMT http://sidereus.org/eha.htm - Animal EFT Course |
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DID YOU KNOW...
Recipe for garlic wash to treat your horse's fungal infections. In an 8-oz. jar mix the following: a.. the juice of two fresh lemons b.. 4-5 crushed garlic cloves c.. apple cider vinegar to top off the jar Shake well and let it sit for a few hours. Apply topically. The mix can be used for a few days if kept refrigerated. If the term "wonder drug" can be applied to any healing herb, garlic deserves the distinction. It is the world's second oldest medicine (after ephedral), and is still among the best. During World War I, garlic's success in treating infected wounds and amoebic dysentery (caused by the protozoan Endameba histolytica) clearly showed it had potent antibacterial and anti-protozoan effect, validating thousands of years of herbal tradition. But garlic's antibiotic constituent remained a mystery until the 1920's, when researchers at Sandoz Pharmaceuticals in Switzerland isolated alliin (pronounced AL-lee-in) from the herb. Alliin by itself has no medicinal value, but when garlic is chopped, chewed, bruised, or crushed, the alliin comes in contact with a garlic enzyme (allinase, which transforms it into another chemical (allicin), which is a powerful antibiotic. Since the 1920's, garlic's broad-spectrum antibiotic properties have been confirmed in literally dozens of animals and human studies. Garlic kills the bacteria that cause tuberculosis, food poisoning, and women's bladder infections. Garlic may also prevent infection by the influenza virus. Several studies show the herb to be effective in treating the fungi that causes athlete's foot (Trichophyton mentagrophytes), Researchers have found that 1 medium-size garlic clove packs the antibacterial punch of about 100,000 units of penicillin. Depending on the type of infection, oral penicillin doses typically range from 600,000 to 1.2 million units. The equivalent in garlic would be about 6 to 12 cloves. Garlic MUST be chopped, chewed, bruised, or crushed to transform its medicinally inert alliin into antibiotic allicin. Founder from Black Walnut Shavings
Meal Digestion of the Horse It takes about 48 hours for a horse to completely digest a meal. The food is in the small intestine for only two of those hours and in the hindgut the remaining 46. The old standard practice of providing hay and grain simultaneously at each feeding contributes to poor starch digestion. The reason is that horses produce a lot of saliva when they eat hay. They produce about one pint for every 100 grams of dry-matter weight, which is about the amount of hay that they consume in 2 1/2 minutes. The horse feels thirsty and takes a long drink of water, which pushes the stomach contents into the small intestine. If you have recently fed grain, then all of it will go too rapidly through to the hindgut, which reduces the ability to break down the starch. Try offering hay at least four hours prior to feeding the grain so your horse will have already taken his big gulps of water before he gets to his starchy, grain meal. Horse Sweat Horse sweat is hypertonic, which means it has a higher concentration of electrolytes in it than blood versus human sweat, which is isotonic. Isotonic means it has the same concentration of electrolytes as blood. Electrolyte needs for routine maintenance are simple: PLAIN SALT. Horses need about 1 oz. per day of salt and most will voluntarily consume 1-2 oz. from a salt block. Toxic Yew Plant That all members of the Yew plant family are poisonous. They are beautiful but toxic and can deliver death to horses within minutes. It is the Japanese or English Yew, which is an ornamental evergreen widely used by homeowners for landscaping. In listings of poisonous plants, it is called TAXUS CUSPIDATA or TAXUS BACCATA. Six to eight ounces of leaves can kill a horse in an hour or two. It is often grown as hedges and range in height from less than 2 feet to more than 60 feet. It is dark green with needle-like foliage and a red berry that looks like a pitted olive. The berry is the only part NOT poisonous but rather the greenery, even after it has dried or died is the poisonous part. Check your home and pasture for this lethal plant. Copyright 200 ADAIR HORSE TRAINING MAGAZINE |
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