Trail riding is an immensely enjoyable pastime for a great deal of horse owners and riders. While there are those whose horsemanship primarily revolves around competitions such as dressage or racing, there are many who enjoy little so much as taking a leisurely jaunt through the more wild parts of the country. Many state parks and other such public institutions and indeed many people who own both horses and a great deal of land, have made trails dedicated to equestrian use.
Many trail riding horsemen will simply take their animals out for an afternoon or even an all day ride. It can be quite a jump to move from day riding to an overnight trail ride. While there is quite a great deal of etiquette and knowledge necessary for a safe and comfortable ride, an camping overnight with a horse presents a whole new array of difficulties.
The most important element of a successful overnight camp with a horse is securing the horse properly. Nothing can be quite so tiring as spend the following morning searching the woods and rounding up horses who have wandered off while you were sound asleep. The most common way of securing a horse overnight is to use a picket line. This manner of securing a horse involves a line tied securely between two trees. Once this line is fastened, your horse is then tied to the line allowing a measure of freedom of movement for your horse without allowing your horse wander off into the underbrush.
You will need to make sure that your horse’s halter is strong and intact. There is little point in typing a picket line if your horse will simply break the halter overnight and wander off anyway. You must also make sure that all of your lines are in good condition. A frayed or damaged rope is just as big of a concern as a damaged halter.
The knot itself is a major concern. If you are not comfortable with your knot tying capabilities, take some time before you set out to learn simple but secure knots like the half hitch. A single half hitch is an easy knot to tie but it is also an easy knot to pull apart. For this reason, consider tying several half hitches.
If you are riding with a friend, be sure to tie the horses some distance apart. This avoids the possibility that your horse will decide to pick a fight with the other.
There are many disbelievers, those whose trust is firmly rooted in Western medicine. And then there are those whose lives have been changed by taking a chance and bringing their pet to see a veterinary acupuncture specialist. There are many stories of pet owners whose animals have become paralyzed or have been suffering from intense pain who have been relieved to find treatment for their animals in alternative therapies including acupuncture.
But what is acupuncture? Most people have at least a simple idea of what acupuncture is. Who has not seen a picture of an acupuncture patient with needles poking out of various body parts. Certainly needles are a large part of acupuncture, but it goes farther than that.
Acupuncture is a Chinese healing art and the basic idea of the therapy is that needles are inserted into parts of the body corresponding to acupuncture points. In traditional Chinese philosophy, the Qi (pronounced chee) is the life force that flows through the body. Illnesses are diagnosed by detecting imbalances in someone’s Qi. Once an imbalance in Qi is detected, the healer looks for the cause of the imbalance and an illness is treated by restoring this balance.
When treated with acupuncture, a patient is basically having needles inserted in his or her body in points that have importance relating to where the Qi travels through the body. If the acupuncture is successful, bad energy that is causing an imbalance will be removed from the body.
An important thing to realize is one simple difference between the usual veterinary medicine and the traditional Chinese approach is that a veterinarian will typically treat an illness the same way in all of her treatments whereas a practitioner will treat treat every patient and every illness uniquely and according to that particular patient.
Veterinary acupuncture is a growing field and there are reportedly over 150,000 veterinarians worldwide who are trained acupunturists. While many animal acupuncture practitioners are also veterinarians, you will find some who are not. It is wise to consult a licensed veterinarian before you consider any treatment, traditional or not. In this way you can make an informed decision about which type of treatment you wish to pursue for your pet. Not all maladies can be treated effectively by acupuncture just as all illnesses can not necessarily be effectively treated by Western medicine.
As always, it is best to discuss different treatment options with your veterinarian.
As recent events have shown us, emergencies are something we should probably be prepared for. From hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes to unexpected hospitalizations, strandings, and automobile break downs, unexpected things have a habit of happening at the worst of times. While the house may not fall down while we are away and the plants may not all die, leaving the pet alone and unattended at home is something most of us do not want to happen.
Having a plan in place for what to do during an emergency may just save your pet’s life in a tight spot. Hurricane Katrina was an excellent example of what can happen to hundreds of pets in the midst of a disaster.
Find pet friendly places out of town. Call around to a few motels that you might go to if disaster strikes your town. Not all motels accept pets and it’s good to have a list of those that do. Consider keeping this list in your car.
Contact a few neighbors. If your car breaks down, you are snowed in, or something else prevents you from getting home, make sure you can contact a willing neighbor who will look in on your pet from time to time.
Call a few local animal shelters or veterinary clinics to see if they will foster pets in a disaster situation.
Make sure you have prepared a pet disaster kit. This kit should be easy to reach and should contain some food, extra medications your pet may be taking, an extra leash, identification for you and your pet, including a picture of the pet. Also consider putting collapsible pet bowls, a toy, and certainly a piece of paper detailing feeding and medication schedules and the name and contact info of your pet’s veterinarian.
When the first warning of impending disasters comes, make sure you have your disaster kit ready. If you need to leave, even briefly before the disaster is supposed to strike, contact a neighbor. In case you are not at home when your home must be evacuated, knowing that there is a neighbor who will rescue your pet is a great relief to most pet owners.
Making sure that your pet’s ID tag is up to date with your contact information. Consider listing your mobile phone number instead of your land line. If your pet is microchipped, list a secondary contact as someone who is not in the same town, in the event that your town must be evacuated.
As any horse owner knows, horse care is a big and complicated task. Skin care is just one of many different aspects of horse care, but one that is just as important as any other. Rain rot is a skin condition that horses are prone to develop. It is often also called “rain scald” or is known by its proper name: streptothricosis.
A horse's winter coat may trap the rain rot in.
As the name implies, rain rot is a condition that requires moisture. For this reason it is most common in areas of high humidity or heavy rainfall. Rain rot is caused by an organism that lives on a horse’s coat. Much of the time, especially in drier climates, this organism remains inert and won’t cause problems. Indeed even in wetter climates there is still the possibility that the rain rot organism will not cause problems.
There are several requirements for a rain rot infection to break out. The first is moisture, and in great quantities. Horses whose coats are thick will be more likely to trap moisture in than those with shorter or trimmed coats. The horse must also have some small cut or abrasion for the organism to begin to cause problems. The organism travels under the epidermis and, once there, it will cause an infection.
Rain rot can be identified by the lesions it causes on the horse’s skin. You may notice large scabs or even matted fur. Underneath the scabs is often a layer of pus.
As with any skin condition, it is often wise to contact your veterinarian. Many skin conditions present similar symptoms, so it may be difficult to tell just which condition may be affecting your horse.
The first step in treating rain rot is to keep your horse dry. Since the organism thrives in a low oxygen, high moisture environment, attempting to remove these aspects should be your first action. As the horse loses its winter coat, sometimes the infection will go away on its own. If this is not the season for it, trimming your horse will keep the moisture in the hair at bay and will also open up the lesions to more oxygen. If you remove the scabs, oxygen will be in direct contact with the organisms and will help to kill them.
It’s worth noting that rain rot often takes hold after there is already a skin infection present. You should also be aware that opening the scabs to treat the infection could let other bacteria enter the wound causing another infection.
Generally speaking, cats are quite good at grooming themselves. When they are not sleeping or eating they can often be found hard at work licking their coats and keeping them clean and neat. Because of this enthusiasm for grooming, many pet owners decide that their cat does not need grooming and this often leads to a number of skin or coat problems.
Brushing your cat is generally enjoyable for both cat and owner. Cats enjoy the feeling of being stroked, and it gives the owner pleasure to see the cat enjoying itself. All the same, it is important to have the right tool in hand when you groom your cat.
If you take a trip to the pet supply store or, worse still, look on the Internet, you are likely to find an astonishing number of different brushes and grooming tools to choose from. It can be a daunting task to try to pick out a brush for your cat, but fortunately there are a few things you can look for.
You must first take note of what type of fur your cat has. If the cat has relatively long hair, you will need a different brush than for a short haired cat. Does your cat have dense fur or does she have more of a sleek coat? A brush with harder bristles is best for those cats whose coats are both short and dense and will help keep the fur from matting. For a cat with short but less dense fur, consider purchasing a brush with softer bristles. Long haired cats will require a brush with pin bristles and you will also likely need a comb.
Having several brushes is always a good idea. While one brush may do most of the grooming, you may need another brush to handle certain types of tangles and the like. Remember to brush your cat from front to back and make sure she is relaxed before you start. Talk to her in gentle tones and brush gently as well.
Some manufacturers have developed less traditional grooming products that you might want to try. Mittens with rubber nubs on them are one option and small brushes that fit in one’s palm will help with cats who are afraid of the brush. These will allow you to brush your cat while also petting her. If you have any concerns about your brushes or cat grooming, it is always wise to speak to a professional pet groomer.
The leaves start to turn, the first frost covers the ground, and those cold winds start to blow. Winter is coming, and with it the frigid unpleasantness of cold weather. We all know how hard this season can be on us but it can also be difficult for a cat, indoor or out.
Many pet owners who let their cat outdoors do not realize that cats are not particularly well suited for cold weather. While a cat does have fur, it is not going to keep the cat warm for a very long time outside, especially if the cat has to sleep outside as well. The easiest solution to this problem is to keep the cat inside or to only let it out for short periods of time. Leaving a cat outside in the cold weather for too long can easily cause dangerous illness.
Frostbite is a serious health risk for a cat. Ears especially are at risk for this condition in which ice crystals form between the cells of your cat’s tissues. Because the hair is thinner around the face and certainly inside the ears, it is easy for these places to get colder much more quickly. If your cat has begun to experience hypothermia, where the core temperature of your cat begins to drop, blood will be taken from places like the ears to help keep your cat’s body warm enough to survive.
Make sure your cat has a warm place to sleep
If you suspect your cat has frostbite, the cat should be taken to the vet immediately. Severe cases of frostbite can cause gangrene which can lead to infection and more serious complications.
Keep your home reasonably warm to make sure your cat stays healthy. You might also consider adding vitamins and essential fatty acids to your cat’s food as these things will help her stay healthy but also encourage her to grow in a thicker coat while winter remains. Grooming is also an important aspect of winter care. While mats look thick and warm, matted fur actually helps your cat’s warmth escape.
If you insist on keeping your cat outdoors, make sure she has a sheltered place to sleep. Use straw instead of other bedding to help keep the warmth in. Your cat will also need extra food as she will be burning calories more quickly to stay warm. Water is also a concern, as cats will have a hard time drinking the water after it has frozen.
Owning a pet is a big responsibility. A pet needs to be fed and watered, it needs exercise and play, it needs love and affection, regular veterinary care, and needs to be trained. Even for adults this can be a big job. The size and species of the pet certainly impacts how much work is involved, but no pet takes care of itself all the time.
Responsibility is something parents try very hard to teach their children. Whether it is by chores like dish washing, sweeping, or lawn mowing, or by helping mom or dad cook dinner, responsible children are children you can rely on.
Building responsibility can be a tough task. Many children like having jobs and like helping mom or dad, but it can be difficult to impress upon a child the need for consistency, that a task must be completed each day.
Pets can be an excellent way to instill responsibility in a child. Mom and dad may be busy working or away, and it may fall to a child to take care of Fido the dog or Fluffy the cat. Teaching your children how to care for a pet like this will give them a sense of self importance and give them a little self esteem boost.
Training a dog can help a child learn.
It is important to impress upon a child that a pet is not a toy. These animals can be injured and hurt and scared and a child must be calm and gentle around one. Even happy behavior – yelling, jumping – can scare a pet. The Golden Rule is also a good one to teach with regards to a pet. Treat the pet as you wish to be treated and the pet will probably react well. If you don’t like having your ears pulled or being poked, maybe it’s not a good idea to do this to a pet.
Teaching a child how to feed and care for the pet is also very valuable. Remember not only to tell the child how much food, but also why and what a dog eats. Building knowledge of nutrition, even if it is about dogs, will help a child to make better nutritional choices in the future. Impress upon the child the need for consistency, that a pet must be fed and walked hopefully around the same time each day.
Don’t forget to teach your child to have fun and to play with the pet, as this is one of the most rewarding parts of pet ownership.
Pets are a big part of the lives of many people. In many countries these animals occupy as important a position as nearly any other family member and most of us consider it our duty as pet owners to do the best thing for our pets. This could be buying the best food possible or even letting Fido sleep on the bed.
At the same time there are a great deal of people in the world who do not regard animals as things worth their notice. Some of these people may own pets or livestock but will not care about them in the slightest. These kinds of situations often lead to animal abuse.
Animal abuse takes many forms. In the simplest form it can be no more than neglect. Some owners will leave their dogs in the backyard with no exercise and little food and certainly no positive attention. Others might leave home for a time and leave the pet behind without food, water, exercise, attention, or shelter. All of these actions constitute a form of animal abuse and most states or municipalities have laws that protect animals against such people.
On the more severe end of the spectrum there are those who actually seek to do harm to animals. They might injure the pet of someone they have a grudge against, or they might beat or otherwise injure their own pet.
Somewhere in between are those known as animal hoarders. These people, often out of a feeling of doing good for the animals, will end up with an unmanageable number of animals. Conditions for these animals typically deteriorate rapidly to where the animals live in unsanitary conditions or even dangerous conditions.
There are a great number of organizations who make it their job to end animal abuse and rescue animals in such conditions. While it is a crime to abuse animals, some might find it difficult to turn in someone they know or even care for such an offense. Fortunately there are a number of advocacy groups who may agree to meet with the offender without involving the authorities unless absolutely necessary. In the best case, the animals may be surrendered to a shelter where they could be rehabilitated and hopefully find a good home somewhere.
These animals have no way, unfortunately, of speaking up for themselves and defending their rights. It is therefore up to the public to help these animals find health and safety somewhere.
It is hard to imagine the cute furry house pets that are our domestic cats today once sprang from the wild cats that are known to kill their large prey with their teeth and claws. While some similarities between domestic cats and, say, tigers, are easy to see, there are many ways in which the domestic cat and its wild ancestors now differ.
Only recently have archaeologists uncovered evidence that cats have been domesticated since at least 7500 B.C.E. While it was previously thought that the first to domesticate the cat were the ancient Egyptians, due in no small part to their wide spread and well known use and reverence of cats, it is now clear that cats have been around a lot longer than that.
It is not likely that cats were originally domesticated with companionship in mind. Indeed many cats today continue to be very independent and only act as companions when they feel like it. More likely is the theory that cats were domesticated to control the population of vermin. Various pests have been associated with civilizations and settlements for the entirety of recorded human history and since these animals often carry diseases and other problems it is not unreasonable that another animal could have been brought in to cut down on these populations.
Cats are now very popular companion pets
Cats have made prominent appearances in a number of religions and mythologies across human history. The reverence the Egyptians showed for cats is well known and they were often revered as a sort of god. In other cultures cat like gods or goddesses can also be found. Then again there are also many more negative portrayals of cats and one such portrayal, that of the cat as being in league with witches, led to the killing of many cats in medieval Europe which in turn helped the spread of Bubonic Plague. Carried by rats, the plague could travel further and more efficiently when there were fewer cats to control the rat population.
Cats eventually made their way to the new world and across the globe most commonly carried on board ships to keep vermin populations low during long voyages.
These days there a great number of different cat breeds with variations in shape, color, and fur type. They remain the most popular pet across the globe because they are typically a fairly low maintenance pet. Just as with nearly any pet, a cat can certainly add to the quality of life of an individual.
If you look back across the breadth of recorded human history it’s likely that you can imagine horses as far back as the earliest civilizations. In truth horses have been around a very long time and have been domesticated for thousands of years with some archaeologists saying that horses were likely domesticated before 5000 B.C.E. The first evidence of the riding of these animals seems to occur around three thousand years later.
It does not take much to imagine why horses might have been domesticated. Beyond being a food or even milk source for some cultures, they provided an amazing form of transportation. Both fast and relatively easy to ride they were much more preferable to other slower or larger creatures. Over the next several thousand years these domesticated horses (and all domestic horses descend from one of two wild horse subspecies in Europe) were bred widely and they now constitute one of the most diverse species worldwide.
Load bearing was also an important feature. Being strong and steady animals, a domesticated horse could pull heavy loads on carts or in bags. This made transporting building materials and other supplies across great distances much easier.
Horses have been beasts of burden for thousands of years.
As the ability of the horse grew, some cultures began using these animals for battle. The height and speed advantage for a warrior riding a horse was far greater than that of a warrior on the ground such that blows of greater force and speed were quite possible. It also became possible to take armies to far off places by carrying the great volume of supplies needed on horseback or in carts or sledges.
While many new technologies were created over the ensuing thousands of years, the horse still remained in a place of high regard. New weapons and new building techniques meant that, while horses were still used, what they pulled and how they were trained to fight changed. It was not until railroads and automobiles came into prominence.
While horses are no longer strictly necessary in terms of transportation or warfare, many still find the horse to be an excellent addition to a work force. Whether it be riding with cattle or policing urban parks, horses can still ride where vehicles might not.
Beyond work there are still those who keep horses for pleasure or for racing. Horses remain magnificent creatures even if they are no longer used in many of the ways as they were first bred for.
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Valentine's Pet Portraits on Offer at ShelterPatch.comBy Cody Kitaura Is your pet your Valentine? If so, you might want to head over to the Sacramento County Animal Shelter this weekend. The shelter, located at 3839 Bradshaw Rd., will have a professional photographer on hand from noon to 4 pm Saturday and ...and more » […]
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