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C. H. Eastman

Train your horse with only a chair and a reed
conscious horsemanship

Train your horse with only a chair and a reed

by C. H. Eastman
written by C. H. Eastman


Doing Carolyn Resnick’s Chair Challenge! First week of experiences

I’m taking an online class with Carolyn Resnick called the Chair Challenge.  I have used her methods before a bit with the herd, and love learning more from her.  She’s my favorite conscious horsemanship teacher. When the special offer showed up in my Inbox to do the Chair Challenge, I jumped at the opportunity. Carolyn talks more about the importance of sitting with horses here.

Day 1
Explored their territory.
They were curious.  They have seen me do this before so no huge revelations.  I did get almost a sense that they found it reassuring for my to inspect their areas at sunset.  Malenna came over and hung out with me.  T followed me for a bit.  I made sure to stop at manure piles, handle the hay, ruffle the water surface, and get into each corner.  I’m going to make this a nightly routine around dusk whenever possible.

Day 2
Time to introduce reed, make sure they are brave with the reed, and use the reed to move them out of my space.  I am using a very thin, very flexible short branch off a poplar tree for now.  I’d love to find some local willow or wild reeds to harvest.  I’m keeping my eyes open for some.

Day 3
Introducing the chair and sitting in the chair.
Malenna is the only one not well-experienced with this.  I keep a mounting block (T sees chairs as toys) in the paddock and regularly sit with them all.  See my earlier blog post  http://wellness.barakah.farm/2014/09/07/3-horses-3-training-plans-same-foundation-step-by-step-for-you-your-horse-step-1-just-being-together/ about some of our experiences sitting together.  In warm weather, I often take my laptop out to the field and work in the herd.

Day 4
Sitting, then exploring how your horse would like to be approached.  This is actually something we have all worked on together before.  T especially has been my biggest teacher about proper approach etiquette.  He actually used his energy to push me back out of his space to show me the edges of his energy bubble.  This was a good refresher today, and also, Carolyn offered the very important detail to approach from head-on, catching both eyes.  Being off to the side, even a little, becomes a cue to move.

Day 5
Really neat tip from today’s lesson:  Put your chair in the middle of a tarp if you need extra help keeping your horse out of your space.  And I learned that the key is how your feet move, or don’t move.  Sitting removes the chances that the horse can force your feet to move, even by accident.

I’ve also realized something about Lucky. He loves to hang out with me while I sit or stand quietly.  He is respectful when I do.  Yet, he walks away when offered a halter.  He will often follow at liberty though.  I’m not clear what he is trying to tell me yet, just that there is something I am not hearing.

In general, I’m finding that my entire day is more centered and calmer when I make the time to sit with the horses, meditate, focus on gratitude and appreciation for all the sounds and sights and smells of my surroundings.  I find that my mind snaps into clarity and quiet much faster and easier.  I am also making time to share territory with my goat herd, and getting similar reactions from them.

If you would like to read more about Carolyn’s work and classes, please go to www.carolynresnick.com

Continue reading with Week 2.

(c) 2016 Carrie Eastman  All rights reserved

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alternative therapiesanimal & human wellnessbodyworkhorses

FREE lesson! Yoga for your horse!

by C. H. Eastman
written by C. H. Eastman

Some would call this horse yoga.  I consider it part of balancing the body.  Every day, before I work or ride my horses, I go through this routine.  It is fast, sometimes as fast as 15 minutes.  It tells me how my horse is doing physically and emotionally and lays the foundation for a comfortable ride for both of us.

Step 1: Clear polarity

I clear my polarity and then my horse’s.


Step 2: Bladder meridian

I sweep the bladder meridian on both sides 3 times.

Next Step:  Energy Blocks
This is not numbered or in bold.  I feel for energy blocks.  This is impossible to teach in videos or by verbal description.  Skip this step until you can schedule a lesson with me or attend a clinic with Kelley Mills or Regan Golob.

Step 3: Check K27 points
I check my own K27 points and then my horse’s.  I make note of any soreness in either of us, and work the point if necessary to clear the pain.  I may use my favorite flower essence blend spray spray on the point.

Step 4: Check the bladder meridian tail points
I check the points on either side of the tail.  The tail should lift easily, and in alignment with the spine.  I may use my favorite flower essence blend spray here too.

Step 5: Back and neck check
I do the bum tuck/back up/belly lift/neck telescope exercise once.  If it’s perfect, I stop at 1.  If there is a block or lack of movement, I do it at least 3 times, and may add my favorite flower essence blend spray topically at the blockage. I seek out and clear all energy and body blocks until I get a full released bascule (engagement or roundness) from tail to nose.  If I cannot get a bascule, I do not get on.

For this bum tuck or butt tuck, you are looking for the hip angle to increase as the pelvis tucks under. Additionally, you are looking for spinal straightness as you sight from the base of the tail to the withers.  If the butt tucks off to one side, increase the pressure on the side the hips moved away from, to bring the hips back to center.

For the back lift, you are looking for the back to lift.  Additionally, you are looking for spinal straightness as you sight from the base of the tail to the withers.  If the back lifts off to one side, increase the pressure on the side the back curved away from, to bring the back into alignment.  It is very important that you maintain the pelvic tuck during this move.  If the pelvis flattens back out or tips forward, go back to the bum tuck, and make sure you are using your thumbs to hold that tuck in place while lifting the back.  If the horse cocks a leg or ducks down, there are bigger issues going on and you should call your health practitioner or schedule a session with me before proceeding.

For the belly lift, you are looking for the back and withers to lift.  If the horse fails to lift, there are bigger issues going on and you should call your health practitioner or schedule a session with me before proceeding.

For the neck telescope, you are looking for the base of the neck to lift, the muscles at the top of the neck to engage, and then for the neck to telescope forward and down.  Additionally, you are looking for spinal straightness from the poll to the withers.  If the neck curves off to one side, increase the pressure on the side the neck curved away from, to bring the neck into alignment.  If the neck will not telescope, there are bigger issues going on and you should call your health practitioner or schedule a session with me before proceeding.

 

Step 6: Address any issues
If any issues showed up in the steps above, I work through the reflex points and bodywork until everything is cleared.  I skip asking to ride if anything remains an issue.  If you find an issue in your own horse, I’m happy to work with you by phone, video or in person.  Contact me to schedule your preferred option.

Want to add new tools to your horse wellness program? www.carrieeastman.com/Services_2016

Copyright (c) 2015 Carrie Eastman
Video copyright (c) 2015 C. Hair Animal Services

Credits:  The body exercises above were first shown to me by Regan Golob and Kelley Mills (Willow Creek Animal Rehab in Washington state, USA).  Please see Regan’s DVD “Where Have All The Horsemen Gone” for the original version of these exercises and check out the classes that they both offer.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration or American Veterinary Medical Association, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult your veterinarian about any changes to your animal’s health program.

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Penny wise and pound foolish? Why I don’t skimp on supplements.
animal & human wellnessnutrition

Penny wise and pound foolish? Why I don’t skimp on supplements.

by C. H. Eastman
written by C. H. Eastman

These are interesting times financially.  The prices of many items are going up, including feeds, hay and supplements.  I hear and observe people saving money by cutting back on grains and/or supplements, switching to bargain brands, feeding less than the recommended amounts, etc.

I would offer the thought that this may be penny wise and pound foolish, as the old saying goes.

The folks producing those supplements, grain and hay are likely thinking those same thoughts about economizing, and switching to less expensive fertilizers (or none), using least-cost formulas with lower-quality grains, using less expensive and less absorbable forms of the minerals and vitamins in the supplements.   So, as we cut back on our animals’ and our own nutrition to save money, are we creating longer-term issues with mineral deficiencies, lowered immune systems, slower growth, lower conception and birth rates?  Will we end up having to deworm more often because the animals are unable to fight the parasites off by themselves?  Will we end up with vet bills or lost animals due to various health issues that a solid immune system could have prevented?  Will we ourselves end up at the doctor’s office more often?  Or needing to use natural therapies for various illnesses? In my own experience, it is much easier to prevent issues than to deal with them after they occur.

I personally feed a very high-quality supplement program.  I do it to have the healthiest animals possible that can fight off what nature throws at them without medical intervention.  I also do this so the parents are passing on this higher vitality and mineral reserves to their offspring.

Here are some possible ways to save money while still maintaining optimum health for the herd and my family:

I skip one day a week on the supplements.  This allows the body to flush any extra and saves me about 13%.

I could use a high quality amino acid chelated free choice vitamin/mineral mix* year round, and add the high-potency supplements prior to the start of breeding and during pregnancy.

If I had to really cut back, I would just give my favorite clay/diatomaceous earth/digestive support* daily, either milled into their feed or hand-fed, and my favorite prebiotic*.  Both are fantastic digestion support.

I look for opportunities to buy wholesale.  Both of the supplement lines I use offer wholesale options.  I signed up and have saved at least 35% over retail.

A side note about animal feed mixes:  many companies who do “least cost” formulations are simply cutting out the most expensive ingredients, or cutting it to nearly undetectable levels but still showing it on the label, and using more of the cheaper ingredients.  Know and trust your feed and food companies.

 
*You can find my favorite supplement line at www.dynamitemarketing.com/carrieeastman

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animal & human wellness

Managing Dis-ease

by C. H. Eastman
written by C. H. Eastman
dis·ease
dəˈzēz/
noun
  1. a disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant, especially one that produces specific signs or symptoms or that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury.
    “bacterial meningitis is a rare disease”
    synonyms: illness, sickness, ill health;

Let’s talk a bit about disease management and health maintenance.  Western medicine sees disease as the problem and looks for ways to manage or cure the symptoms.  

Eastern medicine sees the disease itself as the symptom, and looks for the way to restore balance to the body. Eastern philosophy says that disease cannot exist in a balanced healthy body.  Balance must be in the body, and also in the mind and spirit.  All are connected, as we are all beings of energy.


What I found in my own search for healthy balanced bodies in my animal-kin and myself is that blending western and eastern approaches can be challenging, as western philosophy so often gets caught up in symptoms and treating symptoms.  For western to to blend well with eastern, the practitioner must be able to see the body in it’s entirety, and look for root causes.  Very few western drugs and therapies are actually designed to support health. The majority suppress symptoms.

Another key point of eastern medicine is that the body has an innate wisdom.  The body is designed to live.  All actions the body makes are part of this internal priority to stay alive, no matter the cost.  Symptoms are the body taking action to stay alive and to restore balance and health.  

For example, fevers.  Fevers are treated as a symptom and lowered with drugs.  Yet fevers are a very efficient means of making the body a poor home for certain infections, causing the infectious agent to die or go dormant.

Another example of western versus eastern management styles would be blood sugar and diabetes or insulin resistance.  The body may be imbalanced because toxins have built up and created imbalance in the pituitary or liver.  The body could be depleted of key minerals that are necessary for the correct function of the pituitary, liver, adrenals and/or pancreas.  Yes, the symptoms of diabetes and insulin resistance can be managed with drugs or with a very carefully controlled diet. Or, the body can be supported to return to balance and health, and the symptom of mis-management of sugar will go away.  I have personally watched many horses return to full glowing health when body balance is restored, with no further dis-ease management necessary.  I am NOT claiming that I personally have “cured” insulin resistance or diabetes – I AM stating that I have observed animals and people both reach a place of balanced health where dis-ease management is no longer necessary.

This brings me to another thought about dis-ease management.  Every day of our lives, we are either getting sicker or healthier, there is no neutral.  As health and balance return, the body should need less and less support to stay healthy.  To put this differently, as health and balance improve, fewer supplements will be necessary. Fewer symptoms will appear.  Bodywork will be needed less often.  Health challenges will occur more rarely, and with less severity.  Healing from challenges will be faster.  If a person or animal has been walking the same path of dis-ease management or even health improvement and the same level of support is still needed, perhaps it is time for a new path?

The body actually has healing priorities, and a certain order to the healing process.  In order from highest priority and addressed first to lowest priority and addressed last, the priorities are:
Heart/brain/lungs
Digestion
Movement
Reproduction
Another way to describe this is that the body wants to live.  If an organ or limb is optional for immediate survival it will be addressed later.  The brain, heart and lungs are immediate.  Organs of digestion and elimination are needed fairly quickly.  Movement, especially in the extremities, is low in priority.  Reproduction is low as well.

When working on restoring balance and health, issues are usually addressed in this order:
virus
bacteria
liver
heart
stomach and pancreas
kidneys
adrenals
hormones and reproduction

Healing also typically occurs from the inside to the outside, meaning internal before external.  Healing also typically occurs from most recent symptom to oldest symptom.  These are generalities, and not laws.  The body knows best.  This is an excellent research article on the order of healing from the homeopathic perspective.

A final very important point is that if symptoms are treated with drugs and suppressed, the illness can be driven deeper into the body and made more serious.  For example, skin conditions that are treated with topical steroids may actually be the body attempting to eliminate toxins through the skin.  Suppressing that path of elimination may keep those toxins in the body doing damage.  

There is more to healing of course, getting into the energy fields around the body, the spirit, miasms carried from parent to child and more.  This is just the tip of the iceburg.  Overall, the message is that treating symptoms rather than digging for the root and restoring balance may actually harm more than it helps.

The biggest most important rule of healing?  FIRST DO NO HARM


Copyright ©2016 Carrie Eastman.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration or American Veterinary Medical Association, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult your veterinarian about any changes to your animal’s health program.

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Goats – The Great Horns versus No Horns Debate
goats & sheep

Goats – The Great Horns versus No Horns Debate

by C. H. Eastman
written by C. H. Eastman

Want to start a heated argument on social media?  Ask whether you should disbud/dehorn your goat or leave horns intact.

Horns on goats are a very touchy subject that impacts everything from management practicalities to human safety to animal welfare.  Just as with my post on vaccines, I will not suggest what your approach should be.  I will share what I have learned, my own experiences, and my own approach.  I encourage you to do your own research.

Photo copyright Wikipedia.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horn_(anatomy)

Goats may have horns. Goat horns are a keratin sheath around a bone core that grows from the skull.  The horns have a blood supply and nerves at the base.  The horns grow from the time the kids are a few days old, and are never shed.  Some goats are polled, meaning they are born without horns and will never grow horns.  Goats can also carry a different “spur” gene that produces a very small horn loosely attached with no bony core.  Horns do help the goat cool off in warm weather via the blood supply in the core.  Horns can be quite majestic and impressive, and many feel that a goat just doesn’t look right without a nice set of horns.  Some folks feel that the horns are also pretty handy for wrangling goats (I disagree – horns can fracture with extreme rough handling).  Here is an excellent blog post from Our Mountain Hearth discussing the reasons to keep horns.

Now the downside of horns.  Horns can be used to poke, butt, prod and stab other goats and people. Horns can become entangled in fences and feeders. Horns can be used to break another goat’s legs, and can become hooked on other horns.  Some 4-H clubs ban horns on goats.

Deciding whether to have horns or not is up to each goat owner.  When deciding, my suggestion is look at your market if you are selling.  Horns may be preferred by some meat buyers, breeders, show homes.  Other buyers will be opposed, or will be so inexperienced with goats that they are looking to you for guidance.  I would offer that if someone is brand-new to goats, dealing with horns may be an extra challenge.  Also, are there young children?  One careless turn of a goat head, and a child is at the perfect height for facial damage or worse.

At Oak Hill, we made the decision to disbud any kids born with horn buds.  Our buyers are mainly pet buyers and folks looking for breeding stock for small homesteads.  I feel removing the horns gives my goats the best shot at having a forever home without horn accidents.  I will leave horns on at a buyer’s request.  I do breed for polled kids, and sidestep disbudding as much as possible that way.  We have not seen any increase in birth defects from breeding polled to polled.

Goats born with horn buds can be dehorned. As kids, within the first few days only, the horn buds can be burned off. You can learn to do this yourself or find a local goat farmer who freelances doing horn removal. Fias Co Farm has an excellent discussion of the procedure and equipment. I prefer to use my goat vet, to give the kid a shot of painkiller. There is an excellent discussion of disbudding methods, as well as pros and cons, at the Pairodox blog.

Fias Co Farm also has an excellent section on disbudding goats.  
I do not suggest using disbudding/dehorning paste.  The caustic paste can easily end up in places other than the horn buds and cause significant pain and damage.
A relatively new experimental approach is injecting clove oil into the horn bud.  Here is the published study.

Adult horns can be surgically removed, which involves a vet, anesthesia, and removing a layer of skull as well as post-surgical wound care. Surgical horn removal leaves a large hole into the sinus cavity, which takes a couple months to heal.  This is not a procedure for the faint of heart.  In my opinion, it is also not a procedure to be done without painkillers and anesthesia.  There are many nerves, and a very strong blood supply.  A goat can easily bleed to death from incorrect surgical removal.  I have had one adult buck surgically dehorned.  He nearly bled to death a couple hours after the surgery.  He was in pain for days, and didn’t trust me for several weeks.  He did grow back small scurs.  Having experienced the process first-hand, I cannot imagine a situation where I would put an adult through that again.

Adult horns can also be removed by banding with castration bands.  Done correctly, this is very effective. Done incorrectly, this is painful and the horns grow back, often deformed.  I have used banding to remove horns.  I will not do it again.  The goats were obviously in distress.  If you choose to band horns this is a good article.  The key is to place the bands at the very base of the horn, over the skin, hooked beneath the rim of the horn. ​

I encourage you to do your own research and decide what approach best fits your philosophy and farm management style.

Copyright ©2016 Carrie Eastman.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration or American Veterinary Medical Association, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult your veterinarian about any changes to your animal’s health program.

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