Today is Little Wildie's big day- his Naming Ceremony. His name has been chosen and will be revealed this evening at the ceremony and then on this blog. The Naming Ceremony will be combined with a Summer Solstice Drumming Circle. It is amazing how many people this little horse has touched who haven't even met him yet. Stay tuned for more of his story, photos from this evening and to find out his name.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Born to be Wild!
I am back after over a year's hiatus from writing in this blog. I have had an amazing blessing come into my life, which must be shared. I am the proud Mama of a 1 month old baby Wild Horse! It was all part of a chain of synchronicities that made it clear the Wildies were calling me. About 2 months ago I was setting up a presentation with Dr. Claudia Lotzke on the Wild Horses of Alberta. She suggested I have a look at the blog for the Wild Horses of Alberta Society. When I saw some of the photos on the site I was shocked at how much they looked like my now 3 year old colt, Juno. I wrote to Bob Henderson, the director, and sent him photos. Based on this he was quite certain Juno was a captured wildie. (Check back for Juno's story).
I was so excited about this that I arranged to go see Wild Horses with Bob west of Sundre on Saturday, May 14. We had an absolutely amazing day, seeing 163 Wild Horses, including many babies and even a wobbly new born. It was such fun seeing some yearlings rolling in a mud hole just as we were calling it a day.
The little foal by the watering hole kept whinnying while the yearlings were mud bathing. I think he really wanted to join them. We also ran into some Highland cattle wandering down the road. They remind me of "muppet" cows.
After having such an amazing day watching the wildies I had no idea it would get even better. The next evening I received a phone call from Vickie Tate, who runs Eagle Feather Riding outside of Calgary. She relayed that a young couple, Johanne and Sebastien, had just stopped at her place with a newborn colt. Apparently they had been returning from a hike in Kananaskis when they spotted a little foal all by himself on a little knoll between Powderface Trail and Elbow Falls. When they got up to him he just collapsed on the ground. A passerby reported that earlier that day they had seen him trying to nurse from a mare, but she was kicking at him. Whether it was his Mom rejecting him (? 1st time Mom) or something happened to his Mom and it was another mare in his herd we will never know. They helped him get a drink of water and tried getting help for him. No one, including Fish & Wildlife, the RCMP, 911 and a Sheriff they flagged down, would help them, so they loaded him into the backseat of their truck and Johanne sat with him.
After stopping at Eagle Feather they took the little colt home. I then came with Daria and Mike to pick him up and take him to Moore & Company. Blood work showed that he had no measurable immunoglobulin, indicating he had not received any colostrum. This is apparently associated with a 70% mortality rate. I made the decision to give him 1 bag of plasma (at over $560/bag) after WHOAS offered to cover some of the bill. He was placed on antibiotics and I took him home. We bonded in the stock trailer which seemed to have no shocks, cuddling underneath 2 horse blankets and bouncing into the air with every bump in the road. We arrived home at 3:00 am. I slept with him that night. He didn't awaken until 3 hours later when he wanted more milk.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
It's a Girl!
I'm happy to announce that The Dawn of Equus has a new baby girl! Her name is Blossom (aka "Itty-Bitty-Moo)" and she's absolutely adorable!
She is 5 weeks old and only 70 lbs. Most Hereford calves are born at this weight. She was the runt of a set of twins. She has a condition called Freemartinism, which results when a female calf is twinned with a male calf. The little bull's reproductive system develops earlier, resulting in the little heifer being exposed to testosterone. This impairs the development of the female reproductive organs. Ninety percent of Freemartin calves are infertile and thus "worthless" to the beef cattle industry. Every website I looked at stated that the overriding concern with this condition is the economic impact on the cattle industry. The emphasis is on early diagnosis so that resources aren't "wasted" on the calf, who ultimately won't be able to breed. On top of that, being the runt, Blossom is a "poor doer" (read "resource drain"). She also has a problem with her right hind leg. She "knuckles over" on her fetlock joint, necessitating a splint on her lower leg.
The cattle farmers I got her from had had an unusual number of twins this year and had picked out a perfectly healthy little calf to sell to me. Of course, once I saw this gimpy little girl I had to take her home. I feed her bovine milk replacement three times a day from a pail with a nipple. The term for such a calf is a "pail bunter" and for good reason. She will be eagerly suckling away and then all of a sudden quite forcefully bunt the pail. She has also started bunting my leg when she's hungry. Here is a video clip of the horses checking her out shortly after she arrived just over a week ago. As you can see she is not phased by them at all.
Buddy, the little pinto mini, seems to be somewhat obsessed with her. He will stand at the fence just staring at her. Here is a photo of her having a little nap. I laid down on the ground near her and fell asleep with her.
She had been kept in a barn, so everything outside is new to her. She is definitely a very curious little girl. Her leg has been improving and she can now get around in the barn without her splint. We still have up to a foot of snow in places after a recent storm, which makes it more challenging for her. I have to be very careful with her because there are many predators lurking in the forest who would love to have a mini-moo snack.
Yesterday when I headed into the forest to walk the dogs Blossom mooed as soon as I disappeared from sight. I called her and she came flying over the knoll into the forest. We walked for 20 minutes and she seemed to quite enjoy herself. Jessie, my German Shepherd, is thrilled to have her very own little cow to look out for. She quite intently follows Blossom everywhere. I can't even get her to come in for supper if her little calf is still out. This will certainly help keep the little one safe. Today we went for a 40 minute walk.
It's amazing how well she can romp around now with her splint.
Here is a video clip of Jessie and Blossom. Notice that Jessie is so tuned in to Blossom's energy that she actually mirrors the calf's movement.
***
I just had a big scare with Kiah. I noticed she didn't come when I put their hay out for supper. At first I wondered if she was colicking, but then I noticed that she wasn't using her right front leg and didn't seem able to move from the spot she was in. I palpated her leg and didn't find any noticeable tenderness. She was able to weight bear on the leg, but couldn't seem to move it. I became concerned that something neurological was going on, so I called the vet. He stated that there would be very little one could do if she had a neurological injury. I ended up having him come out because I wouldn't have been able to sleep worrying about her. While waiting for him I noticed that when Stryker tried to move Kiah she dragged the leg. The vet noticed some discomfort when he palpated the elbow area and wasn't able to fully flex her elbow. He pushed her harder than I did to try and get her to move, in response to which she was able to ever so slightly lift her leg and move it forward. This was a huge relief! Based on his exam the vet feels that she tore her triceps muscle. He stated that this would be career-ending for a sport horse. Thankfully, she just needs to be able to get around comfortably in the pasture and forest with her herd. She is on anti-inflammatories and will have to be kept in a separate area, but immediately adjacent to, the other horses. It is not safe for her to be in with the herd while unable to move well. The recovery could take weeks, but at least it looks hopeful for her. If you would like to send her healing thoughts and energy that would be very much appreciated. Thank you.
Here is a photo of Kiah and me.
She is 5 weeks old and only 70 lbs. Most Hereford calves are born at this weight. She was the runt of a set of twins. She has a condition called Freemartinism, which results when a female calf is twinned with a male calf. The little bull's reproductive system develops earlier, resulting in the little heifer being exposed to testosterone. This impairs the development of the female reproductive organs. Ninety percent of Freemartin calves are infertile and thus "worthless" to the beef cattle industry. Every website I looked at stated that the overriding concern with this condition is the economic impact on the cattle industry. The emphasis is on early diagnosis so that resources aren't "wasted" on the calf, who ultimately won't be able to breed. On top of that, being the runt, Blossom is a "poor doer" (read "resource drain"). She also has a problem with her right hind leg. She "knuckles over" on her fetlock joint, necessitating a splint on her lower leg.
The cattle farmers I got her from had had an unusual number of twins this year and had picked out a perfectly healthy little calf to sell to me. Of course, once I saw this gimpy little girl I had to take her home. I feed her bovine milk replacement three times a day from a pail with a nipple. The term for such a calf is a "pail bunter" and for good reason. She will be eagerly suckling away and then all of a sudden quite forcefully bunt the pail. She has also started bunting my leg when she's hungry. Here is a video clip of the horses checking her out shortly after she arrived just over a week ago. As you can see she is not phased by them at all.
Buddy, the little pinto mini, seems to be somewhat obsessed with her. He will stand at the fence just staring at her. Here is a photo of her having a little nap. I laid down on the ground near her and fell asleep with her.
She had been kept in a barn, so everything outside is new to her. She is definitely a very curious little girl. Her leg has been improving and she can now get around in the barn without her splint. We still have up to a foot of snow in places after a recent storm, which makes it more challenging for her. I have to be very careful with her because there are many predators lurking in the forest who would love to have a mini-moo snack.
Yesterday when I headed into the forest to walk the dogs Blossom mooed as soon as I disappeared from sight. I called her and she came flying over the knoll into the forest. We walked for 20 minutes and she seemed to quite enjoy herself. Jessie, my German Shepherd, is thrilled to have her very own little cow to look out for. She quite intently follows Blossom everywhere. I can't even get her to come in for supper if her little calf is still out. This will certainly help keep the little one safe. Today we went for a 40 minute walk.
It's amazing how well she can romp around now with her splint.
Here is a video clip of Jessie and Blossom. Notice that Jessie is so tuned in to Blossom's energy that she actually mirrors the calf's movement.
***
I just had a big scare with Kiah. I noticed she didn't come when I put their hay out for supper. At first I wondered if she was colicking, but then I noticed that she wasn't using her right front leg and didn't seem able to move from the spot she was in. I palpated her leg and didn't find any noticeable tenderness. She was able to weight bear on the leg, but couldn't seem to move it. I became concerned that something neurological was going on, so I called the vet. He stated that there would be very little one could do if she had a neurological injury. I ended up having him come out because I wouldn't have been able to sleep worrying about her. While waiting for him I noticed that when Stryker tried to move Kiah she dragged the leg. The vet noticed some discomfort when he palpated the elbow area and wasn't able to fully flex her elbow. He pushed her harder than I did to try and get her to move, in response to which she was able to ever so slightly lift her leg and move it forward. This was a huge relief! Based on his exam the vet feels that she tore her triceps muscle. He stated that this would be career-ending for a sport horse. Thankfully, she just needs to be able to get around comfortably in the pasture and forest with her herd. She is on anti-inflammatories and will have to be kept in a separate area, but immediately adjacent to, the other horses. It is not safe for her to be in with the herd while unable to move well. The recovery could take weeks, but at least it looks hopeful for her. If you would like to send her healing thoughts and energy that would be very much appreciated. Thank you.
Here is a photo of Kiah and me.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Mama Moose & Babe
A couple of mornings ago I was delighted to look out my dining room window and see Mama moose in the forest about fifty feet from the house. Jessie, my German shepherd, was outside barking at her, so I lured her back into the house and went outside with my camera. As I approached I saw Baby moose as well. I had been noticing two sets of tracks throughout the forest, but was perplexed because one wasn't noticeably smaller than the other. When I saw Baby it was obvious why.... he's a big baby! For those who are not familiar with moose, other than mom's with calves and briefly during mating season, they are solitary animals, which is fairly unusual in the world of ungulates. Here is a video of Mama moose and her calf.
As I was driving toward town later that morning I was fortunate enough to see a herd of elk in a pasture. Here are a couple of video clips. The music in the background is the radio, which I didn't realize would record so loudly. It was reassuring to see that the elk are leery of vehicles that pull over on the road, because I'm sure the odd hunter has no qualms with shooting an elk from the road, even though it's illegal. There have been elk in my forest this winter for the first time since I've lived here, and, I suspect, for the first time in thirty years. My neighbour to the south told me elk don't come around here. For two winters I saw no sign of them. This year there was elk scat everywhere. I have not actually seen them because while in the forest they tend to be nocturnal and rather elusive. You tend to either see a herd with 50+ members in an open field during the day or none at all. It dawned on me that it took the elk two winters to realize that the hunter who used to live here was gone and that they were now safe in this forest.
When I returned from town I noticed fresh moose tracks right up to the living room window where the dogs usually sleep (on the couch). They then went down to the barn and sampled the alfalfa hay. I looked out the kitchen window and there was Mama moose sleeping in the forest. I walked around outside, giving Mama moose lots of room so as not to disturb her, looking for Baby in his bed, but did not see him. I then slowly approached a tree about 60 feet from Mama moose, asked if I could rest with her and then knelt down in the snow next to a pine tree. I silently sent her messages that she was safe here and very welcome anytime. I told her how beautiful and unique I thought she was and thanked her for letting me see her baby. She was initially looking right at me with her ears pointing toward me. After a few minutes she looked off in another direction, licked her hind leg and scratched her chin. She seemed to be quite comfortable with my presence by that point. After about 40 minutes I thanked her for letting me spend time with her and quietly left. Unfortunately, I had another appointment in town or I probably would have been there all afternoon.
Here is a photo of Mama moose resting.
When I got back home I went to look for Mama and Baby. They were no longer in their beds. I found Baby's bed about 15 feet from his Mama's. As I was taking photos of the beds and scat piles I could hear the moose further in the forest. I walked in the direction of the noise and found two new beds. Unfortunately, I think I scared them off and they headed deep into the forest.
Here is Mama moose's bed. In the left upper corner you can see an impression from her tail with a lower leg coming down from there and marks from both hooves. The imprints from her bent knees are to the right of her lower leg. Just to the left of the tree trunk is an impression of her left elbow. There is some hair she shed in the lower right corner. This is the bed from the above photo of Mama moose resting. You can refer to this photo to help figure out her body position on the snow. In the photo you can see her right hind leg sticking out in front of her. Her hock and lower leg are resting in the snow. (You can get a better look at the bed by clicking on the photo.)
Here is a close up of the hair:
Here is a photo of Mama moose's scat with a Canadian quarter (moose head up) for size reference. There are a couple old pieces of horse poop in the photo.
I did not see the moose yesterday, but when I went to the barn this morning to feed the horses, there were fresh tracks into the hay shelter. They rubbed off three big wads of hair on the metal gate into the shelter. The gate now has a noticeable curve to it that wasn't there before. I saved the fur, which I noticed has a very distinct "moose" smell to it. I then discovered that Mama and Baby had slept in the forest near the house again. Very interestingly, Mama moose made her bed right by the tree I had knelt under a couple of days earlier. The bare patch just to the left of the tree trunk is the spot where I knelt down into the snow. Baby's bed was a few feet away.
Here is another photo of today's bed that nicely shows her bent hocks (lower left) and lower leg (bottom) with the imprints of her bent knees (right). To the left there are little blood splatters in the snow. The first time I noticed this, a couple of years ago, I wondered if the Mommy moose (not sure if it's the same Mom) was about to have a new baby. She still had her twins with her, which she would normally drive away prior to giving birth to her new calf. I noticed several big, fat ticks left behind in her beds at the time, which led me to speculate that these blood spots are from tick bites. I haven't seen any ticks in the beds this year, but they tend to be a problem for moose this time of year. I have found the occasional tick on the horses in spring. Fortunately, the horse is not the proper host, so the tick hangs on for awhile, but can't complete its life cycle.
Here is a photo of Mama moose's track.
Needless to say between some very windy weather the last couple of days and our visitors from the forest the horses have been really edgy. For those who do not live in moose country, horses for some reason tend to be terrified of moose. Two years ago when the Mom and twins showed up the entire herd ran into the forest to hide except for Bell, the Clydesdale, and Ramsay, a mini. It was quite comical to see this unlikely pair, the biggest and smallest herd members, holding the front line against the "invaders". Wilbur, the donkey, was nowhere to be seen. Donkeys are known to protect their herd from canids. Moose are definitely a different story. The moose are absolutely unfazed by the horses and their panic-stricken antics. The Mom and twins hung around for awhile and the herd eventually settled down when they realized the little moose family wasn't going to have them for lunch.
Wildlife tracking is also part of my "Healing with Horses" program. Here is a cool photo of the imprint left in the snow when a raven took off.
As I was driving toward town later that morning I was fortunate enough to see a herd of elk in a pasture. Here are a couple of video clips. The music in the background is the radio, which I didn't realize would record so loudly. It was reassuring to see that the elk are leery of vehicles that pull over on the road, because I'm sure the odd hunter has no qualms with shooting an elk from the road, even though it's illegal. There have been elk in my forest this winter for the first time since I've lived here, and, I suspect, for the first time in thirty years. My neighbour to the south told me elk don't come around here. For two winters I saw no sign of them. This year there was elk scat everywhere. I have not actually seen them because while in the forest they tend to be nocturnal and rather elusive. You tend to either see a herd with 50+ members in an open field during the day or none at all. It dawned on me that it took the elk two winters to realize that the hunter who used to live here was gone and that they were now safe in this forest.
When I returned from town I noticed fresh moose tracks right up to the living room window where the dogs usually sleep (on the couch). They then went down to the barn and sampled the alfalfa hay. I looked out the kitchen window and there was Mama moose sleeping in the forest. I walked around outside, giving Mama moose lots of room so as not to disturb her, looking for Baby in his bed, but did not see him. I then slowly approached a tree about 60 feet from Mama moose, asked if I could rest with her and then knelt down in the snow next to a pine tree. I silently sent her messages that she was safe here and very welcome anytime. I told her how beautiful and unique I thought she was and thanked her for letting me see her baby. She was initially looking right at me with her ears pointing toward me. After a few minutes she looked off in another direction, licked her hind leg and scratched her chin. She seemed to be quite comfortable with my presence by that point. After about 40 minutes I thanked her for letting me spend time with her and quietly left. Unfortunately, I had another appointment in town or I probably would have been there all afternoon.
Here is a photo of Mama moose resting.
When I got back home I went to look for Mama and Baby. They were no longer in their beds. I found Baby's bed about 15 feet from his Mama's. As I was taking photos of the beds and scat piles I could hear the moose further in the forest. I walked in the direction of the noise and found two new beds. Unfortunately, I think I scared them off and they headed deep into the forest.
Here is Mama moose's bed. In the left upper corner you can see an impression from her tail with a lower leg coming down from there and marks from both hooves. The imprints from her bent knees are to the right of her lower leg. Just to the left of the tree trunk is an impression of her left elbow. There is some hair she shed in the lower right corner. This is the bed from the above photo of Mama moose resting. You can refer to this photo to help figure out her body position on the snow. In the photo you can see her right hind leg sticking out in front of her. Her hock and lower leg are resting in the snow. (You can get a better look at the bed by clicking on the photo.)
Here is a close up of the hair:
Here is a photo of Mama moose's scat with a Canadian quarter (moose head up) for size reference. There are a couple old pieces of horse poop in the photo.
I did not see the moose yesterday, but when I went to the barn this morning to feed the horses, there were fresh tracks into the hay shelter. They rubbed off three big wads of hair on the metal gate into the shelter. The gate now has a noticeable curve to it that wasn't there before. I saved the fur, which I noticed has a very distinct "moose" smell to it. I then discovered that Mama and Baby had slept in the forest near the house again. Very interestingly, Mama moose made her bed right by the tree I had knelt under a couple of days earlier. The bare patch just to the left of the tree trunk is the spot where I knelt down into the snow. Baby's bed was a few feet away.
Here is another photo of today's bed that nicely shows her bent hocks (lower left) and lower leg (bottom) with the imprints of her bent knees (right). To the left there are little blood splatters in the snow. The first time I noticed this, a couple of years ago, I wondered if the Mommy moose (not sure if it's the same Mom) was about to have a new baby. She still had her twins with her, which she would normally drive away prior to giving birth to her new calf. I noticed several big, fat ticks left behind in her beds at the time, which led me to speculate that these blood spots are from tick bites. I haven't seen any ticks in the beds this year, but they tend to be a problem for moose this time of year. I have found the occasional tick on the horses in spring. Fortunately, the horse is not the proper host, so the tick hangs on for awhile, but can't complete its life cycle.
Here is a photo of Mama moose's track.
Needless to say between some very windy weather the last couple of days and our visitors from the forest the horses have been really edgy. For those who do not live in moose country, horses for some reason tend to be terrified of moose. Two years ago when the Mom and twins showed up the entire herd ran into the forest to hide except for Bell, the Clydesdale, and Ramsay, a mini. It was quite comical to see this unlikely pair, the biggest and smallest herd members, holding the front line against the "invaders". Wilbur, the donkey, was nowhere to be seen. Donkeys are known to protect their herd from canids. Moose are definitely a different story. The moose are absolutely unfazed by the horses and their panic-stricken antics. The Mom and twins hung around for awhile and the herd eventually settled down when they realized the little moose family wasn't going to have them for lunch.
Wildlife tracking is also part of my "Healing with Horses" program. Here is a cool photo of the imprint left in the snow when a raven took off.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
The Adventures of Duke & Patches the Pony
Duke, a yearling Clydesdale, & Patches, a weanling pony, would like to invite you to join them on their first adventure into the forest at The Dawn of Equus Sanctuary. Shortly after heading into the woods they discover this entrance to someone's underground home. They approach carefully, not knowing who might pop out!
Our little adventurers then have fun climbing on the burnt roots of a large tree. There was a forest fire here many years ago.
Does anyone know what the two plants are that Duke and Patches are nibbling on in this photo? (Clue #1: Duke's plant can be made into a tea and in late summer Patches might find berries on her plant. Clue #2: Duke and Patches need to be careful as they have wandered into boggy terrain.)
Next they come upon a friendly little red squirrel eating lunch.
Here they are enjoying the view from a lovely vista they have discovered.
Duke and Patches have found a fun little play spot amongst old roots.
Oh oh, where are you going Patches? She has found an opening into a squirrel midden. Be careful little weanling....
Patches ventures a few steps further then disappears into the depths of the midden! An intense rescue mission is launched. Initial attempts to locate Patches are unsuccessful. (If one did not know better one would suspect a manic badger had had a go at this midden.)
After 30 minutes of excavation Patches is recovered, a little disheveled, but no worse for the wear! (The same cannot be said for their human companion who had to carry out the rescue mission.)
Time for our two little friends to return to the safety of their pasture for now. Stay tuned for their next adventure!
Our little adventurers then have fun climbing on the burnt roots of a large tree. There was a forest fire here many years ago.
Does anyone know what the two plants are that Duke and Patches are nibbling on in this photo? (Clue #1: Duke's plant can be made into a tea and in late summer Patches might find berries on her plant. Clue #2: Duke and Patches need to be careful as they have wandered into boggy terrain.)
Next they come upon a friendly little red squirrel eating lunch.
Here they are enjoying the view from a lovely vista they have discovered.
Duke and Patches have found a fun little play spot amongst old roots.
Oh oh, where are you going Patches? She has found an opening into a squirrel midden. Be careful little weanling....
Patches ventures a few steps further then disappears into the depths of the midden! An intense rescue mission is launched. Initial attempts to locate Patches are unsuccessful. (If one did not know better one would suspect a manic badger had had a go at this midden.)
After 30 minutes of excavation Patches is recovered, a little disheveled, but no worse for the wear! (The same cannot be said for their human companion who had to carry out the rescue mission.)
Time for our two little friends to return to the safety of their pasture for now. Stay tuned for their next adventure!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
The Vicissitudes of Nature
Today started out very beautiful here in the foothills of the Alberta Rockies. Here's a clip of the horses coming in for their breakfast. It was an absolutely lovely, sunny morning.
Bell is at the front of the line. Notice her beautiful feathering. The vet came this afternoon to sedate Bell, shave her feathering, and scrub her lower legs with Hibitane. He then applied a black gooey paste to the active lesions. Bell was a star! Hopefully this will help finally clear up her skin condition.
After Bell was ready to return to the herd I went for a walk in the forest with the dogs. Within half an hour a thunderstorm blew in and tiny hail filled the air. While trying to take a photo of the donkeys thunder clashed very nearby, so the dogs and I scooted to the house. In this photo there are 3 donkeys in the shelter with Jasper standing looking rather pathetic in front. Jasper had been in the big shelter by himself, but decided to move for the photo op.
After getting into the house the hail changed to a snow storm with almost zero visibility. We ended up getting about 6" of snow. Even in our little forest oasis the wind was so strong it was blowing the hay away as I put it out.
Here is an "Ogopogo" photo of two deer at the edge of the pasture.
Ironically, I saw my first Robin of the season during the snow storm. Here are some photos of the horses this evening. It always amazes me how well the horses just accept what is.
Bell and Stryker
Juno
Luna and Juno
And....the donkeys! (Sweat Pea, Wilbur & Jasper)
This would make a great Christmas card!
.
Bell is at the front of the line. Notice her beautiful feathering. The vet came this afternoon to sedate Bell, shave her feathering, and scrub her lower legs with Hibitane. He then applied a black gooey paste to the active lesions. Bell was a star! Hopefully this will help finally clear up her skin condition.
After Bell was ready to return to the herd I went for a walk in the forest with the dogs. Within half an hour a thunderstorm blew in and tiny hail filled the air. While trying to take a photo of the donkeys thunder clashed very nearby, so the dogs and I scooted to the house. In this photo there are 3 donkeys in the shelter with Jasper standing looking rather pathetic in front. Jasper had been in the big shelter by himself, but decided to move for the photo op.
After getting into the house the hail changed to a snow storm with almost zero visibility. We ended up getting about 6" of snow. Even in our little forest oasis the wind was so strong it was blowing the hay away as I put it out.
Here is an "Ogopogo" photo of two deer at the edge of the pasture.
Ironically, I saw my first Robin of the season during the snow storm. Here are some photos of the horses this evening. It always amazes me how well the horses just accept what is.
Bell and Stryker
Juno
Luna and Juno
And....the donkeys! (Sweat Pea, Wilbur & Jasper)
This would make a great Christmas card!
.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Healing Trauma in Horses
(N.B. This post has been modified from the original version.)
I have been deeply reflecting on what active role humans have to play in helping horses heal. I feel pulled to this particular aspect of the horse-human dynamic and sense that therein somehow lies my soul purpose in this lifetime. I have been questioning whether I am wandering astray in wanting to further explore psychological trauma in horses or perhaps allowing myself to be distracted from simple presence in the moment with my horses.
Why do I feel this is an important issue? Because equus caballus has, and continues to, pay a high price for their association with our species. I feel a deep grief about this and feel called to somehow give back to the horse. I personally do not see myself as a therapist for horses, nor do I see horses as therapists for people. I do, however, feel that both species can support and facilitate healing in the other. It is the mutuality of this interspecies journey that is so powerful. I chose to start a small horse and donkey rescue so that women and horses could walk together along the path to healing, thus the name of my program, "Healing with Horses".
In response to my post, "Reflections on Rudy's Journey", Lynne wrote: "Remember, you offer love for this being and friendship for this individual first and foremost." I wholeheartedly agree. Without love and the purest of intent for the wellbeing of our equine friends nothing else we do has any real meaning. Simply holding the sacred space of possibility for a deeply traumatized horse is incredibly powerful. Beyond this, I wonder, what else can we do to help horses heal?
In response to this question, Margrit Coates commented, "In my work as an interspecies healer, I come across horses that are much loved. Yet they still do not have inner peace and hold on to the shock of trauma. That can result in emotional or physical issues. Love can create a bond and a communication channel...but a soul to soul connection is what makes the differance to a horse. In my experience spiritual healing* is the gateway to a soul connection. It takes our expression of what we think is love onto a higher plane, raising it to the unconditional level that the horse needs, so that he or she can let go of their turmoil." I very much look forward to her "Healing for Horses" workshop here in July. Perhaps this will provide some guidance on my path. (*aka Energy Healing)
I feel one particularly important aspect of this issue is educating "owners" about the signs of trauma in the horse. By recognizing that a horse's behaviour may be the result of past trauma, the owner can focus on helping the horse heal, rather than "remedial" training. There are many deeply traumatized horses out there who face bleak futures because of the longterm effects of what has been done to them. Many of these horses are disciplined or put into harsh training programs, ensuring the horse stays in a robotically obedient dissociative state. Or worse, they are sent to slaughter for being "dangerous" or "difficult". I think if we don't recognize the manifestations of trauma in horses we cannot approach them in the most helpful way, nor can we recognize when something we are doing with a horse is traumatizing. The popularity of practices such as "join up" is evidence that many well-intentioned horse "owners" are not able to differentiate between deep connection with the horse and dissociative obedience. I suspect on some level many do recognize it, but block those feelings out because they don't know what else to do.
On page 94-95 of "Empowered Horses" Imke describes her work with "Shane and The Tire". Starting on page 96 ("The Meaning of Little Things") she goes into more detail. At the top of pg 98 she states "he just cannot bring himself to step into the tire. That disppoints him, he shows some mild stress- it is a kind of inner withdrawal that, in typical pony fashion, makes him look rather sleepy. He shuts off."
Subtle indications of shutting off are so important to recognize in any horse, yet so very few people are aware of this. Shane is showing what is likely a very normal response to being "over-faced" by a request from a human. Withdrawal inward and shutting off help him to cope with a situation that he can no longer handle. This normal behaviour can become problematic if the horse is frequently stressed beyond his ability to cope and ends up spending a lot of time shut off. It is my sense that this is a common response of horses to overwhelming stress. If "fight or flight" is not an option, dissociation is the only choice left. That is why it is also such a common defence mechanism used by traumatized children.
A comment on Stormy's blog questioned whether Lisa should move Comet around with a stick as per Carolyn Resnick's Water Hole Ritual #4 ("herding from behind"). Lisa, however, describes a horse who is primarily in a dissociative state. Horses such as Comet first need help to slowly "awaken" and spend more and more time fully aware and present. We do not do this by herding him around, round penning him or anything else that is going to over activate his sympathetic nervous system. The tendency to dissociate is typically associated with difficulties regulating physiological arousal. When not dissociated, the individual is often in a state of hypervigilance. Stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system will then typically result in the horse either "exploding" into "flight or flight" or, alternatively, dissociating. These are both neural pathways we do not want to continue reinforcing. Rather, we need to slowly build trust with such a horse. Of utmost importance is ensuring that he truly feels safe with us. (Carolyn Resnick also views this as necessary before you ever move on from Water Hole Ritual #1.)
There is a book by Dr. G.A Bradshaw, "Elephants on the Edge: What Animals Teach us about Humanity", which explores PTSD in elephants and the ways in which people are trying to rehabilitate them "using the same principles psychologists apply in treating humans who have survived trauma." As is often the case in our relationship with the more-than-human world, our similarities in this regard probably far outweigh any significant differences.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post and I invite any comments you may have.
I have been deeply reflecting on what active role humans have to play in helping horses heal. I feel pulled to this particular aspect of the horse-human dynamic and sense that therein somehow lies my soul purpose in this lifetime. I have been questioning whether I am wandering astray in wanting to further explore psychological trauma in horses or perhaps allowing myself to be distracted from simple presence in the moment with my horses.
Why do I feel this is an important issue? Because equus caballus has, and continues to, pay a high price for their association with our species. I feel a deep grief about this and feel called to somehow give back to the horse. I personally do not see myself as a therapist for horses, nor do I see horses as therapists for people. I do, however, feel that both species can support and facilitate healing in the other. It is the mutuality of this interspecies journey that is so powerful. I chose to start a small horse and donkey rescue so that women and horses could walk together along the path to healing, thus the name of my program, "Healing with Horses".
In response to my post, "Reflections on Rudy's Journey", Lynne wrote: "Remember, you offer love for this being and friendship for this individual first and foremost." I wholeheartedly agree. Without love and the purest of intent for the wellbeing of our equine friends nothing else we do has any real meaning. Simply holding the sacred space of possibility for a deeply traumatized horse is incredibly powerful. Beyond this, I wonder, what else can we do to help horses heal?
In response to this question, Margrit Coates commented, "In my work as an interspecies healer, I come across horses that are much loved. Yet they still do not have inner peace and hold on to the shock of trauma. That can result in emotional or physical issues. Love can create a bond and a communication channel...but a soul to soul connection is what makes the differance to a horse. In my experience spiritual healing* is the gateway to a soul connection. It takes our expression of what we think is love onto a higher plane, raising it to the unconditional level that the horse needs, so that he or she can let go of their turmoil." I very much look forward to her "Healing for Horses" workshop here in July. Perhaps this will provide some guidance on my path. (*aka Energy Healing)
I feel one particularly important aspect of this issue is educating "owners" about the signs of trauma in the horse. By recognizing that a horse's behaviour may be the result of past trauma, the owner can focus on helping the horse heal, rather than "remedial" training. There are many deeply traumatized horses out there who face bleak futures because of the longterm effects of what has been done to them. Many of these horses are disciplined or put into harsh training programs, ensuring the horse stays in a robotically obedient dissociative state. Or worse, they are sent to slaughter for being "dangerous" or "difficult". I think if we don't recognize the manifestations of trauma in horses we cannot approach them in the most helpful way, nor can we recognize when something we are doing with a horse is traumatizing. The popularity of practices such as "join up" is evidence that many well-intentioned horse "owners" are not able to differentiate between deep connection with the horse and dissociative obedience. I suspect on some level many do recognize it, but block those feelings out because they don't know what else to do.
On page 94-95 of "Empowered Horses" Imke describes her work with "Shane and The Tire". Starting on page 96 ("The Meaning of Little Things") she goes into more detail. At the top of pg 98 she states "he just cannot bring himself to step into the tire. That disppoints him, he shows some mild stress- it is a kind of inner withdrawal that, in typical pony fashion, makes him look rather sleepy. He shuts off."
Subtle indications of shutting off are so important to recognize in any horse, yet so very few people are aware of this. Shane is showing what is likely a very normal response to being "over-faced" by a request from a human. Withdrawal inward and shutting off help him to cope with a situation that he can no longer handle. This normal behaviour can become problematic if the horse is frequently stressed beyond his ability to cope and ends up spending a lot of time shut off. It is my sense that this is a common response of horses to overwhelming stress. If "fight or flight" is not an option, dissociation is the only choice left. That is why it is also such a common defence mechanism used by traumatized children.
A comment on Stormy's blog questioned whether Lisa should move Comet around with a stick as per Carolyn Resnick's Water Hole Ritual #4 ("herding from behind"). Lisa, however, describes a horse who is primarily in a dissociative state. Horses such as Comet first need help to slowly "awaken" and spend more and more time fully aware and present. We do not do this by herding him around, round penning him or anything else that is going to over activate his sympathetic nervous system. The tendency to dissociate is typically associated with difficulties regulating physiological arousal. When not dissociated, the individual is often in a state of hypervigilance. Stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system will then typically result in the horse either "exploding" into "flight or flight" or, alternatively, dissociating. These are both neural pathways we do not want to continue reinforcing. Rather, we need to slowly build trust with such a horse. Of utmost importance is ensuring that he truly feels safe with us. (Carolyn Resnick also views this as necessary before you ever move on from Water Hole Ritual #1.)
There is a book by Dr. G.A Bradshaw, "Elephants on the Edge: What Animals Teach us about Humanity", which explores PTSD in elephants and the ways in which people are trying to rehabilitate them "using the same principles psychologists apply in treating humans who have survived trauma." As is often the case in our relationship with the more-than-human world, our similarities in this regard probably far outweigh any significant differences.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post and I invite any comments you may have.
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