FALLING OFF A FUTURE UNICORN IS NOT FUN!

I don't know about you, but even after years of riding my future unicorns, I STILL fall off occasionally. Maybe it is because I can't afford a "finished" horse (if horses are ever really finished!) I always buy the "just-saddle-and-bridle-broke" horse. Yes, the initial purchase price is much less but the medical bills make up for that! Readers of Behind the Mist and Mists of Darkness will know the name of Jazz, the star of those books. He is a beautiful, dark-bay Hanoverian. He also  happens to be 17 hands tall! That is a long way above the ground. Having purchased him as a young and immature 4 year old, I began his dressage training...working up the levels very slowly. He is now 11 and getting ready to compete at third level (see...I told you I was training him slowly.) In any case, over the seven years that I have owned him and worked on training him, I have hit the ground many times. He never bucks or rears but he will whirl when he is startled. I think whirls are harder to stay on than bucks! While the whirls have become far less frequent, they still  happen on occasion. This only serves to remind me of two things...1) I still have to be alert to the warning signs and 2) I am not getting any younger!

With the last conclusion in mind, I want to share with you a funny article that a reader sent me. If you are my age you will be able to totally relate. (P.S. I changed the last line because I don't drink alcohol.) Enjoy!

The Stages of Aging on Horseback

Stage 1: Fall off pony. Bounce. Laugh. Climb back on. Repeat.

Stage 2: Fall off horse. Run after horse, cussing. Climb back on by
shimmying up horse's neck. Ride until sundown.

Stage 3: Fall off horse. Use sleeve of shirt to stanch bleeding. Have friend
help you get back on horse. Take two Advil and apply ice packs when you get
home. Ride next day.

State 4: Fall off horse. Refuse advice to call ambulance; drive self to
urgent care clinic. Entertain nursing staff with tales of previous daredevil
stunts on horseback. Back to riding before cast comes off.

Stage 5: Fall off horse. Temporarily forget name of horse and name of
husband. Flirt shamelessly with paramedics when they arrive. Spend week in
hospital while titanium pins are screwed in place. Start riding again before
doctor gives official okay.

Stage 6: Fall off horse. Fail to see any humor when hunky paramedic says,
"You again?" Gain firsthand knowledge of advances in medical technology
thanks to stint in ICU. Convince self that permanent limp isn't that
noticeable. Promise husband you'll give up riding. One week later purchase
older, slower, shorter horse.

Stage 7: Slip off horse. Relieved when artificial joints and implanted
medical devices seem unaffected. Tell husband that scrapes and bruises are
due to gardening accident. Pretend you don't see husband roll his eyes and
mutter as he walks away. Give apple to horse.

Stage 8: Go to see horse. Momentarily consider riding but remember arthritis
won't let you lift leg high enough to reach stirrup - even when on mounting
block. Share ginger ale with grateful horse & recall "good old days".=

If you liked that, then you are a true horse lover. 

So...you will love reading the first two 

books of the fantasy for horse lovers: 

Behind the Mist and Mists of Darkness. 

They are available where ever books are sold. Or get 

an autographed copy at: 

www.behindthemist.com 

WATCH OUT FOR COLIC IN YOUR FUTURE UNICORN

Those of us who are fortunate enough to own a horse (or two or three...) love them very much and want to keep them healthy and happy for as long as possible. When Heavenly Father designed horses he made them very beautiful on the outside but he gave them a very fragile digestive system on the inside. It was designed for horses in the wild who are constantly grazing and moving around. Thus, their stomachs always had a small amount of a large variety of grasses and weeds in their stomach and they were walking around from patch to clump, thus helping with the digestion.

Now, don't get me wrong, I believe that horses were designed to be domestic and serve man. Indeed, domestic horses live longer than horses in the wild and for a variety of reasons: better diet, better  hoof care, protection from predators, and so on. But we do, inadvertently to be sure, create problems for our horses through the life we ask them to live. One of the biggest and most life-threatening problems that you need to be informed about if you are a horse owner is Colic.

What is Colic? 
At its most basic, its a tummy ache! It is a general term used to describe any sort of abdominal pain. It can be so mild that you don't even know it is happening or so severe that it becomes a medical emergency. In fact, colic causes more deaths in horses than any other disease! And, surgery for colic is very expensive! (I  know, you are thinking: "What does a rich author need to worry about expenses for?" Well, I am here to tell you that "Rich Author" is an oxymoron unless your name is Stephen King or J.K. Rowling!)

So, What can you do?
First, you can know of and limit the risk factors that can lead to an onset of colic.
1)  Horses are animals (much like children) who do best on a predictable routine. They tend to start worrying if there are any changes. As a result, any change of that routine can actually bring on colic. This would include especially: increased stall time do to an injury or weather; increasing or decreasing the work/exercise load; change in feed whether hay or grain.

Any changes need to be made gradually. If the horse is injured, hopefully you could at least do some hand walking. New feed needs to be introduced by mixing it a little at a time with the old feed. The same is true with exercise. Do not try a steep Colorado Mountain trail your first ride out in the spring for instance.

2) Dehydration. Horses need to have constant access to water to avoid GI trouble caused by impaction. (Food kind of balling up and getting jammed.) If it is freezing outside, make sure you clear water tanks of ice.
Horses drink a lot of water so be prepared!

3) Sand colic is another risk. If your soil is quite sandy it is very possible that the horse could ingest it. This can build up in the GI tract and cause loose stool and other upset. Some vets recommend a daily supplement that prevents this.

4) Parasites can cause intestinal inflammation which can lead to colic. Make sure you keep up on your worming schedule.

Now, even if you are very careful about all of these risk factors, even the best horseman/woman will experience a horse getting colic. The key to recovery is a quick diagnosis. Know the signs that your horse is uncomfortable or, worse, in trouble.

According to SmartPak.com the tell-tale signs are:
Pawing
Looking at, kicking or biting the abdomen
Repeatedly lying down and getting up
Sitting in a dog-like position or lying on the back
Lip curling
Lack of Bowel movements
Reduced or absent gut sounds
Not eating or drinking
Stretching out as if to urinate
Elevated respiratory rate
Elevated heart rat

If your horse displays any of these signs call the vet and follow whatever he/she tells you to do! Let's help our noble and great horses live a long life!

Find out what happens to the noble and great horses after they die. Read the Mist Trilogy, the first two books are now out and ready to purchase in print or ebook format. 

Order now from:

www.behindthemist.com

or wherever fine books are sold.