Heart Wisdom Animal Talk Blog
Dedicated to improved health, behavior and wellness for pets and the people who love them.
Want to get positive results from your dog? Here’s how! A major mistake most dog parents make is to offer affection to their dog from the beginning. Then, later they may get around to exercising their pet at some point. Or they may take their new dog for a walk, or even just turn them out into a yard expecting them to exercise themselves. Or they might throw the ball for a quick game of fetch for a little while. And at some point the dog will finally do something wrong, dangerous or destructive so they will make some attempt at discipline (which is usually ignored by their pup). Dogs don’t approach ‘friendships’ like humans This “let’s be friends” approach makes sense from a human perspective. We usually approach others wanting to be liked and we try to be friendly, right? Like we would with another human that we just […]
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“Herd in Iceland” I bet you don’t think of horses when you think of Iceland. I didn’t either until I saw this remarkable story/video. Herd in Iceland is a documentary about the annual round-up of the Icelandic horse, isolated for centuries by the country’s oceanic borders. “Herd In Iceland” began filming in the fall of 2010, when Lindsay Blatt and Paul Taggart traveled to Iceland to document the Icelandic herders as they collected their horses across the island’s remote terrain. During the summer months, the horses live a wild existence, grazing in the highlands and raising their young. Each fall, they are rounded up by local farmers and directed across the stunning landscape. This valued tradition is a social and cultural touchstone for both the farmers who own the horses and the city dwellers who travel to the countryside to participate. The horse holds a precious place in Icelandic culture, art […]
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DIY Horse and Rider Spa Treatments Your horse works hard. You work hard. Don’t you both deserve a little pampering and stress relief? A day at the spa could be just the ticket. Spas have been bastions of human relaxation for centuries. Horse spas now offer the same sorts of pampering for our four-legged partners. All at a cost, of course. But what if money’s a little tight? No matter! Most things you and your horse can find at a spa can also be done at home and the barn for a fraction of the cost. Here are some of the horse/human treats you’ll find at a spa. With a little ingenuity, you can incorporate these into your barn or home and get all the benefits of going to a spa without the big expense. Hair Care For your horse: If the weather’s warm enough, bathe your horse with the […]
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The importance of clean water to your pet’s health Water is the one component critical for all life as we know it. Water is responsible for maintaining hydration, controlling body temperature, replacing nutrients throughout our system, and flushing toxins out. The importance of fresh water in our lives cannot be understated, and this is also true for our pets. The amount of water an animal needs varies with its size and activity level. A good general rule of thumb is simply to keep fresh, clean water available at all times. Writing an article dedicated solely to water may seem a stretch to some readers. The fact remains, however, that even though water is a most crucial component to our pets’ health, it is also the most misunderstood. Without fresh clean water daily, their health is in danger. You see, animals not only drink water for hydration and proper bodily functions […]
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Talking with your show horse really does help improve their competition scores! Many years ago I went to a Pre-Olympic Trial Dressage* Competition and was introduced to a world class upper level Grand Prix dressage horse, Okzident, and his owner and trainer, JP. As soon as this man learned that I could communicate with his horse, he dragged me across the arena saying: “You have to talk with my horse!!” It seems that when they were in practice sessions, his horse was brilliant and perfect. But when they entered the show arena, he consistently messed up the intricate and subtle movements, causing their scores to be low. He was frustrated and upset, and he wanted to know why. His horse told me that he was very angry with JP and went on to outline why. He loved his work and was very good at it, and he knew what […]
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