Colic is one of the most common horse conditions in which you will need to call your Veterinarian. Colic is not a disease; it is a clinical sign of many possible diseases. Increasing your knowledge of this common condition of horses could save your horse’s life.

Colic means literally a pain in the abdomen. When a horse “colics,” this means that the horse is acting painful, and it appears that the pain is coming from the abdomen.

Horse colic can vary greatly in severity. Some colics will go away with just taking your horse for a walk, but other forms of colic will require surgery, and can be life threatening. So if you think your horse has colic you should contact your Veterinarian immediately.

There are many possible causes of colic in horse. One possible cause of colic could be from a changing diet. The diet could be too high in grain or maybe there is moldy hay in the feed. Another possible cause is when a segment of the horse’s intestine twists in the abdomen, this happens not infrequently in horses. Generally your Veterinarian can diagnose this by ultrasound, palpation, or by use of a stethoscope. To cure this type of colic, surgery is often required. This means you have to take your horse to the Veterinary hospital. Colic surgery in horses is very expensive costing $2,000 at a minimum. Plus the hospitalization is rather extensive too.

Some common treatments for horse colics could include products that relive the pain like analgesics called Banamine or Aspirin. Also, mineral oil is used sometimes if it is thought that extra lubrication in the intestines would help the pain pass. Sometimes in severe cases intestines can rupture which often leads to death. But with proper feeding and care you can prevent most cases of colic.

Often times when calling your Veterinarian about your horse having colic they will often advise you to not let your horse try to lay down and roll over. If they are in pain many horses will try and lay down and roll around on the ground trying to relieve the pain. It is important to prevent this as a horse can do even more damage to themselves in this condition.

A secondary problem often overlooked when horses colic is that lameness could develop. This is a disease of the feet which is also a very common problem of horses.

If you think your horse has colic you should contact your Veterinarian immediately, even if it’s late at night. When your horse has colic minutes and hours count towards finding a resolution to the problem.

Another important thing to be aware of is that some horses are more prone to colic than other ones. This is a question you should ask a horse owner if you are thinking about buying their horse.

By becoming aware of the common disease conditions in horses you can catch them earlier and provide relief earlier. If you have more questions on colic, or think your horse may have colic, be sure to contact your Veterinarian.

How to build a great website with a fabulous online store full of products, in reverse!

Most people recognize the horse drawn cart analogy in the title, but how many will remember push cart vendors of ice cream or hot foods, moved by man power without the benefit of a horse? Occasionally they are still found at county fairs or country festivals and in small towns speckled across America. Among America’s Amish communities, horse power remains a part of daily life as it once was in every community. Usually, you get the horse before the cart because it is easier that way.

My deep desire to support our troops in a profound way inspired daydreams of starting a non-profit organization that would grow into a great foundation, doing wonderful things for our volunteer military forces. Experience working on fund raising events for Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and other charities enabled me a full blown vision of grandeur. It was a complex vision which would take many pages to describe.

Reading about how to start and run a non-profit group, with all the legal and other complexities, made it obvious another approach was needed. An important part of a great organization is a great website, which was part of the vision. Funds for a business investment were not available, so a search ensued for what was needed at minimal or no cost. Research found some free, self publishing websites that print-on-demand, incurring product costs only when orders are received.

Using the cart to make sales became necessary before the online horse could be purchased. In this case, the online horse was the full service web presence with the depth of online services dreamed of. The web presence needed to be coordinated, assembled, funded, leased on a website hosting server, and then managed.

It started with a small first step. Spending only twenty five dollars, the desired URL address was secured in a two year lease and a small but critical piece of the puzzle was in place. Other available ingredients were a computer and access to the Internet. Graphic art and website building programs were on the shelf as well. A mission of boosting troop morale and knowledge of graphic design for tee-shirts and other imprinted products compelled the preparation and online posting of inspired, exclusive designs that provoke thought. Some designs might make you chuckle too. It was a huge investment in time to create and post about twenty original designs on products to sell but it incurred no cash outlay. Inspiration drove the work onward for months while the cause and results made the work gratifying.

The first offerings were posted on a limited, but free, self publishing website. Limitations of a free service made an upgrade desirable so one was purchased on the same website for less than ten dollars a month. This provided much more space for product expansion and much greater presentation flexibility, resulting in an online store stuffed full of products to be proud of! So the cart has been put out to make sales, with a goal of funding the online horse purchase down the line.

Someday establishing a non-profit organization to serve and inspire our troops may become a project in reality. For now it is only a dream. An IRS tax exempt classification as a non-profit group makes getting sponsorships and grants from companies a lot easier. Tax deductible corporate sponsorship or philanthropist money can make the visions of grandeur possible. So could the rapid sale of shirts and other popular products using a for-profit business model.

Until the non-profit dream becomes a reality, a for-profit model has been established out of necessity. Fifty percent of proceeds will be donated to FallenPatriotFund.org or other worthy causes with other proceeds directed toward the service website envisioned for our troops, which does not yet exist. So far, only the selling cart is posted in a cyberspace shop with unique, morale boosting products offered for sale now. Only time will tell how the rest will develop.

As with getting the horse and the cart, usually a website is built first and the online store with imprinted products is added later. There is also the reverse method explained in this article and driven by necessity.

Necessity is the mother of invention and necessity sometimes mandates using the cart before you own a horse, on the Internet!

Finding a good instructor is important. If you’ve never been on a horse before, you do not need to have an olympic level teacher. Sometimes this level instructor cannot relate to beginners because they are so advanced in their thinking. You need to be looking for an instructor who will teach a good basic foundation. You want an instructor who honestly enjoys people, horses and teaching.
You need an instructor who will teach basic knowledge about horses, how they think, what they are afraid of, and why they do what they do. How their senses of sight, smell and hearing work. They are large animals and very strong. They belong to the group of animals that gets eaten by the other group, so you need to know how to make the horse feel safe around you. You need to know how to touch them. You need to learn what you need to do, why you need to do it and how to achieve it. A good instructor will teach the student how to use our own intelligence to ride and care for the horse properly and safely You need to learn how to care for them, grooming, catching and leading, haltering and tying, saddleing and bridling, mounting and dismounting, sitting correctly in the saddle and communicating with the horse. These subjects should be taught before the student ever mounts and begins instruction on riding.
Some instructors constantly teach “head up, heels down, sit straight, turn your shoulders, toes forward etc”. Teaching posing often results in a stiff rider. It is difficult to concentrate on both posing and riding. Riders learn to ride by being taught exercises that enable them to FEEL. First you need to move WITH the horse. Then you direct the horse by interferring with his movenment. This is what they call “riding from your seat”.
A good instructor needs to be able to communicate clearly and logically and allows you to ask questions. Asking questions shows that the student has a real desire to learn. They must be honest with you, have happy students that are satisfied with how they have learned.
A credible instructor will allow you to sit and observe a lesson or two. Before you commit yourself to a series of lessons, take a couple of lessons to see if you like your instructor.
Get references from instructors and contact those students. Find out their complaints as well as compliments.
You need to do your homework before you just sign up for lessons with the first instructor you meet. Ask horse people, visit local stables, go to some horse shows, visit some tack shops, go on the internet and visit sites offering advice on the subject of horses.
Has the instructor completed any kind of training?
Is the instructor insured?
Is the facility neat, clean and the animals well cared for?
Is the tack well cared for, clean and safe?
Safety should be a good instructors main concern. Are all students wearing approved helmets, boots or shoes with a heel and smooth sole? Are they wearing well-fitted clothing?
Does the instructor speak clearly and loudly so students can hear?
Is the instructor giving you the full attention you paid for or is he/she distracted by phone calls, visitors, loose pets, or other frivilous matters that could be attended to after your lesson?
Riding is not cheap. Just like any other sport, you will have to invest in good equipment and riding apparel. Your instructor should be able to guide you in the right direction for the type of riding you want to do.
After your first couple of lessons, you should feel good about learning more and your confidence should grow with each succeeding lesson. It often takes years to become an excellent rider so don’t feel discouraged if you are not an expert right away. There is so much to learn about horses so just relax and have fun!

Buying a horse can be a very time consuming endeavor, with all the different horse breeds and skills to choose from. The more you become familiar with the process of buying and selling horses, the better your chances will be to end up with the horse to fit your needs. There are many avenues to look for the horse you want, like a local barn, tack shops, newspaper classifieds, and now you can go online and look through thousands of horse for sale classifieds. Take your time and don’t get to overwhelmed. If you make the selection process in a hurry, you might make an unwise purchase. Plan to take from one month to one year to find your ideal horse. Understandably, if you are without a horse, one year mite sound like a very long time, but you can use this time to become more knowledgeable about what you want by taking lessons.

The first thing you must determine is what you really want from a horse, and to what extent you will be using him/her. Will the horse be a trustworthy companion or wonderful Dressage prospect? Buy taking the time and comparing the different classified ads presented to you, will help determine your priorities. Be sure to use the advanced search features each online classified horse website has to offer, this will help you to narrow down your search results.

Once you have found the horse you want, its always a good idea to get a professional opinion when you are buying a horse. Whether or not you use an agent to help you select your horse, you should always have a basic veterinary pre-purchase exam performed. When you seek out professional advice, pay for it and then listen to it! When your instructor or veterinarian cautions you about a horse, it is for a reason. When seeking advice, it is best to a well-respected professional that has no vested interest in the horse sale.

Here is a breakdown of what to look for when a horse is for sale:

* does the horse fit your needs

* what skills does the horse possess

* does the horse have a good temperament

* do comparisons of other similar horses

* does the horse fit the selling price

* get professional advice

* are there any lessons with the sale

* make sure to have pre-purchase vet exam

* can you afford the upkeep on a horse (such as boarding, feed, and veterinary care.)

Stay focused. Keep in mind that you are selecting a horse for a particular reason or desired skill. There are many decisions and compromises lying ahead, so it helps if you set your priorities clearly at the outset.

If the overall purpose of the horse is to teach you how to ride rather than to carry you to the winner’s circle, then the selection process will emphasize different traits to fit your needs. If the horse is intended to be a long-term project rather than a stepping stone, you may need to invest more time, effort, and money in your purchase. Remember to take your time and use the tools at your disposal, such as online horse classifieds, you will thank yourself in the end.

There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to betting on the horses. Some people believe that it’s impossible to profit in horse racing. Some believe that all you need to do is bet the favorites. Still, others believe that the only way to make money is to bet the huge long shots and pray for a miracle. All of these thoughts are false. You can make money betting on horses, and you don’t need to pick favorites all the time or bet on miracle finishes often.

Here is a juicy piece of information for you. The favorite wins the race (thoroughbred racing) about 33% of the time. Therefore, if you simply bet the favorite, you will be losing 67% of the time. Since favorites don’t always pay too well, you would end up losing over the long run. Still, money can be made betting on favorites. Each race is different. In some races, the favorite might be an even money favorite. In others, the favorite might be a 3-1 favorite.

How you bet is just as important as how much you bet. A common bet is called across the board. When you make this wager, you are betting on the horse to win, place and show. If the horse comes in first, you win all three bets. The show bet is the most conservative wager in horse racing, and it pays like it. It’s common to be paid only 20 cents on the dollar for a show bet. Many inexperience bettors place a show bet “to be safe,” but it’s a money sink.

Unless the horse is going off at a good price (odds), making a show bet is a losing proposition. The best way to wager on a good horse is win and possibly placeâ??never show. Think about it this way, if I told you I had a proposition that you might win 33% of the time, and it will pay 1-5, which means you bet $5 and win $1, would you jump on it? Of course you wouldn’t. This is kind of what it’s like to make a show bet on a good horse.

At the end of the day, how you wager can up accounting for half or more of your success potential. Bettors that don’t figure this out wonder why their bankroll is not larger after their “winning” day. Place your bets properly and you will be halfway home to being a successful horse racing bettor. Money can be and is, made in horse racing every single day. On busy days, there are more than one hundred betting opportunities to take advantage of. One last piece of advice. If a race is not favorable to youâ??odds wiseâ??move along. There will be plenty more races to bet on.

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Horse Racing Systems For The Weekend Punter

Author: Max Redd: www.ReddRacing.co.uk

Opportunities to profit from betting on horse racing arise almost every day of the week. But I know many of you with work committments don’t have time to bet during the week. If its not the lack-of-time factor, perhaps you don’t have access to betting facilities whilst at work. Well, help is at hand because here are 10 mini horse racing systems that are perfect for the Saturday betting fan.

1. Focus on just one race course at any one time. It’s so tempting with additional international meetings being screened in this country, but unless you want to blow your bank in half an hour, stick to one venue. A good idea is to concentrate on the course staging the richest race of the day.

2. Find a horse that was the favorite or short-priced (3-1 or less) in its last outing, but today is priced over 10-1 in the same level of race race or below. This method can return some big outsiders.

3. Back any horse whose last run was at the same course as today. The trainer obviously sent the horse to this track for a reason, and is trying again. This method will give you a few good horses to follow.

4. Check for horses that finished within 2 lengths of the winner in their last race, but finished out of the frame. You will often find good value here because the horse finished close, but will be offered at higher odds next time out because it didn’t place.

5. Avoid horses that won at long-odds last time out, but today are likely to be sent off as race favourite or at short odds (3/1 or less). I’m afraid you’ve missed the boat already, so don’t try swimming after it! Look instead for a horse with a low tissue-price (3-1 or less) and is going to post over 3-1 odds. Don’t be afraid to go against the market. An experienced odds-compiler has obviously considered this horse worthy of low odds, and a drifting price can often signal good value.

6. Look out for horses that are proven winners at either the track or distance (marked ‘C’ and/or ‘D’. Alternatively, dutch the top 3 money-earners at either the track or distance.

7. If a horse is a warm favourite due to a considerable drop in class (2 levels or more), look out for another horse that is doing the exact same thing only being offered at higher odds - the first horse is likely a “talking horse” and pushing the prices of other horses out to the point where we can get good value.

8. Be aware of for horses that have placed, that is finished first, second or third in their last four starts in the current season.

9. Have a goal in mind. If before racing you say to yourself, I’d like to win 50 quid today, then that is a goal. Equally you can set yourself a limit — I only want to lose 50 quid today — that’s a goal too. Its uncanny but it often seems that if you make up your mind to achieve something, then you will! So set yourself a positive goal rather than a negative one!

10. Be aware of the magic of ‘threes’. Whenever a horse is doing something for a third time, it can be a lucrative signal. 3rd time wearing blinkers, 3rd race back from a lay off, 3rd race in a new class - for whatever reason the number 3 seems to be a horse racing ‘wonder’ number.

Try some of thes methods this coming Saturday, and see how often you collect from the bookies.

About the author: Max Redd has been making a living betting on horse racing for over 10 years. He runs the Redd Racing betting advisory service which offers members a FREE trial and a 60-day money-back profit guarantee. Find out more at http://www.reddracing.co.uk

What are some of the allergy symptoms?

Some of the most common allergy symptoms occur for the seasonal allergies such as hay fever and include the itchy watery eyes, runny nose, and sneezing aspects of allergenic symptoms. Other cases of allergies feature more serious symptoms that can be more harmful and troublesome such as absentmindedness, dizziness, trouble swallowing, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, skin rashes, vertigo, vomiting, and other serious cases of health issues that may spring from how the body deals with the allergen itself.

Airborne allergies are, however, the most common form of allergies and tend to feature the most common form of an allergy symptom as well. Most of these symptoms are related to the sinuses as the hay fever and other allergies like hay fever tend to affect those systems of the body. Sneezing, a clogged and runny nose, itchiness in the eyes and throat, coughing, postnasal drip, and swollen eyes (a symptom called “conjunctivitis”) are all parts of the airborne allergy symptom repertoire.

Why do these symptoms occur?

Most times, the allergic reaction is coupled with a portion of the allergen. In other words, if the allergen is known for entering the lungs it will likely attack portions of the body related to the lungs and to breathing. An airborne allergy, thus, will likely attach itself to the breathing apparatus and my cause coughing or the nose to run because of the way it affects the system directly. There are other reasons for this that scientists studying allergy immunology are aware of, but the basics of most allergies are that they are “system attackers” in general.

How are the symptoms cured?

An allergy symptom can be cured in a number of ways depending on the actual system it affects and how drastically the body is affected. Many people can simply take, for example, an antihistamine for a hay fever type allergy and go about their day while others simply will not respond to the antihistamine. It is essentially a matter of the biological makeup of the allergy sufferer in terms of how they react to certain medications and how much medication is needed to cure the allergy symptom.

In this brief article, we will define an allergy symptom and discuss some specific systems and what they mean to you as an allergy sufferer. An allergy symptom is any symptom associated with allergies such as a running nose, itchy eyes, watery eyes, sneezing, itchy skin, and more. We will go into some detail about where a symptom comes from and why they appear as well as a brief discussion about how to cure those symptoms if time permits.

What are some of the symptoms?

Some of the most common allergy symptoms occur for the seasonal allergies such as hay fever and include the itchy watery eyes, runny nose, and sneezing aspects of allergenic symptoms. Other cases of allergies feature more serious symptoms that can be more harmful and troublesome such as absentmindedness, dizziness, trouble swallowing, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, skin rashes, vertigo, vomiting, and other serious cases of health issues that may spring from how the body deals with the allergen itself.

Airborne allergies are, however, the most common form of allergies and tend to feature the most common form of an allergy symptom as well. Most of these symptoms are related to the sinuses as the hay fever and other allergies like hay fever tend to affect those systems of the body. Sneezing, a clogged and runny nose, itchiness in the eyes and throat, coughing, postnasal drip, and swollen eyes (a symptom called “conjunctivitis”) are all parts of the airborne allergy symptom repertoire.

Why do these symptoms occur?

Most times, the allergic reaction is coupled with a portion of the allergen. In other words, if the allergen is known for entering the lungs it will likely attack portions of the body related to the lungs and to breathing. An airborne allergy, thus, will likely attach itself to the breathing apparatus and my cause coughing or the nose to run because of the way it affects the system directly. There are other reasons for this that scientists studying allergy immunology are aware of, but the basics of most allergies are that they are “system attackers” in general.

How are the symptoms cured?

An allergy symptom can be cured in a number of ways depending on the actual system it affects and how drastically the body is affected. Many people can simply take, for example, an antihistamine for a hay fever type allergy and go about their day while others simply will not respond to the antihistamine. It is essentially a matter of the biological makeup of the allergy sufferer in terms of how they react to certain medications and how much medication is needed to cure the allergy symptom.

Traditional veterinary medicine, much like in the human world, is often based on treating symptoms rather than the cause, or the underlying problem. Alternative horse therapies, on the other hand, are ancient forms of treatment that take a holistic approach to the whole body, mind, and spirit of the horse, to treat the underlying causes of problems manifesting in the body, and promote an overall sense of well being.

There are many types of alternative horse therapy treatments used to treat a large range of problems that your horse may be experiencing. It is recommended that alternative treatments be used regularly as a preventative treatment, rather than having to use them as a treatment after damage has been done. Below are some of the most commonly practiced alternative therapies for equine treatment, and well being.

Acupuncture
Acupuncture, as an alternative therapy, which uses tiny needles inserted into meridians, or certain parts of the horse body, to maintain the horses balance, as well as promote good overall health. The examination and treatment requires close observation of the horse to identify the points of the body that need the treatment.

Chiropractic Therapy
Chiropractic treatments also need close observation of the horse, after a close observation the horse body is then manipulated to improve the flexibility of the horses spine, and joints. Horse chiropractic therapy is much the same as human chiropractic therapy and can increase the performance of a horse by moving joints into place to assist with overall performance.

Body Work
Bodywork is the term used for massage therapy, which treats soreness in the horse muscles. Unlike chiropractic therapy; bodywork concentrates on the horses muscles, rather than joints. This therapy is used to promote efficient movement by taking away the soreness in the horse muscles.

Homeopathy
Using naturally occurring substances diluted down to minute particles are the basics of homeopathy medicine. This therapy is used for treating diseases in a horse body. Homeopathy is an ancient Chinese form of medicine, which has been used successfully with horses and humans alike to treat a large range of diseases, and illnesses. Homeopathy is usually used along with other alternative therapies, such as chiropractic, bodywork, and acupuncture.

Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy uses fragrances that can affect the mood of a horse, assist in healing, and promote a sense of wellness. Aromatherapy is often used alongside herbs in a horse diet, to reduce irritation of the digestive tract, for better overall health, and well being.

Other Physical Therapies
There are many physical therapies being introduced to treat pain in horse tissues, and bones. Some of these therapies are known as magnetic therapy, laser therapies, electrical stimulation, and ultrasound, and are often used by veterinarians.

In most cases, the horse body can heal itself without medicines, synthetic, or alternative. But when natural therapies are used, they provide quicker healing times, and a feeling of overall well being, which will put the horses body into the healing mode faster, and possibly reduce healing times considerably.