Book - A Healthy Horse the Natural Way
December 12th 2007 22:27
Just as more and more people are embracing a more natural approach to their health and well being, many horse owners are turning to ways they can use natural therapies with their horses. A Healthy Horse the Natural way is the complete complementary approach to horse heath, covering:
herbs
massage
aromatherapy
homoeopathy
Bach flower essences,
biochemic tissue salts
vibrational healing/energy fields
massage
aromatherapy
homoeopathy
Bach flower essences,
biochemic tissue salts
vibrational healing/energy fields
and perhaps most importantly, how and when to us a combination of these therapies and when to use them in conjunction with veterinary treatment. Natural therapies can improve a horse's vitality and quality of life, bring balance to the body systems and emotions, help prevent illness and assist in the long-term management of chronic disease states. A Healthy Horse the Natural Way will help you interpret your horse's healthy issues as they arise, and go beyond merely treating the symptoms to find the underlying cause. This practical handbook will add new dimensions to your horse's health and sense of well-being, and help you develop an increasingly harmonious relationship with your horse.
In book stores and saddleries in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand with New Holland Publishers while for the US readers The Lyons Press. It is now in its second edition, just ask your local bookstore to order it in for you if it is not in stock.
Reviews
In brief 'A Healthy Horse - The Natural Way' is all about herbalism, massage, homoeopathy - even aromatherapy - for our equine friends.
If you're sceptical about some of these treatments - be prepared for a lot of talk about vibrational healing and energy fields - but the author does go to some lengths to talk about how important it is to use these alternative remedies with traditional veterinary treatment. Catherine Bird has a lot to say which will provoke much debate among horse-people.
Kerry Lonergan Landline ABC-TV
Catherine it is "bloody fantastic" !!!!!! I mean I am dog tired have been building websites like mad, but started reading around 2:30am hmmmm had to give it away when I looked at the clock and it was 6am *sigh. From all accounts this would have to be one the best. So easy to read and follow.
Sandy Morphett Eques Horse & Rider Magazine
Catherine Bird gives horse owners the complete complimentary approach to horse health, covering herbalism, massage, aromatherapy, homeopathy, Bach Flower remedies, biochemic tissue salts and vibrational healing/energy fields. She also includes how and when to use a combination of these therapies in conjunction with veterinary treatment. The book highlights the fact that traditional veterinary medcine and natural therapies don't have to be mutually exclusive...both have boundless areas they can enhance each other. It is an easy to read book...there's no technical jargon and Catherine's expertise and love of horses shines through. The illustrations and advice are excellent. Anyone interested in natural therapies cannot afford to miss out on what will prove to be a 'classic' publication on the subject.
Vicki Sach HORSEWYSE Magazine
Your book arrived two days ago, and with incredible strength of will I forced myself to leave it unopened until I had completed my taxes. I took the envelopes to the post office this afternoon at 4:30, drove home immediately, and have been stuck into your book ever since.
I'm enjoying it tremendously. As I had rather suspected from our e-mail conversations, we take a very similar approach to massage. I'm familiar only with the most basic, elementary rudiments of aromatherapy, though, so I am reading your detailed discussions of oils and herbs with great interest. You write so well and clearly, and are very adept at talking TO the reader rather than AT the reader. I'm simply delighted to have this book. Thank you very, very much.
We'll talk more, but I did want to take the earliest opportunity to tell you what fun I'm having with your book. I'm going to copy the horses-oz list on this note, too. I'm a strong believer in making praise public.
Best regards, Jessica Jahiel Author
There is a new and greatly improved kind of horse owner's guide now available – like none other to date. "A Healthy Horse the Natural Way" by Catherine Bird may be similar to other horse owner's guides in that it is a comprehensive educational text as well as a useful reference book for specific conditions or ailments, however, it is wonderfully unique in that it presents the use of natural therapies from a completely holistic perspective. Catherine considers the whole picture and includes areas that have yet to be written about in other 'natural' guidebooks – she addresses aspects other than just the obvious and the physical to achieve whole health.
"A Healthy Horse the Natural Way" emphasizes the importance of the veterinarian, and Catherine advises her readers to involve the veterinarian. She stresses that the use of natural therapies is complementary and not meant to replace veterinary medicine, and that both disciplines have boundless areas in which they can and do enhance each other.
In user-friendly format throughout this book, Catherine presents practical information with "do no harm" as the rule. The horse's welfare is always the first consideration, and the horse is always viewed as an individual throughout the book. She explains that natural is not always safe, and she discusses precautions with the various topics presented.
. Topics covered range from body temperature to exploring the soul. She discusses the innate ability horses have to heal themselves, naturally. Expressive, lovely graphics, drawn to fit the theme of the section, add a nice look and provide impact, some being humorous yet emphasizing a point. Catherine explains that in these pages she is sharing with the reader what she has learned so far, and that she will likely keep adding to these pages for years to come, because there is always more to learn.
In the introduction, Catherine likens the horse to a very complex jigsaw puzzle with this book helping to bring all of the pieces together, involving veterinarian, farrier, dentist, saddler, trainer, and caretaker, as each plays an important part in the horse's well-being. Catherine briefly discusses legislation and its value for the owner, the role of the veterinarian, diagnosis, owner's responsibilities, and cooperation among those involved with the horse's care.
Chapters include Herbs, Massage, Aromatherapy, Homoepathy, Biochemic Tissue Salts, Bach Flower Remedies, Emotions and Thoughts, and Putting It All Together. "A Healthy Horse the Natural Way" also features a Glossary, important contacts in Further Information, Further Reading, and a thorough 12-page Index.
In Herbs, Catherine covers how they work, how to and how much to give, ways to use herbs, combining herbs, herbs to avoid, and herb use while in competition. She presents practical dos and don'ts. Herbal terminology is defined, and over 40 herbs and their indications are discussed.
Massage is a more in-depth section covering the dos, don'ts, whys, hows, styles of massage, and massage strokes and techniques. Helpful black and white photos and drawings accompany the text. Muscles and their functions, along with some troubleshooting suggestions and ideas, are also discussed.
In Aromatherapy, Catherine presents the sensible usage of essential oils. She stresses 'asking the horse'. In addition to the hows and whys, topics include the importance of quality oils, synergy, blending, notes, and carrier oils. Over 30 Essential oils are described.
Homeopathy, a complex subject, is explained clearly and accurately. How remedies are selected, dosage, and potency are discussed. How to administer, how to know if a remedy is not the right one, first aid use, and storage are covered. Over two dozen common remedies are described. Schuessler's 12 tissue salts are explained and described as well, in a chapter of their own.
The Bach Flower Remedies chapter explains the benefits and uses of each of the 38 vibrational Bach essences, and their Rescue Remedy. Catherine explains that her experiences involve the Bach line, but that there are others available to select from as well. Individual essences and combining of essences is discussed; how an essence affects an individual is presented.
The Emotions and Thoughts chapter is the most unique. It explains how thoughts and emotions lodge in the physical body. Catherine discusses the subtle bodies, the 33 layers of personal energy that surround us and attract experiences to us. Also discussed are disease states, connections with others, and how horses sense, feel, and are affected by our emotions and the emotions of others surrounding them. Catherine lists and discusses various emotions, habitual positive and negative thoughts, and their effects, including parts of the body and why they may be affected physically from thoughts and attitudes. This chapter offers a good opportunity to reflect and become aware of our thoughts and attitudes and how much we affect our very sensitive horses, often unknowingly. Catherine presents this information kindly, pleasantly, and without blame; the purpose is to recognize another opportunity to heal the horse, through awareness of how we may be contributing to the horse's ill-health. In addition, Catherine offers ideas to make positive changes and to break a cycle.
Putting It All Together, the final chapter, discusses the combining of natural therapies with one another for practical application. The philosophy behind the natural approach is discussed, and the use of natural therapies as complements to modern medical attention is again clarified. Various skin complaints, respiratory complaints, digestive complaints, hoof, leg, and muscle problems, older horse and mare concerns, and more are discussed, with appropriate suggestions for each using all of the previously discussed modalities. This section gives an understanding of how and where each therapy can fit into the jigsaw puzzle of the horse's whole health and well-being.
In "A Healthy Horse the Natural Way", Catherine Bird has brilliantly pieced together her knowledge of and experience with complementary therapies, and has done so in a way that the topics flow well from one to the next. She presents much that isn't taught in veterinary school and other educational institutions. This book makes a handy reference as well as an interesting read, and it offers interesting aspects on wellness that are not readily found elsewhere. Catherine explains that natural health care is a philosophy that must be embraced in its entirety, and she presents a common-sense approach about when it is best to consider natural therapies and when to employ conventional medications.
To have a healthy happy relationship with any horse, the natural way, this book is clearly an essential. Catherine says that the secret is 'to listen to your horse - he knows where he hurts and when he is not being treated fairly; actions speak louder than words in the equine world'.
"A Healthy Horse the Natural Way" is a first in its class with a truly whole-istic approach and an in-depth look at the more subtle aspects of well-being, going places where no other horse owner's guide has yet ventured. This unique book is an important reference tool and educational text with a very solid foundation, yet it is written with the flow and readability of an enjoyable novel, making it suitable for readers of any level of 'natural'. Catherine's new work not only leaves the reader well-informed, but also instills a good feeling about oneself, one's horse, and life in general. Thank you, Catherine, for putting forth the time and efforts to produce this generous and much needed work.
Randi Peters NATURAL HORSE MAGAZINE
It’s too bad we’ve adopted the word "alternative" to separate so-called natural therapies from conventional medicine. Webster’s defines "alternative" to mean "substitute", as though you must choose one of the other. This can leave horse owners feeling like confused children caught between constantly bickering parents.
Australian natural therapist Catherine Bird, author of A Healthy Horse the natural Way: The Owners Guide to Using Herbs, Massage, Homeopathy, and other Natural Therapies, has the experience and track record to claim credibility as an equine natural therapist. And as I read her book, I was pleased to discover she’s refreshingly not an "us against them" kind of gal.
The author believes that if you want your horse to be as healthy, comfortable and contented as possible, he needs both conventional veterinary medicine and natural therapies, just as human athlete heading for knee surgery needs both a surgeon and a physical therapist.
To Bird, the total care of your horse is like a jigsaw puzzle. Although your veterinarian is the corner piece that will help you the puzzle started, you can’t get by without the other pieces, which include, amongst others, your farrier, your certified equine dental technician, your saddle fitter, your trainer – and your natural therapies. And, because she believes natural therapies should be part of horse’s everyday life, the best natural therapist is someone your horse sees on a daily basis: you.
Having said all that in the book’s introduction, Bird gets down to how-tos. In the chapter on herbs, she tells you why you might give a particular herb to your horse, along with suggested dosages and the type of response you can expect. You’ll find herb sources in the back of the book. Caveats peppered through the chapter are reassuring: This author doesn’t approach her chosen field as a zealot. She’s thoughtful, cautious, and realistic.
In the massage chapter, the author opens with a brief overview on what massage can and cannot accomplish. It’s clear she’d prefer that her readers had at least a semester of equine anatomy and physiology under their belts, but she plunges in anyway, using the best teaching method for the horse owner who is busy and not necessarily educated in biologies: pictures. They’re beautiful, informative, and accompanied by text that gives the lowdown on what, why, why not, and how. I’m recommending this chapter to anybody who has an interest in equine massage.
The book’s remaining chapters deal equally well with their respective topics: aromatherapy, homeopathy, bach flower remedies, and the health effects of your (and your horse’s) thoughts and emotions. Bird wastes little time on convincing nonbelievers; rather, she assumes that if you’ve bought the book, you’re already somewhat familiar with the concepts and are looking instead for how-to info.
Again, the author’s voice is direct, unapologetic, and rational. There’s a hint of maternal scolding or those of us who stubbornly refuse to consider we might not have all the answers, but it doesn’t feel judgmental or off-putting.
Overall, Bird has put together a worthwhile handbook full of specifics for the home natural therapist. If I were your horse, I’d want you to read this book.
Karen E.N. Hayes, DVM, MS ~ Horse & Rider Magazine (USA)
| 66 |
| Vote |
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by katyzzz
Photography Tips
Health Focus
Poetry Lighthouse
MS Paint Art
Comment by Chiefbjules