I called a friend on Saturday and told him I had horse manure on my boots, there was hay in my hair and I was covered in loose horse hair. "You've got to be ecstatic," was his reply. And I was. I grew up on a farm and though its been 25 years since I last lived there, I still most identify with the farm life and I miss it. I am happiest if I can be in the barn, even if it is cleaning stalls.
After almost six months of being separated from Cisco, my horse, I moved him to a new home on Saturday. While, it will never be the same as owning my own place in the country, economically, this is the best I can do at this time. He is now close enough for me to visit more often and I think we are going to love the place.
Unfortunately, we moved in on a day when everyone on the place was getting ready for their first horse show of the season. After hours of activity, everyone loaded up on horse trailers and was gone. Cisco and I, plus the other boarded horses, were left alone. So, for a while it was my own place.
After several hours of just letting Cisco get used to the new place, I saddled him up and we took a short ride. It was sunny, 72 degrees and a breeze, what more could a person ask for?
Connie
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Friday, April 27, 2007
Feeding a raw diet to dogs
If you had told me a year ago that I would find myself up to my wrists in bloody chicken backs, I would have told you, you were crazy. I don't do raw chicken. It's slimy and you can get sick. So, what do I do? I fall in love with a man who feeds his dogs raw chicken. I didn't even know people fed their dogs raw food. I thought everyone went to the grocery store and bought a bag of dog food. But, it turns out feeding a raw diet is something quite a few people do, especially people who do a lot of dog sports.
Once Batman found out there was an option of raw chicken on the menu, he never looked back at dry food. I have learned a lot about raw diets, but can't claim to be an expert. To read more, see my friend Laura's Canines in Action website in my links list. I do know you have to feed raw bones, not cooked. Cooked bones can splinter. Also, you have to give the dogs some vegetables to mimic the food they would have found in the intestines of an herbivore. We make something we call Veggi Goo. It is actually something I should probably eat. We take Collard Greens, Kale, parsley, carrots and lettuce and mix it into liquid in a blender and put a generous dollop on the dog's feed each day.
People often ask me know about Batman's coat. How do I get him so shiny? How do I get him so soft? It's the raw diet. It also makes his teeth nice and white (crunching the chicken bones) and it strengthens his jaws. Feeding raw also helps eliminate a lot of odor problems with dog waste and there is less to clean up in the yard. For those who don't want to mess with raw chicken, there are raw diets that come in a package. Laura has a lot about the Bravo diet on her website.
I do have to admit that the first time I stuck my hand into a thawing mass of raw chicken backs I gagged. And, if Curt leaves them out thawing too long, the smell is awful. I did insist on a few changes. The raw chicken can only be in one spot in the kitchen and absolutely nothing else ever goes in that area. Before I moved in, I discovered Curt would sit other food or dishes on the same counter as the raw chicken. Ick. Now, all surfaces must be wiped down with antibacterial, bleach wipes too when raw chicken is moved in and out. I also wear latex gloves when I bag up the chicken. We buy in bulk frozen, so we have to thaw it and then repackage it in freezer bags.
Batman, who is a little guy at 35 pounds, eats one chicken back a day. (OK and sometimes he might get treats). My dog sport friends say he is still a little on the heavy side, but I like him the way he is just fine. I have tried getting treats with fewer calories though. Although Batman says they aren't as good.
So, if you haven't tried a raw diet for your dog (or cat) you might consider it. It is very good for dogs with allergy problems.
Connie
Once Batman found out there was an option of raw chicken on the menu, he never looked back at dry food. I have learned a lot about raw diets, but can't claim to be an expert. To read more, see my friend Laura's Canines in Action website in my links list. I do know you have to feed raw bones, not cooked. Cooked bones can splinter. Also, you have to give the dogs some vegetables to mimic the food they would have found in the intestines of an herbivore. We make something we call Veggi Goo. It is actually something I should probably eat. We take Collard Greens, Kale, parsley, carrots and lettuce and mix it into liquid in a blender and put a generous dollop on the dog's feed each day.
People often ask me know about Batman's coat. How do I get him so shiny? How do I get him so soft? It's the raw diet. It also makes his teeth nice and white (crunching the chicken bones) and it strengthens his jaws. Feeding raw also helps eliminate a lot of odor problems with dog waste and there is less to clean up in the yard. For those who don't want to mess with raw chicken, there are raw diets that come in a package. Laura has a lot about the Bravo diet on her website.
I do have to admit that the first time I stuck my hand into a thawing mass of raw chicken backs I gagged. And, if Curt leaves them out thawing too long, the smell is awful. I did insist on a few changes. The raw chicken can only be in one spot in the kitchen and absolutely nothing else ever goes in that area. Before I moved in, I discovered Curt would sit other food or dishes on the same counter as the raw chicken. Ick. Now, all surfaces must be wiped down with antibacterial, bleach wipes too when raw chicken is moved in and out. I also wear latex gloves when I bag up the chicken. We buy in bulk frozen, so we have to thaw it and then repackage it in freezer bags.
Batman, who is a little guy at 35 pounds, eats one chicken back a day. (OK and sometimes he might get treats). My dog sport friends say he is still a little on the heavy side, but I like him the way he is just fine. I have tried getting treats with fewer calories though. Although Batman says they aren't as good.
So, if you haven't tried a raw diet for your dog (or cat) you might consider it. It is very good for dogs with allergy problems.
Connie
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Who is Batman
Batman is my trusty dog sidekick. I cannot remember a time when I did not have a pet. My parents were always yelling at me because of all the strays I brought home (really mom, that kitten did follow me home). We lived in an area that was a prime dumping ground for unwanted pets. They were all the best pets I ever had, so I continue the tradition. Batman came from the Indianapolis Humane Society. He picked me. I generally go for terriers or border collie mixes. But, Batman looked so pathetic in his cage and he gave me such a hopeful look that I took him out for a walk. When I kneeled down to pet him, he jumped up, put a paw on each shoulder laid his head down by my head and sighed really loud. I had to get him.
He is my first foray into dog training. While three of my past dogs went to basic obedience, Batman and I go to regular dog training each week (twice a week even), where we practice the elements for a sport called Schutzhund. See my links or Wikipedia for information on the sport. I have never had so much fun. Batman is really smart (if I do say so myself). He is actually much better than I am at dog training. I have learned that handler error accounts for most dog mistakes. Luckily, Batman is a forgiving sort. He just wants to be with me and be doing something.
So far, it's tons of fun and he just won his first ribbon at an Companion Dog Sport Program trial. I was very proud of the little guy.
Connie
He is my first foray into dog training. While three of my past dogs went to basic obedience, Batman and I go to regular dog training each week (twice a week even), where we practice the elements for a sport called Schutzhund. See my links or Wikipedia for information on the sport. I have never had so much fun. Batman is really smart (if I do say so myself). He is actually much better than I am at dog training. I have learned that handler error accounts for most dog mistakes. Luckily, Batman is a forgiving sort. He just wants to be with me and be doing something.
So far, it's tons of fun and he just won his first ribbon at an Companion Dog Sport Program trial. I was very proud of the little guy.
Connie
Cisco
I moved in November and haven't ridden my horse, Cisco, since then. He was just far enough away that it made getting to his stable to ride difficult. This Saturday, he moves to his new home, which is much closer to me. I can't wait to see him again. The story of how I came to get him is an important one (at least to me) and one I would like to share.
My parents say my first sentence was "I want a pony." Since I got my first pony at 5, I guess I must have said that sentence a lot. Everyone told my parents that all little girls wanted a pony and I would outgrow it. But, I didn't. After I outgrew the first pony, I got another bigger, faster one. Then I got my first horse and later a second one. Then, I went to college. I had grand dreams, as most of us do. I would graduate, get a job, move to a house in the country, take my horse. But, my senior year in college reality set in. I would have to be poor for awhile. Rent places, not live in the country. So, I found a home for my beloved horse, Buck. It just didn't seem fair to have my parents care for him when I would never be around.
But, I told my self, "someday" I'll afford that farm and get a horse again. Flash forward 20 years. My Dad started not feeling well. He had all kinds of strange and changing symptoms. Three hospitals and numerous doctors failed to figure out what was going on. We finally got Dad to the Cleveland Clinic where I first learned of the Creutzfeldt Jacob Disease (CJD). One in 2.5 million people get it. That's why no one could diagnose it, plus, you can only really diagnose it with a brain biopsy. There is no cure or treatment. One of the last full sentences that my Dad ever said was, "I thought I would live a long life." He was 62 when he died. Between his first symptom and his death about 45 days had passed.
His sudden death made my brothers and I stop and reevaluate our lives. What if we didn't have much time. What would we regret not doing. My dad regretted he never got that motor home and drove all over the country antiquing. I began to think more about my horse. What if 'someday' never came? What if I never got that place in the country?
I began looking at the cost of A. buying a horse and B. boarding a horse. Boarding turned out to be within my budget. As I was trying to figure out where to come up with the money to buy a horse, I went to an auction and happened upon a box of vintage felt advertising pennants. Included in the box was a 1912 Indianapolis 500 pennant. I threw it up on eBay thinking I might get a few hundred dollars. It ended at $1,500, the same night I got a call from a friend of a friend who heard I was looking for a horse. He had one for $1,200. That was Cisco.
I'm not into horse shows or events. I just like to go out and get on Cisco and ride around the country looking at the sights. He may not be the best trained horse and I may not be the best rider, but together we have fun.
It's been almost seven years since Dad died and six and a half years since I got Cisco. I still try and live my life for today and try not to put off things for tomorrow. So many people have their dreams and for one reason or another they never fulfill them. So, stop today and ask yourself what you would most regret not doing with your life and then see if you can do it. You'll be glad you did.
Connie
My parents say my first sentence was "I want a pony." Since I got my first pony at 5, I guess I must have said that sentence a lot. Everyone told my parents that all little girls wanted a pony and I would outgrow it. But, I didn't. After I outgrew the first pony, I got another bigger, faster one. Then I got my first horse and later a second one. Then, I went to college. I had grand dreams, as most of us do. I would graduate, get a job, move to a house in the country, take my horse. But, my senior year in college reality set in. I would have to be poor for awhile. Rent places, not live in the country. So, I found a home for my beloved horse, Buck. It just didn't seem fair to have my parents care for him when I would never be around.
But, I told my self, "someday" I'll afford that farm and get a horse again. Flash forward 20 years. My Dad started not feeling well. He had all kinds of strange and changing symptoms. Three hospitals and numerous doctors failed to figure out what was going on. We finally got Dad to the Cleveland Clinic where I first learned of the Creutzfeldt Jacob Disease (CJD). One in 2.5 million people get it. That's why no one could diagnose it, plus, you can only really diagnose it with a brain biopsy. There is no cure or treatment. One of the last full sentences that my Dad ever said was, "I thought I would live a long life." He was 62 when he died. Between his first symptom and his death about 45 days had passed.
His sudden death made my brothers and I stop and reevaluate our lives. What if we didn't have much time. What would we regret not doing. My dad regretted he never got that motor home and drove all over the country antiquing. I began to think more about my horse. What if 'someday' never came? What if I never got that place in the country?
I began looking at the cost of A. buying a horse and B. boarding a horse. Boarding turned out to be within my budget. As I was trying to figure out where to come up with the money to buy a horse, I went to an auction and happened upon a box of vintage felt advertising pennants. Included in the box was a 1912 Indianapolis 500 pennant. I threw it up on eBay thinking I might get a few hundred dollars. It ended at $1,500, the same night I got a call from a friend of a friend who heard I was looking for a horse. He had one for $1,200. That was Cisco.
I'm not into horse shows or events. I just like to go out and get on Cisco and ride around the country looking at the sights. He may not be the best trained horse and I may not be the best rider, but together we have fun.
It's been almost seven years since Dad died and six and a half years since I got Cisco. I still try and live my life for today and try not to put off things for tomorrow. So many people have their dreams and for one reason or another they never fulfill them. So, stop today and ask yourself what you would most regret not doing with your life and then see if you can do it. You'll be glad you did.
Connie
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