New Blog Home

We just created a new equine supplements blog hosted on our own domain at http://www.silverliningherbs.com/blog. All future content will be posted there so feel free to stop on by the new blog.

Farewell Cody

Several years ago I met Cody, a 14 year old corgi. He’d spent his life on the ranch…”Best cow dog I ever had” his owner always said.

They brought him to me thinking it might be time to euthanize. Cody had to have Karo syrup every 2-4 hours or he would seizure. His faithful owners were getting up at night with him. They’d been doing it for years. He looked like he felt terrible. There was no spark in his eye and he seemed to want to die. He just looked like he wanted to be done feeling miserable.

The owners were beyond grief about the possible need to euthanize. Cody was ready, but they really weren’t. Cody had been under the care of several other veterinarians without improvement. I asked if they’d like to try something different.

We put Cody on #10 K9 Foundation (the formula wasn’t even typed up yet, I’d just been fiddling with it) and #27 K9 Liver support (same story). Cody never had another dose of Karo syrup and lived the rest of his life feeling quite good for an “old geezer”. His owner came to my clinic faithfully to pick up Cody’s Foundation and Liver Support (along with the #18 Joint Support which we later added).

As I administered the euthanasia solution to Cody in his home as he lay on his doggie bed last week, it was a sweet moment. He was ready to go. He hadn’t been suffering or sick, at 16+ he was just worn out. He had had a great couple of years thanks to Silver Lining. As Mickey Young (owner and developer of Silver Lining) often says, “We all have to die, but we don’t have to get sick and die.”

Farewell Cody

Patrick Jones, DVM

Food for Thought

Contrary to what many think, winter is an extremely dangerous time of the year for horses to colic and impact. It is very important to make sure the waters are kept thawed out so the horses can get a good drink at least once a day. The lack of water is one way a horse can be forced to colic in the winter, but it is not the only issue.

The digestibility of the feeds and the acid content of the feed is also a very important part of the overall picture. I am an advocate of the whole oat for the horses’ grain. You will see a decline in colic if you will give the proper feeds to your horse in the first place. Oats work well with the horse because they promote peristalsis in the digestive tract, but they are also good to promote a natural salivation which is second to no other horse feed. This salivation is a key ingredient in the digestion process and the lack thereof is a dangerous thing. If the digestive system is not moist enough, you are asking to cause impaction. I have people ask how to help a horse start making manure when is has been 4 or 5 days. This is a very serious issue when this happens and the answer is whatever it takes. The first thing you do is take the feed away from them. Do not feed them as this simply backs up behind the blockage and further complicates the issue. If your horse doesn’t make manure at least 3-4 times in a twelve hour period you better get some action started or at least watch to see if there is a reason to believe there is a problem. Call the vet out to get some oil started, be aggressive with the #17 Kolik Eaz, lead them around, turn them loose, let them roll, take them for a trailer ride, whatever works is what you have to do.

A good thing to do in the winter time to help prevent this kind of thing from happening is to use the #30 Digestive and hedge your bet to keep the digestive tract working. It is also a common practice in my herd to give them a little alfalfa hay, as it is a good digestive herb, but too much alfalfa is tough on the kidneys. Owning a horse should not break you and a good quality supplement will not break you. Losing your horse or acquiring a $10,000 vet bill may.

Healthy trails to you and your horses.

Mickey Young

2009 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

The 51^st Wrangler National Finals Rodeo brought cowboys and cowgirls from all over the US to participate in an intense 10 day competition for top Wrangler titles. Events include Bareback Riding, Barrel Racing, Bull Riding, Team Roping, Steer Wrestling, Saddle Bronc Riding,  and Tie Down Roping.

The WNFR was held at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, NV from December 3-12, 2009. Silver Lining Herbs endorsers Sherry Cervi (Barrel Racer), Tuf Cooper (Tie-Down Roping), Brady and Riley Minor (Team Roping) and Bobby Mote (Bareback Riding) won top rankings for 2009.

Bobby Mote, a 33 year old bareback rider from Oregon competed against world standings leader Clint Cannon in an event where they were tied for first in round 8 of 10. He ended up setting an NFR record and won his first NFR average crown in his 10^th round. He is 1rst in both the 2009 World Standings Place and 2009 WNFR place.

Tuf Cooper, 20 year old Tie-Down Roper from Texas and recent PRCA member, is 2^nd in the 2009 World Standings. He took a 1st in the 2009 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. He placed in 7 of his 10 rounds with his winning time of 84.5 seconds.

Sherry Cervi, a two time world champion from Arizona, won her second WNFR average crown during her ten round event in barrel racing. She timed the fasted run of the week on her second day with a 16.847 second time.

Brothers Brady and Riley Minor won the average in Partner Tie-Down Roping at the WFNR with a 15.9 second time.

The 52^nd Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is scheduled for December 2-11, 2010 at The Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, NV.

What to get your horse or dog for Christmas

Silver Lining Herbs is giving away a $100 gift card this holiday season simply for signing up for their monthly newsletter.  The certificate can be used toward any of the canine or equine health products carried in their online store at www.silverliningherbs.com.   The contest starts December 18^th and entries will be collected until a winner is announced on January 5^th.

Winners can select from a wide variety of Silver Lining’s famous horse health products – including best sellers such as herbal supplements for joint support, overall health maintenance, and immune, thyroid and liver support.  Additionally, dog owners will be pleased to know that Silver Lining Herbs added a line of canine health products in 2009 that has already grown nearly as popular as the equine products.

Details and the simple entry instructions can be found on the Silver Lining Herbs home page.  Alternately, you can enter to win by supplying your contact information on the newsletter sign up page here.

Silver Lining Herbs is a proud member, and one of a select few companies carrying the National Animal Supplement Council seal.  In an industry that historically has dealt with manufacturers providing low quality products, Silver Lining Herbs has worked hard to become a trusted, high quality provider.  Learn more at www.silverliningherbs.com.

Articles on Anhidrosis

For horse owners in hotter climates, anhidrosis is likely a known factor.  But it’s not common to everyone, and knowing that we felt it would be worthwhile to share some of the more informative links on the web in regards to anhidrosis – which means a lack of sweating.  Below are a variety of resources which you may find valuable in learning about this condition, as well as some recommendations by professionals in regard to its treatment.

Definitions and background information:

• Wikipedia
• Journal of Veterinary Medicine Study on Thyroid Function of Anydrotic Horses (this is just the abstract)

More on control and treatment:

• Resources from Equisearch
• Article at MyHorse

If you know of any other useful resources for anhidrosis, please share in the comments section.

Thanks!

SLH’s Top 5 Horse Blogs (in no specific order)

Here at SLH, we like to stay on top of everything that is happening in the world of horses from infectious diseases to horse care and even racing techniques. In no specific order, these are some of the blogs we like to reference the most to help us keep up to date.

America Horse Daily – A blog that covers all sorts of topics including health, breeding, showing, training, racing, recreational riding and tack. The content is based on content by the award-winning publication, America’s Horse, and is simply a great resource for all horse related topics.

The Equinist – Run by a person with a passion for horses, this blog is in a much more casual tone than most others, which works quite well. Besides having lots of great content, reader input is strongly valued. If there is something missing on the blog, readers are encouraged to send out an email and write a story about it. It’s very cool.

Equid Blog – Have questions about equine diseases? This is the place to go. Maintained by the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph, it is very well written and managed.

The Jurga Report – A very informative horse health blog.  It’s been around since 2006, and is frequently updated.

Horse Racing Blog – This is perhaps the best informational resource for horse racing . This blog is an offshoot of the horse racing channel and they have lots of great articles about events and racing techniques.

Honorable Mention

Equisearch Forums – This is not exactly a blog (hence it being an honorable mention), but nonetheless, this forum is a great resource for anything you could possibly want to know about horses.  There is also a blog section on the site too, but we much prefer the forum.

Remedy the Equine Joint

As people age, our joints start to ache. As horses age, the same thing happens.

Their joints swell and walking/trotting becomes difficult. As an owner, it is crucial to recognize these changes, as further stress will make the situation worse. Care should also be taken not to over stretch ligaments and tendons.

Most horses may benefit from equine supplements in their daily feed such as products that contain Glucosamine Sulfate, Chondroitin Sulfate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Manganese Sulfate, Silicon Dioxide, which are key ingredients in the support of equine joints and cartilage. Along with adequate rest, equine remedies are readily available and there is usually one to suit every budget.

Training a Thoroughbred Horse for Flat Racing

Thoroughbreds are born runners; their bodies are designed to be strong and sleek, and have the ability to propel themselves forward at high speeds.

Here are a couple tips to training your equine for racing:

1. Let your horse gallop free in a safe location. This will give him a sense of his/her own natural capabilities.

2. Ride your Thoroughbred for a minimum of 3 miles, but only about every 3 days. A young horse needs to develop muscle mass slowly. A good workout session should be followed by adequate rest.

3. Invest in equine massage. Massages help circulate the blood, which can decrease inflammation of the ankle, which is common in horse racing. Massages can also help develop the muscles more evenly and in a healthy manner.

4. Steadily increase the distance you ride your horse. The key is slow, deliberate muscle building and body control.

5. Introduce your horse to the race track no sooner than 32 months. The horses knees haven’t fully closed up by then, so you risk severely damaging your thoroughbred.

6. Train in short bursts along flat ground.

7. Again, go slow and don’t overwork your horse. If you do, the horse might responding sourly to racing or develop serious behavioral flaws.

Courtesy of eHow

K-9 Foundation 15% Off in November

Silver Lining Herbs’ #10 K-9 Foundation is the product highlight and is discounted 15% in the month of November.

Click the image to purchase

Cost per jar $24.00 – approximately 115 scoops

Why Foundation?

By Mickey Young

K-9 Foundation is a combination of herbs specially selected to give yor dog the raw materials he needs to support and maintain a helthy body. It is the ideal product for otherwise healthy dogs that need the right ingredients to be at their best.

Ingredients – Echinacea, Flax seed, Milk thistle, Panax Ginseng, Psyllium, Ashwaganda, Dandelion, Slippery Elm