ByRobyn Harris
Last week I mentioned that stabling can be stressful for horses, so what can we do to provide them with a more appropriate environment? Where at all possible it is best to try to create natural conditions as far as possible. Ideally this would be for the horse to be turned out, day and night,…
ByRobyn Harris
Last week I looked at some of the similarities and differences between us and our equine friends. One of the ways we can see this is in our use of body language. For example, when two horses meet, they introduce each other by approaching slowly, often at an angle rather than directly. They are very…
ByRobyn Harris
Horse Psychology can be defined as: ”the scientific study of the horse’s mind and its functions. Encompassing the mental characteristics or attitude of the species” – http://www.training-horses-naturally.com/horse-psychology.html (link no longer available) This field of study is growing so hopefully, as we come to understand horses better, our care of them, and thus our relationships with…
ByRobyn Harris
In the previous 3 posts I’ve shared what happened at a recent zoopharmacognosy (self selection) session with a canine client of mine, Willow. The session was offered via Skype by Rachel Windsor-Knott of My Animal Matters. Having asked Willow’s owner to fill out a detailed consultation form Rachel then sent a box of samples and,…
ByRobyn Harris
In the last 2 posts in this series I’ve described a zoopharmacognosy (self selection) session offered by Rachel Windsor-Knott of My Animal Matters to one of my canine clients, Willow. Having offered all of the remedies that Rachel had sent – of which Willow accepted every single one – we then put each remedy on…
ByRobyn Harris
Last week I started sharing a little about a recent zoopharmacognosy (self selection) session with a canine client of mine. Rachel Windsor-Knott, of My Animal Matters, sent a box of samples to Willow’s owner and, via Skype, talked us through how to offer them and what signals to watch for. Having offered some essential oils,…
ByRobyn Harris
I’ve recently been working with a canine client, Willow, who has been experiencing loss of strength and sensitivity in her hind legs. The vet diagnosed a lesion, within her spinal canal but outside of the spinal cord, causing compression at the T7 vertebra and resulting in weakness and loss of sensation. Over the next 4…
ByRobyn Harris
Supporting bees and other pollinators There are now schemes where you can own a part-share in a bee colony. One example is Adopt-a-Hive Ltd based in Oswestry in Shropshire. They aim to support bees and raise public awareness. Their membership pack includes: a bee identification guide; lists of ‘good bee plants’; a packet of wildflower…
ByRobyn Harris
Last week I began to explore some of the threats challenging the honey bee. In addition to parasites the bees are also suffering from: Habitat loss Farming habits in England have changed dramatically in the last century. We now have fewer ancient hedgerows, bigger fields and more mechanised practices. This has resulted in large areas…
ByRobyn Harris
Issues facing the honey bee Scientists are still unsure why so many bees are dying. Various different causes have been proposed: parasites, loss of suitable habitat, bad weather, pesticides. It is probably a combination of some or all of these factors. Parasites Bees can suffer from several parasites including varroa and acarine mites, nosema fungus…
ByRobyn Harris
Last week I began looking at the life of a bee colony. As the numbers grow the colony can reach the point at which it becomes too big for the hive, the worker bees start turning one of the female eggs into a queen. They do this by surrounding the egg with lots of royal…
ByRobyn Harris
Back in June 2015 the campaign group 38 Degrees held an event in Westminster to “arm our MPs with everything they need to know about bees and bee-killing pesticides.” That was over 2 years ago but bees and pesticides are very much still big news with further headlines hitting social media recently. It’s heartening to see that…