A Guide to Your Horse's Overall Health & Behavior

WHAT IF? •What if changing, and implementing, a few simple techniques could give you peace of mind with your horse’s health? •What if your horse suffered a bout of colic and you could handle it without an expensive vet call? •What if you truly understood the underlying health and behavioral issues with your horse - regardless of the condition?

THIS is what Complete Horse Sense - A Guide to Your Horse’s Overall Health and Behavior is about.

Complete Horse Sense - A Guide to Your Horse’s Overall Health and Behavior gives the power of horsemanship back to the owner. It’s about solving the underlying issues rather than covering them up with fancy feeds, gimmicks or gadgets. It’s about simplicity. Every issue has an answer. Once you truly understand what is going on with your horse and how easy it is to fix it, you will be amazed.

Complete Horse Sense - A Guide to Your Horse’s Overall Health and Behavior will change your life. It will forever change the relationship between you and your horse. It doesn’t matter if you are a seasoned horseman or this is your first horse. It doesn’t matter what discipline you choose - show or recreation. This program works for every horse, every discipline. The hardest part is accepting its simplicity. Accepting the fact that you don’t need the most expensive feed or supplements for a healthy horse is difficult because our society has trained us to believe otherwise. We are led to believe that a horse, regardless of age, requires special feeds, supplements, topical ointments and whatever else to maintain its health. This just isn’t true. Take a leap of faith. Simply start by reading this book. Try this program - It is neither strenuous nor time consuming. It merely requires a few minutes each day with you, your horse, and a halter and a lead rope. You will not regret it. The transformation your horse will go through will simply amaze you.

[2] Table of Contents

Doug Serjeant, Founder 4 What is Complete Horse Sense? 5 Principles of Horse Health & Behavior 6 Methods for Overall Horse Health & Behavior 8 Method 1 - Understanding the Power of the Pituitary Gland 9 Stimulating the Pituitary Gland 12 Cauda Equina Nerves - What’s the Big Deal? 13 Stimulating the Cauda Equina Nerve 14 How Much & What Order 16 Dealing with Colic 17 Colic Quick Steps 19 Pituitary Gland Flowchart 20 Method 2 - Feed 21 Sea Salt is NOT Table Salt 23 The Power of Sulfur 25 Feed Flowchart 26 Method 3 - Hoof Care 27 Fundamentals of Trimming & Shoeing 30 Trimming & Shoeing Flowchart 32 Assessing Your Horse - The Head 33 The Body 36 The Legs 40 The Hoof 42 Track Your Progress - Tracking Sheet 46 Putting it Together 47 Metabolic Disorders 50 Chiropractic Issues 52 Overall Health & Behavior Flowchart 53 Checklist 54 Resources & References 55 DISCLAIMER: The methods and recommendations in this guide are presented as an opinion of the writer. These methods and recommendations have been derived from the writer’s years of personal experience in working with and caring for horses, and should not be perceived as the only way. The results explained in this guide are typical but not guaranteed. There have been instances where the horse's health has deteriorated to the point where little to nothing will help them, and nature simply takes its course. No methods or recommendations will resurrect a dying horse. This guide and its methods do not, in any way shape or form, imply that it can. This guide and its writer do not, in any way, guarantee any specific results in using these methods and recommendations. They should be taken as advice in the light of what has worked for others. These methods and recommendations do not preclude you from consulting with other appropriate professionals when you feel it is appropriate to do so. You should consult others as you see fit. You can integrate these methods with others if they work for you, or not use them at all, it is your choice. In any case you should use your best judgment and commons sense in dealing with and caring for your horse. Copyright © 2010 Complete Horse Sense, LLC

All rights reserved under International, NA Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. Published and distributed by Complete Horse Sense, LLC. www.completehorsesense.com [email protected]

[3] DOUG SERJEANT - Founder Complete Horse Sense “Over the years, my theory on horse health and behavior has stayed consistent - keep it simple, apply common horse sense, and fix the cause not the symptom. Take the pain away and a horse will give you its life. This guide is based upon the principal that being a horse owner does not have to be confusing, fearful or expensive. We do not have to fall prey to expensive gimmicks or gadgets to make your horse behave and or perform at a high level. Through no fault of their own, many horse owners blindly follow typical industry practices not realizing these practices are causing more harm than good. They are compounding and masking the underlying causes, whether it be behavioral or health related. The information in this guide is not only informative, it’s enlightening. You do not need years of specialized education to understand how a horse’s body works. You do not need to live in fear of issues such as colic and laminitis. Complete Horse Sense - A Guide to Your Horse’s Overall Health & Behavior teaches you the same methods I have successfully implemented over the past 30 successful years as a rider, trainer and farrier. I will show you how to take the fear out of horse health and behavior and take back what horsemanship was meant to be - simple and rewarding. “

I met Doug about two years ago when I was looking for a new farrier. I had a 7 year old quarter horse mare and a 5 year old quarter horse gelding. Our first appointment was to put shoes on my mare, but I soon learned the previous farrier wasn’t the only problem. He explained how her behavioral issues were related to how she was shod. He then told me about the importance of the pituitary gland and how I could immediately calm her down. Instantly, I noticed a change. Both horses were calm and quiet. Their typical fidgety behavior was gone. I could brush and saddle them at the trailer without difficulty, even when we were someplace new. Training became easier. I do mounted shooting, so the disappearance of the fidgety behavior was a blessing! My gelding, in the past, pulled his groin twice in the past year. After his first trim from Doug, this issue went away. and never returned. I could tell he felt better immediately and he hasn’t had a groin pull since. Today, my horses feel better, which brings about better riding. I am so thankful to have Complete Horse Sense in my life. It has, without a doubt, changed my life.

Kathy McGill Monroe, WA

[4] WHAT IS COMPLETE HORSE SENSE? “The horse’s clean flesh body is a body that sweats and cleans itself out on its own. It is thousands of years old and they were created perfectly. They need not be improved upon. Nothing in this guide is complicated or physically or mentally exhausting.” - Doug Serjeant, Founder, Complete Horse Sense

Complete Horse Sense is both a preventive and corrective health and behavioral program for your horse. The goal of Complete Horse Sense is for horse owners to immediately understand how the horses’ body works and to take control of their horse’s health and behavior. You will see prompt and undeniable results. You will learn the root of your horse's problems and how you can restore your horse to optimal physical and behavioral health. COMPLETE HORSE SENSE - A Guide to Your Horse’s Overall Health & Behavior provides you with the information you need to save yourself time, money, and heartache in dealing with your horse’s health and behavior. Whether it is physical or behavioral, COMPLETE HORSE SENSE - A Guide to Your Horse’s Overall Health & Behavior will show you how to get to the bottom of the common horse ailments. The bottom line is this does work. Amazingly, not only will you see results but you will feel them when you touch your horse and when you ride. The COMPLETE HORSE SENSE - A Guide to Your Horse’s Overall Health & Behavior will forever change your relationship with your horse. What this IS NOT is a “do it once and you’re fixed” solution. This is about bringing about change in your horse by committing to the methods and recommendations outlined for you in this guide. You will appreciate improvements in your horse very quickly. However, as with any new protocol, you have to commit to it to gain long term benefits. Stick with the methods outlined in COMPLETE HORSE SENSE - A Guide to Your Horse’s Overall Health & Behavior, the results will quite simply amaze you. It is part of human nature to want instant gratification and a quick fix. So it is critical to remember that a horses’ health and behavior does not deteriorate overnight and therefore we can’t expect to fix it overnight. The good news is that once you get started using the principles and methods in this guide, the horse’s body begins healing itself immediately. The methods taught in this guide don’t require special equipment or feed, supplements, training, or excessive amounts of time. The methods are easy to apply, and once understood, you will appreciate their simplicity. Throughout this guide you will find principles and methods explained and then you will see how they relate to the most common horse health ailments and behavioral issues.

[5] Complete Horse Sense Principals of Horse Health & Behavior

The commercialization of the equine industry, has resulted in many horse owners to buying into the quick-fix solution - whether it is through a clinic, specialty supplements or feeds, or training gadgets. For the moment, the symptom has some relief but ultimately the problems continue to persist. The owner is left feeling unconsciously incompetent when it comes to caring for and working with their horse. The control has been removed from the owner. The simple fact is that you end up wasting money and burden your horse’s body with unnecessary substances and artificial stressors. It can be a vicious cycle, but it doesn't have to be that way. COMPLETE HORSE SENSE - A Guide to Your Horse’s Overall Health & Behavior gives the power and authority back to the owner.

Once you understand the following principles, and put them into action, you will be the expert on the health and behavior of your horse. Your horse's health and behavior does not have to be a great mystery. There is nothing so complicated about the horse that you can’t understand it for yourself.

1. Your horse’s body is a self-contained system - it takes care of itself. Once given the opportunity, your horse will regulate and repair itself. The foundation for optimal health & behavior starts with properly functioning organs, circulatory system, and endocrine systems. Anything that disrupts or adds stress to the internal system will ultimately have an impact on the horses’ overall health & behavior.

2. By learning a few simple techniques, you will be able to resolve, if not eliminate, common and often career ending ailments. The pituitary gland or “master gland” plays a fundamental role in regulating your horses systems. We cannot stress enough the importance of the pituitary gland. When the pituitary system is running efficiently, the rest of the body will follow. Stimulating the pituitary gland is imperative to maintaining your horse's overall health & behavior.

3. What is put into a horse's body directly affects and/or limits their ability to regulate its health and ultimately affects its behavior. When your horse exhibits signs of physical or behavioral stress, resist the urge to treat him or her with

[6] supplements, fancy feeds, and various pharmaceuticals. Instead, remove the roadblocks that are impairing your horse’s natural ability to regulate and maintain itself.

4. The hoof is the foundation of your horse’s health and behavior. Just like a building is only as strong as its foundation, your horse’s health is only as strong as its hooves. Chestnuts and hooves indicate problems internally. How you care for your horse’s hooves is crucial to your horse’s overall health & behavior.

5. It takes months, and sometimes years, for a horse’s health to deteriorate. It will take time for your horse to repair itself. Healing takes time. Through patience and applying the methods detailed in this guide, you will immediately see improvement in your horse's overall condition and behavior in a relatively short period. Stick with COMPLETE HORSE SENSE and your horse will achieve optimal health and body condition over time.

6. Keep it simple. Many of the common ailments affecting horses are easy to resolve providing you understand how the horses' body works. Stop chasing the symptoms, get to the root cause of issues, and take control of your horse's health & behavior. It is so simple.

“Our journey with Whiley and Complete Horse Sense started two years ago. Whiley’s feet were a wreck. He would act up at horse shows and rear up with my daughter on him. It became a safety issue because we knew something was wrong but we didn’t know what it was or how to fix it. After Doug’s first visit, he told us it would be a long process for Whiley and it was. His feet were horrible, but it went beyond just their physical appearance. I knew Doug knew what he was doing because Whiley changed. Not only has the behavior and demeanor changed in Whiley since our first meeting with Complete Horse Sense, but also the relationship between our daughter, Bernadette, and her horse has changed. Bernadette can do more self-care on her own. She has more confidence on her horse. She has a desire to learn with Whiley now because she has seen these techniques work. She is eager to ride her horse. She will sit with Doug and ask questions so she can learn more about her horse - she has taken a stronger interest in being the primary care giver for her horse. She is no long afraid. Four weeks ago Whiley went through an extreme bout of colic. When we realized what was happening we immediately started with the techniques we learned from Complete Horse Sense. Our vet said he was a surgical candidate, but we knew that wasn’t an option for us. Whiley went through two small bouts of colic in the past two years, but this one was different. It went on and on for six days and I truly believe the techniques we learned from Complete Horse Sense saved his life. Whiley has made a full recovery - our vet said it’s a miracle he’s alive”

- Leslie Beeman, Snohomish, WA

[7] METHODS FOR OVERALL HORSE HEALTH & BEHAVIOR

Understanding and using the three methods outlined below will give you the tools you need to deal with most of the common horse health ailments and behavioral issues. These work concurrently. The desired end result cannot be achieved without persistent application of all three methods. While they are effective individually there is a synergistic effect from using all three of these tools together. Use the flowcharts at the end of each section to gain a better understanding of how the Complete Horse Sense methods address some of the most common ailments. As you do this, you will appreciate how interrelated these three methods are.

METHOD 1: UNDERSTANDING THE PITUITARY GLAND The physiology of the horse has not changed in thousands of years, but because our environment is constantly changing horses must adapt accordingly. By applying the methods you will learn in this section, you are “jump-starting” your horse’s natural self-regulatory systems. You are allowing your horse to repair the current undesired conditions or ailments and then maintain itself without the need for expensive vet bills, feeds, or supplements. It is just you helping your horse to get into optimal health so it can participate in whatever equestrian sport you choose. METHOD 2: FEED You will learn a simple feed regimen that is a back-to-the-basics feed program that will restore your horse’s diet to a pre-industry influence status. Health and behavior issues can be controlled with a proper diet, which will simply give the a horse all it needs to help its systems work naturally and efficiently.

METHOD 3: HOOF CARE Understanding the basic foundation of proper hoof care is essential for overall health, behavior or temperament, and training of your horse.

Once you apply these methods, you will begin to see positive changes in your horse very quickly. You absolutely must commit to making COMPLETE HORSE SENSE a part of your daily routine. Although it takes time for a horse’s health to deteriorate and it takes time for it to heal, it does not mean your horse should sit idle and wait for it to heal. Get the body moving and help it heal faster.

[8] METHOD 1: UNDERSTANDING THE POWER OF THE PITUITARY GLAND The power of the pituitary gland should not be underestimated. Often called the “master gland,” it is a small gland located near the base of the brain. The pituitary gland regulates the body’s endocrine (hormonal) system, which is an information signal system that works with the nervous system. In conjunction with the brain, this master gland controls the body. When it’s not performing at its optimal level, the results can be a litany of health and behavioral issues. It distributes hormones, which regulate and repair many functions of an organism, including growth and development, tissue function (eyes, hair, skin, hoof), mood (behavioral problems), and metabolism - the body’s ability to breakdown food into energy. A properly functioning pituitary gland is vital in regulating all the body’s systems. When the pituitary gland’s function is compromised, the results can be any number of issues including, but not limited to Colic, Cushings, Laminitis, Navicular, and Thrush - just to name a few. More often than not, many people are led to believe that their horse has a major behavioral issue, when in fact it may simply be the result of a poorly functioning pituitary gland or immune system causing some discomfort or pain. Refer to the flowchart at the end of this section to see how the pituitary gland influences the systems that contribute to many of the common ailments seen in horses. WHAT CAN COMPROMISE PITUITARY GLAND SYSTEM?

Lack of Sunlight Many horse ailments occur in the fall and winter. Why? Lack of sunlight to dilate the pupil. The pituitary gland is connected to the optic nerve system in the brain (eyes). In bright conditions, the horse’s natural instinct is to open and close its eyelids frequently. The change from light entering the eyes to darkness (when lids are shut) causes the pupils to dilate. Sunlight triggers the dilatation of the pupil which in turn stimulates the optic nerve to activate the pituitary gland. Less light results in less dilation of the pupil, which ultimately means less stimulation to the pituitary and therefore reduced functioning.

The Environment The environment is filled with toxins, chemicals, and pollutants. They are in the air our horses breathe, in the water they drink, in the ground they walk on and, unfortunately, in the processed feeds we feel we need to give them. The pituitary and endocrine system need to be operating optimally in order to compensate for these environmental influences. The ever present combination of toxins challenges the horse’s immune system and places an undue burden on the endocrine system as the horse tries to maintain its health. The introduction of

[9] any foreign agents into the body inevitably compromises the endocrine system, leading to any number of ailments or issues. The Good News Considering the impact of all of these pollutants and toxins on your horse can certainly raise alarm. Don’t worry! They are an unavoidable byproduct of living. COMPLETE HORSE SENSE will show you how to neutralize their effects on your horse.

WHY THIS WORKS

THE PITUITARY AND OPTIC NERVE ARE LOCATED IN THE SAME AREA OF THE BRAIN. WHEN STIMULATING THE OPTIC NERVE, AS DESCRIBED ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES, YOU ALSO STIMULATE THE PITUITARY GLAND. A PROPERLY STIMULATED PITUITARY GLAND BETTER REGULATES THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM AND THE BODY WILL BETTER REGULATE ITSELF, AS NATURE INTENDED.

PITUITARY GLAND

OPTIC NERVE

An Example - The Kidneys and Liver A compromised pituitary gland doesn’t effectively signal the endocrine system. One direct result is decrease blood flow and hormones throughout the body. When this happens, muscles become fatigued and will contract upon internal organs. In the case of the kidneys and liver, they will become stresses and will not work efficiently due to the added strain. The horse will feel pain and will compensate for it by leaning forward, trying to give their body some relief. This unnatural stance causes muscle contraction on the organs, which can cause many physical ailments and

[10] behavioral issues. When the horse leans forward, it uses its shoulders to maintain balance. Now, the horse is utilizing its front end for balance and ultimately causing itself to become out of balance. Behavioral issues will arise, such as an inability to stand still, running through the bridle and bucking. All of these (any many more) are due to a horse being out of balance. In addition, it leads to physical ailments such as tripping, bowed tendons, and suspensory ligament injuries. Trailer loading will become a problem since the horse will not be able to redistribute its weight to the hindquarters to get into the trailer. This is only a small example of the effects of an under stimulated, poorly functioning pituitary gland. As other organs and systems are stressed or become compromised the results can manifest in many ways.

*Refer to the flowchart at the end of this section to see more on the connection between methods and ailments.

“Just as we were about to buy our horse, Rainy, we were told we shouldn’t because she would never be competitive - not in the open shows or 4H, and definitely not on the Quarter Horse Circuit. Five lessons after starting with Doug’s techniques, we won high point at the first open show I took her to. Our first 4H show together, we won 3 out of 4 classes. I know my horse has a long way to go and I have plenty of work to do, but with Complete Horse Sense I know we are heading to the top!” Katy, Snohomish, WA

[11] STIMULATING THE PITUITARY GLAND Through the Optic Nerve by Dilating the Pupil STEP ONE You can think of stimulating the pituitary gland as a “jump start” for your horse’s systems. The next several pages are step-by-step instruction on how to stimulate the pituitary gland. In order to know what to expect, please read both pages before beginning. STEP ONE - Jump Start the Pituitary Gland Standing in front of your halter horse make sure its head is in a straight line with its neck and withers. As long as the head and neck are in alignment with the body, the muscles can relax. Keep the horse’s head straight. It makes everything easier. Grab the left side of the halter in the noseband area with your left hand, use the right hand to simply “wave” up and down in front of the right eye (as shown in the video). By doing this you are dilating the pupil. Be careful not to make contact with the eye or face. Maintaining a distance of approximately 1-3 inches from the eye works well. Wave your hand 6 or 7 times on the right. Then move to the left side and do the same, using your right hand to hold the right noseband and wave with your left. Make you use the left hand when treating the left side and the right hand when treating the right side.

Start out slowly and increase as your horse’s tolerance increases. Immediately the pupil dilates, stimulating the pituitary gland, which will signal the endocrine system to increase the flow of blood and hormones throughout the muscle tissue. Once your horse gets used to this, you can begin waving quicker and for a longer periods of time on each side. Please make sure you are waving the wrist rather than your entire arm.

What to Expect: Because this is new to your horse, you may see one or more of the following behaviors.

Horse flips its head up or down Horse backs away Head drops off below the plain of the withers (This is a desired effect) Licking lips or starts to chew (This is great too!) Horse walks towards you as the blood starts to flow (This feels good to them!)

All of these behaviors are normal and expected. Keep with it, always being kind and gentle in the process. TO SEE AN EXAMPLE OF Use your judgment and work into this with your horse. STEP ONE WATCH: Most horses take right to it as it immediately begins to Pituitary Video Part 1 dissipate discomfort as the muscles begin to relax.

[12] Cauda Equina Nerves What’s the Big Deal?

When a horse rubs its tail on a fence post, stall wall, etc... people naturally respond by treating their horse for worms. Worms don’t hang out in the colon, they hang out in the belly. The horse is trying to stimulate their cauda equina nerve. Cauda equina comes from the Latin - cauda (tail) and equina (horse). The "horse's tail" is an appropriately named collection of spinal nerve roots that hang off the spinal cord.

Why is it so important? Why should you care about the cauda equina nerves? The nerves originate at the brain, continue through the spinal column, and end near the tail dock and rectum. The nerves are the communications highway connecting the brain and pituitary gland with the endocrine system and rest of the body. Without it, or if it is compromised, communications are inhibited and bodily functions cannot not run at peak levels.

What can compromise the Cauda Equina Nerves? When a horse’s tail is clamped down, it is a sign the muscles are contracting (hypertension) and compressing upon the cauda equina nerve bundle. There can be several reasons why these muscles are tight. Imagine if you were made to wear shoes that forced your feet contact the ground at unnatural angles. Your leg and back muscles would be tense and sore. Tense muscles pull the skeleton out of proper alignment and put pressure upon various parts of the body. The result: discomfort. One of the most common causes of discomfort is the way a horse is trimmed or shod. Specific shoeing techniques play a vital role in how much discomfort your horse is in at any time.

You don’t want the nerve to be subjected to undue pressure. To prevent future ailments massaging the tail dock area where the nerve ends (step 2 of the pituitary stimulation) will relieve tension and allow communication from the pituitary to the endocrine system and the rest of the body.

[13] STIMULATING THE CAUDA EQUINA NERVE STEP TWO

STEP TWO - Relieve Tension on the Cauda Equina Nerves Go to the hindquarters of your horse. The cauda equina nerve runs down the spine and branches out to each side into the tail dock area. There’s an indentation on every horse. Slide your hand into the tail area about 1-2” from the rectum. Do a quick check by rubbing a small area to see if that area is getting enough blood flow. If you stick your hand in the tail area, as we explained above, does the tail clamp down? Do the muscles in the hip or stifle area quiver or twitch? Move to the other side and what do you see? Any clamping or twitching is an indicator that the muscle is contracting and not getting enough blood flow to the area. The muscles have compressed on the cauda equina nerve. This will be rectified once you begin with the pituitary stimulating process. After you have done the quick check, start on one side and slide your hand to the spot indicated in the pictures and rub a small area about the size of a baseball. Ultimately you want see the tail come up and be soft, indicating sufficient volume of blood is flowing into the area. If the tail is clamped down blood flow has not yet reached the area. Rub one side for a few seconds and switch to the other side. Continue switching from left to right until the tail is soft and rises on both sides.

TO SEE AN EXAMPLE OF STEP TWO WATCH: Pituitary Video Part 2

[14] What to Expect: As with stimulating the pituitary in the first step, this is new to your horse. You may see one or more of the following behaviors: Horse passes gas (this is a good sign the horse is relaxing) Stifle/hip muscle stops twitching (this is good) Rectum area starts to sweat (this is good - shows the blood is flowing) Horse moves away from you (it may help if the area you choose to do this in is large enough for you to move around but not too big that the horse can get away from you) You want the tail to rise softly because it shows that there is sufficient blood flow to that area and the muscles are relaxed (not contracted).

Things to remember: Be sure to allow the horse enough lead rope to move a bit. This is new. Give your horse time to adjust, but do not stop. A bit of kindness goes a long way. If the tail cocks itself to one side or the other, then the muscle is still contracted. The tail may not set straight the first time you do this exercise. It may take several applications (up to a week or so).

CAUDA EQUINA

NOTE THE LOCATION OF THE CAUDA EQUINA - IT IS AN IMPORTANT FUNCTION IN YOUR HORSE’S OVERALL HEALTH

[15] Now that you know what to do, let’s talk about how much and what order...

Starting at the head - Keep the head straight and begin to stimulate the pituitary glands by dilating the pupil, working alternately from the left to right eye. Start as described in Step 1, working up to 20-30 seconds per eye. Continue repeating the process for about 5 minutes (don’t worry - you cannot over stimulate the pituitary gland). Start with just a few waves on each side and move to the opposite side, until the horse is comfortable with it. Continue until the horse’s head and neck begin to lower to the level of the withers or below.

Walk to the back of your horse - Begin stimulating the tail to the side of the rectum area (described in step 2). If you stimulate the tail to the side of the rectum area and the tail immediately rises, you know that you have good blood flow. If the tail clamps down, you should repeat step 1. The horse’s body is telling you the blood flow hasn’t quite reached this muscle area and these muscles are still compressing the cauda equina nerve. Continue stimulating the pituitary and the tail area repeatedly until you get the tail to rise. Don’t become alarmed if this takes some time. In cases where there is significant muscle contraction and restricted blood flow, 30 minutes or more may pass before the tail will come up. Remember, the horse may begin to sweat in the rectum area. This is good.

How do you know you’ve “got it”? The head and neck will drop down level with, or below, the withers and the tail will rise softly when you massage under the tail/below the rectum. You may also feel the area under the tail become sweaty. Again, this is a good sign blood and hormones are flowing adequately. As your horse reacts to the stimulation, it will relax. You are helping the horse’s body get into a natural cycle of repair. In applying these two steps, you are essentially opening up the lines of communication Head and neck below between the pituitary and the endocrine system, Tail softly rising the withers resulting in increased hormone and blood flow and organ efficiency.

How long does this take? Every horses is different. The horse will tell you when things are working. Some horses may take 5-10 minutes, while others take 45. The more you do this, the easier it will become and the quicker you will get the desired reaction of the head dropping and relaxed hind end. Your horse will immediately begin to feel the restorative benefit of this pituitary stimulation, even before you can see it for yourself.

[16] How Can Stimulating the Optic & Cauda Equina Nerve Help My Horse with Colic?

Say “colic” to a horse owner and you will start a wave of anxiety. It is one of the most feared equine aliments, yet the easiest to rectify. To understand how you can stop it immediately, you must first understand what is happening to the horse’s body. What is colic? Think of the ribcage as you would a hinged door. When the body is functioning properly the door opens and closes as needed. After eating or drinking, the ribcage expands to compensate for increased volume. As the horse processes its food, the ribcage “closes.” The muscles allow it to open and close - as long as there is proper blood flow. What does this have to do with colic? When a horse has colic, the intestines have been compromised because the muscles have contracted, from lack of sufficient blood supply to the muscles and organs, around the intestines, restricting normal digestive functions. Because of this, digestion slows (or comes to a halt) and normal intestinal gasses and waste can’t escape, leading to pain, which is why your horse does not produce manure when it has colic. How can you help? Stimulating the pituitary gland is an amazing technique for relieving colic. When you stimulate the pituitary, as explained in Part 2, you are increasing your horse’s hormones and blood flow. When muscles do not get enough blood flow to them they contract. Increasing the blood flow helps relax the muscles around the intestines and relieve colic. How long should it take till you hear belly sounds? You are in the heat of colic. You have started stimulating your horse’s pituitary gland. Now what? How long till you see a bowel movement? You know your horse. This process can take anywhere from 20 - 40 minutes, potentially longer depending upon the horse and the person. Don’t be alarmed if it does take a bit longer - each horse is an individual, therefore there’s no clear-cut timeline. How do I know if my horse’s colic has ceased? Keep in mind you know your horse best. You will know when they feel better. As a guideline, here are some signs your horse on the mend: The guts will immediately produce sound Horse wants to eat again Your horse may walk off This 3lb stone was passed within Your horse looks better 12 hours of the onset of colic Sweating will cease (blood pressure is back to normal) and temperature will return to normal

[17] It’s Over - Now What? Congratulations - you’ve got it! You have successfully helped your horse through colic. Now that the emotional roller coaster is over, we need to figure out a few things. Colic doesn’t “just happen”- something triggered it. It can be as simple as a change in environment, as complex as a reaction to something they ingested, or a combination of the two.

Go back to the beginning. Start by eliminating the specialty grains, supplements, mineral blocks and daily worming. In order to figure out what’s going on, you need to take away rather than add to. Adding supplements will only confuse the situation and put undo stress and dehydration upon an already taxed system. Most colics are brought on by dehydration in the body. The body needs the water to digest the feeds. Some feeds, supplements, mineral blocks, and wormers are actually a diarrhetic (create dehydration). Make sure your horse has adequate water supply (you can never have too much water) available to him 24/7. Make sure there is adequate sea salt available - an extra bin designated for sea salt is great. Read more about the effects of sea salt in Method 2 - Feed.

“I noticed one of our horses acting strangely while I was out mucking… tense, tail rigid, in poop stance for several minutes at a time, with no result repeatedly. About an hour or so passed and he was looking worse ... so I did a quick assessment ... Early stage of colic. Momentary panic. Then, I remembered that I knew how to help my horse. So we put some of that Complete Horse Sense knowledge into play and within about 15 minutes there were appreciable signs that Sam (the horse) was turning the situation around. He was relaxed (muscles in hind quarters and ears were in a relaxed position) and more tuned into his surroundings. Within another 15 minutes, we had loud gut noises, and a healthy poop followed in relatively short order. No big expense, no drugs. Crisis averted!” - Karen Margett, Snohomish, WA

“We determined our horse, Piper, had colic so we called Doug. It was simply amazing. My husband told me had he not seen it happen, he would not have believed it. When people at our barn heard that she had colic they wanted to know what I did and what did they give her. I told them I had given her nothing and I had just done what Doug told me to do. She didn’t have to go through tubing up her nose. She didn’t have to go through shots. She didn’t have to be tranquilized.... It was a very peaceful experience for her.” - Cami Cassaday, Snohomish, WA

[18] COLIC QUICK STEPS

Step One: Feel your horse. Touch the spinal column. Compare the body’s overall heat to that of the spinal column. Is it exceptionally cold (low blood pressure) or exceptionally hot (high blood pressure)? High blood pressure is normal when a horse has colic. Remember, the horse’s temperature is 99-101.6 degrees. Step Two: Listen to the belly. Are their any gut sounds? Step Three: Go to the hind end - under the tail/rectum area. Slide your hand in at the indentation like we showed you in Part 2, Step 2. Does the tail clamp down? Step Four: Start with waving your hand in front of the eyes to dilate the pupil, left to right. The faster you can flip your wrists, the better. Your horse may fight it a bit, but press on and eventually it will give in. Step Five: After you have dilated the pupil for a bit (about 5 minutes) move back to rectum area. Rub each side 10-20 seconds per side, switching from side to side. Does the tail lift? If so, things are starting to move and the blood is flowing to the muscles. If not, go back to step 4 and start the process again. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until all symptoms have ceased. DO NOT PANIC - THEY WILL STOP!

[19] YOUR HORSEʼS OVERALL HEALTH STIMULATING THE PITUITARY GLAND

COMPLETE HORSE SENSE

REGULAR STIMULATION OF THE PITUITARY GLAND THROUGH THE OPTIC NERVE MUSCLES & BY DILATING THE PROCESS FEEDS ORGANS RELAX PUPIL MORE IMMEDIATELY EFFICIENTLY

GOOD BEHAVIOR BECAUSE HORES IS COMFORTABLE

CURRENT INDUSTRY STANDARDS

UNDER STIMULATED PITUITARY GLAND •MUSCLES CONTRACT •PRESSURE ON THE ORGANS

OVARIES DIGESTIVE ISSUES DISCOMFORT CAUSES KIDNEYS & LIVER AFFECTED •FREQ. HEAT CYCLES •COLIC BEHAVIORAL ISSUES TOXINS & WASTE NOT •BREEDING ISSUES •DIARRHEA •RUNNING OFF PROCESSED EFFICIENTLY. •BUCKING & KICKING EXCESSIVE SUGAR IS •MOUTHY PRODUCED TO COMPENSATE •CANʼT STAND STILL/FIDGETY •REARING KIDNEYS & LIVER BECOME SORE AND HORSE BEGINS TO WORK OFF ITS FRONT END

HORSE IS OUT OF BALANCE •BEHAVIORAL ISSUES •RUNNING OFF •BUCKING & KICKING •FIDGETY •REARING •SHORT-STRIDING (HORSE LOOKS LAME) SOFT TISSUE INJURIES •BOWED TENDONS •SUSPENSORY LIGAMENT INJURIES •UNEXPLAINED LAMENESS METHOD 2: FEED YOUR HORSE IS AN HERBIVORE Contrary to the equine industry, the horse’s body hasn’t changed! A critical element in the overall health and behavior of your horse is its diet. As with any other living being, what you feed your horse is crucial to its bodily health and function. The saying, “Garbage In ... Garbage Out” holds true. The trap many horse owners easily fall prey to is the belief that more is better - more grain, more supplements, more medication. Yes, it is done with the best of intentions, but the ultimate result is compromised health and behavior. Large amounts of money is wasted on complex and unnecessary feeds, supplements and treatments. All of these simply address the symptoms rather than the underlying issues. These items are promoted and sold because they make money for those who are involved in their production, distribution, and administration. Sadly, it is you, and your horse, who pays the price. The horse’s system cannot continually process complex feeds or supplements without a negative outcome. The good news - it can be simplified. Go back to the basics. Remove the layers of feeds, supplements and medications, and do not add items that further mask the issue. Your horse does not need the fancy feeds, supplements and treatments. They need the basic simple ingredients that have always been provided by nature. FEED REGIMEN

Every horse is an individual and you have to determine how much it can ingest without effecting its weight. Amounts will vary with your horse’s work load and weather (horses will require more calories in extreme weather conditions). Many horse owners will feed their horse beet pulp for weight gain. Rather than increasing muscle mass, they are creating fat. Fat not only stores toxins, it is toxic to the body. Muscle weighs more than fat. Muscle mass keeps the body warm. Healthy blood builds muscle tissue. If the blood supply is compromised, the horse cannot build muscle, which explains why a horse won’t put on weight. 1.Good quality hay: We prefer second cutting because the first cutting generally exposed to fertilizers and other environmental contaminants. Also, avoid hay from flood areas because of potential exposure to pollutants. Before buying hay, be sure to inspect a few bales. Look for mold, moisture, dirt, animal parts, insects, good color, weeds and texture. 2.Barley: Many grains available have been genetically altered to grow in various climates, making them harder on the digestive system. Anything that stresses the digestion process, takes away from normal efficient functioning of the rest of the body. Barley has not been genetically altered and the entire grain can be digested

[21] and used for energy. Any grain visible in manure is a sign the body is not able to use it, which is not only taxing your horse’s systems it’s also wasting your money. 3.Sea Salt - Free feed. Sea salt heals the body. By providing sea salt to your horse, you are helping your horse’s body receive the elements it needs to maintain optimal health. All the essential minerals in sea salt work to clean up and balance out the horse’s body. What the body doesn’t need, it will eliminate. See sea salt section below. 4.Water - As much fresh water as they will drink. NOTE: In this recommended feed regimen there are NO complex feeds, hybrid grasses, treats, or supplements. These will only overburden your horse’s digestive system and contribute to ailments and behavioral challenges. If you absolutely have to give your horse something as a “treat” you should give them something that has a seed in it, such as apples, watermelon, and pears. Why is the seed important? Seeds not only have great digestive power, they are also full of minerals.

THE SKINNY ON CARROTS & BEET PULP Horses love carrots! If you walk through a barn you will definitely find a stash of carrots somewhere. What many horse owners don’t realize is that they are doing more harm than good by feeding their horse carrots. Don’t be alarmed - carrots are good for your horse, providing the green leafy part is still attached. Without the green leafy section, you are feeding your horse only the sugary part. Why is this? The leafy green part contains the seed of the carrot. The root pulls the nutrients and mineral content out of the soil, into the fruit and finally into the seed. The seed has great nutritional value, including many vital nutrients and minerals necessary for proper digestion. The seed detoxifies blood, tissues, muscles and internal organs. When the seed is NOT fed to the animal, they are getting straight sugar, which the body cannot properly digest. Sugar beets (beet pulp) function the same way. Many marvel over the amazing attributes of beet pulp, especially for horses that need to add a few pounds. What is being adding is straight fat, not muscle. You want a muscled horse, not a fat horse. A muscled horse is healthy. A fat horse is sick. What is wrong with adding fat to a horse’s diet? Excess fat is harmful to the body. The body pushes the toxins (fat) to the side because it cannot utilize it. The body waits until it can break it down and get rid of it. The problem arises when the horse continually ingests the same things and the body is not given the chance to break it down. How do you get rid of the fat? Begin to eliminate the processed feeds, beet pulp, carrots (without the leafy green part), mineral supplements, etc. Follow the FEED recommendations in this guide and watch your horse transform itself Sea Salt is NOT Table Salt or Mineral Blocks When we recommend giving sea salt to your horse most people immediately react with “too much salt is bad for you.” The fact is, processed salt or mineral blocks are harmful. Natural salts, like sea salt, are good for your horse. Because of the added iodine, standard table salt is not easily digested and processed. When refined and chemically cleaned, the nutritional value is lost. The body cannot process the added iodine easily, which is why the body or muscle tissue swells up when too much table salt is consumed. Sea salt has natural iodine and is perfectly balanced with other trace elements. This is the form of salt the body is designed to use. Sea salt has similar chemical and mineral composition to blood and bodily fluids, such as tears and perspiration. Natural sea salt has all the elements of the ocean. What does this mean? The survival potential of a body is much greater. Natural sea salt is an essential element in the diet. The horse’s body is an organic body, which means it can only consume organic material. In order for it to absorb the minerals that are in the earth, it has to come through the plant material. The plant material pulls the minerals out of the ground and breaks the minerals down so the organic body can digest them. Only plant material can do this. It is an organic process, not a human engineered process. What does all this mean? Why not just give your horse a processed salt block and call it good? Sea salt heals the body. By providing sea salt to your horse, you are helping your horse’s body receive all the elements it needs to maintain optimal health. Salt blocks are heated to the point where the nutritional value has been lost. All the essential minerals in sea salt work to clean up and balance the horse’s body. The molecular biology of sea salt and its functions is well beyond the scope of this book. What is really important, to you and your horse, is that providing sea salt helps naturally balance fluids and functions of the horse’s body. In his book, “You Are Not Sick, You’re Thirsty! by F. Batmanghelidj, MD explains a few of the invaluable benefits:* • Given in conjunction with other minerals, salt will actually lower blood pressure. • Salt can be very effective in stabilizing irregular heartbeats. • Salt is a strong antihistamine (it can be used to release asthma as effective as an inhaler, without the toxicity). • Salt is a strong antiseptic (did grandma ever tell you to gargle with salt water to get rid of a soar throat?). • Salt is vital for eliminating excess acidity from the cells, particularly in the brain. • Salt is vital for the kidneys to clear excess acidity (toxins) and pass acidity to the urine. • Salt is an anti-stress element. (Lithium is a salt substitute used in treatment of depression). • Salt helps balance sugar levels in the blood and reduces the need for insulin. Dr. Batmanghelidj’s research and book are based on the human’s need for water and salt, but his information can be directly transfered to all living things. Horses included. Please note, this is not ALL that sea salt does. Because it is dealing with cellular function it affects the ENTIRE horse and all its organs and functions. Therefore it affects the horse’s overall health and behavior. An important step to improving your horse’s overall health is to add sea salt to their daily feed and let its natural properties go to work by balancing the horse’s bodily fluids, cleaning out the blood, eliminating toxins, and returning your horse to the state it was meant to be.

“I am sitting her trying to put into words the gratitude and sense of wonder that I feel in learning and using Complete Horse Sense methods. Having been involved for horses for over 15 years, I have seen and heard many different “theories” and ways to diagnose and treat ailments from colic to lameness. Without knowing any better I subscribed fully and when presented with a prognosis that would end a horse’s career I took it in stride, believing like most that there was nothing else to be done. Modern medicine could do nothing, therefore I now had expensive lawn ornaments. About a year ago friend that I was helping out with a horse suggested we try a new farrier. After having just spent over $2,000 in vet bills and x-rays to diagnose lameness in the horse I was willing to try anything. All of my horses had movement problems of some kind and they have all gone away. I love the freedom and power of being in control of my horses health. I have helped several horses through colic using the Complete Horse Sense methods and will never go back. People still ask what I do to make my horses look so good, they all assume there must be some special supplement, when in fact it is only sea salt and sulfur. My hope is to eventually pass the knowledge on to others, but for now I am content in knowing my horse’s health and well being are now in my hands.” -Patty Schott, Wenatchee, WA

“Today Sadie went in for her curve testing and believe it or not she’s CURED. Seems she no longer is in need of the insulin. No more shots.!!!!! I knew this amazing news would make you SMILE. Anyway, the vet was very nice and said this in only the 2nd case of this happening and really can’t fully explain it. I didn’t bother giving all the information, just that it’s been approx. 1-1/2 weeks since she’s had a shot and I’m mixing the two dog foods but, I left out the sea salt. I didn’t figure he would be ready for that. So, all in all her levels went from over 500 to the norm of 120-130. Crazy huh…….. I really appreciate your help and advice with everything.” -Robin, Snohomish, WA

[24] The Power of Sulfur Powder sulfur was the principle antibiotic used on horses in World War I and II. It works great to use when you need to help your horse cleanse its blood supply of bacteria and parasites, and for disinfecting and healing wounds. It is time to reintroduce sulfur, as an old remedy, that works so well we forgot about it. Sulfur has been around for a long time. Native Polynesians claim to have cured a variety of infections in their hot sulfur mineral springs. Russian mud treatments, which are high in sulfur, have been used for centuries as a reputed therapy for arthritis. Sulfur is an acid-forming mineral that is part of the chemical structure of several amino acids within the body. It is a natural element to the body. Sulfur disinfects the blood, helps the body to resist SULFUR IN FEED bacteria and parasites, and protects the protoplasm of the cells. It aids in necessary DIARRHEA? SULFUR IS GREAT FOR HELPING WITH THIS IRRITATING oxidation reactions in the body, stimulates bile CONDITION. USE ROUGHLY 1/4C. secretion, and protects against toxic substances. SULFUR (CAN BE OBTAINED FROM PHARMACISTS OR LOCAL GARDEN Because of its ability to protect against the STORE) INTO FEED FOR 3-4 DAYS. harmful effects of radiation and pollution, sulfur CHANGES IN MANURE WILL BE APPARENT IN ROUGHLY A WEEK. slows down the aging process. It is found in MAKE SURE TO CONTINUE USING SEA SALT IN FEED ALSO. hemoglobin and in all body tissues. It is needed for the synthesis of collagen, a principle protein that gives skin its structural integrity. The volume of scientific studies on sulfur is enormous. Sulfur is a very complex element. It is used in the production of sulfuric acid as well as gunpowder. Sulfur is the basis of all modern sulfa drugs. Some studies have shown it to have high anti-yeast, anti-parasite and antivirus effectiveness. Sulfur was the chief antibiotic used in the U.S.A., until the mid 1900's, when every corner pharmacy sold the yellow powder for every kind of infection and skin irritation imaginable. Sulfur has been proven safe and effective by millions of people, in dozens of countries, over hundreds of years. Due to its accepted use, sulfur has received a FDA approval for the treatment of acne. Due to its antibiotic, anti-parasitic and SULFUR PASTE antivirus properties it is a great treatment. It is simple, inexpensive, and you only need to MIX SULFUR POWDER WITH OLIVE OIL TO FORM A PASTE. THIS ACTS AS A give it when your horse needs help cleaning TOPICAL ANTIBIOTIC AND IS GREAT FOR CUTS, BUG BITES, SCRATCHES, up it’s body, or as a dewormer. Add the ETC.. IF YOUR HORSE GETS CUT, powder form to their feed 3-4 times a week, SIMPLY CLEAN THE CUT AND APPLY A GENEROUS AMOUNT OF SULFUR PASTE once a month. Also, it is a great topical TO THE AREA. THIS MIXTURE WILL remedy for cuts and abrasions when used in HELP WITH HEALING AND KEEP a paste form. If your horse gets cut, treat with the sulfur paste and watch it quickly heal.

[25] YOUR HORSEʼS OVERALL HEALTH FEED

COMPLETE HORSE SENSE

GOOD QUALITY HAY SEA SALT SULFUR ROLLED BARLEY •BODY CAN EASILY •IONIC - EXPELS WHAT •NATURAL ANTIBIOTIC & •MAINTAIN HEALTHY DIGEST BODY DOESNʼT NEED DEWORMER WEIGHT •MAINTAIN HEALTHY •HELPS CLEAR TOXINS •BODY CAN EASILY WEIGHT •BALANCES SUGAR DIGEST LEVELS •BUILDS QUALITY •ANTISEPTIC MUSCLE TISSUE •BALANCES FLUIDS ON CELLULAR LEVEL

CURRENT INDUSTRY STANDARDS

COMPLEX FEEDS & SUPPLEMENTS •HARD TO DIGEST •UNNECESSARY PRESSURE ON THE ORGANS

OVARIES DIGESTIVE ISSUES DISCOMFORT CAUSES KIDNEYS & LIVER AFFECTED •FREQ. HEAT CYCLES •COLIC BEHAVIORAL ISSUES TOXINS & WASTE NOT •BREEDING ISSUES •DIARRHEA •RUNNING OFF PROCESSED EFFICIENTLY. •BUCKING & KICKING EXCESSIVE SUGAR IS •MOUTHY PRODUCED TO COMPENSATE •CANʼT STAND STILL/FIDGETY •REARING KIDNEYS & LIVER BECOME SORE AND HORSE BEGINS TO WORK OFF ITS FRONT END

HORSE IS OUT OF BALANCE •BEHAVIORAL ISSUES •RUNNING OFF •BUCKING & KICKING •FIDGETY •REARING •SHORT-STRIDING (HORSE LOOKS LAME) SOFT TISSUE INJURIES •BOWED TENDONS •SUSPENSORY LIGAMENT INJURIES •UNEXPLAINED LAMENESS METHOD 3: HOOF CARE IT’S MORE THAN JUST THE FOUNDATION

Proper hoof care is imperative to the horses overall health & behavior. Today, horse owners are asked to accept many common chronic ailments and challenges as congenital defects in a horses’ conformation, or a negative result of their environment. They are given the opportunity to “manage” these conditions, often through expensive medication and time consuming protocol that address the symptoms but do not solve the underlying problem. Many horses that have been identified with leg and/or ligament issues are really exhibiting symptoms of an underlying problem which exist because of improper feed and hoof care. Because many typically address the symptoms, not the underlying causes, damage can escalate and lead to irreversible conditions and often unnecessary career-ending outcomes. It is imperative you become an advocate for your horse’s hoof care; do not leave it to others to determine what is necessary. In this section you will learn what is going on inside the horse’s body through understanding of what is happening within the hoof.

FUNDAMENTALS OF HOOF CARE Except for a true birth defect, every newborn foal takes its first steps with its hooves turned outward, over at the knees, and instinctively relying on its hindquarters for strength and balance. This body position is what we would like throughout their lives. Unfortunately, as the foal comes into contact with and is subjected to our environment, complex feed protocols and traditional hoof care, their stance becomes altered. As a direct result, their health and behavior ultimately becomes compromised. Once a horse meets the outside world, its body is affected by environmental factors such as pollutants from populated areas, weather, tainted soil in pastures, complex feeds, medications, and incorrect farrier practices. All these affect the horse’s ability to rid itself of toxins. The build up of toxins affects the horse’s overall health and behavior. Although it doesn’t take the long to impact the body, the process of change takes time and the symptoms may not present themselves immediately. The subtle signs of this process are usually written off as genetic or conformational defaults. While symptoms (to name a few) such as “lameness,” abscesses, navicular, and colic are attacked with supplements, injections or medical protocols, the underlying issue is still not resolved. Plain and simple - many issues can be resolved by a change in feed and hoof care practices. As we said earlier, from birth to grave, all horses need to be “toed-out” in order for the hooves to hit the ground flat and level. They start this way as newborn foals and should continue this way throughout their lives. The hoof does not grow “toed-out,” rather it follows the natural growth pattern of the leg muscles. This is the only way the horse can use its natural power in the hindquarters.

IMPORTANT FACTORS TO CONSIDER: 1. THE INSIDE WALL OF THE HOOF GROWS FASTER THAN THE OUTSIDE. This growth rate difference, must be considered when trimming or shoeing your horse. As the inside of the hoof grows faster (and higher) than the outside, the legs are forced together and the hip muscles become stressed. Once the hip muscles are stressed, organs are stressed and health & behavioral issues arise. If this growth difference is not accounted for, the imbalance will be magnified every trimming or shoeing and health & behavior issues will escalate. With each trimming or shoeing you need to simply account for and trim more from the inside of the hoof, heel to toe, than the outside to make the hoof strike the ground level. Approximately 49 days (7 weeks) from the previous trimming or shoeing the hip muscles begin to contract because the legs are being pulled inward as the inside grows higher than the outside.

2. THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOOF IS A NECESSARY BARRIER AGAINST CONTRACTING MUSCLES. The outside of the hoof is keeps the legs from contracting and the horse from pulling their hind legs underneath its body. If the legs are allowed to be pulled underneath the body, the muscles cannot have an opportunity to relax and excessive pressure is put upon the organs. Once the muscles contract upon the organs they cannot do their job effectively, which puts extensive strain upon the entire body - toxins build up within the system and are not allowed to exit as needed for optimal health and behavior.

3. EXCESSIVE PRESSURE IS PLACED UPON THE HIPS. When a horse has shortened outer hoof walls, the legs are allow to contract underneath the body and extensive pressure is placed upon the hips. All horses should have a stance in the hindquarter that is equal to the width of their hips. Anytime the legs and muscles are allowed to contract underneath the body, the stance narrows in the hindquarters and pressure is allocated to the hips. This causes the horse to lean forward (and work off its front end) to find relief from the pressure in the hindquarters. This increases the likelihood of an injury related to a horse working off the front end. Health and behavioral issues will ultimately arise.

[28] 4. TOXINS DRAIN FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOOF. All toxins that are not excreted through urine, sweat, etc... are left within the body and drain through the cleft of the frogs. This is the anatomy of the horse and how it functions. The worst case scenario would be toxins exiting on the outside of the hoof between the sole and the wall. If the outside of the hoof is taken off, the horse will start to become pigeon-toed, which puts excessive pressure on the outside of the hoof. This pressure will stop the fluid (toxins) from leaving the system. The cycle continues because the excess toxins will continue to buildup within the body, causing many of the problems we have previously discussed.

5. COMMON BEHAVIORS RELATED TO IMPROPER SHOEING/TRIMMING: Many behaviors that most assume are characteristic of their horse are really the result of improper shoeing/trimming. • Running through the bridle • Fidgety / mouthy • Trailer loading issues / hard to load • Bucking • Behavioral issues associated to horse’s pedigree • Will not stand still for the farrier and hard to shoe or trim • Rearing back when tied • Diving into their feed • Hard to lead / try to run over you • Constant movement / pacing / rocking

Let’s put all of it together to look at the big picture. This is a cyclic process that will continue until the problems have manifested themselves so extensively that they result in an injury (often career ending) or debilitating disease. All horses are different, so the time it takes for damage to manifest itself is only known to that individual horse. Over time the horse will usually start to “toe-in”, which results in the horse starting to be out of balance and excessive strain placed upon the ligaments and internal organs. Add to this complex feeds and supplements that cannot be used properly. The toxins buildup and begin to be stored within the body, such as stones and parasites. Will this happen right away? Maybe. It may also take years to develop.

The bottom-line is this: If you follow a few important trimming and shoeing principles your horse will be able to achieve optimal health and behavior in a very short time.

[29] FUNDAMENTALS OF TRIMMING AND SHOEING Properly trimming or shoeing a horse, along with other methods discussed in this guide, can eliminate most of the common ailments plaguing horses today. By applying these methods, the horse’s body will be put back in a natural state and will eventually realign and rebalance itself, while eliminating harmful toxins that have been interfering with optimal health and behavior.

RECOMMENDED TRIMMING AND SHOEING PRACTICES As a rule, do not let your horse go past 7 weeks between trimming or shoeing. The lower back and hip muscles begin to contract right at 49 days - These recommendations are not arbitrary; rather they are based on data from Doug Serjeant’s 35 years as a farrier. Trimming and shoeing stops this and keeps the muscles relaxed. All horses must be “toed-out” in order for the hooves to hit the ground flat and level. This allows the hoof to follow the natural growth of the leg muscles. Since the muscles naturally turn outward, it makes sense that the hooves must also. Many horses today are trimmed or shod so the opposite is true and we experience the issues and obstacles explained previously. With improper trimming and shoeing, we are creating problems for our horse which lead us to waste money and time on treatments, feed, supplements, and fancy gadgetry that doesn’t address the root cause and cannot correct it. Tragically, in the worst case scenario, horse owners are forced to turn their equine sport and companion animals into pasture ornaments on a pain management regimen, of one type or another, or to euthanize their beloved horse. This outcome is avoidable with the Complete Horse Sense method of trimming and shoeing. WORK WITH YOUR FARRIER Anytime you hear that a horse is toed-in because of a conformational flaw, a red flag should go up. What you really have is a horse that needs proper trimming and shoeing and some time for its body to realign and rebalance itself. Complete Horse Sense encourages you to look at this as a perfect opportunity to turn lemons into lemonade. For your safety and that of your horse, we recommend that you work with a professional farrier. The services a professional farrier offers are invaluable to you and your horse's overall health and behavior. You must collaborate with your farrier, using his skills and your intimate knowledge of your horse, to ensure your horse is trimmed or shod properly to achieve, and sustain, optimal health. Use the information in this guide to explain the importance of using the COMPLETE HORSE SENSE protocol. You know your horse better than anyone else. Your farrier does not interact with it on the same level as you and, therefore, you must advocate for your horse. Help them to understand how the manner in which the horse is trimmed/shod is directly related to its overall health and behavior. Insist that your farrier contact Complete Horse Sense with any questions or concerns, and for more intensive training. Be wary of anyone unwilling to be open or challenged by this information.

[30] Remember that you are the boss. You are the sole person responsible for the care and well being of your horse. You are paying for the services of experts. If you are not getting the results you are after, find someone who will work with you to achieve optimal results.

Time for an exercise. Stand up, (If you love your horse you need to do this) point your toes slightly toed in (pigeon toed) and put your weight on the outside of your feet. Then lean forward. Fairly quickly as you lean forward you feel shaky, out of balance, and need to push off your toes to keep from falling forward. This gives you a sense of what a horse that is shod according to conventional farrier techniques experiences. Now adjust your feet so you are toed out and standing flat on the base of your foot. Now lean forward. Notice a difference in how this feels? Toed out and flat you are able to bend easier, your knees can bend and you can use your thighs and gluteus muscles. You are balanced and can relax. This mimics the methods taught by Complete Horse Sense.

“It has been a well traveled "road" with Complete Horse Sense. I have gained an immense understanding of the way my horse's body functions, which was explained to me in ways I can understand and put to practical use. I have witnessed first hand, the devastating effects improper feed and chemicals used in today's commercial products can cause to the overall health of any horse. With patience, I have seen how my horse's filter system works to flush out these toxins. I have a better understanding of how and why horses get abscesses, as well as what the eyes, skin, and coat can tell you about the overall health of a horse. I have learned how absolutely important proper hoof care is. How uniquely different each and every horse needs to be trimmed or shod, depending on what is happening not only externally, but internally as well. Now, I strongly believe a good farrier must understand the way a horse’s body functions overall, rather than just the anatomy of the hoof, in order to provide adequate farrier service for each horse as an individual. Using the Complete Horse Sense methods, my horse has not only physically changed, he has mentally changed as well. Over several months time, he is now a vibrant young six year old and a bit of a handful, rather than the dull, lackluster horse I once thought him to be. So, now I am traveling a new "road" with Complete Horse Sense in re-training this new and very active, healthy horse. With Doug's help, I am learning how to focus all his new-found energy but find this is a much happier road to be on.”

- Bailey & Rowdy, Snohomish, WA

[31] YOUR HORSEʼS OVERALL HEALTH TRIMMING AND SHOEING

COMPLETE HORSE SENSE

INSIDE OF HOOF TRIMMED CORRECTLY TO COMPENSATE FOR ITS FASTER TOXINS & WASTE STANCE HOOVES STRIKE GROWTH - AS HORSE WORKING MATERIAL CAN NARROW IN THE GROUND OPPOSED TO OFF ITS EXIT THE BODY FRONT & WIDE IN FLAT & LEVEL TRIMMING THE HINDQUARTERS THROUGH THE REAR W/HORSE OUTSIDE HOOVES TOEING OUT

CURRENT INDUSTRY STANDARDS

DONE IMPROPERLY: •DO NOT COMPENSATE FOR FASTER GROWTH ON INSIDE & TAKE OFF THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOOF

OVARIES DIGESTIVE ISSUES HIPS/STIFLE PAIN KIDNEYS & LIVER AFFECTED •COLIC •FREQ. HEAT CYCLES TOXINS & WASTE NOT •DIARRHEA •BREEDING ISSUES PROCESSED EFFICIENTLY. PAIN EXCESSIVE SUGAR IS PRODUCED TO COMPENSATE

WORKING OFF FRONT END KIDNEYS & LIVER BECOME SORE AND HORSE BEGINS TO WORK HORSE IS OUT OF BALANCE OFF ITS FRONT END •BEHAVIORAL ISSUES •RUNNING OFF •BUCKING & KICKING •FIDGETY HORSE IS OUT OF BALANCE •REARING •BEHAVIORAL ISSUES •SHORT-STRIDING (HORSE LOOKS •RUNNING OFF LAME) •BUCKING & KICKING SOFT TISSUE INJURIES •FIDGETY •BOWED TENDONS •REARING •SUSPENSORY LIGAMENT INJURIES •SHORT-STRIDING (HORSE LOOKS •UNEXPLAINED LAMENESS LAME) SOFT TISSUE INJURIES •BOWED TENDONS •SUSPENSORY LIGAMENT INJURIES •UNEXPLAINED LAMENESS ASSESSING YOUR HORSE In order to improve anything, a starting point must be identified. Start assessing at the head and work through the body and legs, then finally move to the hooves. Each part of a horses’ body provides information about what is truly going on regarding its overall health and behavior. Now, you may be thinking, “My horse is fine,” and that is wonderful. However, while there may not be any visible physical or behavioral issues, your horse is most likely NOT at its full physical peak.

The assessment is easy. It is presented on the following pages so you know exactly what to look for in your horse. During the assessment, you may find one or two items on each checklist, or you may find more. Either way, do not panic. The important part is to write down what you find and what you see. Once you get through the assessment and document your baseline, Complete Horse Sense will teach you specific recommendations and techniques in Parts 2 & 3 to incorporate into your daily routine that will help your horse start on the road to optimal health.

THE HEAD WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN ASSESSING THE HEAD

When assessing your horse, always start with the head. The head of a horse and its features can tell us a great deal about its health. Many issues relating to the health of a horse are directly proportional to the blood carrying unwanted waste, high blood pressure, or contracted muscles. These are controlled by the pituitary and the endocrine systems. It is unusual, given the current influences of the equine industry previously discussed, to find a horse with a thyroid gland functioning at peak efficiency. Many signs of a compromised thyroid can be seen on the head and face. A few of the most common sings will be presented here along with their significance of your horse’s health and behavior.

Where do I begin? Use the following checklist to make observations and notes about your horse. Print out the assessment to have it on hand when you start. Take pictures during this initial phase and use them for comparison in the weeks and months to come. The eyes, the area between the eyes, the jaw line, and the ears will be the focus in this section. • LOOK AT THE AREA BETWEEN THE EYES. IS THE HAIR BETWEEN THE EYES STANDING UP OR LYING DOWN?

LAYING DOWN STANDING UP If the pituitary gland is working at its optimal level, the hair in this area will be smooth. It will be free of any clumps of dirt lodged between the hairs and matted to the skin. If the hair is sticking up, it is an indicator that your horse’s pituitary gland or immune system is not working properly.

• ARE THERE EXCESSIVE FLIES HANGING AROUND THE EYES? IS SLEEP PRESENT IN THE CORNERS OF THE EYES? DO THE EYELIDS “CLICK” WHEN YOUR HORSE BLINKS?

NO FLIES YES, FLIES NO SLEEP YES, SLEEP

NO CLICKING YES, CLICKING An excessive amount of flies, discharge, and/or crusty mucus around the eyes are indicators that the horse’s blood supply has been compromised. This is usually due to a virus. Clicking eyelids are the result of an under stimulated pituitary gland. Clear whites of the eyes and alert eyes that blink quietly, and in regular rhythm, are signs of a healthy pituitary gland.

• LOOK AT THE JAWLINE. DOES YOUR HORSE HAVE LONG HAIR UNDER THE JAWLINE? SHORT HAIR LONG HAIR An indicator of an improperly functioning thyroid, is excessive long hair on the jawline. Horses that have excessive hair growth have an iodine deficiency, which results in an under active thyroid. This is easily fixed by adjusting your horse’s feed regimen. See section on Sea Salt/Feed.

• FACE YOUR HORSE AND LOOK AT THE LOCATION OF EACH EYE. ARE THE EYES LEVEL WITH ONE ANOTHER? EYES EVEN ONE EYE HIGHER THAN THE OTHER Although it seems strange, contracted muscles in the head can affect your horse’s health and behavior. The eye sockets should set parallel to each other. The eye sockets should be distributed level and balanced in the mass of the skull. If your horse’s eyes do not appear to be level, then you are dealing with a contracted optical or facial muscle.

[34] • LOOK AT THE EARS. IS ONE OR BOTH EARS COCKED OFF TO THE SIDE? EARS EVEN ONE OR BOTH EARS COCKED TO SIDE An ear or two cocked to one side or the other is an indicator that the cranial muscles are contracted.

• LOOK AT THE WHITES OF THE EYES. ARE THEY PEARL WHITE OR TINTED YELLOW? PEARL WHITE, NO VEINS TINTED YELLOW AND/OR VEINS PRESENT The whites of the eyes are an indicator of how the thyroid is working. Tinted color or visible veins are another indication of thyroid issues. NOTES:

“My Percheron, Dan, was diagnosed with Wobbles and EPSM - I was told to send him to a prominent veterinary school for further treatment. He was put on an expensive and time consuming diet. He couldn’t lope. He bucked at the trot. He was a mess. I was a mess. I was introduced to Doug, who showed me a few simple things to do with Dan and immediately I was hooked. After applying these techniques, changing his feed and having him shod the correct way, Dan’s symptoms disappeared. The transformation was amazing. He stopped bucking and his lope was beautiful. He was a different horse. I have continued to apply these techniques to all my horses and will never go back.” - Cherianne Benoit, Snohomish, WA

[35] THE BODY WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN ASSESSING THE BODY

The body is a major component of assessing your horse’s overall health & behavior. It encompasses not only the major organs, but also the spinal column and majority of the nervous system. In this section, and the next, we will talk about a horse working off its front end. What does that mean? A horse’s natural strength and balance is in the hindquarters. Unfortunately, most do not realize this is something that’s easily achieved and does not require excessive training equipment or gadgets. When a horse continually works off the front end, injury is most often the result. This leads to weeks and months of stall rest or career-ending lameness issues. It’s easy to fix these issues. Begin with the assessment and COMPLETE HORSE SENSE will show you how.

Where do I begin? Start at the neck and work toward the hindquarters...

• LOOK AT THE NECK REGION. IS THE NECK AREA HARD AND/OR CRESTED?

SOFT, NON-CRESTED NECK NECK IS HARD AND/OR CRESTED A crested/hard neck indicates high blood pressure. Blood expands as temperature rises, so the muscle expands as well. One of the areas affected by an increase in blood pressure is the neck. It’s closest to the pituitary gland. A fat and/or crested neck is an indicator that the horse’s system has been compromised.

• STAY IN THE NECK REGION. IS THE NECK CONTINUALLY ABOVE THE WITHERS?

NECK IS NOT ABOVE WITHERS NECK IS ABOVE WITHERS If your horse’s head is continually above the withers, they are trying to hollow out their back so they can lean forward and stay off their hindquarters, moving away from the pain. They are working off their front end because something in their hindquarters is bothering them. Continue on and we’ll show you how to fix it!

• LOOK AT YOUR HORSE’S HAIR COAT. DO YOU SEE UNIFORM COLOR AND LENGTH? IS IT SMOOTH AND SILKY, OR DOES IT FEEL DIRTY AND FEEL STICKY?

HAIR IS UNIFORM IN LENGTH LONG PATCHES OF HAIR PRESENT

HAIR FEELS SMOOTH AND SILKY HAIR FEELS DIRTY/STICKY If your horse has patches of color that are not uniform or the hair coat is duller than it should be, then the body is simply lacking salt. The sun has not lightened the hair. If your horse rolls in the dirt and the dirt sticks to the hair coat after it dries, your horse has an issue with the pituitary gland. The horse’s hair should be sleek. It is made this way to keep the elements from sticking to it. Regardless of the breed, if the systems are functioning properly, the hair coat should be shiny and sleek. • LOOK AT THE SWEAT MARKS ON YOUR HORSE. IS THERE EXCESSIVE SWEATING IN THE NECK AND CHEST AREA? DOES THE HAIR STAY MATTED DOWN AFTER THE SWEAT DRIES? SOME SWEAT IN THE NECK & CHEST EXCESSIVE SWEAT IN NECK & CHEST HAIR FLUFFS BACK UP WHEN SWEAT HAIR STAYS MATTED AFTER SWEAT DRIES DRIES

If the horse’s hair stays matted down after the sweat dries, the muscles are simply working too hard. When a horse sweats excessively through the chest and neck, the muscles are working overtime because the horse using its front end, rather than its hindquarters. When a horse is on it’s front end, it is not in balance. An out-of-balance horse will panic and sweat excessively. Balance is in the hind end. This can be changed by changing the way they are trimmed or shod.

• LOOK AT THE BELLY. DOES YOUR HORSE HAVE A “HAY BELLY”? IS THE BACK SWAYED? IS THERE EXCESSIVE LONG HAIRS IN THE BELLY REGION? NO HAY BELLY YES, HAY BELLY

STRAIGHT BACK SWAY BACK

SHORT HAIR IN BELLY REGION EXCESSIVE LONG BELLY HAIR

“Hay belly” or sway back? Food is digested within 12 hours of eating, therefore hay does not sit in the belly. A “hay belly” and/or swayback conditions result from weak back muscles. This a result of improper trimming/shoeing and feed regimen. If a horse is shod using the COMPLETE HORSE SENSE method, the horse will strengthen the back muscles on their own.

• BITCHY MARE? DOES YOUR MARE HAVE FREQUENT HEAT CYCLES?

REGULAR HEAT CYCLES CONTINUOUSLY IN HEAT

Frequent heat cycles in a mare means the muscles are contracting upon the ovaries, continually forcing the mare into heat. This is controlled by stimulating the pituitary gland, changing the way they are shod, and implementing a proper feed regimen. Many owners use supplements to control the heat cycles. The supplements will do more long-term damage than good. Your mare needs relief from the pressure of the muscle contractions so she can have more typical reproductive cycles.

[37] • DOES YOUR HORSE HAVE AN OVER ABUNDANCE FLIES ON ITS BODY IN CONCENTRATED AREAS?

FEW TO NO BUGS MANY BUGS

Flies on a horse will tell you where their system is compromised. The insects are there to clean up something that’s contaminating the blood supply. Please see the section on INSECTS for a more detailed explanation.

• IS IT HARD TO FIT A SADDLE TO YOUR HORSE? IS THE SHOULDER MUSCLE DEPRESSED? EASY TO FIT AND GOOD HARD TO FIT AND DEPRESSED SHOULDER MUSCLE TONE SHOULDER MUSCLES If the shoulder muscle area is sunk in (below each side of the withers), your horse is working of its front end and the muscle has become overworked and stressed. This goes hand-in-hand with excessive sweating in the neck and chest region.

• LOOK AT YOUR HORSE’S HIP AREA. PAT ON THE HIP AREA. IS THE MUSCLE JIGGLY OR IS IT HARD?

SOFT MUSCLES THAT “JIGGLE” HIP MUSCLES ARE ROCK HARD

Hard muscles over the hips and rump are generally mistaken for being well muscled. However, if you pat on your horse’s hip muscle and the muscles are rock-hard, it is a sign of contracted and painful muscles. The blood supply is not getting back to the hip area efficiently. If it’s jiggly or Jell-O like, then the blood is efficiently flowing to the hip area and the muscle is healthy.

• SLIDE YOUR HAND INTO THE TAIL DOCK/RECTUM AREA. DOES THE TAIL CLAMP DOWN? NO, TAIL DOES NOT CLAMP YES, TAIL DOWN CLAMPS Slide your hand in the area by the dock of the tail, near the rectum, and rub. Does the tail come up softly, or does it clamp down? If the tail clamps down the muscles are contracting and have compressed the cauda equina nerve bundles. Don’t worry, this can easily be fixed.

[38] • DOES YOUR HORSE HAVE SORE KIDNEYS AND/OR LIVER (See below for location)? KIDNEYS DO NOT HURT LIVER DOES NOT HURT

KIDNEYS ARE SORE LIVER IS SORE This is often mistaken for sore back muscles. The kidneys are located in the lower back region, where the ribs end and the hips begin. Find the kidneys and gently push down. If you push gently and the horse flinches, it is telling you the kidneys are sore. This soreness is directly related to what it is ingesting, such as specialty feeds, supplements and wormers. The liver sits just in front of the kidneys. Similar to the kidneys, gently push on that area. If your horse flinches, it has a sore liver. This is a problem that stems from feed and lack of salt in the system, as well as improper trimming and shoeing.

KIDNEY LIVER

DOES MUD STICK TO YOUR HORSE’S HAIR AFTER IT HAS DRIED?

NO, MUD FALLS OFF AFTER IT IS YES, MUD STAYS ON THE HAIR DRY COAT

A horse rolls in mud to cool the body, which is an indicator of high blood pressure. If he or she does this, once the mud dries it should simply fall off. Any area of the body that the dried mud hangs onto is experiencing muscle contraction, and therefore, the muscle group is not receiving adequate blood flow. Notes:

[39] THE LEGS WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN ASSESSING THE LEGS

Assessing the legs tells whether your horse is working off its front end, rather than the powerful hindquarters. Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence and has been accepted as “normal” throughout the industry. To see if your horse falls into this category, take a step back and look at how your horse naturally stands.

• LOOK AT THE FRONT LEGS. IS THE HAIR GROWING WITH THE NATURAL FLOW OF THE MUSCLES - TURNING OUT AT THE KNEES? YES, HAIR TURNS OUT AT THE KNEES NO, HAIR TURNS IN AT THE KNEES

Hair growth follows muscle direction, much like your own forearm. Hair growth that is not turning out above and below the knees is an indicator that the inside shoulder muscle is contracted and stressed, and that your horse is working off its front end. It follows, then, that if the horse is forced to use his fore muscles to drive its body, issues with the hindquarters also exist. Why? When a horse doesn’t naturally use their hindquarters something is causing them discomfort or pain. It’s NOT in the hoof; it’s originating in the one of the filter systems (kidneys or liver). • CONTINUE WITH THE FRONT LEGS. ARE THE FRONT LEGS IN FRONT OF, OR EVEN WITH, THE PLANE OF THE SHOULDER OR ARE THEY BEHIND THE PLANE OF THE SHOULDER? FRONT LEG EVEN WITH, OR IN FRONT LEGS BEHIND PLANE OF FRONT OF, PLANE OF SHOULDER SHOULDER

When a horse stands with its front legs behind the plane of the shoulder, it’s trying to get onto its front end and stay off of the painful hindquarters. They try to lean forward to relieve the pressure that is causing the pain.

• FRONT LEGS: ARE THE FRONT LEGS CALF-KNEED OR HYPEREXTENDED? FRONT LEGS ARE NOT CALF- FRONT LEGS ARE CALF-KNEED KNEED OR HYPEREXTENDED AND/OR HYPEREXTENDED

Calf-kneed or hyperextended means that a horse is putting so much weight upon its front end that the pressure has caused the knees to hyperextend. This is not a conformation flaw or birth defect. It is a result of flawed farrier practice and inappropriate feed regimen.

[40] • LOOK AT HOW YOUR HORSE STANDS. ARE THE LEGS CLOSE IN THE FRONT AND WIDE IN THE HINDQUARTERS? YES, FRONT LEGS CLOSE AND FRONT LEGS WIDE AND HIND HIND LEGS WIDE LEGS CLOSE Horses are meant to stand with their legs close together in the front and wide apart, or hips width, in the hindquarters. The opposite is the case when the horse is leaning forward to relieve the pressure from pain in the hind end. When a horse stands with their back legs close together, too much pressure is being put on the hips. Something is bothering them in the hindquarters. COMPLETE HORSE SENSE will show you how to fix this!

• PICK UP THE FRONT FOOT AND HOLD IT GENTLY. ARE THE UPPER AND LOWER LEG STRAIGHT? UPPER AND LOWER FRONT LEG UPPER AND LOWER FRONT LEG STRAIGHT TURN TO THE INSIDE The horse is compensating for pain. If lower leg turns to the inside, it indicates the horse is putting the majority of its weight forward to compensate for the weight they can’t disperse to the painful hindquarters.

• IS MUD FEVER A PERSISTENT PROBLEM? NO MUD FEVER PRESENT YES, MUD FEVER IS A PERSISTENT PROBLEM “Mud Fever” is when the horse’s hair flakes off at the cannon bones. Mud Fever is a telltale sign that your horse has a virus.

• PICK UP THE BACK LEG AND HOLD IT GENTLY. DOES IT NATURALLY PULL TO THE INSIDE OR DOES IT STAY STRAIGHT, IN A RELAXED MANNER? BACK LEG IS STRAIGHT AND BACK LEG PULLS TO THE RELAXED WITH PICKED UP INSIDE WHEN PICKED UP

When you pick up your horse’s back leg, it should not pull to the inside. If it does, it’s an indicator of a contracted hip muscle. The horse’s internal system has been compromised and there is not enough blood flow to the area to stop the muscles from contracting. This is easily fixed! Notes:

•

[41] THE HOOF WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN ASSESSING THE HOOF

Hooves are a window to the horses organ function and quality of blood supply. This is a crucial component of the assessment and should not be skipped. Understanding what’s going on within the hoof provides tremendous insight into the overall health of your horse. If your horse has any of the symptoms listed below, do not become discouraged - we will teach you how to solve them and you will be amazed at the simplicity of this process.

• LOOK AT THE CORONARY BAND. IS THE HAIRLINE LEVEL ALL THE WAY AROUND? HAIRLINE IS LEVEL HAIRLINE RISES AND FALLS

If the coronary band rises and falls along the hairline, there is excessive fluid pressure built-up in the heel area. The fluid in the heel causes a fluctuation along the hairline. Fluid is an indication that something (feed, supplements, wormers, treats, etc) the horse is ingesting cannot be processed efficiently.

• ARE THERE VISIBLE RINGS ALONG THE HOOF WALL? NO VISIBLE RINGS YES, VISIBLE RINGS

Visible rings on hoof wall shows you the fluctuation of the pressure inside the hoof. Visible rings are indicators that your horse has gone through several bouts of sustained high blood pressure. Every ring visible signifies an incidence in which the horse has dumped wasted blood material, or toxins, out of the hoof. The term “wasted blood material” refers to blood that has lost its electrical charge.

• ARE THERE VISIBLE CRACKS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOOF? NO CRACKS VISIBLE CRACKS

Cracks indicate fluid (wasted blood or toxins) is trying to exit the hoof. Pressure starts up high in the filter systems and works its way down. This is how the body functions and is an internal issue; NOT a hoof issue. As with other hoof conditions, this is also related to what the horse is ingesting.

[42] • TOUCH YOUR HORSE’S HOOF. DOES IT FEEL HOT OR COLD? COLD WARM OR HOT

The hoof should feel cold to the touch, not warm or hot. The horse’s natural temperature is 101.6 degrees. If you simply cup your hand over the front of the hoof, it should feel cold. Warm hooves indicate a high blood pressure issue. Don’t worry, this is easy to resolve.

• LOOK AT THE SOLES OF THE HOOF. ARE THEY CONCAVE OR FLAT? IS BRUISING PRESENT? CONCAVE SOLES FLAT SOLES

NO BRUISING BRUISING PRESENT

Flat (dropped) soles and bruising are also indicators of high blood pressure. The pressure in the foot has caused the soles to push downward, rather than stay concave. This is also an indication that whatever the horse is ingesting cannot be processed efficiently. The body is simply trying to rid itself, through the hoof, of excess waste not eliminated through sweat, urination, and bowel movements. Unhealthy frog - thick and raised. Soil is sticking to the frogs. • LOOK AT THE FROGS. NOTE THE SIZE. FROGS ARE SMALL AND FROGS ARE WIDE AND THIN LARGE Frogs are a barometer for the functioning and efficiency of a horses’ filter system (kidneys and liver). Frogs that are wide are fine, but if they are fat and raised up, they are unhealthy. This indicates the filter system (kidneys and liver) has been compromised. Once the internal issues are addressed and resolved the soles, bars, and frogs will recede.

• LOOK AT THE HEELS. ARE THE HEELS CONTRACTED? HEELS ARE NOT CONTRACTED HEELS CONTRACTED

Heal contraction (Navicular) is wasted blood material and toxins built up within the heel area that is trying to exit the body through the hoof. The wasted blood creates pressure in the heel area, causing pain in the hoof. To relieve itself of the pain and get off the heel pressure, the horse will lean forward. The heels contract because weight is not being put on the area. This pressure is a result of what is being ingested by the horse. Navicular is not a devastating disease. By allowing the problem to solve itself internally, the pressure within the hoof will be alleviated, allowing the horse to distribute its weight evenly throughout the hoof.

[43] • DOES YOUR HORSE HAVE SORE FEET OR ABSCESSES? YES NO

Abscesses are caused by waste material exiting the foot. As the fluid builds up and becomes trapped, it pushes the sole down and leaves a gap inside the foot. This fluid will attempt to leave the hoof through the weakest point in the sole, often causing pain to the horse. The problem is not environmental, but rather internal.

• DOES YOUR HORSE SUFFER FROM THRUSH? YES NO

Thrush is NOT a fungus. It is just waste material exiting the hoof through the clefts of the frog. The frog is breaking away from the sole and the fluid that’s beneath the frog is draining. The interior of the horse’s body needs to be cleaned up.

• LOOK AT THE BARS ON THE SOLE OF THE HOOF. ARE THEY ELEVATED IN THE FRONT AND/OR BACK HOOVES? THE FRONT ARE ELEVATED, BUT BOTH THE FRONT AND BACK NOT THE BACK ARE ELEVATED

THE BACK ARE ELEVATED, BUT NEITHER THE FRONT, NOR THE NOT THE FRONT BACK ARE ELEVATED

Elevated bars are yet another indicator of what is happening internally for the horse. Again, fluid buildup is creating pressure and is pushing the bars downward. While elevated bars on the front hooves aren’t anything to be concerned about, we certainly do not want elevated bars on the back hooves. Elevated bars on the back hooves are a sign that the horse's filter system isn’t working properly.

• HAVE YOU BEEN TOLD YOUR HORSE SUFFERS FROM ONE OR MORE ROTATED COFFIN BONES? YES NO

Rotated coffin bones indicate high blood pressure. The coffin bone sits on a joint (it’s like a door) and will fluctuate with an increase or decrease of pressure within the body. When the coffin bone rotates downward, a ring around the sole of the hoof becomes visible. It’s pressure in the heel that is pushing the coffin bone down. The kidneys and liver have become compromised.

[44] • ARE YOU CONSTANTLY HAVING TO CLEAN OUT THE COMPACTED DIRT FROM THE HOOVES BEFORE OR AFTER RIDING?

YES NO This is not caused by improper footing or environment. When a warm or hot hoof meets cold dirt, the moisture from the warm hoof sticks to the cold of the dirt. By simply changing your feed, to lower the horse’s blood pressure, you will be able to eliminate dirt impaction in the hoof. Notes:

“After spending $20,000 on the purchase of my horse and 9 months of ownership, he was written off as being a lame duck. We went through some pretty extensive and expensive medical testing and procedures. I was told he would be a very expensive pasture pet. We put him on stall rest for three months. As a last resort, I called Doug - he turned out to be my best resort. On the day Doug shod him, I was riding again. My expensive pasture horse has ended up being my show horse and has led me to victory.”

Tina Paras - Spokane, WA With their nationally ranked status, Pierre and Tina were featured in the Morgan Horse Journal, December 2009

NOW WHAT? WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE? If your horse has any of the issues listed above, let not your heart be troubled. You are not alone. Most horses have at least one, if not many, of the issues identified in the assessment section. The great part about this is that, regardless of how many issues you’ve identified, all are truly easily corrected. You can offer your horse immediate relief from any of the above symptoms. Each horse is an individual and the body will respond on their own timeline, but all will heal themselves with your help. By adhering to the COMPLETE HORSE SENSE methods and techniques, in time you will see results. Period.

CLICK BELOW TO SEE AN EXAMPLE ASSESSMENT ASSESSMENT VIDEO

[45] Track Your Progress Use this sheet to record the daily exercises as outlined in The Complete Horse Sense Guide to Your Horse’s Overall Health & Behavior. Download more sheets from CompleteHorseSense.com as needed.

HOW DATE WHAT I DID REACTION FROM MY HORSE LONG? PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

We cover several common horse ailments in this section so you can see how the methods and suggestions in this guide work. Because the methods in this guide will help your horse use its natural ability to control, regulate and maintain its own health and behavior, they are not targeted at one specific health issue. The methods will help your horse improve it’s overall health and behavior. Hoof and Lameness Issues The ramifications of improper trimming and shoeing extend beyond those described above. When the hooves aren’t cared for properly, the outer sides of the hooves are forced to support the weight of the body. If you were to stand on the outsides of your feet, you’d not only find yourself shifting your weight forward to avoid the discomfort and pain, but would begin to feel the strain in other parts of your body. This is true for your horse as well.

Additionally, the cleft of the frog is where the toxins, that are not expelled through sweat, urine, or bowl movements, are released. It is a natural thing. The only place the excess toxins should leave the hoof is through the cleft of the frog - they were anatomically created this way. In a severe case, the fluid will exit on the outside of the hoof between the sole and the wall. When the horse’s weight is distributed evenly on the hoof, the waste will easily be expelled. This process is hindered when a disproportionate amount of the horse’s weight creates pressure on the outside of the hoof. The waste is essentially blocked from exiting and the result is a litany of health issues as the body tries to adjust to the unreleased toxins. The aftermath of these efforts result in abscesses, cracks, dropped soles, thrush, white line disease, laminitis, navicular, and Cushing’s - and so many more. Again all these “ailments” should be treated as symptoms of improper trimming and shoeing, rather than a disease.

Furthermore, lameness will also become evident because of the pressure an incorrect stance puts on your horse’s muscles and joints. The hip muscles will begin to contract every 7 weeks. As the muscles contract, the hooves begin to wear in places they shouldn’t - mostly the outside. Now the horse can pull the hoof up underneath its body, which puts undue stress upon the hip and stifle muscles, as well as the joints themselves. The muscles will continue to contract and the horse will eventually feel so much pain that it will shift its weight to the front end to trying to decrease the pain it feels in the hindquarters. When the horse makes this shift, it generates its power more from the front end rather than the back, and the front legs are more prone to joint and ligament issues. These are often diagnosed as “lameness,” suspensory issues, or bowed tendons. The

[47] symptoms are chased and often diagnosed as a defect in the joint or ligament, when in reality is it is caused by improper trimming and shoeing.

Arthritis “LAMENESS” Painful joints are a direct result of water deficiency. Water is needed to lubricate the joints and cartilage, as well as cleaning out local acidity and toxins that build up. The cartilage, which separates bone in all joints, needs ample water in order to lubricate and remove friction as the joint moves. If the body is dehydrated, the joints do not get the amount of water they need. When there is a lack of water in the body, there is increased friction and stress at the joints contact points. The end result is pain. Cartilage nerve cells actually send pain signals when they are dehydrated and their ability to lubricate the joint is compromised. Normally the cartilage environment is alkaline. When dehydrated, it becomes acidic. The acidic environment sensitizes nerve endings that register pain. If treated with a regular increase of water intake, and the cartilage becomes fully re-hydrated, acidity and toxins can be washed away. Ridding the joints of acidity and toxins not only relieves pain, but allows the joint cells to be restored. This repair process takes time. The repair of damaged cells depends on several things: 1. Water Intake - The body must have enough water to not only properly lubricate joints, but also carry on its normal daily functions within the body. Water constitutes 96% of the blood in any warm-blooded body. This is nothing to take lightly. Once the body dips into dehydration, all of the bodily functions that water is needed for will be sacrificed in varying degrees. The result will manifest themselves in many different ways. Complex feeds rob your horse of water. How can this be? Their bodies are not meant to process many of the ingredients. In order to digest these unnecessary feeds properly, the body pulls water from other areas, such as the joints, to aid in digestion. To help your horse maintain water within the cartilage and other areas of the body, eliminate the specialty feeds. See the section on feed for a specific feed regimen. 2. Salt - Salt helps extract acidity from inside cells and pass it into the water, which carries the acid away with the blood supply to the body’s filters. This process is constant. In order to be effective there has to be an intake of WATER and SALT. Adequate salt in the body is essential to the prevention of pain in the joints because it increases fluid volume for more abundant flow through the cartilage. See the section on Sea Salt for a more detailed explanation. 3. Blood Flow - One of the effects of stimulating the pituitary glands and cauda equina nerve is increased blood flow. With adequate water present to lubricate and wash away the waste, and adequate salt helping the cells to facilitate the elimination of cellular waste, good blood flow will

[48] bring in oxygen and nutrients the cell needs to rebuild. It will transport white blood cells to attack and carry away the “garbage,” promoting the rebuilding of damaged cells and growth of new cells. You can see how simple this really is and why sea salt is an important part of the feed methods. Similar processes work throughout the body and organs in the same way. Without adequate water and salt, the body’s blood flow will be compromised and the results are the common ailments we see today.

Pressure on Organs One outcome of an incorrect stance is excessive strain on muscles and organs. As muscles are strained, pulled, and contracted in ways they are not intended, they put unnatural pressure on internal organs. When the muscles in the hindquarters are strained, they put increased pressure on the kidneys and liver which become sore and do not function efficiently. From this the organs do not work as effectively and toxins and waste are not filtered as well. This leaves the body to deal with it in other ways and manifesting many health issues. Additionally, as additional pressure is put on sore organs (a saddle on sore kidneys) the horse will shift weight to the front end in an effort to get off the sore spots. This just leads to the behavioral issues as explained previously. Once again: Health directly affects behavior. As you can see trimming and shoeing and feed protocol plays an absolute crucial role in your horse’s overall health and behavior. Unfortunately, these are things most horse owners don’t even really think about.

Behavioral Issues As we saw in the example in Hoof and Lameness Issues, the horse is frequently forced into working off the front end. Working off the front end leads to health and behavioral issues. Remember how uncomfortable it was to move forward quickly while toed in and your weight on the outside of your foot? You are not in control and your horse feels the same way. In your horse, this sense manifests itself through behavioral issues (panic, fidgeting behavior, rearing, trailering issues, etc). Also, as the horse generates its power more from the front than the back, the front legs become more prone to joint and ligament injuries. This “lameness” is often diagnosed as a defect in the joint/ligament, either due to conformation or activity related injury, when in actuality it is a trimming and shoeing issue. See the section on the next page for a detail explanation of how your horse’s health affects its behavior.

[49] METABOLIC DISORDERS NAVICULAR, LAMINITIS AND CUSHINGS

Navicular, Laminitis and Cushings plague thousands of horse owners each year. Excessive medication is prescribed, active horses are turned into pasture ornaments, and hearts are broken as many horses are euthanized. When a horse is diagnosed with a metabolic disorder such as Navicular, Laminitis and Cushing’s more often than not the owner is given a complicated description of the problem and medication to eliminate the symptoms. What typically happens is the symptoms may go away, but since the underlying problems haven’t been fixed, the symptoms will either reoccur or new symptoms will manifest themselves and you will see your horse progress into different degrees of Navicular, Laminitis or Cushing’s. As those symptoms are then addressed again (without fixing the true underlying issues), your horse’s overall health and behavior begins to spiral downward and as it does, the symptoms become more serious and complex. Typically, the focus is on the pancreas not producing enough insulin to breakdown the excess sugar in the body. Rather than focusing on the pancreas, the focus should be on the power the pituitary gland holds in regard to a horse’s overall health and behavior. Navicular, Laminitis and Cushing’s, just to name a few, are all symptoms of a bigger problem - an under active pituitary gland. As we have previously discussed, the pituitary gland is the “master gland” of the body. It is a key element to resolving metabolic disorders because of the role it plays to maintain the health and function of the kidneys and liver. We want to keep this very simple - what is necessary to understand is that the kidneys and liver play a huge role in regulating the way food is metabolized (broken down into energy) and the amount of sugar produced within the body. Don’t be alarmed - sugar is not bad, as long as it is either used efficiently or broken down so it can exit the body.

WHAT IS THE SOLUTION? All Navicular, Laminitis and Cushing’s horses have a compromised pituitary system, and ultimate their kidneys and that are not functioning optimally. Stimulate the pituitary gland everyday. Stimulating the pituitary gland is imperative to the recovery of your horse. The next step is to take away the complex feeds and supplements. If you feel the need to give grain, give rolled barley. Free feed sea salt, as it will clean up the toxins within the body. What excess salt the body doesn’t need will exit the body in the urine. By doing this and adding sea salt to the diet, you are jump starting the body to rid itself of the toxins present. Anatomically, these toxins must exit the body through sweat, manure, or urine. The leftover toxins will exit the hoof in the cleft of the frog. Because the excess toxins can only leave through the hoof, it is imperative that the horse is shod or trimmed properly. If the toxins cannot leave, they will stay within the hoof and the symptoms will not be completely eliminated. [50]

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE? BE PATIENT. Once you begin stimulating the pituitary gland, healing begins immediately. The effects of proper hoof care and simple feed regime will take some time to see results because it will take time for the body to respond and repair itself. The symptoms will not cease overnight, but in a very short period of time, the horse’s system will cease producing excessive sugars, the coffin or navicular bone will return to normal, and high blood pressure will be alleviated. The time it takes is up to the horse - age and previous damage done plays a significant role in healing. If you stick with the methods outlined in COMPLETE HORSE SENSE - A Guide to Your Horse’s Overall Health & Behavior, you will see marked improvement in your horse’s health and behavior.

WHAT ARE THE COMMON SYMPTOMS OF NAVICULAR, LAMINITIS AND CUSHING’S SYNDROME?

Typical symptoms may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Rotated coffin bones, dropped soles • Warm or hot hooves, which is an indicator of • Contracted heels high blood pressure • Pressure on the navicular bone • The frogs will be large and wide, with hind • Hoof-growth rings frogs usually larger than the front • Blood clots • The hooves in the front will be larger than • Thrush the hind hooves • Clammy or sticky hair • Standing with front legs wide apart and hind • Longer than normal overall hair growth legs close together • Retaining long hair for long periods of time - • Resting on a slope or decline facing downhill especially in Cushing’s horses • Head and neck above the plain of the withers • Excessive chestnut growth while resting

“Cody was diagnosed with Cushing’s disease two years ago. He was immediately put on Pergolied. We spent more than $3000 on the horse in last two years. He could not hold his leg up when the farrier came, but we were never told that he had a hoof problem. Once we decided we couldn’t afford the protocol we were on, we called Complete Horse Sense. We were instructed to take Cody off all specialty feeds, put him on grass and add sea salt to rolled barley. We also stimulated his pituitary gland everyday. Within days his hair coat looked normal, his disposition was great, he was running, he seemed happier and he didn’t have flies all over him. To me, he’s a whole different horse. I wish I had Complete Horse Sense in my life a couple years ago.” - Jamie Alleman, Snohomish WA

[51] CHIROPRACTIC ISSUES WHY THEY DON’T LAST

Have you heard your equine chiropractor say your horse’s poll, neck, ribs, or back is out? Do you have chiropractic work done on your horse, only to have the chiropractor out again and again? Many people rely on an equine chiropractor for regular maintenance with their horse. Others rely on them as a last ditch effort to relieve their horse of pain. Whatever the reason, chiropractic work has become confusing and almost addicting to horse owners. In the long run, they are paying for services that are short-lived and will eventually have to be done repeatedly. The end-result is an another unnecessary expense and a horse that has come to rely on this costly service. Complete Horse Sense is about simplifying things so you, the horse owner, can understand and make sense of the information out there. Simply put, bones don't go out of whack. Why? Because they can’t. It is physically impossible. Now, you may be asking yourself, “If they can’t go out of whack, then why is my horse in pain?” In truth, the muscles are contracting and pulling on the bones. The muscles contract and pull on the bones or compress them due to a lack of sufficient blood supply to the muscles. When a chiropractor adjusts your horse, it will gain immediate relief but it will nonetheless be temporary. Because of this temporary fix, you will inevitably have the chiropractic work done repeatedly, and the cycle - along with the unnecessary expense - will continue.

HOW CAN YOU HELP? In order for a muscle to stop contracting, it needs adequate blood flow and necessary hormones. Without these items, the muscles will inevitably contract again and your horse will be in pain again... so the cycle goes. As we have said before, having your horse properly trimmed or shod is imperative, as is stimulating the pituitary gland and the cauda equina nerve. Properly trimming or shoeing your horse allows for the muscles to relax and the internal organs to function adequately. Stimulating the cauda equina nerve increases the flow of blood and hormones to the muscle tissues, not only allowing them to relax, but also stop contracting upon the organs. As a rule, when the horse’s blood and hormones flow properly and they are trimmed or shod correctly, it will adjust itself.

If you do choose to have a chiropractor work on your horse, stimulate the pituitary gland and cauda equina nerve sufficiently before they arrive. The increased blood flow will allow the muscles to relax. Your results will not only be better, but they will last longer too. In the long run, you will save valuable time and money.

[52] YOUR CHECKLIST

Helping Your Horse

Armed with the results of a baseline assessment of your horse’s health and behavior, you can now begin some very simple common sense practices to assist your horse and improve its overall health. 1. Take a long look at your assessment - focus on the areas you want to improve. Once you start with the methods in the rest of this guide, these “issues” will begin to rectify themselves. Your horse will begin to heal itself. 2. Garbage In = Garbage Out!!. What you feed your horse is critical to its health, as well as its behavior. Just like humans horses don’t do well with processed feed. The recommended feed regimen is simple and provides all a horse needs to thrive. 3. Stimulate the Pituitary Gland System - The Pituitary Gland is the gateway to your horse’s health and behavior. You now know what it is and how ensure it functions properly. 4. Be proactive with your hoof care - Make sure your horse’s hooves are trimmed and shod properly. If you have hired someone to do this for you, remember you are the boss. If they don’t want to do it the way BE A SKEPTIC... you want, you should find someone who will. THEN GIVE IT A TRY!

THE TECHNIQUES EXPLAINED 5. Make a commitment to see this through. There are many other IN THE GUIDE WORK. programs and professionals out there that leave you “consciously PERIOD. SHOULD YOU BE SKEPTICAL? ABSOLUTELY. incompetent.” They want to leave you constantly feeling like you THE ONLY WAY YOU WILL “need more” and the end result is that you “spend more.” LEARN IS TO FIRST QUESTION Complete Horse Sense A Guide to Your Horse’s Overall Health and IT. YOU MUST FOLLOW THE STEPS AS OUTLINED IN THE Behavior teaches you how to help your horse IMMEDIATELY. As GUIDE. IF YOU STICK WITH you practice these methods and get results, you will grow more IT, YOU WILL SEE RESULTS. confident with them and so will your overall confidence with TRY THESE TECHNIQUES FOR 10 DAYS, THEN LET US KNOW your horse. You will save money and you will learn to solve THE RESULTS YOU SEE. WE problems yourself. You will be in the driver’s seat for your CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR SUCCESS! horse’s health and behavior.

[53] RESOURCES & REFERENCES

Here are a few resources used in writing this guide. The books by Dr. Batmanghelidj were written for humans but, in the opinion of this guide, their principles apply to all flesh bodied animals, including horses. They are good reading and you will likely learn something you may use not only for your horse’s care, but that of your own.

“You Are Not Sick, You’re Thirsty! Water & Salt: Rx for Total Healing By F. Batmanghelidj, MD - Softcover By F. Batmanghelidj, M.D. - Cassette Tape

Your Bodies Many Cries for Water, Horse Anatomy: A Coloring Atlas By F. Batmanghelidj, M.D. - Softcover by Robert A. Kainer & Thomas O. McCracken

http://www.health-benefit-of-water.com/sea-salt.html http://www.prevention.com/cda/vendorarticle/sulfur/HN2914003/health/vitamin.encyclopedia/0/0/overview http://www.horses-and-horse-information.com/articles/0197hoof.shtml http://www.recoveryeq.com/cushings_syndrome_pro.htm http://www.deo.ucsf.edu/type2/understanding-diabetes/how-the-body-processes-sugar/the-liver-and-blood-sugar.html http://www.umm.edu/endocrin/pitgland.htm http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/thyroxine.aspx http://ull.chemistry.uakron.edu/genobc/Chapter_23/ http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072507470/student_view0/chapter25/animation__how_glycolysis_works.html http://www.scienceclarified.com/El-Ex/Endocrine-System.html http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/body_basics/metabolism.html Encyclopedia Britannica http://barefoothoofcare.wordpress.com/articles/equine-metabolic-syndrome/ http://www.johnthevet.com/metasyn.php http://www.umm.edu/endocrin/adrengl.htm http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/UVAHealth/adult_liver/liver.cfm http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/90722.htm http://www.harmanyequine.com/Insulin_Resistance_and_Cushings_syndrome_in_horses.stm

[54] COMPLETE HORSE SENSE: A GUIDE TO YOUR HORSE’S OVERALL HEALTH & BEHAVIOR DVD INCLUDES:

Head-to-Hoof Assessment Step-by-Step instructions on how to stimulate the pituitary gland and Cauda Equina Nerves Sample Assessment Trimming and Shoeing Principles STOP CHASING SYMPTOMS THE SOLUTIONS ARE EASIER THAN YOU THINK

•Equine Metabolic •Laminitis •Arthritis Syndrome •Cushing’s •Thrush •DSLD •Cribbing •Rain Rot •Behavior Issues •Colic •Digestive Issues •Training Issues •All Hoof Problems •Chiropractic Work •Navicular •Diarrhea •Ringbone

Please do not hesitate to contact Complete Horse Sense - We are available to answer your questions or clarify any information in The Guide to Your Horse’s Overall Health and Behavior. [email protected]

For any horse health, assessment, behavior/training, trimming or shoeing questions, please contact Doug Serjeant: [email protected]

For book/DVD sales or clinic information, please contact Cherianne Benoit [email protected]

Prepared by MagCloud for Mary Rice. Get more at ccbenoit.magcloud.com.