NEW INFRARED IMPULSE LASER

Shantel has bought a high powered imfrared laser! She has bought it from the famous Janus Marque the Equine Olympic Physio Therapist.

Shantel has had the chance to see what a differnce that this machine can make in any performance or disapline.

"I am a big sceptic when it comes to anything on the market right now for there is just so much on the market and everyone is trying to make a buck! but when I injured my wrist and have had major pain for many many months, and got to have one! I mean Only One treatment with this machine and within 2 hours had no pain and was able to use my wrist for over a month pain free! I had to find out more about it!"

Now with all the other treatments that she does this is an added bonus!

This machine will treat everything from-

Acute or chronic ligaments, tendons, muscle tears

Wounds, Absecesses

Scar tissue reduction

Reduces swelling

Relieves pain in founders

Stifle problems

Alleviates Arthritis symptoms

Speeds up healing in breakes by 1/2 the time

The list goes on and on! We can say enough on this machine!

"I have a St. Benhard like everyone knows that they have stifle problems and hip problems! Well my dog L.B. had an injury to both stifles and hardly could walk! he wouldnt even get on the couch! It took him over 5 mins to get up! The first thing I did was treat him 20mins with the laser and next day he had no limp! Gods honest truth! I do keep treating him 2txs a week and has no problems he runs and jumps like a mad man!"

Summer is here!

As the days get longer and the weather gets nicer we start getting the bug! You can even find you horse out in the field playing and rolling more every morning!

We all are starting to make our summer plans, with our horses, and here comes the trail rides!

So are you and your partner ready?

We all think that trail riding is easy and fun, but are we being fully prepared and ready for the unexpected?

So let`s make sure that you and your horse are ready to go out on the trail!

Things that you can do now while you are waiting for those extra days off to get out there:

Is your horse physically ready? Feet kept up?

-A long toe on a horse can cause your horse to trip on those tree root s that are on the trail. Let`s make sure that your horse has good footing

-Research your area that you plan on going too. Do you need shoes? Do you need just front shoes or all the way around? If you require shoes make sure that you get them put on at least a week ahead of time this will ensure that your horse is sound.

Now is your horse fit enough to do the trail riding trip? The reason I say this is I have been out on many, many trail rides either in the mountains or even on the planes and I go back to camp and see so many horses coming back from their day ride and the horses are all stocked up on the front end they can barely walk. Now here is there problem that horse has not been out of the pasture all year and this is their first ride. The poor horse now has a inflamed tendons! Most of us know what ``shin splints`` feel like! It feels like we broke something it HURTS!

It takes weeks to develop strength in those tendons! Tendons do not have blood supply like the muscles so it takes weeks to develop the good strength that is needed to do those nice long trail rides.

Exercise your horses at least 5 hours a week! 5 weeks before those long trail rides are planed!

Now lets talk about is your horse spook proof? Can you say if you are walking along the bush and a deer jumps out in front of you or behind you, your horse would not bolt? Your horse needs to know that you are in total control and will protect him/her at all costs! This is were you need to make sure that your leadership is in check! ``Who is the leader?``

Can you cross water? On the trail you are likely to find some water crossing. Make sure that you can get your horse safely a cross! You may also come across a bridge so be sure that you can cross a bridge, they are easy to make and I put a log under mine to make it teeter.

Mud or bogs is another issue that you will encounter on the trail. You need to make sure that your horse goes safely into mud and not rushing through mud. If you get yourself into a bog you need to make sure that your horse is not going to fight in the bog or panic for your horse will get stuck! One thing that you can practice with is hobble your horse. This will make him/her realize that they are not going to die! Also practice getting your horse to put their foot into a small car tire they get their feet stuck in them and they need to realise that if they calmly, look and pick up their feet they will get out. Please practice on the ground!

Is your horse herd bound? This is important! What if for some reason you lose your riding partner? You will have a run away! So please make sure that you can go out on the trail by yourself safely.

One thing that you can do is try riding at home away from the barn, dose your horse start to worry? Or call out for the other horses? If so you need to work on that before trail riding. What to do? This is where your partnership needs work again. You need to be the herd leader.

Will your horse drink water that is not in his or her water tank?

One thing that I will do is start putting peppermint in their water tank about 3 weeks before trail ride is planned. Then you take the peppermint with you and put into their pale of water. You can get collapsible pales from your local tack stores.

Make sure that your cinches are good and clean, so that you have no saddle sores, or burns. If you are riding with a back cinch please make sure that the back cinch is taught, not sagging down this is an accident waiting to happen. You take the risk of getting a tree branch stuck in between the belly and cinch. A breast collar is a must! This keeps you and your saddle placed so that if you are riding any hills your saddle is not going to be sliding back on the horse. A good clean wool saddle blanket, don’t cheep out on this. I will keep your horse dry and cool. I keep a halter on my horse with the lead line tied to the saddle, just be sure that if you are crossing water to make sure that you untie the rope on the saddle before you cross. Just to make sure that if your horse falls he will not get his leg over the rope and get caught up in it. I also carry a 30ft rope on the saddle.

Packing up your saddle bags. Please try to make your bags even in weight. Tie them down good so that they are not flopping around.

Make sure that you pack lightly! I pack myself a lunch, water, the rest is what I call emergency stuff.

Duck tape! This can come in handy if you have a shoe that is coming off. It also can come in handy if you have a minor cut and do not have vet tape. I usually vet tape on hand and put it under the duck tape so that it is not so hard to get the tape off.

A whistle I put it on a string around my neck with a compass, just in case I lose my horse. I keep a large garbage bag in my pocket, this is very use full in case rain or if I need a bit of shelter. Matches in a water proof bag, this I also keep on myself. In my pocket you will also find a knife of some kind. In my bag you also find a small saw and small flashlight. Hoof pick is also important. I do have a fanny pack that is a small 1^st aid kit. A roll of toilet paper also comes in handy! Oh yah a Camera!

All of these things are important even for those day rides!

At home camp I have the extras. Things like Equine 1^st aid kit. If you do not have one you can pick them up at your tack store or make one of your own.  Extra rope! Extra bridles, and reins, extra halters, and cinches. Lots of pails, extra horse shoe that has been fitted for my horse by my farrier. Shoe nails, and small hammer. I have asked my farrier to show me how to put a shoe on and let me put one on in front him so that I know that I am doing it right and your farrier will be more than willing to let you do the work!

So make yourself a check list and get out there and have Fun!!

If you are wanting to ask some questions or needing help please ask

Remember to have fun and be safe. Happy Trails!

Shantel Perreal

Peace River Clinic June 14 & 15 2008

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