It was a constant argument between my brain and my leg and sometimes my leg just said “no”.

Besides the disconnect between my brain and my body, and what that entailed, there was something far more sinister underneath it all…

The Fear Factor!

I’ve seen this in horses and I’ve worked with lots of horses to get through these fears.  But even though I understood this idea from experiences and research, I never realized how this “Fear Memory” is so instinctual and automatic.

Plus there are two kinds of fear at work here: 

• One is a memory fear that is emotional, like when a horse remembers being beaten or abused by a certain person or instrument.
• The other is a “muscle” memory fear that is physical, like being injured when a cart the horse is pulling rolls over.

But first, let me tell you how this has shown itself in my life after my accident:

1. Emotionally I remember the extreme pain and how quickly I went from fine to not fine. This created the first kind of fear in me, a memory fear.  It has taken a toll on me and has lingering effects.

• I started having panic attacks and nightmares.

• I have PTSD and a severe fear of falling which has stopped me from doing things.

• I have bad depression that stops me from getting out of bed some days.

• Anxiety shows up at random times during the day and causes physical reactions.

• My fear tells my mind that I won’t be able to get much better than where I am now and it cycles back into the above issues.

• And more…

2. The muscle memory fear is the hardest for me to work through. My mind can tell me that it’s ok to do something, but my body doesn’t always listen or do what my mind tells it to.  There have been a few times that my leg just decides, for whatever reason, that it doesn’t want to move and it doesn’t.

For example:

One day I was standing up with my walker and I grabbed my sweatpants to get myself dressed.  I thought, “Hey I can do this standing up as long as I am holding on to my walker”.  That’s what I thought anyway, even though I usually sit down when I get myself dressed.

So I bent over and picked my bad leg up, about 6” is all I can do.  I then threw my pants leg over that foot and pulled them up.  Ok, halfway done.

Then all I had to do was stand on my bad leg and pick up my good leg to finish getting dressed.  No big deal!  Or so I thought.  My good leg said, “No”.  I could not pick up my good leg, not even a slight budge.  I tried several times to talk myself through it, but my leg still refused to move.

This was strange because I was able to pick it up while I was standing straight up or moving forward on the walker.  But while I was bent over, my good leg wouldn’t budge.  My brain kept telling me to lift my leg and that it was safe because I had a hold of my walker for balance.  But my body was not listening to my brain.

When I explained this to my physical therapist the next day she explained the behavior.   She said it was my muscle memory fear.  My body knew that my bad leg couldn’t balance itself while I was bent over.  So it refused to lift my good leg knowing it would fall over if I had.  My brain thought I could do it.  But I’m glad my body refused to do it due to the consequences it would have created.

Fear isn’t always bad. 

The muscle memory fear stopped my body from doing something that it instinctually knew I wasn’t ready to do, even though my mind thought I could.  So this second fear saved me from another fall where I could have done more damage.

Because of this story, my physical therapist asked me to do a new exercise.  I had been practicing stepping up (one step) with my good leg and stepping down with my bad leg.  But now she wanted me to step down with my good leg.  Again, my brain said, “Oh this is easy, you can do this”.

Nope!  It didn’t work.  While trying this new exercise I fell right over!  Luckily my physical therapist was right there to catch me.  This taught us both a lesson.

It showed her that my inner and outer thigh muscles on my bad leg were still very weak, if not working at all, and that my bad leg was not able to balance myself.  I already knew that my lower leg muscles on that leg were not working right yet because of how the bottom of my leg goes out to the left when it should be straight.

It showed me that I shouldn’t always trust what my mind thinks I can do and that I should start listening to my body more.

So, how do you get through these kinds of fears?

Well, the first kind of fear – emotional memory – I am getting through by working with a Mental Health Therapist.  We have weekly sessions and she has shown me a few ways to cope and start to process these fears in a healthy way.  This is going to take a while, but I can already see some progress.

There is also a lot of self-talk going on every day in my mind to help me get through each situation that flares up.  And it is every day that something comes up and I have to work through and calm myself down.

It’s crazy to me that I am still having such issues with this kind of fear because it’s been six months since my accident.  But I do understand now that this does take a long time to get over and I have to be more patient with myself.

The second fear – muscle memory – I think will take a lot longer to get through.

Luckily, I have a really good physical therapist who understands this fear and is working with me to get through each occurrence.  She is giving me physical exercises that take my body through the fear very slowly and safely.  Each time we learn what my body can and can’t do right now.

I will say that when it first happened, I was shocked that my body wasn’t listening to or responding to my mind.  It took me a long time to figure out what was going on and why my brain and body were disconnected.

It was my body’s way of protecting me.

These experiences have taught me a few personal lessons as well:

• I am appreciating my body’s innate and natural wisdom.

• I am listening to my body more than my brain right now.

• I am trusting my body’s instincts again.

• I am relaxing into the healing process.

• I am allowing my body to recover the way it needs to and at whatever time it needs.

Things are starting to feel a bit better and I’m a bit stronger than I was one month ago, emotionally, mentally, and physically.  I still have at least another year of healing and recovery, but I’m willing to work at it.

These fear experiences have been vital lessons for me.  They have helped me understand the connection between our bodies and our minds and how everything is truly connected.  When one thing is out of whack, it affects every other part of us – mind/body/spirit.

It’s one thing to know this or to understand this from a researcher’s perspective.  But to experience this disconnect and having to work through recovery is something totally different.  It has been an eye-opener!

I can honestly say that I am grateful for what I have experienced and learned so far during my recovery process.

Thank you all for your emails, your kind support, and for following along with my journey and having patience with me.  Until next time, have a great time with your horse and enjoy each other’s company.  It is truly a blessing!

And the next blog will be about the Fear Factor in Horses.

Happy Horses!

The post The Fear Factor in Humans appeared first on Teddie Ziegler Horsemanship.

This has definitely been the most challenging time in my life, health-wise.  With all the surgeries, hospital stays, doctor visits, emergency visits, and complications that have come with this one accident; I have been overwhelmed, frustrated, depressed, and frightened.

It is astonishing to me how much your health affects everything else around you.  Not only physically, but emotionally and mentally.  The last blog I wrote, I was at a very low spot in my life.  Since then, things have picked up.

I’m using a walker outside of the house now instead of a wheelchair and inside my home I am transitioning to a quad cane for most of the day.  I even got out to visit with Merlin this past weekend and it warmed my heart. He is such a blessing.

Next week I have a few more tests to hopefully resolve most of the complications and one more surgery to remove an obstruction in my small intestines.  I’m hopeful that everything will work out perfectly and I’ll be up and around again the following week and able to eat solid food again.

Now, I’ve talked about the physical and emotional aspects of this accident in previous blogs.  But today I want to touch on the mental aspect that this traumatic event has developed within me.

Being a Psychologist and a Behavioralist, I have read and learned about lots of situations like PTSD, anxiety, depression, and fear.  I have also had patients that I’ve helped through these situations.  But I have never experienced them to this degree in my life.

The depths that I’ve experienced with this trauma have touched me to my core and have shown me a world I never knew existed.  One that no one ever wants to be a part of, and one that is so hard for normal people to understand.

“My brain and my body are not listening to each other”…

The majority of people learn to crawl, walk, run, and jump when they are young.  These movements then become automatic and you don’t have to think about the mechanics of how to walk.

But when something severe and traumatic happens your brain can become disconnected from your body.  They stop talking to each other and the things that were automatic and “second nature” no longer work the same.

I’ve also learned that communication between the brain and the body goes both ways.  So not only is my brain not communicating with my body, but my body has stopped communicating with my brain.

It is the strangest thing in the world and I never would have thought it was possible.  But now I understand a lot more.

When my husband had a severe traumatic brain injury I learned a lot about how to help him and what he was going through.  Now four years later and he is mostly healed there are still a few issues.  They all are because his frontal lobe is permanently damaged.

Before I had my own experience with severe trauma I thought my husband had become extremely lazy and it frustrated me as he used to be such a headstrong, go-getter, who accomplished anything he set his mind on and was not afraid of hard work.

I’ve since realized he isn’t lazy now, but that the disconnect between the brain and the body is causing him not to be able to do things.  Even simple things can be difficult for him.  He will tell me that he is going to vacuum the living room today, but for some reason, it won’t get done for another week or more.

He has the desire to do it today, he has the ability to do it today, and he truly believes that he is going to get it done today.  But that is his mind thinking about the task.  His body isn’t listening to his mind and just can’t get it done today.  Eventually, he will do it but he has to force his body to do the action of vacuuming.

I’ve seen this happen within myself as well.  I have a strong desire to get something done, I have the ability and the resolve to get it done, and I have the time to get it done.  However, for some reason, my body says NOPE.  It’s so frustrating when you want to do something and for some reason, you just can’t seem to get it done because your body just won’t move forward and do it.

Let me give you two examples:

Brain to Body –

As you know from past blogs, every bone in my left leg was broken in a freak accident and the bottom of my knee was pulverized.  After two major surgeries, I was laid up for 3 full months without being allowed to put any weight on it.  Then after another month of lightly putting weight on that leg, I was able to go to an outside physical therapist for help.

During my first session, the physical therapist asked me to move my leg in certain directions to evaluate my condition.  When I was sitting down with my legs outstretched, she asked me to pick my leg up.  Nope!  It would not budge.  My brain kept telling my leg to move, even a little, but nothing happened.  I couldn’t believe it.  I could move my toes and my ankle, but my leg didn’t even twitch.

I just chalked it up to my muscles not working yet and being too weak to lift my leg.  Then a few weeks later when I was able to stand on that leg with full weight and I was told that the bones had healed, my therapist asked me to pick up that leg on a step.  Again, my leg said NO.

This time I couldn’t chalk it up to weak muscles as I could pick my leg up during other exercises.  It was the act of putting my leg on to the step that my body refused to do.  For some reason when asked to do this, my leg wouldn’t even budge.

My brain could tell my leg to lift for another exercise, but when I asked it to step up on the small step it refused to move at all.  Nothing.

My therapist asked me if there was something wrong and all I could say was “I’m telling my leg to move but it won’t”.

She said that she had seen this with severe physical trauma.  It’s the Muscle Memory.  The muscles remember the trauma and the motions that caused the trauma and it keeps the body from duplicating the injury.

I can appreciate that my body is protecting itself, but it’s so strange when you ask your body to do something and it just freezes.  It was like having two entities in one body that didn’t like each other.  My body was not only refusing to listen to my brain, but it seemed to not trust my brain.

Here’s another example going the other way.

Body to Brain –

Because my body was in the process of healing, my nerves were still not working.  I was told that in the process of healing, the bones heal first, then the muscles, and lastly the nerves.

My physical therapist told me that this is the body’s natural way to heal so everything heals first before the nerves start back which lessens the amount of pain the body feels.  I love to hear how the body has its own way of protecting itself and healing in an orderly fashion.

The only problem with this process is that the nerves communicate with your brain to tell it where your body parts are in a spatial comparison.  So because of this, it was difficult to walk and move my leg.

I had to concentrate really hard and watch my leg intently when moving.  Basically telling my leg what to do and how to do it every step of the way.  If I couldn’t see my leg to tell my brain where it was or how high to lift it, it didn’t work at all.

There were a few times while trying to walk with a walker, my brain started to think about where I was going or got distracted and my leg stopped moving.  I tripped a few times as my leg would drag or it would trip when my brain got distracted.

 It was a constant argument or discussion between my brain and my leg.

It is so strange to have a leg that looks like a leg but feels like a plastic doll piece that I can’t always move properly.  Besides the disconnect between my brain and my body and what that entailed, there was something far more sinister underneath it all… The Fear Factor!

But I’ll discuss that part in my next blog.

Until next time, have a great weekend, stay safe and Happy Horses!

The post Update Part III – Mental Trauma appeared first on Teddie Ziegler Horsemanship.

If you missed my last blog, here is a link…

https://teddiezieglerhorsemanship.com/update-my-health/

I’ve broken bones before as I’m sure many of you have as well.  The recovery is usually 6-8 weeks on crutches or in a cast.  Then once the bones are healed, you can get back to normal activities with no issues.  I thought this break would be the same. But I was wrong.

This time, the severity of the breaks and the number of bones I broke meant a lot longer recovery time. However, I still thought that once the bones were healed I would be able to go back to normal activities right away.  Wrong again.

At 3 months post op I was told that my bones had finally healed. But that’s when I realized how far from “normal” I was and how long the road to a full recovery would be.

There is a lot more than just the bones healing involved in my recovery.  My muscles had atrophied and some of them were coming back slowly but others not at all.  On top of that, my nerves are all still numb and not working normally.

With all of these issues, I can’t get dressed, take a shower, get into bed, put my shoes on, cook meals, stand or walk for longer than 15 minutes (and I’ve worked up to this), and many other daily living activities without assistance.  It is very frustrating and upsetting.

Then there are the complications!

All of these have contributed to a longer recovery and a lot more emotional issues.

This is probably one of the hardest blogs I’ve ever written, physically and emotionally.  The past few weeks I’ve been battling yet another complication and just trying to sit down and type this has been extremely difficult, mentally and physically.

Just getting out of bed has been difficult.  Depression is taking its toll.

Emotionally, it is very hard to deal with friends saying, “You broke a few bones and they’re now healed so you should be walking around normally by now.  What’s wrong with you?”.

Seriously?! That is just heart-breaking for me to hear and it cuts like a knife.  There’s so much more to this recovery than just broken bones.

I have always been a strong, determined, independent woman.  So being laid up for 4 months has been difficult for me. I feel like a useless burden.  And I’ve been told it will take a full year or longer to recover fully.

The day I heard this; my emotions sunk to new lows!

In the beginning, I could see progress after I got out of the hospital.  It was slow but there was still progress.

Then I had my first setback… a whole day of intense pain

I thought something was wrong.  The physical therapist told me that I had just overdone it and I needed to take a break now and then.  I did and it helped.

Then I decided to look at my progress weekly instead of daily.  I would have a few good days and then one or two bad days.  But overall, every week there was progress.  This helped me stay positive.

Then my next setback… my second doctor’s appointment

I had been looking forward to my doctor’s appointment at eight weeks post-op because I was excited to hear about my healing.  In my mind, my bones should have been healed by then and I could move on to the next phase of healing.  Nope.  The doctor took X-rays and told me that my bones were not healing.

Those results were upsetting and scared me.  Why were my bones not healing?  What was wrong?  Were they ever going to heal properly?  Was the surgery successful?  Was I going to be able to keep my leg?

Plus the doctor told me that I would have to stay off my leg, non-weight bearing, for another 6 weeks.  That was such a letdown! I was really looking forward to start walking again.

This meant that I had to hop around on my good leg for 6 more weeks.  The more pressure I had to use and overcompensate with the rest of my body, the more painful my good parts became.

Being stuck inside, hopping around on one leg, in pain, and completely dependent on someone else for 12 whole weeks was extremely hard for me.  I was frustrated, upset, depressed, and scared.  Lots of emotions going on.

Finally, at 12 weeks the doctor gave me good news.  My bones were finally healed.  Now I could go full weight bearing, as tolerated, and start moving forward again with my healing process.  This made me happier.

Then the next setback…Blood Clot (DVT)

The next week I got the bad news about having a blood clot.  This set me back as I was told that I had to pause everything for a minimum of 3 months until the blood clot went away.  Here I was so happy to finally be healing and progressing and even excited to get into PT and start doing things on my own.  Nope.

I wasn’t allowed to do anything to increase the circulation in my leg to get the swelling down. I was also told that I couldn’t do anything new in PT that may push the blood clot into my lungs, heart, or brain.  And the idea that the blood clot could move and possibly kill me was also very scary.

I tried to stay positive and I told myself, “I can do this, it’s only for another 3 months”.  But it’s tough.

Then the next setbacks hit…a fractured wrist and a bowel obstruction

Well, the good parts of my body were finally starting to give out.  At 16 weeks post-op, I was now full weight-bearing but still using a walker because I couldn’t balance myself.  Well, on one of my trips to another room, my wrist just snapped.  I thought it was sprained but found out a week later that it was fractured.

Try using a walker with one bad leg (left) and one bad arm (right).  It was very difficult. This just added to my emotional issues.  It felt like one step forward and three steps backward.

Two weeks after this I went back into the doctor’s office for severe abdominal pain.  After a few tests, I found out it was a bowel obstruction.  I have been put on a liquid diet, bed rest, and lots of new medications since. If this doesn’t resolve itself I will have to go back into surgery.  Besides the fact that I am in intense pain every day because of it.

I now am so despondent and depressed about my recovery and all my setbacks that some days I can’t get out of bed and other days I can’t stop crying. So much for being positive.  I’m still trying to find that silver lining, but it is very difficult.

I still can’t do much for myself, I still have very painful days, I can’t bend or straighten my leg fully, I can’t go visit my horse, I feel like my recovery has been drastically hindered, and I feel very frustrated and scared.

This whole process has shown me how the body and mind work, or don’t work, after an injury like this.  It’s tougher than I ever thought; physically, emotionally, and mentally. I have so many ups and downs, sometimes in the same day.

Due to the trauma of the accident, I experience emotions such as clinical depression, intense fear, anger, frustration, loneliness, uncontrollable crying, total apathy, and more.

I hope that seeing the emotional trauma that I’m going through with this injury can help others going through the same thing or friends/family with someone they know.  It’s not as easy as you may think.

And I have to thank all those that have reached out to me to talk on the phone or through email.  It has made a big difference and kept me going down a more positive road to recovery.  It means a lot to me.

Until next time, have a great weekend, stay safe and Happy Horses!

The post Update Part II – Emotional Trauma appeared first on Teddie Ziegler Horsemanship.

If you don’t know about my accident, here is the blog that gives you an overview of what happened… MY OOPS MOMENT

Now in today’s blog, I want to get into more details about my health journey so far.

But I want to warn you that I’m going to get “real” and this is not going to be an article full of sunshine and smiles.  So if you’re looking for a happy story or a fluff piece about horses, stop reading now.  This is going to be an update about my health journey so far.

If you have gone through a severe traumatic physical injury yourself, you’ll understand what I’m going through.  But if not, it’s a whole different world on this side of trauma.  I have a whole different outlook now and a huge appreciation for anyone else going through this kind of trauma.

Before this accident, I would never have comprehended the extent of trauma, fear, and depression that something like this could develop in a person.  It’s so unimaginable what the body and brain go through in the aftermath of severe trauma.

I’ve been through a lot and I’ve learned a lot.  And being a horse person, I can relate some of it to what I’ve seen with horses.  But I’ll save those stories for the discussion of emotional and mental healing.

And even though I nursed my husband through 8 months of recovery from a ruptured quadricep surgery and 3 years of recovery from a Traumatic Brain Injury…I still couldn’t have imagined the actual depth of mental and emotional trauma something like this could cause.

Let me get a bit deeper into the aftermath of my accident…

Right after my accident I was taken to the closest hospital and was told that the damage to my leg was so severe that the only option they had was to amputate my leg.  I was shocked!  Thank goodness in my pain that I was still alert enough to say “no” and try to find another option.

One of the doctors thankfully contacted another hospital, that had a trauma center and asked what they thought.  Luckily the head trauma surgeon there said he would try to help save my leg.  He gave me a 50/50 chance of keeping my leg.  So I was sent from one E.R. to another E.R.

My first emergency surgery was performed on 10/1.  I woke up from this with steel rods sticking out of my leg from the thigh down to the ankle. These steel rods went right through my bones to hold them in place.  It was so heavy I couldn’t move my leg at all.  I became bedridden and immobile.  But this was only the preliminary surgery to get my leg ready for the real detailed surgery on 10/9 (8 hours).

I have never had major surgery like this in my life.  And even though I have broken many bones during my lifetime, none have ever required surgery.

I had no idea what I had in store for me!

After the second surgery I was happy to see that I had a leg and that the doctors said that with the right recovery plan, I would eventually be back to normal.  So I thought it would be like any other time I had broken a bone…6-8 weeks down until the bone heals and then back to normal activities and daily life.

NOPE!

I was kept in the hospital for another two weeks in a great deal of pain (even on painkillers) and immobile. Then I was released to come home with a lot of medical supplies to help me during the recovery.  I had in-home nursing care and physical therapy visits.

I knew that I would have trouble with daily activities, but I didn’t realize how much.  I couldn’t do anything by myself.  I was in a brace and primarily immobile at home for 8 weeks and then kept non-weight bearing for a total of 12 weeks.

I have always been an active person and very self-sufficient.  Being independent has always been very important to me.  So now that I needed to depend on someone else was very difficult for me.

It has only been one month since I’ve been allowed to put weight on my leg, as tolerated, and started outside physical therapy.  A lot of emotions have come up doing this as well.

But I’ll get into the emotional side of this recovery in my next blog.

The physical damage –

I shattered my Tibia plateau.  It was pulverized and no longer exists.  Which is why they wanted to amputate my leg.  I lost the bottom section of my knee and there wasn’t anything left to fix. Plus I shattered the bottom part of my Femur and 2.08 cm just disappeared into pieces.

However, the surgeon put in rods and screws to replace those sections of my knee.  Now I have bone and metal making up my whole knee.

Then on top of that, I broke the Tibia bone lower from the knee section right in half.  So the top part of the bone was free and no longer attached to anything.  For this, the surgeon put in plates and more screws to put and hold it back in place.

Then on top of that, my fibula was also broken.  But luckily that bone could heal on its own with a brace and over time. It took a total of 12 weeks for the bones to heal.

And now, 4 months post-op…

• My kneecap is still frozen
• My ankle is still frozen
• My quads are atrophied and do not work at all
• The muscles in my lower leg are atrophied and do not work at all
• My foot, ankle, leg, knee, and thighs are still swollen and painful
• My shoulders, arms, wrists, abs, hips, and good leg are very sore because of overuse, compensating for not using my broken leg
• I have a DVT blood clot and am on a blood thinner for the next 2-5 months
• My leg is still a dark red as the circulation is slow
• My leg will only straighten to 5 degrees (should be at 0)
• My leg will only bend to 97 degrees (should be 145)

And because of the current issues…

• I can’t stand or walk by myself
• I can’t pick up my leg when sitting
• I can’t do anything that requires my quads to work
• I can’t stand longer than 30 minutes with a walker
• I can’t sit in a car, or a chair, longer than 45 minutes
• I can’t use a walker to move around longer than 30 minutes at a time
• I can’t get out of a chair without help
• I can’t get into or out of bed without help
• I can’t turn my leg and I have trouble rolling over in bed
• I can’t take a shower without help
• I can’t go up one step without help (can’t do more than one step at all)
• I can’t move around without a walker or wheelchair
• I have difficulty with my balance
• I can’t pick up my leg very far or step over anything
• I can’t walk normally, even with a walker…not even close
• I can’t cook for myself, clean the house, do laundry, or do other household chores
• I can’t get dressed without help
• I can’t do any normal physical activities
• I can’t leave the house, go see my horse, or go to a restaurant without help
• I can’t drive
• I get weak and tired very easily and quickly
• I can’t read or be on the computer very long as my mind gets tired quickly
• I am physically exhausted and sleep 12-14 hours a day, off and on
• I sprained my wrist and wear a brace

These are just some of the main issues I am going through physically right now.  Not to mention the complications due to a DVT blood clot and POTS.  And these are only the physical aspects of my recovery. I’ve been told that my recovery may take another year or longer.

As much pain and trauma as I am currently going through, I have to be grateful for a few things as well.

I am grateful I still have my leg and that I had an amazing surgeon.

I am blessed to have a great Physical Therapist who is very knowledgeable about my specific situation, a good Mental Health Therapist who is experienced with traumatic injuries, and a compassionate husband who had a similar traumatic event a few years ago and who truly understands.

On top of the physical issues, there are also emotional and mental issues that have arisen due to this traumatic event.  I’d like to discuss these, how they have changed my life, and what I’ve learned from them in my next few blogs.

I hope you continue to follow along with my journey.  Have a safe and great weekend and Happy Horses!

The post Update on My Health – Physical Trauma appeared first on Teddie Ziegler Horsemanship.

By paying close attention to certain factors and adjusting, you can ensure your horse has a positive overall experience even on a bad day.

Building a strong bond with your horse and trying to understand where your horse is coming from can also help you recognize and address their individual needs and preferences.  Thereby knowing what makes them happy and making it easier for you to help them out when needed.

When your horse is having a bad day, it’s important to approach the situation with care and consideration.  Otherwise, all sorts of chaos can happen.

Here is a list of 10 things that you can do to help your horses when they are having a bad day… 

1. Patience and Understanding:

• Be patient and observant. Allow your horse some space and time to calm down if he needs to.  Be safe and keep your horse safe.
• Approach your horse calmly and quietly, speaking in soothing tones to be reassuring.

2. Grooming:

• Grooming can be a relaxing and bonding activity between you and your horse. Brushing your horse can help release endorphins and improve their mood. This is an easy way to help change your horse’s bad day.
• Pay attention to areas your horse enjoys being groomed and avoid sensitive or sore areas. These sore areas might be why your horse is having a bad day too.

3. Groundwork and Exercises:

• Engage in light groundwork exercises or activities that your horse enjoys. This can help redirect their focus and release pent-up energy, if there is any.
• Keep exercises simple and positive to avoid adding stress.

4. Change of Environment:

• If possible, take your horse for a short walk or let them graze in a different area. A change of scenery can sometimes help improve their mood. Do you know where your horse’s favorite patch of grass is or where they feel happy?

5. Provide Comfort and Security:

• Ensure that your horse has access to a comfortable and secure environment. A quiet and safe space can help them feel more at ease and help them have a better day.
• Check for any environmental factors that might be causing distress, such as loud noises or unfamiliar objects.

6. Offer Treats or Favorite Foods:

• Offering treats or their favorite foods can be a way to create positive associations and improve your horse’s mood. This only helps if your horse is not food-aggressive. Ensure that any treats given are appropriate for their diet.
• Treats can also be scratches and positive feedback.

7. Social Interaction:

• Spending time with other horses or providing positive social interactions with humans can help alleviate stress and improve your horse’s mood.
• Putting them in with another horse they enjoy playing with or taking your horse to the arena to play with them can also improve their mood.

8. Veterinary Check-Up:

• If the bad day seems to be related to health issues, consider consulting a veterinarian to rule out any underlying problems.
• Pain and illness can always put a damper on your horse’s mood.

9. Evaluate Training and Exercise Routines:

• Assess your training and exercise routines. Sometimes, a modification in the routine can benefit your horse. You may be overtraining which can cause stress or injury.
• Ensure that the level of training is appropriate for your horse’s physical and mental well-being.

10. Rest:

• If the bad day is potentially related to fatigue or overexertion, allow your horse sufficient time to rest and recover.

Remember, every horse is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. Building a strong bond and understanding your horse’s individual preferences and sensitivities will help you tailor your approach to suit your horse’s needs on days when they may be feeling off.

Until then, have a great weekend, and Happy Horses!

The post How to Help You Horse Have a Better Day… appeared first on Teddie Ziegler Horsemanship.

My nurse told me that until my body accepts the new plates and screws in my body, I will have bad days that seem out of the blue (bad days for no apparent reason).

If you know me, I love to do research and look for the “whys”.  So this was no exception.

In doing my research I found out a lot about how the body can have a few good days in a row and then all of a sudden it feels like you got hit by a Mac Truck!  It still amazes me how the body works, wants to heal, and overcompensates when there is an injury.

And that got me thinking…what about my horse?

He just moved to a new facility and I can’t get out there as often due to my injury.  My horse knows I’m hurt and when I go out he runs to the gate to greet me.  He seems like he’s having fun and he seems happy.

But when I’m not there, how is he?  Does he have good days or bad days?

Well, I think we all have good days and bad days, ups and downs, and so do our horses.

Various factors can influence a horse’s mood, behavior, and overall well-being.

Here are some factors that can contribute to a horse having good or bad days:

• Health:

A horse’s physical condition plays a significant role in its overall mood and demeanor. If a horse is in good health, it’s more likely to have a positive attitude and energy levels. Conversely, illness, pain, or discomfort can contribute to a bad day for a horse.

• Environment:

The surroundings and living conditions of a horse can affect its mood. Horses are generally more content in a clean, well-maintained environment with proper shelter and access to food and water.

• Social Interaction:

Horses are social animals, and their interactions with other horses, animals, or humans can influence their mood. Positive social interactions, such as grooming or play, can contribute to a good day, while negative interactions or isolation may lead to a bad day.

• Training and Exercise:

Proper training and regular exercise are essential for a horse’s physical and mental well-being. A well-exercised and mentally stimulated horse is more likely to be content and less prone to behavioral issues.

• Nutrition:

A balanced and appropriate diet is crucial for a horse’s health. Nutritional imbalances or deficiencies can impact a horse’s mood and energy levels.

• Routine and Consistency:

Horses thrive on routine and consistency. Sudden changes in their daily routine or environment can cause stress and potentially lead to a bad day.

• Weather Conditions:

Extreme weather conditions, such as extreme heat, cold, or heavy rain, can affect a horse’s comfort and well-being.

All of these items make a difference in our horse’s mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

My first priority is always to keep my horses healthy, happy, and in good condition.  I want them to have more good days than bad and if I can help with that, I’m all over it.  But I do understand that if they have a bad day, it’s ok.  And I will do everything I can to help them get through it.

That will be next week’s discussion.

Until then, have a great weekend, and Happy Horses!

The post Good Days vs. Bad Days… appeared first on Teddie Ziegler Horsemanship.

Keep ‘em coming!

So before I start all that I wanted to talk about your personal relationship with your horse.  My training is relationship-based training done primarily at liberty, which puts you and your horse’s friendship as the top priority.

Why is this important?

It all stems back to the ethical treatment of horses.  Thankfully it is also a main thread of all the ideas I received from last week’s blog.

Striving for the ethical treatment of horses worldwide…

That’s a commendable goal!

Promoting the ethical treatment of horses is important for their well-being and ensuring a respectful relationship between humans and these magnificent animals.

Here are some steps you can take to contribute to the ethical treatment of horses worldwide:

1. Education and Awareness: Spread awareness about the proper care and treatment of horses. Educate horse owners, trainers, and riders about responsible horse management practices, including nutrition, healthcare, and appropriate training methods. These are all topics I try to address in my weekly blogs.

2. Support Legislation and Regulations: Advocate for the implementation and enforcement of animal welfare laws specific to horses in your region. Support organizations and initiatives that work towards improving the legal protection of horses.  Always know who to call if you see someone abusing a horse and what to do.

3. Promote Humane Training and Riding Practices: Encourage the use of humane training techniques that prioritize positive reinforcement and respect for the horse’s physical and mental well-being. Discourage practices that involve excessive force, coercion, or cruelty.  Help pass the word when you find a trainer or training method that works for you and your horse and makes you feel good.

4. Support Equine Rescue and Rehabilitation: Assist or donate to organizations that rescue and rehabilitate neglected, abused, or abandoned horses. These organizations provide necessary care, medical treatment, and shelter for horses in need.  Many of my self-study courses are developed specifically for rescue horses to help them learn to trust humans again.

5. Encourage Responsible Horse Ownership: Educate potential horse owners about the responsibilities involved in caring for a horse. Encourage them to consider factors such as adequate housing, nutrition, exercise, and the financial commitment required before acquiring a horse.  All great ideas for future blogs and some of the topics I have already discussed.  If you are looking for something particular you can search my website for subjects.

6. Volunteer and Donate: Offer your time, skills, or resources to equine welfare organizations, sanctuaries, or rescue centers. Volunteer at local horse shelters, help with feeding and grooming or contribute through fundraising efforts or donations.  This is a great way to help those horses learn to trust humans again and feel loved and appreciated.

7. Support Ethical Equine Businesses: Patronize businesses that prioritize ethical treatment and welfare standards for horses. This includes equine-related industries such as training facilities, riding schools, equipment manufacturers, and feed suppliers. Do your research well and help promote those you trust.

8. Promote Sustainable Equestrian Tourism: If you are involved in the equestrian tourism industry, promote responsible and sustainable practices. Ensure that horseback riding tours and activities prioritize the welfare of the horses involved, including appropriate training, rest periods, and suitable working conditions.

9. Foster Collaboration and Networking: Connect with like-minded individuals, organizations, and communities that are dedicated to horse welfare. Share knowledge, exchange experiences, and collaborate on initiatives to improve the treatment of horses worldwide.

Remember, creating positive change takes time and effort. By actively advocating for the ethical treatment of horses, you can make a meaningful impact and contribute to a better future for these magnificent creatures.

“Love your horse and put him/her as a top priority and your horse will do the same for you.”

Until next week, Happy Horses!

The post Striving for the Ethical Treatment of Horses appeared first on Teddie Ziegler Horsemanship.

Hopefully, these articles will help you choose which medicine to use and when each one can be beneficial for your horse.

However, always use these medicines after discussing your horse’s issues with your vet.

Here is a quick summary:

BANAMINE (FLUNIXIN MEGLUMINE)

Banamine is a trade name for the anti-inflammatory drug flunixin meglumine. Banamine was the only brand of this drug available for many years. As a result, the brand name stuck, despite the fact that the drug is now available generic from many manufacturers and has many different trade names.

The injectable solution is actually also absorbed given orally (which is how I use mine). This drug is somewhat irritating to the tissues when given in the muscle and in rare cases can cause significant muscle damage and severe bacterial infection.

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain reliever.
• Banamine can be given as a paste, in granules, or through IV injection.
  • Similar to Bute, it’s best to let your vet handle the injection but paste or granules are very effective.
  • It also should not be given intramuscularly.
• This medicine is most commonly used for abdominal or other visceral pain and gastrointestinal issues such as colic.
• While Banamine is great for helping a horse in an emergency colic situation, it’s important to remember that it’s not actually fixing the problem that causes the colic.
• If your horse colics frequently, talk to your vet about what could be causing the problem and if there’s a long-term solution.
• Banamine is more expensive than Bute but it is considered safer.

Just a side note:

Colic is not a disease but is the horse’s way of demonstrating abdominal pain. If the cause of colic is simply gas or a spasm, a “simple shot of Banamine®” may be all it takes to break the cycle and solve the problem.

If, however, there is a mechanical problem in the gut such as a severe feed impaction or mechanical displacement, Banamine might temporarily make the horse look better but does nothing to fix the underlying problem.

Unfortunately, this improvement can mislead horse owners into believing their horse has been cured. But the time wasted thinking that the horse has improved can be the difference between life and death.  So be careful!

General guidelines for using Banamine to treat a horse for signs of colic:

• First, call your vet to alert them to the colic symptoms and to the fact that you are giving Banamine to help your horse. Together you can decide whether or not to take the “wait and see” approach or have your vet visit. However, the safest idea would be to have your vet examine your horse.
• Take away all feed from your horse until your vet recommends replacing it. Once the horse looks better, only offer what fits in the palm of your hand, and only to test his appetite. This means no hay or free-range grass in the pasture.
• If the horse looks normal after the vet gives him a shot, monitor him every 1-2 hours, paying particular attention to attitude and appetite, intestinal sounds, heart rate, and gum color. I explain this in a past blog about Colic.
• The masking effects of Banamine last 6-12 hours. Your horse could return to colic pain when the pain-relieving effects of this medication begin to wear off.
• If a horse seems completely normal and with normal appetite past 8-12 hours post-administration, chances are that the problem causing colic is resolved. This is when you can slowly return to feeding (as per the advice of your vet).

General notes for NSAIDs:

The most common side effects are gastrointestinal (stomach ulcers, oral ulcers, right dorsal colitis) and urinary (kidney failure, hemorrhagic cystitis).

NSAIDs have the potential to interfere with everything from bone healing to parturition.

All NSAIDs have potential side effects that include:

• Intestinal and stomach side effects including gastric and colonic ulcers. Foals are especially sensitive to intestinal side effects and can easily develop ulcers.
• Kidney problems. This is especially true of young horses, but caution should always be used, especially in old horses and those that are otherwise ill or dehydrated.
• Importantly, NSAIDs have the ability to “mask” a problem, making it look less severe than it really is and giving cause for false hope and delayed treatment. You should keep in close contact with your vet even when you think your horse is feeling a little better.

It is always very important to consult your veterinarian before you administer these drugs to your horse.

So, in Conclusion:

Bute and Banamine are both extremely important drugs in equine medicine.

They offer excellent anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects for horses. However, they must be used appropriately. You should understand the basics of how these drugs work, their strengths, and their limitations. And always talk to your vet before you administer these drugs!

I always say that a veterinarian should always be called to evaluate any horse with persistent colic signs or other illnesses.  They can even do a diagnosis over the phone.

But this is crucial in order to diagnose the underlying cause and determine whether other types of medical or surgical treatments are required.

Horses are a part of the family and I firmly believe in “Family First”.  So don’t try to do it on your own.  Even if it’s a phone call to talk it through with your vet, talk it out before giving any medications.

I hope this helps and I hope you all have a little extra supply of Bute, Banamine, or both in your emergency medicine cabinet for your horse.  I do!

Until next week, Happy Horses!

The post Banamine vs Bute – Which and When? – Part II appeared first on Teddie Ziegler Horsemanship.

The first thing you should do before giving your horse medication is call your vet.  And then of course give your horse what the vet prescribes.

But I bet almost all of you either have Banamine or Bute in your “at home” medicine cabinet for your horse.  I have both in mine.

Most of the time we know when and how to use these on our horses but sometimes using the wrong one or the wrong amount can have catastrophic results.  I’ve researched both of these to see which and when to use each one.

Both of these medicines can only be purchased legally with a vet’s prescription.  But often you buy a bottle of one or the other and then don’t use it all. This means we have some left over to use later if we need it.

This works well if your vet can’t come out right away, as he can just tell you which one to use right away and how much to use.  It can be very convenient as your horse may need it right away depending on his situation.

According to studies, the most common NSAID used in horses is Bute.  The second most common is Banamine.  They all have similar side effects but vary to different degrees.  They both also are used to reduce pain and are anti-inflammatories.

But anti-inflammatory drugs do much more than simply control pain. They also reduce swelling and fever. They have value in treating a wide range of conditions in horses, from abdominal pain (colic) to joint injury and laminitis.

Even though they sound similar and seem like they could be used interchangeably because they both can be used for pain and inflammation, they are actually used for different situations.

NSAIDs include familiar human drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen. Less commonly used equine drugs in this class are firocoxib (Equioxx) ketoprofen, carprofen, naproxen, and many others.

This week we will discuss Bute and next week we will discuss Banamine.

Here is a quick summary:

BUTE (PHENYLBUTAZONE)

Bute is primarily used to relieve musculoskeletal pain and inflammation in the horse. It also comes in several forms including an injectable liquid for intravenous dosing only.

Used correctly, Bute is a powerful and effective means of relieving pain and inflammation. Nevertheless, there are potential side effects.

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain reliever.
• Bute can be given as a powder, paste, or via IV injection.
  • Only veterinarians should give an IV injection, but never intramuscular.
• This anti-inflammatory is best for when your horse is sore or slightly off.
• Bute is highly effective for the treatment of lameness. As a consequence, it can mask signs of mild or moderate lameness. A horse with a serious musculoskeletal injury may over-exert, and thus worsen the injury.
• Standard doses for 1,000 lb horses are 2-4 grams per day and should be used for as few days as possible.
• Bute is processed, inactivated, and removed from circulation by the liver and kidneys. Young horses have not fully developed their ability to process this drug and tend to accumulate toxic doses of it. The same concern applies to horses with underlying kidney or liver disease.
• It’s best to use it periodically for minor aches and pains rather than in an everyday regimen.
• If your horse needs a pain reliever every day, talk to your vet about alternatives.
• Bute is unsafe in all horses at high doses for long periods of time.
• It should be avoided in horses with renal or GI disease and pregnant mares.
• Some horses are much more sensitive to Bute than others and may show side effects in smaller amounts.
• Bute is considered more likely to cause ulcers, especially in the large colon, than Banamine.
• Bute is somewhat less effective than Banamine at controlling abdominal pain (colic) but can still be useful.

General guidelines for using Bute:

• The best option is always for a veterinarian to examine any undiagnosed lameness or disease process.
• When you give a dose of Bute to a horse without veterinary oversight, recognize what you are doing. You are only temporarily relieving inflammation and pain, regardless of the diagnosis.
• If you do plan to use Bute to try to treat undiagnosed lameness, ask your vet for an appropriate dose for pain control and what to look for to determine treatment effectiveness.
• Confine any lame horse treated with Bute in a small area, to prevent worsening of injury due to overuse. Do not force exercise while on Bute.
• Do not use the injectable form of this drug because of the dangers of improper injection.

Well, this concludes the discussion about Bute.  Next week we will discuss Banamine and my conclusions about the two.

Until then, Happy Horses and have a great weekend!

The post Banamine vs Bute – Which and When? – Part I appeared first on Teddie Ziegler Horsemanship.

Then he jumped back into his water trough and did the whole thing over and over again.  After about 5 minutes of this, he was fully covered in wet mud from the tips of his ears to his hooves.  And he was so happy with the results.

However, his water trough was now full of mud and I had to dump it out and refill it with fresh clean water. Luckily I have two water troughs in the pasture.  But it was so cute to watch him have so much fun in the water.

This reminded me of a few other heat-related tips that I wanted to pass along as a follow-up to last week’s blog.  So let’s get into how your horse reacts in extreme heat, things to look out for, and how to help him.

We talked about having clean, fresh, cool water to drink for your horse last week.  This not only helps your horse stay cool but also fights off dehydration.  According to studies, a horse weighing 1,000 lbs. requires a minimum of 10 to 12 gallons of water every day.

I check my horse’s water troughs and water buckets daily to make sure they are clean and fresh.  And that he hasn’t filled it with mud after playing in the water.

Here are a few ways to determine if your horse is dehydrated:

• Pinch test: Pinch skin on your horse’s neck/shoulder, take note of how quickly it springs back. If dehydrated, the skin will stay elevated for a few seconds.
• Eyes and Gums: Check for wrinkled eyelids along with dull/glazed-over eyes. Look for dark red gums and mucous membranes of the nose and mouth.
• Behavior: Look for sluggish, lethargic, or depressed behavior. Also, check for shallow panting and/or body temperature exceeding 102 degrees.

What to do if you suspect your horse is dehydrated? 

Depending on the severity of your horse’s dehydration and other clinical signs, your horse may need treatment ranging from adding electrolytes to his food and water, to intravenous fluid and intense monitoring and treatment from a veterinary hospital.

Another way to help your horse stay healthy during hot weather is to add electrolytes to their food and/or water, especially if your horse has been sweating heavily.

However, if you add it to the water, make sure to have a second source of water that is clean and fresh that doesn’t have anything in it.  Sometimes horses will drink less water if it tastes different so you want another fresh bucket for them to choose from.

Also don’t overwork your horse when the temperatures are over 90 degrees or the humidity is high.  High humidity can affect how your horse is breathing.  Try riding or working in the early morning or late afternoon so the temps are cooler.

Provide shade. Having a place for your horse to stay out of the sun, in shaded areas, and in an area that has good airflow is important as we discussed last week too.  But remember that with proper airflow, it may be cooler outside than it is in a barn stall.

Even when you use a fan in your horse’s stall, it could be hotter inside than out. So, pay attention to your horse’s environment and the hot temperatures.

Hosing off your horse can also keep him healthy in hot temperatures.  Remember to use cool running water and rinse off your horse’s entire body until the water coming off your horse is no longer hot.  Don’t forget to use a scraper to get excess water off your horse to assist in the cooling process.

Hose your horse off every time you ride in the summer to clean off excess sweat and cool off his body. Being too hot can damage your horse’s brain and if dehydrated can cause kidney damage.

If your horse stands out in the hot sun, doesn’t drink enough water for whatever reason, and starts to sweat profusely you need to worry about heat stress and heat stroke.  Heat stress can easily lead to heat stroke.

This can happen when your horse is exposed to excessive heat that his body can’t handle.  Or it can happen when your horse is ridden or worked in extreme heat and/or humidity.  It can even happen when your horse is in a hot stall or trailer.  Be careful and think about your horse’s health.

Here are some signs that your horse may be going through heat stress or heat stroke…

• Rectal temperatures above 103 F
• Increased heart rate
• Increased breathing rate
• Profuse sweating
• Droopy ears
• Tiredness
• Dehydration
• Skin tent lasting several seconds after pinching the skin of the neck or shoulders
• Reduced feed intake

Again, once you think your horse is showing signs of heat stroke, contact your vet to determine how to proceed.

But in the meantime…

It is important to move your horse to a shady area immediately and have a fan blowing on him.  Then, once he’s in a cooler area, use a sponge or a hose to put cool water on your horse’s neck and body, especially on the large veins in his neck.  You can also rinse off the thin-skinned parts of your horse’s groin to cool him off.

You can also put ice in a towel and place it on your horse’s forehead.  The brain contains the temperature control center for the body, and this will help cool your horse quickly.

Don’t forget to try to get your horse to drink small amounts of cool water as this will help hydrate him as well.  Adding electrolytes will help just as it did with dehydration.  But if he won’t drink, he may need IV fluids from a vet.

You can also use rubbing alcohol on the back and neck areas in order to help your horse cool down.

In short – keeping your horse healthy in hot temperatures is boiled down to:

• Keeping your horse hydrated with fresh clean water.
• Add electrolytes to one of your horse’s water buckets.
• Keep your workouts to early morning or late afternoon, in cooler weather.
• Provide your horse with a cool, shaded area to stay out of the sun.
• Hose off your horse fully and scrape the excess water off.
• And if you see signs of dehydration or heat stress/stroke, call your vet.

Hope you are having a fun and safe summer wherever you are located.  We are having fun here in Maryland even though it’s still hot here.

Until next week, have a great weekend and a Happy Horses!

The post Keeping Your Horse Healthy in the Heat appeared first on Teddie Ziegler Horsemanship.