All that horse guardians really want is for their horse to be strong. The domesticated horse is highly dependent upon us...
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From the very first inhale, the the very last exhale, the lung is in charge of the the horse's pulse...
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The Ole Gray Mare, she ain't what she used to be...
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The foal is tucked in the snug confinement of the dam's womb. The magic moment comes when this gift of life is pushed through the narrow walls of the birth canal out into the expanse of the new world...
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Healthy as a Horse: From a Chinese Medicine Viewpoint
By Amy Snow and Nancy Zidonis

What exactly is the perfect image of health? Actually, Gwen gave a pretty good description of what it looks like. Horses tell us a lot by how they look, move, and respond to us.
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Winter: The Season of Survival
By Amy Snow and Nancy Zidonis

Winter is a time of survival. It is the season where horses must go deeply into their core essence to survive both physically and emotionally. During the cold of winter, the horse must retain and manage the heat of his body.
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Horses Share the Wisdom of
Late Summer & Autumn
By Amy Snow and Nancy Zidonis

Blazing Saddles and Other Fire Friends
by Amy Snow and Nancy Zidonis

Every feature, every movement of this young horse emanates joyous vitality; a shocklingly brilliant coat; full, articulating muscles; a handsome, crisp-looking head; a sparkling eye that bespeaks his quick intelligence. His good, loving nature is the one thing that could possibly contain his burning, passionate nature. His spirit soars with his increasing physical strength in the warmth of summer. This animal is the perfect flesh and blood manifestation of the metaphor of the Fire phase.
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Blazing Saddles: The Fire Phase
by Amy Snow and Nancy Zidonis

Every feature, every movement of these young horses emanates joyous vitality: a shockingly brilliant coat; full, articulating muscles; handsome, crisp-looking heads; sparkling eyes that be-speak quick intelligence. Their good, loving nature is the one thing that could possibly contain their burning, passionate nature. Their spirits soar with increasing physical strength in the warmth of summer. These are the perfect flesh and blood manifestations of the metaphor of Fire Phase of Transition in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
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"The ole gary mare, she ain 't what she use to be." True, but who is? Age takes its toll on all of us, including our beloved horses. We tend to think of them as fit and active, then one day, they suddenly look older. The hollow above the eye seems deeper, muscles looks less toned and full, white whiskers sprout on the muzzle, the gait appears stiff - and then we remember ten years have passed.
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Cold Legs, Cold Horse, May Mean a Problem is Brewing
by Amy Snow & Nancy Zidonis

It was a brilliantly clear and warm late summer morning when Kate went out to get her favorite mare, Tara. She was usually ready and waiting in the morning for whatever adventure the day might hold. Tara was standing in her stall with her head down as if to graze, but she was not chewing on anything. Kate gave her a pat on the rump to let her know she was there and to awaken her. Tara slowly raised her head and looked at Kate with a dull eye then looked away. This was not like Tara. Kate stroked her neck; it felt cooler then usual. She started to wonder if there was something wrong.
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Acupressure Helps You Take Action Against Colic
by Amy Snow & Nancy Zidonis

Unpredictable and seemingly so difficult to prevent, colic is the most dreaded, far-too-common occurrence in a horse's life.
You know how the scenario goes: in the morning when you fed your horse, he seemed absolutely fine. By mid-day; he was agitatedly kicking his flank and curling his lip. Instantaneously you feel that awful rush of panic and sense of helplessness. But here's where you can change the scenario.
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Masters of Disguise
by Amy Snow & Nancy Zidonis

Horses are the grand cover-up artists; they are masters of disguising pain. Not showing pain is inherent to the species. In the wild, if horses were to show any signs of pain or weakness, their lives would be at risk and maybe even threaten the safety of the entire herd. Horses will do everything they can to not display any evidence of pain or injury. A compromised horse is most likely a dead horse and they know this deep in their shared psyche.
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"Hands-On" Help for Equine Toxicity
by Amy Snow & Nancy Zidonis

Every chemical released into the environment affects every land mass, every nation, every human and horse ... everything living on this planet. We truly live in a global environment that is intricately interrelated. The toxins created by the ever increasing industrial communities have no borders acid rain falls heavily on the pastures in which our horses graze. Nitrates from fertilizers, pesticides, and other sources dissolve into the water supply.
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The 5-Element Theory: A Touch of History and Horses
by Amy Snow and Nancy Zidonis

Because we have taken horses out of their natural environment, there is a tendency for mares to be irregular in their cycling or to have a more difficult time during their cycles. In a wild mare, the estrous cycle responds to the longer day light hours of spring, summer, and late summer. Her feed in the wild is very different than in captivity. Her level of exercise is greatly changed from the miles of countryside she can cover each day in her own habitat. When a mare is in a stable or barn, her emotional stability is affected because her social interactions are greatly modified. We separate a mare from her foal sometime between the fourth and eighth month after birth, this does not occur in natural herd behavior. These and many other differences between a mare’s life in the wild and in captivity can cause her body to become irregular or exhibit “witchy” behavior even when the cycle appears to be normal.
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You feel it and your horses feel it even more. The increasingly cool breezes, crisp mornings, and fewer daylight hours all mean that autumn is here and winter is soon to come. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), autumn is associated with the Metal Element in the Five-Element Theory. The Five-Element Theory meteorically describes the seasonal transitions that occur as the earth rotates throughout the year. To maintain good health during the entire year,we have to be sure our life force energy, Chi, is in balance with each season.
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The mere mention or thought of colic strikes terror into the heart of every horse owner. It is the most dreaded, only too common occurrence in a horse's life. Colic is so unpredictable and seemingly so difficult to to prevent. It can happen any time, and so suddenly; when you went out to feed in the morning, your horse seemed absolutely fine. By mid-day, he was agitated, kicking his flank, and curling his upper lip, and in an instant you felt the rush of panic and sense of helplessness. It is during this moment of panic that you realize you are not helpless - you can work acupressure points while waiting for your holistic veterinarian to arrive!
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Acupressure and Acupuncture
by Nancy Zidonis and Amy Snow

A horsefly is mid-air, within inches of landing on the horse's flank. The surface of his flank twitches just before the fly has a chance to land, warding it off in advance of being stung.It is because of the extraordinary awareness of his body and surrounding "personal space" that the horse is highly responsive to the powerful, yet seemingly gentle, ancient eastern healing modalities. Acupuncture and Acupressure are based on the same principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Historically, these modalities are identical in their approach to healing. Understanding how to balance the many forms of vital energy that sustain and nourish the human or equine body is key to both disciplines.
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