Dr. Marlice Vonck- The Unusual Veterinarian - Keep Animals Natural

THEY DON’T KNOW THAT IT IS NOT FOREVER.

Horses are not futurists. They can’t see into the future or read our minds and intentions. So when we ask a horse for something the very first time, they don’t know if or even when it will ever stop.

THEY DON’T KNOW THAT IT IS NOT FOREVER.

Let me give you a few examples.

When we first fit a saddle or get on a horse’s back, it does not know whether the saddle will ever come off or whether we will ever dismount.

When we pick up a horse’s foot for the first time or put a bit or a dentist's gag in its mouth how does it know life will ever return to normal?

The first time we load a horse into a trailer or tie a horse to a post or put it into a yard can it ever know it will be given its freedom ever again?

The first time a horse has any of these experiences a large part of the panic they can cause comes from a horse’s lack of understanding that the experience is temporary. It’s not forever.

It takes time and repetition for a horse to figure out that being taken away from its buddies is temporary and it will be with them again soon. Or that if they pick up their foot for us, it will get to stand on 4 legs again very soon and there is no need to panic. Or the discomfort of the saddle or hobbles is not permanent and there is no danger.

These are things we all know. But these are also things we sometimes forget to deal with compassionately. These are things we forget the horse doesn’t know.

For example, some people throw a saddle on a horse for the first time and let the horse buck until it gives up in futility. The horse gives up because it works out nothing is going to get this hunk of leather off my back and now I’m stuck with it forever. That’s a terrible mindset to leave a horse with – helplessness and futility.

To avoid this we must break lessons down into tiny incremental steps. Introduce new things in layers and for short periods of time, gradually building on each layer as the horse grows in confidence, trust, and understanding.

Let’s think about trailer loading as an example.

Loading a horse into a trailer for the first time comes from teaching a horse to lead brilliantly.

Confidence in trailer loading is the result of dozens of in and out exercises, asking the horse to stay in the trailer for longer periods as it feels more comfortable for the horse.

Teaching a horse that standing on a moving platform in a tin box is an okay experience starts with loading a horse in a trailer and driving for 20m, then letting it out. Repeating that enough times to take the worry out of it before driving for 100m and then 1km and then 20km.

The same principle can be applied to the early saddling, the first rides, the first tying-up sessions, the first time a foal is removed from its mother – or whatever lesson you can think of.

Ease a horse’s worry about a new experience by making it very brief. So brief that the horse doesn’t have time to figure out he should panic. Life is not coming to an end and things will return to normal very shortly. This is how you can give a horse confidence and avoid extreme responses and feelings of helpless futility.

I know we all know this principle. But I also know we don’t all practice it.

Photo: This is the horse's first ever ride and is from a c**t starting competition in Australia a few years ago. I'm pretty sure in the 4 or 5 hours preparation the horse had had before this moment, nobody had explained to the horse that the rider was not going to stay on his back forever.

"A lot of you despise me,
And I don't understand why.
I am not ugly or deserving of your hate.
I survive every day on the streets,
That used to be meadows.
There are no tasty seeds,
Because you turned trees into buildings.
I eat what you throw on the ground,
Because I have no choice.
Water is harder and harder to find.
Do you know what it takes to survive in a world that is not mine anymore?
Please don't scare me or hurt me,
Just let me live -
Live in your world that was once mine.."

Special webinar TODAY Saturday 1/6 at 12pm EST. Let me know if you want to jump on!! How could your life change in just 8 minutes...?! 💪😃🐎

Today is the last day of the unique and never happened before BEMER Cyber Sale! BEMER is a life changer for human, horse and everything in between. I know this secret since 8 years. Get your BEMER now and prevent issues down the line, or get support now with what is already going on, or feel like a champ in sports activity! BEMER is for EVERY-body! 30% more Oxygen availability, 12-18 hours... after each session, how can you beat that..?!! Hit me up, I'm here for your BEMER support! 😍
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I am trained in this modality and it's the best ever foundation for holistic health for our horses and pets. I'd recommend getting on this list, this seminar will be extraordinary!

Heads up Friends of Postural Rehabilitation! Have you signed up for the VIP early interest waitlist? I've been hinting that we are working on a PR ReBoot for early 2024. Now you can get on the Early Interest VIP Wait List, and be notified when applications are open! This Introduction to Postural Rehabilitation seminar will be on-line and interactive with myself and Dr. Judith Shoemaker. This first course in January will be for vets, chiropractic doctors, PTs and allied horse professionals (farriers, dentists, body workers, vet techs, trainers etc). Later in 2024, we will have a version for every day horse enthusiasts. More info to come! Meanwhile, sign up to get lots of great PR tidbits and quite probably an "early bird" discount on the program!!
https://www.dvmdetective.com/pr-eiwl

'Ghosts' of the Coal Mines
These horses or "pit ponies" were deprived of experiencing the sunlight and fresh air. Instead, they lived in darkness underground, relying on their instincts and the guidance of their human partners, known as conogons. These horses were born, worked, and perished in the dark, enduring strenuous labor. It was not uncommon for a single horse to pull up to eight heavy coal wagons alone. Despite their challenging circumstances, these animals maintained their dignity and were aware of their rights, such as refusing to move if they felt burdened with excessive wagons. They also possessed a remarkable sense of time, knowing when their working day should end and finding their way back to the stables even in darkness. This demanding work of horses in the mines continued until 1972 when technology took over, marking the end of an era. On December 3, 1972, Ruby, the last miner's horse, emerged from the mines in a grand fashion. Accompanied by an orchestra, Ruby, adorned with a flower wreath, was brought out of the darkness, symbolizing the conclusion of the era of mining horses and their connogon partners. To commemorate their shared labor underground, a sculptural composition named "Conogon" was erected within the Museum-Reserve "Red Hill".
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https://imh.org/exhibits/past/legacy-of-the-horse/pit-ponies-equine-miners/
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https://www.saddlebox.net/you-wont-believe-what-these-horses-had-to-endure/

Original Dutch horse guy and Olympic champion knows what it takes! 🐎

https://www.worldofshowjumping.com/WoSJ-Exclusive-interviews/Piet-Raijmakers-Good-horsemanship-is-to-be-able-to-read-the-horse.html?fbclid=IwAR0MhWs3o9k5dVxbWxIHmlCjr_lJa_eFPf2VD-I_qZS-aSBKH3wpRsGy-G0 #

Piet Raijmakers: “Good horsemanship is to be able to read the horse” Could not load dynamic part 'OGDescription'

Animal Heroes! 💪

He slept after 56 hours of non-stop search and found 40 people alive under the rubble. This is the Tunisian hero Husky ❤🙏

Be nice to your Equine Veterinarian, folks! 🐴 Have you horses cleaned up and ready-to go in the barn, and combine horses on routine visits where possible. Also, think about elevating the overall health and wellbeing of your horses in a daily basis to possible avoid emergency care. 〽️The BEMER Horse-Set is a safe and effective, scientifically proven, non-invasive technology that can be used on a daily or routine basis to enhance vitality, stress-management, and helps in any therpay needs, besides enhancing perfromace and recovery. 🐎 Check it out: https://drmarlice.bemergroup.com/en_US/equine-line/home

Have you been waiting longer than usual for an open appointment with your veterinarian or been unable to access after-hours services for your horse? The shortage of equine veterinarians in the U.S. is likely the cause. Many veterinary practices have too few horse doctors to service all their clients.

Why? Only about 6% of new veterinary graduates annually enter equine practice. After five years, 50% of these young veterinarians leave for small animal practice or quit veterinary medicine altogether. The primary reasons are the personal demands of the profession and equine practice’s lower starting salaries. Many new veterinarians begin their career with more than $200,000 in student loan debt, making an equine position with lower compensation often unthinkable. When financial concerns are combined with the always present demands of emergency coverage, many equine veterinarians choose to leave for a healthier way of life.

The good news is that the AAEP along with private veterinary practices and veterinary schools are addressing the pain points which have led to the current crisis. But the solution is complex and will require the support and collaboration of every person in the equine industry — including horse owners. As we work to improve the profession for current and future veterinarians, you have a huge role to play in the much-needed transformation of equine practice. Horse doctors look forward to working together with you for the good of the horse and the sustainability of veterinary care!

Last year, a two-year-old c**t finished dead last in his first race. Disappointed, his owners placed him in a “claiming” race, where anyone can take the ownership of a horse for a fee. An older man claims the c**t after missing his chance to claim another horse he wanted. He says it is his last attempt to find some success in the racing industry.

The c**t wins by 17 lengths, and his new owner is encouraged. But in the races that follow he finishes third twice, fourth once and fifth once. His owner still believes in him.

This year, 2022, is the c**t's only chance to race in major thoroughbred races, which are limited to three-year-olds. The day before the Kentucky Derby, the field of horses is already full. But then, at the last moment, a famous trainer scratches (withdraws) his horse. The c**t takes his place in a field of twenty horses, just 30 seconds before the entry deadline. He is in the game. He has a chance.

But all the metrics and predictors are against him. Neither his owner, his trainer nor his jockey has ever been associated with any horse in the Kentucky Derby. His jockey has never even won a major event. They are outsiders and newbies in an elite arena. On the morning of the race, his odds of winning are set at 80 to 1, the second-longest odds in Derby history.

Halfway around the track, the c**t is 16 horses back from the lead. He can’t even be seen in the field of view of the drone camera flying above the race. He is a nobody, a throw-away, an inconsequential participant.

But then he makes his move. He begins working his way through the crowded pack, finding a few narrow, fleeting opportunities to improve his position. As they head toward the finish line, he has moved up to fifth, then fourth. Still, no one notices him. No one mentions him. Everyone’s attention is still focused on the battle between the two famous front-runners.

Only seconds before the finish, he suddenly, magically passes the two front-runners. The announcer struggles to identify him and say his name in time. He says, almost in a single breath, “Rich Strike is coming up on the inside ... Oh my goodness! The longest shot has won the Kentucky Derby!”

Moral: Where there is life, there is hope. Anything is possible. Believe in yourself. And don’t let anyone count you out. Persistence and determination beat the odds.

"Thou shalt fly without wings."