Uncertain people do uncertain things. This uncertainty affects everything, including people and horses, and not necessarily in good ways. Most people have addressed the quest to conquer their inner self, but few become successful. Our horses know this.

This podcast looks at the essence of all horsemanship, or, in other words, leadership, because horsemanship IS leadership. It comes from within us, but most people react to things in our lives. To improve your poor relationship with your horse (or any human), you must look inward and improve your view of life as a whole.

Brain Health, by Christopher Palmer, MD

Whole Brain Living, by Jill Bolte-Taylor

The Ten Irrefutable Laws Of Horsemanship, by Geoff Tucker, DVM

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TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses.

HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment

HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training.

Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. For our swag, go to this link: (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/).

Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

Horse hooves can experience various problems that farriers and veterinarians work to address with their specialized skills and equipment. These issues include crushed heels, splayed walls, cracked walls, dropped soles, bruised soles, and sole abscesses. However, in every conference I attend, every article I read, and every podcast I listen to, I notice that veterinarians and farriers seldom mention the importance of feeding high-quality protein to strengthen hooves.

Over the past two years, I have asked numerous farriers and veterinarians why hot shoeing produces such a stinky odor. Only one veterinarian was able to provide the correct answer. After listening to this podcast, you will learn the reason behind the smell and discover why this strengthens the hooves from the inside, supporting the horse's weight and athletic performance.

Two factors drive food aggression in horses. 

The first factor is the foraging behavior created by converting fructose into uric acid. The purpose of fructose is to prepare horses for the upcoming winter. However, not only is it fed throughout the year, but the high-sugar foods being fed cause horses to make more fructose.

The second factor is stated in the protein leverage hypothesis, which says that humans (and all animals) will continue to look for food until they consume their daily amino acid requirements. Insufficient high-quality protein in horse diets drives horses to continue eating beyond their caloric needs.

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TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses.

HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment

HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training.

Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. For our swag, go to this link: (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/).

Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

Who do you believe? Is it the person with credentials or the person with experience? Maybe neither, because whenever anyone says something, there is an agenda. The need to talk is to communicate with someone to gain a response. Here are examples:

• "What is your name?" is a question wanting an answer.
• "The sunset is beautiful!" encourages others to look up and share what I see.
• "Feed your horse with my grains and supplements, and they will win the championship." solves the desire of sport horse owners.

Attending meetings is a grand example of communication on several levels. The presenting organization uses its associates to orchestrate an assembly of speakers and audience. The goal for most is to make money, primarily if sponsors are used to finance everything.

Last week, I attended six lectures presented by an animal feed ingredient maker and sponsored by several horse feed manufacturers. I report on my experience, which was mostly a waste of my time. Luckily, it was free and online. However, it is essential to report on this because I need to know how they manipulate horse owners. Bamboozling, deceiving, and misleading are all words I would use to describe what marketing does, and unfortunately, our horses suffer.

Not all marketing bamboozles. All businesses need to make money to remain in existence. However, integrity must be addressed when a need to return a profit at the expense of those supporting a business is compromised. Most lectures should have addressed the overarching problem in equine nutrition; what they say about feeding horses is not helping them.

The same was true at the AAEP meeting in Orlando this year. Again, medicine wants to explore ways to fix things rather than prevent them. Several of the presenters of scientific papers said from the stage that their studies were underpowered or didn't last long enough to show causation. In other words, what we say here may or may not help horses, but we won't study anything that will prevent illness and lameness. How can veterinarians offer help when preventive strategies are never mentioned? Just take a look at the sponsors down on the trade show floor. After all, they are the driving force behind what is said from the podium.

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TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses.

HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment

HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training.

Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. For our swag, go to this link: (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/).

Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

Dr. Maria Katsamanis (Dr. Maria) joins me on this podcast to discuss how science can help us create better connections with our horses. I do these things every day, but I need the science or research behind why I do what I do. She delivers on this and more! Dr. Maria will be delighted if you learn something from listening that helps you connect better on a molecular level. Her life's work is to scientifically understand and improve on why we would rather be in a barn asking horses to help us face the world and heal our minds.

Some philosophies of Dr. Maria as stated on her website:

• "Horsemanship is more than the horse. Horses are brought to us and challenge us to reconnect with ourselves. This reciprocal "helping" —helping of the horse, helping of the human often challenges people to find training methods that will help them grow with their equine mate."

• "Committed to studying human and equine physiology, her training focuses on the self-carriage of the horse and rider. Only in balance and relaxation can the correct muscle formation occur, physical blocks be dissipated, and mental communication be facilitated."

• "It is always very important to remember that each horse is an individual and with Dr. Maria they are treated as such and their education is tailored to their personality and physical profile—all with a solid foundation in a classical French recipe."

Dr. Maria Katsamanis is an author, educator, and advocate for horses. She holds a doctorate in clinical psychology and maintains an appointment as a Clinical Assistant Professor at Rutgers Medical School. Her background in biofeedback and psychophysiology is central to her training approach, dubbed "molecular equitation," which examines the connection between horse and rider on a molecular level.

Dr. Maria has co-authored "The Alchemy of Lightness: What Happens Between Horse and Rider on a Molecular Level and How it Helps Achieve the Ultimate Connection" and authored her latest book, "Riding In Dignity: A Philosophical Foundation to Finding the Ultimate Connection."

Dr. Maria is very busy with several endeavors:

• She offers several online courses to help improve your connection with horses.

• She trains and boards horses in New Jersey at her Mythos Farm.

• She has a line of equipment and tack to help riders connect with their horses better.

• She advocates for the Marwari horse, a rare breed in India.

Dr. Maria has also founded the non-profit organization Friends for Pegasus, whose mission is to promote a better understanding of equine wellness through the rehabilitation and transformation of horses who need a second chance. 

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TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses.

HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment

HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training.

Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. For our swag, go to this link: (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/).

Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

This podcast is a special Rounds With Doc T with my friend and colleague, Dr James Belden. Usually, Rounds are for members of The Horse's Advocate, but as an annual Thanksgiving treat, it is available for everyone to watch or listen to.

Dr Belden graduated from Cornell's veterinary school in 1964. He has worked on horses in 30 countries, many Triple Crown winners in the Thoroughbred racing world, and many elite show horses in Wellington, FL. He has also competed with his reining horses. His knowledge comes from working on hundreds of thousands of horses in all sports categories.

Dr Belden tells stories of his work with horses, blending his experience into impactful ideas for all to use with their horses today. Practical advice sparkles throughout as he also answers questions from the audience. I hope you enjoy and learn from this veterinary treasure.

Timestamps:

• 0:53:14 - A question about equine sarcoid treatment.
• 0:58:59 - "What forgotten treatments or old timely treatments and remedies are as effective or maybe more effective than newer advanced treatments and pharmaceuticals and supplements used? What things do you wish people would do instead of spend money, and aggressively go after things that, you know, like when is ice better, for instance? And what are the simple things that still really, really work?"
• 1:08:22 - "Would you guys say that there's a difference in the growth or maturity rate between a filly and a colt?"
• 1:11:23 - "Do you see the difference in the maturity if you leave a male horse intact longer, say maybe 4 to 5 years old, or rather than cut them at a long yearling or a two-year-old, do they mature any differently?"
• 1:18:32 - "A pre-purchase exam. What were they like in the 60s, 70s, the 80s? And do you think they actually help buyers? Obviously, there's obvious things that you can find, like a blind horse, things like that. But yeah, people are looking for such subtle changes. What's your whole thought on this? Give us a little bit of history of pre-purchase exams and what you think of them now."
• 1:32:34 - "Any suggestions for non sweater?"

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  TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses.

  HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment

  HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training.

  Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. For our swag, go to this link: (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/).

  Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

Three articles from the AVMA arrived in my inbox this week:

• Gap shrinks between new graduate, overall veterinary salaries

• Midlevel practitioner proposal secures enough votes in Colorado

• Federal appeals court reverses Texas VCPR ruling

These articles drove me to make this podcast, the third in a series, about horse veterinary care. It emphasizes the need to prevent illness and injuries.

In summary, new vet graduates' mean starting salary (adjusted for inflation) has steadily risen since 2000, while the income of established veterinarians (adjusted for inflation) has not. The educational debt to become a veterinarian has also risen, but the ratio between debt and income on average has fallen due to increasing salaries. However, after removing the 17% with no debt, the debt-to-income ratio is higher and less sustainable.

All veterinarians are young, with 8% older than 65. Thus, the pool of experienced veterinarians to mentor graduates is shrinking.

Colorado approved the development of a midlevel practitioner to "fill the gap" between technician and veterinarian. Almost all veterinary organizations opposed this; however, the voters accepted this idea. Is this different from non-veterinarians already diagnosing and prescribing (dentists, farriers, bodyworkers)? Will this become available in other states? How will this affect the safety and cost of care for our horses?

Texas accused a retired veterinarian of offering advice to a patient via email without first establishing a VCPR (veterinary-client-patient relationship) in person. The federal court overturned the lower court's guilty decision, saying that offering advice by email without a VCPR is a right under the First Amendment of the US Constitution. How will veterinarians and state boards use this decision?

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TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses.

HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment

HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training.

Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. For our swag, go to this link: (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/).

Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

Forgive me as I rant about veterinary care. This week, I experienced or heard of four events between veterinarians and their owners that have me asking: Are the schools teaching integrity along with veterinary medicine?

There are 13 new vet schools in America, spawning 55,000 more veterinarians in the next decade. Most will go into small animal practice. Driving this growth is a demand for pet owners to access care everywhere and corporate strategies to use more veterinarians at higher salaries to remain competitive. In essence, the forecast is for ample demand for services and a need for more veterinarians to meet this need.

Stepping away from this "supply and demand" model, I now see evidence that integrity is being replaced with a "fix-it" mentality. New veterinary graduates are well-trained in the science of "fixing" an animal's problem; however, are they also advocating for the animal and, importantly, the owner?

Regrettably, the era of the "country vet," who took the time to educate, advise, and console the owner, seems to be fading. The high cost of training and the standardization of care have led to a "cookie-cutter" approach to animal care. This approach, while efficient, may seem superficial to older vets who, though impressed with the knowledge young vets bring to the practice, miss the days of explaining how to prevent problems and advocating for the animal above all else.

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TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses.

HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment

HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training.

Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. For our swag, go to this link: (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/).

Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

Over the next ten years, thirteen new vet schools will be built and accredited by the AVMA to teach and add 55,000 more veterinarians to the existing veterinary colleges and new veterinary graduates.

The expansion of the profession is driven by the growth of corporate-owned veterinary clinics and the aspirations of new veterinary graduates to enhance their quality of life. However, this trend may lead to a twofold outcome: increased cost and decreased quality of veterinary care. The impact is particularly felt by owners of animals other than dogs and cats, who may face more significant challenges in accessing quality care.

80% of new graduates are predicted to enter small animal practice, leaving only 20% for all other animals. Cattle, small ruminants, swine, aquatic animals, zoos, research, government roles, and our horses are left with too few new graduates to replace the steady loss of veterinarians leaving equine practices. However, the ratio of new veterinarians per horse practice diminishes this number, as practices need to employ more veterinarians to meet young professionals' social and financial needs. 

For example, to cover a large geographic area with 24-hour care, two to four veterinarians need to be available to allow time off when, in the past, one or two covered it. Additionally, non-veterinary owned (corporate) small animal veterinary clinics offer high salaries that horse practices need to match to retain young employees with high student loans.

The mission of The Horse's Advocate is to help horse owners prevent unnecessary veterinary visits by improving farm and barn safety, improving nutrition, and teaching horsemanship skills. The goal is not to replace veterinarians but to enhance their efficiency so they can attend to horses needing urgent attention.

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TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses.

HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment

HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training.

Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. For our swag, go to this link: (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/).

Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

Perception management is a real industry that affects everyone in every aspect of our lives and our horses. In a spy thriller I'm reading, one man hires a perception management team to turn the world against Russia, causing everyone to purchase more weapons from his arms company while almost ending the world. It's scary stuff but relatable in the news today.

Can someone manipulate our perceptions of horse care for their advantage? Absolutely. The critical question to ask is, "How effective are your current horse care practices?" If the answer is a disappointing "They're not," it's crucial to reconsider your approach and critically evaluate who truly benefits from your methods. This process of critical evaluation is not just necessary, but it's empowering. It will engage you in thoughtful consideration of your horse care practices and a purpose and willingness to change them. However, effort is needed to distinguish good information from bad.

This podcast provides two relatable examples of perception management in horse care: Is 24-hour access to hay good, and should you feed processed foods? By listening to this, you can empower yourself to ask questions and build new strategies to improve your horse care practices. The knowledge you gain from doing so will give you a sense of control over your horse's well-being. I also provide a simple image to illustrate how life is fueled, with advice on managing food intake with energy output. This image of energy flow will help you focus on where change is needed: diet, exercise, or both.

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TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses.

HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment

HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training.

Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. For our swag, go to this link: (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/)

Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."