I have been working on the next unit of online resources for some of our equine students at work.  They are looking at physiology of the horse across its various systems.  Digestive, integumentary, reproductive, endocrine, etc.  One website that we have referenced and guided students to a few times is the Merck Manual Veterinary Manual.  The Merck Manual for Horse Owners is a great resource!

It covers many other species of animal, but you can read and learn a lot about horse care as well as the various systems in the horse.  For the different systems within the horse, you can see a diagram that outlines where it is in the horse’s body.  You can also read about ailments that commonly affect said systems.  A valuable online tool!

Whether you are an equine veterinarian, aspire to be or just want to further your knowledge of horse anatomy and physiology, the Merck Manual for Horse Owners looks to be a great online resource.  Be sure to check it out!

Different topics covered include:

• Description and Physical Characteristics of Horses
• Selecting and Providing a Home for a Horse
• Routine Care and Breeding of Horses
• Behaviour of Horses
• Blood Disorders of Horses
• Bone, Joint and Muscle Disorders in Horses

There is much to be explored in the above topics, but that’s not all that is available on the site.  Why not head along to the above link to get caught up in some horse related reading and learning?

“He’s of the colour of the nutmeg. And of the heat of the ginger…. he is pure air and fire; and the dull elements of earth and water never appear in him, but only in patient stillness while his rider mounts him; he is indeed a horse, and all other jades you may call beasts.” ― William Shakespeare

I downloaded Secret Heart recently when searching for free horse related books on Amazon.  This story focuses on single mother Layla, her son Mason and the man who is the father of her child, Nate.

Layla has grown up in a family that takes whatever they can get.  They are lazy and willing to work the system to get ‘paid’ so that they can live the luxurious life they desire.  Desperate to get out from under this stigma of her family, Layla works hard to provide for her son and keep her run down rental in working order. She is happy to fly under the radar with two close friends – her baby sitter and the grandmother of her son.

Nate has been living a fast life on the rodeo circuit, a well known bull rider.  But one bad ride brings all he has achieved crashing down around him.  Suddenly he has no riding career and a damaged body.  On top of this, he loses his land, his horses and his nerve for riding bulls.  Nate returns to the town of Three Rivers with his tail between his legs and no idea what to do now.

Running into Layla reminds him of the time they’d had before he went off on the rodeo circuit.  Layla is desperate to keep the fact that she has a son away from Nate.  This gets harder as she finally agrees to a date with the bull rider and finds that there is potential for future dates.

Secret Heart was an entertaining read about two people investing in each other in spite of thinking they don’t have a lot to offer.  Horses featured lightly but not to the extent that I would have liked.  That said, the book was an enjoyable read.

Author – Amity Lassiter
Fiction – Western Romance for Adults
In my library – a digital copy.

I was recently approached by Sherie from Equi-Spa about a post on Equus Education. She was kind enough to answer some questions about her horse business/career.

What is it exactly that you do?
We create and manufacture premium, spa quality, non toxic, botanical, horse care and grooming products. I, Sherie Vermeer, founded Equi-Spa, LLC in 2008. I was the Iowa state entrepreneur of the year and I won a grant from the government to help me setup and market this business.

In this field of work, is it possible to be a full time professional and earning a liveable income?
Yes, we have been doing this for 15 years and the business has grown slowly through word of mouth.  Lately we have upgraded the website and are working hard to focus our marketing through social media and various forms of digital marketing.

What are the general steps taken to be employed in such a role?
In 2003 I had 2 pregnant mares.  At the same time West Nile Virus was migrating from east to west leaving dead horses, dogs and people it its wake.  Desperate to protect my family, I bought strong DEET products and sprayed them on everyone including myself.  Especially sprayed my mares so kind of a double dose for me as I had sprayed myself then sprayed them well.  I got DEET poisoning from this.  I became very ill and also a bit panicky as I realized that I had sprayed a dangerous chemical on my pregnant mares!!!

I had been certified in Aromatherapy by Aveda Corp over 10 years prior. So I started looking for chem-free products to protect my family and horses.  I searched and searched the Internet and could find nothing but citronella. That was not good enough.  So I decided to make a non-toxic spray based in Aromatherapy.  There were a lot of rejects but I finally settled on a formula.  Peppermint was key because Bugs HATE it, Catnip for mosquitoes, and other essential oils to address as many hot weather pests as possible.

My Flagship product Peppermint Summer Protection was born!  I then tried it on my horses; they were calmer, they were fly free.  I decided to start a website… at that time they were pretty simple and primitive.  Within days I got my first order!  My husband brought me flowers to celebrate!  I decided to make all my own products and settled on the name Equi-Spa as it completely defined what I was doing.  Over the years I have added product to fill a void or create a solution, from tangled manes to addressing a disease called sweet itch.   I looked for other places to market my products and found a couple of mail order companies were eager to try them.   I also went to horse shows and horse fairs, set up a booth and people came.  They were drawn by the amazing aromas of the products.  It became a very busy life.

I was gone every weekend.  Since I was doing all the blending, filling and packaging myself I was exhausted. I finally decided a couple of years ago to just focus on an online presence.  I upgraded my website several times and found people who are much better at that and marketing than I so I can concentrate on making Equi-Spa products.

Favourite horse memory?
Gosh so many!  One of my most recent favorite memories was adopting Missy, a retired racehorse and former broodmare.  You can read Missy’s story.  She has been awesome and brave.  She came injured from the trailer ride from California, but is progressing along with her recovery.  In the process we have formed a strong bond. A close second is the day my dressage horse Francesca and I competed in her first show and won the class with a 71.25%.

Future goals?
We would like to grow and expand Equi-Spa.  Become a global brand and also become an ambassador for adopting the many Off The Track Thoroughbreds who find themselves needing a new home at the end of their career.  They still have so much to give and are amazing horses.

Best thing about your sport/profession?
The best thing about my profession is the ability to provide a means of helping people with their horses. People are drawn to Equi-Spa because of the amazing aromatherapy benefits, or because they want a chemical free life for themselves and their animals.  Also we have been able to bring relief to many horses with our products.  We help people find solutions to many common horse related care and health issues.