Comments on: No More Salt Blocks http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/no-more-salt-blocks/ Joe Camp's Official Blog Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:31:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 By: Deb http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/no-more-salt-blocks/comment-page-1/#comment-2053 Deb Fri, 05 Aug 2011 15:08:02 +0000 http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/?p=242#comment-2053 I am the kid in the candy store on your site! Just found it after reading The Soul of a Horse (again!). Laughing, tears- just like reading your book. Getting ready to start our own journey after FINALLY coming HOME to 13 acres in the country. What a balm to the soul already even before the horses come! We can un-board (bored?!) my daughter's horse and I am currently looking for my own Skeeter ~~kindred spirit Kathleen :) I want to see "it" in his eyes, not just his quietness. "The eyes are the lamp to the soul". I hope I will just know. Reading your book touched me deeply and made me happy that, in spite of what every one else was doing, and, despite having very little horse-owner experience, I had the farrier pull Shiloh's shoes and did not blanket over the winter (they were turned out all day and I was afraid he'd get hung up in a blanket or not get his good winter coat (like seeing folks in Florida freezing when it's in the 60s haha) and, besides, I just KNEW those northwest wild mustangs probably did NOT wear blankets or shoes and quite happy with that!) It's worse than waiting for Christmas, having to be patient enough to find the "right" horse for me so we can bring the 2 home together. I don't even care about riding yet--just want to be out in the pasture under the trees soaking them in and beginning a real relationship from the inside out. Thank you Joe and Kathleen and herd. Yours was the very first (only?!) book written by someone just starting out and wanting to get it right for your horses--all the "firsts". I am right there now with my own beginnings and very much appreciate your lessons learned from the herd. You helped me know how to start with the most important basics. Relationship and care. Nothing settles, calms my fears, like knowledge (what to do/not do), understanding (why it is best for my horse), and practice (hence the need for the horse that is willing to teach ME!) Thank you from the soul of a horse loving beginner! ps--someone before me must have read your book too. Our little hitching post is not cute at all! no end pieces :) :) I am the kid in the candy store on your site! Just found it after reading The Soul of a Horse (again!). Laughing, tears- just like reading your book.

Getting ready to start our own journey after FINALLY coming HOME to 13 acres in the country. What a balm to the soul already even before the horses come! We can un-board (bored?!) my daughter’s horse and I am currently looking for my own Skeeter ~~kindred spirit Kathleen :) I want to see “it” in his eyes, not just his quietness. “The eyes are the lamp to the soul”. I hope I will just know.

Reading your book touched me deeply and made me happy that, in spite of what every one else was doing, and, despite having very little horse-owner experience, I had the farrier pull Shiloh’s shoes and did not blanket over the winter (they were turned out all day and I was afraid he’d get hung up in a blanket or not get his good winter coat (like seeing folks in Florida freezing when it’s in the 60s haha) and, besides, I just KNEW those northwest wild mustangs probably did NOT wear blankets or shoes and quite happy with that!)

It’s worse than waiting for Christmas, having to be patient enough to find the “right” horse for me so we can bring the 2 home together. I don’t even care about riding yet–just want to be out in the pasture under the trees soaking them in and beginning a real relationship from the inside out.

Thank you Joe and Kathleen and herd. Yours was the very first (only?!) book written by someone just starting out and wanting to get it right for your horses–all the “firsts”. I am right there now with my own beginnings and very much appreciate your lessons learned from the herd.

You helped me know how to start with the most important basics. Relationship and care. Nothing settles, calms my fears, like knowledge (what to do/not do), understanding (why it is best for my horse), and practice (hence the need for the horse that is willing to teach ME!)

Thank you from the soul of a horse loving beginner!

ps–someone before me must have read your book too. Our little hitching post is not cute at all! no end pieces :) :)

]]> By: admin http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/no-more-salt-blocks/comment-page-1/#comment-2048 admin Mon, 01 Aug 2011 23:17:01 +0000 http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/?p=242#comment-2048 Thanks. I hope so. But that's the only time she's ever done that, before or since. Thanks. I hope so. But that’s the only time she’s ever done that, before or since.

]]> By: t6834bl http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/no-more-salt-blocks/comment-page-1/#comment-2047 t6834bl Mon, 01 Aug 2011 22:09:18 +0000 http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/?p=242#comment-2047 Dear Joe and Kathleen, Noelle is licking you because she loves you... Dear Joe and Kathleen,
Noelle is licking you because she loves you…

]]> By: admin http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/no-more-salt-blocks/comment-page-1/#comment-655 admin Sun, 30 May 2010 15:10:34 +0000 http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/?p=242#comment-655 Not expertise Graco. Just a journey of discovery :) Not expertise Graco. Just a journey of discovery :)

]]> By: graco playard http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/no-more-salt-blocks/comment-page-1/#comment-651 graco playard Sat, 29 May 2010 19:28:09 +0000 http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/?p=242#comment-651 All babies deserve only the best care! I really appreciate your expertise. All babies deserve only the best care! I really appreciate your expertise.

]]> By: admin http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/no-more-salt-blocks/comment-page-1/#comment-550 admin Fri, 09 Apr 2010 18:31:03 +0000 http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/?p=242#comment-550 My worry with it is that blocks were originally designed for cattle whose tongues are like sandpaper. A horses tongue is not. And there is research on the fact that a horse cannot get enough of what he needs by licking a block. The same ingredients can be found in a free-choice granular that you can hang in a bucket (or several) at good locations. Dr. Dan's Red Cal is not even affected by the rain. Just pour off the water and what's left in the bucket is just as good as before the rain. Insofar as "legitimate" research is concerned I agree with your mother. The first reason that there is no "legit" research on any subject is that no one is interested in it, except perhaps us who know it's good or works and don't have the time to goof with "legit" research. Auburn University vet school is currently doing legitimate research on the healing power of barefoot trims following the wild horse model on laminitis (and batting 1000)... but the time it's going to take (and the funding) to get all the documentation together, get it published, etc etc etc is enormous. The simple answer of course is that every horse on the planet is genetically the same having evolved over millions of years in the western great basin and when we replicate that lifestyle and environment with our the so-called domestic horses, laminitis isn't a problem. There is virtually no incidents of hoof lameness in the wild, and it's rampant in domestic horses because of their lifestyle, diets, metal shoes, etc. My worry with it is that blocks were originally designed for cattle whose tongues are like sandpaper. A horses tongue is not. And there is research on the fact that a horse cannot get enough of what he needs by licking a block. The same ingredients can be found in a free-choice granular that you can hang in a bucket (or several) at good locations. Dr. Dan’s Red Cal is not even affected by the rain. Just pour off the water and what’s left in the bucket is just as good as before the rain. Insofar as “legitimate” research is concerned I agree with your mother. The first reason that there is no “legit” research on any subject is that no one is interested in it, except perhaps us who know it’s good or works and don’t have the time to goof with “legit” research. Auburn University vet school is currently doing legitimate research on the healing power of barefoot trims following the wild horse model on laminitis (and batting 1000)… but the time it’s going to take (and the funding) to get all the documentation together, get it published, etc etc etc is enormous. The simple answer of course is that every horse on the planet is genetically the same having evolved over millions of years in the western great basin and when we replicate that lifestyle and environment with our the so-called domestic horses, laminitis isn’t a problem. There is virtually no incidents of hoof lameness in the wild, and it’s rampant in domestic horses because of their lifestyle, diets, metal shoes, etc.

]]> By: judy http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/no-more-salt-blocks/comment-page-1/#comment-545 judy Fri, 09 Apr 2010 00:37:20 +0000 http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/?p=242#comment-545 Hi again the equilix lick is designed for horses, they can eat it quite easily as I have three different blocks- the buckey , a salt and the equilix. The only one that is eaten a lot is the equilix (about 1/4 of 125 lb lick is gone in a few weeks) , it sort of crumbles instead of licking but does not get washed away by rain. I have no idea how they do it. The horse love it. So I am hoping that this is good for them. I guess in a way it is not really a lick - it is made differently - it looks and feels different. THey will not eat the buckeye ( I wish they would as it was not cheap) I even tried pouring molasses on it ( which I do not like to do). I had googled the DE ( that is why I use it) but this person said she was a 3rd year medical student and according to wherever she does her research online she said she could not find a "legitimate" research paper. I cannot prove or disprove as she said she has access to medical literature that I do not. Again I agree totally with you. I know doctors are taught little in the way of nutrition - my mom told her heart specialist over 40 years ago that she would be taking vit e for her heart - he disagreed that it would do anything. Thanks again. Have a great day. Hi again the equilix lick is designed for horses, they can eat it quite easily as I have three different blocks- the buckey , a salt and the equilix. The only one that is eaten a lot is the equilix (about 1/4 of 125 lb lick is gone in a few weeks) , it sort of crumbles instead of licking but does not get washed away by rain. I have no idea how they do it. The horse love it. So I am hoping that this is good for them. I guess in a way it is not really a lick – it is made differently – it looks and feels different. THey will not eat the buckeye ( I wish they would as it was not cheap) I even tried pouring molasses on it ( which I do not like to do). I had googled the DE ( that is why I use it) but this person said she was a 3rd year medical student and according to wherever she does her research online she said she could not find a “legitimate” research paper. I cannot prove or disprove as she said she has access to medical literature that I do not. Again I agree totally with you. I know doctors are taught little in the way of nutrition – my mom told her heart specialist over 40 years ago that she would be taking vit e for her heart – he disagreed that it would do anything. Thanks again. Have a great day.

]]> By: admin http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/no-more-salt-blocks/comment-page-1/#comment-538 admin Thu, 08 Apr 2010 05:50:11 +0000 http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/?p=242#comment-538 Judy... every intelligent thing I've read says that blocks were originally designed for cattle whose tongues are much coarser, more like sandpaper, than horses. That horses cannot possibly get what they need from a block because they cannot scrape off enough to matter. As to DE there is plenty of research. Google it. I even take it in my morning smoothie :) The global problem with people re horses seems to be that if someone has never heard of it, it doesn't exist. For someone to say "There is no real research" is ludicrous. I would never say that. Has that person seen all the research in the world on that subject. There is so much going on that there's no way to know it all. We all must keep an open mind. Judy… every intelligent thing I’ve read says that blocks were originally designed for cattle whose tongues are much coarser, more like sandpaper, than horses. That horses cannot possibly get what they need from a block because they cannot scrape off enough to matter. As to DE there is plenty of research. Google it. I even take it in my morning smoothie :) The global problem with people re horses seems to be that if someone has never heard of it, it doesn’t exist. For someone to say “There is no real research” is ludicrous. I would never say that. Has that person seen all the research in the world on that subject. There is so much going on that there’s no way to know it all. We all must keep an open mind.

]]> By: judy http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/no-more-salt-blocks/comment-page-1/#comment-537 judy Thu, 08 Apr 2010 03:13:45 +0000 http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/?p=242#comment-537 HI, this is a great site. We have just started using a vit/mineral block called equilix. The things people have said about this product is amazing. I hope it does half of what people say. Do you have any thoughts on this product? It has no sugar or starch and my horses love it. I thought that maybe they would not eat it as I have been giving flakes of vit and minerals from buckeye but the horses are eating a lot ( they said they would at first and then settle down) We also have a block from buckeye but they do not touch it and also a salt lick. The equilix has DE in it but I was also mixing it in a mash before. I had a bit of a discussion with a nutritionist from one of the horse products who asked why I would feed dirt to my horse -DE. I tried to say it was a mineral just like Ca that can also come from so called dirt (sort of). She said there was no real research to support its use. Do you know of any that I can present to her at our next meeting. Thanks again for the great site. HI, this is a great site. We have just started using a vit/mineral block called equilix. The things people have said about this product is amazing. I hope it does half of what people say. Do you have any thoughts on this product? It has no sugar or starch and my horses love it. I thought that maybe they would not eat it as I have been giving flakes of vit and minerals from buckeye but the horses are eating a lot ( they said they would at first and then settle down) We also have a block from buckeye but they do not touch it and also a salt lick. The equilix has DE in it but I was also mixing it in a mash before. I had a bit of a discussion with a nutritionist from one of the horse products who asked why I would feed dirt to my horse -DE. I tried to say it was a mineral just like Ca that can also come from so called dirt
(sort of). She said there was no real research to support its use. Do you know of any that I can present to her at our next meeting. Thanks again for the great site.

]]> By: Addie http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/no-more-salt-blocks/comment-page-1/#comment-471 Addie Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:09:48 +0000 http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/?p=242#comment-471 Noelle is such a sweetheart. She seems like a great horse. I am reading your book right now, and I really want to take off the shoes on the front hooves on my horse. I don't want her to be tender too long that I can't excersise her. Can I still ride just easily? Could I run her to keep her healthy? As I read in your book, I am going to take off her blanket early spring. She has a pretty natual corral that has steep hills and boulders. I really enjoy your book and I can't seem to put it down. I really like all of the adventures you and Kathleen have had. Thank you for sharing all those things with all of us readers! Noelle is such a sweetheart. She seems like a great horse. I am reading your book right now, and I really want to take off the shoes on the front hooves on my horse. I don’t want her to be tender too long that I can’t excersise her. Can I still ride just easily? Could I run her to keep her healthy? As I read in your book, I am going to take off her blanket early spring. She has a pretty natual corral that has steep hills and boulders. I really enjoy your book and I can’t seem to put it down. I really like all of the adventures you and Kathleen have had. Thank you for sharing all those things with all of us readers!

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