Skode's Low Sugar Horse Treats

Hay -- It's Not Actually "Natural". So What's A Natural Horse Care Provider to Do?

My horses and I live in a forest in Southern Oregon. We are lucky that there is very little grass on our land, as the Oregon grass here has too much sugar and starch for my Easy Keepers.

 

Still, I am very concerned that my horses are so restricted in their eating and are therefore completely dependant on me for their nutritional needs. About 90 percent of their diet is organic, sun-cured grass hays, with a bit of alfalfa on the side. This is a healthy foundation.  But feeding a horse big piles of hay is not natural.

Horses are meant to walk 8 to 12 to even 20 miles a day, searching throughout Mother Nature for their food -- mainly dozens of different fresh grasses and herbs.  They were not designed to stand in front of hay piles eatting the same kind of grass over and over and over again.

For one thing, virtually all the moisture in the grass is gone. I have a friend who calls hay "jerky hay." It's a descriptive phrase and when you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. What if you were asked to eat only dried fruits and meats? Blecho, you would say! I know you would!

So what is a well-intentioned, "natural" horse care provider to do? 

I'm a big advocate of hay nets,  especially hay nets that allow a horse to eat with his/her head down. Hay nets come close to simulating natural grazing by encouraging horses to pluck/pull their food from the nets. Have you ever watched a horse rip grass from its stems? There is a distinct, passionate motion to it. 

The plucking from the hay nets and the ripping of grass are not the same motions. But to my mind, plucking is at least a motion that is not simply gulping, which is what Vashka does if he is set in front of piles of hay :(

But back to the issue of dried out hay.  As you will see when you watch the video, both my horses hydrate their own hay by dipping it into buckets of water.  Vashka taught Raya to do this when she was just a baby and I am grateful to him. I know it sounds incredibly simple. But try placing buckets of water near your horses hay nets and see what happens. You might be pleasantly surprised to see some happy dipping take place.

So in addition to being almost moistureless, hays are also missing the important Omega 3s and 6's of fresh grass and often, lots of important minerals as well.

I supplement my horses' nutritional programs with seeds, nuts, fresh veggies,  Skode's flax-based cookies (flax fulfills that need for Omgea 3s and 6's missing in hays)  -- and of course organic herbs.  My company's Herbal Terrain Hay Mixer "Woods" is sprinkled throughout the hay in the red Nibble Net.  Formulated by Australian herbalist Catherine Bird, the herbal mix is based on the herbs a horse would normally forage for in the woods (Organic Elder Flowers, Golden Rod, Wood Betony, Barberry and Rasberry leaf) are included in this fluffy, aromatic mix.

The hay in the blue Nibble Net is mixed with a handful Skode's After Care Cookies. These human-grade, flax-based treats were formulated by Naturoapth Dr. Cassie Schuster and contain the healing, anti-inflammatory whole foods of Organic Turmeric, Apple Fiber and Organic Parsley. 

These whole foods in the form of treats are wonderful ways to enrich the value of my horses' nutritional programs. Both horses are healthy and strong and every bit as importantly -- they are happy. 

As you will see in this video, Vashka and Raya really enjoy their hay meals! 

 

Oh! Wait! Before you go -- you will notice that the Nibble Nets are set on top of platforms. My friend, Linda Love, created these paltforms for her own horses. Linda is a professionalm, barefoot trimmer in Florida.

She has a lot of experience with rehabbing foundered and laminitic horses. She drew up the plans for these platforms after a lot of resaerch.  They are very effective and have lasted me many years. If you would like a plan, they are avilable for a very affordable price on Skode's storefront, under the category: Lifestyle. 

"SKODE"

Lori Yearwood

 

Skode's Horse Treats, Inc.

www.skodeshorsetreats.com

"It's About a Lifestyle"

Formal Rules for Skode's Bakers

Skode's bakers must follow strict rules on the job! 

In fact we are so serious about this that we are making the rules official by sharing with our new relief baker. 

 

 

 

• The name of Skode's Company Spokesman is Vashka.  The name of Skode's Company Spokeswoman is Raya.  Please memorize these names on your first day work.
• Always listen for the sound of horse noses and tongues rubbing against the shop door bell, as this means a horse needs cookies! (Vashka rings with his tongue. Raya rings with her nose.
• Please answer the door with cookies in hand. (Bucket of cookies is to the left of the door).
• If you are baking and feel  tired, try to take a break outside with the horses. Please take cookies!
• When finishing one kind of cookie and transitioning into another cookie recipe,  do not throw away any ingredients  away. Insteads put peels, rinds, vegetable chunks, and seeds, aside in bucket next to cookie bucket. Feed these to the horses every other time the horses ring the bell!
• Realize that mistakes happen! Don't panic.  Place odd-shaped cookies in cookie bucket and feed to horses!
• Do not waste any time picking up cookies that accidentally drop on the ground during the baking process!  Simply sweep into a pile, take to the front door and shout: "Luna.....Alley..." Then relax! Your canine cleaning crew is on it's way!
• When it is time to leave, please remember to take the bucket to the left of the door with you to your car (you can bring it back the next time you come to work) and thank your equine good-night crew with any left over cookies!

 

    

           Thank you for remembering these important aspects of your job.  The horses appreciate you very much!

-- "SKODE"

Skode's Horse Treats, Inc.

www.skodeshorsetreats.com

"It's About a Lifestyle"

 

The Special Ones Come To Us on Purpose

They Come to us for a Reason

 Kristen and Seven

 

 I received an email today,  from a horse woman who was unknowingly sold a horse with some physical challenges she didn't know about until the horse was hers.

 Does this sound like a story you have already heard or experienced yourself? I think virtually every horse person on the planet can relate very strongly to this woman.  I know I can, as both Raya and Vashka came to me with serious health challenges I wasn't privy to until their checks were written and they were mine.

Vashka had tremendous back pain, feet issues and Insulin Resistance. Raya, even though she was only 6 months old, had a knee injury! I believe every horse who comes into our lives does so on purpose. And I believe that the horses with "issues" -- the Sensitive ones -- are guided to us with Divine Help.

When you read Kristen Hall's story you will feel her open heart -- her gratitude at being able to help her new horse,  Seven -- as opposed to feeling burdened by his problems.

" My friend Wendy and I had been thinking about rescuing a horse together. We weren't really actively looking for a horse, but we had seen some pictures of horses at the local feedlot; the pictures were posted on the Facebook page of a horse rescuer we know. We actually saw a nice Paint gelding that we liked, but he was adopted by someone else immediately.

Two weekends ago, I went over to the rescuer's barn to meet some of the recent rescued horses. She said if I came out to the feedlot with her that day, that she would rescue a pregnant mare from there for her daughter. Well, how could I say no?? All I had to do was go and it would save the life of the mare and her unborn foal.

On our way there she mentioned that at the feedlot they just got in a black gelding that was a broke trail horse I might be interested in. I said, "Oh, we're not actively looking for another horse..." Anyway, long story short I fell in love with him that day, and my friend Wendy came out to meet him the next day and fell in love with him, too. So we decided to get him. He was only $500, although that's a little expensive for a horse at the feedlot. After we paid for him, we noticed that he had a gash on his back left leg.

The person at the feedlot hadn't noticed it (yeah, right).
We brought Seven, (we call him this because of the white blaze in the shape of a 8 on his face) home to our barn that day. Meanwhile, the rescuer posted pictures of Seven and me on her Facebook page. This is where the drama begins.

A local horse trainer saw the picture and posted this comment on Facebook: Oh wow that black gelding is Seven from X stables. If anybody would like the back story on him let me know. He is potentially dangerous and someone could get hurt. his sore on his back leg has been treated by Dr Paul Wietz from Northfield, MN and last I had heard he was gonna need a very expensive surgery to fix him.

As you can imagine, my heart sank when I read that. Not so much about the expensive surgery, but that he was potentially dangerous. I was very worried that our barn owner would get hurt being around him. And I was worried that I could get hurt! Wendy and I got on the phone with this trainer.

She claimed that he had hurt several people, but she couldn't give us any specifics. She had never trained this horse, but she knew a trainer who does "the old cowboy ways" (in other words, abusive training methods) who couldn't break this horse. We found her credibility to be sorely lacking. I did some research and found out that she had been kicked out of 3 barns in the last year for safety violations. The good thing that came from the conversation is that she knew the vet who had been treating his leg since June.

We were able to contact the vet, who was lovely. He told us that this is not a dangerous horse, but he's in pain and is tired of being poked and prodded in his wound. The vet was also horrified that anyone had ridden this horse wounded. He did recommend exploratory surgery with another vet to find out if there was a foreign body in the wound that was preventing it from healing. He offered to give us all of Seven's medical records so that we didn't have to spend a lot of money coming to the same conclusion he had come to.

Meanwhile, I have spent quite some time with this horse and I can tell you he is the most gentle horse I've ever met . Our barn owner says he is a true gentleman! He is getting along very well in the herd and seems really happy and relaxed. So, he's going to the vet Sunday afternoon and will be looked at on Monday.

Another blessing is that since we are sharing this horse, we will split the cost of this surgery. I also find it serendipitous that this is happening the same week I get my bonus at work. I told Wendy the other day that this horse is a gift, and I truly believe that.

I will keep you posted on how it goes! He has really liked the "Flower Power" I add to his vitamins, and I know he will love the After Care cookies and the new trail mix too!!!

Kristen and "SKODE" -- aka -- Lori Yearwood
Skode's Horse Treats, Inc.

www.skodeshorsetreats.com

"It's About a Lifestyle"

951-572-0709

The Power of Projection

Exhausted, I forgot last night, that my young mare, Raya, is so shy and skittish. I walked straight into her space and swung my arms around her neck to give her a hug. Too tired to remember to moderate my motions, the flannel shirt that I had been holding flopped wildly around her neck.

My previously spooky mare simply melted into my embrace, flannel shirt and all.

We hugged under the moon and I kissed her on the check. 

"I love you Raya," I said as I walked away.

Then I remembered. Raya doesn't like to hug that close! Raya doesn't really like to hug at all! 

The entire episode has me wondering: How often do our projections of how we think our horses will act, effect our behavior and then their behavior? Vashka doesn't like to be scratched around his face-- unless a stranger who doesn't know this scratches his nose. Then Vashka bends his face in the middle of my admonition: "Oh, he doesn't really like that."

Horses are so unpredictable. At least, that's what we're told. 

Just maybe, though, it us who predict their behavior with our unpredictable projections. Maybe I should be too tired to project my thoughts around my horses more often!

 

Lori -- aka -- "SKODE"
www.skodeshorsetreats.com 
"It's About a Lifestyle"

Skode's - The Real Deal!

At Skode's Horse Treats, we work inside Skode's cottage, which she has turned into a bakery. Southern Oregon is famous for its cottage industry.  But it is my opinion that we have taken the term to a whole new level :).

At Skode's cottage, Skode's horses, Vashka and Raya, interrupt every work day on a regular basis to ring the doorbell for their cookies! We oblige, even when we at our busiest -- and we are nearly always busy!

Raya, ringing the bell for her cookies!

 

Skode and her bakers mix, form and create treats fit for the fanciest, hard working or simply the most beloved horses on the planet.  One baker's six-hour day in Skode's bakery yields 24 to 26 pounds of cookies and fills three, industrial size dehydrators. Each oven slow bakes your horses cookies for as many as 32 hours. We does this to retain the real-food vitamins and minerals in the foods we use.

 

We are a small company working very hard to grow. But we do not envision being a huge corporation run by machines -- we like giving you and your horses a deeply personal touch through our creations. We like spreading the apple pieces on top of your horses' apple cookies :)

 

And we will NEVER compromise on our quality. Everything we create is from a pure, whole food -- Organic if we can get it. Nothing we offer is "fortified" with vitamins and minerals.  If it has Skode's on it, we made it by hand and we made it from real food. 

 

Lori

 

Lori Yearwood

Skode's Horse Treats, Inc.

www.skodeshorsetreats.com

"It's About a Lifestyle" 

 

 

 

Meet Sadie and Chip -- "The Cinnamon Man"

 

June and Sadie and  Chip --  "The Cinnamon Man" -- have been together a little over a year.  Chip is 21.  Until he came to live with June he has spent his life living through a series of abusive homes.  He  almost died in the last one.

"They had to scrape him off the floor in a corner of a dark stall." June says.

You can see in this photo that Chip "The Cinnamon Man"  is a bit wide- eyed.   

 

But even at the time of this photo, his face is a lot softer than the totally buggy-eyed look he once had when he came to live with June Nishi in Oregon.

Look again and you may also notice the lighter color hair around Chip's nose.

"Previously, a halter was placed on him and never taken off so the the halter cut into his skin," June wrote me. 

So Chip is understandably leery of halters. He has a lot of other scars on his body, too.

"But I think he is adorable," June says. Thus, her nickname for him: "The Cinnamon Man."

These days, Chip the Cinnamon Man, and Sadie, another beautiful rescue pony, are Skode's customers. These horses have experienced the worst in life. Now they are experiencing the best.

"He's the sweetest little mini you'd want to meet," she says. "He is just so gentle and kind even though he has his fear issues.  You can tell that he just so wants to bond with you if he can get over his fear issues and when he is in the present he literally will latch onto me like velcro."

Sometimes The Cinnamon Man likes to get a hug. Other times the demons inside his head get the better of him and he bolts at the thought of human touch.

 Sadie, his friend,  is bold and confident and funny even though she, too was once a rescue mini.

"She really takes care of Chip," June says. "She tries to help him out of his shell, particularly when stuff from the past crops up all of a sudden here."

The flashbacks can be so frustrating. 

"He goes along well --  and then boom..out of the clear blue...it's like he has a psychotic attack," June says.

June  works with a woman who trained in Linda -Tellington Joan's T-Touch. The trainer is an animal commmunicator and while she and June and Chip have made a lot of progress the trainer admits that Chip is one of the most difficult horses with whom she has ever worked.

"She tells me never to give up though because even though it seems like Chip is regressing at times, he loves it here and does not want to leave."

Luckily, June works from home so she is able to spend a lot of time with her Chip and Sadie. 

"All I want is to give him peace and some happiness for the remaining years of his life and to have him experience joy," June says.

To do the things she wants to do -- like take him for long walks in the forest and clean his feet for the farrier, June needs to be able to halter Chip. Given all the The Cinnamon Man has been through with halters, the task can be challenging.

"But truly," June wrote to me,  "Your cookies are doing wonders.  He LOVES them. He is calm and lets me put his halter on in the pasture.  That may seem like a little thing but it is HUGE for him and for me.  I am so proud of him and he seems very calm nowadays ever since the cookies!" 

Sadie, of course,  gets Skode's cookies, too.  She gets them for being good.  She gets them for helping June out with Chip.  And she gets them during a game June has created for all of them.

"She watches me work with him --  and when he does something good, we walk over to her and she gets a cookie too so she is cheering him on!"

This way she is not left out.  After their workout sessions the human/equine herd runs around in the pasture together, chasing each other and laughing and having a good time.

  

June is very careful not to run out of cookies...

"I am trying to portion out what I have left so as not to run out...I am getting a bit paranoid about the cookies but not only do they love it but they are so good for them beside being low in sugar and I don't think I really have to worry about them gaining weight either."

 

A few days ago June thanked me for doing what I do for horses -- "especially for the special ones who really need that something extra like Chip and for Sadie," she wrote in a beautiful email.

But when I read June's letter it is I who felt overwhelmed with gratitude. I am very proud to be part of Chip and Sadie and June's lives. It means everything to me to help horses heal through the joy of a treat.

"SKODE" 

Skode's Horse Treats, Inc.

www.skodeshorsetreats.com

"It's About a Lifestyle"

 

 

How my Animals are Teaching me to Care for Myself

Luna, my Beagle, had surgery yesterday on her back leg. Somehow, the ALC ligament, tore. It needed to replaced. She has gone through surgeries before but never like this. So the level of pain she is experiencing afterward scares me a lot.

She cries, I rush to her side. She looks at me with a certain look in her eyes and I am down on my knees, offering her water, grilled sirlon , grilled cod -- Luna, honey, how can I help? When it comes to my animals, I am a woman of action.

It doesn't matter what else is going on. If Vashka and Raya need blankets or special herbs or more hay -- whatever it is -- I produce. I'm not bragging. I know everyone reading this does the same for their animal family. Whatever it is our animals need, we find a way to make it happen.

You may have read Thursday's post from the woman who gets up every morning at 4 a.m. so she can ride her horse, who needs the exercise to ward off his Insulin Resistance. I know of another customer who has two jobs -- one as a teacher and another as a grocery store clerk -- so she can take care of her horses in the manner to which they are accustomed.

I know I am far from alone in my devotion to my animals. The question that occurs to me though, is this: Why don't I care for myself like I care for my animals? "If you loved yourself the way you love your horses you would rise to a whole new level in your life" my friend Delia told me. We were talking about self-care. Ah, self care.

For me it can be a gigantic step to simply buy myself a pair of socks without guilt. (The other day I bought some Alpca wool socks. But before I shelled out the $24 for them,I had to pray and ask if it really was okay to splurge like that. Yes, Lori, I heard. YES. Well, alright, I thought, and tentatively bought something luxurious for myself).

But Vashka? Raya? Luna? "Whatever it takes, I don't care how much it costs," I heard myself saying when I found out Luna now needs some joint supplement, probably for the rest of her life. When it comes to my babies, money manifestation is not a problem.

Not so long ago, I was a HUGE leap of faith for me to pay for the care of my animals. I am not exaggerating when I say that I have had maybe $14 in the bank and the horses needed hay. A ton of hay in Oregon costs $255. What to do? What should I do?

Not very long after that, it was as a set of instructions were dowloaded into my brain. I followed instructions -- introduce an autoship program. I sent the newsletter. And within an hour I had three or four autoships on which I could depend. That was three years ago and I have never stopped feeling the impact of that experience.

"Lori -- do that for yourself," my friend Delia said. But Delia, I countered, that's like telling someone who has 35 cents that they need to spend $1. Then another truth arose.

We talked a little more and I realized it's not about making money. It's about making a commitment. This time, to myself. My animal family has taught me how to do that. I know exactly how to draw the mental line in the sand.

I know how to ask for Guidance. I know how to follow through. So now it's time to do that for myself.

Maybe, just maybe, this doesn't require sacrifice. It didn't with my animal family. The whole world expands when I commit to them. We meet new people. We go new places. We have fun. The love for an animal will change everything if you let it.

I bought a nice rug to place next to my bed the other day. I have been wanting one for a long time. Now, every time I put my bare feet down on that rug on a cold morning I am grateful to myself. Not so long after I bought the rug I bought a new microwave that actually works. Every time I heat my coffee, I smile.  

Do I have this lesson down perfectly? Ha. Just a moment ago I looked at Luna, laying on her fluffy bed, healing from her surgery.  My cottage gets so cold. I don't mind being cold (translation = it's only me) . Then Luna shivered. Off I went to make that fire,  laughing at myself as I gathered the wood.

As many of you know, I work  closely with holistic equine experts.

Catherine Bird, author of A Healthy Horse the Natural Way and Equine Naturopath Dr. Cassie Schuster have both helped me help my animals. Over and over, I hear them say that animals will take on our problems to lessen our burdens and/or really get the lesson in front of us.

 Self care is my lesson. I'm starting to get it. A huge thank you to all of my animals, especially Vahska and Luna. With everything I have and all of who I am today, thank you.

 

Lori Yearwood

 

Skode's Horse Treats, Inc.

www.skodeshorsetreats.com

"It's About a Lifestyle"

Anti-Fungal Salve means the end of Rain Rot scabs for Skode's Mascot

 

In Southern Oregon,  where it basically rains from November until the end of April,  Winter generally =  Rain Rot. At least that's what it has always meant for Vashka,  Skode's mascot.

Times were,  he would get scabs in a couple of places at least  three or four times a year.  Off to the feed store I would go, to try different lotions and potions and motions.  Now that I have learned more about whole food nutrition and altered Vashka's diet accordingly, these unsightly scabs have all but disappeared.  Turns out horses who are susceptible to rain rot often have compromised immune systems -- and thus increased nutritional needs that need to be addressed.  But that's another post.

This post is about a 100 percent natural, herbal-based product called The Anti-Fungal Salve. 

The Salve -- made by a company called Zephyr's Gardens in Santa Barbara, Ca., --  didn't simply heal the rain rot scab I found on Vashka.  Nor did it help the scab gradually disappear.  No, the Anti-Fungal Salve banished  the scab.  And it it performed this miracle pretty much instantly.

I know what you're thinking:  SHOW ME. 

Glad you asked! Because I have a photo I want to show you. :)

This first photo shows you Vashka's rain rot scab.  He's a grey so it's easy to see:

 

 Rain Rot Scabs embedded in Vashka's fur

 

 You can see the pink skin underneath Vashka's coat.  This is a point of infection, a point where the organism, called dermatophilus congolensis -- has taken hold.  D. congolensis is a facultative anaerobe, which is just a super complicated way of saying that it uses oxygen to produce energy when it's available, but that it's also able to switch to fermentation when necessary, which means  it can easily thrive in an oxygen-deprived environment.

 Also referred to as "rain scald" -- rain rot is very contagious. You can spread it through grooming tools, through blankets, saddle pads, etc.  However I always come back to the point of nutrition because I have two horses and my other horse,  Raya,  never ever gets rain rot.  But again, I digress. The point of this post is how to banish  the rain rot once you find it. 

Look what happened literally seconds after I applied the Zephyr Garden Anti-Fungal Salve:

 

 Rain Rot scabs easily lifted by Anti-Fungal Salve

 

Yes. The scabs literally slid off of Vashka's coat.  Some people say you need to wash the horse's coat before you try to remove the scabs. This was not my experience.  I simply dabbed on a very small amount of the Anti-Fungal Salve.

I did not rub.  I did not re-apply.  I simply dabbed.  Then, when I touched Vashka's coat,  the scabs slid off. 

I emailed Georgette Topakas, the owner of Zephyr's Gardens. "I'm so excited!" I wrote.

" Salves are really amazing," Georgette wrote back. " Old as the hills, but a wonderful way to treat the skin.  Deep penetrating, a great carrier for herbs....I see no downsides except a little greasy, but for scabs, you can't beat them. " 

The Anti-Fungal Salve, voted top Product of the Year, by CA Riding Magazine, contains, among other ingredients:  Echinacea, Burdock, Goldenseal Root, Chapparal, Calendula, Sage, Tea Tree, Black Walnut Hulls and other herbs.

I didn't plan the timing of this post in any way.  It just turns out -- you are so LUCKY -- that the Anti-Fungal Salve is on sale if you decide to buy The Total Antil-Fungal Triple Pack.  I bought my salve singularly, in the 80z size.  Either way,  I highly recommend Zephyr Garden's products. 

Click Here to learn more about Gerogette's Anti-Fungal Salve and other Anti-Fungal products. 

 

 

"SKODE" and Vashka!

 

Skode's Horse Treats, Inc.

www.skodeshorsetreats.com

"It's About a Lifestyle"

Hot Applesauce and Squash Soup to Hydrate Your Horse

Hydrate and nourish your horse with Applesauce/Squash Soup on cold, Winter nights/mornings.  This is a low sugar/starch, whole food recipe my horses -- even my picky mare -- slurps up with absolutely no hesitation.

I like to serve at night before I go to bed. Feeding it gives me the reassurance that my horses are drinking the water they need in this super cold weather we're experiencing in Southern Oregon.

Simply mix:

• 1 liter(about the equivalent of a standard tea kettle) hot but not scalding water.
• 1/3 cup no-sugar added apple sauce
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• A dash of salt
• 1/3 cup raw yellow squash or zucchini
• Kale or Iceberg lettuce leaves
• 1 tablespoon Spirulina 
• 1 tablespoons Beet Root powder
• 1 liter(about the equivalent of a standard tea kettle) hot but not scalding water.

This recipe is a foundation recipe. You can always get even more creative by adding other foods.  The point is to encourage your horse to drink. Have fun! 

 

"Skode"

Skode's Horse Treats, Inc.

www.skodeshorsetreats.com

"It's About a Lifestyle"

Overcoming Petty Differences

Vashka and his mares next door

 

We don't really get along with our neighbors, to be honest.

Our judgement against them is that they don't take care of their property, their fencing -- or their horses.  We are forever worrying about the health of one of their horses, about the holes in the fence (from their dogs), etc. However, our horses and their horses, have formed very deep bonds among each other. 

Every morning they gather at the fence line to socialize, play and groom each other.  I love to give them treats, as everyone nickers and runs to the fence line when they see me coming!

Sometimes, it looks like they hate each other -- they pin their ears back and bite at each other a lot. They definitely have their petty differences.  But no one ever gets hurt, and every evening they stand together and  bow their long necks beneath the moon to nap.

Vashka is the only male and these mares, along with his own Raya, are his family. This is his herd and they mean the world to him.  Since we moved here, I have never seen him happier.  Knowing how important these friendships are to Vashka, my mother and I do our best to get along with the neighbors. We don't want them to get mad and separate the horses. It would be easy for them to do -- they have an entire parcel of property that they could cordon off.  

So we overlook things, we forgive things, we do things we don't always want to do -- and we remind ourselves of that saying: "Live and Let Live." 

As I look out my kitchen window it occurs to me how huge this lesson is -- how many times and in how many forms it has come to me.  But I never "got it" until my horse's happiness was at its epicenter.

That's how it is with horses.  When we love them like we do, they teach us how to get along in life.

 

"Skode" -- aka -- Lori Yearwood

Skode's Horse Treats, Inc.

www.skodeshorsetreats.com

"It's About a Lifestyle"