Pet Set Horse Source

Fall/Winter 2011/2012 • Pet Set Horse Source • Page 1

Lake Superior Press

l a k e s u p e r i o r p r e s s . n e t

802 South Lake Street • Marquette, MI 49855(906) 228-7450 • Fax (906) 228-3188

We all know what it takes. The time, the practice, the care, the drive.

The ability to excel takes all of it. But not everyone can or does.

We do.On time, award-winning,

Perfection.

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Pet Set Horse Source is a magazine for thepet lovers of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It is published three times a year—spring,summer, fall/winter—and is available (free)at veterinary offices, tack and feed stores,pet shops, grooming salons and other various businesses across the U.P.

PUBLISHER & EDITOR-In-CHIEFJoni Gleason

GRAPHIC DESIGNJoni Gleason

COPY EDITORJacquelyn Laitala

Julie Savola

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSBill Casagranda, Tim Hunt, DVM, Josh Lyons, Tonja Acker-Richards,

Scott Jandron DVM, Julie Savola, Joy Smith

Questions? Comments?Advertising inquiries?

Or to submit an article or photos:Contact Joni Gleason

(906)[email protected]

Published by: Companion Publishing

255 W. Water St.Negaunee, MI 49866

Fall 2011 • Volume 12

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Page 2 • Pet Set Horse Source • Fall/Winter 2011/2012

Welcome!

Here we go - after this beautiful fall we’ve experienced here in the U.P. we have anoth-

er winter get through. That’s how I usually feel about winter; l just want to get through it.

Let’s face it, we can rationalize our choice to live in the U.P. all we want - it’s still not easy

taking care of horses when the temp drops and the snow banks rise. It can also be quite the

challenge to get our canine friends out for some exercise too. My two Toy Fox Terriers, Zeke

and Sister, don’t handle the cold well so they get quite house bound. We play lots of fetch

with that little yellow tennis ball inside when it’s cold!

You may have noticed this issue of Pet Set Horse Source is a fall/winter combination. I

made that decision since pet related events and activities normally slow down this time of

year. Now this is not the rule for everyone. As we all know, sled dogs are at the peek of their

season and sleigh riding kicks into gear, but in general much pet activity ‘freezes up’ in win-

ter.

Note this issue also does not contain our regular calendar section either, for that same

reason. But if you have an event you’d like to get out to our audience, email it to me and I

will get it out on my email list (it’s pretty good size) and put it on our Facebook fan page.

You can put it on our Facebook fan page yourself too if you’d like!

As of this writing, we’ve just tied up our second very successful summer season at

Heritage Hills Horseback Riding and we’re approaching the very first winter season that we’ll

stay open. We’ll take riders out on the snowy trails, weather permitting, and I invite you to

dress warm and come along! Bill Richards from Ishpeming is also going to be bringing out

his handsome Fjord team for sleigh rides on the weekends too! So I’m really looking forward

to this winter - much more than I have in the past! The winter will be much easier and tons

of fun if we got outside together with our pet buddies and enjoy a little bit of our winter

wonderland!

Have a great fall and winter and thanks for reading! —Joni

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: I am thrilled to announce, introduce and please helpme welcome Josh Lyons to Pet Set Horse Source magazine! He will be writing reg-ular training articles for us for the next year! I feel so fortunate to have him withus. You can also find him online and on face book and we look forward to possi-bly having him here next summer for a clinic, lessons and/or training!

Your Horses Fear pg. 17


BLAZE THE TRAIL TO THECHAMPION ARENABY TONJA ACKER-RICHARDS

THIRSTY?BY SCOTT JANDRON, DVM

SLEIGH BELLS RINGBY TONJA ACKER-RICHARDS10

4

6

COVER PHOTO: ‘Diesel’

by Robin WigginsCaptive Memories

Photography

CONTENTS

ITCHING TO LEARN ABOUTALLERGIES?BY TIM HUNT, DVM

YOUR HORSES FEARBY JOSH LYONS

TALES FROM A DOG OBEDI-ENCE INSTRUCTOR • VOL. 3 BY JULIE SAVOLA

UNCOVERING THE PASTBY JONI GLEASON

EMOTIONS OF PET LOSSBY JOY SMITH

PET PARTNERSBY JULIE SAVOLA

24

26

28

20

17

12

Gloria


Picture a gathering place for a community to share fellowship and reunite with each

other. Imagine an area to gather and share the passion of nature and wooded trails.

Visualize a venue for events that would indulge a wide spectrum of interests.

A covered common space/arena with adjoining kitchen facilities inside, with camping

and RV sites outside, would allow for endless activities. Family reunions, ATV club meetings,

business retreats, recreational and competitive horseback riding events, animal training

seminars, musical events, and other specific interest groups could use this facility. The

Champion Arena is conceptualized as a place for families and groups to gather and cele-

brate; protected from fickle U.P. weather.

The Champion Trailblazers are spearheading the project; most of them lifelong residents

of Marquette County’s west end who share an interest to vitalize this area, particularly the

site in Champion. This site has long been the location of the Champion Horse Pull. When

discussing this concept with the horse owner/trainers and staff they were resoundingly in

favor of a covered arena.

Local animal lovers would enjoy the site in many ways, including animal friendly camp-

ing. Trails lead into the woods to many destinations including Lake Michigamme, the town

of Champion, Van Riper State Park and Humboldt Township. Trail riders report wildlife

sightings along these trails that include eagles and deer. Respectful use of the trail by fel-

low trail users from bikers to horseback riders have also been observed.

The fundraising goal this year for grants and construction is $10,000. The Trail Blazers

have been fund raising at local events, holding informational talks displaying property

sketches and aerial photos to inform and encourage interest in this exciting project. T-shirts

are also for sale in a rainbow of colors that represent the spirit of this project by proclaim-

ing “Build It. They Will Come.”

Please take the time to talk with a representative and consider a donation of time or

money. For more information contact the Trailblazers at (906) 371-2360, or find us on

FACEBOOK.

Blaze the Trail

to the Champion Arena

by Tonja Acker-Richards



This concern escalates when it is paired

up with an increased frequency of uri-

nation, especially if it involves “acci-

dents” inside the house. The first question I

am asked is, “Does he/she have diabetes?”

Most people are aware of the clinical signs

humans have when they develop diabetes

mellitus, and dogs do exhibit many of the

same signs. However, increased thirst and

urination can be related to several different

ailments.

If five dogs with increased thirst and urine

output were lined up, each dog could have

very different underlying reasons for these

symptoms. Some of the more common dis-

eases associated with increased thirst and

urination include diabetes mellitus,

Cushing’s disease, psychogenic polydipsia,

and diabetes insipidus. There is also a long

list of “miscellaneous” causes that need to

be considered. Even though these diseases

are very different in most respects, most

dogs will exhibit some degree of increased

thirst and urination.

Diabetes mellitus, or “sugar diabetes”, is

one of the two most common ailments that

will be diagnosed in regard to these clinical

signs. With dogs, this disease is usually

caused because the pancreas doesn’t pro-

duce enough insulin. Without insulin, blood

sugar remains high and eventually passes

into the urine. This inhibits the kidneys’ abil-

ity to draw fluid back into the body, thus

causing a high volume of urine to be

released. Because much of the dog’s fluids

are being lost through the urine, the dog will

feel thirsty, and will try to re-hydrate

him/herself by drinking more water. Other

signs may also be noticed, such as increased

Thirsty?

One of the most common concernsI hear from a dog owner is

that their pet is drinking an unusual large amount of water.

by Scott Jandron, DVM


hunger, weight loss, and a poor hair coat.

Cushing’s disease is the second of the two

most common ailments that exhibit symp-

toms of increased thirst and urination. This

disease is an imbalance of a hormone called

cortisol that is produced in the adrenal gland

of the dog. Too much of this hormone is

released into the blood stream and this caus-

es changes and responses in many areas of

the body. Along with increased thirst and

urination, many other signs such as

increased appetite, panting, weight gain,

reduced activity, enlargement of the

abdomen, and hair loss may also appear.

A less common disease related to

increased thirst and urination is called psy-

chogenic polydipsia. I always call this a big

ugly medical term for a “nervous habit”. This

tends to occur more in high-energy dogs

that are bored or have problems with anxi-

ety. As with humans, dogs can develop

obsessive-compulsive disorders and this is

one of them. With this disorder, the dog will

drink a volume of water in a day that far

exceeds what his/her body needs. The kid-

neys respond by doing their job releasing the

excess fluid through the urine. Normally, a

dog with this issue has no other significant

physical problems.

Diabetes insipidus is the lesser-known

“diabetes” that dogs can develop. Even

though it can resemble diabetes mellitus in

certain ways, it develops from a completely

different dysfunction. It is caused by an

imbalance of a hormone called ADH, which

is produced by the pituitary gland. This hor-

mone stimulates the kidneys to regulate fluid

retention or release. ADH not only helps to

keep the dog properly hydrated, it also helps

regulate body functions such as blood pres-

sure. With this disease, the communication

between the pituitary gland and the kidney

is poor. The kidney continues to release fluid

from the body, even when it is not supposed

to. Because of this, the dog loses too much

fluid and has to drink excessively to try and

keep up with the loss.


Lastly, there is what I call the “miscella-

neous” category of what can cause increased

thirst and urination. A dog’s diet can have a

tremendous effect on the amount of water

that they consume. Diets high in salt or

sugar will stimulate a dog to want to drink

more water. Think about how you feel after

eating a meal or a snack that is high in salt.

Next, if a dog has a fever or infection, he/she

may also want to drink more water. For

some reason, I will see many dogs come in

with a urinary bladder infection and one of

the primary complaints is that the dog is

thirsty. In addition, on hot and muggy days,

dogs need to pant to decrease their core

body temperature. This will cause a drop in

body fluid levels, and will stimulate them to

drink more water. It isn’t always a major dis-

ease that can lead to increased thirst and uri-

nation. Sometimes it can turn out to be a

very simple solution.

As you can see, many diseases and cir-

cumstances can cause a dog to drink large

volumes of water and urinate frequently. I

touched on some of the more common

ones, but I couldn’t cover every possible sit-

uation due to the constraints of this article.

When veterinarians see cases like these, they

automatically have a long list of possibilities

on their mind. By speaking with the owner,

examining the dog, and performing labora-

tory tests, the underlying cause can be deter-

mined and a treatment plan can be estab-

lished to allow the owner to fix the problem

and/or manage the disease.

Dr. Scott Jandron has been practicingcompanion animal medicine in the

Ishpeming-Negaunee area since 1993,and is currently co-owner of NorthernVeterinary Associates in Ishpeming. He

is a regular contributor to Pet Set HorseSource. He welcomes your pet-related

questions; send them to:Scott Jandron, DVM 661 Palms Avenue

Ishpeming, MI 49849Or e-mail: [email protected]



Not all that long ago here in the Upper

Peninsula horses rolled and plowed

the deep snow, and took children to

school in carriages heated with wood stoves.

My neighbor, Irene from Ontonagon,

remembers this fondly from her youth and

notes the first boy on lit the stove and all were

toasty by the time they hit the school

grounds.

Farmers used horses exclusively at the turn

of the century (1800-1900s) for plowing

fields, harvesting crops, turning turbines and

hauling hay. Horses, often heavy drafts, like

Belgians and Clydesdales pulled skids full of

massive logs from the forests and even along

the rivers and canals. Sleds were pulled over

ice covered lakes to cut and haul blocks of ice

packed in sawdust for refrigeration.

Ponies worked in the mine shafts, and I

suspect keeping miners’ spirits bright too.

This is where the word “teamster” originated,

before trucks and tractors, and likely before

unions, when men drove teams of horses for

various mundane errands and sometimes

dangerous tasks.

Keep in mind that thorough preparation of

both man and beast is the key to workplace

safety in a mine, on the trail or in your back

field. Driving a horse is different from riding a

horse in two basic ways: All cues come from

the hands (and voice) behind the horse, none

from the leg and seat which are aids used

extensively when riding astride. And unlike

the simple riding saddle, the driving equip-

ment, which at first appears an ungainly tan-

gle of leather and chains, is the second major

difference.

Most horses are taught to drive through a

basic progression. Young and green horses

require “sacking out” from the ground to

desensitize the horse to the unfamiliar sounds

and feel of the lines, harness and other driv-

ing equipment. The equipment is introduced

progressively until the horse will relax with his

full regalia on. Working the horse to be

respectful of commands from the driver/train-

er are taught using basic natural horseman-

ship methods on line, in the round pen and

even under saddle. Ground driving is like

longing with a line attached to each side of

the halter or bit. The driver teaches the horse

from a behind-the-horse position how to

steer right and left by using the verbal com-

mands “gee” and “haw” respectively. My

husband, Bill, includes the name of the horse

prior to the command in preparation for

future team harness, ”Nick, Whoa,” “Ike, Get

up,” “Cassie, Come around,” and so forth.

by Tonja Acker-Richards

Sleigh Bells RingP

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Heritage Hills Horseback Riding in Ishpeming will host weekend sleighrides throughout the winter season with

Bill and his beautiful Norwegian Fjord Draft horse team. Contact Joni or Phil Gleason at 906-361-TROT (8768) or email [email protected]

to schedule a ride in a horse draw sleigh!

Teaching your cart horse how to stand still

is of primary importance. The horse must

stand while being hitched to the sleigh, cart

or work implement, and while passengers and

supplies are loaded. Teaching the horse to

side pass, or crossover legs to move diagonal-

ly, begins to be quite important since horses

cannot arch their bodies in shafts but instead

must come around, or make a circle using the

side pass to pivot the wheel or sled runner.

Accepting the cart is broken down into

small steps like dragging a tire, walking near a

“human drawn” cart, ponying from behind

another cart, pulling a forecart, dragging a

short log, and so on. Horses need to learn not

to fear the load “following” them, especially

once that load includes noisy and unpre-

dictable human passengers.

Bill & I learned what we know from Steve Bowers and his son Nate, who use natural methods to obtain respect and safety. We highly recommend reading his book,“Farming with Horses.” For those interested in learning to drive or work with horses

contact William Richards at 906-360-0212, or visit www.PondHousePonies.com, and find us on Facebook.


The itchy dog or cat; by far the most common issue I’ve seen over the years as a veterinar-

ian, so let’s take a look at the reasons behind the itching

First, consider all the reasons why your dog or cat could be itchy:

• Atopy: pollen allergies that are seasonal and makes them itch at their ears, face, groin,

armpits, feet or under their tail.

• Food allergy: non-seasonal itch of ears, feet, or under their tail.

• Parasites: mange, a non-seasonal itch anywhere on the body; and fleas, which makes them

itchy over the tail head.

• Contact allergy: itchy where the animal comes in contact with something, or hypersensi-

tivity to their own normal skin inhabitants (yeast and bacteria).

The most important thing I can do is obtain a really good history from the owner about this

itchy issue. Why? Because in order to treat the current problem and anticipate how we are

going to prevent further problems, I need to know the following information:

• The current age of the animal.

• Where does the animal itch?

• Which came first, the itch or the scab?

• When did the itching start?

• How severe is the itch?

• What medications have been tried, and what was the result?

• What food changes have been tried?

• Has there been any blood work done?

Determining the cause of the itch is not insurmountable. However, it does take patience, a

very thorough history, and more patience. One thing to remember with skin issues is that they

can require a lengthy game of CSI to fix the problem – it might take some time on the part of

the vet and client to solve the riddle. Quick fixes are usually just that; a short relief for your pet

before the itching recurs. If we want to do our best to eliminate and prevent recurrence of that

dreaded itch, we need to take our time and do it right.

To read more about pet allergies and how we can best treat these animals visit www.drtims.com

Sign up for Dr. Tim's Newsletter too for money saving discounts, news, and more pet education.

Itching to Learn

about Allergies?

by Dr. Tim Hunt, DVM




Fear is normal and necessary for survival.

The horse is a flight animal – typically

runs first and thinks later. What you

should do, though, is to teach your horse

how to handle his fear so that you and the

horse stay safe.

Most people think that fear in horses is a

weakness. This is natural for us to think

because much of what scares a horse doesn’t

scare us so we think that the horse shouldn’t

be afraid. We also see it as a weakness

because it is the horse’s reaction to fear that

often gets us hurt. When a horse becomes

afraid there is a conflict between two areas –

the brain (which makes the decisions) and the

body, where the uncomfortable feelings

occur. These uncomfortable feelings can be in

the form of physical pain or anxiety that is felt

internally. To deal with the fear, the horse

may bolt, run, jerk back, etc. in order to get

away from the scary situation or pain. Your

goal is to teach the horse how to handle him-

self and respond to your cues when he

becomes afraid.

There are two common methods that

many people use when dealing with fear in

horses. One method is to talk, pat or rub your

horse trying to convince him to relax and

calm down. Patting, rubbing and talking in a

soothing voice is often used and may have

some effect on your horse but is not a

method that will always calm your horse

down nor will it stop your horse from reacting

in unwanted ways to fearful situations.

Another method of dealing with fear in

your horse is the “used to” method. This is

where the handler tries to expose the horse to

as many different situations as they can possi-

bly think of. The idea is to get the horse “used

to” every object that they come across. This

method is good and I don’t discourage it but

has limitations. You will never be able to get

Your Horse’s Fearby John Lyons with Jeanne Wise Smith

All horses, like people, experience some type of

fear. Horse’s become afraid when faced with many dif-

ferent situations. You cannot stop a horse from becom-

ing afraid, nor should you try to stop them from being

afraid.


your horse “used to” every situation that

you will come across. While you are getting

your horse “used to” the objects you still

need a way to control his actions, reactions

or movements while you are trying to get

him “used to” everything.

The “Spook in Place” lesson is a founda-

tion lesson. I teach the horse that it is okay

to spook, jump or flinch when he is afraid

but just don’t move your feet and leave the

area. The horse is allowed to show fear but

just don’t leave. Another lesson that I teach

is “Emotional Training”. This lesson is found

in our Riding Manual. I teach the horse to

respond to the bridle as soon as I am able to

put a bit in his mouth. That way I can con-

trol the hips and shoulders (nose, ear, tail) or

any other part of the horse’s body any time

I ask. I introduce scary objects, one at a time,

and if the horse chooses to move from the

scary object while I am holding the rein as I

stand next to his head, I control the move-

ment with the bridle. I do this lesson gradu-

ally, introducing objects that are not very

scary and working my way to objects that

may be more challenging. This is an excel-

lent lesson along with the “Spook in Place”

lesson that I recommend that all horse be

introduced to and experience before you

ever consider getting on the horse’s back.

When I decide to ride, the horse already

has had practice of being controlled with

the bridle when he becomes afraid. I can

stay on the horse’s back when he is startled

or gets scared, because although he may

flinch I can control his movements with the

bridle to keep the horse and myself safe.

Be careful not to think that your horse’s

fear is not real or important to the horse. We

may think that the horse should not be

afraid, but the reality is that your horse does

get afraid and it is real to him. It is also

unreasonable to think that your horse will

never become afraid again. The key is that

he needs to be trained to handle his fear and

respond to your cues so that both of you

remain safe.


Josh Lyons – The Next Generation…

As a youngster, Josh grew up in western Colorado, helping his father on a cattle ranch.Training horses was not the family focus at the time, rather earning a living from the live-stock industry was. As a result of this exciting and challenging occupation, the Lyons'Legacy began.

Not long after working cattle, his dad switched gears and started to train horses. WhenJohn decided to share his training methods with others, Josh was there with him. Josh'sfondest memories are those traveling the country with his dad. Around age 13, Josh beganriding in his clinics. At age 16, Josh had the opportunity to train at a facility in Minnesotawhere he gave weekend clinics, trained horses and conducted private instruction. He thenrealized that he too had a passion for training horses and teaching people. He was success-ful at a young age and clearly had a gift.

Upon high school graduation, Josh went to work full time with his dad. Sometimes morethan 30 weeks each year were spent on the road conducting symposiums, clinics andexpos. At home Josh also assisted with the John Lyons Certification Program that he nowconducts, manages and owns, named the John and Josh Lyons Certification Program. Thisexperience is truly without comparison to others in the industry.

Today…A family man, Josh shares his life with his wife and partnerJana and sons Austin and Johnny on their ranch aboveParachute, Colorado. Josh and Jana are developing theirown horse breeding program.

Josh is in demand. Since 1997, he and Jana have organizedand conducted clinics. They have a busy road schedule aswell as manage the "John and Josh Lyons CertificationProgram." The certification program is one of the mostsought after and reputable equine educational schools inthe world. Currently there are trainers in 43 states and 6countries. He will continue to strengthen this network ofwonderful people they call certified trainers.“The most rewarding parts of running this school is to seewhat a positive impact our trainers have had in the equine industry.”

Josh has appeared at all the major horse expos including Equus America, Equine Affaire,and Equitana. In 2002, Josh won the "In a Whisper" challenge competing against Pat Parelliand Craig Cameron. He has developed his own equine educational products, appeared onRFD-TV, and written articles for numerous horse publications.


As a dog obedience instructor for better than 20 years I have lots of funny stories of how

my students overcame their own handicaps. I sometimes would whisper to the family

members that came to observe on the first night of class “watch this, it’s a stitch.” After

some brief instructions about where their dogs should be and how to correct position, I would

proceed to ask the class to start heeling their dogs for the first time. “Forward!” and the class

would stagger, zigzagging, almost tangling up with each other or stepping on their dog, bare-

ly able to walk, period. The company would

laugh their heads off.

Did all the students have a nip before class,

or were they suffering from a group neuro-

logical phenomenon? Neither. Most of them

could walk just fine until they had more than

one thing to think about at once; the “walk

and chew gum syndrome” if you will. As you

begin to hone your skills as a trainer, often the

simplest task is difficult in the beginning. But

the secret is to continue to practice until it

becomes natural and smooth and you don’t

even have to think about it.

Tales from a DogObedience Instructor

Vol 3 – Walk and Chew Gumby Julie Savola


Julie Savola operates her dog obedienceinstruction under the name K9 Basic O andhas been helping UP dog owners train theirdogs for over 20 years. She lives in Munisingwith her husband, Jerry, her Doberman, Doc,TBear, a miniature horse she is training fortherapy work and two riding horses; Moe, aTennessee Walking Horse and Byrd, a QuarterHorse she purchased for Team Penning.

Just as doing anything for the first time

whether it was riding a bike, bowling, golf,

(you name it), you mastered it by reading

about it? Nope. By watching a video? Nope.

You got better by doing it properly; over,

and over, and over. It would sometimes frus-

trate a student when their dog would per-

form perfectly when handled by me, but

when they took the leash they had trouble. I

would remind them I have been ‘practicing’

for 20 years; you have had 20 minutes, and

assured them it would come with more prac-

tice.

One of those shortcuts I promised you is

the importance of repetition, both for you

and your dog. As a dog starts to catch on to

what you are asking him to do, the secret is

to repeat the exercise a few times so he gets

the ‘ah ha!’ moment. When he is successful,

it is motivating for you both. By repeating

the exercise I do not mean doing it 47 times,

demonstrating for all the neighbors, then

calling the local Girl Scout troop in to

watch. Repeating an exercise a few times to

make sure he understands a command, but

not so many times he regrets learning it, or

worse yet he is so sick of it, it dampens his

enthusiasm. It will be up to you to find the

sweet spot for repetition. That will be differ-

ent depending on many factors: the breed of

dog, how patient you are, length of the

training sessions, and your feedback to the

dog.

Be sure to tune into the next issue where

we will discuss appropriate feedback and

timing. This often is the most important of

them all.

Until next time- SIT & STAY?

Until next time- SIT & STAY.


It’s easy to remember to have the hooves

trimmed and shoes reset during the riding

season, yet it seems to be very easy to for-

get once the mercury teeters at the zero mark

in winter. I have heard all the reasons for skip-

ping a trim or extending the interval during

this time of year; they don’t grow, they aren’t

being ridden, or it’s just too cold. Quite

frankly, even I don’t like to be under a horse

in subzero temperatures, but I want to take

this opportunity to discuss the importance of

being diligent about hoof care in the winter

months.

First, maintaining a proper trimming inter-

val is ALWAYS important. Allowing the hoof

capsule to become unbalanced causes

unequal stresses on the joints of the leg and

can affect the entire body. Short, regular trim-

ming intervals are always recommended to

keep proper balance and support to the leg

structures. Keeping the hoof trimmed will

help maintain soundness and proper move-

ment. Do yourself and your horses a favor by

keeping them trimmed as regular in the win-

ter as you do in the summer. If you haven’t in

the past, I challenge you to do so this winter

and see for yourself the difference in your

horses hoof health, and possibly even their

riding come spring.

Next, I would like to address the growth

rate of the hoof. Daylight, moisture, tempera-

ture, and nutrition are among many things

that affect the growth rate of the hoof. In the

fall, as the daylight dwindles and the temper-

atures drop, hoof growth does slow down.

The thing that many of us seem to forget is

that the days start getting longer already by

Christmas time. When you combine the slow-

ly increasing daylight with the moisture avail-

able in the snow, I see the growth rate of

hooves increasing by the end of January.

The largest factor for the seasonal change

in hoof growth here in the U.P. is nutrition.

Horses that maintain a well-adjusted diet

throughout the year maintain fairly uniform

hoof growth. Horses that are on pasture in

the summer and on hay only rations in the

winter can have big changes in their nutri-

tional intake. This causes slowing of hoof

growth and weaker, unhealthier hooves due

to missing vitamins and minerals. To ensure

proper hoof growth and strength, be sure to

supplement your horse’s diet during the win-

ter months with grain mixtures and supple-

ments. A proper feeding program will ensure

you horse is healthy and ready to perform in

the spring.

Finally, let’s talk about winter shoeing.

There are a couple of reasons for keeping

shoes on your horse in the winter, either you

would like to ride, or ongoing corrective

shoeing.

by Bill Casagranda

Winter Hoof Care!


For those of you who love to ride, no mat-

ter what the temperature is outside, I salute

you. Some of the best riding can be done in

the winter. The barns are less crowded, winter

trails can provide beautiful views, and you are

getting ahead of show competition by keep-

ing you horse in shape. If you need to have

shoes, there are plenty of options to keep you

going. A couple additions to your regular

shoeing job such as snow pads to prevent

‘snowballing’ on the hoof, and borium grab

on the shoe to prevent slipping can keep you

enjoying your favorite pastime year round.

Talk with your farrier on which options they

have available.

For those of you that are plagued by lame-

ness issues or gait problems, fall and winter

are the best times to address these problems.

Take the time in the fall while you are still rid-

ing to discuss in depth any issues that your

horse may have had during the previous rid-

ing season with your vet and farrier. Getting a

proper diagnosis may take some time, don’t

try to overload your equine professionals with

trying to do this a month or two before riding

season starts. In the spring both veterinarians

and farriers are very busy, why not use the off-

season of fall and winter to have them work

together to diagnose and treat whatever

problems your horse may be having to ensure

a good riding season the next year.

Remember that your horse’s hoof health

starts at home. Don’t forget the basics of

cleaning and treating the hooves between far-

rier visits. No Hoof, No Horse.

Bill was raised with standardbred race horses andlearned from his father to trim and shoe horses at a veryyoung age, shoeing on his own at age 16. He continuedto trim and shoe while attending Michigan TechnologicalUniversity where he graduated with a Bachelors Degreein Civil Engineering. After shoeing part time for severalyears, Bill returned to the Upper Peninsula and pursueda career shoeing full time. He continually seeks toimprove his knowledge of the farrier craft by attendingclinics and working closely with other equine profession-als in order to try to provide the best hoof care possiblefor each horse.


While exploring different backwoods areas in Marquette County near Negaunee where

we live, my husband and I actually stumbled upon what now is our own property

we call Heritage Hills. My vision of horseback riding trails weaving thru the pines and

hardwoods and in the open meadows below the surrounding protective bluffs was very

clear.......

What I didn’t see right away was the past. This area between Negaunee and Ishpeming was

quite a popular area at one time, and like rocks on our trails that resurface with use, we’re

learning the ‘lay of the land’ and the way of life of these parts 100 years ago.

We found out right away that most of our 21 acres, was the original Wawonowin Golf

Course, which explains the varied terrain: open meadows and an interesting mix of different

pines and hardwood trees. The golf course was built in the late 1800’s and was moved to it

present location west of Ishpeming around 1967. The whole area between Negaunee and

Ishpeming was deemed unsafe caving ground from underground mining from nearby Mather

A and other mines within that area.

Over the last two summers we’ve taken a few older gentleman out on the trails who played

golf there and they showed us the t-box areas and some of the holes (we regularly ride hole 1

and 3). We’ve learned where the sport shop was and the driving range; the, now huge, cedar

trees that line the edge were used to mark the golfers swing distance.

by Joni Gleason

Uncoveringthe Past

The ‘ruins,’ we call it, where the

club house once stood is very appar-

ent; It’s a pit now with a big cement

pillar in the middle that was once a

chimney. The paved road that sur-

rounded it is still in good shape; it

even swings around to the front for

their once ‘valet parking.’

At Heritage Hills

Above photo: Jackson Mine.

Bottom photo: The Wawonowin club house and the 9th green.

Photos courtesy of Jack Deo of Superiorview Photos, Marquette. Check out more of his histori-

cal collections - 15,000 images and many great animal shots at www.viewsofthepast.com


We also take riders around the bluff just south of our main field. We ride around the old

land fill that now looks more like a huge meadow in Wyoming surrounded by high rock bluffs

and thick tree covered hills. The tall jagged bluff on the south east side used to be a crusher

I’m told!

We’ll then swing around to the west to a sunken open bowl type area that we learned used

to be an old horse race track called Union Park. Though, it was originally a baseball field built

in 1889. I found a recent article in the Mining Journal how the Green Bay, Wisconsin football

team (now the Green Bay packers) played the Twin Cities team at Union Park in 1919!

In another news paper article we found out that Buffalo

Bill and his Wild West show performced at Union Park on

August 15th, 1912. So mark your calendars next summer for

the 100-year anniversary that Buffalo Bill came to town!

We’re planning some type of celebration, or a special Buffalo

Bill ride maybe??

Brasswire ski jump was built on a

bluff just north of the Union Park in

1903. A train at the base of that bluff

brought people to and from the hill.

We now take riders on that railroad

grade after riding around ‘Union Park.’

I’m still learning about this area in it hay-day; the era that created and molded the U.P. that

we know today. I’ve often thought while leading a group for riders down and around hole one,

or along the edge of Union Park and the old Brasswire ski hill area: what would those folks think

if they knew this would one day be a public horseback riding operation!

Col. William Cody with admiring children

(Quoted from the Mining Journal March 24, 1976)

Above: 1906 photo of Brasswire Ski

Jump by Union Park between

Ishpeming and Negaunee.

Right: 1905 photo from the jump

looking down to the general area I

believe to be Union Park. Note the

horses pulling sleighs to the left.

Photos courtesy of U.S. Ski &

Snowboard Hall of Fame in

Ishpeming. www.skihall.com


Emotions of Pet Loss

by Joy Smith

PART 3:

Guilt, Denial, Depression

Guilt

It’s very common to blame yourself for a cherished pet’s death. A pet owner fed her

dog soft pork chop bones not knowing they would cause an internal hemorrhage. This

owner had an awful time coping with the loss because of the underlying guilt.

Euthanizing a sick or injured pet can result in a feeling of unbearable guilt as well. One

might wonder: Should I have tried harder? Why didn't I notice his failing condition?

Maybe God is punishing me for something.

Even if you DID make a tragic mistake or decision that caused your pet’s death, cling-

ing to guilt not only prevents you from recovering from your grief; it prevents you from

moving to a better and wiser relationship with future pets. Guilt does not help your

departed pet, it does not help you, and it does not help any future pet. Instead of help-

ing you learn and grow from your mistakes, guilt drags you into deeper pain.

Just as anger can make you unable to recover from grief because it diverts your atten-

tion from your deeper, more painful reactions, guilt can be just as dangerous. Guilt caus-

es you to focus on your inadequacies and failings rather than on your loss. Though anger

can distract you from pain, guilt adds to it by convincing you that, since you are to

blame, you deserve to suffer. Guilt distorts your self image, destroys your self confidence,

and undermines your strength.


Denial

Feelings of denial can be a way of focusing

your mind away from the pain. It's not so

much a distraction however, as a mechanism

of not dealing with reality; of hoping that if

you don't feel the pain it will go away. Denial

is a way of avoiding the mental anguish that

comes with the realization that death is

inevitable.

This is especially true when your pet

receives a diagnosis of a terminal illness.

Carried to extremes, denial can even be

harmful to the pet. It may prevent the owner

from taking the pet to the vet for help or

treatment. Pretending an aging pet is going

to go on forever just makes it harder to

accept the final outcome.

Depression

Depression is a natural reaction and justi-

fied by a death of a pet. It is traumatic,

painful and stressful and can plunge you into

a whirlwind of emotions that one may rather

withdraw from than confront. Though

depression is a logical result of pet loss, it is

also a state of mind that impedes the owner’s

recovery from that loss.

If you feel the symptoms of depression

taking over your life, you need to make every

effort possible to break out of it before it

becomes a tarp over your life. Seek support

from friends or relatives. They may not total-

ly understand your pain, but talking to some-

one always helps.

I don't believe we ever get over the loss of

a beloved pet. But gradually you'll make

peace with yourself and you'll make peace

with your loss.

Next time we will attempt to define ''qual-

ity of life,'' until then - love your pet.

Joy Smith is the owner of Rivers Edge PetCrematory in Ramsay, Mi.

She lives on 38 acres along the Black Riverwith her two english labradors, one rescueblue heeler and 1 shelter cat. Contact her

at 906-663-4811or [email protected]


Awrinkled hand, full of character tentatively

reaches out and touches the sleek head of a

Chocolate Lab. A stately Doberman gets a big bear hug from a very happy little

person. A massive golden retriever gently places his chin in an old woman’s lap for her to

stroke his head. These are the miracles of the human-animal bond in action.

These three wonderful dogs are registered Delta Society Pet Partners from the

Munising area. Along with their human counterpart, positively impact and enrich the

lives of the elderly as often as they can. “Truth be told, I get far more from the visits than

the people I visit”, says Julie Savola, who visits with her Pet Partner “Doc” a Doberman

pinscher at Tendercare Health Center. “It is so gratifying; I really enjoy it. It makes them

so happy to be around a dog again.”

Delta Society's Pet Partners program screens volunteers and their pets for visiting ani-

mal programs in hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, schools and other facil-

ities.The Pet Partners program was established in 1990 to ensure that "both ends of the

leash," people as well as animals were well prepared to participate in animal-assisted activ-

ity and animal-assisted therapy programs. Pet Partners is the only national registry that

requires volunteer training and screening of animal-handler teams.

If you are a very special person with a very special pet and would like to learn more

about this program; Superiorland Pet Partners would love to talk to you. There also will

be some educational programs offered in the Munising area in upcoming months to

introduce the Pet Partner program to the community and educate potential teams how

to become involved in this enriching activity. Please contact Julie Savola at

[email protected] for more information and visit www.deltasociety.org for details on

the Pet Partner program.

Pet Partners-

Very Special Dogsby Julie Savola


Documents

Pet Set Horse Source