Monthly Archives: August 2018

Horses

Equine Therapy

Animal-assisted activities and therapies have benefits that have been recognised for a long time, and equine therapy is no exception.

As the name indicates, this type of therapy makes use of horses to help people who are dealing with physical, emotional and mental problems, such as attention deficit disorder, autism, Down syndrome, depression, motor skill problems, and many others.

Even though horses are very large animals, it is their gentle nature that makes equine therapy so successful. Horses are great at reflecting people’s emotions, as they are very perceptive and pick up and respond to minimal sensory information. This and the fact that horses have some response and social behaviours that are like our own make it natural for people to establish a connection with them.

With the assistance of certified professionals and through interaction with horses, people learn to cope with their disabilities and associated hurdles. They learn how to deal with specific situations, overcome difficulties and achieve emotional growth, as well as developing their communication and socialisation skills.

This is accomplished through activities that fit each individual’s character and preferences such as horseback riding, horse care, horse grooming, saddling and basic equestrian lessons.

If you have a horse, you’re probably familiar with the sense of calm and freedom that they can instill in us, but it is great to know that they can also help people who are struggling as well. As Churchill once put it “There’s something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man”, and horses have been proving him right.

Would you like to know more about horses? Check our Equine Courses:

Equine courses

Cats

‘Purr’fect Summer Body

Even though your cats won’t be self-conscious about exposing their chubby bodies on the beach this summer, you should be concerned because overweight and obesity, for people and for pets, shouldn’t be seen only as an aesthetic problem. Those extra pounds are harmful to your cats’ health and well-being, as overweight cats are more likely to develop heart problems, joint complaints, respiratory issues, and diabetes among others.

So, what can you do to help your feline friends shed those extra pounds?

There are many approaches to weight loss, and you should always seek veterinary assistance before you start your cat on a weight loss journey. One of these approaches is through taking advantage of a cat’s natural behaviour. If you try to create an environment as close as possible to a cat’s life in the wild, not only will they start to lose weight but they will also be happier.

The first thing you’ll need to address is their food intake. Are your cats eating the right amount of food? How many times a day are they being fed? Is the food you’re feeding them appropriate to their life stage? Are you giving them extra treats? A cat’s natural instinct is to eat small amounts of food, several times a day so try distributing their allowed food into several small portions throughout the day.

The other significant component of virtually every weight loss strategy is an increased activity level.

If your cats are severely overweight, a gentle, gradual start in increasing their activity level is needed. You can do this by making their feeding area a little more difficult to access (e.g. placing their eating bowl in a higher platform), or using a puzzle feeder, adding an extra challenge to an every-day routine.

You can engage in playful activities with your cats by tapping into their predatorial instincts simulating moving prey with different kinds of toys, which will encourage chasing and pouncing and will increase their activity overall.

Having a cat tree or a tall structure that your cats can climb onto is another great way to encourage them to play and stay active, as cats are naturally drawn to higher places which enhance their field of vision significantly.

As cat owners, you’ve probably been awoken several times by strenuous running around at 5 a.m. This is because cats are naturally more active at dusk and dawn and that’s when they’ll be more motivated to play. But don’t let this stop you! You can teach your cats to be more active at more convenient hours.

You’re probably also used to seeing your cat run like crazy for five minutes and then lose complete interest in playing with you or even moving at all. Cats have evolved to move around a lot for short periods of time and then rest for a good while, so don’t be surprised if they don’t care much for playing with you for longer than 10 minutes.

The bottom line is really to get your cat moving, so if you find an effective way of doing so, you’re doing it right!

Keep in mind that weight loss is a challenging, sometimes frustrating journey, but if you keep at it and be patient, you’ll soon see results!

<a href=”https://www.thepetprofessionals.co.uk/courses/feline-courses.php”>Would you like to know more about cats? Check our Feline Courses:
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