Round Pen: The Great Equalizer
August 26, 2006
Although many horsemen and trainers extol the virtues of the round pen, many horse owners still overlook just how powerful such a pen can be in developing or maintaining a relationship with a horse. This is a shame because it is truly what I call the Great Equalizer in a horse-human relationship. Perhaps that bears some clarification?
I’ve found many horse owners to be concerned about their physical strength as opposed to that of their horse. They fear they simply cannot firmly establish themselves as the alpha, or leader, of the relationship because the horse is so much stronger. Thus when their horse displays poor ground manners or commits an inappropriate action they are more prone to ignore it and hope it doesn’t develop into worse behaviors. After all, what choice do they have? The horse is just too strong.
The reality is that, except for the youngest of foals, a horse will always possess more raw strength than a human. Any attempts to overpower a horse with sheer strength are doomed to fail. Techniques such as raising your voice towards or slapping a misbehaving horse do not rely on strength ? they are psychological. The horse does not want the conflict to escalate as it is uncertain exactly what your capabilities are, therefore it submits.
The Choice Between Electric or Nitro Powered RC Cars Can be Overwhelming!
August 26, 2006
The roar of the crowd as the cars rush by, the sense of excitement in the air. Is it the Indy 500? No, it is RC racing! RC racing, or remote control racing also known as radio control, is a quickly growing hobby segment that appeals to both young and old, and men and women.
RC cars are popular at a hobby level, for creating and putting the cars together, or even taking it to the next level with professional tuning and racing. You can purchase RC cars as a kit in an unassembled form or completely assembled and rtr or ready to run condition.
What Types of RC Cars Are There?
The selection for RC cars is huge and growing every day. You can choose cars in almost any body type that you desire, in any color and any style. However, there are a few main distinctions that you will need to make before you choose any car for the first time.
You can choose from:
1) Gas powered or electric
2) On road racing models or off-road models
3) Assembled or non-assembled
4) Car or Truck
Understanding Weeds - But mostly How to Kill em
August 26, 2006
When I was a child, I loved to pick Dandelions. The pretty yellow flowers were small, colorful, and looked nice tucked behind my ear! However, if one had popped up in the front yard, my hair accessory would have been considered an atrocity!
I often feel sorry for weeds. They are plants too. In fact, if you flipped through a botany field guide, you may be surprised at the plants you find classified as weeds! But simply put, a weed is really defined as a plant out of place. Clover in one persons flowing lawn may be considered fashionable, whereas on another, not. Golf greens are often covered with bentgrass, but if it crept up in some yards, it would be considered a weed.
While perhaps pretty on their own, weeds stick out like a sore thumb in yards because they may be of a different color, size or texture. This is distracting from the beauty of the otherwise sprawling green turf. Aside from aesthetic values, weeds can also drain nutrients from grass and other plants, and this competition of resources can thin what should be lush. And what’s worse is that weeds are fighters. They can withstand conditions that your wanted greens cannot, so they are almost inevitable!
Why Does My Dog Have Bad Breath?
August 26, 2006
"Doggy breath" ? that unpleasant odor emanating from the mouths of Rover and Boomer ? can be a signal of serious health problems.
A dog’s mouth is his primary means of contact with the world around him. He uses his mouth to eat, to investigate and to communicate. The jaws are a powerful tool used to grind, gnaw, crush and carry. Keeping this part of your pet’s body healthy is vital to his quality of life and longevity.
Fifty to eighty percent of all dogs suffer from periodontal disease. Tartar buildup is the primary cause. Just as in humans, small particles of food remain on the teeth after eating. If not removed, these particles decompose, causing the growth of bacteria that then forms plaque and tartar. As tartar grows, it literally pushes the gums away from the teeth which then loosen over time. Loose teeth reveal root sockets which can easily become infected. In untreated cases, the infection can travel from the root socket to the dog’s bloodstream where the bacteria takes up residence in the kidney, liver and heart causing disease of these organs.
How do I recognize periodontal disease in my dog?
Writing Made Them Rich #4: Paulo Coelho
August 25, 2006
Paulo Coelho was born on August 24th 1947 in Rio deJaneiro, Brazil.
At age 17 he announced his intention to be a writer.It was a decision bitterly opposed by his parents,partly because Brazil at that time was under amilitary junta that persecuted writers andintellectuals.
Coelho’s rebellious behaviour led his parents to havehim confined to a mental hospital in Rio de Janeirowhere he received shock treatment. He escaped - andwas returned - three times.
With the arrival of the 1960’s Coelho threw himselfenergetically into the counterculture of drugs androck-and-roll.
In his 20’s he fulfilled his ambition to be a writerand worked as a playwright, a theatre director, ajournalist, and a song-writer for Brazilian pop musicstars such as Elis Regina and Raul Seixas.
In 1974, says Coelho “my life collapsed”.
That year he was arrested three times, the first timeas an innocent bystander at a bank robbery, the secondtime for speaking out against the establishment at apop concert. After being released by the police he wasarrested a third time by paramilitaries who torturedhim for a week.
In the late 1970’s his life was back on track againand he became artistic director for CBS in Brazil.
Help Your Dog Become a Good Canine Citizen
August 25, 2006
Is your dog a gentleman or lady? If so, you may be able to get an award to prove it from the American Kennel Club (AKC) through its Canine Good Citizen Program.
This certification program is for all dogs, whether purebred or mutt. Any dog who has completed his vaccinations can be tested, and there is no upper age limit.
Ten behaviors are tested:
1. Accepting a friendly stranger
2. Sitting politely for petting
3. Letting someone brush and groom him
4. Walking on a loose leash
5. Walking through a crowd
6. Staying in place (sit and down)
7. Coming when called
8. Reacting to another dog
9. Reacting to distractions
10.Being separated from owner for 3-minutes.
If your dog can’t pass these, you need to initiate a training program. These are the social skills required for living with humans in urban America.
The tests are done at dog shows, community colleges and private training facilities. The AKC charges $5 for the certificate (if you pass) and some organizations charge a nominal amount for the test ($10).
To find a location, go the AKC website at
When It Comes To RC Airplanes You Can Choose From Ready to Fly, Almost Ready to Fly or Scratch Built
August 25, 2006
Soaring through the air, watching the clouds and the birds fly by. No, you are not flying your own private plane, but you are doing the next best thing. You are flying an RC airplane through the sky. With a little practice, you can even have your airplane doing acrobatics, and you thought you would never be a pilot!
Flying RC or radio controlled airplanes is an excellent hobby, and it can be a lot of fun. RC airplanes are perfect as a father and son activity. Bring the family together with some airtime and share the joy of flight. If you want to get started in the RC airplane hobby, you do not need to be intimidated, with recent advancements in electronics; getting started in RC airplanes is easier than ever before.
What types of RC airplanes are there?
There is so much more than just airplanes in the RC aircraft world. No matter what type of aircraft interests you, there is something available for you. Some of the most common types of kits and models that you can purchase are:
1) Airplanes
2) Jets
3) Gliders
4) Helicopters
5) Blimps
6) UFO’s
Writing Made Them Rich #3: Richard Bach
August 25, 2006
One day in the mid-1970’s a young man stumbled into adiner somewhere in the United Sates.
Slung over his shoulder was a kit-bag that containedeverything he owned. He was unshaven and needed ashower badly. He had very little money, but enough fora phone call.
He rang his bank and asked how much was in hisaccount. A woman’s voice informed him - to hisamazement - that the balance in his account was fourmillion, three hundred thousand dollars.
His name was Richard Bach. Six months before, he hadsubmitted a short story, barely 10,000 words long, toa New York publisher.
For the last three months he had been living the lifeof a nomadic ‘barnstormer’, taking people on joy ridesfor $5 a flight and sleeping in fields under the wing ofhis bi-plane.
Hardly able to believe what he had just heard, he rangthe New York publisher to whom he had sent themanuscript.
“Where on earth are you?” asked a woman’s voice.”We’ve been looking for you for three months! Radioand TV want interviews with you, a publisher in Spainwants to buy the Spanish rights to your book…”
He had been completely unaware that his shortmanuscript, titled ‘Jonathon Livingstone Seagull’,had become a runaway best-seller.
Active Meditation / Visualization
August 24, 2006
Part One
Choose a nature scene. For instance scenery of mountain, meadow or ocean to picture and imagine during your session. You might consciously choose a particular scene and find that when you close your eyes and relax a different scene pops into your mental vision. That is fine, go with the new scene but once you have started the meditation stay with that scene for that session. Choose whatever scenery accommodates your feelings for that day.
Allow your eyes to close.
Exhale contracting the abdomen gently.
Inhale by expanding the lower abdomen like it was a balloon.
Inhale, Inhale, Inhale, Inhale
And exhale contracting the abdomen gently
Breathe slowly and rhythmically
Observe how the body releases tightness with every exhalation
Continue inhaling and exhaling being aware on the inhale that the oxygen is relaxing your muscles from your toes to scalp as well as deep to your core
Relaxation flowing deep, deep, deep right to the space between your atoms
Watch the breath like it is a wave that is breathing you
Feel relaxation deepen with every breath as if your body is spreading and melting out
Observe the breath happening
Orchids Plus More Newsletter - December, 2004
August 24, 2006
Newsletter Name Change?
After several of you made suggestions to me to shorten the name of the newsletter we have decided that it may be a good idea. But first I’d like some suggestions from you, our readers. You can send me your suggestions and next month I’ll let you know what happened and the new name for this newsletter.
New Orchids Added
Orchids-plus-more has added more orchids for your viewing and purchasing pleasure. Go to our website at orchid-store.orchids-plus-more.com
Pruning Your Orchid
The flowers have all died and when should you cut the stalk back and how far?
Pruning an orchid stalk (spike) should cause no harm to the plant. However, some orchids will produce new bloom shoots from the nodes on the old blossom stalk, or some plants will produce small baby plants (pups) from these nodes. The new plants may be removed and potted after they develop roots. Of course, some orchids do neither of these things. In either case, it doesn’t hurt the plant if you remove the old bloom stalk; you may just miss some new blossoms or a baby plant.
