News from the "Swat-Team"

Last month I published an article about WNV and preventive measures to take in order to avoid infection.

The feedback from "The Green Equestrian -Community" was great and so was the input.

It makes me happy to see, that so many of you take interest in this blog and help to make it a unique resource for equestrians around the world by providing usefull information.

So here are the trophies for you :-))
Below I have listed some of the input from "Swat-Team-Members" and I hope this will be of help to our readers.

The "Garlic Issue" :-)

In connection with my post about the West-Nile Virus my statement in regards to feeding garlic to horses on a regular basis caused some wild discussions...

I was in complete shock, my friends !

Some of you actually managed to scare me, somewhat :-)

We have been feeding our horses fresh garlic for years now. One might call it a "traditional thing" to do, based on knowledge passed on to us by former generations who did not have the luxury of calling a vet and buying expensive medicines. Now I received e-mails with warnings!

West Nile Virus - Join the "Swat-Team"

"Green" Tips for "Fighting the Bite"

WNV is a mosquito-borne infection that horses and humans can develop from the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, which develop into thousands of mosquitoes in 7-10 days. Take the following simple steps to minimize the risk of disease in your horses. Controlling mosquito larvae is important because it limits the number of adult mosquitoes in the area. Adult female mosquitoes bite humans and animals and can spread diseases such as West Nile virus, malaria, and several types of encephalitis. By controlling mosquito larvae, you can lessen your chances of getting bit by mosquitoes that spread these diseases.

GREEN Trailriding ?

Planning to go on the great adventure, again ?

Thinking about packing up a camp, saddling horses , pack stock, and heading into the backcountry ? Well think about it twice ! Restrictions for horse and rider on trail have multiplied over the years and opposite to this development less land is available for trail riding, due to America becoming subdivided and paved.

Reseeding Time !!!

As some of you might already know, our family currently resides in Germany. Over here days are getting shorter now and autumn is running its full programm as scheduled :-)

Rain, storm, fog, a little ice here and there.. Generally I love this season. The forests turn into glowing fireworks, the wind is blowing cold, but the sun still has enough power to warm one up.

However my garden is calling for help and so are the meadows. So for me cutting, digging, planting, raking and reseeding will take off an extra hour or two of the time I have available to work and take care of my family (including horses and all)

Snakes ? Call 911-Raptor !

First of all I would like to thank you "guys n gals" for the positive feedback and the load of questions I received in regards to this block.

So having said this I would like to pick up one of the question I received in connection with the article about Barn Owls.

"Do Barn Owls take care of my "snake-problem", too ? "

No unfortunately they don't. However keeping up the principles of the food-chain, nature did provide a snake-eater for us to make use of.

The North American Kestrel, the smallest and most colorful raptor on the continent !

The American Kestrel is the smallest falcon in North America—about the size of an American Robin and are often incorrectly called “sparrow hawks.”
Kestrels like exposed perches such as telephone poles, wires, fence posts, and dead branches on trees. They are swift, erratic fliers, and in a flat flight they may travel at up to 39 mph, and they can dive at speeds up to 60 mph. They pump their tails and bob their heads while perched, especially when agitated. Kestrels are capable of hovering when hunting, and this behavior is seen frequently over highway medians. They will dive feet first when hunting insects and usually capture them by pinning them to the ground rather than capturing them with their beak. They will dive for other prey items head first to gain additional speed and force.

Its diet consists of snakes, lizards, bats, smaller birds, mice, voles, and insects (beetles, grasshoppers, cicadas). Kestrels will feed mainly on mammals and birds during the early parts of the breeding season and lizards, snakes later in the breeding season. They concentrate on hunting invertebrates when readily available.

Despite the overall health of American kestrel populations throughout the New World, some populations, including those in Florida, Texas, Arkansas and some northeastern states, are decreasing due to habitat alteration.

Many raptor species are in danger. Human-caused changes in land use are escalating, and this affects the habitats and migratory corridors required by some raptors for survival. Vast forests are removed for timber and other paper products, and industrial emissions pollute water and air resources.
Critical shoreline and riparian zone habitats are rapidly converted by expanding human communities and agricultural needs. Illegal shooting and trapping are also lowering raptor numbers. It's only a matter of time until more raptor species may face extinction, unless we protect their habitats.

However humans need raptors !

Here are only a few of the benefits raptors provide:

• Raptors help keep animal populations in balance.
• Raptors consume many animals that humans consider as pests, including mice, rats and destructive species of insects. This helps to control disease and damage to crops.
• As top predators of their food chain, raptors are an indicator species of the overall health of the ecosystem in which they live.
• Of equal importance, witnessing wild raptors enriches each of our lives. Imagine what life would be like if we could no longer gaze upon the grandeur of raptors soaring high above.

Efforts to save threatened and endangered raptors require cooperation and support at international, national, regional and individual levels. You can help in this cause. Installing nesting boxes and protecting vital habitat required by these raptors will help to stabilize these populations. Recycle forest products, plant trees around your meadows, eliminate or reduce pesticide use. Support breeding programs for endangered birds of prey at zoos and other animal care organizations. Let your elected representatives know your views about the conservation of migratory birds and their wild habitats.

Here we have it, another project for those long winter nights :-)
Building Nesting Boxes for kestrels

I am looking forward to those pictures coming in from all of you and even more important, I would like to hear from you and your experience with your own little "raptor community"

If you would like some more input on how to deal with those "little guys" you might want to check out: http://www.americanartifacts.com/smma/per/b2a.htm

Have fun :-)

Ever Considered An Owl ?

My dear friends,

the typically early mornings of horse-owners,- boarders and other crazy equestrians do have its advantages. One of which I came to realize this morning is the time I get to spend alone before everyone else is around. It gives me the opportunity to read through papers, check out the news and other interesting "stuff".
Something I only am able to do during those "40 lonely minutes".
This morning I came across an article about owls.
Owls ? Why is she talking about owls , now ?

Greener Thinking

Going Green to keep our environment safer for our future and our children's futures should be a number 1 priority on everyone's list of things to do every day.

It's amazing when you look at what is around your home and then, when you look in the horse barn. Holy Cow, there are so many things that we have chosen to do out of convenience that have a huge impact on the world. We all need to stop and take the time to really examine things.