A friend of mine recently started taking horseback riding lessons. I love watching her ride and seeing the unadulterated joy radiate from her when she is in the saddle. I recognize that feeling of exhilaration and freedom that comes from being atop a 1,000-pound animal, and the sense of wonder that they allow us to… Read more »
This past weekend, I had the pleasure of learning how other species cope with difficult births. I also had to learn that even goats can suffer trauma. They can also be resentful if they think they have had their options removed. My goat, Honey, labored for several hours while making it loudly known to my… Read more »
This weekend, I attended the funeral for a wonderful man I knew as “Mr. Bill.” I work as a therapeutic riding instructor teaching kids with emotional, cognitive, and physical challenges the art of horseback riding. The program is supported by an army of volunteers who dedicate their time and energy into ensuring that the horses… Read more »
Photo by Christopher Michel. EDITOR’S NOTE: This post was written a few weeks before Scooby Doo aka Escobar Durango’s passing. My dog is dying. Right there in front of me, inch by inch at first and now yard by yard, my dog is dying. He’s 14 or 15, nobody can be sure because he came… Read more »
Photo by Veronica Lac. Alice* had first come to see me for weekly equine assisted therapy sessions as part of her intensive outpatient treatment at the eating disorders clinic I partner with. For 10 months, we had worked together battling through the demons that held her prisoner. For 10 months, she had painstakingly clawed her… Read more »
Human cognition is increasingly recognized as not that special among our animal cousins. Numerous demonstrations of other mammals and even birds capable of tool use, of language use, of empathy, and of a sense of fairness permeate the literature. Anyone who spends any time at all with their household pets must wonder at times what… Read more »
Dog lovers know that picking a breed is often an important part of responsible pet ownership. It also says a lot about ourselves and can be a source of self-awareness. Choosing a pet that is a good fit is important for the family as well as for the dog. Too often, a wrong match can… Read more »
I live in a Central Ohio suburb. It’s the kind of place where kids play on the street in front of their homes while dogs lie on front porches watching the world go by and the neighbors all know each other by name. On a summer evening, the smell of steaks cooking on outdoor grills… Read more »
