Here are some facts about the cutting edge of equine dentistry. You may think horse dentistry is a new fad, but there is nothing new under the sun. When our livelihoods depended on equines, horse dentistry was a lively profession for practitioners in every county. Well-known in Europe in the fourteenth century, the observation of horse's teeth goes back at least two thousand years. For the past couple of centuries, Europeans have had a particularly strong interest in horse's teeth. The tools which were being made by the end of the nineteenth century would still not be out of place in a modern horse dentist's set of tools – although diamond technology has brought advances in cutting, burring and grinding tools, which uncannily grind tooth enamel while leaving softer tissues such as the inside of cheeks unscathed on contact. There are currently about 25 horse dentistry tool manufacturers in the U.S.
So, what does an equine dentist do, and which horses could benefit from their practices? An experienced horse dentist would basically equilibrate a horse's teeth in various ways. Horses in the natural state do not usually require dentistry, the same as they do not require a furrier. Free-roaming horses eat a lot of hard plants with a high woody content, as well as grasses with silicates. These are abrasive substances, which wear down the incisors as the horse tears at the grass stalks. Hay-fed horses do not need to use their incisors in the same way, with the result that these do not get worn down and eventually get so long that the horse cannot close its mouth sufficiently to use the molars to grind its food.
All horses could benefit from the services of an equine dentist, although only a small proportion receives them. Even if your vet checks your horse's teeth every half year, the chances are very high that there are points on the outside of the upper premolars and molars which are causing either constant discomfort or digging ulcerations in the cheeks. A thorough oral examination requires the use of a full-mouth speculum and a mild sedative or relaxant.
The most discerning owners tend to call in a specialized dentist as standard procedure, because it can improve a horse's performance dramatically and prolong active life for up to a decade. Dental work always improves the horse's digestion, and better food uptake means better performance. Surprisingly, a significant proportion of horses suffer from tooth maladies which can affect the way they take the bit. A tendency to resist turning in a particular direction is, for example, a strong indication that the horse has some kind of problem on that side of its mouth. The horse will surely act up especially if turning is uncomfortable. It may be simply a question of getting the bit to sit more comfortably to cause an immediate change in the behavior of the horse.
Many horses have persistent problems which cause uneven eating, distortions of facial muscle development and a build-up of pressure, which in turn can lead to constant headaches. When the horse first experiences relief from this, typically during the first session of dental treatment, under mild sedation, the effects can be dramatic. Have you ever seen a horse smile?
Friction can arise between dental practitioners and standard vets, who have very different approaches to dental problems. Typically, a vet is called in to file down teeth when they become long, but tends to do so in a very uniform manner, which does not take into account the natural variations in the horse's own way of grinding, or the angles of the teeth necessary for comfortable eating. Incorrect filing can radically change the angle of impact and effectively prevent the horse from eating.
There is unfortunately no accredited certification program for equine dentistry through veterinary organizations. Ironically, only veterinary practitioners are legally empowered to practice equine dentistry, although many are not capable of the most basic form of it. Veterinarians usually work hand in hand with a specialized and trained lay-dentist or dentist assistant. The equine dentists themselves are a rare breed. Because of the problems they are up against in terms of training programs and chances to practice freely, they tend to be fierce animal lovers with a high commitment to their chosen profession and an almost evangelical passion to spread the word. There is a worldwide network of practitioners, who are in constant consultation for problem-solving and sharing new techniques and findings. A visit from and equine dentist can be as rewarding an experience for the owner as it is for the horse.
Have you mistakenly trained your branding to fall over and play dead? Do you know how to use psychology to create branding that lights up with the voltage of a thousand neon bulbs? And can you play Scrooge with your budget, yet get huge branding mileage? And if so, how? Read on and find out how you can be a Leonardo Da Vinci with your brand!
It's Raining 3000+ Messages a Day! I have a friend. Let's call him Eugene. Partly because that's his real name. Eugene positions himself as a pitch manager. Very effectively, he shows CEOs and executives (who make pitches for new and existing business) how they can use simple steps to get a powerful presentation across.
Eugene had a problem that all of us do. His brand (or his company's brand) was just one of three thousand new messages that bamboozle us every day through various media. To get his name welded in his customer's brain was like being on a rocking chair. You feel the movement, but you go nowhere. Eugene's brand was going places, but it was a slow tedious process.
He needed to get some prime real estate in his customer's brain really quickly and without the benefit of Daddy Warbucks? deep pockets. All he had to do was get their attention?
13 Boxes. Does That Get Your Attention? Doesn't your brain go nuts wanting to ask what is the significance of 13 boxes? That's the new brand name of Eugene's company. Can you see that immediately catching your attention? The brain is dying to know the significance of this strange sounding set of words. And it won't let go till it gets an answer!
In this case the answer is simple. Eugene has a system of 13 boxes in his training process that takes you from the start of your presentation to the final crescendo. The 13 boxes form the structure and the route you must follow to get results.
His company brand could be something like XYZ Training or have his own name (like accountants and law firms do) but why on earth would that excite his customer's brain?
Another Branding Example called KeyGhost... Here's another example of vivid psychological branding called KeyGhost. KeyGhost is a powerful but simplistic device that monitors every keystroke on your keyboard. This spy-like product evades the scrutiny of the unobservant eye. A name like KeyGhost immediately ruffles the brain forcing it to stop what it's doing. Then it drives all its attention in the direction of this unusual sounding product.
This is exactly what you need. Once you've got a spotlight-hogging brand name, you start to own a tiny part of your customer's brain that is yours to keep forever.
Forever Starts With a Trigger? A trigger called Curiosity! Curiosity sounds a deafening red alert in every neuron of the brain. The brain is at its curious best when faced with something that seems irregular or uncommon in some way.
If your brand name doesn't create a curiosity factor, you're wasting gobs of money to just trying to cut through the communication clutter. The sooner you get psychological exclamation marks into your brand name, the sooner you get the attention you crave for.
But What If You Have a Boring Company Name That You're Stuck With? Hey it happens! You inherited the brand name and there's not much you can do with it without the shareholders going for your jugular. Well don't fret. First you've got to realise that branding is not restricted to just your company name. A process/product that your company has or follows could become bigger than the company itself.
Look For The Power Of Your Processes? With Eugene, his process was sitting under his nose all along. In the case of 13 Boxes, it's quite easy to draw up a dramatic scenario of how 13 boxes can get you out of your ?box? and give you immense confidence in your presentation skills. In his case, though, the process actually defined the company.
With KeyGhost, it's a cinch to describe how the hardware works just like a ghost and yet link it back to your keyboard and computer.
You can be an accounting firm with a company name like ?Boring, Dead and Co.? and still brand your prize-winning process and call it ?Goodbye Extra Tax? or ?Corporate Loopholes.?
Do you think your clients will see you in a better light? You bet they will! So get going, get out and get working on your brand naming canvas right away!
Nonsensical Names Work Too? One Red Dog, The Loaded Hog and other such names flout the basic principles of process and logic. Yet they seem to work powerful imagery on the brand name. It's the story that goes with it that creates a sense of immortality and distinctiveness around the brand.
Even if you choose to have a name that means very little and can drum up a story to match it, you've got yourself a winner. Which place would you rather frequent? 'One Red Dog' or 'Joe's Caf??' With a vivid name you've got the opportunity to weave a story -- even a story that you made up all by yourself!
Shazaam! It's Branding With Drama! Don't just Mona Lisa your brand. Put some Shakespeare in it as well. Push the limits of your brand name and make it an action tool. For example, 13 boxes could be presented as 13 different boxes placed on a CEO's desk. Can you visualise the curiosity factor? What if the boxes were different shapes and different colours? Can you see the website name? The t-shirt design? The ad on TV? Can you see how extendable a picturesque brand name can be?
Go ahead; make the effort to Mona Lisa your brand name.
Both Jerry Carpos & Sean D'souza are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jerry Carpos has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pets, Eye Care and Pets. created from photographs of your horses are not a luxury. Capture the love of your pet in. Jerry Carpos's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.
Sean D'souza has sinced written about articles on various topics from . Wouldn't you love to stumble upon a secret library of small business ideas? Find simple, yet electrifying ideas on marketing strategy,psychological tactics and branding. Judge for yourself when you read these. Sean D'souza's top article . to your Favourites.