Right around time I was ready to tell world about this “cure,” another product came on market called Hormonize. It is a liquid and costs around $45 per liter and lasts two weeks for your average size horse. That’s $90 per month to treat horse. The developers of this product found it to be effective not only on mares in heat, but it also did some impressive things for Cushings horses, too. It is sold for this purpose as well. It is an all natural herbal remedy. A bit pricey, though.

I checked out ingredients. It is a tincture of chasteberry! I think they call it vitex or monks pepper on back. I’m not sure. It greatly saddens me that treatment for such a devastating disease sells for so much.

Horses don’t need herbal tinctures. They can and do digest some pretty coarse stuff (have you ever tried to eat dry timothy hay?). They can not only digest herb, but utilize it in that form beautifully.

Bess, unfortunately, died at age 28 when she decided her mission was accomplished, so we never got a third blood test from her. We have two other Cushings horses, and all of our older mares are on chasteberry as well. Junebug, who is 8 years old, was tested last year and we’ll test her again soon to see where her numbers are. Snowdrop was never tested, but all her symptoms have disappeared and she is doing well at 24 years old.

If any of you out there would like to try chasteberry, here’s what to do. Go to your local health food store and special order one pound bulk bag whole chastetree berry from Frontier herb company (please mention Eye of Storm Equine Rescue when you do). You might want to order more than one bag so that when you’re down to one you can reorder. One bag will cost you less than $20 and will last a couple of months per horse.

Run berries through your coffee grinder and feed one teaspoon twice a day with feed. We give same amount to horses and ponies. It works on both mares and geldings. Give it to them three weeks on and one week off all year round. It will even keep mares from being quite so crabby in spring.

We also give them all vitamin E in evening, vitamin C in morning, and MSM. No sugars or carbohydrates (not even a carrot). There are feeds out there that are low in both, such as Blue Seal Racer and some of senior feeds (do some research). All in all, chasteberry is answer. Even our two 30-year old mares don’t have Cushings, only Bess, Junebug, and Snowdrop, who came to us with disease and it appears to be reversed. I never had horses of my own get Cushings. I have every horse in town that has Cushings on chasteberry and they’re all doing great! This is a cheap, easy, healthy remedy for Cushings disease.

Day 4: TRIM-THE-TREE CIDER PUNCH

1 gallon apple cider 12 whole cloves 2 large apples (such as Granny Smith or Rome Beauty), peeled, left whole 2 cinnamon sticks Ground nutmeg Rum

Pour apple cider into large pot. Insert 6 cloves into each apple. Add apples and cinnamon sticks to pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and barely simmer over very low heat 1 hour to allow flavors to blend. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over low heat before continuing.) Ladle hot cider punch into mugs. Sprinkle with nutmeg and serve. Add rum to taste. Source, Bon Appétit, December 1995

Day 5: NOSE-WARMER PUNCH

3 bottles dry red wine 1 1/2 cups brandy 1 1/2 cups sugar 3 cinnamon sticks 8 whole cloves 3 small lemons, zest scored lengthwise if desired with a channel knife and fruit sliced thin crosswise

In a large saucepan bring wine and brandy to a simmer with sugar, cinnamon and cloves, stirring, and cook at a bare simmer 2 minutes. Stir in lemon slices and ladle into heat-proof cups. Serves about 12. Source: Gourmet, December 1994

Day 6: SNOWBALLS Cold

1 pt Vanilla ice cream 1/3 c Creme de cacao 1/3 c Kahlua Combine ingredients in blender and process until smooth. Serve after dinner. I serve this because in south Texas it’s often hot on Christmas Day.

HOT (go figure) (source: Fran)

½ oz. Cinnamon Schnapps ½ oz. Kahlua Hot Coffee

Day 7: THE EQ COACH'S RUM TODDY

1 qt. Vanilla ice cream 3 sticks margarine 1 box brown sugar nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice

Combine above. Then place in each mug 1 heaping T. of mix, add 1 jigger of rum and water to taste.

Day 8: TheIntrovertzCoach's SPECIAL FRIENDS ESPRESSO

½ cup instant espresso 2 T. brown sugar 1 cup Kahlua ½ cup Irish crème liqueur Boiling water Orange zest Sweetened whipped cream

Combine ingredients and store in frig. For each serving, use 3 T. mix to ½ C. boiling water. Top with whipped cream and zest.

Source: Nancy Fenn, TheIntrovertsCoach, http://www.introvertzcoach.com

Day 9: THREE WISE MEN Source: www.bardrinks.com

Combine 1/3 oz. of each of three wise men, Jim Beam, Jack Daniels and Johnny Walker.

Day 10: CANDY CANE Source: Pat Mills

Add in order listed, layering in small festiveware: 1/3 oz. Grenadine ½ oz. Green Crème de Menthe 1/3 oz. Peppermint Schnapps

Day 11: SNOW CONE ½ oz. Black Haus 1 1/2oz. Blue Curacao

Mix with ice, shake, strain into shot glass.

Day 12: COAL IN YOUR STOCKING If You’ve been naughty, what do you get?

1 oz. Crème de Cacao 1 Hershey Kiss