Author: Saratoga TODAY

SARATOGA SPRINGS — There may be over 100,000 “Little Free Libraries” in the world but Saratoga Springs may be the very first to host a “Jigsaw Puzzle Exchange Box.”

Located on North Street, the “Puzzle Exchange Box” houses puzzles on two shelves that keep them protected from the elements and accessible to neighbors. This one-of-a-kind creation was erected by local resident Lauren Granahan.

 “There are no real rules” says Lauren. “You can take a puzzle and leave a puzzle or just take a puzzle or drop one off.” 

So far there has been great turnaround and the puzzle box has stayed consistently stocked with a variety of puzzles for all levels of puzzle enthusiasts. Neighbors have been getting quite a kick out of it. Granahan is also known for putting up the dog treat and waste bag box for area puppies and their owners. 

Little Free Library is a nonprofit organization that inspires a love of reading, builds community, and sparks creativity by fostering neighborhood book exchanges around the world.

Through Little Free Library book exchanges, millions of books are exchanged each year, profoundly increasing access to books for readers of all ages and backgrounds. Their website can be reached at littlefreelibrary.org.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Feeding a horse correctly is a science and an art. Many experienced horsemen spend countless hours planning out specific nutrition plans for each horse. Horses are fed from two to five times a day depending on the horse. 

A horse’s digestive system is complicated and sensitive. They are prone to stomach issues such as ulcers and colic. Colic means that a horse is having abdominal pain, but typically in the horse world we use this term when the pain is severe enough that the horse’s gastrointestinal tract may be in danger of knotting and can even lead to death.

Therefore, we keep a close eye on our horses to make sure that the nutrition that we are giving them fits their specific needs.

Horse nutrition has three main components: foliage, grain, and water. Foliage is the hay and grass component of a horse’s diet and makes up 65-percent of their diet. We provide our horses with about 15 pounds of hay per horse every day.

One of the most complicated parts of a horse’s diet is the grain portion, which makes up 5-percent of the horse’s diet. In 24 hours, a horse can only digest four-pounds of grain, which sounds like a lot, but we tend to forget that these animals weigh around 1000 pounds. The equine grain market has an endless selection of grain and each company argues that they sell the “best” grain. Often horsemen have to know the work level of their horse and their medical needs. For example, if you have a high-performance horse like a racehorse, you increase the protein in their grain because they tend to burn off a lot of calories every day. Our ex-racehorses who come right off the track often have to be slowly brought down in grain intake so that their bodies are able to adjust to a more leisurely lifestyle without losing weight too fast because of less protein and exercise. 

Another important component in horses’ grain is fiber. This goes back to the concern of their body being able to process the amount of grain that they consume daily. Fiber helps their bodies work through the food and have healthy bowel movements. Fat is the third most important component in grain, as fat helps keep weight on our horses without having to increase their intake too much.

After you find the best grain for your horse, you can add supplements to their grain. In many cases, horses need help with their hoof health and supplements can be added to increase growth as well as stability.

Lastly, 30-percent of a horse’s diet is water. Unless specific needs are required, water should be available for horses at all times. A healthy horse on average drinks about 8-10 gallons of water. Just like people, the older the horse gets, the lower they are on water intake.

When you complete all horse nutrition steps carefully and correctly, you find yourself with a healthy horse.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — For more than a decade, Bob Nevins, Melody Squier and Janelle Huggard have been working together to successfully reveal the power of a horse-to-human interaction by providing transformative equine experiences for veterans living with the effects of trauma. Now, the crew has launched a new program called Alliance180, and they’re expanding their support to reach first responders and frontline workers while incorporating science-based research.

For years there have been increasing studies that demonstrate the negative effect that trauma can have on the autonomic nervous system. Because of a new collaboration with Alliance180, Dr. Stephen Porges, a Behavioral Neuroscientist, and his colleagues from Indiana University, the team will be able to successfully document and validate the effectiveness of their equine experience by incorporating and applying evidence of the Polyvagal Theory.   

Squier, Alliance180’s Co-Founder, has understood the positive effects horses have on humans, especially those experiencing trauma, for more than 30 years. When she joined forces with Nevins, the two were able to combine their relevant experience and passion for helping others, impacting more than 800 veterans through their past efforts. 

The purpose-driven programming of Alliance180 (A180) provides an effective three-day experience through peer-to-peer interaction, private accommodations and classroom training to learn the language of the horse, and a round-pen interaction with the horse as the culminating event. Through the lens of the horse, participants learn to communicate with another powerful but very different species, most often resulting in the emotional response being reawakened, leading to a heightened awareness and offering a renewed perspective and brighter outlook. 

Alliance180 plans to launch its first class by the end of August. Activities and classes will take place at the farm belonging to Song Hill Thoroughbreds LLC, and James and Tina Bond and Family. The Bonds said they are happy to be “teaming up” with A180’s experienced staff and are glad to offer access to their horses and facility for the organization’s crucial programming. 

For more information on Alliance180, its programming or to become a benefactor, please visit Alliance180.org or call 518-415-0206.