Mexico is regaining its momentum with increased tourism arrivals; 2011 saw strong growth compared to 2010. And now, thanks to new hotel openings, fantastic new equestrian holiday opportunities and interesting Mayan prophecies about the end of one cycle and the beginning of a new one, travel authorities are expecting 2012 to be an even bigger year for tourism in Mexico
Continue reading >>

Today at 11AM the first Aerolineas Argentinas flight since June 4th flew to Bariloche and LAN is starting to fly again too. Authorities have informed that conditions are safe for flights not being the ashes a major concern now. Following up on our information of LAN regional flights from the Buenos Aires domestic airport, we are pleased to inform that the LAN Chile flight LA490 continues to fly to Santiago de Chile. All others have been rescheduled from Ezeiza international airport.

This article was first published by Thoroughbred Times

In an effort to provide aid to the people and organizations that are currently working to rescue horses in the areas devastated by the storm in Burke, Cleveland and Rutherford counties, Stolen Horse International, also known as NetPosse.com, is offering  flyers and a webpage, for disaster related missing horses and animals, on its website, www.netposse.com.

NetPosse.com is currently accepting reports for all misplaced animals in all areas affected by the storms. This is a FREE LISTING service for the storm-torn areas that need to discover the fate of their animals.

"The images seen and the stories we have heard have caused great concern for us. We would like to help the best we can. We invite anyone who is missing a horse to file a report with their animal's information on our site. “said Debi Metcalfe, Foundation President.

Metcalfe continues, "Although Stolen Horse International does not have a team to send to the areas of devastation we do have volunteers who work with those teams. We will be glad to assist rescues organizations and government agencies by giving the animals an established place online to be seen by the public. Reuniting owners separated from their horses is what we do best. In disaster situations we extend our services to all livestock animals and pets."

We are requesting that organizations and individuals rescuing horses, or those missing horses to utilize these services in order to reunite horses and owners as quickly and efficiently as possible and to notify us at by phone or email of victims that need our help, or to assist victims in filing a report on netposse.com as soon as possible. We are coordinating our efforts with the volunteers in the staging areas in hopes that no animal gets left behind.

With a website visited by tens of thousands of visitors each month and it webpages viewed close to 6 million times in 2011, Stolen Horse International, Inc./NetPosse.com is a key resource for all equestrians, providing valuable information to prevent horse theft, and assistance in recovering lost, stolen, or missing horses. Utilizing the speed of the internet, NetPosse can round up a modern day version of a posse within minutes of an online report being filed. A precursor to the familiar "Amber Alert" instant response system for missing children, a call-to-action goes out to a network of individuals, businesses, law enforcement and recovery specialists intent on returning lost horses or property. 

Stolen Horse International (aka, NetPosse.com, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization) began in 1998 by Debi and Harold Metcalfe, Shelby, NC, after the recovery of their stolen horse, Idaho. Sharing all of the procedures they had learned during their 51-week effort to find Idaho, it has become a valuable resource for thousands of horse owners. Contributions to it are tax-deductible as charitable contributions.

This article was first published by Thoroughbred Times

Oats have historically played a major role in the equine diet, but very few people understand the nutritional benefits oats have over many other cereal grains. One of those benefits may include preventing colic. Oats: The Horse-Healthy Grain, written by Dr. Laurie Lawrence of the University of Kentucky, discusses the positive effect oats can have on colic risk. The Prairie Oat Growers Association commissioned the research study, a summary of more than 260 published research documents, to assess past research surrounding the nutritional benefits of oats.

Of the many topics discussed in the study, colic is one that resonates with most horse owners.   Referring to a research study conducted in 2009 , Dr. Lawrence reports, “The incomplete digestion of starch in the small intestine is an important link between increased colic risk and diet.”  It has been suggested that colic risk is heightened when large amounts of starch reach the large intestine, where it is then rapidly fermented. Oats have higher small intestinal digestibility than most other grains, including corn. This means when feeding oats, less starch is reaching the large intestine. Several other research studies have been conducted to test starch digestibility, but none currently proves that oats can reduce the risk of colic.

“One of the largest topics surrounding grains is the issue of colic in horses,” said Randy Strychar, Project Director of the Equine Feed Oat Project, “Dr. Lawrence’s study has sparked an extreme interest in colic for the Equine Feed Oat Project.  If we can prove that oats reduce the likelihood of colic in horses, then we want to pursue that endeavor.”

As the Equine Feed Oat Project continues to commission research, the effect of oats on colic risk will definitely be considered.  To show support for the prevention and treatment of colic, the Equine Feed Oat Project recently attended and sponsored the 10th International Equine Colic Research Symposium in Indianapolis, Indiana hosted by the American Association of Equine Practitioners.

A summary of Dr. Lawrence's study may be downloaded at www.equineoats.org.  If you are interested in reading Dr. Lawrence’s completed study, contact hailee@equineoats.org.

The Equine Feed Oat Project (EFOP) is an initiative of the Prairie Oat Growers Association (POGA), a volunteer farmer organization representing 20,000 hard-working Canadian oat growers. The EFOP was created in 2009 to research, educate and communicate information about oats to the equine industry.

We realize there is a lot of conflicting information on the internet and various government websites around the world and would therefore like to give you the facts relating to the situation in Torres del Paine without the sensationalism and political motives of some media organizations.
From our office base here in Puerto Natales we are monitoring the situation in the Park closely.

During the past couple of days we have been inspecting the trails and areas affected by the fire to
a) ensure the continued safety and security of our clients and
b) to ensure our itineraries are adjusted where necessary to ensure ongoing quality.

Our priorities have been and will continue to be this:

1. To ensure all clients currently travelling with us are safe and can continue with their trips as planned to the best of our abilities while ensuring the most memorable Patagonia experience possible.
2. To inform clients (and partners with clients) joining us imminently of any necessary itinerary changes which will occur as a result of the fire and to assure them of our dedication to offering the best experience possible while keeping as close to the original itinerary as possible. We will make changes in the following cases:
a) where a particular part of the Park remains closed and/or inaccessible; or
b) where we feel that due to the fire the quality of a particular hike or ride has been seriously diminished. We appreciate your patience with this.
3. To assess all of our itineraries for the longer term (February and beyond) making the changes necessary to maintain trip quality, diverse visual appeal (i.e. a good mix of forests, lakes, mountains and glaciers) and activity enjoyment.

The fire affected mainly the areas between Grey Glacier and Pehoe and south towards admin, Pudeto (heading east to Salto Grande, Explora and Camping Pehoe), Paine Grande and east towards Lago Skottsberg and then south east towards Laguna Verde.
The fire is now under control and the Park partially re-opened as planned yesterday at 0800 hours.
This tragic incident caused by the carelessness of one individual has had a big effect on residents, guides, local communities and all of Chile. Torres del Paine is a precious resource and one we must protect and value at all costs. We have been reminded of the power of nature and our own relative insignificance.
In spite of what has happened, it is important to remember that a relatively small portion of the Park’s surface area was affected by the fire (just 5% which equates to just over 12,000 hectares).
There are still many beautiful areas to explore and enjoy.

The re-opening which took place yesterday began in the northern sector of the park and includes: Laguna Azul, Laguna Amarga, Campamento Cuernos, Campamento Serón, Campamento Los Perros. Lago Paine and Dickson (the latter is restricted to guided groups). The community of Rio Serrano is also open as is the entire Serrano River and area which forms the Bernardo O’Higgins National Park. Hosteria Las Torres and associated refugios are open. No hotels or refugios were damaged in the fire. Hosteria Lago Grey is closed until 9th January as they are assisting and accommodating the fire and park authorities.

There is normal transit to/from Torres del Paine with the Laguna Amarga entrance open.
Our guides are today in the Park checking the hike to the base of Las Torres but hope to offer this again very soon. The areas that were unaffected by the fire offer a multitude of magnificent vistas, mountain and lake views, glaciers and wildlife. We are planning on taking pictures shortly so you can see for yourselves that Torres del Paine is still there in all its splendour.
We see recent events as an opportunity to innovate and explore new trails - both in the Park and beyond. As we speak, we are looking at some pristine new areas such as Balmaceda, Serrano, the border area close to Argentina and more. We know the area better than anyone, leaving us plenty of options and alternative routes which are as beautiful and exciting as the originals. We have the advantage of the exclusivity and privacy in some of these areas that our clients prefer. Given that the hike close to Grey Glacier was affected we are hiking new routes close to other glaciers. We have always loved Glacier Dickson and will be diverting some groups there. We also love Glaciers Pingo, Tyndall, Geike, Serrano and more.

Please see below a map of the Park which shows the area affected by the fire in the grey shading.
Note: this map has been produced as close to reality as possible.

We will be informing you of new trips we are about to launch shortly and will confirm any permanent itinerary changes to existing trips in the coming weeks. Some of the new trips and changes will take place in areas never before open to tourism.

The Ecuadorian government has eliminated the fuel subsidies for the flights to the Galapagos Islands.
Rates will have a "fuel surcharge" of $50 for Aerogal and $70 for TAME flights - each way.
If you pay for your ticket by Dec 29, 2011 - TAME has waived this surcharge for flights in 2012.

Flights to Belize are now at rock bottom prices - act fast - these won't last!

We still have some spaces over the holidays on our riding tours in Belize -- here is your chandce ! 
It's a great opportunity to get away with some spectacular savings this winter season.
Delta and Continental  are offering heavily discounted pricing on many flights to Belize from now through February.  These are the best flight prices we've seen in over five years. We don't know how long these deals will be available, seats are limited on each flight ... so time is of the essence. If you want to get away from the winter chill - now's the time to act!
 
Sample winter fares - from the US
(round trip, including tax)  limited seat availability
 
Fares start as low as -
Seattle - $369 - Delta Airlines
Portland - $374 ¬- Delta Airlines
Eugene - $376 - Delta Airlines
Portland - $369 - Delta Airlines
San Francisco - $374 - Delta Airlines
Boston - $378 - Delta Airlines
New York - $385 - Delta Airlines

Article written by Dr Christi Garfinkel (www.drgarfinkel.com)

1.    In general, aim to feed 2% of your horse's ideal body weight in pounds per day.

2.    If more calories are necessary, use a fat-based feed rather than sugar or protein-based supplements.

3.    You should be able to feel your horse's ribs easily, but you shouldn't be able to see them.

4.    You should provide access to a salt/mineral block.

5.    Horses should be fed at ground level, but not directly on the dirt.