Silver Lining Herbs Blog

Go Ahead and Horse Around

admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:59:58 +0000

I remember my first time riding a horse. It was at a summer camp and I was probably around the age of 11. I was absolutely terrified. Why would anyone want to sit atop a creature that could unexpectedly throw you to the ground? It was boggling and I was amazed how the ranch staff was so calm and collected around the 18 large creatures that gathered near the barn. Once I selected my horse, Abe, my fear transformed into excitement. I was instructed, along with my fellow cabin mates, to pet and “meet” our horse.

I remember looking into Abe’s eyes and realizing what a kind soul he was. My trail ride that afternoon was one of my best experiences at summer camp that year. I loved it so much, I signed up for another ride later in the week, which my parents so kindly paid for. Years later I worked at the same camp as a counselor and realized how therapeutic horses were for children. Certainly providing a memorable experience, horses also helped the campers learn leadership, patience, and companionship.

In my opinion, all children should get the chance to come in contact with a horse, whether it’s a trail ride or just petting and brushing them. These opportunities don’t come easy, but there are certainly ways to learn about these animals that seem so foreign to those that don’t ever get out of the city. I’ve narrowed down some ways below in which children and their families can learn more about equine friends. Hopefully some day, your family will have the opportunity to befriend a horse and understand why the animal is loved and cherished by so many people of all ages.

If your children want to know more about horses other than the sound they make, definitely teach them! National Geographic offers some great basic information, though a bit more difficult to understand for small children. Buzzle offers more interesting horse facts. For example, did you know that horses exert more energy lying down? If only that were the case for humans!

Horses don’t have to look so scary. In fact, their anatomy is quite similar to many other animals. This interactive diagram lets you match the name of their body to part to their correct location.

PetGames.My-Pet-Care.com is a great resource for animal related games found around the web, especially horse and pony games. Don’t be afraid to take a peek at the other animal games, like Dog, Bird, Spider, and Frog. The game “Dream Horse” is more like a virtual practice for horse care and grooming. Children can brush the horse and dress it to their liking. A great way to teach grooming techniques and dressage!

With Virtual Horse, you can play horse and pony games, train, breed, show and trade your horses or build a ranch, manufacture tack, and create jobs. A great site for kids with imaginations, enabling them to care for a horse from their own home. You can even create magical horses like unicorns and pegasi. Though the game is played by all people of all ages, adults can monitor their children’s behavior and also control the settings.

4-H club is a national youth organization allowing children and young adults to step up to challenges in their community. 4-H offers many different programs, focused on anything from cooking to sports, but their horse program is one worth diving into. There are programs that cover almost every aspect of horse care and riding. Joining a club is a great way for children have fun, learn responsibility and become leaders in their school and community!

Nicole Anegon is a contributing blogger for SilverLiningHerbs.com and is a pet enthusiast. Follow her on Twitter @bananegon

Dog Sitting & Dog Boarding Search Engine

admin — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:47:45 +0000

Is there anything more difficult than trying to find a dog sitter? Well, I’ve heard astrophysics can be pretty tough, but that’s beside the point. As you might imagine we know quite a few dog owners and many of them have had a tough time over the years trying to find a spot for Spot when they’re on the go and the pooch unfortunately can’t make the trip. If you use Google to help you with your search you’ll get a mishmash of results to parse through, some better than others, but it can still be a lot of work to sift through these results. With that in mind, we thought we’d help out those of you on the search for a dog sitter or a place to board your precious pup.

Find Yourself A Sitter Or A Place to Board Your Dog!

(Note: results will take you to a new page, use the back arrow to navigate back to this page.)

Above is a Google Custom Search Engine we created that only pulls results from 27 of the most prominent lists and directories on the web. So what we’ve tried to do is weed out the fluff and provide you with good search results. Type in your city and state or any other normal search combination but get ONLY targeted results. Give it a whirl and let us know what you think!

Wilco Farm Stores Fans Sweepstakes! Win $100+ in Silver Lining Herbs Products!

admin — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 15:32:09 +0000

In honor of the fact that Silver Lining Herbs products were 20% off at Wilco Farm Stores in the month of February, we’d like to offer Wilco Farm Stores fans and followers an exclusive sweepstakes! One lucky Wilco Farm Stores fan will receive a FREE pound of #37 Kidney and one FREE tube of the Arthritis gel ($100+ value). To enter, follow the simple steps below.

How to Enter

1. Like Us On Facebook (You MUST be logged in to Facebook to complete this action)

Or if you’d rather, visit http://www.facebook.com/silverliningherbs.

2. Tell Us Who You Are

3. Shout it out!

Want to tell family and friends about this? Share it!

Team Silver Lining Herbs Rodeo Results (2/24-2/26)

admin — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:32:21 +0000

Silver Lining Herbs would like to congratulate all the participants of the weekend’s events!

Join us in congratulations the following team Silver Lining Herbs members who together grossed over $38k in winnings this weekend!

JW Borrego-placed in the 2^nd go at the San Angelo Rodeo

Liz Combs-placed in the 2^nd go, final go and the average at the San Angelo Rodeo

Brenda Mays-placed in the average at the San Angelo Rodeo

Tyson Durfey-placed in the 1^st go at the La Fiesta de los Vaqueros Rodeo

Josi Young-placed in the 1^st go and won the 3^rd go of Bracket 2 at the San Antonio Rodeo

Riley & Brady Minor-placed in the 2^nd & 3^rd go of Bracket 1 at the San Antonio Rodeo

BJ Campbell-placed in the 1^st go of Bracket 2 at the San Antonio Rodeo

Tyson Durfey-placed in the 1^st & 3^rd go of Bracket 1, placed in Semifinal 2 at the San Antonio Rodeo

Trent Creager-placed in the 1^st & 2^nd go of Bracket 2 at the San Antonio Rodeo

Sherry Cervi-placed in the 1^st & 3^rd go of Bracket 3, placed in Semifinal 3 & 4 at the San Antonio Rodeo

Sheena Robbins-placed in the 1^st go of Bracket 4 at the San Antonio Rodeo

Cassie Moseley-placed in all 3 go’s of Bracket 5 at the San Antonio Rodeo

Brenda Mays-placed in the 1^st & 3^rd go, won the 2^nd go of Bracket 5 at the San Antonio Rodeo

6 Ways To Make Sure Your Dog Gets Enough Exercise: Happy National Walk The Dog Day!

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:12:43 +0000

February 22nd marks National Walk The Dog Day, the perfect excuse gather up your galoshes and hit the pavement with your four-legged friend. Although this day is a great time to remind pet owners to get out and active with their pup, dogs need consistent exercise to stay healthy.

Despite the fact we all know that exercise for our pet is important, it can sometimes be a challenge to muster up the energy to give your pooch the exercise it needs. It can especially be an issue to get out and about in the winter months when weather conditions make cuddling up on the sofa a more attractive pastime with your pet than braving the cold temperatures. Although it can be difficult to commit to, exercise for your pet is crucial in helping prevent health, weight, and heart issues, and in extending your dog’s life. In addition to improving your pet’s overall health, dogs that get ample exercise are less likely to have behavioral problems, such as destructive chewing, digging, and barking.

6 Simple Ways To Make Sure Your Dog Gets Enough Exercise

Here are some tips to ensure you help your dog get the exercise it needs (And hey! You’re getting some too!):

1. Make it a family affair

Get members of your family involved in your pooch’s daily walk. This will make it easier to get up and out and allows everyone can enjoy some family bonding time while staying healthy and active.

2. Get in a routine

Set aside some time in the day to walk your dog and stick to it. This could be the 10 minutes that it takes for your coffee to brew or as soon as you get home from work. Set an alarm on your watch or phone to remind you that it is time to take Fido out for a scroll. Come up with a time when you can commit to taking your dog on a longer walk such as on Sunday morning or Saturday afternoon.

3. Visit the Dog Park

Letting your dog get some exercise off the leash is a great way to ensure that he or she gets sufficient exercise, especially if you can’t keep up with your rambunctious pooch. If you have a friend or family member with a dog, you’re free to socialize while your pups have a play date. Before hitting the dog park, make sure your pooch has all the proper vaccinations and that it accustomed to interacting with other dogs. Always research the dog park’s rules and regulations before hand to ensure it is a good fit for your dog.

4. Play Ball

Games, especially fetch, are great ways to have fun while allowing your dog to get the exercise it craves. The added stimulation of a ball or toy makes exercise more enjoyable for your four-legged friend. If you have a small dog, fetch can be easily played in your home or apartment. Games with large dogs are better-suited for dog parks or fenced backyards. Remember to always adhere to safe off-the-leash practices when letting your dog run free.

5. Let your Dog be your Sidekick

When it makes sense, let your dog accompany you to the mailbox and back or down the street to the corner store to pick up something. If you live in a big city or near a downtown area, let your pooch come along with you on your errands. Take into consideration that some places may not allow your furry friends inside with you. Most big cities like New York and Chicago allow dogs in most places, but don’t bring your pooch along if you won’t have a safe place for them to stay while you complete your errands.

6. Doggy Day Care

If you are out of the house a lot due to work or for other reasons, doggy day care might be an ideal option for you. Dogs are able to socialize with other pets while getting ample playtime and exercise. It is best to thoroughly research the facility before dropping off your dog. Make sure they have strict policies about vaccinations, that their staff members are well-trained and certified, and that the facility is safe and clean. Many times it is best to drop by before hand to meet the staff, get a feel for the facility, and to see first hand the amount of playtime the pups get. If your dog doesn’t play well with others or is has health issues, a doggy day care might not be a good fit.

6. Take Baby Steps

You don’t have to train to be a triathlete to make sure your pup gets enough exercise. Start out with small steps and work toward a goal. Depending on your pet’s age, size, and health, your dog will need a different level of exercise to stay healthy. Be sure to consult your vet on what makes most sense for your particular four-legged friend.

Photo Credit

Weird White House Pets: Happy Presidents Day!

admin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:39:07 +0000

Weird White House Pets

Presidents Day has arrived and it gives us an opportunity to look back on the nation’s leaders from Washington to Obama. While this day marks a time to reflect upon our Leaders’ accomplishments, it is also gives us the excuse to explore the various animals the presidents brought with them to the Oval Office. George Washington himself had over twenty pets over the course of his presidency; most were stallions, horses, and dogs, but others included bizarre animals such as a hypo, a bobcat, a zebra, lion cubs, a black bear, and a wallaby.

While contemporary pets include dogs, cats, and horses, there have been some exotic animals who also have been residents of the White House over the years. Let’s take a gander at some of the bizarre creatures that have been privileged (we guess?) enough to call the White House their home.

Abraham Lincoln had a pig and goats — we most likely wouldn’t see livestock running amok on the White House lawn these days.

Woodrow Wilson had a ram and sheep that occupied the White House lawn during this time in office.

Although many weren’t in favor of having these creatures roam the White House lawn, Wilson used the sheep to keep the grass at a manageable height and as a way to illustrate what could be done to free up men. He also auctioned off the wool and donated the funds to The Red Cross during World War 1.

Who needs the secret service when you have a descendant of the dinosaurs crawling around the White House premise? The sixth President of the United States, John Quincy Adams, had an alligator that was a given to him from The Marquis de Lafayette, a French military officer. It was rumored he kept it in the bathroom. While Adams may have been a bit off the reservation, his wife raised her more sensible silkworms in the mulberry trees and spun their silk to make garments.

The eighth President of the United States, Martin Van Buren (1837-1841) was given a pair of tiger cubs by The Sultan of Oman. Van Buren wanted to keep the cubs at the White House since he believed them to be a gift for the new president. On the other hand, Congress insisted the cubs didn’t belonged to the people of the United States. Eventually, the tiger cubs ended up at the zoo.

Later in 1960, The white tigress, Mohini of Rewa, was given as a gift to President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The ice-blue eyed animal was a gift of the Metropolitan Broadcasting Corporation of New York and Ralph Scott of Washington, D.C. Mohini made a brief appearance on the White House Lawn before being shipped to the National Zoological Park.

Herbert Hoover had a pair of alligators that belonged to his son. It was said that he sometimes let them wander around the White House. We’re going to predict that this wouldn’t go over too smoothly in 2012.

After the two exchanged a series of gifts, The King of Siam offered a herd of elephants to the 15th U.S. President, James Buchanan, thinking they could be released in the forests of the U.S.A. and utilized for heavy work. The King, not realizing it was an election year, inadvertently sent the letter to Buchanan’s successor, Abraham Lincoln who replied, according to the National Archives, politely declining the elephants and explaining that the geography and the climate of the United States did not “favor the multiplication of the elephant”. (source)

If Lincoln hadn’t had the sensibility to return this particular gift, would we have elephants tromping through our forests? Buchanan, although without his elephant herd, did have a pair of bald eagles which were apparently sent to him because people worried he would be lonely in the White House as a bachelor. Do bald eagles make good companions? We don’t know.

However, the award for weirdest pets goes to both President Calvin Coolidge and President Theodore Roosevelt. Had they served more terms, the White House might have needed to construct a zoo to house all the animals.

Among the plethora of Coolidge’s pets included raccoons, a goose, a bobcat, and a donkey. He also was gifted a number of animals from high-ranking individuals in other countries. They included lion cubs, a wallaby, a pygmy hippo, and a black bear.

President Theodore Roosevelt had five bears, two parrots, snakes, lizards, rats, roosters (including one with a single leg), a lion, hyena, wildcat, coyote, zebra, and an owl.

During our research for this post, it was never mentioned where in the world these various creatures were kept. The lack of information about where in the White House the animals were housed conjures up images of zebras, bobcats, and coyotes snuggling up in bed next to the Presidents, but we’re going to assume that these presidential pets had sleeping quarters of their own.

Help Your Pet’s Pearly Whites During National Pet Dental Health Month

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:43:28 +0000

Although we all might not like getting our teeth cleaned and picked at, we understand that dental health is important. When it comes to tooth brushing and eradicating bad breath, our pets should not be excluded from these practices.

Photo Credit here.

Pet dental hygiene is often overlooked until an animal’s breath becomes rancid. However, February is National Pet Dental Health Month and thus a perfect opportunity to learn how to take the best care of your pet’s pearly whites.

Believe it or not, the American Veterinary Medical Association recommends having owners regularly brush their pet’s teeth – this applies to both dogs and cats. The AMVA even offers an instructional video about how it should be done.

Gum infections are very common in dogs and cats, and tooth brushing, along with regularly taking your pets to the vet, can help prevent the occurrence of such infections. A vet can also offer dental instructions and tips specific to your animal.

Photo Credit here.

Although a big reason for National Pet Dental Health Month is to spread awareness, pet owners should engage in pet dental practices year long. It’s always nice when your pet wants to play or lick your face and you aren’t driven away by the odor in their mouth.

Alyssa Zandi is a writer and pet enthusiast. Follow her on twitter at @AlyssaZandi.

Silver Lining Herbs Holiday Horse & Pet Photo Contest

Bella Butler — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:57:00 +0000

Photo Credit

T’is the season to show off the family four-legged creatures’ holiday spirit! Upload a photo of your horse or pet showing off their holiday spirit to the Silver Lining Herbs Facebook for a chance to win FREE Silver Lining Herbs product.

How To Enter

Upload your holiday or winter themed photo of your horse or pet (Christmas or winter-themed outfits, Christmas family photo with the dog, Santa riding a mare, etc) to Facebook.com/SilverLiningHerbs
OR e-mail your photo to Mwoodrow@netvantagemarketing.com. Please note that it is not required that you upload your photo to Facebook to participate.

Prizes

The entrant whose photo receives the most votes will win a FREE Silver Lining Herbs product of their selection. Please note that although we will accept photos of any type of pet, our products are for DOGS and HORSES only.
The runner-up will receive Silver Lining Herbs Swag.

Judging

First round: Judges will pick our top 5 favorite photos which will be posted on several outlets including our blog and Facebook. With your input, we will narrow it down. Please note that a “Like” of a photo simply indicates your support for that photo and not an official vote.

Second Round: The three top photos will be selected and re-posted for users to see. Official voting will take place here: Official Voting

Please note that you may only vote once.
Please note that you are submitting your information to Silver Lining Herbs, not Facebook.
This promotion is being sponsored by Silver Lining Herbs and is in no way endorsed, sponsored, or affiliated with Facebook.

Rules

Keep it family friendly (That doesn’t mean we don’t have a sense of humor. Get creative!).
Two photo entries per person will be accepted.
The photograph must belong to you or you must have permission to use it.
Deadline to enter is Friday, January 6th.

The Fine Print

Silver Lining Herbs reserves the right to disqualify entries we deem inappropriate or a violation of our contest rules.
By submitting your photo, you agree to allow us to use the photo in the second round of voting, on the SilverLiningHerbs.com, and other SLH social media outlets.
Participants must be 18 years of age or older.
Participants must be a legal U.S. or Canadian resident.
Shipping costs are on us.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.
Participants are providing information to Silver Lining Herbs and not to Facebook.

Photo Credit

Dog in Santa Hat: TheGiantVermin

2011 National Finals Rodeo Last Call!

Bella Butler — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 18:28:06 +0000

Hope everyone has been having an awesome past couple days, we sure have! We’ve had a blast getting face time with some of our amazing fans and customers and rooting for contestants! The 2011 NFR will soon be coming to an end, but there are still ways you can win with Silver Lining Herbs! We know it has been a hectic week with so much going on so we thought we’d give you a quick recap of what we’ve been up to and ways you can still get involved! Want to shout it from the rooftops? Share this with your friends now!

Ways You Can Still Win

Upload a photo of your horse or dog to Facebook.com/SilverLiningHerbs with what they would say about Silver Lining Herbs if they could speak! Our favorite gets a SLH tee!
Head over to Twitter to follow us & RT this tweet to be entered to win FREE product! Not on Twitter? Like this status to be entered to win!
Tell us why you love Silver Lining Herbs on Facebook to be entered to win a Sherry Cervi autographed copy of her Horse of the Year congratulations ad! Be sure to start your post with “I heart SLH because…”
“Like” this status to be entered to win a Brady Minor Autographed copy of his Horse of the Year Congratulations ad!

What We’ve been Up To

This week, the Silver Lining Herbs crew has been hanging out at the NRS Store @ the MGM Grand. Check out some photos below from the event!

Booth 303 at the NRS Store!

Josi and Shayna hanging with Joey and Rory at the NRS Store!

Tyson Durfey signing autographs and meeting with fans at the Silver Lining Booth in the NRS Store!

Silver Lining Herbs CEO Shayna Young and little miss Sadie Biggs in the NRS Store!

Josi Young being interviewed at our NRS Store booth 303 by Cuttin up Radio!

Brady Minor at the Silver Lining Herbs Booth in the Convention Center last week!

Tyson Durfey and CEO, Shayna Young rocking Silver Lining Herbs Tattoos last week at the convention center!

What People Have Been Saying

We’re been tweeting and posting away all week long and have had a blast getting to connect with fans and customers both at the event and in the social sphere. Here is what some of you have been saying:

Stay tuned! We’ll be announced winners on Facebook, Twitter, and here on the blog!

NFR 2011 Events, Schedule, & Giveaways!

Bella Butler — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:24:50 +0000

The Silver Lining Herbs crew is taking over the Las Vegas National Finals Rodeo (NFR) 2011 and we are ready and rarin’ to go! Best of luck to all the contestants! To event goers, we can’t wait to see you!

Silver Lining will have two booths in Las Vegas during the National Finals Rodeo 2011. From Dec. 1-10, visitors can meet the team in the Convention Center at booth #1724. Dec. 4-11, customers can also find Silver Lining Herbs in the MGM Grand. For details on the event, check out the NFR website at nfrexperience.com, Facebook at facebook.com/LasVegasNFR or Twitter, @LasVegasNFR. The official hashtah of the event is #NFR.

Prizes, Prizes, Prizes!

As you can see, we were hard at work setting up yesterday and are excited to see you all out here! Throughout the week, we will feature daily ways to win prizes at the actual event or from home on Facebook and Twitter. We will be giving away autographs, hats, t-shirts, Silver Lining Herbs product, temporary tattoos, stickers, Silver Lining Herbs Leg Gels, and MORE! Be sure to check back daily on Facebook or Twitter to see what the prize offering of the day is!

How to Connect With Us @ The Event

You can stay apprised to updates, giveaways, and events by connecting with us on these platforms:

Twitter: Twitter.com/SLherbs
Facebook: Facebook.com/SilverLiningHerbs
Foursquare: Foursquare.com/SLherbs

Grand Event Giveaway

All individuals that check-in at the event using Facebook, Foursquare, or Twitter and give Silver Lining Herbs a shout-out will be entered to win a grand prize at the end of the event!

How To Enter

Facebook
1. “Like” Silver Lining Herbs on Facebook: www.facebook.com/silverliningherbs
2. Use your smart phone to Check-In at NFR Event with the status, “Shout out to @Silver Lining Herbs!”

Foursquare
1. Check-in at NFR Event with message: “Shout-out to @SLherbs!”

Twitter
1. Tweet the post, “Shout-out to @SLherbs! #nfr” – we’d love to see some pics from your phone as well!

Schedule

Want to make sure you don’t miss out? Here is Silver Lining Herbs endorser meeting and booth schedule for the NFR 2011. For a map of the event, please visit nfrexperience.com (Please check out social media outlets for changes):

Cowboy Christmas Gift Show
Las Vegas Convention Center
(Dec 1-3)
Details here.

Thursday, December 1

Riley Minor @ 2 p.m.

Friday, December 2

Tyson Durfey @ 11:30 a.m.
Brady Minor @ 1 p.m.

Saturday, December 3

Brenda Mays @ 10 a.m.
Sherry Cervi @ 11 a.m.

MGM Grand Las Vegas
NRS Shopping Experience – Marquee Ballroom
(Dec. 6-9)

Tuesday, December 6th
Tyson Durfey @ 11 a.m.
Brady Minor @ 12:30 p.m.
Sherry Cervi @ 1 p.m.

Wednesday, December 7th
Brenda Mays @ 10 a.m.
Sherry Cervi @ 1 p.m.
Riley Minor @ 1 p.m.

Thursday, December 8th
Tyson Durfey @ 11:30 a.m.
Brady Minor @ 12:30 p.m.

Friday, December 9th
Brenda Mays @ 11 a.m.
Riley Minor @ 1 p.m.