INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Your non-dominant hand, which for the purpose of this example will be referred to as the left hand, should be suspended over your leg. Hold the spoons in your right hand. Position your right hand between your left hand and leg. Remember that your left hand should be about 5 inches or so above your leg. You will create a clacking, rhythmic noise with your spoons by striking them down into your leg and up into your left hand. Lightly tap your spoons several times slowly until you feel comfortable with the grip. You can create different tones with your spoons by striking different parts against your left hand or leg. The two main striking points are the tip, which is the rounded end of the spoon opposite the end of the handle, and the cup of the spoon, which is the hollow part.  Striking the tip of your spoons up into your left hand or down into your leg will create a lighter, brighter sound in your spoons. Hitting the cup of your spoon up into your left hand or down into your leg will creates a stronger, more accented sound. When attempting to strike the tip of your spoons, you may find it easiest to hold your left hand at a slight angle, so that you can bring the tip of your spoon up into the meaty part of your hand where the thumb joins the palm. This posture will help prevent you from hitting too much of the cup of the spoon, creating a louder clacking. Cup strikes will be flatter against your leg and left hand. Strike one cup against your leg, and then bring it up into the meaty part of your hand, where the thumb joins your palm. Both strikes should be as flat as possible to create the strong, accented tone of a cup strike. At first, you’ll probably want to do this slowly. This will ensure you keep your spoons gripped correctly while coordinating the different strikes. Repeat the earlier exercise where you accented the second and fourth beats of your rhythm, only this time use a clap strike to accent and your tip strike on beats one and two.  As you become more comfortable, try different patterns. You might try only accenting the third beat, or the first and fourth beats. Turn on some of your favorite music and follow the beat as you play your spoons. Keep in sync with the music while alternating your strikes.

SUMMARY: Return your hands to the starting position with your spoons in hand. Practice the motion of striking your spoons. Identify the two main striking points on your spoons. Master tip strikes with your spoons. Perfect your cup strikes. Alternate your cup and tip strikes.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Ask your vet to administer a type-B toxoid vaccine to protect your horse. Although it doesn’t protect against all forms of botulism, it limits your horse’s risk of contracting the illness. The vaccine can be administered at any time after the horse is at least 2 weeks old.  Vaccination involves 3 initial dose vaccinations, followed by a single annual booster vaccination. If your horse does get botulism, the vaccine can decrease the severity of the infection. When dead animals decay, they can release botulism toxins. Small animals like rodents are attracted to your horse’s water, so it’s important that you inspect it often to keep it clean.  It's best to check 1 or 2 times per day. If you find a dead animal, you should remove it, drain the water, and disinfect the container. To disinfect the container, wash it with a 10% bleach solution. Rinse it twice before refilling it with water. Place a board in the water so that small animals can climb onto it if they fall in the water. They are not harmful to the horse unless they die in the water. Small animals can also get into your horse’s food. If they die, they’ll decompose and release toxins. This infects your horse’s food. Take steps to secure the food by keeping the storage area clean, blocking holes and cracks, and choosing sturdy containers. Check the food containers weekly to make sure that there are no holes or tears caused by rodents.  Before you put out feed, make sure that it is free of rodent droppings.  Ask your feed store about rodent-proof containers, which can help protect your horse’s food. If you see a rodent or other animal in your horse’s food, especially if it’s dead, throw that feed away. Do NOT give your horse potentially infected feed. If the container is reusable, disinfect it with a 10% bleach solution. Rinse it twice. Rodents and other wildlife can bring botulism to your horses. Put out traps or poisons in areas where rodents might hide, but keep them away from your horses. Protect areas like round bales, water troughs, and feed rooms. Clostridium botulinum spores exist naturally in soil and can become active in moist conditions. Horses can ingest soil, especially if it gets on their food. You can limit the risk of your horse ingesting contaminated soil by maintaining dry conditions and keeping soil off of feed.  Rake the soil often to aerate it, and remove mulch and old foliage to reduce the chance that the spores will become active.  Don’t let the horse eat hay from off the ground, as this can easily contaminate it. When you collect hay to feed your horse, make sure it is free of soil.

SUMMARY:
Get your horse vaccinated against a botulism infection. Check your horse’s water supply daily for dead animals. Store food properly so that small animals can’t access it. Keep rodents and other pests out with traps. Keep soil dry and away from the horse's feed.