Check out the article in the NYTimes today, HERE:

Therapies to Soothe All Four Legs

By SARAH MASLIN NIR
Published: May 9, 2010
Horse whispering? Too loud. Some top-level racehorse owners and trainers, seeking to heal injuries or keep their animals in top condition, use equine telepaths as psychic diagnosticians.

It is just one of the alternative therapies with which racehorses are plied to keep them happy, healthy and, hopefully, fast. The popularity of alternative medicine among humans and the sophistication of sports medicine are reflected in the barn, according to trainers, veterinarians, riders and breeders. Stricter rules about which drugs are permissible for horses, and advances in drug-testing methods may also have increased the use of alternative treatments.

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“I speak with them telepathically,” said Wittels, who predominately practices over the phone. “I can do that from anywhere in the world, it doesn’t matter where I am.” She added, “Usually by the time they get to me, their skepticism is tempered by their need.” ...

Oy.

Where do I sign up and how much can I charge? Sounds like a perfect scam to me. Sit around in my underwear, wait for the phone to ring, ask a few leading questions, confirm what the anxious owner wants to hear and charge the credit card. I know more about dogs, though. Maybe I can set myself up as a dog telepath. Why bother with all this book learnin’ I’m going through when I can take advantage of gullible people?

Just goes to show that money is no indicator of thinking skills.

In the equestrian portion of the olympics, the horses are the only athletes not permitted to ingest so much as over the counter pain meds. A human can take ibuprofin for muscle and joint pain and swelling, horses cannot even take the equine equivalent. Therefore, trainers employ all manners of woo to treat the horses. Same thing with race horses, as drug testing is also involved.

Usually this is limited to herbal hot compresses, massage equipment, epsom salt soaks, water (swimming) therapy, etc. The “psychics” are a new fad. Racehorses often have investors who are willing to pay for this sort of thing to get an edge. They invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in their horse and its training and upkeep. Paying a psychic is a drop in the bucket for them.

I agree, what an ideal job! I would love to do it. What could be better than petting ponies all day? 

Oh please, don’t get me started!  Aaarrrggg!

Usually by the time they get to me, their skepticism is tempered by their need.

This is one of the most telling quotes from a promoter of quackery. Basically, desperation shuts off people’s brains and provides an opportuity for charlatans. Science doesn’t have all the answers and is constrained by that damnable requirement not to make stuff up, so the “woo of the gaps” phenomenon has plenty of opportunity to thrive.

Yep, preying on the sick and desperate. Beautiful.

Come on, DarronS.  Dogs are too easy to read.  You should become a kitty clairvoyant.  No matter what you said, I’m sure many cat owners would be willing to believe their feline actually thought that. 

Occam

The only thing I’m willing to believe my cat is thinking is, “Fuck you.  Go away or bring me food.”

DM, you forgot “Clean the litter box you lazy twit!”

Nah.  He just craps on the floor until I do.  He’s kind of passive-aggressive that way.

It’s bad enough to prey on the undereducated and gullible people, but to prey on their animals too,   is just heartless.

asanta - 10 May 2010 02:18 PM

It’s bad enough to prey on the undereducated and gullible people, but to prey on their animals too,   is just heartless.

Are other frauds simply heartless? No, if discovered practicing their fraud, they are criminals.

Among such frauds are all sorts of neo-shamans of every stripe preying for profit on the contentedly ignorant.