Horse Noob

Eyebug: WSCA Tandem Bareback Class

2009-09-10T11:02:00.000-07:00

At the state fair last weekend, I got to watch a WSCA show. And thusly, I was introduced to a class I had never heard of: Tandem Bareback. Now, I've heard of riding double. I know what a tandem bicycle is. The concept does not bother me. Sounds like a good test of seat and temperment of horse.

Two skinny kids ride a horse around the ring, W-T-C-B-H, and then line up and get ribbons. Silly costumes are worn, and sensible tack (no tie downs, obviously!)

Now, I'm not going to lie, it's a stupid class (these kids aren't that good at it). Like Arabian costume class, it's not exactly something you do all that seriously. It's fun to go ride with a friend, and I'm certain all of the contenders were there for other classes.

So you'd think it would at least look fun, but it doesn't. It looks downright creepy. The kids sit butt cheek-to-crotch, knee-to-knee, toe-to-heel close. The kid in back keeps their nose almost touching the head of the rider in front of them, smiling at the back of their friend's hair/helmet. They move their arms in some sort of impotent mimic of the front rider. It's creepy! Even the woman behind me thought it looked unsettling.

As it's a western pleasure derivative, the winners were the pair with the slowest 4-beating horse, who was so long backed it looked like he could have fit another 3 or so kids. None of the horses moved very quickly- it was slow enough to realize just how unsettling it looked.

I don't blame the contenders. If you're already there, have a matching outfit and a friend who's willing to get a little intimate in the show ring, then it seems like a fun way to get another ribbon.

Still, it's like riding with a Realdoll or something.

Da da Ding-ding ding-ding ding-ding ding...

2009-07-28T20:35:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I know minis can pull 3-5x their weight.

So these guys are 34" high. Googling ohter 34" horses, they weigh about 150. 300 lbs together, can pull 900 to 1500 lbs.

My estimate-

Red shirt tubby: 300 lbs
Cowboy hat guy: 200 lbs
2 girls back left: 100 together
Darker girl behind RST: 75
The three remaining children: 150
Cart:200
And how many children hanging off the other side? We are still under the limit...

2009-06-29T08:47:00.000-07:00

So I was wondering: What's your favorite thing to do with your horse? Do you just love ground-driving? Running barrels? Snoozing in the sun together? Something the both of you like.

My Dante loves to jump. I encouraged it from the beginning with him, super-praising him for doing so. So if he's ever in a bad mood, I can pop him over a little jump (on him or not) and then get him back on whatever task we're doing. I love watching him get all proud, even if it's a weenie jump. My lil champion.

My favorite thing to do is a full groom. My horse is always the shiniest. His mane is always combed, his tail is brushed. His socks are pretty clean, etc. I do a nice groom before every ride, rinse off after if he's sweaty and it's warm enough, and he's probably Mr. Popular with no flies nearby.

At first he was not a fan of the attention, except for brushing his tail. Now the routine's pretty simple and he stands like a champ. And he likes it more, takes a nap.

Our favorite together thing is to chase something. Usually the trainer's husky, sometimes a chicken, once an actual cow. He knows what to do and I just hold on.

So what's your fun thing?

Teaching Tuesday

2009-06-23T07:50:00.000-07:00

You think I'm going to teach you something? Ha!

This isn't Horse Noob because I'm some sort of pro!
However, the difference between a Noob and an idiot is that the Noob is trying, learning, and improving.

And the most important part of that difference is that a Noob is able to realize a deficiency, seek out information, and use some SENSE to learn what is right (credibility of information source, age of information, whether or not it sounds dumb).

Execution of course, is another matter, and what separates a Noob from an advanced rider.

For instance, to jump a fence: Canter up, counting strides, adjust your stride length if needed, head up, eyes forward, assume the position at the fence, close hip angle while releasing the head, open hip angle and follow the back and head coming down, eyes up, continue on. Sounds so fluid and nice.

Can I do that? No. I can trot up to a teeny fence, assuming a two-point too soon, with a basic mane release, and keep my butt out of the saddle with springy knees, and then after the jump I lower back down. I haven't even done that in a while until I get my health insurance back. :) I may not be pretty, but my horse gets very chipper when a weenie jump's involved, and has shown no hesitation about the matter. I'm not yanking on his mouth, slamming on his back, and if I'm not as balanced as I should be (I feel pretty balanced unless he decides to make the jump much larger than the object, which he sometimes does) I'm at least keeping the jumps very small until I develop that balance. So while possibly being a little annoying to him I don't think I'm making him upset or otherwise stressing him.

One time my horse tried to get a cookie for himself while roaming the indoor arena. Between two picnic tables. The cookies were in a container between them. I went to calmly get him (I didn't want to chase him out in case he got a leg caught on the bench). He knew he was being bad, so he went to turn around (I'm like good God no!), and instead of letting me get him, he reared up, hopped over the picnic table, loped a half circle and put his nosie on my shoulder like "ain't no thang."

Yes, my unfit, overweight, swaybacked, 15HH foundation-ey QH can pop over a full-sized picnic table from a standstill. And this was before the chiropractor, without a warmup, in the middle of winter. (a minnesota winter)

It was beautiful. My brain was screaming "vetbillvetbillvetbillvetbillvetbill...OMGhesdeadisnthe?" the entire time, and then when he put the nosie on said shoulder, part of me wished I could make him do that again without it being incredibly stupid and foolish.

He was now however, not allowed to kick at a barrel lying on the ground and look at me like "too high!" F-no table jumper.

Anyways Teaching Tuesday is just where I share a source. I have a few on the side (I'll show the cavalettis I recently made soon, and I LOVE the sustainable dressage link)

Today in learning about topline development, I discovered a blog entitled Dressage in Jeans, and they have a decent article about long and low that relates to all disciplines

http://dressageinjeans.blogspot.com/2009/02/get-low.html

Swaybacked horse + Long and Low = challenge.

I don't need no stinkin' Jockey!

2009-06-22T07:51:00.000-07:00

(Via Fanhouse.com)

Saturday's fifth race at Belmont Park got off to an odd start when a horse named Phone Jazz threw off her jockey, Jean-Luc Samyn, while coming out of the gate. But that didn't matter to her.

No, Phone Jazz made a statement that the jockeys aren't really necessary in horse racing, and she just kept on going, crossing the finish line first, seven lengths ahead of the pack.

That didn't make her the winner, though, because the rules of horse racing say the horse and the jockey have to cross the finish line together. So Hold the Cruiser, who finished second, got the win, followed up by Favorite Colors and Properlyintroduced. Phone Jazz is technically considered not to have finished the race.

Samyn got up after falling off Phone Jazz and was not hurt.

So- one of the comments below the story suggested that we just do away with the jockeys, and make horse racing more like greyhound racing (although maybe that person wasn't thinking of the fake rabbit spurring them on).

Personally, it's a no-go for me. While yes you'd get rid of the whipping, heavy (for the age they race at) man atop them, you'd also have no reason to train the buggers. They may not break as many legs and be put down, but you'd also have an impetus to breed for a batshit-crazy temperament. What do you think training would be? Would breeders just make more babies, and be even more disposable (track broke is better than unbroke for rescue). Would they make them "mad?" Would the inject with hormones, feed them and box them up to make them hotter?

I think maybe greyhounds would be better off if they had some sort of obedience component as well (even as simple as after the race they have to come to their handlers).

What do you think?

Weird Wednesday: Meano

2009-06-17T07:25:00.001-07:00

(For those that noticed, I separated my blog to a new email addy. Same goes for twitter. It's an organizational thing. )

Okay so I'm going to stick to upper midwest cuz that's where I live, but I just had to share the following Craigslist "gems." All appeared yesterday. I'd like to make this a regular thing so if you have any to share just send to horsenoob@gmail.com. Yours don't have to be midwest, I just don't have the time to do the entire US.

The first is a gross misrepresentation of what a "filly" is:

The next two are by someone who just can't spell to save their lives. They don't bother looking it up, they just guess. For the price they're asking, I guess it's not too surprising.

This last one just cracks me up. Are they "mean" little "ponys?" That seems like incredibly unsafe fencing. And why on earth are they wearing nylon halters when they're in an obviously small pasture? With cows? And a round bale? Um, sweet...

These people are also offering a broodmare with baby (and of course rebred), and nearly all the rest of the farm equipement. One can only hope they're getting out of horses.

OUCH!

2009-06-15T08:03:00.000-07:00

The fall occurred at the Bramham International Horse Trials this past weekend with rider Faith Cook and her horse Nagor de la Roche.

She broke two bones in her neck and back but there is no spinal injury and she should make a full recovery.

The horse had some severe bruising (probably the nosie) but is otherwise a-okay!

Modified letter.

2009-06-13T10:03:00.000-07:00

Sorry this isn't so much of a blog post as it is a holding spot.

Someone on the Fugly blog wanted a form-letter against horse slaughter. I modified mine to be suitable for non-legislators and am putting it here:

There are tens of thousands of unwanted horses in America, just like dogs and cats. Unfortunately, people equate the very true "Horses are expensive" with "Horses are valuable". This is an unfair equivalent. Some horses have very high value (winning racehorses, horses with fantastic pedigrees, very well-trained horses), while others do not (losing racehorses, horses that have developed riding issues such as throwing riders, horses that have suffered injury from sport, horses that were never trained, "grade" or mixed-breed horses of unremarkable parentage, old horses). People who make the equation of horses being expensive to horses being valuable may breed thinking to gain money, and often breed poorly-marketable animals. The low-end horse market is simply flooded.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners estimates that the minimum yearly cost to care for a horse, not including veterinary and farrier expenses, is $1,895. Personally I have paid 30 dollars every 6 weeks for farrier care and an additional 300 a year for veterinary care, and my horse has not been ill.

The market is so flooded I can go buy a well-trained, young, papered, healthy horse for under 3000, likely even under 2000. You can imagine how cheaply I could purchase one of lower quality than that. If I'm prepared to pay the 2000 a year to maintain a horse, why wouldn't I be willing to pay the very slight extra for a much higher quality animal? Why would I pay to keep something dangerous, or injured?

And thus, we have unwanted horses.

One would think a breeder would be particular about what they were breeding, worried they would have this financial, unsaleable burden. Well, they don't have to worry, thanks to American horse slaughter.

At hundreds of auction houses across the US, horses are auctioned to the highest bidder. Some are pleasure mounts, some are professional show horses, and some are unwanted for other various reasons. At many auction houses, there is someone known as a "kill buyer". He will buy any horse for about 300 dollars or under. He will smile at the seller. He will promise a good home. He will listen to the little girl selling her pet tell him what kinds of treats her pony likes. He will buy the broken down horses. He will respond to "free horse" ads. If you're very cool about it, you can buy one off him before leaving the auction house provided there's an instant profit for him.

These auction houses exist in Minnesota. I have watched several kill buyers argue over prices. They quote prices by the pound. The kill buyers in question have land in Kansas, where they fatten the horses up and ship them to Mexico. I knew the woman next to me at the auctionhouse. She was selling three horses. She had already bought two before hers were up on the auction block. She needed some better horses for her summer camp. She had a 3-horse trailer, those three were not coming home. I asked her if she would sell to kill buyers. She told me there is no slaughter anymore. One of her horses sold for 25 dollars.

"Horses are shipped across the border to be slaughtered now. You can look at the USDA Las Cruzes, NM report, at least a thousand per week," I told her. She didn't think it was possible. At one point the auctioneer, who liked to say where the horse was going after sold, joked when the kill buyer purchased one saying "This one's Mexico-bound ladies and gentlemen!" The kill buyer: the Auctioneer's son.

There are two main destinations for the slaughter-bound horse: Mexico and Canada, as you may guess. Horses are transported there, sometimes in what are called "double deckers," This being because they are two levels high. There is an internal ramp to the second level, which is narrow. They were designed for cattle. Horses are crammed in the tight trucks, and are often injured in various manners. They fight. Sometimes there are foals in the same trucks. There was an accident that made the news when one was tipped over. Some surived- photos available http://www.kaufmanzoning.net/foiaphotos.html.

The horses are then slaughtered in manners differently than anticipated. In Canada it is captive-bolt, like cattle. The machines were designed for cattle, but are decent at making the animals brain-dead before rendering. This is provided the worker is adept at it. The horse makes a valiant effort to dodge the gun. In Mexico, at at least one slaughterhouse, the horse is run down a chute, where it is stabbed in the neck (repeatedly, with an ordinary-looking knife), until the spinal cord is severed by one of the hits, and then rendered after falling. It is likely conscious. Both examples are readily available on youtube.

It is my personal opinion that horses are unsuitable animals for traditional slaughter. Horses are very reactive. Horses have very large nostrils, and very strong flight responses. Example: a horse tragically died in our arena of a twisted gut (colic). The body was promptly removed. No blood was present, nor was this a lasting illness. The area was very well ventilated. I could smell nothing. Upon entering the arena a full day later, my horse became wild with fright and unrideable. It took a full week for my horse to be calm in the arena again. I have no doubt that horses entering a slaughterhouse are aware of their surroundings and to be frightened.

You would think, given the reasons above, that making transport conditions and slaughter like the above illegal would be an easy decision. Unfortunately, it is not.

Not all unwanted horses are sent to slaughter. Many are simply neglected. High hay prices (drought last year doubled them), failing economy (you know...), higher property taxes, and some do not have the transport to sell a horse, or think that it will pick up, or make excuses (such as old horses are skinny, mustangs don't have vets or farriers, I can breed her and sell the baby and make money, some trainer will want my bad horse as a project) and this causes the owners to retain horses they cannot afford. Neglect is common.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners, the American Quarter Horse Association (largest breed registry), the Arabian Horse Association, and the American Veterinary Medical Association and various Rodeo associations are pro-slaughter. Their reasoning is not unfounded, but it is flawed. They say that without slaughter the value of all horses will drop, including the high quality ones and run the horse industries to the ground. Neglect will be everywhere. Unwanted horses accumulating like rabbits. They paint a picture of the kill buyer as a garbageman, cleaning up after everyone.

Yes, I believe that banning slaughter and slaughter-related methods of transport will lower horse values. But, not ALL horse values.

The bottom of the horse market is artificially high, which is what encourages the overbreeding and irresponsible ownership in the first place. This fattens the pockets of the breed registries (many slaughter-bound horses are registered, and more breeding makes more registration fees). Gaining 100 dollars on an unusable horse versus retirement board or paying 60 dollars for euthanasia (a well-placed bullet is not inhumane either) prevents racetracks and rodeos from having to be responsible.

Yes, tough times are ahead for horses. However, the solution is not to enable this fingers-jammed-in-ears "I Don't see this" attitude behind breeding more horses, pretending the kill buyer is not sending them to slaughter, and pretending the slaughter is humane.

High-end horses are still expensive. There will always be sub-par offspring from even the best breeding stock to supply the average horse-owner. All of the cats at the Humane Society have not made purebred Ragdolls any less expensive. All the Labs available at the shelters do not make a trained hunting dog undervalued. The reasoning is greed, and greed alone.

I urge you to please support the end of this cold practice. To affirm that Americans are not afraid of setting a higher standard. You may contact me if you would like to further discuss the issue.

Thank you for your time,

HorseNoob on Twitter

2009-06-12T10:18:00.000-07:00

In case you can't tell I decided to spice up the ol' blog lately. I'm going to pull in all sorts of information.

The blog's by a Noob, and generally FOR Noobs. I need to pass on more info instead of just diary-ing. I want to pull in more links from around the interwebs.

So now you can follow me on Twitter: Horsenoob.

Looking forward to the tweets!

Sewerhorse

2009-06-11T15:19:00.001-07:00

Had to!

I am not a machine

2009-06-11T09:20:00.000-07:00

Whether or not it's truly there, or just a projection of mine anthropomorphizing, I find there are a few different kinds of personalities ( I think "horsenalities" is copyrighted and much like dealing with Star Trek, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, the Bible, or anything that has a mass following, you do NOT guess/interpret/incorrectly state the Canon or you just may incur Wrath. It's like making a spelling mistakes in flame wars).

Yes, I know the Parelli Horsenalities; I just disagree with them. Not that the terms are used incorrectly- although I bet a psych major would pull hair, but just that they aren't accurate for everyday use, and I will explain: Everyone I see describe a horse with them takes the adjectives they'd used to describe their horse, finds they apply to several categories, then says their horse falls under categories X,Y, and Z, and ends up giving me a convoluted description of their horse's personality that is far more generic and prone to inaccuracy.

I did a quick "horsenality chart"

Now, how well does that describe him? According to the checkboxes, I'd say he's more right brained and interoverted, yet that quadrant was the fewest populated!

Dante is a well-mannered horse with a big heart who really wants to be successful. He has a lot of try, although he's also easily frustrated. Because someone in his past beat him, being frustrated can cause him to have a panicky, hissy fit, or just get a little nippy and shovey with his head. This is easily reversed by giving him a success to remotivate. He is a plucky fellow who can be a bit ho-hum, but easily cheered. When cheery, he is very affectionate. He'll follow you (not like a puppy, cuz puppies run off) like a lamb, rub you lightly like a cat, and hug you with his neck, enjoying smelling you and gazing sweetly.

Auction yet again

2009-06-10T08:36:00.000-07:00

Okay so I'm a sucker for auctions. I like to see what's going on, meet a bunch of horses, and see how well I can appraise their value. Also, when I finally (yay school forever) get my real, grown-up job and can afford it, I'd like to rescue but I'd like to be successful at it; picking horses that have the conformation, temperment, and saleability to make them successful. (I'm not getting into the ethics of whether or not helping one soul a lot or many a little or anything of that. I only took the one ethics class to not become a MAD scientist).

So at the crack of dawn (I board, so I sleep in) Myself, Sarah, her farm-hand (16), and his GF thinking of breeding her lame Arab drove the hour or so to Simons arena again (see previous post for my first adventure there).

It was the big summer season sale. We showed up at 9:30am or so to see the tack part, since we weren't buying horses. The horses started at noon and were probably halfway done when we left at 5:30. We wrote down every sale until then. My butt hurt too much to even go ride my couch of a horse afterwards. Note to self: be like the old people and bring a blanket to sit on next time. Forgot that last time I had bought a saddle pad and used it.

The loose horses sell AFTER all the regulars are done. So the report here is for those that were at least halter-broke. There were more big trailers unloading as we left. I'd imagine those selling even more loose horses were showing up later on in the day, so I'd say this list represents the higher side of the sales. Again, we were there for 5.5 hours of uninterrupted horse sales.

The crowd steadily dwindled, there were maybe 100 people. Consider most don't come alone, there were not too many bidders.

The kill buyers hang out up front, and their numbers aren't always shouted out because of that. Some of them have multiple numbers. I think some buy some resell prospects, then go after the loose horses. I'll list the possible/known KBs first with their lineup, then the rest. Finally, I'll list the No-Sales. Some had insane desires, like 200 for an unbroke skinny mini that looked like a sheep.

Most of the following were ridden through, sometimes I forgot to say it. Nobdy had any bucking or rearing fits, many were actually very well behaved if antsy.

Maybe I should take my horse there (and no-sale him) because then he'd probably take out most of the kill buyers hanging out by the podium while having a fit!

Bidder #20: KB
$60 each- 2 minis, ungroomed, yearling, studs
100 - mini, broke, ungroomed, geld, cute
400- red dun, 8, rode thru, quiet, not cantered but trotted, correct, cute.
475- AQHA reg, 3, incentive, sound, green broke, rode thru
850- gray, drafty/TBX, a little buck/hop, flashy
#54: KB?
$300- mini, led, prancey, palomino, 2, mare, registered
275- mini, 6, geld, shown, cute, black, rode thru
225- mini pinto, registered, 7, mare, the huge guy selling it hopped on and rode it a bit :(
225- pony, pinto, 10, geld, rode thru by cute girl with velvet helmet, quiet.
160- pony, registered shetland, geld, 4, rides/drives, chocolate colored
1525- Smoky buckskin mare, rode thru, spins, Paint (Doc on papers), slides some, collects
600- Rode thru, broke, plain, 10, scar but sound w/guarantee, sliding stops
675- Blue roan mare, chases cows Rode thru

#6: Definitely KB, I think he's Randy Simons. Same number as last year.
150- Pony, 6, geld, broke, rode thru, CUTE
500- NICE, 12, 14HH, english, floaty trot, current vacc, feathery, flaxen "good home?"
350- black bay roan, 13, trail, neck scar, broke, cute, moves well-neck reins,
1500- 8, bay mare, donkey ears, quiet
600- gelding, brown, trail horse, rode thru
250- grade, geld, 6, rode thru, arab-y, red, cute, listened well to rider.
450- rode-thru, bay, trail horse, athletic
300- geld, 6, 4H, arab/pinto
350- 14, dark palomino/dun, rode thru, dirty, known to grass founder in spring
950- Palomino, parades, flags, state fair, 8, rode thru, DRILL TEAM
400- skipper on papers, mare, 12, cute
500- 6, ranch broke, flashy, mover, willing, paint, coughing, odd/pain?
#2 KB, again seen him before.
85- grulla, pinto, flashy, registration application available, floaty, ghost and dancer on papers, cut on leg, walked thru, 2ish?
85- solid paint, walked thru, not trotted, "off"
50- B+W tobiano, yearling, colt
60- 3yr, grade, dirty, walk-thru
100- palomino paint yearling registered, geld, walked thru
#3 KB
925- 5, mare, registered, peppy, zan barr, remnic on papers, spins, reining started, nice
235- black QH, 2, colt, started, cyst on knee?, quiet, butt high, nice,
550- Mule, 12, john, trail, rode thru, quiet, responsive
875- palomino, paint registered, limp? mare, 4, slides, spins, impressive but hypp?
235- 4, buckskin, mare, 30 days, walked thru, not trotted
285- 5, buckskin, breeding stock, mare
675- 11, mare, chestnut, quiet, rider plays "playground" all over
560- reg QH, mare, 5, hancock/valentine on papers, long pasterns, gray, rode thru
#17 KB?
225- Pony, gray, 4, broke, dirty, saddled, favors leg
475- QH, 3, poco on papers, moves well, spins, "sore if worked hard" (?)
425- gray, 4, coon footed, rode thru
150- 9, geld, drugged, no trot
375- 8, grade, lanky, rode thru, mover, geld
225- Silver dun, registered, thin, cute, rode thru
#5
325- 4, kid clu on papers, lame in back, clean, long backed
350- Arab-y mare, bred, brown, cool skip, not trotted
300- AQHA mare, skips gold/sonny d bars on papers, impressive, N/H, walked
#80
550- Pony, 14HH, haflinger, driven, 5, mare, ridden thru, CUTE!, "mexico bound"
1600- palomino, scopey, AQHA, walked through, clean, parrot mouth
800- silver dun AQHA, jack on papers, 8, mare, trail, upset
2300- APHA, overo, 7, ROM halter, led thru, mare, stud chain?
725- zippo/sunny D bar geld, 5, clean, apha
975- 6, belgian/QH, rides/drives, gelding, fat
750- 10, buckskin, stallion, poco del son/bonanza "90% buckskin producer"
600- 2, stud, zips choc chip/concluded, 3rd ride is at auction (lovely), cribber, top ten in IA futurity, mane banded, calm and actually pretty nice.
1025- 9 yo, stud, quincey/san, "broke" blue roan
1075- reg mare, grulla, twist on papers, led thru, cuter, correct
1300- bay roan mare, 5, rode thru, 2eyed bartender/2 eyed jack trail, cute, correct
1000 yearling stud, slight downhill

"One of the guys up front"
25- "2" (looked older), pony, "ground work done" amish, halter, cuts in face from halter, thin
75- led thru, registered paint solid, filly, yearling
335- yearling, zippo pine bar buckskin mare
350- upside down necked grade TN walker, 11, drugged
900- 6 yr stud, Doc on papers, smokey palomino, very flashy/showy
350- 12, bay mare, chic on papers 3x, sound, ribby
600- cribber, top 10 in Iowa QH futurity, mane banded
275- 13, beginnners, black, grade, shoes in front needed, LAME, but sweet

Others that sold:

210 each- full sisters, ride and drive, rode through but no saddle
30- mini, one eyed, stumbly, lame at walk, geld, slipper foot
325- mini, pinto, 10, broke, calm, rode thru
450- mini, rode, CUTE, 8, drives, mare
175- pony/mini, broke, rode thru, drives, easy, paint
220- 11, mare, mini, broke, rode thru, bay paint
325- 9, geld, ranch brok, rode thru, small, cute
400- pony, mare, broke, rode thru by kid, BABY at side (QH X), straight should/weak butt
40- FUGLY, dirty, 2, mini, drive, geld
150- 6, broke, mini, plucky, geld, bad tail set/ kinda fug
1525- pleasure lope, palomino, fake tail/groomed, nice headset, registered, mare, 4, skip the bank/boston dee bars, correct and very cute
675- led, 2, mr. classy kid/TNT, clean, mom has halter pts, FR knee? clean colt, correct
450- mare, flashy dun pinto, registed paint, correct
410- buckskin reg QH mare, 14, skipper on papers, correct, broodmare, maybe broke
1550- red dun, 5, rode thru, hollywood jac, reining started, spins slide, moves well
825- palomino, papered, 7, mare, fit, rode trhu, quiet, trail
200- geld, black, outtie bellybutton, 2, halter, paint papers, not trotted
50- stud colt, papered, buckskin paint, thin, fugly
485- black, rode thru, good stops!, paptered, trail rode by old lady, mare
1700- pretty gaited appendix geld, 5, quiet, rode thru, light sorrel, very nice
1000- red roan, 12, 1 week guarantee, very broke, neck reins, rode through, rollbacks, roman nose
325- 4 yr geld, pony, bay, kinda cute, rode thru
450- pissy mare, bred, cool skip/2 eyed jack on papers, parrot mouth, cut up , has the runs
390- led thru, roach back, geld, 4, unbroke
475 x 2 13 and 17 y.o. geldings, skinny, quiet, percheron type, driven, used for planting, amish
875- rode thru, dark bay geld, 10, trail horse, neck reins, rollbacks, cowhorse/roper, moves well, had a video to display as well.
450- palomino, reg AQHA, geld, not trotted, ridden thru, trail, big
25- pony/mini, welsh, horrible tailset, ribby , buyer will resell to anyone interested.
500- AQHA, brown, 13, trail, hairy, nice mover
4200- Bay roan, ranch, shown, big, young, nice mover, rode thru
2100- English pleasure horse, AQHA, red, zips chip, loud, good springy gaits
1000- 9 yo, 2D barrel horse, quiet, fast, sound, gentle, black bay, cute!
900- clean, 15.1, collected, cute, AQHA, impressive on both sides, N/N,
350- AQHA bay, 8, conclusive/TNT, bred, N/N,
335- paint/pinto, led thru, bred
250- trail-sorrel, skinny, fugly, mare
825- aqha, mare, sonny dee bar, move em blu, open shows, pleasure gaits
900- 8, registered paint geld, plain headed, trail, job loss, dun
950- apha, blue roan mare rode thru, fugly, has go! and stop! ranch used
200- AQHA 2, stud, concluded/investment, little , butt high, cute, clean
1000- Mom dad and baby (!) rode in on this, 13, trail, geld, walked only, video of gaits
550- 4, palomino, geld, aqha, classic clu and dee bars on papers, HYPP H/H!!! led thru
275- Buckskin mare, QH, led thru, 2
2300- 8, dancer on papers, gelding, shown, smooth looking
750- aqha, geld, older?, quiet, not run around
2750- hunter type, reg appendix, hunseat finished, quiet, dark bay, 6, very cute!!!!
1750- red dun, QH, silver, geld, skip/2 eyed jack on papers, so very broke!, 11, cute!
175- thin faced, thin boned, bay roan geld
2000- geld, 3, peppy san badger, smart pep on papers, rode thru, mover, spins, big slides
3500- mare, 5, chips hot choc/big leager on papers, pleasure plus, pt earner
775- QH mare, good stop, haunch turn
500- 6 yo, grade, skinny, amish, rode thru
550- 6, gelding, Doc's hickory on papers
250- conclusive/skip walk thru, filly, brindle, grulla, cute!
2400- 7, invitation only/intimidator gelding shown, english showmanship, thin
375- mare and foal, doc/ investor, 13, "easy breeder" exposed
500- 15, doc bar, cutter bill, long udder, push button
100- small grade pony, needs trim, no butt, gelding
1625- 3, mare, paint, registered, smooth gaits, rode
325- 12 year old finished head horse, geld, grade
160- registered, QH, halter broke, doc o'lena "great pedigree"
1728- B+W gelding, 5, papers, quiet/drugged
1450- 5, gelding, smart chick olena, paint papers, clean , palomino
2200- 8 y.o gelding, registered QH, bronson?
425- amish, gelding, registered, bars on papers
675- 13, sonny dee bars, registered, ridden , paint, trail
425- grade, 5, mare, buckskin, long pasterns, green broke
675- Foxtrotter, registered, 13, dark bay, parelli trained, geld, really nice, cute, moves rode thru
600- pony, double rode by kids through, listens
1325- ranch, 2 eyed jack, dancer on papers, clean, ridden, geld, nice
100- stud, low tailset, sonny bar/investment, 2, fugly, parrot
800- grade gray, 6, rode thru, big, clean, mover
1175- 10, mare, registered, doc on papers, appendix, broke to cows, good, sickle hocked
275- grade, 8, not cute, rode through, nice though
285- leopard app, rode thru, geld, walked,
500- foxtrotter, 9, bay, mover, flashy
1700- 3, double zippo on papers, cute, flash, mover.

No sale with amounts:
NS 60- pony, blue roan, grade, skinny neck, not broke, stud "ground work" done
NS 50- plain, ribby, green broke, spooky, rode thru
NS 375- 5, trails, ranch, stocky paint, rode thru, drafty, geld
NS 135- driving team, welsh cob driven through, 4 and 8, matched mom and daughter, dirty, one hurt by trailer, broke to ride too
NS 50- also no interest- welsh, and cob registered, 4, thin, rides and drives, walked thru
NS275- rode thru, anxious, responsive, 4, listened, sonny doc bar on papers, loud, sorrel
NS 500- rode thru by kid, haflingerish, has nest, geld
NS1050- 19, Doc QH, reg mare, 15 halter points, 40 pleasure points very correct, clean
NS 100- walked yearling filly, zippo on papers, pretty, red, possibly lame
NS675- registered b+W paint, 4, mare, upside down neck, smooth
NS50- extra fugly mini, looks like sheep, started to clip middle? yearling
NS1250- appendix mare, limp at trot, speedy glo zippo on papers, 4, silver smoky buckskin, beautiful headset and spins
NS460- appendix gelding, 16, ranch, broke, plain, slides
NS2100 pretty halter walk thru, incentive, 8, mare, lame and sickle hocked, bred
NS2200- light buckskin roan/rose gray (i wasn't close enough), reg QH, dash 4 cash, braided, guarantee, moves!
NS1750- overbent pleasure horse, finished, rode thru tobaino, 5, cool skip boston d bars on papers, shown halter, has pts.
NS750- stallion, doc wrangler, symmetrical markings walked thru, 2, glossy and cute
NS1550- walked thru black clean mare, appendix, 2, zips choc and last detail, 60 days, correct
NS60x2- young dark skinny yearling
NS475-6, palomino, Hunter jumper 3-4 ft, trails, lesson horse, very very cute
NS825- thin, 5, rode thru, geld, well broke, not balanced at canter
NS150- skinny 4 yo mare, reg QH, rode thru
NS250- broke, long toed walked thru, smooth gaits with suspension
NS1350- big 9 yo TB, gray, pretty, elegant, vetted, jumped, quiet
NS1250- homely plain geld, sunny D skips ruler, apha 30 day guarantee
NS675- registered QH, dapple, no trot, gaskin injury
NS 875- Flashy 7yo gleding, 2 eye jack, montana ranch horse, only one lead
NS350- mare roan bay, upside down neck
NS750- TN registered, big and flashy, diryt, brown and white
NS180- Dun paint colt, rank, registered, conclusive on papers
NS450- mare, star/two eyed jack, pack horse, bred/exposed to a nobody
NS425- registerable QH mare, 6, scar on nose, bay, rode thru
NS485- QH, papered, geld, ranch, homely, amish, low tail
NS850- reg freckles/doc, 5, bay tobiano, correct, shown 4H

Okay, I'mma rest my fingers. Remember this was probably the better half of the stock for the sale, with the loose and unbroke ones mainly arriving later. These kinds of deeds are best done at night.

Thorse

2009-06-02T15:33:00.001-07:00

Okay so the Doop and I both would like to tone up. Him because vet said so, and training starts soon (as soon as I think he could do real work for an hour and have enough energy to think, too!). Me because in November I'm going on a cruise. I ain't scared of no swine flu, and that means deep discounts.

We've been doing long-trotting, more cantering on the line, and just more saddle time. I at least want sweat under the pad.

He's been behaving very well.

I entered (all my pets too) the Doop on Marvel.com's dress up your pets contest to join the Pet Avengers. He was then featured on ToplessRobot.com. I had photoshopped him (hastily) as "Thorse" (Thor+Horse). http://www.toplessrobot.com/2009/05/all_hail_thorse.php

I thought my Dr. Strange Cockatoo was better.

Oh my, upon searching he made superpunch and appeared on quite a few blogs! Makes me wish I had better photoshopped him. Oh well.

Haha anyone in the Twin Cities Area wants a pony ride on Thorse with photos I'll gladly only charge a nominal fee...

Lamewad

2009-05-19T22:19:00.000-07:00

My poopy Doopy has been lame lately. That has made me lazy. However, he's learned to suck up money like it's going out of style in the meantime.

In order to fix Dante's bucking at the canter, I wanted to get the cowboy to do it. Get Dante adjusted to the transition and comfortable in the gait, and then add the floppy doing-it-wrong Noob to teach (which I'm confident he'll allow once he's capable). I fixed his trot to not be death trot, but I already could trot well. Now it's canter time.

So first I noticed the head-bob. We soaked, we left him alone, we got him trimmed. It was fading, but oh so slowly. No heat anywhere. It got to the point where it was only visible when looking for it.

Vet says his feet are too long, and horse is too fat. New farrier cut them nice N short. No beefs here with old farrier, just needed someone more experienced. After he was trotting with much less bob, and occasionally no bob after the trim. I washed him up on our first summery day. I'm sure he's rolled in feces since.

So... "Free" horse's bills for the past month have been: likely 200+ for powerfloat, sheath and lameness exam, 110 for chiropractor, 30 for new trim, and this is before training! And Truck needs an oil change!

Here's to hoping his feet are better later this week! I need to ride off that fat!

Top 10 Ways to Help the Help not Hate Your Horse

2009-04-12T21:26:00.000-07:00

And this time I mean it when I say I'll be better!

For the past few months, I've been working as a poop-shoveler at my barn. (I am up to 4 jobs.) It started as a favor as my BO needed someone, and then the money was nice and it got my butt to the barn at a reasonable hour (and not lazing around in bed), so I had more of my Saturday to ride.

Of the 70 horses there, for the winter 10 were stalled, and an additional 8 were pulled from pasture board and grained/supplemented/medicated as needed. Two people work 2-3 hrs in the morning.
Now it's warm and no horses are stalled so there's just 18 to be fed.

I have another list for owners: it's my Top 10 Ways to Help the Help not Hate Your Horse.

10) Give your horse a reasonably unique name. We have two Mollys. We have a Coda and a Dakota. There's Buck, Buck, and Buck. Only one of those is a buckskin. Brody and Brady, Ace and Ace. Don't do this. Generally there is little confusion, but the offhand "Oh, can you grab Molly while I prep this?" can result in either the geriatric mare or the yearling. The worst part is that the owner of the yearling changed her name from the very singular "Kiara" to "Molly" fully aware of the other mare's presence. Now I have to learn the horses' last names?!

9) Bag/prep your feed. For our supplemented horses it's all premixed and rationed in ziplocks. If you're paying the extra cash for the service, you might as well buy some supplements and give it. Our barn supplies the base grain, so make the extra effort and get your money's worth. Don't tell me I scoop too large, to small, or make me remember 18 recipes for breakfast. Likewise if you have multiple horses with different breakfasts, when you reuse bags don't have false names on them or I question my sanity.

8) Blankets: clean them, at least the clasps, occasionally. Yes, we get covered in poo by the end of chores but mining through turdsicles to get to a clasp is unpleasant at best. I HAVE had to use a hammer in the past. Also, teach your horse to be blanketed calmly. Label your blanket, and do not move it randomly. Size your horse properly. Otherwise the horse's current state of blanketdom may be considered "good enough" (within reason)

7) If your horse is not where I expect it to be, I may ask you a question. If you are riding said horse, and I tell you that he hasn't had breakfast and ask if you'd like to feed him before returning him to his pasture, do not look at me like I have multiple heads. I have no idea when you're planning on finishing, and don't want to keep checking every 5 mins waiting for his return to pasture.

6) On the same token if you're taking off with said horse, let someone know, BEFORE I go check the wooded area in the back of the pasture past the swampy spot with 3 other grain-faces wuffling in my ears wanting their turn!

5) Also if you know your horse is grained in the mornings and you see I'm graining horses, don't just feed your already-fed horse! I dont mind you disrupting my pattern, just let me know the game plan.

4) Make your horse happy. If your horse hates being stalled maybe just buy a super awesome blanket and leave him outside. If he hates his supplement and I have to mix it with molasses and cover it with a little grain to trick him, don't buy that kind next time (when there's equal alternatives).

3) Have your horse well halter-broke. He can go ahead and pretend he's never seen snow before, but not at the expense of trying to bowl me over. He shouldn't race me to his food. He should walk over a puddle, away from his friends, etc. Yes, I'll correct him, but at the same time this is not my job to turn this into a lesson opportunity.

2) If I use a whip, rope, stick etc, to shoo your precious poopykins, that is to be safe. My position makes them all view me as some sort of fantastic grain-pinata, and I need defense. I might have other chores in the pasture and not really want to be in the middle of a team huddle so that PITA alpha mare can come up behind and shock one or more of them into trampling me. So even having the sweetest cutest babies all ears at me is not enticing.

Same snotty mares are not allowed to crowd the gate waiting to take a nip at the horse I'm trying to get back in there before she's released. I had an incident where bitch mare would not let me return geriatric Molly to the pasture, so I got her back out and snuck her in the back gate to go find her friends. I had her in but couldn't turn my back or let go to latch the gate and couldn't let go of the gate to free her while Miss Bitch went chomp chomp chomp on the other side of her, out of my reach.

1) Gate manners. Teach them. This goes along with halter breaking. I turn around after going through a gate to latch it. I should not have to wrangle to not free the others.

My letter

2009-02-17T09:33:00.001-08:00

My letter to my congressperson:

Let me first start by saying I've never written a congressperson before. However, two issues you are to vote on have actually moved me to do so: HR305 and HR503. I will try to be as brief as possible but cannot sacrifice completeness.

HR305 is the Horse Transportation Safety Act of 2009.

HR503 is to ban the export of American horses for slaughter.

I am a graduate student at the U of M in Comparative and Molecular Biosciences. My advisor works in the department of Animal Science. I have had to sacrifice animals for my research. I have no qualms about eating meat. I am not afraid to pet a cow intended for slaughter. I understand the delicate balance between humane treatment of animals and efficiency of agriculture as a business. Would I make changes? Yes, but I do understand.

There are tens of thousands of unwanted horses in America, just like dogs and cats. Unfortunately, people equate the very true "Horses are expensive" with "Horses are valuable". This is an unfair equivalent. Some horses have very high value (winning racehorses, horses with fantastic pedigrees, very well-trained horses), while others do not (losing racehorses, horses that have developed riding issues such as throwing riders, horses that have suffered injury from sport, horses that were never trained, "grade" or mixed-breed horses of unremarkable parentage, old horses). People who make the equation of horses being expensive to horses being valuable may breed thinking to gain money, and often breed poorly-marketable animals. The low-end horse market is simply flooded.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners estimates that the minimum yearly cost to care for a horse, not including veterinary and farrier expenses, is $1,895.

The market is so flooded I can go buy a trained, young, papered, healthy horse for under 3000, likely even under 2000. You can imagine how cheaply I could purchase one of lower quality than that. If I'm prepared to pay the 2000 a year to maintain a horse, why wouldn't I be willing to pay the very slight extra for a much higher quality animal? Why would I pay to keep something dangerous, or injured?

And thus, we have unwanted horses.

One would think a breeder would be particular about what they were breeding, worried they would have this financial, unsaleable burden. Well, they don't have to worry, thanks to American horse slaughter.

At hundreds of auction houses across the US, horses are auctioned to the highest bidder. Some are pleasure mounts, some are professional show horses, and some are unwanted for other various reasons. At many auction houses, there is someone known as a "kill buyer". He will buy any horse for about 300 dollars or under. He will smile at the seller. He will promise a good home. He will listen to the little girl selling her pet tell him what kinds of treats her pony likes. He will buy the broken down horses. He will respond to "free horse" ads. If you're very cool about it, you can buy one off him before leaving the auction house provided there's an instant profit for him.

These auction houses exist in Minnesota. I have watched several kill buyers argue over prices. They quote prices by the pound. The kill buyers in question have land in Kansas, where they fatten the horses up and ship them to Mexico. I knew the woman next to me at the auctionhouse. She was selling three horses. She had already bought two before hers were up on the auction block. She needed some better horses for her summer camp. She had a 3-horse trailer, those three were not coming home. I asked her if she would sell to kill buyers. She told me there is no slaughter anymore.

"Horses are shipped across the border to be slaughtered now. You can look at the Las Cruzes, NM report, at least a thousand per week," I told her. She didn't think it was possible. At one point the auctioneer, who liked to say where the horse was going after sold, joked when the kill buyer purchased one saying "This one's Mexico-bound ladies and gentlemen!" The kill buyer: the Auctioneer's son.

There are two main destinations for the slaughter-bound horse. Mexico and Canada, as you may guess. Horses are transported there, sometimes in what are called "double deckers," This being because they are two levels high. There is an internal ramp to the second level, which is narrow. They were designed for cattle. Horses are crammed in the tight trucks, and are often injured in various manners. They fight. Sometimes there are are foals in the same trucks. There was an accident that made the news when one was tipped over. Some surived- photos available http://www.kaufmanzoning.net/foiaphotos.html.

The horses are then slaughtered in manners differently than anticipated. In Canada it is captive-bolt, like cattle. The machines were designed for cattle, but are decent at rendering the animals brain-dead before rendering. In Mexico, at at least one slaughterhouse the horse is run down a chute, where it is stabbed in the neck (repeatedly, with an ordinary-looking knife), until the spinal cord is severed, and then rendered after falling. It is likely conscious. Both examples are readily available on youtube.

It is my personal opinion that horses are unsuitable animals for traditional slaughter. Horses are very reactive. Horses have very large nostrils, and very strong flight responses. Example: a horse tragically died in our arena of a twisted gut (colic). The horse was promptly removed. No blood was present, nor was this a lasting illness. The area was very well ventilated. I could smell nothing. Upon entering the arena a day later, my horse became wild with fright and unrideable. It took a full week. I have no doubt that horses entering a slaughterhouse are aware of their surroundings and to be frightened.

You would think, given the reasons above, that making transport conditions and slaughter like the above illegal would be an easy decision. Unfortunately, it is not.

Not all unwanted horses are sent to slaughter. Many are simply neglected. High hay prices (drought last year doubled them), failing economy (you know...), higher property taxes, and some do not have the transport to sell a horse, or think that it will pick up, or make excuses (such as old horses are skinny, mustangs don't have vets or farriers, I can breed her and sell the baby and make money, some trainer will want my bad horse as a project) and this causes the owners to retain horses they cannot afford. Neglect is common.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners, the American Quarter Horse Association (largest breed registry), and the American Veterinary Medical Association and various Rodeo associations are pro-slaughter. Their reasoning is not unfounded, but it is flawed. They say that without slaughter the value of all horses will drop, including the high quality ones and run the horse industries to the ground. Neglect will be everywhere. Unwanted horses accumulating like rabbits. They paint a picture of the kill buyer as a garbageman, cleaning up after everyone.

Yes, I believe that banning slaughter and slaughter-related methods of transport will lower horse values. But, not ALL horse values.

The bottom of the horse market is artificially high, which is what encourages the breeding and irresponsible ownership in the first place. This fattens the pockets of the breed registries (many slaughter-bound horses are registered, and more breeding makes more registration fees).

Yes, tough times are ahead for horses. However, the solution is not to enable this fingers-jammed-in-ears "I Don't see this" attitude behind breeding more horses, pretending the kill buyer is not sending them to slaughter, and pretending the slaughter is humane.

High-end horses are still expensive. There will always be sub-par offspring from even the best breeding stock to supply the average horse-owner. All of the cats at the Humane Society have not made purebred Ragdolls any less expensive. All the Labs available at the shelters do not make a trained hunting dog undervalued. The reasoning is greed.

I urge you to please vote to end this cruel practice. To affirm that Americans are not afraid of setting a higher standard. You may contact me if you would like to further discuss the issue.

Thank you for your time,

10 things....

2009-02-06T19:37:00.000-08:00

Been a long time. I'll update on the Doop and myself in a bit.

Update: the appy in the below post is down to 200 dollars. Not surprising.

One thing I enjoy doing is watching Dumb Girlie Horsie movies. I know they're stupid, often insipid, and usually feature long shots of just horses running around for no reason. I'm not an idiot. I don't make my husband watch. Anyways, I thought I'd share the following:

The Top Ten Things I learned about Horses and the Horse World by watching Dumb Girlie Horsie Movies.

10) Horses make lots of noise. They're always whinnying and snorting. They rear a lot too to look majestic for you. It is not a sign of aggression.

9) Hay is soft and snuggly. It is always fun to snuggle up in a stall with a horse. They won't step on you. There is no poop. It disappears after a "chores" montage demonstrating responsibility.

8) The more people don't like you, the more horses will.

7) English is for snobby girls.

6)Horses are not tamed and broke by hours of training or require you to ever be authoritarian, you just give them treats until they like you and then they let you ride! Bonus if they're completely batshit crazy to everyone else- they just need the love a small angsty girl can give them.

5)Feel free to walk on any farm to work your wiles onto horse owners. Don't call.

4) Lessons are for suckers, you're a natural if you love horses enough.

3)Any horse can do anything if you just believe in them hard enough. Children are the best at spotting talent. The more people think it is rank and untalented, the more awesome that horse is furreals.

2)All the boundaries set by your parents, barn owners, or teachers are just to keep you from reaching the next level, because they don't believe in you. Prove them wrong.

1) There are thousands of washed-up ex-superstar trainers just waiting for a young girl's exuberance to break them out of their funk and launch the pair into super stardom!

Holiday shopping

2008-12-03T21:03:00.000-08:00

Okay, so during my brief, free moments, I like to horse-shop. Much as a gardener is proud of and enjoys their personal creation, it's fun to look at other ones.

I'm not a fantasic judge, but certain thing still appeal to me.

I like to check out the ones in my market range, close enough to MN.

Here's one that struck my eye but not in an I want it kind of way. Now, please correct me if I'm wrong- I didn't think foals are supposed to be THIS skinny. Maybe it's just too new, or just of the variety I'm not used to. Or maybe this one's healthy but just very tucked up? $450

All their others seem plump enough. There is a special, as many of the horses are "as-is" meaning haven't had vet work! Don't worry, the incentive fund babies sure are registered.

http://www.dreamhorse.com/show_horse.php?form_horse_id=1324694

Going to their site is interesting. Don't worry, they also sell Railroad ties and highway cable. Apparently both are good for making fences !!!

Then I saw this one. I'll admit I love the coloring, and maybe if it lost some weight and built up some muscle... it'd be worth spending the 400 on. Normally I like my solid colors, but I've had an appy fetish lately. If I had a barn and money, I'd risk it. Rolly polly pony. 400 dollars.

http://www.dreamhorse.com/show_horse.php?form_horse_id=1226681

Finally I have three bargain-bin ponies I'd say are more likely worth the investment.

First is this one:

He's 399 dollars. Not broke, but just cute, 2 years old, and has a pedigree, is registered.
http://www.equine.com/horses-for-sale/horse-ad-705276.aspx?search_id=4cbc11a3-6217-4d78-9ead-b95a63bc17e0

This one just appeals to me. 500 dollars, cute, probably the first paint I've really liked, pedigree is full of point earners, even though they're halter.

Ad: Beautiful head, soft eye, huge hip, short back, straight legs, great feet and super disposition! Holly’s dam is a versatile mare who has earned 6 APHA Open Halter points, an APHA Grand Champion in Halter and 16 Pinto Halter points with very limited showing in 2003. She has also proven herself to be an athletic and willing partner under saddle. Her sire is Mainly Marty, a grullo son of Jacs Little Pine (NRHA earner of $55,000) by Hollywood Jac 86, out of Mainly Martha (NRHA earner of $22,000). Marty has produced foals that have earned AQHA points, NRHA money and NRHA Youth points. This filly should be able to handle any type of competition: APHA World Show - Solid Paint Bred, APHA Top Twenty, WSCA Championship Show, Snaffle Bit, 4-H, Trail or just be your Best Friend! Her price is a reflection of the current market. Don't miss a great opportunity to own a horse of this quality.

This last one is a retiree. Hanoverian trained in jumping and dressage, but they seem to be subtley recommening the end of a jumping career. That said it's a capable pleasure mount and still sound for dressage. Late teens. WANT!
600 dollars.
http://www.equine.com/horses-for-sale/horse-ad-670200.aspx?search_id=4cbc11a3-6217-4d78-9ead-b95a63bc17e0

Poor :\

2008-11-23T08:53:00.000-08:00

Well, as a graduate student I've always been poor. However, my time as a grad student is ending with the new year, and so I'm about to be poorer. (Hopefully ending with a Masters degree I'm trying to eck out, but possibly not even). My priorities in life have changed: I don't want to do science all the time ever forever. I'm considering getting a real-person normal job, or becoming a high school teacher. The teaching position would allow me to still play with science (and ponies all summer!), but the normal job would pay more, especially over time. I do love teaching; I had wanted to become a professor at a small college but I can't get over this hurdle of being that dedicated to research during grad school, and the idea of chasing grants and papers for the rest of my life is..... tedious, as is moving all around for a job. I do still love science but I don't want to be a lab tech for 10 bucks an hour for the rest of my life either. I can tolerate teenage exuberance well, but licensing requirements are midly obnoxious and may take a bit of time anyways to obtain.

So yes, I can relate to all the heartbroken people I see who in financial times cannot keep their horses. One must give up luxuries in hard times.

I would like to affirm that I am prepared for harder times. This is how:

1) Dante has always been paid for out of my secret second job. I work two days a week at Blockbuster, 6-12am, and his board is 210 a month. That's about maybe 30 hours of work per month, and at 12 hrs a week, this is easily covered in 3 weeks, with the extra money taking an edge off vet/farrier costs. This doesn't intrude on a normal 9-5 work day for me. His feet are thankfully pretty easy and slow-growing, and I give my own vaccinations (he gets just about all of them available). His teeth haven't needed to be floated yet (he eats fine, too trust me!- I made the vet check each time), and since I kept him all summer for under 200 dollars (excl. farrier) by letting him munch at my in-laws, he can be a cheap horse. I don't show, well okay my showing costs were 16 dollars this year! (15 for the fun show with a dollar for the ride-a-buck event). I did spend money on building supplies for saddle stands and cavalettis (which need buildin), and I did buy Truck. These were all extras with money I had from BB.

2) If my hard times get really hard- I have the following option: I can bring him to my in-laws, buy hay, and wait till it warms up and give him the winter off (MN is frickin cold to ride outside, and often dark, and other than practicing some yeilds in a barn the size of a round pen.... eh). I can always borrow a horse for free where I'm at now and keep up my skills, Dante will not forget everything by waiting a few months.

3)I have paid for Dante's board through to January. I have the next month's cash ready to be given to keep him through to February. He has not damaged his blanket.

4) Were there some sort of colic-emergency type thing: I have credit. Veterinary stuff is not to be skimped. Ever. Nor is farrier work. Our tack is all manageable, if something broke I could borrow. Truck can break, car can break, I'm okay. I also own half of my brother's house, and he's getting antsy to buy me out so if I need money for a while I have that option.

5) All of this does not involve my husband's income, which is steady. However I generally support myself- we don't fight over money. Grad students only make 20K a year where I am, so nearly any full time job will more than compensate what I was at.

6) I can if spending a period of time unemployed, work at the farm for 10/hr and apply that directly to board.

I do not have the option of leasing him out. He failed at that. I could to the right person, but do not want to deal with such worries.

So maybe I will be on a Ramen/multivitamin diet, but he's all set!

Cowhorse :)

2008-11-17T08:23:00.000-08:00

Friday night we decided to play cowhorse. Sarah and I dragged a cow from the pen to the indoor arena (fat little bugger). We then got Dante and a horse I had once done team penning on (slowly and rather poorly for fun) as we knew that horse wouldn't flip out over cows, and was a former pasturemate of Dante.

As soon as we got in there, Dante's eyes were only for that cow. We let the two of them run loose with it, and as soon as we did it was farting bucking fun down the arena at the cow. They were EXCITED!

They then proceeded to gang up on the cow and chase it around for a while (we wanted them to work out any uneasiness or extreme excitement before getting ON them!). Then while the cow hid in the corner I tied Dante and picked feet, groomed, saddled etc. His head was yanked around and he would not stop staring at the cow.

I did cheat and give him a handful of grain to distract him for saddling. Yes I know there's better ways to desensitize and we work on it all the time. His saddles DO fit, he's not tender afterwards, etc. He just learned it hurts and won't forget anytime soon. Maybe someday.

I got on and man was he dancey. I decided to trot some circles away from the cow and ended up having to hop off and remount (Rebooting Dante is realy that easy, it's a mental reboot for the both of us I think). We then played with cow.

I had a blast. Not only does Dante know what to do with a cow, he likes it. I think he was mad that I didn't know what to do with a cow. Having been busy by studies and work I didn't push too much learning on his part. I tried to get him to sidepass (something we can do normally) and was very adamant that cowhorses do not sidepass and not only was I being silly but cruel and how could he possibly be expected to know these things? We did a weenie bit of cantering, mainly after the cow and there was no flip-outs. Afterwards his trot was gaining little hops as he was encourageing me to cut him loose, but I wanted to keep this a pleasureable ride and fun time for the both of us since it's been a while.

I know the pics are horrible but what do you expect from a phone at a distance in an arena at night?

Eventually the cow (as it did when I 'halterbroke' it a couple weeks ago) decided to lay down and not run around, even when Dante kicked it. Lazy little bugger. After a few rousings we let him go back to his friends. I bet he won't let me halter him again. :)

We'll have to do an open team penning. I think he'd love it. He should have gotten in the trailer last time and I wouldn't have had to ride Jack instead. :)

Thrown :(

2008-11-10T20:19:00.000-08:00

Okay, so that's not me. I wasn't prepared to get that photo.

First off: the Doop moved back to the boarding barn for winter, and I've been super busy with school. Loading was good, and in our OWN trailer, which is a plus.

We were riding around in the indoor arena, I had another rider check him out, and she was cantering him around and he was fine, albeit she could tell he was very tense.

Later I end up in the outdoor arena, and he's being soo good (even windy out) that when she suggests I canter him, I quiet that sniggling voice that says "bad idea" and go.

4 strides later: dirt.

I landed about like photo person, on by back fat. Dante stood perfectly still with an "oh NOES!" look on his face. We rode around for a while but I wasn't about to push it again.

Saving some pennies to buy him some training to make cantering not worth tensing over. I may have fixed his trot on my own, but I was comfortable trotting before he was. I think I'd trust him in the indoor, we will likely try more short bits of canter until he's comfortable doing it. We did in the beginning of the summer, I'd canter him up a small hill (since he couldn't do that very quickly anyways it was less stress).

I still think he tries too hard and gets flustered. Whether it's because he really wants to please me or because he thinks I'll beat him like some other lady did, I don't know.

Good morning!

2008-10-15T21:55:00.001-07:00

So my barn owner calls me at 8am- when I'm sleeping in- to ask when he's coming back and to tell me about a new TN Walker she got.

Only one problem: I use my phone as an alarm clock and nobody calls me that early.

So I sleepily grab my noisemaking phone, mash buttons to shut it up (snooze), and shove it under my pillow (which is convenient for finding it when it goes off again, especially if the room's cold). I hear muffled through my pillow,
"Hello?"
"HELLO?"
" Robyn?"
"It's Marla!"

I think I "hid" under the blankets and hung up on her a couple times before muttering some "yeah" and "uh-huhs" before rubbing my eyes and getting dressed!

Crazy barn folk!

Thanks, Doopy!

2008-10-12T13:01:00.000-07:00

So, after all that riding all weekend and horsie stuff, even I (!) needed a break. I hadn't harassed him all week, and then this weekend has been beautiful, high 60s and I just still didn't feel like riding. I figured I'd get some much needed (MUCH) needed housework done, and harass the Doop during the week. He doesn't know he now has only one week left before move back to boarding barn.

Saturday morning, just as I'm deciding to forgo the equine adventures this weekend, I get a call. From the property owner. Crap. Is he sick? Is he missing?

Nope. He busted out. The other two horses went on a trail ride and my special guy didn't want to be alone. Their barn has a run-in (like a jumbo stall) and so he was locked in there and stamping around in a tizzy while they went out.

I go there, and surprise my silly guy. He's pretty calm. I take him out to my car and begin grooming. He presents me with the following:

Who DOESN'T love burrs? So now he has a fro-lock and the mane looks okay. I added liberal show-sheen to prevent futher snags, but good luck to me. I sat on him for a bit and his friends came back. I then asked where the break in the fence was so I could go fix it.

There was no break. He was following them to the end of the pasture, and they hadn't turned the electricity back on. He touched it with his nose a couple times, and convinced it was off in the area where there's only one wire, ducked his head and snuck under it!

I gotta admit I'm looking forward to the boarding facility. We NEED to work on harder things than just "please don't flip out today, please be sane, and I don't care about your friends." I mean more technical, not harder!

He's making me an arena baby too!

Showtime!!

2008-10-08T20:10:00.000-07:00

Okay, let me stress one more time that this is a fun show, nothing fancy pantsy.

Also, let me reiterate the goals I had for the event:

See if Dante remembers his old friends.
Safely transport our retard horses.
Try to convince said horses to be friends so further trailer mods are a nonissue.
See if Dante rides better back there- plan financially for any further training needed. I have a feeling he's an arena baby.
Have fun.

So, Friday I get out of work later than I wanted, go to where Truck and Trailer are parked in an abandoned parking lot near school (quite amusing next to all the little foreign cars that park there), pick my way to Sarah's to pick her up before going to her barn to get the wild Ay-rab.

Interesting moment #1: I turn down a residential street picking my way to the highway from school, and see that I have to squeeze between two other trucks with enclosed trailers parked on opposite sides of the street, as someone's getting some remodeling done. I manage not to hit anyone.

Sarah and I get out to her barn. It takes about an hour to get Lahana in. The trailer is now an open stock, and while before she went in, this time (of course) she doesn't want to. So people help us, as we're both noobs. Lahana does little girly rears. Like .5-1 feet up. She also has her head in the clouds and resembles a giraffe (sorry Sarah but your horse does not rear majestically). One girl there really gets on Lahana's butt making her work, tries using a rope to "tie" her to the trailer and let her rear it out, nada. We get a friend in there, still no dice, but then putting a rope around her butt she goes in with her friend. Sw33t!!

Lahana stands perfectly for the ride to the barn, about an hour and a half. She even enjoys a gas-stop. We get her in and settled in a comfy stall, then leave to go get the doop. It's dark.

Dante generally gets in, and the challenge is only closing the doors before he decides to leave. Unfortunately this involves two situations. 1) I can lead him into the trailer. If I get out to close the doors, he follows me out. I can't get mad at him, because he's following me. Or: 2) Someone else is there to shut the door, and he is so worried about that person he now won't go in. At this point he backs out, swings around, and tries to hide on the side behind a door. Oh, Doopy!

So we're in the dark, I had magnificently turned around the trailer around a boat, and we're faced with both situations. Once he realizes Sarah wants to close the doors, uh uh. I try "getting into him" making him back and (heaven forfend) trot around. Everyone says you make them work outside the trailer and inside is rest and peace, outside it rains pain.

Riling up Dante makes him... retarded. He can't think. He's SO worried that everyone's mad at him he panics. He's like a small child frustrated with math problems so they throw their pencil on the ground and red-faced yell "I CAN'T DO IT!!!!!" I've come to realize that he very rarely wants to be a jerk. Like I've said before, someone F'ed up this horse badly, and I call her the Face Yanker (the one who leased him and is rumored to have beaten him and made him flip over on her. There's a reason her own FATHER won't let her ride at his barn, and she is banned from ours). So. After about an 1.5 hours, he's shutting down. He roots his feet to the ground, glazes over in his face, and pretends life is not happening. Now he's not only frustrated, he's put his hands over his ears and he's pretending he can't hear me. Sigh. I figure okay, we'll get Mary's trailer in the morning, I've gotten him into that. Or, since where he is we don't have a Person to get him in for us, we'll find someone to bring who knows what to do.

Interesting moment #2) While "riling" him up as suggested, he starts to get all panicky. I'm telling him to trot to my left. I'm using the word "trot" a carrot stick, the click click, and pointing with my lead rope hand to my left. Suddenly formerly easy things like "which direction to go" and "whether or not to go faster than a walk" are too much. But like I've noticed before with my idjit, if one has the good timing and as soon as he starts to panic in the right direction they say "goooooood" then he instantly relaxes and trots calmly. He really does worry about being wrong.

So we sleep in the house cuz it's frickin cold, and in the morning take Mary's trailer. The only difference between it and ours is it's slightly wider and has one big swing door instead of the two halves, so it's easier to close up. BO says we should do it on our own, but if we fail too hard, to call and we can get her or someone to help us. We go fail for a half hour. The show starts in 15 mins or so, but it's not like we care if we're late. I call. She says "why don't you just ride Awesome" I consent. We then try for another ten minutes and lo and behold, he's in!!!! Sarah was at the big door 90 degrees open from trailer with the stick, and I was leading him in. We're thrilled.

So we get there, and I give him 10 mins in the stall to eat, drink, poo, and chill. Then we saddle up. I ride him for a few minutes in the indoor, and he's really really good. Even stook perfectly still and not butt swingy for mounting. I then walk him out to the "trail" event.

Interesting moment #3) As I'm walking him out to the event, his bestest horse friend is being ridden by. The girl on him does not understand why her horse is now coming over to me and ignoring everything she's telling him. Wiley is thrilled to see him!

We get out to trail event, and I sit on him waiting for my turn. He's mildly fidgety, but otherwise fine. It's our turn. You go over a block, then trot over poles, then move a blanket from one to another barrel, then around a corner, weave through barrels, jump a small log, then around and open and close a mailbox. Simple. Dante and I have gone over said block tons of times when it was over by the barn, and I've trotted him over poles for hours, longing AND riding, and those are the poles we jump as well. A log's not too frightening, and we've gone round and round these barrels dozens of times working on flexion. Mailbox is last but he'll stop and let me lean over to use camera, get beer, etc so shouldn't be a prob.

We get out there (it's in a pasture), and the block is now TERRIFYING!!! Won't touch it. Fine, miss it. On to poles. At the poles he begins REARING at them. Little rears that I could sit easily. My reins are loose (confirmed with Sarah), he didn't have a bit, just a rope halter as he goes better in it and I was being as gentle as possible with him. I can't get him over the poles. Okay, next obstacle. He then won't go ANYWHERE.

Interesting moment #4) Not only will he not go anywhere, but he's having a conversation with me. Whenever he's acting up under saddle normally, I direct his nose to my boot and we can circle and chill until he's good, I then tell him he's good, or at least okay, and then we try again. He's a worrywort and I need to curb the worry. It's fine for him to be wrong, just as it's fine for me to correct it. He wants to be right, gets very proud. This can be anything that unsettles me, from too fast of a trot for no reason to tripping to shying at going away from friends to whatever. Anyways, I have my reins LOOSE and I'm squeezing to get him to go anywhere. Either back to the trail or back to the gate to scratch, just move. He won't. He puts his nose to my boot and looks wide eyed at me like "I'M emergency stopping YOU!" I can't move his head back to center. He's not biting my boot, just sticking his nose right to it. I tell him it's fine, hop off, and walk him back. Poor guy.

We then go to the outdoor arena, do a few events without much riding (sarah rode on the ride-run, bribe a horse just makes them follow you for grain). He's calm. We do egg and spoon and do pretty well, ride a buck (which should have been more strictly enforced, but I gave sarah my last dollar and was riding a 1 dollar check made to cash which was a bit more slippery (also no chaps)). He's good. Calm, nice.

We then get to do barrels. Everyone's thrilled another speed event. I personally would have killed for a little more obedience-based but hey, it's MN and everyone's westerny. So I decide to give the walk-trot barrels a try (speed people in another class). I figure we can trot a pattern. We get around the first barrel, and he immediately WANTS to canter. I say "no" but I'll admit it was a smooth transition, and I'm thinking he's forward, relaxed, and so on the homestretch we lope. There's a very cute picture someone took I need my hands on. We need to do more loping... I forgot how smooth he is when he's relaxed in it.

So we go to do one more round of the trail event. This time for a prize, must do all obstacles or DQ. I go. Some people go in first to do a practice run. I figure with friends around he'll be fine. We go, not too keen on the step, but not stupid either. trots over poles like they aint no thang. Time to start so we go to clear out, I figure we'll hop the log, he's doing well.

Dante does not just hop the log. He SAILS over it like it's HUGE. Then begins to either buck or gallop or something with his back feet. He's done this once over a jump before. I think he gets excited- he loves jumping. Anyways I think he was happy, but I decided not to do a timed run. We had success in going over it so we were good.

Evening comes, he loves his stall. We put him with Lahana in the round pen- see adorable photo. She was in heat, and um, excited for him. He was... castrated. Poor Doop. He likes mares.

Dante enjoyed his stall a lot. We decided to bring him home first Sunday morning. He's never been hard to "catch." Catching is just walking up to him while he looks at you, maybe moves his head if he'd rather eat. He backed up and did not want to leave stall. Sorry guy. So we go out and decide just to use Mary's trailer, we've got to get them both home and me home by 5 to go to work, so we go to load him. He falters once, but with Sarah at the door with the whip and me inside, he goes right in!! We get him home, then go to get Lahana.

Lahana is reary again and we try for about 20 mins and then do the rope on the butt thing and in she goes!

She's much stampier this time on the drive. Probably because she wasn't tired.

Funny now, but terrifying then!: We're going down the highway, and notice that her tail is sticking out of the escape door. Panicky trailiering noobs that we are, that while we suspect the hair's getting sucked out and she's fine (no stamping), we pull over to double-check. I exit then pull over on an entrance ramp. Sarah gets out to check, and then comes running back to the truck with her panic face: "TURN OFF THE TRUCK SOMETHING'S SHOCKING HER!" I do so. I then go over to see her and while Lahana seem sto like her butt pointed at the door, she's not flipping out or looking distressed aside from rather not being in a trailer. Sarah instructs me to touch the trailer telling me that it's shocking. I touch it, and get a mild zap. Hmm, bare wire maybe? I then go unplug the trailer from the truck, still shocking. Break-away battery? Truck doesn't shock me. Then Sarah goes "Could it be those power lines?" and I look up. We're pulled over under high-voltage power lines, so yes, we can feel a tingle through the STEEL trailer that I can't feel on the Aluminum truck. I sigh. Yes. "Close it up, let's just get out of here!" So I reconnect the power, we redo a signal check and we leave.

I then explain what a Faraday cage is and why Lahana wouldn't have been likely shocked even if a lighting bolt hit the trailer. Lahana continues to alternately stamp around facing forward and put her butt up to the door sticking her tail out likely causing a few people to think we're abusive and neglectful and shut her tail in the door.

We get there and indeed, no shock. Lahana is happy to be home, and I get to work on time, even showered so I don't stink.

So again goals:
Goals:
See if Dante remembers his old friends. YES, he did! And they remembered him!
Safely transport our retard horses. Done!
Try to convince said horses to be friends so further trailer mods are a nonissue. Look at that pic!!
See if Dante rides better back there- plan financially for any further training needed. I have a feeling he's an arena baby. Um, yes our barrel moment was fantastic. Trail course was zany but we can work on that!
Have fun. Super done!!!

Growing Excitement

2008-10-02T17:33:00.000-07:00

So. Trailer is back at my house tonight, hooked up and ready to go (I think my neighbors know I'm weird). Moving it from an hour away at Sarah's barn, the left wheel locked as soon as I tapped the brake. So we had towed not using the trailer's brakes (4wire instead of 7).

We were also thinking of removing all the separating stuff and making it just an open stock trailer. Why? Because we have horses people have made horrible at loading. We can just convince them to become friends and then ride open and it would be much better than all this fear that they'll get caught up on all the falderall in there.

Mechanic looked at it, adjusted trailer brakes, then adjusted truck's brake controller, taught me now to adjust it, and removed the pole with his fancy saw. What did this cost? 40 dollars. Yeah. I love my mechanic. Tonight I will cover the areas where pole was so that trailer is good and safe for a stampy anxious horse. When they get very bored with trailering, then maybe we'll introduce some solid dividers, instead of the bars and chains that were there and that bring to mind vet bills.

Why is it important to get trailer ready to go?
BECAUSE WE HAVE A SHOW!

Okay don't get too flabbergasted. It's not THAT kind of show. Dante's winter barn is having a fun show. Egg and spoon race, ride a buck, western game, trail, etc. Not an official show. No points earned, and cheezy prizes maybe. It's also pot-luck. The people there are about as competitive as I am. Sarah and I are trailering in our horses (hers used to live there, too), stalling for the night, showing Saturday, then bringing Lahana back Sat. night and Dante back Sun. morning. And we're doing a frigid sleepover in the barn Friday night. We will probably have the most-groomed beasts there. Entry fee: 15 dollars.

Goals:
See if Dante remembers his old friends.
Safely transport our retard horses.
Try to convince said horses to be friends so further trailer mods are a nonissue.
See if Dante rides better back there- plan financially for any further training needed. I have a feeling he's an arena baby.
Have fun.

Even if he rides like a wildebeast and I have to borrow a horse, it'll be a useful experience.

Pictures forthcoming!!

State Fair (like a month ago) part II

2008-09-19T22:07:00.000-07:00

So, I did end up attending the State Fair. The first was to see show jumping and harness competition. The jumping was fantastic, the cart competition... kinda dull.

I then returned with my barn to exercise horses and spend the night. I figured I'd be thrilled to ride the smooth-as-butter mustang, but instead I find I've fallen for the appy pony. Now this would make a killer polo pony, I won't lie, but he's also a fantastic pleasure mount, and has a home for life so he doesn't need to be a polo pony. His name is Awesome and he's the herd boss of the whole 70 horse farm.

After I left our "barn brat" (not really bratty but I guess that's what the barn kids are called, age 17) who had brought her horse goaded a 14 year old (who's learning to trot) to ride her horse, who most able-bodied adults are leery of mounting in the home indoor arena. The horse then tore ass out of the coliseum, dumped the girl, and nearly stampeded into the crowd but the BO showed up and caught him because BB had called her on her cell to brag. The girl riding was the BO's granddaughter.

State Fair

2008-09-04T08:44:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was cr-a-z! It took me quite some time to get around to writing.

Minnesota has the largest State Fair in the nation. It is a two week+ event and I have stores, but it has been a while and I have a few things I want to talk about:

The first is the belief that horses have "jobs." I see it time and time again where a horse is punished or carelessly sold because the horse was failing at his job. I'll admit- it's very satisfying to see a horse enjoying his work and performing well. However owners tend to forget that they have jobs, and that's to see that the horse goes somewhere that will work well for them. This also means setting realistic expectations from a horse. Who hasn't seen an ad for a horse saying "he needs a job" which basically just means he's squirrely and they don't know what to do with him. They figure chasing cows or running barrels would probably calm him down when odds are they're just overmounted.

I also hate seeing "prospect" on an ad. "Dressage prospect" "Barrel prospect" "Cutting prospect". Not wanting to be caught does not a "barrel prospect" make.

It's like hammering nails: if you use the wrong hammer, or hammer incorrectly, you bend the nail or scuff the surface. It's not the hammer's fault.

But it's also not like every horse has to be the best. Most horses are pleasure mounts. A decent trail horse is just fine for the job. You don't have to tell me that I'll get my next world champion out of this broodmare because I don't need a world champion, and if that were true she'd at least be broke.

The other thing I wanted to talk about is equine chiropractors. I'm thinking of getting a session for the Doop. It's 100 bucks. I'm thinking this because of his sway back, ill fitting saddle past, as well as the possible beating, carrying a 300lb rider on bad saddle, and leasers using a saddle that made his shoulder swell up so that the vet needed to be called. Also he was stocked up a bit last winter.

Any advice?

Back

2008-08-20T07:01:00.001-07:00

So I finally got my free time back, and I had another longeing lesson for the Doop.

First, I called them because I always end up running around the pasture only to find them chillin in the barn. Nobody came up to see me except the old arthritic Cody. I thought, "Well, if Cody's happy to see me, I'm happy to see Cody" and gave the old boy a good grooming and grazing.

During which the brown faces appeared and made moony eyes at me for ignoring them. Serves them right. I released Cody to go roll in muck and un-pretty himself, find more stickiburrs and etc for his mane, and snagged Dante. Dante, of course, behaved very well. No problems grooming and even tacking wasn't bad. He hated the saddle as always, but once I get that first buckle on it's not so bad.

We went and worked near friends. Having been away, I didn't see just how bad his feet got, so he was a bit trippy if cantering downhill, which sent him into a frustrated worrisome buck. So I did my best to get him to trot down the very slight hill instead. I'll get a video up soon. I took one.

I still think he needs to develop his canter like he did his trot. It's just been a while and he's out of shape for it. We'll add that to the list of things to work on. Afterwards, I hopped on and we rode up and down the drive, which was apparently within the limits now. Better, but not exactly down the road better.

Hooven

2008-08-05T14:51:00.001-07:00

Hello, One Red Horse!

Peeking at who's looking at me, I see you're into feet. Well we have four feet and pictures thereof, so I thought I'd share.

Dante was a normal pasture-trim horse. After getting him, I had my friend Kelly start trimming him. She's a little cheaper, and just super into feet and barefoot trimming etc. I told her to go nuts.

So here's some before and afters:
3/14/07 before special trims: underrun heels and flare

5/10/07

And 6/19/07

12/12/07

And 12/23/07

His feet are even better now, I just haven't been photographing them! I'll be sure to update that.... after my exam!

Bad, busy owner.

2008-08-05T11:39:00.001-07:00

I have been pretty good about riding and hanging out a good 2x a week (one weekend day of pony fun, and one evening). Sometimes more, rarely less.

However, I have a huge exam for my degree in a week, and I'm trapped studying and preparing. Doopy has to wait. :'(

So in leiu of that, I thought I'd throw in a picture of a while ago when I did his mane all purty. I'm a sucker for a long mane. I don't show so this was simply for fun. And I ran out of bands or I would have kept going. Yes, this was my first time doing it.

He can't even be a proper punk!

2008-08-02T20:14:00.000-07:00

Thursday:
So I had bought Longe Whip (people at Fleet Farm gave me a "why would you need a BIGGER whip" horse-abuse look) Wednesday, and had a longe line because they were on sale before, and was all prepared for hell to break loose. I had had a bad day at work, was ready to be no-nonsense and de-stress. Didn't mean I felt like beating him, just that I was too drained from the stress to put up with B.S. and too tired to get all that rough on him.

Luckily Kate was around so I explained what I was going to do. She's very no-nonsense, but also very Western. She does not longe, do ground work, etc. Her horses do not hold their feet well, do not tie so well, and one does not catch well (may have been abused in a previous home, though). However her horses do tack up and ride exceedingly well. Nothing fancy, maybe a little side pass, but can canter through the woods without a fuss, stand for saddling and mounting and bridling, etc.

So anyways, I explained what I was going to do so that she didn't think big whip= big retard. She knows I'm a noob and just might think that. I get him out, and after a few "quit"s and light halter jerks he didn't graze. The horses had just come outside- they have a run-in shelter they hide in during the day away from the bugs, so he probably DID want to graze. He stood like a rock for grooming. He was cocking a back leg pretty far when I wanted to pick it, but a fwop to the belly stopped that. I'll clarify: a fwop is a kick. Some people freak out about that. I point my toe and strike with the whole surface from the toe of my boot to just below my knee. It's very blunt. He has a pretty big, fat belly to kick. I'm rather certain it doesn't hurt. Were it painful, he would probably move at least a step and not just look at me like "Aw, crap. Fine," give a big sigh and then behave.

So he's being good. Too good. I showed him Whip and he tried to eat it. I rubbed it on him and he nearly napped. His friends were watching. We began longeing and he was being perfect. A few touches with the whip and he stopped trying to eat and had a positive work ethic. Decent working trot. I was so impressed I didn't realize his friends moved away so we then followed them. He was worse behaving on the grass where they were than on the drive where they had been. He'd be distracted or try to grab a bite, trip, then flip out like it was somehow my fault. Or, he'd trot faster and faster, canter, then gallop and flip out. Big farty bucks. We haven't worked too much on downward transitions on the longe, because usually it's hard enough to get him to go, and they aren't a problem under saddle. So sadly, I thin he was probably just trying to please me by actually going faster, but then frustrated because he hit a peak. I let him have enough line to finish it then asked him again to trot like it never happened. Heck that's even more work for him, and it's not getting him out of anything. Wasn't going to whip him for it because he'd probably not figure out why, again it doesn't happen under saddle, and it would just make the rest of what we were doing harder for him to learn. He'd be all "OMG she BEAT me!" and ignore all the "good"s and "atta boy" etc. for things he was doing right afterwards.

So then we walked into the woods and chilled. For all my riling up, he was ready to nap in the woods. I think he was tired. We walked back, worked near friends, then chilled in the woods again. At this point it was getting dark.

So, successes:
1) He stood well non-grazing. He was a bit pissy for saddling, but that's an ongoing thing. I did sit on him for a little while and he was good for that.

2) He longed very well, for him. He really was trying. He was not heavy-headed, and I was good at being fair. Maybe a little weak on my part, but better than crude.

3) He was being so good I didn't notice his friends leave. Hmm, maybe that's a failure. He was respectful of my space. I could tell his friends were gone when I went to sit on him.

Failures:

1) He did not flip out when leaving his friends. Makes the problem harder to fix. He didn't want to leave them, but stood with me perfectly fine in the woods.

2) He needs his feet did. He was trippy, which he wasn't last time I saw him. I'll call Kelly, they'll be taken care of. They're also chippy, which he's never had before. Dry, I guess?

3) We need to do some down transitions. I'd give them, but he didn't act like he knew ones other than "and ho."

Always always, a work in progress. He did get a decent exercise though; I think he and his friends are being lazy.

Herd bound: need help!

2008-07-27T13:55:00.001-07:00

So... I think today was a breaking point. For me, not the horse.

When we were at the big, boarding facility (70+ horses, 200 acres), and he had his buddies, we didn't really have herdbound issues. Usually, since I rode at night alone in the indoor, I'd snag a mare or something to mosey around while we rode just because I didn't want to be "that person who makes me work alone" to him. Sometimes we rode alone. It wasn't an issue. I wasn't into riding trails alone, so never really tried. We also usually didn't ride on the road. So we were if not within sight of another horse, were not terribly far.

When we first moved, and he lived alone before he made friends, we would ride a good half mile down the road, but I didn't want to do trails alone in case something happened (nobody would be around). Then he made friends. Now we can't go down the road, into the woods, or according to today, down the driveway.

He was moved to my in-laws with the other two, and we worked on it. We would make expanding circles, and he would go around the barn not seeing them just fine. We had our little arena and a good section to play so I dealt with it. With a friend going, he'd go anywhere.

While I was away, Kate moved them back to her property. Fine. He's fat anyways. I did notice riding with Sarah, that saddling was worse than normal. However once we were following George, all was well.

Today, he was nutters. OMG kind of nutters. I have scissor-clip reins that I use on his rope halter and it's how we usually ride. If I'm lazy, I unclip a side and use it as a lead rope too.

Dante steps on lead ropes with as many feet as he can all the time. I have taught him that when this happens to back up. He knows this. He has to stop and back up while grazing with a rope at least 20 times a week. Today, he stepped on it, stepped on it worse backing up, and then yanked his head up and broke the metal scissor clip. This was before riding, so I went and got his padded halter until we could ride with a bridle. I was worried about him having hurt his face. I was barely going to ride, so it wasn't anything I worried about. Usually, he's calmer without a bridle. He seemed unfazed, so we saddled (he was obnoxious, so I used a tablespoon of grain to distract him- yeah it must hurt really bad, if that's all it takes for him to stand for it, right?). I got on and he was so dancey.

Whenever we tried to leave the area, he would back up, swing around so that I was in the branches, yank his head down and eat his feelings in the maniacal crazed-grazing, where he just keeps taking bites and not chewing, pausing, or swallowing. Any prevention of grazing made him yank his head all around and threaten to blow up. I hopped off and longed him. He had one flip out on the line, then was pretty good, although still crazy-grazey.

I've tried walking him back into the woods alone, but he just gets on supreme alert, tries to step on me, bowl me over, etc. Also the bugs were really,really bad, and bothering the both of us.

So what does one do to undo herd-boundness? He's going back to the big barn for winter in mid to late October. Then in the spring he'll be moving back again.

Saddle racks!

2008-07-27T13:42:00.000-07:00

So I like being handy with wood and such, so I decided to make myself a pair of saddle racks that fit in the truck. Very convenient. So I did!

They turned a messy truck with saddle mess everywhere to a neat and organized truck! Now I can also quickly remove the horse stuff if I want Truck for other purposes besides ponies.

I did learn today, though, that I need to find a way to secure them, because they become quite top-heavy with saddles. I wonder if I just turn them the other way, if they'd be more stable. Otherwise a bungee'll do it.

If you have it, they will come.... eventually.

2008-07-27T08:24:00.000-07:00

So I have been trying to convince my friend Sarah to come riding with me since Dante's move this last spring. George is perfectly suited to her- flighty and fast like her arab, but reliable like a QH (and with the smoother gaits as well- love arabs, but haven't met a smooth one). She kept making excuses.

So FINALLY I convince her to come. She had NO idea how gorgeous the trails out back are, and I haven't been able to really explore because of Dante's herd-boundness (more coming up on that). So I only get to go back there with others, and I usually end up riding by myself. Last time I went to ride he was so nutty for his friends and I didn't have my helmet so we just had a fun time of grooming and petting and grazing. I hadn't done one of those in a while, he missed it.

So we go back out on the trails, she cuts George loose through the meadows on the other side of the woods, and luckily there there were fewer bugs.

The two southern pastures belong to the neighbors, the northern pasture (which is actually the grassiest) belong to my in-laws, and you can see that we go west into the woods and then into the meadows. These are rolling hills all over. Gorgeous time.

Lesson time!

2008-07-14T18:38:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I had my first fancy Englishy lesson. It was the barn down the road I had oggled since age 12, as stated in my first post.

I've had other English lessons, but the barn was in obvious disrepair (school part anyways), the horses were well-mannered but all old, the instructors young (ger than me), and the fencing serviceable, but not fresh. It was good, but not fancy. For this I wore my pull on jods, short boots and half chaps with a t-shirt. I didn't want to be made fun of.

First impressions of the barn: good. Nobody was snotty when I didn't know where to go (where to find instructor). Fencing: nice- wood with hot wire. Horses in good condition, friendly, well-fed, supplemented and most were stalled. Feed room had door AND a stall chain. I've NEVER seen horses wearing so much while out in pasture, even my mom noticed! I didn't think anyone had their horse wear front boots and bell boots just to be out in pasture, plus the fly mask, and halter. They were still very impatient with flies. No longing before lesson, but as a pokey, steady horse, makes sense. I did groom, noticed had all four shoes. Pastures had shelter, or the horses were brought in for the evening. Indoor arena had rubber tire shredding footing. Outdoor arena in good condition, no rocks and even. Jumps available. Cross ties, wash stall, etc.

We were in the outdoor, and began by walk-trotting around, focusing on my hands being lower and closed. I then worked on beginning the canter, and some mini-jumps with a focus on my jump position. She took away my reins in the position, one arm at a time before both (I warned her western taught me one handed just fine). She had seen me riding western, so she was surprised that in English my legs moved back and didn't stay forward. She commented that my canter did not look like I had only done it a few times (in honesty- twice in English lessons previously, once on a longe in a NH lesson, and maybe 10x total on my horse in practice for a few strides each. Oh, and one time I race piggums against my friend's horse Lahana, whose story and transformation I will tell later. )So not terribly practiced, despite the praise. It was the first time a canter felt good, controlled, and that I was in control. I think it was because I was so focused on my seat and not looking like a doof (some of the kids came out to watch the noob) that I just performed well. Go me.

We did do mini-jumps, but the horse I was riding was not into jumping and she knew it. She invited me back to come to a second lesson this week. She mentioned a more active horse and the indoor, where more jumps were set up. At 40 bucks for a half-hour, I'm leery. I can do an hour for 30 in MN/WI. I think I may do more of those, and not more here. I was also told I can come visit etc. while here no problem. I guess the barn had changed hands a few tims since built, and these seem to be the most friendly.

My legs are tired. My horse's trot requires little posting, he does the jog, or I can post but it's so solid. I'm spoiled by him, and used to him. His movements are familiar. Also, jump position got tiring, riding around the arena in it.

So, no regrets. I had fun, got my pony fix, and learned a bunch of stuff to practice. Also doing some cantering successfully has made me decide to work on my doodle with it. We had practiced, but should practice more. I was able to let go of the saddle, and "push" whilst understanding.

Totally fun! I can't wait to see what Dante thinks of all this. Afterwards, I thoroughly enjoyed jumping in my pool though, where I spent my childhood dreaming of ponies!

Away

2008-07-10T21:29:00.000-07:00

I had a decent ride on Dante Wednesday evening. Longed okay, but was a bit spooky- didn't like the chickens in the bush.

Good news: his English saddle now fits better NOT having the back-boosting pads I sewed to help the saddle fit better (rock wise).

We rode around, he was a little nutty over eating, but not absolutely nutso.

I'm in CT right now at my parents' place. Monday, I have a lesson at that fancy place down the road. I'm totally stoked! I'll report more then.

Ah, there he is!

2008-07-03T07:27:00.000-07:00

So last night, I went and intruduced Truck to Horse. Horse liked Truck, mainly because at the old barn they used to hay from one, and trucks mean food. Same reason he'll never be afraid of 4-wheelers, bobcats, or any other number of motorized equipment. If your horse spooks at general flurries of activity, just board at a big place for a few months (preferably winter ones) and they'll be over that soon enough.

I never thought that Husband could/would be jealous of Horse, but I think he ever-so-slightly resents my evenings, ramblings, expenditures, and "barn dirt" (with accompanying odors) all for the sake of something that may or may not kill me by accident. I did get job #2 for horse, truck for horse, talk about horse, spend weekends with horse, plan my weeks around visiting the horse, and get ticks on his clothes (he did not appreciate).

For not complaining TOO much, I do try my best to be nice, rearrange things like riding and such to spend time with him, and do things like make it a short evening so I can go home and shower and we can catch a movie, which we did last night.

So, longing was quick, I set low goals for that after last time, it only took one stride of canter to get a "good boy" and not have to do it anymore. I also forgot my stick at home, so I was just swinging rope which is generally less effective. He was a little OMG we need to eat like crazy NOW!, but was otherwise fine. We rode around at walk-trot and he was perfectly behaved. He wanted to lope, I did not. The Yellow flowers were definitely in his mind, and we had to eat all of them. Yes, I let him get away with it a little, he would move off when asked.

I've always felt that for a horse you've ridden 2-3x weekly for a year and a half, a day or two of him "getting away with" something is not a huge deal. I still have no idea what spooked him the other day. I really think he may have seen a bear or something and just been on alert for it.

To make up for not having a fun pic, I'm including his latest "conformation shot". Compare with the ones below it. Those are a 6 month difference with cavelletti exercises. Now that we have Truck, I can buy lumber to make some new ones (check out link), as the previous ones belonged to the barn.

Truck!

2008-07-02T07:26:00.001-07:00

Yes, I am now the proud owner of a 1994 Chevrolet Silverado 2500.

It is huge (a 3/4 ton pickup). It gets maybe 13 miles per gallon. It is 4-wheel drive.
It has 154K miles, some rusty spots, and a mechanic-confirmed, innocuous oil leak.

Best part: It has a plug for trailer, and brake controller.

Now I'll have to make sure I get that horse to load! Poor horse really has no idea how much money I spend for him.

Hopefully someday this truck will be the visage of an angel of mercy to save a poor pony from the meatman.

If you're in the MN area and have a rescue and need transport, give me a call. I will provide the ride, but I can't guarantee I can afford the gas!

What happened to my horse!? If this is Night and Day, I think I'm a Night person!

2008-06-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

Well, at the auction I had bought a (cheap, yes) western saddle. I'd been on the hunt for a FQHB, WIDE gullet, well-swayed saddle that was also round-skirted, brown without flowers or acorns on it (WTF western people?) or too much basketweave (plasticweave if you ask me, ick!) on it.

I found something acceptable and won it, along with a nice thick pad. I meant to try it out soon after, so swung by Fleet Farm after work to get a cinch. Then realized "LOL, no billet straps" and had to wait until another trip to FF after work to get some. Finally, ready to play with saddle. Boots=check, bel=check, spurs=nah, hat= helmet? In the meantime we used our English saddle, and I had stuck this one on him to see if it was worth trying (width and rock etc). It was.

Dante gets pissy if we don't have ample snacking/grooming/love time before any work. I'd rather let him graze while grooming, so we do. I also dewormed him, which he does well. The barn he was at had dry lots most of the time, so even though he lives in food, he gets more here too. Summer coat=shiny horse, so there's little to accomplish besides feet picking, quick brush, and handling the mane and tail.

I let him continue to graze while I adjust everything, attaching new parts, adjust stirrups , and cinch up. Well F me- he didn't budge while cinching! Maybe he is a Western boy!
So what do I do? I take a photo!

We then longe a quick WTC-ho-back in each direction, I helmet-up, and we go to our mounting bucket, and up we go.

We walk, we trot, we even do a couple strides of canter. He's an ANGEL. Very responsive to seat still (I was paying extra attention), and I had an epiphany moment where I was like, "hey, he really DOES turn much better if I look where I want him to go with both eyes!"And our reinless stop was perfect. Neck reining- check. Our couple strides of loping are crappy, because I'm still developing a seat in it (I waited until I could trot w/stirrups and feel balanced). He is smooth, it's not his fault. He isn't used to it though, and is a little head-tossy. Had I a decent arena, we'd practice longer lopes and he'd get used to it, and is then much better about it. Being in an arena-like grassy area without fencing and with Nature, we don't. Maybe in winter ;)

Go video! I tried to trim it because I realize watching us is not exciting. :\ Yes, I'm still learning. Any observations (heels down) are appreciated, and hecklers (your riding sux!) are not.

I unsaddle, and note that the sweat marks are purdy.

(no that's not a dry spot in the second one just combed a different way)

It was getting late (hence the flash) so I hosed him off, squeegeed, gave a treat, and put him away. He's always had good gate manners (I made that happen right off the bat), and this time instead of galloping back to his friends, he stuck by me and slowly sauntered over to them as I walked away.

That was Thursday.

I figured Sunday would be nicer weather, so I was all excited for another Western day. Sun shining, low 70s, gentle breezes, great! I'm stoked. I show up, and this time he was standing under a tree swatting flies. I get him, and walk him back to my car. Normal, normal. Very mellow

Hint #1 that he did not want to play today.

I let him graze and groom him, and all of a sudden while I'm currying his fanny, he BOLTS! Sinks his butt down, and takes off 20 ft. The horse that never spooks. I was like "okay, that was odd," No bee stings, nothing. Maybe he JUST noticed the chicken? Odd. Really odd. I tell him he's fine and we continue grooming. Finish up, and I saddle him like before (well, I didn't have to build the saddle on him, but nothing slapdash either). He did move a little on cinching, but he hates girths so I figured maybe there isn't a miracle cinch/girth that he'll love. Some days I hate bras, so go fig.

Hint #2

I go to do our quick WTC longe routine. It's more of a NH longeing, but I like it as he hates dressage whips (I think face-yanker used to beat him with one), he can feel more of the rope because it's heavy, and I like the flexibility in gestures with the stick. I click-click for a trot and fine, and then a short kiss and ask for canter and all of a sudden HE IS IN THE AIR. He looked like this:

www.sankeyprorodeo.com/images/Logos&Misc/Houdini_small.jpg

Only his back legs were pointed down more, and his back was arched. Like he was standing on an invisible pedestal.

I was understandably nervous. Where did MY horse go? Who was this? Thought, okay, weird, let's try this again (and simultaneously decided no riding today... unless he became perfect).

We try again, more bucking farting crazy. I take off the saddle thinking maybe he's not okay with it anymore, same thing. Take off my hat (I had a horse that wouldn't let me catch her if I wore a hat), same. He gets worse and worse about got grazing on our work surface. I move us to the gravel drive. Behaves, but certainly not calm. Back to grass, farting rearing bucking stupid.

At this point I'm not counting hints.

I figure that's our new goal for the day, a WTC. Nothing fancy, not even for very long, (half a circle? An attempt). I "reboot" him by instead playing with our new fly mask- I was going to leave it on him today but not if he's not thinking clearly. I give him a treat and tell him he's fine, I'm not mad, lots of hugs. Let's try again. He's usually easy to reboot.

Because of the face-yanker in his past life, Dante is very worried about doing the wrong thing. He will try and try and try, and LOVES praise. If not, he will get more and more worked up until he spazzes in a great big "I CAN'T DO IT!" moment. Occasionally I'll have to get him through one of those moments to rile him up enough to do what I want. (He thought he couldn't trot on a longe when I first got him). After failing, I must have him do something he CAN do to perk him back up. To work with him, one MUST commend him the exact second his intent is there, then he calms down and performs. You say "goood" as his weight shifts back to back up, not when a foot moves, or when his head raises before entering a trot/canter, when hes head moves before turning etc.

I have a friend who had a dog where you wouldn't tell her to go out and piddle, but to go do "good girl"s. He reminds me of that. Sometimes it's better if you praise him so he can relax and get it right.

Hint#- oh I'm not counting, I get the hint that it's not a fun riding day!

The encouraging "gooood"s are not working. The hugs are not working. He keeps giving up and either eating, or coming at me (big no-no, desperate to get out of the work "pet me instead and tell me I'm still good" and also too animated for my liking) He is not lame. He is not ill. He is not hungry- he lives in a pasture full of food, which he wasn't even EATING when I took him out.

In the end, I gave up. He was ALMOST done, we had one direction down and just a quickie in the other one, and then he did a BIG REAR, managed to rope burn my fingers, on yacht rope. I did release the rope because I was paranoid he'd flip over and wanted him to have his head for balance. I was like, "Game Over." I calmed him down some, and walked him back to his gate. Thank God we established good gate manners from the get-go. He was prancey, stampy, irritable. I get him in the pasture, released him, and after begging for a cookie that was not forthcoming (I needed to be ready for him to bolt), he took off towards his friends at a full gallop, and I believe there was a flying start in there.

WTF happened to my horse??? I figured there was no way I was going to "win" either by force or coercion, so I quit. The day did not need to end in some sort of medical bill for me to pursue that option. I had several hours of patience and then decided there were funner things to do with my day, and nothing to gain by fighting. I'm not thinking it's going to be a "now-you've-taught-him-to-avoid-work-by-being-naughty problem, because it was so random and off for him. Considering how he does not favor longing and how much longing he got do to from being naughty, I'd say it didn't work out in his favor. Did I do anything wrong?

Still behind- putting down a horse

2008-06-27T23:50:00.000-07:00

I am a graduate student at a vet school (not and not becoming a vet, just like the science). I've had numerous pets growing up. Euthanasia happens. I paid 250 dollars to euthanize a cockatiel after her 40 dollar a month treatments were no longer providing the quality of life she enjoyed. I do not cheap out on vet bills. I'll save money by doing my own horse vaccinations that I can do, but will not hesitate to call the vet and set up an appointment when warranted. Humans can suffer, but understand. Animals cannot.

Last week, a horse at my former barn had to be put down. The barn owner kept finding little things to do every time I said I needed to get going, so I stayed. It was just me, the barn owner and her husband, the vet, and the horse's owner. I did not know the horse's owner very well. So I stayed quiet.

I liked the horse. I have a soft spot for the old 'uns. She was a 37 year-old dark palomino, owned for 4-5 years by the current owner. She was horny for my gelding. She ate mush three times a day. I had groomed her a good handful of times.

I was told I didn't have to watch if I didn't want to. I did watch. I wanted to know. I am too sciencey I guess.

It was rougher than I expected. She did not want to lie down. It took several injections to get the volume in, and she had a weak heartbeat when they started. In the end she gave one good kick behind her and actually went up and over. It took longer and was more violent than I expected. (No, nothing went wrong. ) I am glad that I have seen it; I'll know generally what to expect in the future.

Her owner is likely just ranchy-er than I am. When we thought the 28 was going (gas colic- is fine), before his owner arrived I had him well groomed, shined up, ready to go in style. Besides relieved he was okay, she was appreciative of that.

Nobody said much. There was a quiet "good girl" and that was about it.

If Dante has to be put down (as opposed to croaking out of my sight or living for evarz) , and I'm waiting for the vet to show up, he'll be looking ready to enter the Olympics, and I'll probably praise him the entire time like he just jumped the moon. Might as well finish up that bottle of show sheen, anyways.

Other than that "it's hard", nobody ever talks about putting down a horse, really. I only knew from vet students that they fall.

I'm behind- Horse Auction

2008-06-25T12:23:00.000-07:00

So, I'm really far behind, and while I'll admit again, likely nobody reads this- I do enjoy self-reflection and general note-taking (and apparently hyphens today). I will, in order to redeem myself, rapid-fire my recent equine events in several shorter entries.

On June 10th, I went to my very first horse auction. I think the nature of the arena itself is well-written in this 1998 article, End of the Trail, I'll do a short summation of MY experience.

I knew before that the Simon horse auction is one of "those" auctions. I went with my good friend Sarah, who had attended a small-time auction before. My auction knowledge was winning an Animaniacs piece during a cruise on my honeymoon. I knew that the Simons's are kill buyers, purchasing cheap, out-of-use or useless/unmarketable horses, and transporting them to slaughter for profit. My opinions on slaughter can come later (I'm learning quite a diatribe), but in short: while I'm not against the idea of horsemeat as a possible food source for interested parties, it's just done all wrong. Transport, methods, responsibility of owners, breeders, all of it.

Anyways, I'm the sciencey-type, so I wanted to see one for myself. And, to bid on a saddle if I finally found one wide enough for my old-skool QH. I had a bunch of cash, and thankfully left the trailer at home.
These are the folks over at the arena. The girls got us our numbers, giggling when we didn't know where to go. We looked over the tack, then wandered into the stall area.

Nothing terribly noteable here. Apparently nobody else was in a rush to get there an hour early like we were. No reason to get the horses settled in, right? Soon there were plenty and we went a-looking.

Some hid their heads low in the corner, some were thrilled to see us. One had a pretty cut up foot. Most were dirty, but some were clipped up. Many knocked over their water, almost none had any food. No bedding, just mats.

We went and bid on tack, then the ride-throughs started. In the door on the left, and then ridden back and forth. First came the minis. Everyone awwed at the baby one. Cute. Buyer #20 bought a strangely large amount of them. They were cheap, 100 bucks max.

Then the broke horses. Lips thinned whenever the announcer said "no papers." The messed up legged one came through (ridden by asshat, see below) and sold to #11, that would be the kill buyer on the right of the group photo above. Pretty much all the ones under 500 went to either 11, 1, 3, or 5. You know they have an "in" when they stand to the left of the podium on the shavings.
For whatever reason there were a few they would pay up to 1000 for. Must have been planning on teaching a few new moves, shining up, and reselling.

A 25 year old TB-looking mare, ridden English, ex-lesson horse and ex-broodmare went to #11. A broke mare, but unridden because with a 3 week old colt also went to 11. A few people said "no sale." A couple settled for just less than they wanted. The man with the injured horse said into the mic "I'm not bringing any of mine home, they all have to go." He brought a few other through. He looked so depressing on the horse. There was also an Amish dude who probably spent a decent amount of time training his horses but they were all grade and I think all of them went to the KBs, about 6 of them. Most over 15 were done for.

Some sold well, that is, above 1000. Those were doing rollbacks and cantering from side to side. I'd imagine a psyched up horse would be kind of easy to get to do harder maneuvers when there's nowhere else to go and they were all worked up before entering. One girl loved to hop behind the saddle, stand on it, slide off the butt, then lift legs, unsaddle and ride bareback in a slam-bam-this horse is quiet kinda way. Hers usually sold. These were mainly old and poor people buying horses that they could handle easily. F talent.

A little girl rode a horse behaving perfectly back and forth and even though it was a perfect angel sold to a KB.

I ran into my old BO's collector-neighbor. She bought three and was selling three. "For a camp." I asked her if the prices didn't go high enough if she'd let them go to slaughter. She informed me there is no horse slaughter. I informed her otherwise, and pointed out the KBs. I didn't see her ride through, but she liked my advice of at least smiling like it's a fun horse to ride. So many people looked so pissed off at their horses.

I did fall for a little grey mare, but had to leave to get to job #2 on time and didn't get to see her go through. No saddle on when her neighbors had them, she was short and not terribly athletic looking. I called in the morning. They wouldn't say how much she sold for, or who, but did say she sold.

After we left there were more of the ride and walk-thrus, and then the "loose horse sales". I think that's better summed up in the article I linked, because I wasn't there. I did see one of the KBs hopping on the backs of horses in small pens of loose ones to see if any were broke and likely to fetch money.

I imagined my horse being sent to such a place. I could see him flipping out in his stall, screaming. I could just see him resorting to rearing or bucking in the narrow little show area, white eyed and crazed. Maybe he'd be doped up. No papers. I know who would buy him. He's 13, paperless, well-muscled, and swaybacked. Needless to say, even recouping my dollar on him 4000-fold would not tempt me.

48hr Film Festival

2008-06-16T06:57:00.001-07:00

My husband, for whatever reason, is nearly always involved in some sort of movie project. This year they again entered the 48hr film festival. They are given a genre, line of dialogue, prop, and character and then have 48 hrs to make a 4-7 min short film encompassing all those. Well they got historical fiction, a fish, "He looks familiar", and a substitute teacher. Dante got to be a prop and had to go back away from his friends (the skeeriest thing evar) into the woods, hang out with people dressed to kill (chain mail, spears, etc) and stand quietly during a fight scene happening in front of his face.

He did this all while taking a nap. Everyone was amazed at what a good horse he is! (even me ) Before we went back in the woods and were in sight of his friends I rode him bareback around all the preparatory hubbub.

My horse gets very upset emotionally at things, but doesn't spook.

Copper Dollar Ante (Dante)

2008-06-13T11:22:00.000-07:00

Fifteen months ago, I was given a horse. A 1995 QH, no papers, 15 hands. Named "Copper" because well, he's copper colored.

He was originally a "therapy horse (?)" for a young mentally challenged girl. They bought him for 2000. I hear tales that she'd canter him all around and he was just a gem. Then I heard that he bucked her off and she never came back to the boarding place to ride him. Her older, 300lb brother would- on a too tight saddle, letting him get away with everything. (He is now sway-backed). They eventually surrendered their horses when defaulted on board. They might have his papers- but won't answer my phone calls. No clue what his registered name would be.

The BO leased him out, she couldn't afford not to. A woman who "knew it all" rode him. The face-yanker managed to pull him over so that he flipped on her. Also heard that she may have beaten him. Still nobody would use the right saddle, and his shoulder swelled up so that a vet had to be called.

The trainer there loved him. Would always find an excuse to work with him instead of the other horses. He always tries, and flourishes under positive reinforcement. He was then unused besides maybe a trail ride or a quick kid's lesson for the next year. He did flip on another woman. The BO was going to give him to someone else who decided not to take him.

Then I get him. I have to board him there for a year, then buy him for a dollar. He steps on me, bowls me over, won't so much as longe above a walk without having a hissy rearing fit. I got a new bridle for him and gave up the first time I tried to get it on him after an hour of trying. Couldn't be tied without rearing. I had been riding for almost a year- lesson horses, an 18 year old pregnant arab, and a 22 year old child's arab. I thought to myself, "OMG I am retarded. Can we say, 'overmounted?" We stuck to groundwork. Mainly Parelli-style, but not terribly strict: some English in there, some general makes-sense work too.

I eventually (after a few MONTHS) get the balls to get on. We ride at a walk. At a trot- it's a breakneck trot with snorting and crazy. Steering is rough- no bend. Our first trail ride on the property (4 months in) we make it about a half hour until he flips out, rodeo broncs me off, and gallops back to the barn. Go helmet. I DID get back on and walk and trot around inside, but was sore in the neck, head, and back for the next week. I think, "OMFG I am retarded."

I have since gained his trust. W-T-C-Woah-Back on a longe is not a challenge. We do not have issues with bridling. He is still cinchy/girthy/OMG saddles eat me, but if I had a 300lb guy on a narrow saddle I'd probably feel the same. Holds his feet perfectly (tries to put it on the hoof stand for the trimmer himself). We are practicing our canter (my bad, not his), and we occasionally do a weenie jump (but he does like to make them bigger). Could tie for hours if I was an asshole. Does a Western jog-trot if I ask- smooth as butter. Horrible headset, but again-ingrained. He'll knock it down if I ask but pops right back up. I have been complimented on his flexibility now. We ride in a halter or bridle, although he prefers the halter. His coat gleams. He follows me around (not like a puppy- I've never had a puppy do anything but run after everything it saw). I can ride him bareback no worries. And after seeing the rearing fit of someone trying to load him, he'll go right in (but only if I go in first).

In short: He's a different horse! I'm very proud of him for trying so hard and a little proud of me, too for not giving up and figuring him out!

Well here we go!

2008-06-12T12:37:00.001-07:00

While there's so many aspects for me to start writing about since I'm already behind, I should probably start with something more introductory. I will try to not drag it out.

I began being a horse-dork at childhood. My mother tells me now I was thiiiiiis close to getting one, but I gave up just in time. It would have been pricey, being in CT. I had horse figures, books, posters, stuffed animals, movies, shirts... and no horse. Topped every wish list for years. My mother's best friend had 4 boys (for my brother) and 2 horses (for me). They were in a dry lot and would gladly hang out with me while I ripped up grass from the lawn and handed it to them through the fence. Everyone there said "oh some day we'll have to let you ride one" and that day never occurred. I didn't push it- I was an angel and never crossed the fence (or touched it- it was electric), afraid I'd ruin my chance.

I read Black Beauty about 100 times, got all the horse stuff catalogues (which arrive at my parents' house to this day), and secretly plotted to save up enough money to buy from them. I figured if I bought all the stuff to show I was responsible, then they'd get me the horse. My dollar-a-week never cut it, though and I also didn't know how to order or get my mom to order without revealing my plans.

So I knew the mechanics of riding, horse anatomy, parts of tack, general rules of how to act around horses etc. All the book info. One thing I really knew was that they didn't like their heads yanked and their feet hurt- thank you Black Beauty.

None of my friends were into horses. A group of girls we rivaled had one of them into horses like me (and didn't have any, either) and I remember having a showdown of who knew more about horses with her. I won with the "frog" as she didn't know what it was. Go 4th grade! Eventually other interests came along that I COULD pursue, and I gave up. When a fancy facility appeared on my road at age 14, I was not ballsy enough to bust in, but would rubberneck to see them when I walked my fat dog, hoping he'd need to stop along there to piddle.

In college on Long Island, I saw I could take lessons as a class, but couldn't foot the extra fee (500) plus driving and attire or convince parents it was part of higher education. Turned green with envy when I saw the other Bio majors who were in it wearing their breeches at school.

As a graduate student in the Upper Midwest, opportunities abounded. My boss had two horses, breeding Swedish Warmbloods, and my coworker worked on equine reproduction. My in-laws have a former hobby-farm (but need their barn for the business) and their neighbor's horses trim the pasture for them in summer. She said if I took lessons, I could ride them. That old hankering crept up.

So after only a brief batting of the eyes and a pretty please my boss let me register for "Introductory Horse Riding" in addition to all the science. Two hours every Monday for a whole semester for 90 dollars. Done deal! Nevermind the 45 minute drive to get there! I don't think I was less than a half hour early ever.

Well, snap, now I was hooked and here is where my horse noob-ery begins. I took a summer session at the barn for another 5 weeks, then leased a horse at a barn closer to me, then had a free lease on another horse, and was then given my own.

So, being 25 years old and having ridden now for 2 years, I'm at a sort of an impasse. I'm too green for the people my age, and most adult horse noobs are like 40+. And being in the sciences, I've been very well-trained to recognize BS when I see it. Being rather cynical, I enjoy doing so!

As you will find out, I've been discovering that the "horse industry" is full of random, illogical, and just plain silly ideas.