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Horse Mania Newsletter #10
October 24th 1999
Subscriber Count: 338
************************************************************
The NEXT deadline for ALL article writers and things submitted to the
newsletter is November 9. Please let me know if you cannot meet this
deadline for some reason.
************************************************************
Here is issue 10 at last. I finished all my yearly exams but I still have
to sit some serious exams in early November, the School Certificate, so
that the deadline for next issue is late because it’s after those. I know
they’ve been late recently but it’s a busy time of year, with school
finishing, and after November things should be nice and slow and the
newsletter will be able to come out on time again. My columns “All About”
and “Breeds in Focus” will reappear next issue, in order to get this out
not to late I had to skip them, sorry about that. Here in Australia, it is
nearly time for the Melbourne Cup, one of Australia’s most prestigious
horse races. I’ll put the winner in next issue! I know that I have
received quite a few Excellent Website award applications and I will be
trying to go through those ASAP. Also, the free web page server that I use
for the Horse Mania website, Angelfire has announced that as of November
1, 1999 they will be putting ads on *all* member pages. I have to choose
from pop up or banner, I’m not sure which is more annoying. I don’t think
I’ll move to a different server, unless I find a good, reliable, ad free
one. Anyway, take a look at the Horse Mania Website
(http://horsemania.cjb.net) in it’s full glory while it is still ad-free
and I hope you enjoy this issue! :o) As usual any criticism, comments or
suggestions are welcome! All things that are written here without a name
are by me, and everyone else's columns has credit given to who has written
it. See you until next time,
Susan
(thehorse@hotpop.com)
http://horsemania.cjb.net
'\__~ '\__~ '\__~
\ \ / \ / / cantering
In this Issue:
-Wanted
-Your Opinion
-Tell Us About Yours
-Archer’s Corner
-Horse Trivia
-My Thoughts
-Manes & Tails
-Horse Training
-Thoroughbred Racing
-Horse Jargon
-BB`s Site Reviews
-Horse Story
-Horse Recipes
-Horse Tunes
-Websites
-Horse Polls
-Pen Pals
-Archives
-Change of Address
-References
*WANTED
-------
Here are some regular columns I’d like people to do. You need to be able
to do it once every two weeks. If you’re interested and know a bit about
it and have good books on hand, send me your name, age (optional), and why
you’d like to do it to thehorse@hotpop.com
-Horse Quotes- I’m looking for someone to take over this column. All you
need to do is find a few horse quotes for each issue and invite readers to
send in some of their favorites. Remember that you must be able to meet
the deadline, once every two weeks.
-The Name Game-All you need to do is find a picture of a horse on the
internet, make up all it’s info (breed, height, discipline, age etc.) and
ask people to send in name suggestions. Then pick out the names you like
best and announce the winners in your next column. Please *give credit* to
where you got the photo from, with the site URL included.
(thanks to Amanda for the original concept of this column)
Also remember you can submit anything horse-related you want, poems,
jokes, stories about your horse, experiences you’ve had or once off
articles.
*YOUR OPINION
-------------
In this section I will ask a question every issue and put in the
responses. Send in replies to me at thehorse@hotpop.com with "Your
Opinion" in the subject line.
Do you have a good question for “Your Opinion”? Please send it in to me at
thehorse@hotpop.com and if I like it, I’ll use it!
This issue’s question is:
“What is your opinion on showing horses?”
Now we’ll take a look at the responses to last issue’s question which was:
“What is your favorite style of riding, and why?”
Thank you to everyone who replied!
“My friends and I have a running debate over whether riding bareback in
the woods is a riding style. But I say it is .. and it's most definitely
my favorite style! On hot summer days, it's all about keeping cool in the
shade. On winter days, it's keeping warm with my hands buried in his
mane. And on cool days in the spring and fall, it's about scouting for
breezes and shadows that will have him shying in glee. You just can't
equal that in an arena or with a saddle.”
-horsegal
*TELL US ABOUT YOURS
--------------------
This a section where you can tell us about your own horse, or the horse
you ride.Send it in to thehorse@hotpop.com and I’ll put it in. It can any
length you like.
*ARCHER’S CORNER
----------------
Hey there Horse fans!!
I didn’t get any replies for what I asked in the last issue. I’m still
waiting for it......please I need help!!!!
Hope you enjoy!!
Horses and Emotions
Do horse have emotions like humans? That question has plagued mankind for
millennium! Scientist often scold people for placing human emotions and
feelings on animals. It is hard to imagine what a animal feels, if
anything at all. It is easier to feel close to another being if you can
make it more familiar to you. So making up your mind that a horse has
feelings of love, joy, adoration, friendship, etc makes it easier to
understand them.
Can a horse love you? I guess it is an individual thing. Scientists will
tell you that horses have no "higher emotions"; they exist on "instinct
alone." So what, I ask, are higher emotions? Is it love? Hate? Fear? How
do the scientists, who scoff at individuals who assign emotions to
creatures, know that horses don't feel? They have all kinds of articles
and experiments, but as far as I know, they have never been a horse, so
how do they know?
Those of us who live day in and day out with horses often have a different
opinion. I have seen a horse go through things that terrify them in order
to help another horse. Or a human. So is a horse capable of love? I think
so. I have no experiments, or articles or "proof," except for what I have
observed while living with these animals. Can a horse feel emotions? I say
YES! They can love and hate and fear and desire and need and hope. I have
witnessed it, I have no proof that scientists would accept, but I know in
my heart that they do.
Horses are too intelligent not to feel emotions. And as to "higher
emotions," what is that? The ability to kill each other for a patch of
grass? Because another horse is a different color? Is it a higher emotion
to kill for the pleasure of killing? To hate for no other reason than
being told to? To destroy the world for the selfish rewards? If these are
the higher emotion, I think I would rather be like the horse.
*HORSE TRIVIA by Brgrey@prodigy.net
-------------
1. If a horse is cow hocked:
a.it's hock's turn in
b.it's hocks turn out
c.it's hocks are swollen
2.The term "cold blooded" when applied to horses means:
a.the breed of horse does best in a cold climate
b.the horse needs to be kept in a heated barn during the winter or it will
get too cold
c.it is a heavy draft horse
3.True or False- Black or blue hooves are generally stronger than white
hooves,and less prone to cracking.
a.true
b.false
4.The bit rests:
a.on the horse's teeth
b.on the bars of the horses mouth
c.under the horse's tongue
5.True or false: Horses usually are in foal for 9 months.
a.true
b.false
6.True or false: All horses should wear blankets in cold weather,because
their winter coats are not warm enough.
a.true
b.false
7. What was Roy Rogers horse named?
a.Silver
b.Bullet
c.Trigger
d.Traveler
8. How tall was Northern Dancer?
a.17 hh
b.14hh
c.16.1hh
d.15.2hh
9.What famous racehorse that was bred in New Zealand died mysteriously in
California ?
a.Man O War
b.Phar Lap
c.Big Ben
d.Secratariat
Last Trivia winners:
Tied for 1st:
Bethany
Lita
Sharon
Elizabeth
Second:
Sierra
Third (tie):
Megan and Eugene
Email the answers to Brgrey@prodigy.net
*MY THOUGHTS by shareasmile
------------
In the last issue this column wrote:
“The other day in class someone said "horses are dumb." I was very
insulted,
some horses I have known are much more responsive to emotions then people
I
know. Horses aren't dumb, they just think differently than us!! Grr I was
so
mad, know what i mean? Hope this provokes some thoughts!”
There were a few replies to this, and here they are!
“After reading the part about someone is a class saying
horses are stupid. Where I have my riding lesson you
can see the road, the other day we were trotting around
and a car went passed and yelled out “horses sux” that was
very mean. But I soon forget about it because it was
probably because last time they got on a horse it was
one of the nags they put ppl on and torsite riding (
the easy one) and they fell off that is why most ppl
say horse sux but of couse they don't :-) “
-Kimberley
“I think that people not interested in the equine world say what they
think is true because they think they know everything and they really only
know diddly squat! Like my brother who has a fear of horses, he says that
riding isn't a sport and that horses are dumb too. That insulted me
because I put so much work into riding and working at the stables and he
thinks I just go and bounce around on the horse and come home. If riding
were sponsored by NIKE or FILA, everybody would take more seriously.”
-mart1ne
*MANES & TAILS by Jamie
--------------
Famous TV and movie horses, part 1
Before I start this column, I did think of one
more movie that was released several years ago, which
was about two young boys in the British Isles who find
a magnificent white horse and run away with him.
Since the boys have watched old movies and programs of
famous American cowboy heroes, they make believe that
they are riding "Into the West" as they make their
getaway on the fabulous white horse, who happens to be
magical. The horse comes from a fantasy land beneath
the sea called TIR NA NOG, and that is what the
youngest boy, who becomes instantly attached to the
horse, names him. The boys' mother died after the
birth of the youngest boy. Their father is poor, not
very nice, and still grieving for his wife. He tries
to keep the boys in school, but they do not want to
stay there, especially after the white horse comes to
them. They try to smuggle the horse into the old
building where they live, but of course chaos ensues,
and they horse is taken away, upsetting the youngest
boy no end.
They find the horse, Tir Na Nog, who has been
purchased by someone, jumping fences at a small horse
show later on. The youngest boy is determined to get
the horse back, and the two brothers steal him,
beginning their long runaway journey.
The horse eventually brings them to some old
castle ruins and they find the grave of their mother.
The oldest boy wants to back home, but the younger one
does not want to do so.
Finally, the authorities and the boys' father
catch up with them at the beach. Tir Na Nog runs
straight into the sea, with the youngest boy still
astride him, terrified because he is afraid of water.
The horse goes deeper and deeper into the water until
he is nearly submerged and the youngest boy nearly
drowns, but is saved by the father. While the young
boy is underwater, he apparently sees either an angel
or his mother's ghost. This is the weird part of the
movie, one I never quite understood, but anyway, all
is well, the boys are back with their father, and the
horse disappears into the sea, presumably never to be
seen again. That part I did NOT like.
Now we're going to go WAY BACK to the time of
silent movies to tell about the first horse stars and
their cowboys (the horses and riders will be discussed
together in this series, because they were a team.)
One of the first was a cowboy named William S.
Hart, who rode a fearless pinto named Fritz. (By the
way, most of the info for this series comes from a
book, "Animal Superstars" by John Javna, published in
1986) According to this book, which just had a short
paragraph about these two, Fritz would do just about
anything that was asked of him, including dangerous
stunts like jumping off a cliff and plunging into
rivers at Hart's command. Amazingly, though, from
what I have read about these cowboy movie stars and
their horses, the horses were never harmed or injured
during these stunts, and several of the first stars in
the silent movies always did their OWN stunts. Fritz
was later forgotten when Tony the Wonder Horse came
along a few years later. More about him in the next
issue.
The last forgotten horse star of long ago was a
truly wild horse, I believe a Morgan stallion who had
become wild when he grew up ( not much is known about
his history). His name was Rex, and he was known as
"The King of the Wild Horses." It was said that no
one could control the horse; when they were filming
with him, they just turned him loose and hoped to get
some shots that they could use. He was said to be
mean and aggressive. Audiences loved his fiery nature
and flocked to see his movies. Yes, they actually did
get several movies made, amazingly, with this
unmanageable horse(and they were SILENT). But when
talkies came out in the 1920s, and later on, by that
time he was too old and was retired to a Texas ranch.
At the height of Rex's popularity, movies were written
specifically for him, and he even co-starred once with
the famous dog star Rin-Tin-Tin(this was long before
Lassie).
Next issue: TONY the Wonder Horse, Gene Autry and
CHAMPION, and FLICKA. Hope you enjoyed this column.
Till next time.
*HORSE TRAINING by Jo Caen
---------------
My name is Jo Caen and I have a 15.1hh TB mare who is
5 years old. She is called Dakota. I bought her 2yrs
ago to train as a junior eventer and this is a brief
summary of how far we've got. We started of with
LOADS of lungeing. We just lunged for about six months
before I backed her under the watchful eye of my
instructor who is also called Jo. Dakota was as good
as gold for weeks, until I started to ask her to bend.
That was a big mistake! Since then we've had nothing
but temper tantrums and she also started to nap. The
final straw came when Jo was schooling her for me one
day and she reared and was so over balanced that she
was forced to walk backwards on her hind legs.
Desperate means called for desperate measures! We had
tried to avoid using any gags or restraints on her,
after all she was only rising five and quite happy to
hack in a nathe snaffle, but we were forced to
rethink. We decided on draw reins as a good option,
and this brings us up to March this year.
*THOROUGHBRED RACING by Anna Rempfer
--------------------
*********************************
* Thoroughbred Racing News *
* by Anna Rempfer *
*********************************
============================================================
*************************RACING ROUNDUP********************
============================================================
MONTJEU RALLIES FOR ARC VICTORY
============================================================
Michael Tabor's Montjeu raced in striking distance along the
rail then advanced from between horses in midstretch before
collaring pacesetter El Condor Pasa near the line to win the
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) by one-half length at
Longchamp Sunday.
============================================================
SOARING SOFTLY FLIES LATE FOR VICTORY
============================================================
Despite a slow early pace, Soaring Softly circled the field
turning for home then edged clear to win the $500,000 Flower
Bowl Handicap (gr. I) by one length at Belmont Park Sunday.
============================================================
FRANKEL SWEEPS OAK TREE'S GRADE I'S
============================================================
Longshot Mash One dropped back entering the far turn then
re-broke along the rail to win the $300,000 Oak Tree Turf
Championship (gr. I) by two lengths at Santa Anita Sunday.
============================================================
LADY OF CHAD DOMINATES BOUSSAC FOES
============================================================
Lady of Chad went right to the front under Olivier Peslier
then drew off in the final furlong to win the Prix Marcel
Boussac (Fr-I) by three lengths at Longchamp Sunday.
============================================================
AGNES WORLD WINS PRIX DE L'ABBAYE
============================================================
Takashi Watanabe's Agnes World took the lead with two
furlongs to go then held on to capture the Prix de l'Abbaye
(Fr-I) in a photo at Longchamp Sunday.
============================================================
WIN FOR US TAKES GERMAN ST. LEGER
============================================================
Gary Tanaka's Win For Us stalked the early pace then drew off
to a three-length victory in the German St. Leger (Ger-II) at
Dortmund Sunday.
============================================================
ECTON PARK UPSETS MENIFEE IN SUPER DERBY
============================================================
Ecton Park stalked the early pace set by last year's juvenile
champion Answer Lively, then rallied three-wide on the far
turn before winning the $500,000 Super Derby XX (gr. I) by
two lengths over stablemate Menifee at Louisiana Downs
Saturday.
============================================================
SPANISH FERN PULLS CLEAR IN YELLOW RIBBON
============================================================
Spanish Fern rallied on the outside turning for home then
pulled clear to win the $500,000 Yellow Ribbon Handicap (gr.
I) by 1 1/4 lengths over Caffe Latte at Santa Anita Saturday.
============================================================
LONGSHOT WINS COTILLION HANDICAP
============================================================
Longshot Skipping Around advanced quickly on the far turn
then outfinished favored Strolling Belle to win the $200,000
Cotillion Handicap (gr. II) by 3/4 of a length at
Philadelphia Park Saturday.
============================================================
KHUMBA MELA DRAWS OFF AT BELMONT
============================================================
Khumba Mela stalked the early going then drew off to a five
length victory in Saturday's $112,900 Noble Damsel Handicap
at Belmont Park.
============================================================
LADY IN WAITING WINS SUN CHARIOT
============================================================
Pegasus Racing Limited's Lady In Waiting set all the pace
before taking the Sun Chariot Stakes (Eng-II) by eight
lengths at Newmarket Saturday.
============================================================
THEATRICAL FILLY TAKES C.L. WELD PARK STAKES
============================================================
Theoretically got up near the line to win the C.L. Weld Park
Stakes (Ire-III) by a head over Earlene at the Curragh
Saturday.
============================================================
FORTY ONE CARATS TAKES INDIANA DERBY
============================================================
Forty One Carats, with Jorge Chavez up, rallied on the far
turn then drew clear late to win the $312,150 Indiana Derby
by 1 3/4 lengths at Hoosier Park Saturday night.
============================================================
VIRGINIA CARNIVAL IN THE CLIFF HANGER
============================================================
On Friday at Meadowlands, longshot Virginia Carnival won the
$150,000 Cliff Hanger Handicap (gr. III) by a nose over Star
Connection in a blanket finish.
============================================================
PHI BETA DOC STEALS VIRGINIA DERBY
============================================================
Phi Beta Doc, by Doc's Leader, came running late to win the
$200,000 Virginia Derby by 1 1/2 lengths over Passinetti at
Colonial Downs Saturday.
============================================================
SHARP APPEAL WINS BIG AT CALDER
============================================================
Sharp Appeal rallied through the lane to win the $300,000
Miami Mile Breeders' Cup Handicap by 1 3/4 lengths over
Shamrock City at Calder Race Course Saturday.
============================================================
**********************************************************************
Until next time . . . keep racing!
**********************************************************************
*HORSE JARGON by Bethany
-------------
JUMPS and FENCES
Bank Jump--an obstacle entailing a jump up onto the top of a raised
platform or mound, a stride or two, and then a drop off of the other side.
Bounce Jump--after jumping the 1st jump the horse must leave the ground
to jump the second element immediately after with no strides in between.
Cavaletti--a series of jump rails laid on or near the ground to teach the
horse candence and balance, in preparation for jumping or dressage.
Chicken Coop--an A shaped jump usually framed in wood or foliage.
Originally designed to permit jumping from one fenced field to another.
Combination Fences--two or more fences to be jumped in a series not more
than 39 ft. 5 in. apart.
Drop Jump--an obstacle where the horse is jumping down from a platform or
bank, or where the landing side of the fence is lower than the take-off
side.
Liverpool--a water jump in which there is water on both sides of a fence.
Option Fence--an obstacle that is designed to provide the rider with more
than one way to jump it. Usually, an easier option is provided, that may
take longer to jump.
Oxer--two vertical fences positioned close enough together to be jumped
as a single obstacle. Splash Jump--a jump involving jumping a fence into
water.
Spread Fence--an obstacle that requires the horse to jump width as well
as height.
Vertical Fence--one in which the fence stands straight up and down with
no element of width.
*BB`s SITE REVIEWS by
------------------
BB`s Horse Site Reviews
Hi. Welcome. If you would like to have your site posted here, e-mail me at
hrsgrl@hotmail.com with the name of site and url. Then I`ll go to it and
rate
it.
This weeks site it:
***
Jump
http://altern.org/jump/
Rating: ***** out of *****
A very good site for people who jump or interested in jumping. Has where
you
can post your jumping problems. If you don`t jump, still visit it. It has
where you can post pictures or your horse, stories, poems and more. Oh,
and
don`t forget to join the zine.
***
Don`t forget to send in your sites. And you can send in YOUR ratings for
this site too.
*HORSE STORY (part one) by SARAH MCKINNEY
------------
This is quite long, with 11 chapters that will be spread out over several
issues of Horse Mania. This is the first part.
IT’S A CHANCE SHE S GOT TO TAKE . . .
Melanie was so nervous her hands were shaking as she led Honor out to
the outdoor ring and went to mount. As she took the reins in her hands,
she they started to shake uncontrollably. She took them off of the reins
and clasped them together tightly, squeezing until they stopped. Only then
did she mount in the ring.
Honor s ears perked up and she danced sideways. Oh no, Melanie thought.
But when Honor settled down right away, Melanie blew out a relieved
breath. Shoo!
Honor obeyed Melanie as she asked for a working walk. She sprang into a
walk, her stride the smoothest Melanie had ever felt. Melanie almost
closed her eyes in pleasure, but she thought better of it. She still didn
t know if Honor trusted her.
A moment later Melanie urged the young filly into a trot. Shaking her
head and snorting, Honor broke into a trot. But it felt different. When
Melanie looked down, she realized that Honor was doing an extended trot!
Usually only really experience horses could do an extend. But there Honor
was, extending under her. Beaming, Melanie posted to the trot
rhythmically, rising on Honor s outside leg.
Melanie was afraid to ask the filly for a canter. For one reason, Honor
was inexperienced, and for another, Melanie didn t know what she would do
if Honor got out of control. But, Melanie reminded herself, Honor was
being a perfect angel for her, and Melanie couldn t believe it! Why was
she so trusting in her?
HOOFBEATS
THE ONLY ONE FOR HER
WRITTEN BY:
SARAH MCKINNEY
CHAPTER 1
Crossing her arms on the top rail of the white ring fence, Melanie
watched as the strawberry roan horse in the ring cantered toward the first
jump on the course. She sighed, wishing she could be on top of that horse
at that moment.
Thirteen-year-old Melanie Anne Nelson dreamed of being a great rider one
day, with the perfect horse to take her there. It was a fantasy that she
hoped to some day come true.
As Melanie watched the strawberry roan filly finish up the jump course
with ease, she heaved a sigh again. Resting her chin on her crossed arms,
Melanie wondered when she would be in that ring, and her mother, Samantha
Nelson, would be teaching her. But at that moment, juggling all of the
responsibilities of the small farm, Samantha didn t have time to teach
Melanie, even if she did have her own horse.
Already dressed in her riding habit, which consisted of gray breeches and
a white T-shirt, Melanie couldn t wait until later that morning, after her
mother s lesson with Juliet, when her mother would be driving her over to
Morning Glory Farm where she took her jumping lessons. Lisa Cooper,
Melanie s instructor, had promised to let her ride Dazzling Flash, an
inexperienced young filly that Lisa was retraining off of the track as a
jumper. All of Melanie s friends had wanted a chance to ride Flash, but
Lisa had picked Melanie over all of the rest of them. It had made her feel
important; like finally she meant something. It was a great feeling, and
she wouldn t miss that lesson for the world.
Not that Samantha and her husband, Kevin Nelson weren t loving parents.
But lately, they had seemed distracted in something. Samantha was always
complaining that where they lived in the small own in Virginia, they didn
t get much business in buying and selling their horses that they bred.
Melanie had overheard her mother and father talking about a move to
Kentucky, but Melanie always ignored it. She always figured that it was
just talk.
The rider on the strawberry roan filly stopped the horse in front of
Samantha to receive her criticism about the course. Melanie moved around
the circular ring counterclockwise closer to the scene, straining to catch
a sound of the conversation.
“Jules did okay around the first three jumps. But when you guys turned
into the double, you lost it. You were knocking down poles left and right.
Now what I suggest is that when you doubt her ability . . .” Samantha
was telling the rider as she stroked Jivin Juliet s beautiful coat.
As instructor and rider talked, Melanie let her attention wonder to her
up-coming lesson. She couldn t wait to ride Flash! She wondered what she
would be like.
Oh well, Melanie thought as she clasped her fingers together tightly,
smiling from ear to ear. She flipped her strawberry blonde hair out of her
hazel eyes. There s only one way to find out! I can’t wait!
The rider rode Jules out of the ring with a stern expression. Nobody took
anything off of Melanie s mother. That’s what Melanie admired about her
the most.
“Hi, Mel,” Samantha greeted her daughter as she started to walk out of
the ring. She grabbed the lunge line and whip that she had been using on
Juliet, and walked beside her daughter to the barn.
“Hey, Mom,” Melanie said, smiling back at her mother. “I’m ready to go
to my lesson.” Samantha looked down at her daughter with a frown and
checked her watch. She raised her eyebrows at her and heaved a sigh.
“Oh, I m sorry, Mel. I just can’t drive you and your sister over today.
I have too much to do around here. You understand, don’t you dear?”
Samantha asked, looking down at Melanie with a pleading look.
Melanie nodded as she walked away from her mother and back down the
aisle. It looked like she and her identical twin sister, Cassidy Nelson,
would be pedaling their bikes down to Morning Glory Farm again for that
lesson.
Melanie didn t mind too much riding down to the farm for her lesson, it
was just like it seemed that her mother and father never had time for her
and her sister anymore. They were too caught up in trying to find a place
to move.
“Hey, Mel!” Cassidy’s sharp voice rang through the air as she jogged to
catch up with Melanie. Are you ready to ride down to our lesson. “Where’s
Mom?”
“We’re riding our bikes down again, Cass,” Melanie explained to her
sister. Cassidy shrugged as she grabbed her bike from the side of the barn
and hopped on.
Let’s go, she said, pushing herself off and pedaling down the stone
driveway.
Melanie pedaled after her sister, letting her strawberry blonde hair blow
in the breeze. She closed her eyes for a brief moment as she let her bike
glide down the hill toward Morning Glory Farm. She was so excited.
It wasn t a long ride to the farm that chilly morning in early-June. It
was actually kind of nice. Melanie watched as her sister rode in front of
her, and pulled into the driveway with a sign on the right side that read:
Morning Glory Farm. Melanie smiled as she rode down to the end of the
driveway and parked her bike beside the large barn. Out in the middle of
the ring, Lisa was working with her most accomplished rider, Tara Smith.
Tara was a little bit older than Melanie, but the two girls were really
good friends.
“Hey, Tara!” Melanie called from the corner of the ring. Tara looked up
and waved at her friend, and then turned her attention back to Lisa and
the horse that she was riding.
“C’mon,” Cassidy said, motioning her sister to come into the barn. “I
want to show you what I did to Twilight’s mane last night.”
Sterling Twilight was Cassidy s new, proud Arabian filly. Twilight was a
dappled gray, fully of heart, confidence and most of all speed. Cassidy
had won the horse in a carnival, and the filly had turned out to be a
master at cross-country. She jumped the fences like they were nothing, and
kept right on going toward the finish. She wasn’t too shabby in show
jumping, either.
Cassidy led Melanie into the dim lighted barn, down to where she boarded
Twilight. The dappled gray filly stuck her elegant Arabian head out of the
bottom half of the door and whinnied at her owner, revealing what Cassidy
had accomplished on her mane. It was braided red, white and blue for the
Fourth of July, starting with white and ending with blue. It looked
absolutely fabulous.
“It’s great, Cass!” Melanie said as she rushed over to the stall to get
a closer look. “Great job! It’s going to look perfect when you guys go in
the Fourth of July parade!”
“That’s what I did it for,” Cassidy explained as she ran her hand down
Twilight s elegantly sculpted head. It definitely showed that she was a
full-blood Arabian, for the beautiful dip on her nose. Her eyes were full
of life, and fire, too. She was the most awesome jumper Melanie had ever
seen.
Except for, or course, Dazzling Flash. Melanie was so excited about riding
the filly, she just about bursted. She wondered where Lisa had stabled her
that day.
As if knowing what Melanie was thinking, Cassidy pointed down the aisle to
the last stall on the right. “Flash is in there,” she said.
Melanie smiled at her sister as she walked quickly down the aisle to
Flash s stall. The elegant jet-black filly stuck her head out of the
bottom half of the door, just as Twilight had done, to see who was
approaching. She whinnied at Melanie, thinking that she had a treat for
her. Melanie smiled at the filly s ambition as she walked up and ran her
hand down the filly’s pink nose.
“Hey there, Flashy,” Melanie greeted the filly. “I’m going to be
riding you today. Is that alright with you?” As if agreeing
whole-heartedly, Flash bobbed her head up and down in acknowledgment. She
snorted, shaking her head, and then brought her head back up to look
Melanie in the eye.
Melanie brought the filly out into the middle of the aisle and hooked her
up in cross ties. Sitting by her stall were Flash s grooming tools, as
were they always, and picking up a rubber currycomb from the bucket,
started to run it around Flash’s body in soothing, massaging circular
motions. Flash s eyelids quivered with happiness.
As she brushed the filly, Melanie thought about how great her lesson was
going to be. Lisa had said that Flash was as fluid as a mover as any other
horse she had ever ridden. When, of course, she wasn t acting up, which
she did often. That was the only thing that was wrong with the filly. She
was a bad bucker when she wanted to misbehave. It was more of a challenge
for Melanie than anything, and a definite delightful change from the slow
horse she usually rode at the lessons.
After a good, thorough brushing, Melanie left Flash in the middle of the
aisle for a moment to fetch her tack from the tack room. Her saddle and
bridle were labeled on hangers in the tack room, making it much easier for
Melanie to tell which saddle and bridle she was to use on the horse.
Melanie lugged the tack out into the middle of the aisle, sitting it on
the hanger than hung right outside of Flash s stall. Putting on the saddle
pad first, and then the saddle, Melanie quickly tightened the girth so it
wouldn’t slide when she mounted the tall horse.
Second, Melanie grabbed the bridle that matched the black saddle, and
slipped off the horse’s bridle. She threw the reins over the horse’s head,
and standing under Flash’s neck, asked her to take in the bit. She did
willingly, and in no time at all, Melanie was all set for her lesson.
She checked her watch. Ten twenty am, ten minutes until her lesson would
be starting. Melanie glanced down the aisle to see of her sister was ready
with Twilight as well. When Melanie saw that Cassidy was, she walked Flash
down the aisle to meet her.
“You ready?” Melanie asked her. Cassidy turned around the smiled at her
sister, and then turned back to whatever she was fiddling with on
Twilight’s bridle.
“Yeah, Mel. I’m almost finished. Hey, can you help me with this flash? I
can’t get it buckled,” Cassidy said as she started to fiddle with the
piece around the mouth. A flash was a leather strip that went around a
horse’s mouth to keep it from chomping on the bit, or even putting the
tongue over the bit, which made it impossible for the rider to control the
horse.
Melanie stepped forward, handing Flash’s reins to Cassidy for a moment
while she expertly buckled the flash onto the noseband, and then hooked it
around Twilight’s nose.
“Thanks,” Cassidy said as she handed Flash’s reins back to Melanie.
“Any time,” Melanie said as she waited for her sister to finish. When
she did, they walked into the ring together.
Lisa was standing in the middle of the ring setting up the fences that
she was going to send them over that day. When the two girls walked in,
Lisa looked up and smiled at them.
“Hey girls,” Lisa greeted Melanie and Cassidy with her warm smile.
“Are you ready for some hard riding today?”
“You bet!” Melanie exclaimed as she walked around to Flash’s left side
and stuck her foot into the stirrup. She hoisted herself up into the
saddle and started to adjust the reins accordingly.
“Well, you just be careful with Flash there,” Lisa warned as she walked
up to Flash and held her reins so Melanie could adjust her stirrups. “You
know what I told you about her. She’s a bad bucker. Just be on the ball,
okay?”
“Okay, Lisa,” Melanie promised, although, she thought to herself, she
didn’t think she would have any trouble with the horse.
When she adjusted her stirrups to the right length, and Lisa let go of
the reins, Melanie urged Flash into a working walk around the ring to warm
up until the rest of the class arrived.
When they did arrive, Melanie and Flash were already warmed up and ready
for action. Lisa had to help Cassidy with Twilight’s girth, since she had
inflated while Cassidy had tacked her up. The rest of the class consisted
of Melanie s best friend, Rachel Schriefer, who rode her horse who she
boarded at Morning Glory Farm named Seabreeze. The only other rider in the
class was a shy girl named Katherine Williams, who rode a small, docile
pony belonging to the farm. Melanie didn t know or for that matter talk to
the girl at all.
Since Melanie was the only one warmed up, she had to walk along the ring
with the other horses while they warmed up. When they trotted, Melanie
held Flash back. She threw her head and snorted in annoyance, but didn t
protest further. Melanie felt very confident with the mare under her.
“Alright, class. Today we will be working on our gymnastics. You all
have trouble with them, and we need to get them down pat,” Lisa said as
she turned to wink at Melanie. Melanie was the only one who didn t have
trouble with the gymnastics. They were a breeze for her, and even some
what boring. Lisa agreed with Melanie that she was ready to move up into
the training level, the level after intermediate that she was in at that
moment. But the problem was, she didn’t have a horse of her own that she
could work constantly with.
“Take your horses around the ring counterclockwise at a canter, please,
“ Lisa instructed from the center of the large outdoor ring.
The four students did as they were told, asking their horses for a canter
and guiding them around the ring. Melanie and Flash were leading the whole
group, then Rachel, then Cassidy, and then finally at the end Katherine
was struggling with her pony to keep him up with the rest of the group. He
kept breaking into a gallop, and Katherine would constantly have to give
him strong half halts until he dropped back into a speedy canter.
Flash had her ears pricked as she guided the other three horses around
the ring proudly. Melanie could swear the horse had a spring in her step
this time like she had never had when another rider had ridden her.
“She’s looking very nice, Melanie. Keep up the good work with her,”
Lisa praised, smiling up at Melanie. Smiling, Melanie slowed Flash’s pace
down to a trot as Lisa started to give out commands.
“Okay, class. Make a line in front of the gymnastics. Cassidy, you go
first. Then Rachel, Katherine, and then Melanie. I want to keep Flash to
the back, Mel. He gets excited if he’s first, and bucks. Hope you don’t
mind,” Lisa said, smiling at Melanie for a brief moment. Then, turning
back to Cassidy who was about to ride Twilight over the jumps. She started
to yell out commands at Cassidy as she started Twilight toward the first
jump.
There were six pretty good-sized jumps set in a row in the middle of the
ring for all of the students to jump. Lisa felt if both horse and rider
could complete this course with ease, they could handle almost anything in
their level. A horse could only take a short canter stride between each
jump. They had to calculate when and where they would jump, and the rider
had to help navigate them along, giving them confidence with their voice
and their seat. Sometimes even with their hands.
Cassidy and Twilight went through the course, only knocking down one
pole. They had done well for their experience together. Melanie gave her
sister a high five when she rode Twilight to the back of the line.
“You did well,” Melanie told her sister, but looking ahead and watching
Rachel and Seabreeze expertly clear the fences and turning, riding over to
Lisa who gave her the criticism that she had deserved.
“Thanks,” Cassidy said, urging Twilight up beside Flash. The two horses
sniffed noses, and Melanie ridged her back, waiting for a squeal or a kick
that horses usually did when they were getting a sent for another horse.
But the two horses stayed still, and turned a moment later to Lisa as she
raised her voice.
“Okay, Katherine. You can go now,” Lisa instructed her student, making
a motion of her hand toward the gymnastics.
Katherine urged her pony on toward the gymnastic jumps at a canter.
Melanie could easily see that Katherine was nervous. She was ridged and
stiff, and hardly let her pony have his head over the jumps. The pony
tossed his head in annoyance, but kept on through the rest of the jumps.
Through his experience of jumping, and putting up with inexperienced
children like Katherine, the pony only knocked down three poles on two
jumps. Katherine didn’t even bother to pat the horse for his effort, which
made Melanie frown on the rider as she rode over to Lisa.
Standing in front of the fences, Flash pranced in place, antsy to jump
them. She snorted and pricked her ears as she looked ahead to the jumps.
Melanie was glad she was so excited about the fences; that was what she
liked to see in a horse. A horse that was excited about jumping, instead
of a push-button horse that will do it, but not with heart. They did it
because they had to.
After Lisa finished talking with Katherine about her mistakes she turned
to Melanie and nodded. “Okay, Mel. Give it a go. But be prepared,” she
warned her. Melanie nodded, even though she felt she didn t need a warning.
Urging Flash toward the jump, Melanie sat comfortably in her smooth
Thoroughbred canter. Flash pricked her pixy ears as they cleared the first
jump. As she lifted her forelegs and tucked them to her chest, Melanie
rose in her jump seat and slid her hands up Flash s neck to give her room
to jump. Then she navigated the elegant-moving horse to the next jump,
then the next. She did this until Flash finished the course cleanly.
Lisa clapped and smiled as Melanie rode over to her. “Well done, Melanie
Nelson! You are the first person I know who rode the horse over jumps, and
gymnastic jumps at that, without a buck! You must have a magic touch with
her somewhere.”
Melanie smiled at her feat. No, she beamed. She gave Flash a
well-deserved pat as she joined the back of the line.
Melanie was still beaming, as was invigorated at the end of the two-hour
lesson when she cooled her mount out and brought her back into the barn
for her feed.
“Melanie,” Lisa said as she walked up to Flash’s stall. Melanie looked
up from the horse’s gorgeous black coat and smiled at Lisa as she let
herself out of the stall, dropping the brush she was using on Flash in the
bucket for that moment.
“Hey, Lisa.”
“I was impressed with your ride on Flash this morning. I’ve never seen
anyone click with her like you do. Even Tara can’t get her to listen like
you. How would you feel about making her your regular mount when you ride
here?” she asked as she looked at Melanie with a smile. At five feet,
slim, pretty and her athletic build, Melanie looked an awful lot like
Lisa, who had been riding for her whole life. Melanie felt really good
when she was around Lisa, thinking that she looked like she did at
thirteen.
Melanie widened her hazel eyes as she looked at her instructor. “Me?
Ride Flash? Well, yeah, I d love to work with her.”
“Great,” Lisa said. “I’ve been looking for a rider who is willing
enough to ride her regularly. She really has a lot of potential if someone
would devote some time to her.”
“I agree, Melanie said, nodding and beaming even more than she was at
Lisa. Will you even let me show with her? “
“When you both are ready,” Lisa agreed, nodding and smiling at her
student. “You guys could go a long way.”
“Thanks, Lisa!” Melanie exclaimed as she reentered Flash’s stall. I
really appreciate it.
“Sure,” Lisa said. “In a way, you are also doing me a favor. Thank
you, too.”
When Lisa walked away from Flash’s stall, Melanie slumped against the
wooden wall and blew out an exasperated breath. She couldn’t believe Lisa
had asked her of all of her riders to ride Flash regularly! She was so
excited! What had she done to be so privileged?
To be continued next issue.....
*HORSE RECIPES (formaly Horse Help) by Emily E.
--------------
Horse Help Horse help by Emily E has been canceled. Instead, there will
be Horse Recipes. Send your horse recipes to delliott@ecsu.campuscw.net
This weeks recipe is:
Blitzy Boy`s Delight
- 1 green apple
- 1 pear
- 2 Carrots
- 1/3 Cup Maple Syrup
Cut the first three things into bite size pieces. Mix in big bowl.
Drizzle on maple syrup and continue to mix. Spread in bowl. Put in
refrigerator until firm. Take out, cut into medium sized pieces. And give
it to your horse. If you do try any of them, tell me how your horse
liked it.
*HORSE TUNES by mart1ne@chickmail.com
------------
if you have any horse or pony songs, please send them in:
SUMMER RIDING (sing to the tune of summer lovin' from 'Grease')
summer riding, havin'a blast,
summer longeing, canterin'fast!
i met a horse, crazy as me,
i met a pony, cute as can be!
summer days, driftin'away ooooah! for the summer rides!
oh well, oh well oh well oh humph
tell me more tell me more, can he jump a triple bar
tell me more tell me more, like does he have a star
shoop haha, shoop haha, shoop haha doodoodoodoo
shoop haha shoop haha shoop haha doodoodoodoodoo!
i was lucky, took her to camp,
on the trails, i got a tan!
i saved her foot, she wasn't sound,
in her hoof, i big rock was found!
summer sun, somethings begun but ahh! for those summer rides!
then school started , that's when it end
so i told her, i'd see her on the week-end.
then we took our last trail ride,
in show jumping, she really tried!
riding dreams, ripped at the seams, but, ahh, for ttthhhooosseee
ssssuummmeeeerrrr rrrrrriiiiiiiddddddeesssssssss!
*WEBSITES
---------
If you have a horse website or know of a good one, please send in the URL
to thehorse@hotpop.com for it to be listed here.
Equine Scavenger Hunt
https://www.angelfire.com/yt/ScavengerHorse
Kym’s Web Corner
http://public.surfree.com/kymhaas
Allied Sim Horse Assosiation (ASHA)
http://www.alliedsimassoc.com/asha/
This assosiation aims to unite all the sim horse games on the internet and
to share ideas.
If you are the owner of a sim horse game, or evern just a player in one,
you might want to take a look at this site.
*HORSE POLLS
------------
Now I have some Horse Polls on the website for you to vote for your
opinion! Go to https://www.angelfire.com/id/horsemania/polls.html to vote!
The poll server was down for a bit this week but is working again.
Current Questions:
Which of these is your favorite Horse Breed?
What style of horseriding do you prefer?
Current Results:
Which of these is your favorite Horse Breed?
Total Number of Votes: 26
Thoroughbred- 5 (19%)
Arabian- 7 (27%)
Quarter Horse- 7 (27%)
Other Horse Breed- 6 (23%)
Other Pony Breed- 1 (4%)
What style of horseriding do you prefer?
Total Number of Votes: 18
English- 11 (61%)
Western- 2 (11%)
Bareback- 0 (0%)
Both English & Western- 5 (28%)
I don't ride- 0 (0%)
*PENPALS
--------
Here is the Pen Pal section for adults and children. If you'd like an ad
here send me (thehorse@hotpop.com) in this form with "pen pal ad" in the
subject line.
First Name:
Email Address:
Country:
Age:
Horse Owner?:
Other Comments: (no more than 30 words please)
You can leave out anything if you don't want to give it out, such as age
or country. ill put in probably a maximum of 5 ads per issue so don't
worry if yours takes a while to appear. Feel free to resubmit an ad, as we
have a regular stream of new people joining Horse Mania in between each
issue.
*ARCHIVES
---------
Missed an issue? Want to see a back issue? Remember that all Horse Mania
issues are archived at
https://www.angelfire.com/id/horsemania/archives.html Issues usually appear
there within a week.
*CHANGE OF ADDRESS
---------------------
If you have changed your email address and would like to receive the
newsletter at your new one, just fill out the form at
https://www.angelfire.com/id/horsemania/change.html and I will notify you
when I’ve changed your address.
*REFERENCES
-----------
Here is where some of my information has come from and I recommend these
books!
The Encyclopedia of the Horse, 1994, RD Press
The Complete Book of the Horse, 1979 (reprint 1985), New Burlington Books
Horses & Ponies, 1997, Kingfisher Books
The Visual Dictionary of the Horse, 1994, Dorling Kindersley Ltd, London
Horse (Collins Eyewitness Guides, 1992, Dorling Kindersley Ltd, London
Horses, Ponies and Riders, 1984, Reed Books Pty. Ltd.
Horses, 1981, J. Warren Evans, W. H. Freeman and Company
Starting Riding, 1992, Usborne
--------------------------------
End of Horse Mania Newsletter #10
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