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Horse Mania Newsletter #14
January 11th 2000
Subscriber Count: 484
************************************************************
The NEXT deadline for ALL article writers and things submitted to the
newsletter is January 20th. Please let me know if you cannot meet this
deadline for some reason.
************************************************************
Hello, everyone!
Welcome to the first issue of 2000. I hope you all had a happy and safe
New Year. We’ve got some new columns starting up this issue. Also we have
a list of all the 1999 Winners of the Horse Mania Excellent Webpage Award.
Congratulations to all the winning sites! If you have a photo of your
horse on the computer, be sure to send it in to the Horse Mania Photo
Gallery which is just starting up. For everyone who loves writing out
there, check out The Great Horse Story. This interactive continuing story
which will be written by Horse Mania readers is starting up. There is some
information in this issue and more details on the Horse Mania website if
you’re interested in getting involved or want to know what it’s all about.
That’s about it from me, I hope you enjoy this issue!
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
-The Great Horse Story
-Poem: A Cry For Help
-Tell Us About Yours
-Photo Gallery
-Manes & Tails
-Challenges With Horses
-Filly Tales
-Thoroughbred Racing
-Training
-Training Help
-Horse Story (part 5)
-Horse Jargon
-Congratulations- 1999 Winners
-Websites
-Horse Polls
-Pen Pals
-Voting
-Archives
-Change of Address
-References
*WANTED
-------
Remember that you can always submit anything horse-related you want,
poems, jokes, stories about your horse, experiences you’ve had or once off
articles about something horsey that interests you. And I am always open
to your own column ideas.
*THE GREAT HORSE STORY
---------------------------
The Great Horse Story is about to start. This is your chance to become
involved!
What is it?
This is a continuing story written by many different people. They each, in
turn, write a short portion of the story. They all stick to the general
plot and character outlines but anything can happen since everyone has
different ideas and it is interesting to see how the story unfolds and
what direction it takes. Once this story is started, there is no definite
finishing date, it will be ended when it seems right.
Are you interested in becoming part of Horse Mania’s project? Visit
https://www.angelfire.com/id/horsemania/ghs.html for more details!
Sign up now to become a writer! The order is first come, first served.
*POEM: A CRY FOR HELP
----------------------------
A CRY FOR HELP
Horses, ponies roaming free,
Cantering softly in the breeze,
Watching the gate for the food to come,
Pacing slowly in the evening sun.
We’re getting hungry,
The field is bare,
Please come quick,
Or we won‘t be there.
It‘s dark right now,
We’ve given up,
The food isn’t coming,
We’re out of luck.
I‘m getting thinner,
It’s been a week,
Since I’ve had something decent to eat.
My ribs are showing,
My feet are sore,
It won’t be long now,
Till I’m knocking on heavens door.
By Becky Fowler
*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.
Registered Name : SQR Moondance
Barn Name : Dance
Breed : Purebred Arabian Horse
Registered : Yes
Sex : Mare
Age : 9
Color : Grey
Date Purchased : 5/20/99
Uses : Proven Broodmare,5-50 Mi/ Endurance Racing,All
Types Of Western,All Types Of
English,Trail,Halter,Eventing,Jumping,Dressage,Barrels,
Show
Description : Dance is a WONDERFUL horse ! She is very
loving,kind & gentle.Dance is very cooperative and
safe ; the other day,a six year BLIND girl rode her !
I would just like to commemerate her for helping me in
GREAT ways : One day,Me and my friend were riding a
trial that hadn't been ridden in a while (it is a safe
trail though) and there was a branch coming out of the
tree that was unavoidable.My friend who is shorter
than me ducked the branch.Thinking it was weak enough,
I pushed it away from me with my hand.Well,it was to
strong & it knocked me backwards to the ground.Dance
spun around so she was facing me.Then she heard
something and reared up.She avoided my legs by a few
inches.Then,she reared up again,lost her footing up in
the air and almost,almost came down on me.I just
looked at her from the ground where I was still
laying,and she looked a me.Instead of falling on me,
she fell down a hill & got hurt so I wouldn't.I only
had her for a month at the time,but I know she did
that for me ! NOW THATS LOVE ! =)
-acbdance@yahoo.com
My horse longfall is a 25 year old yes 25 and he is
ridable I have had him for awhile. He is so goofy and
mellow he does everything to drill teams for rodeos
parades anything and he seriously won't spook. I get
him out of the pasture with no halter he just follows
when he sees my car pull up. If he is lying down in
the pasture I can go out there and sit on him and he
like cool whatever. Even though he is 25 we still win
at western pleasure no one can beat. Believe it or
not he can turn and burn on barrels. So for 25 he is
very peppy.
Thanks,
Brittany
NAME: Prince
BREED: Arabian
COLOUR: Chestnut with flaxen mane and tail
AGE: About 7-13
HEIGHT: 14.3hh
GENDER: Gelding
Prince is not my horse, but one of my favorites. He is absolutely
gorgeous and belongs to a girl who sometimes brings him to my riding
school. He's quite well behaved although he gets a bit over-excited when
he's out on a trail ride and once bucked a girl off. He is not the best
jumper, but he is getting better with practice and training. I think that
Prince is a really great horse.
Thanks a heap. From, Alyshia M
*PHOTO GALLERY
-------------
Do you have a photo of your horse on the computer? Horse Mania is starting
up a photo gallery of reader’s horses. If you have a pic, send it to me as
an attachment or URL to thehorse@hotpop.com
Include your name, your horse’s name, your horses breed and any other
information you would like. It will then be displayed on the Horse Mania
website in the photo gallery so that everyone can admire your horse!
*MANES & TAILS by Jamie
--------------
Hi, fellow horselovers! Sorry I missed putting
out my column in the last issue. My mother was
seriously ill in the hospital. Here is a continuation
of the famous TV and movie horses series from two
issues ago.
I'll start with the movie "National Velvet." It
came out in 1944 and starred Elizabeth Taylor and
Mickey Rooney. If you're not familiar with the story,
a girl named Velvet wins a horse in a raffle, a
natural jumper which she names, The Pie, because he's
a piebald(actually, that was in the book by Enid
Bagnold--the movie and TV versions had chestnut horses
playing "The Pie.") Velvet meets a young jockey
played by Mickey Rooney who agrees to help her train
the horse for her dream of riding him in England's
most famous horse race, The Grand National, a
steeplechase. The Pie is a natural jumper,and Velvet
is sure he will win the race, except girls aren't
allowed to ride in the race. So, she stuffs her hair
under a cap and pretends to be a boy on the day of the
race. The Pie wins, but is disqualified when the race
officials discover Velvet's deception.
The horse in the movie was named King Charles,
and he was a grandson of the great MAN O' WAR. (By
the way, I heard on the radio recently in my city that
MAN O' WAR was chosen HORSE OF THE CENTURY in American
horseracing. I don't know who voted on this and how
it was decided; that information wasn't given.)
According to John Javna in "ANIMAL SUPERSTARS", King
Charles was "difficult to train," and evidently
somewhat vicious. Liz Taylor was the only one who
could ride him, "bareback, with just a rope around his
neck."
The TV series was on from 1960-1962. (I never saw
it.) The TV horse was named King, and was bought
specifically for show, with his tricks written into
the script first. His background isn't known; he was
3 years old when bought for the show. Liz Taylor
already knew how to ride; the girl in the TV series,
Lori Martin, had to learn. King was purchased by an
Ohio hamburger chain after the show ended to live on a
farm that the chain owned and ran for underprivileged
children.
Liz Taylor loved King Charles, the horse in the
film, and said so to the producer, who then made
arrangements with MGM Studios to give the horse to her
for her 13th birthday. But 15 years later, she came
back to the producer complaining about the horse's
high feed bill. This source doesn't say what Taylor
did with the horse at that point.
FURY- my all-time personal favorite. He was a
beautiful black ASB stallion who was highly
intelligent and very well trained---knew a lot of
tricks. Unfortunately, this magnificent horse was
never bred, so there are no offspring from him.
Although I have heard and read that once a working
stallion is bred, he often becomes difficult to handle
under saddle. But perhaps the reason FURY wasn't bred
was due to his film and TV schedule. His real name
was HIGHLAND DALE and he was owned and trained by a
man named Ralph McCutcheon. FURY was born and raised
on a Missouri farm.
His first film was "BLACK BEAUTY," released in
1946--I don't think it's ever been shown on TV. FURY
was recognized as a talented horse even though the
film flopped. Later, he did "GYPSY COLT," an equine
version of "Lassie Come Home." Among the tricks he
did for this film were poking his head into a window,
allowing himself to be chased by motorcycles, and
limping. This film came out in 1954 and is available
on video. In the movie, he belonged to a little girl
played by Donna Corcoran, and was totally devoted to
her, making his way back to his ranch home after being
sold to racehorse people by her parents to pay bills.
Then came the FURY TV series, which ran
originally on Sat. mornings from 1955-1960. I saw the
series later in the 60s when it was in syndication. I
clearly remember getting up early in the morning
before school every day to watch my two favorite
shows, FURY and THE LONE RANGER. FURY was a wild
mustang stallion who was seen by rancher Jim Newton
and finally captured by him. Jim was in the business
of capturing, taming and selling mustangs as riding
horses. A horse-crazy boy named Joey Clark, an orphan
who lives in town in a boys home, reads about FURY in
the paper and wants more than anything to see the
magnificent mustang in person. He sneaks out of the
boys' home to go see a rodeo and sneaks into the
rodeo, since he doesn't have money to buy a ticket,
but is finally caught by a security guard who is about
to put him out, when Jim Newton and his foreman see
the ruckus and decide to pay for Joey's ticket. Joey
realizes from the news story that Jim is the man who
has FURY, and schemes to get a way out to the ranch.
He doesn't want to tell them he has no parents. Joey
happens to hide in Jim Newton's car when the rodeo is
over, and can't wait to see FURY. When he is found
out, all eventually works out well, and Joey makes
friends with FURY, and is adopted by Jim to live on
their ranch, the BROKEN WHEEL. As it turns out, FURY
will not allow anyone but Joey to ride him, and the
horse is still half-wild.
FURY ran for 114 episodes, and has not been shown
(as far as I know) since it was first syndicated in
the mid-60s. I would dearly love to see it again.
FURY was the undisputed star of the series, and always
came to the rescue when Joey was in trouble. He knew
how to play dead, fight bears, lay down, smile, fetch,
kneel, would open doors with his mouth, and was very
quick to learn new tricks. His trainer, Ralph
McCutcheon, said that FURY would learn a new trick
after only two rehearsals. This horse was already a
star when the TV series started (he was 11 years old
at the time), and actually made MORE money than ANY of
his human co-stars. Peter Graves, who played Jim
Newton and later went on to star in the popular series
"Mission Impossible," realized that without FURY, his
career would not have prospered as it did. FURY was
the #1 horse star of the time, and when he retired, he
ranked second only to the famous Lassie in net
earnings by an animal actor. FURY also got 5% of the
show's profits while the human actors got flat weekly
salaries.
While he was doing the TV series, FURY also had a
few scenes in a couple of movies. One was "GIANT,"
which starred Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean, and
another was "WILD IS THE WIND." He won PATSYS for
several of his performances. Oh, a PATSY is the
animal star award equivalent of an OSCAR. These
awards used to be broadcast on national TV back in the
70s, but are not anymore. I'm not even sure if they
are still given. John Javna lists the movie and TV
animals who won PATSYS in the back of his book, from
1951-1975.
FURY was probably between 15-16hh, and all black
except for a white star and two small white socks on
his hind legs. He had beautiful conformation, and was
a little over 2 years old when he debuted in films.
He died in 1973 at the age of 29. He is sorely missed
by this fan.
Next issue: TRIGGER AND MR. ED
*CHALLENGES WITH HORSES #1 by Bindy
--------------------------------------
About
As this is the first time I am writing this section, I thought I’d just
take the time to explain what it is all about. I have been riding horses
for nine years and in that time I have had to face and overcome endless
challenges. I’ve come to the conclusion that equitation itself is just
that, one big challenge. Most articles written in this section can be
summed up by the name. The reason I am writing this is to help other
people address these challenges, also to educate people about the one
vital fact that so many people ignore with disastrous results; if your
horse is misbehaving there is always a reason. Horses can’t speak our
language, so we have to learn to speak theirs. That is understand when
they have a problem and act on it. In the nine years I have been riding I
have been taught by numerous riding instructors, met hundreds of different
riders, witnessed their methods of teaching, riding, and coping with
problems, and learnt from almost all of them. One major thing I have
learnt is that every individual rider has his or her own way of working
with horses, riding, and overcoming (or in some cases, not overcoming)
challenges. Not all of these methods I agree with, in fact many of them I
do not, and I think at the moment I am still just beginning to work out my
own methods, so please bear with me if sometimes I sound like I don’t know
what I’m talking about! If you don’t agree with anything I say in this
section please don't hesitate to email me. I am always open to others
opinions and will not hesitate to correct myself if I’m wrong. If you have
anything to contribute to this section please also email me with it!
Whether it is a story about one of your own experiences or your opinion on
an issue that I’ve raised, I’d love to hear from you and enjoy adding your
contributions to this section!
“In my opinion, horseriding is the most challenging sport there is. Unlike
most other sports there is not just one or two skills to be learnt and
then practiced, with horseriding there is always something new to be
learnt, no matter how long you have been riding.” – Mary Short (my riding
instructor for over six years)
Problems and Solutions
Why is my horse bucking?
Many horses develop bad bucking problems, but you would be very surprised
at how little cases there are that it results from a genuine behavioral
problem. This issue’s topic is bucking, reasons why your horse may be
bucking and what you can do to stop it.
Of course many cases where your horse does start bucking could easily be
your horse playing up, but if it starts happening regularly you need to
take a closer look. There are many more scenarios and possible causes then
I’ve listed here, but I’m trying to be brief and I will look at bucking
again in another issue.
Scenario #1: I’d been riding my horse for a while, we’d done a lot of work
and so far we’d got through everything fine. Suddenly I ask him to do
something and he has a bucking fit. Why?
Probable Cause: You’ve been working your horse hard and this is his way of
saying, ‘Enough already!’ Horses who ‘go to they drop’ are rare, and if
you push a horse/ pony too hard bucking or a similar reaction is their way
of telling you that they’ve had enough. This may also happen if you insist
in doing the same thing over and over again, horses get bored too you know!
Scenario #2: I give my horse a simple aid, like the canter command, and he
responds with a buck. What am I doing wrong?
Some Possible Causes:
Bad saddle fit: If it is a relatively new saddle to the horse you may find
you have are experiencing a very common problem. Saddles are not ‘one size
fits all’ and a horse with a different build to what this saddle has been
made to fit it will result in serious discomfort for the horse. Your horse
may react in a number of different ways, bucking when asked to respond to
aids like the canter aid is very common. Before you buy a new saddle or
fit an old saddle to a new horse unless you have a lot of experience you
should get someone (e.g. your riding instructor) to check it out on your
horse first.
Back Problems: Some people scoff at the idea that a horse may have ‘back
problems,’ but this is actually a huge issue that needs a lot more
attention than it is getting. Back and muscular problems can occur in any
age or breed of horse, some breeds are more prone to it but a younger
horse is almost just as likely to be affected as older horses. They are
not necessarily at all serious or permanent and can usually be completely
fixed by a visit from an equine therapist, who practice therapeutic
massage, manipulation and muscle testing. Such problems do cause extreme
pain in horses, especially if ignored. Some horses will react with bucking
or misbehaving, especially at transitions such as the canter because it
can cause pain, others will just be ‘too polite’ to react. In my opinion
horses should be checked by the equine therapist at least once every
couple of years, one of my horses developed a regular bucking habit and it
turned out he had three twisted vertebrae! In another case I know of a
young horse was just generally misbehaving, and after a visit and back
massage from the equine therapist she was a whole new horse!
Scenario #3: …Suddenly my horse tenses up, tries to bolt and when I don’t
let him/ her he/ she has a huge bucking fit!
Probable Cause: Your horse is scared! Horses are animals of flight, and
when they are spooked or scared by something their instinct is to run away
as fast as they can. Some horses are scared more easily than others, as a
generalization younger horses and the ‘hot blooded’ breeds the Arabian and
Thoroughbred are more likely to react, but if your horse does this it
means they want to run, and are trying to rid you of control and do so. In
this situation you should not let your horse bolt, try to stay on but get
off if absolutely necessary and try to calm your horse by stroking its
neck and talking to it in a calm, soothing voice. Getting tense or scared
yourself, especially by yelling or screaming or getting angry at the horse
will only make the situation much worse. If it was something temporary
like a passing truck that scared your horse you should ride on. However,
if it is something like a strange object in your paddock you need to
address the problem by leading/ riding your horse up to it and showing
him/ her that they have nothing to be afraid of.
Training & Horsemanship Methods
‘Getting Inside The Horses Mind’ – Part One
Ken Dromgool
‘What projected the “new age” thinking to a wider public was the book “The
Horse Whisperer.” Suddenly “natural horsemanship” was the new buzzword.’
That passage is a quote from an article in an old ‘New Zealand Horse &
Pony Magazine,’ titled, ‘Getting Inside The Horses Mind.’ Having already
decided to start off this section of my column by analyzing some various
natural horsemanship methods this article caught my eye while flipping
through an old magazine, and I have based much of this article around it.
Of course since that article was written ‘The Horse Whisperer’ has been
made a movie, and that has aided the fact that in recent years there has
been a major shift in thinking about handling and training horses. As the
article says, there have been many converts from the traditional “rope
‘em, tie ‘em, throw ‘em, sack ‘em” philosophy and Ken Dromgool is one of
them.
Northlander Ken Dromgool spent many years breaking and training horses in
this traditional manner, all the time thinking there must be a better way.
Over 10 years ago Ken attended a clinic with Australian Merv Kildey with a
horse most people considered a wild ‘man eater,’ claiming that with this
horse he had met his match. Three days later he was riding this horse
calmly without either saddle or bridle, and was convinced that he had
found his ‘better way.’
“The horse isn’t perfect today, but I put that down to what I had done
with her previously. It wasn’t that I was beating her up, I just didn’t
understand her. You don’t have to be cruel to a horse to mess it up.”
Ken and wife Julie spent three years working with Merv, helping spread the
ideas through clinics and learning at the same time. Merv himself had been
a student of American Tom Dorrance.
Ken was soon doing his own clinics, and he is now in great demand touring
New Zealand.
Ken is insistent that his is not ‘a method,’ and neither is anyone else’s.
It is simply an amalgamation of what he already knew and what he has
learned by example, by reading, by watching others, and by experience
expanded by every horse with which he works.
“It is not just understanding horses. When it comes down to it, what works
in all the ‘methods’ is all the same.”
“I’m not some horse whisperer – lets clear that up – there’s no such thing
as ‘horse whispering’ it is simply understanding horses, although what I
think the book has done is opened up people’s eyes and made them think
that there is something else out there. It has made them willing to try
out something new.”
“There are no shortcuts; if you take shortcuts they will catch up with you
down the track.”
In the article Ken works with the 15hh, 6yo Clydesdale-Anglo Arab: Meg,
owned by the writer of the article. I won’t go into details as it
certainly is a big article, but Ken enters the arena a thin stick with a
plastic bag tied on the end, a soft rope halter and a long soft rope lead.
The skittish horse had not had a saddle on her for eight months, and when
lunged previously had bucked on the end of the lunge and played around.
From reading the article thoroughly it is obvious to me that this man
knows what he is doing. He can read all the signs and body language a
horse gives off, and explains exactly what the horse is feeling, how she
is reacting and why.
“Listen to your horse. You will learn more from your horse than you ever
will from the best instructor in the world.”
“The ancient Greeks were doing it two and a half thousand years ago, but
it has probably been forgotten in the last 50 years or so because of
modern mechanics because people have gotten too used to pressing buttons
and keys. Horses have not changed since they were made, but people treat
them like cars.”
Ken leaves the arena on a mounted bareback on a very calm and obedient
Meg, riding with nothing but a halter and leadrope.
To many people what Ken demonstrates is a great art in itself, ‘listening’
to horses and working with them in a way that is not only kinder, but also
much more efficient. You can learn more about Ken Dromgool in the
September 1997 issue of ‘New Zealand Horse and Pony,’ or for further
information on ‘United Horsemanship Clinics,’ contact Ken Dromgool, P.O.
Box 341, Paihia, Bay of Islands, New Zealand.
Next issue (or the one after) I will be writing an article on Monty
Roberts, as I will be going to see one of his two New Zealand
demonstrations in late January. I would appreciate any emails on what you
think of Monty Roberts and his methods, also with any additional
information you think I should have when writing this article. If you want
to read up on him you can go to his website, http://www.montyroberts.com
I would also appreciate any suggestions for future articles!
The Zinzan Zone
Finding me a Zinzan
I had just sold my beloved Arabian mare as a broodmare and for the first
time in a long time found myself horseless. It wasn’t long before my quest
to find a horse began though, and I knew exactly what I wanted. I didn’t
have all that much money as I had to pay myself, so I had decided it would
definitely have to be a horse as they are much cheaper than ponies. I
couldn’t afford a push-button pony, and quite frankly, that was the last
thing I wanted. As an 8yo my first pony was a shaggy little devil of a
mare who used to charge me, chase me around the paddock, and do just about
anything to get me off her back, and by coincidence nearly all of the
horses I’d had since then were the same. Perhaps that was why I had
developed a liking of ‘challenging’ horses, I’m not sure. My idea of the
perfect horse for me was a horse around 15.2hh, 6-8 years old, not that
much schooling but masses of potential, and underpriced for the simple
reason that its owner couldn’t control it properly.
One of the major things I learnt was to ask around about the horse before
you make any decisions.
A challenge is one thing, but a dead end horse is another. The first horse
I arranged to see was actually a large pony, it was quite cheap and though
12 years old, it was the ex Waikato jumping champion. I had just arranged
to go and see it in about a week, but in the meantime I was told by a
number of people that this pony was actually un rideable! It had had a bad
injury and though it did jump, it bucked in mid-air while going over jumps
and even one of the best riders I know told me she wouldn’t risk riding
him! I also narrowly escaped buying an ex racehorse when my riding
instructor who had taught the owner on this horse told me it had retired
with a bad injury and had a permanent stiff leg.
Anyone who has had experience in buying horses will know the danger of
falling in love with a horse that is totally unsuitable for you. The
second horse I saw seemed the horse of my dreams, she was a 7yo 15.2hh
chestnut Thoroughbred mare, lots of energy and owned by a well-known
equestrian family who ensured me she was the perfect horse for me. I came
extremely close to buying her, but luckily I have a racehorse trainer
cousin who looked her over and told me the bitter truth. She was
overpriced and had a bad injury on her leg, which could eventually lead to
a damaged tendon, and gave her zero resellable value. She was also overly
hyperactive and had a tendency to bolt… I should have picked this up from
when she bolted over a 30cm jump and tried to jump a full wire fence.
Luckily I managed to pull her around, but though I wasn’t really too
worried about this I knew she wasn’t the right horse.
The last two horses I’ll tell you about were ones that… well it’s hard to
say why I wasn’t that interested in either of them, I guess they just
didn’t ‘click.’
The first was a 15.3hh bay 10yo Thoroughbred, never raced and was a good
eventing prospect. He was nice but… not my kind of horse. Very, very slow,
he didn’t have much character or life to him.
The second was a little mare who I have often stayed up for hours
wondering about. The question… why didn’t I buy her?! She was perfect. A
15hh Thoroughbred mare (Breed didn’t really matter to me, however
coincidentally most horses I ended up looking at were Thoroughbreds and TB
crosses), 4 years old with basic schooling and cow pony training, sired by
the regions top TB sire. This mare had a lovely nature and was a gorgeous
dark bay, she was even registered. The price was a little more than I was
intending to spend, but I could afford her. Maybe it was because she
wasn’t ‘challenging’ enough, like the other horse she was very quiet and
needed a lot of urging on to respond to aids, but she just didn’t ‘click.’
I had arranged to have a second look at her at the same time as looking at
another horse in the area, a bay _ TB gelding, 15.3hh, 8 years old and
described as ‘hunter type, needs strong, confident rider.’ He was for sale
at a price I could easily afford, and even that was negotiable.
Some would say fate stood in the way, I’m not really sure but the little
TB mare had a stone bruise so I didn’t go and see her, instead I went
straight to look at Zinzan. From the moment I set eyes on him I knew for
sure he was just what I had been looking for, and as soon as I hopped on
his back I knew he was as good as mine. To cut a short story even shorter
a week later I returned with a horse float and a cheque for $1500, to take
him on a weeks trial. I guess I didn’t know what I was getting myself
into, but I kept him and I haven’t regretted it since… apart from in a few
moments of great frustration when I wondered what possessed me not to buy
the Thoroughbred mare when I had the chance! In each newsletter this
section will contain some of the many challenges I have come across with
Zinzan, and how I have or am overcoming them! Until next time!
Your Opinion
Here’s the section where I want you readers to send me in your opinions.
In future I will be using scenarios and other things, but for now I just
would like to hear you voice your thoughts on one matter. It’s not exactly
greatly exciting this month but I’m running a bit behind schedule and this
is a relevant topic I have been discussing a lot with many people lately.
Since I am writing some articles on natural horsemanship methods I would
like your opinion on them. Do you ‘believe’ in the concepts used and do
you are would you be prepared to incorporate them into your own work with
horses? Even if you don’t ride regularly yourself, I would still like your
opinions.
Thanks for reading, and until next time!
In the meantime though, you can email me, Bindy at gallop_away@hotmail.com
*FILLY TALES by Erika
-----------------
Moonshine got a hold of the computer!! Here's her take on Christmas and
my
habits!! ~ Erika
Meeerrry Christmas! Neigh! This Christmas wasn't much different than any
other day. Actually if mom and my pet Erika hadn't told me it was a
special
day, I'd never have known. I know I was created and all that jazz, but
Erika
and my mom usually take the credit for that!! To think, the Creator was
born
where I eat. Those poor horses then, they had a baby in their manger. I
guess He made up for it by creating us. Anyway. One BIG difference in
this
day and any other day was my pet's treatment of me. She came and fed me
as
usual and then she came back the next day with apples and this big box of
moldy smelling leather. Her pet (boyfriend) caught me in my pasture and
led
me out. I was hoping to get extra food, but all I got was an apple and a
hard time. Erika started to put the smelly leather on me, but I didn't
want
to stand still so I pawed and pawed until Erika yelled at me and knocked
my
feet. I stood up really straight though when my pet started fiddling with
my
tail. She took some leather strap and tucked my tail up in it. then she
tightened another strap around my middle, but I'm used to that. Then she
started playing with the strap that attached the two together, which means
she pulled that strap under my tail tight. I DEFINITELY didn't like
that!!
I let her know :-) She got mad at me though. The bridle was weird
though.
I couldn't see at all except right in front of me. They only made me wear
it
for a while though, so I guess its okay. Just let this be a warning to
all
you other horses - Christmas is a good time 'cause you get apples and
treats,
but you'd better watch when they come out with funny smelling stuff and do
things out of the ordinary. Some of those things can be bothersome!! U
~ Moonshine U
U
U
I got a harness for Christmas - now all I need is a cart!! :-)
~ Erika
*THOROUGHBRED RACING by Anna Rempfer
--------------------
**********************************************************************
======================================================================
*****THOROUGHBRED RACING*THOROUGHBRED RACING*THOROUGHBRED RACING*****
*****THOROUGHBRED RACING*THOROUGHBRED RACING*THOROUGHBRED RACING*****
*****************December 30, 1999 - January 6, 2000******************
======================================================================
**********************************************************************
I hope everyone survived the millennium change and I hope all of your
horses
are Y2K compliant. There's more racing information that usual, but that's
just a big surprise for the new year! If there's is any complication with
the overload of info, such as seeing horses in you sleep, have a sudden
urge
to yell: "GO BABY GO!" (NTRA slogan, then congratulations! You are now a
racing fan! If there are any other complications, then I suggest you seek
professional help. Enjoy!
============================================================
CAT THIEF UPSET IN MALIBU; LOVE THAT RED WINS
============================================================
Overbrook Farm homebred Cat Thief returned to competition
Sunday for the first time since his upset victory in the
Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), with the candidate for
3-year-old championship honors himself upset by finishing
third in the Malibu Stakes (gr. I) on the opening-day card at
Santa Anita.
The seven-furlong race was won by Terry Wells' homebred Love
That Red, a California-bred son of Highland Park. Ridden by
Garrett Gomez for trainer Leonard Duncan, Love That Red
slipped through along the fence to contest the lead entering
the stretch, took a short advantage in midstretch and gamely
held on to defeat 18-1 longshot Straight Man. The winner
completed the seven furlongs in 1:22.06 and returned $10.40
as the second choice in the seven-horse field. Cat Thief, the
19-10 favorite ridden by Pat Day, stalked the early pace on
the outside, was four-wide rounding the turn and into the
stretch, and finished well to finish a head behind the
runner-up. Painter, an Argentine import making his first
start in the U.S., broke in and was bumped soundly at the
start, vied for the lead between horses down the backside,
and was eased. Prime Timber was bumped and got off to a slow
start and eventually finished next to last.
A 3-year-old gelding produced from the Circle Home mare Pat's
Lady Red, Love That Red had won the California Cup Sprint on
Oct. 30 and then finished second as the even-money favorite
in the On Trust Handicap at Hollywood Park on Dec. 4. Love
That Red has won half his 14 career starts and now earned
$547,319. At Duncan's suggestion, owner Wells had purchased
Pat's Lady Red from Mira Loma Farms while carrying the Malibu
winner.
Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said the one-turn Malibu was not
suited to Cat Thief's running style. "There was a trade-off
today in that our horse is a two-turn horse and you just
can't change his style too much. We would loved to have won
today but we had to win on our terms. The rest of the year is
going to be all two turn races for him, and so this should
serve us well."
============================================================
CORETTA DEFENDS LA PREVOYANTE TITLE
============================================================
Gerald W. Leigh's Coretta was sent off the 7-10 choice in
Sunday's La Prevoyante Handicap (gr. IIT) at Calder
Racecourse, and the 5-year-old mare did not disappoint,
rallying to a one-length victory over Idle Rich to defend her
title in the race she won by two lengths last year. The 120
pound highweight trained by Christophe Clement, Coretta saved
ground early under jockey Jose Santos and was steadied at the
top of the stretch before angling out to split rivals inside
the eighth pole. The Irish-bred daughter of Caerleon
completed the 1 1/2 miles over a firm course in 2:27.27 and
paid $3.40. Idle Rich stalked early pacesetter and eventual
fourth-place finisher Luna Craft before taking the lead in
midstretch, but could not hold off the winner.
The victory was the seventh in 18 career starts for Coretta
and the first for the mare since she took the Orchid Handicap
(gr. IIT) at Gulfstream Park last March. Coretta had since
been pulled up in the Black Helen (gr. IIT), finished third
in the Omnibus Handicap after a four-month layoff and had
consecutive runner-up finishes in the Flower Bowl Handicap
(gr. IT) and inaugural Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr.
IT), both won by Soaring Softly.
============================================================
COWBOY COP HANDCUFFS GRAVESEND RIVALS
============================================================
Stronach Stable's Cowboy Cop jumped to an early lead under
Aaron Gryder and never looked back as the 5-year-old son of
Silver Deputy rolled to a 5 1/4-length triumph over Brushed
On and Unreal Madness in Sunday's Gravesend Handicap (gr.
III) at Aqueduct. The third choice in the nine-horse field,
Cowboy Cop paid $9.10 as he ran the six furlongs in 1:09.41.
Power by Far, the favorite, bobbled at the start and raced
wide before finishing fourth. The victory was the eighth in
the 13th start for Cowboy Cop, who has been off the board in
his five other career efforts.
Trained by Joe Orseno, Cowboy Cop was previously conditioned
by Daniel J. Vella. Orseno noted that Cowboy Cop was being
pointed toward the Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) before
grabbing a quarter in preparation for the race at Gulfstream
Park. Orseno had also entered but scratched Stronach Stable's
lightly-raced Falkenburg. "We were going to run Falkenburg in
case it rained," the trainer said. "I didn't want to run
Cowboy Cop over a wet track and I'd like to see Falkenburg
win his preliminary allowances first."
============================================================
GALLANT FOX NO PROBLEM FOR EARLY WARNING
============================================================
Dogwood Stable's Early Warning made all the running and drew
off to a three-length victory over Salty Note in Sunday's
$114,700 Gallant Fox Handicap (gr. III). The
Todd-Pletcher-trained son of Summer Squall, who had won the
Queens County Handicap (gr. III) in his previous outing, ran
the 1 5/8 miles in 2:42.94, nearly eclipsing the track record
of 2:42 2/5. The 6-5 favorite in the 10-horse field, Early
Warning posted his eighth win in 26 career starts. Assistant
trainer George Weaver said he did not know what is next on
the schedule for the 4-year-old. "The farther the better with
this horse," Weaver said.
============================================================
STEVENS PONDERS OFFERS; NO QUICK DECISION
============================================================
Saying that has received an offer "more generous" than he
expected from the Thoroughbred Corp. as well as opportunities
to work in television and stable management, retired jockey
Gary Stevens said Wednesday he will wait four to six weeks
before determining the future course of his career.
The 36-year-old jockey who stunned the racing world with his
retirement announcement Sunday, said the offer from the
Thoroughbred Corp., for whom he had a riding contract, was "a
very nice offer, a very tempting offer, and one I'm
considering right now." During an NTRA-sponsored
teleconference Wednesday, Stevens declined to say what role
he would play within the Thoroughbred Corp. operation if he
accepted the offer. In addition to that offer, Stevens said
he has been presented with offers to do television
correspondence work and to work within racing stable
management. Stevens said Thoroughbred Corp. racing manager
Richard Mulhall, who had discussed the matter with owner
Prince Ahmed Salman, told him the organization would support
him regardless of his decision.
"I am going to take four to six weeks before I decide
anything," Stevens said. "The main thing for me to do right
now is to take a deep breath and maybe get away from my
surroundings and get back home to Idaho to be with my
family." Stevens said he has no schedule for going to Idaho
and that he was spending time with his four children through
the New Year's weekend.
Although his retirement was made without prior notice,
Stevens said it was not a sudden decision. "It has been in
the back of my mind the last 16-18 months because of the
amount of pain I was riding with," Stevens said. "I don't
think anyone realized the amount of pain I was trying to
function with?After my first ride Sunday, it was obvious I
was chasing something that wasn't there."
Sunday was the first day back in competition for Stevens
since he underwent a knee operation. He said the
post-operative report "was not good and did not give me hope
for the future." Stevens said his surgeon told him it was
inevitable he would need total knee replacement at some
point.
============================================================
SECRETARIAT 35TH ON ESPN TOP ATHLETE LIST
============================================================
Triple Crown winner Secretariat ranked 35th on ESPN's poll to
determine the top North American athletes of the 20th
Century. The horse, second to Man o' War on The Blood-Horse's
"Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century," will be among the
athletes featured on the sports network this week. Results of
the poll generated debate in some circles over whether an
animal should have been considered for the honor. For
example, Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan said, "Not for a
fleeting millisecond did it occur to me that a vote in ESPN's
poll?should go to anything but a human being." But Washington
Post columnist Tony Kornheiser had Secretariat eighth and
Roone Arledge had the horse fourth. Other horses on ESPN's
top 100 list were Man o' War (84th) and Citation (97th). Two
Hall of Fame jockeys made the list, with Bill Shoemaker 57th
and Eddie Arcaro 66th. Retired Chicago Bulls basketball star
Michael Jordan beat out Babe Ruth and Muhammad Ali as the
century's top athlete.
============================================================
SURFSIDE WILL START IN SUNDAY'S SANTA YSABEL
============================================================
In a slight change of plans by trainer D. Wayne Lukas,
Overbrook Farm's Surfside will make her 3-year-old debut
sooner than expected in Sunday's grade III, $100,000 Santa
Ysabel Stakes at Santa Anita Park.
The 3-year-old filly, by Seattle Slew out of champion
Flanders, was originally scheduled to start next in the
February 12 Las Virgenes Stakes, a grade I event. But her
most recent win in the grade I Hollywood Starlet in December
took so little out of her that it prompted her owner and
trainer to reconsider their options.
"The Hollywood Starlet was a breeze for her," said assistant
trainer Randy Bradshaw. "And this filly just looks so good
even since a month ago. She's always been kind of tall and
willowy, very elegant. Now she's really coming into herself."
Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day, as always, will ride Surfside in
the 1 1/16 mile event.
============================================================
FOREST CAMP BEGINS 3-YEAR-OLD CAMPAIGN
============================================================
Aaron & Marie Jones' Forest Camp, who ran fifth as the
favorite in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), will kick off
his 3-year-old campaign in Saturday's $100,000 San Miguel
Stakes going six furlongs at Santa Anita Park. The Bob
Baffert trainee will be ridden for the first time by Chris
McCarron. The son of Deputy Minister has banked $223,600 from
two wins and a second in four lifetime appearances. Both of
his wins came around one turn at Del Mar and his losses
around two turns. Swept Overboard, an impressive maiden
winner, and Sunny Slope stakes winner Joopy Doopy, are
expected to contest the grade III event.
General Challenge, a probable for the January 15 San Fernando
Stakes, worked seven furlongs in 1:23 4/5 at Santa Anita on
Wednesday. Also on the tab: Straight Man, on schedule for the
San Fernando, drilled six furlongs in a bullet 1:11 2/5;
Budroyale, Dixie Dot Com and Puerto Madero, all San Pasqual
candidates, worked seven furlongs in 1:25 4/5, 1:23 4/5, and
1:25 4/5 from the gate, respectively; Prime Timber, likely
for the San Fernando, drilled a bullet half-mile in :46 1/5.
At Hollywood Park on Wednesday, Happyanunoit breezed four
furlongs in :49 2/5.
============================================================
B L'S APPEAL HOLDS ON IN SPECTACULAR BID
============================================================
Monarch Stables' B L's Appeal won the 19th running of the
grade III, $75,000 Spectacular Bid Stakes by a head over
American Bullet at Gulfstream Park Wednesday. American
Bullet, ridden by Jorge Chavez, closed fast near the line on
the outside for second, 2 1/2 lengths in front of Tour The
Hive, a 92-1 longshot, who finished willingly for third.
Dance Master ran fourth. Then came Z Cool, Entepreneur, Rich
Celebration, and the previously unbeaten Don't Tell The Kids.
B L's Appeal, trained by Larry Pilotti and ridden by Mike
Smith, completed the six furlong distance in 1:10 3/5 on a
fast main track. The son of Valid Appeal-B L's Girl, by
Master Derby, was coming off a 1 1/4-lengths victory in the
Inaugural Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. He earned $45,000 for
the victory and advanced his career record to four wins and
three seconds in nine starts with earnings of $157,960.
The Spectacular Bid, the first of 48 races in this year's
Visa 3-Year-Old Championship Series, was the first graded
stakes victory for B L's Appeal, who was bred in Florida by
Harry T. Mangurian Jr. As the 9-5 favorite, B L's Appeal paid
$5.60, $3.40 and $2.60. The exacta returned $34.60.
============================================================
PINCAY TO RECEIVE SPECIAL ECLIPSE AWARD
============================================================
Jockey Laffit Pincay Jr., who surpassed Bill Shoemaker as
riding's all-time leader by wins on Dec. 10, has been
selected to receive a Special Eclipse Award for 1999.
Pincay's honor was announced Monday by the National
Thoroughbred Racing Association, the National Turf Writers
Association, and the Daily Racing Form, the three groups that
vote for Eclipse Awards. The Special Award is not given
annually, and was last presented in 1995 to jockey Russell
Baze. Other jockeys to be so-honored have been Shoemaker
(1976) and Eddie Arcaro and Johnny Longden (both in 1994).
Pincay will receive his award on the evening of Jan. 17, when
Horse of the Year and other champions are named during the
Eclipse Awards ceremony in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Also on Monday, finalists for outstanding breeder of 1999
were announced. In alphabetical order, they are William S.
Farish and Partners; Mr. and Mrs. John C. Mabee, and Harry T.
Mangurian.
============================================================
OFFICE MISS SURVIVES FOUL CLAIM TO WIN ENDEAVOR
============================================================
Sam Morell's Office Miss posted her third straight win after
surviving a foul claim by the rider of the runner-up in
Tuesday's $75,000 Endeavor Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. The
6-year-old daughter of Silver Ghost trained by Gary Sciacca
rallied from far back under Joe Bravo in the 11-horse field
to prevail by a nose over Seducer. The New York-bred mare
increased her bankroll to $284,051 with the victory as she
completed the 1 1/8 miles over firm turf in 1:48.93. Jockey
Jose Santos, who rode Seducer, claimed foul against the
winner for alleged interference when Office Miss bore out and
the two horses bumped. The claim was disallowed and the
original order of finish was upheld.
============================================================
BAND BEATS RHAPSODY FOR APPLETON WIN
============================================================
Stanley Ersoff's homebred Band Is Passing won Monday's
Appleton Handicap (gr. IIT) impressively with a 2 3/4-length
win over Hibernian Rhapsody and nine other rivals. Ogden
Mills Phipps' homebred Divide and Conquer, who had not
started since Nov. 5, was favored at 3-1 for the Appleton,
followed by Hibernian Rhapsody, also at 3-1.
Band Is Passing, winner of the Pete Axthelm Handicap in his
last outing, was third at the start, then settled into second
behind 75-1 longshot Ray's Approval, who set the pace for the
first half-mile with splits of 23:68 and 47:63. Band Is
Passing took over the lead on the far turn and extended the
gap from 1 1/2 lengths after a mile in 1:34.17 to 2 3/4
lengths at the wire. Hibernian Rhapsody came from sixth to
finish second, followed by Shamrock City. Divide and Conquer
finished sixth. The winner covered the 8 1/2 furlongs in
1:40.11 and paid $14.60 to win.
Ersoff bred owns and trains 4-year-old Band Is Passing, who
has now won three in a row. The owner of Triple E Farm near
Ocala, Ersoff owns the Appleton winner's sire, Pass the Line,
and dam, Fairforband. He typically has a dozen or more
homebreds in training.
============================================================
GO LIB GO CAPTURES TROPICAL PARK DERBY
============================================================
Ray Cottrell's Go Lib Go stalked the early pace from the
inside, angled out turning for home, then edged clear to win
the grade III, $100,000 Tropical Park Derby by 1 1/4 lengths
under Jose Santos at Calder Race Course Sunday. The race is
annually the first "derby" on the calendar and traditionally
recognized as the first step on the Triple Crown trail.
Mr. Livingston set quick opening fractions of :23 2/5, :47
1/5, 1:10 2/5 and 1:34 2/5 before holding on well for second,
1 1/2 lengths in front of Granting, who finished evenly for
third. Drayton Hall, the mild 3-1 favorite, raced three wide
on the final turn before finishing fourth in the field of 12
3-year-olds.
Go Lib Go, trained by Kenny McPeek, completed the 1 1/8 mile
distance on firm turf in 1:46 3/5. In his last start, Go Lib
Go finished second by a neck to Whata Brainstorm in the Mecke
Stakes. The chestnut colt by Septieme Ciel-Liberia, by
Miswaki, earned $60,000 for the victory and improved his
career record to four wins, one second and one third in eight
starts with earnings of $188,580.
Go Lib Go was bred in Kentucky by Palides Investments N.V. As
the second choice, Go Lib Go paid $11.60, $5.60 and $4.40.
The exacta returned $84.40.
============================================================
OTB, ACCOUNT WAGERING DEAD IN NEW JERSEY
============================================================
Legislation that would allow off-track and account wagering
in New Jersey will not be considered by lawmakers before the
1998-99 session ends on Friday, according to a spokesman for
the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which owns
and operates Monmouth Park and Meadowlands.
According to NJSEA vice president of communications John
Samerjan, officials on Monday were hopeful that Assembly Bill
3227 would be voted on by the 80-member Assembly this Friday,
but learned later that day it would not be put on the agenda.
"The NJSEA is greatly disappointed that the bill wasn't able
to proceed," Samerjan said. "We felt we had a bill which
would be acceptable to all parties involved. We worked hard
all year to bring the industry together and now we'll have to
try to get new legislation moving again in 2000. We're
disappointed as track operators, but this is also
disappointing for New Jersey racing fans. After all, this
legislation was for them, too."
============================================================
FIRST FOAL FOR HORSE OF THE YEAR SKIP AWAY
============================================================
The first foal from the first crop of 1998 Horse of the Year
Skip Away was foaled Tuesday at David and Ginger Mullins'
Doninga Farm near Lexington, Ky. when the winning Caerleon
mare Electorate produced a filly. A 5-year-old mare out of
the stakes-placed Vaguely Noble mare Elect, Electorate is a
half-sister to grade III winner Aquaba (by Damascus).
Raced by Carolyn Hine and trained by her husband, Sonny, Skip
Away won or placed in 34 of 38 starts and earned $9,616,360.
The champion 3-year-old male of 1996 and champion older male
at ages four and five, when he was also voted Horse of the
Year honors, Skip Away stands at Rick Trontz' Hopewell Farm
near Midway, Ky.
============================================================
TOP BROODMARE SPECIAL DIES AT AGE 30
============================================================
The 30-year-old broodmare Special, whose offspring included
the top sire Nureyev and was the granddam of leading European
stallion Sadler's Wells, died Dec. 28 at the Hancock family's
Claiborne Farm near Paris, Ky., where she had been pensioned
since 1991. A daughter of Forli and therefore a full sister
to Irish champion Thatch, Special's second foal was Fairy
Bridge, the co-champion 2-year-old filly in Ireland in 1977.
Special's 1977 foal, a Northern Dancer colt later named
Nureyev, was sold at the 1978 Keeneland July yearling sale
for $1.3-million, then the second-highest price paid for a
yearling at public auction. A champion in France, Nureyev has
gone on to distinguish himself at stud, with more than 110
stakes winners to his credit. In addition to Sadler's Wells,
Fairy Bridge has also produced group I winner Tate Gallery
and group III winner Fairy Gold. Special was also the dam of
two other stakes producing mares, with graded stakes winner
Number the dam of grade I winner Jade Robbery and two other
graded winners and stakes winner Bound produced stakes winner
Limit.
============================================================
PARADE GROUND RETIRED TO LANE'S END
============================================================
Parade Ground, the son of Kingmambo who won or placed in 17
of 21 career starts, has been retired and will enter stud
this year at William S. Farish's Lane's End Farm near
Versailles, Ky. The 4-year-old colt that earned $794,995 will
stand for a $7,500.
A versatile runner, Parade Ground won graded stakes on both
dirt and grass, with his top victories coming as a 3-year-old
of 1998 when he won the National Museum of Racing Hall of
Fame Handicap (gr. II), the Lexington Stakes (gr. IIIT),
Lawrence Realization Handicap (gr. IIIT), Bougainvillea
handicap (gr. IIIT), and Tampa Bay Derby. In addition to
those wins, Parade Ground finished second in the 1998 Saranac
Handicap (gr. IIIT), and was third in the Canadian
International (gr. IT), Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. II), and
the Peter Pan (gr. II). In what would become his final career
start, Parade Ground finished second in the 1999 Bowling
Green Handicap (gr. IIT).
Bred in Kentucky by Farish and Hudson Interests, Parade
Ground was produced from the stakes-placed His Majesty mare
Battle Creek Girl, whose four additional stakes winners
included champion Wavering Girl and grade II winners Tricky
Creek and Speed Dialer.
============================================================
TOP ILLINOIS SIRE ZEN DIES
============================================================
Zen, the all-time leading sire in Illinois with progeny
earnings of more than $14.4 million, died Dec. 26 at Richard
L. Duchossois' Hill N Dale Farm in Barrington, Ill. The cause
of death for the 26-year-old horse was infirmities of age.
As a racehorse, Zen won or placed in 11 of 13 starts,
including victories in the Gotham and Saranac Stakes, both
grade II. Syndicated to stand at Hill N Dale in 1978, the
horse sired 28 stakes winners and was leading sire in
Illinois 11 times. Among the horses sired by Zen were grade I
winner High Alexander (1984 Illinois Horse of the Year), as
well as dual state champions Unique Type, Little Sucker,
Zenobia Empress, and Le Cou Cou. Ironically, Zen's most
recent stakes winner, Zennmatic, won the 1999 $100,000 High
Alexander Stakes.
Pensioned following the 1996 breeding season, Zen was buried
at Hill N Dale, his home for 21 years.
============================================================
A-OK ON Y2K FOR TRACKS; SLOTS GLITCH REPORTED
============================================================
Was it great planning, or wasn't there much of a problem to
begin with?
As 1999 gave way to 2000, the pari-mutuel industry sailed
into the new year-and millennium, depending on one's
interpretation of when the new century began-as if nothing
had happened. On Saturday, racetracks opened, totalizator
machines were in operation, and all was well at The Jockey
Club.
"We had very, very good results," said Jockey Club spokesman
Jim Peden, who is based at the organization's Lexington
offices. "This entire building is dependent upon fairly
sophisticated computer operations. We were in the office New
Year's Eve, and by 2:30 p.m., all the checks had been run.
There were a couple of minor glitches, but they were easily
fixed."
Peden said that as of Monday, operations at Equibase Co.,
which compiles and stores all past-performance information
for the industry, were running smoothly. Such was the case at
racetracks, some of which raced live on New Year's Day.
As 2000 dawned on Southern California, and the New Year's Day
card unfolded at Santa Anita Park, the only Y2K problems were
the dark clouds that brought a drizzle, and that age-old
glitch: how to pick winners.
Despite the lack of technology-related problems, Peden said
any preparation was well worth it. "It was not an
overreaction," Peden said of Y2K compliance. "All the work
that went into it for many months-even years-was so that
everybody could turn around and say, `What was the big deal?'"
The biggest problem involved slot machines in Delaware. More
than 800 slot machines at Delaware's three racetracks crashed
Thursday in a Y2K-related computer glitch, even after
manufacturer WMS Gaming of Chicago assured the Delaware State
Lottery Commission that the machines were Y2K complaint. The
machines did not come back fully on-line until late Saturday.
On Thursday, the state's computers issued a routine three-day
authorization to devices to continue play, and the machines
built by WMS apparently read the authorization as Jan. 1,
1900 and shut down.
More than 300 of the 1,900 machines at Delaware Park stopped
operating, while 300 of the 1,500 machines at Dover Downs and
200 of the 747 machines at Harrington Raceway crashed.
"The board of WMS Gaming should resign," Delaware Park's
chief operating officer and general manager Bill Fasy told
the Wilmington News Journal. "How long have we been hearing
about Y2K? They should be ashamed. It's incompetence."
Track spokesman Chris Sobocinski said that Delaware Park's
simulcasting operations were not affected by Y2K, and
indicated that slots customers seemed to take the slots
shutdown in stride. "A lot of people heard about the problem
with the machines on the news and stayed home; those that
were here seemed to have a good time regardless," he said.
=============================================================
That's all for now from the exciting world of THOROUGHBRED RACING! Have a
great Millennium (and be sure to check your pulse to see if you are still
alive functioning properly.)!
*TRAINING by Northern Dancer
--------------
Teaching a horse to collect:
Teaching your horse to collect is a slow and can be a long training
sessions to make it "automatic". First thing is warm up your horse, make
sure he's stretched and relaxed, then go on a 20m circle. Block your
outside rein and get your horse's head turning to the inside so you just
see the eye. When you do see the eye, half-halt on your inside rein and
when the horse collects relax the inside rein, when he head comes back
up, half-halt and hold your outside rein. And then if your horse's head
doesn't come down then play with the inside rein.
*TRAINING HELP
--------------
I am new to the list so I thought I would introduce myself. I am 19 years
old. I am a married working mother from the great state of Texas. I have 1
horse he is a mutt. He does not come from a long line of breeding or have
a big fancy name. He is just a pleasure horse. He is 1/2 quarter and 1/2
mustang. He is a beautiful blood bay. He is about 14.3 hands and weighs
about 950 lbs. I would like to do some western pleasure. But he will
require a lot of work. He does not even back now. I got him when he was 8,
and he was barely even green broke.
He is 9 now and has spent some time at the trainers, so he is getting alot
better with reigning and backing. He is the love of my life. I do not get
to spend the time with him that I would like to because I went to work to
pay for him and all tha added expenses that come with a horse. So i spend
what time I can with him and give him lots of love.
If anyone has any tips on how you get him to back any help would greatly
be appreciated.
Thanks,Nikki Leonard
*HORSE STORY (part 5) by SARAH MCKINNEY
------------
This is quite long, with 11 chapters that will be spread out over several
issues of Horse Mania. This is the fifth part. It started in Horse Mania
issue #10. If you have just joined Horse Mania recently and missed parts
you can read the previous chapters in the back issues of Horse Mania
starting from #10, located at the archives
https://www.angelfire.com/id/horsemania/archives.html
THE ONLY ONE FOR HER by SARAH MCKINNEY
CHAPTER 8
The next morning, Melanie arose early to wait for Jennifer to arrive on
the green horse she called Desert Sheik. Sheik was the proudest dappled
gray filly she had ever seen jump.
“She’s great, Jennifer. Is she yours?” Melanie asked as she walked up
and patted the horse’s sleek neck.
“No,” Jennifer replied. “She’s my dad’s horse. But I ride her a lot.”
“That’s cool,” Melanie told her. “Hey, stick her in one of the stalls
in the broodmare barn and meet me in front of the training barn.”
“Okay,” Jennifer quickly agreed. She dismounted off of Sheik and stuck
her in an empty stall in the broodmare barn. Meanwhile, Melanie wandered
over to Honor’s stall to check on the filly.
Honor had learned last night that Melanie was a friend. She had spent
almost the whole night out with the new horse, just talking to her. Only
did Melanie come into the house to go to bed when her father came out and
brought her in.
Honor had her head sticking out of the bottom half of the door as
Melanie walked up. Melanie broke into a jog over to the stall and ran her
hand down the filly’s wide blaze. She cradled her nose in her arms. Honor
snuffed softly into Melanie s hair when she took her nose out of Melanie’s
grasp.
“This is Honor Bright?”
Melanie turned sharply at Jennifer’s voice. She had scared her. Melanie
clutched her beating heart as Jennifer laughed.
“Sorry ‘bout that.”
“That’s okay,” Melanie said as she turned back to Honor. Jennifer
walked up and ran her hand down Honor’s nose. The filly jerked away at the
stranger. Her nose flared and in the dim light of the barn, Melanie could
see her eyes roll in fear.
“Sorry,” Jennifer apologized again. I should have known better than
to do that.
“Don’t worry about it,” Melanie said, although she was worried for
Honor. Why was the filly so jittery? And around anyone else than Melanie!
Did the filly trust Melanie for some odd reason?
“Can I see her out of her stall?” Jennifer asked excitedly. Melanie
nodded. She took the halter and lead rope off of the nail beside the stall
and slowly went into the stall to catch Honor.
The filly’s rump was to Melanie as she entered. “Honor,” Melanie said
in a soothing tone. “I’m behind you, Honor girl,” she warned the filly,
patting her rump. The filly craned her neck around to look at Melanie.
When she saw that it was a familiar face and voice, Honor turned around
and let Melanie halter her. She led out of the stall docilely.
“Whoa,” Jennifer said as she looked the filly over. “Ouch, she’s
beautiful.”
“No kidding,” Melanie said as she looked the filly over herself. Honor
Bright stood still at Melanie’s gentle handling. The filly whuffed softly
into Melanie’s hair as she check her legs. “Her legs are puffing from
standing in a stall,” she reported to Jennifer worriedly. Jennifer made
her way over to Honor cautiously and ran her hands down her legs.
“You’re right,” Jennifer said as she stood up straight.
Melanie groaned. “What can I do? I mean, I can’t let her out into the
pasture. She’ll jump it or hurt one of the other horses. At least that’s
what my parents say.”
“There’s nothing else you can do,” Jennifer told her. “Unless you
want to spend all day soaking her legs in cool water.”
“No,” Melanie said positively. “Should I . . .”
“Melanie?”
Melanie spun around to see her mother walking toward the two girls and
Honor. Melanie breathed a sigh of relief. Her mother would know what to do.
“Hi Mom,” Melanie said. “Uh, this Jennifer Smith. She lives just up
the road. She’s the girl I met on the trail the other day that I was
telling you about.”
“Why, hello Jennifer. Welcome to, uh, well, we don’t have a name for
the farm yet. But welcome anyway,” Samantha said.
Jennifer gave Melanie an astonished look. “You didn’t tell her yet?”
At first, Melanie didn’t know what the girl meant. Then, it clicked.
“Oh yeah! Mom, Jennifer and I made up a name for the farm. How about
Whisperwood Farm? It’s perfect,” Melanie told her mother, crossing her
fingers behind her back.
Samantha raised her eyebrows and cocked her head, thinking. “I like it,
you two. I really like it. I’ll tell your dad, Mel. I m sure he’ll like
it, too.”
“Mom,” Melanie continued. “I have a problem. Honor’s legs are puffing
from standing in the stall, and we can’t let her out in the pasture. What
can I do?”
Samantha shrugged. “I don’t know, Melanie. Um, I guess we could let her
out in the pasture. Will you and Jennifer keep an eye on her?”
“Yes,” the two friends said in unison. They looked at each other and
laughed.
“Okay, then. But if anything happens, come and get me, understood?”
Samantha asked, smiling at the two girls, her eyes darting from one back
to the other.
They agreed, and then turned to the pastures that rolled across the
countryside. They hadn t organized the pasture yet; so Melanie just led
Honor into the closest, smallest pasture for her to run in.
And run Honor Bright did. When Melanie unclipped her lead rope, the
filly galloped to the end of the pasture, kicking up her heels with
feeling. She raced around the pasture, stopping ever so often to take a
bite of grass or hang her head over the fence to touch noses with one of
the mares that was running in the pasture with their newly born foals.
“Look at her go!” Melanie exclaimed, pointing to Honor as she raced
across the pasture yet again, kicking up her heels furiously five or six
times in a row.
“Look at her canter stride,” Jennifer chimed in. “It’s perfect for
fences! She would sail over them. But didn’t you say she doesn’t go well
with anyone on her back?”
“Yeah,” Melanie said miserably. She wished Honor would listen under
tack. She really wanted to see her in action.
Melanie could just imagine she and Honor in a show ring, cantering
toward the first fence and jumping it with ease. Looking ahead to the
second jump, Melanie urged Honor on at a smooth, steady, collected canter.
Honor pricked her delicate, black, pixy ears as she sailed over the second
fence, and then onto the triple combination, which she did cleanly . . .
A yelp from Jennifer startled Melanie out of her thoughts. She looked up
from staring into space, just in time to see Honor jump the fence and
gallop off into the woods on the other side.
“Oh great!” Melanie exclaimed out loud, throwing her arms into the
air. But she knew panicking wouldn’t get her anywhere. She quickly turned
to Jennifer.
“You get Mom,” she ordered. “I’ll go after Honor.” Jennifer nodded
obediently as she raced to the large stone farmhouse. Melanie, picking up
the lead rope that lay on the ground, slid through the white board fence
and raced through the pasture, ducking under it again
What am I doing? Melanie asked herself as she stopped dead in the middle
of the field. I don t know these woods. I could get just as lost as Honor
is right now!
But that didn’t stop Melanie. She raced into the woods where she had
seen Honor gallop into, and looked around for the horse. Hoof prints on
the trail in the soft ground because of a late-night thunderstorm made a
usable path for Melanie to follow.
Unfortunately, the hoof prints disappeared after a couple hundred yards,
and there was a fork in the trail. Melanie sighed as she slumped against a
tree to catch her breath. She started to look around. Now where in the
world did that horse get to? Melanie thought to herself. Honor couldn’t
have gone far for the short time she had jumped the fence. But she did,
Melanie thought. Oh gees, where could she be?
A sudden movement startled Melanie out of her thoughts. Then there was a
stamp of an impatient hoof. Melanie looked up, and then all around.
Suddenly, she saw a black rump with a black tail twitching nervously.
“Honor?” Melanie asked as she peeked around the curve in the trail.
Duh, she told herself. What other horse could it be, stupid? Melanie shook
her head at herself. Then, taking her mind off of it, she turned back to
the horse.
Please don’t run, please don’t run, Melanie silently pleaded to Honor.
Speaking softly and soothingly to Honor Bright, Melanie walked up to the
horse’s rump and put her hand on it.
Honor had her head craned around as she sniffed the air. She must have
recognized Melanie’s sent, for she turned around and allowed Melanie to
clip the lead rope to her halter. Silently, Melanie let out a relieved
breath as she caught Honor.
“No more pasture you for a while, Miss,” she scolded Honor. “How
about some nice walks around, though. That’s just as good, right?”
Melanie laughed as the horse snorted. She reached up and scratched behind
the horse s ears and under her neck. As she did so, Honor twisted and bent
her head in sheer joy. Still laughing, Melanie led the young horse back
down the hilly, steep trail to Whisperwood Farm.
Melanie could see her mother s relieved look from as far away as the
field when she spotted horse and girl. She ran out to them, slowing as she
got closer so not to spook Honor.
“Is she okay? Are you okay?” Samantha asked in a hurry.
“We’re both fine, I think. Just a little shaken up,” Melanie
explained. She held Honor as her mother checked the horse over for any
injuries.
“She okay”? Melanie asked when her mother stood up straight.
“Looks good to me,” Samantha replied. “We’ll keep an eye on her.”
“Okay,” Melanie said.
Jennifer was waiting for Melanie and her mother at the pasture gate,
leaning against it and letting the two out and then closing it back.
“Is she hurt?” Jennifer asked, a worried expression pasted on her face.
“Mom doesn’t think so,” Melanie explained. “But we’re going to keep
an eye on her”.
“Where’s Cassidy?” Samantha asked, obviously trying to get the subject
off of Honor. She came into the training barn to see Twilight and I haven
t seen her since.
“Let’s go check,” Jennifer said excitedly. “I really want to meet
your twin.”
“Okay,” Melanie said. She clucked to Honor for her to walk beside her
back to the training barn.
After putting Honor in her stall, Melanie and Jennifer cut through the
stall and into the aisle. Farther down in the training barn was where
Twilight was stabled, and looking down there, Melanie saw the sliding door
was cracked. Cassidy was in her horse’s stall. Melanie motioned to her
friend and pointed to the stall. She nodded and walked down there.
“Cass? Are you in there?” Melanie called. Cassidy, an exact duplicate
of Melanie’s face and figure, poked her head out of Twilight’s stall and
smiled. Then, noticing Jennifer she smiled.
“Oh, hi.”
“Hey. I’m Jennifer,” she said.
“I’m Cassidy. Um, I guess Mel told you about me,” Cassidy said,
smiling at Jennifer.
“Yeah,” Jennifer said, her gaze going back and forth between sisters.
“Wow, it’s totally amazing. You guys look exactly alike!”
“Except I’m taller,” Melanie said almost proudly, smiling over at her
twin. As she said that, Cassidy slipped out of the stall and slid it shut,
without latching it.
As sisters stood beside each other, Jennifer s eyes widened and she
grinned. “Awesome,” she said. “If I didn’t know which side you stood
on, I couldn’t tell you apart!”
“Is that good or bad?” Cassidy joked. Melanie laughed as she jabbed
her sister’s side. They both laughed.
“You guys don’t know how lucky you are,” Jennifer said
matter-of-factly. “I hate being an only child.”
They both laughed, not knowing what to say to Jennifer. What could they
say?
Melanie broke the silence. “Hey, Cass. Why don’t you come down and see
Honor. You haven’t seen her yet,” Melanie said. When both parents had
announced about the new stable arrival that evening to Cassidy, it had
been too late to go out to the barn. They would have woken up all of the
horses.
“Yeah!” Cassidy exclaimed. “I almost forgot, Mel! Let’s go.”
Melanie led her sister, with Jennifer falling in step with them, walked
down to the end of the barn until they reached Honor s stall. When they
got there, Honor had her nose stuck in-between two of the bars in the
black grill. Melanie laughed at the horse as she came over to Melanie and
stuck her head over the bottom half of the sliding door, letting Melanie
wrap her arms around her neck.
“This is the horse that Mom says doesn’t trust anybody?” Cassidy asked
with a laugh, darting her eyes back and forth between the two girls
standing in the barn.
Jennifer shrugged. “Honor just trusts Melanie for some reason. I can’t
figure out what it is, myself.”
Melanie smiled at the two girls as she continued to drape her arms
around Honor Bright’s neck. The filly sniffed her face and gently lipped
it, making Melanie laugh.
“Oh I know. You love me,” Melanie said, rubbing Honor behind her ears.
She rubbed her head against Melanie’s shirt.
Melanie’s sister and her new friend stayed outside of the stall and
talked while Melanie let herself into Honor’s stall and draped her arms
around the filly’s neck.
Wherever I go, Honor Bright, I’ll never find a horse I like as much as I
like you, Melanie thought to herself, kissing Honor’s pink nose
To be continued next issue.....
*HORSE JARGON by Bethany
------------------
"GOING"-- the movement and posture of a horse while being ridden.
Cadence--going with rhythm, impulsion, and a springines of stride.
Rhythm--they regularity and evenness of the hoof beats.
Pace-- a) distance covered in a specified time interval. b) any of the
variations within each gait.
Impulsion--when the horse steps underneath itself so that the hind legs
carry more of the load, freeing and lightening the forehand.
Gallop--a four-beat gait covering the maximum amount of ground with each
stride.
Canter-- a pace of "three time," when the footfalls follow one another,
followed by a moment of suspension when all four feet are off the ground
before the next stride begins.
Trot--a pace of "two time" where movement of the horse`s alternate
diagonal legs are separated by a moment of suspension.
Walk--a marching pace with "four time" footfalls.
Collection--shortened and elevated strides.
Counter-canter--a collecting, balancing exercise where the horse is asked
to canter on the opposite lead from what is normally considered
"correct."
Extension--action of an extended trot or canter.
Free Walk--a pace of relaxation in which the horse is allowed complete
freedom to lower and stretch out his head and neck. The horse`s strides
and frame are lengthened.
*CONGRATULATIONS- 1999 Winners
---------
Congratulations to all the following websites which won a “Horse Mania
Excellent Horse Webpage” Award in 1999!
*Excellent Sim Horse Game Award*
Whinny & Nickers- http://www.geocities.com/enchantedforest/mountain/1777
Horses All- http://jump.to/HorsesAl
Wildfire- http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Bluffs/3603
*BRONZE Award*
Lindsay's Horse Clipart Page- http://users.erols.com/dberreth
All The Neigh- https://www.angelfire.com/hi2/horseclub
The Horse Pasture- http://members.aol.com/horsecrze8/page6/index.htm
*SILVER Award*
Bits & Tack- http://jewelorion.tripod.com/backup.html
Meinoedske's Homepage- http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/9771/
Amanda's Horsey Page- http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/2033
The Bridle Path- http://bridlepath.virtualave.net
*GOLD Award*
Retraining Thoroughbreds Resource-
http://members.tripod.com/~jmacneill/retrainTB.html
Lobo Appaloosa Horses- http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Geyser/7933
These are all the winners in 1999. We have already have had some winners
in 2000 too so for the complete winners list please visit
https://www.angelfire.com/id/horsemania/winners.html If you have a horse
related website you can apply for an award at the Horse Mania website,
http://horsemania.cjb.net
*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.
Fresh Fields
http://jewelorion.tripod.com/FF/FFMane/Index.htm
SIM horse game
http://www.stableizer.com
*HORSE POLLS
------------
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!
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: 102
Thoroughbred- 19 (19%)
Arabian- 23 (23%)
Quarter Horse- 25 (25%)
Other Horse Breed-32 (31%)
Other Pony Breed- 3 (3%)
What style of horseriding do you prefer?
Total Number of Votes: 86
English- 44 (51%)
Western- 10 (12%)
Bareback- 12 (14%)
Both English & Western- 23 (27%)
I don't ride- 0 (0%)
I plan to change the polls soon, so this may be your last chance to vote
for these. Please only vote once, thanks!
*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.
ads for this issue:
First Name: Carmen
Email Address: HrseJmper@aol.com , CDTisme@aol.com
Country: USA
Age:13
Horse Owner?: not currently
Other Comments: I am a jumper and am just now starting to show. I've been
riding for 3 years.
First Name: Nicole(call me Nikki)
Email Address:SweetThingGirl@aol.com
Country:USA
Age:11(12 in a week)
Horse Owner?:Yes, a 4 yo stallion named Harry
Other Comments: (no more than 30 words please) I am looking for someone
11to
12 that loves horses and Latin-American breeds, especialy Paso Finos
*VOTING
------------
Do you like the Horse Mania website and newsletter? Please go here
http://www.thehorsesource.com/cgi-bin/top100/topsites.cgi?ID=105 to vote
for us in the Horse Source Top 100 Sites. Thank you to everyone who has
voted for us! We have managed to cling to one of the top 50 spots most of
the time.
How would you rate the Horse Mania newsletter out of 10? 10 being best, 0
being the worst. Please visit
http://www.ezineseek.com/cgi-bin/search/rateit.cgi?ID=935772699 to rank us.
Or you can just click on the buttons located at the bottom of the main
page- http://horsemania.cjb.net
Thank you to everyone who has voted!
*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 #14
--------------------------------
