Back to the
Archives
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
You are receiving this email because you or someone who knows your email
address signed you up for it. If you would like to unsubscribe, send an
email to thehorse@hotpop.com with "Unsubscribe" in the subject, and your
name and email and you will be removed ASAP.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Horse Mania Newsletter #3
July 6th 1999
**The NEXT deadline for ALL article writers and things submitted to the
newsletter is July 16th!** Please let me know if you cannot meet this
deadline for some reason.
Here is the third issue of Horse Mania! We are expanding rapidly and
currently have 120 subscribers. 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. I'm excited because since I live in Sydney I am lucky enough to be
attending the Olympics in 2000 to watch some Grand Prix Dressage! Although
it isn't for over a year yet, I'm still looking forward to it. See you
until next time,
Susan
(thehorse@hotpop.com)
https://www.angelfire.com/id/horsemania
'\__~ '\__~ '\__~
\ \ / \ / / cantering
In this Issue:
-Wanted
-Breeds in Focus- Thoroughbred and Bardigiano
-Your Opinion
-Tell Us About Yours
-Short Story: Flame from the Abyss
-Horse Care
-Horse Trivia
-Website Reviews
-Websites
-All About: The Horse’s Gaits
-The Name Game
-Horsey Quotes
-Dressage
-Manes & Tails
-Horse Diseases
-Poem: The Ghost Mare
-Horse Jargon
-Joke Corner
-Pen Pals
-References
*WANTED
I know alot of you wanted to write but were stuck for ideas so here are a
few positions I need filled.
-Western Column- talking about all things western
-Profiles on Famous Horses & Riders- pick one for each issue and give us
details on them, what they do, their horse, etc.
If you'd like to do one of these (you need to be able to write an article
every two weeks) then send this form to me at thehorse@hotpop.com
Name:
Age: (or approx. age)
What column you'd like to do:
Or if you have your own idea, let me know about it and you can do it!
If you don’t want to write regularly, I also *always* want your short
stories, poems, real life experiences etc! So send them in and they’ll
appear in here!
*BREEDS IN FOCUS- Thoroughbred and Bardigiano
THOROUGHBRED
Abbreviation: TB
Origin: England, during the 17th and 18th centuries
Type: Light Horse
Height: Usually around 16hh, but can be anywhere from 15.2 - 17hh
Colour: Bay, chestnut, and the occasional greys and blacks
Characteristics: The Thoroughbred is a very lean built horse, with long
straight legs. It has a straight profile, with a refined head and sloping
shoulders. The body is quite long and the legs are long and graceful. It
has powerful quarters and well formed hock joints for galloping.
Use: Thoroughbreds are mainly known for flat racing, the TB racing
industry is a very large and booming one. However, they are quite
versatile and are also bred for showjumping, eventing and other sports.
They are often used to cross with other breeds to produce horses with more
speed and height. Thoroughbred crosses make excellent sporthorses.
Thoroughbreds are seen competing at high levels in eventing and
showjumping.
Temperament: Quite high strung, but good natured
History: The three founding sires of this breed were the Byerley Terk, the
Darly Arabian, and the Godolphin Arabian.
Other Info: Thoroughbreds are amongst the most popular breeds today. It is
the fastest horse in the world, and it’s unlikely a faster one will be
produced. (although Quarter Horses are known to out run them, only for the
first quarter of a mile- Thoroughbreds have the advantage over longer
distances) Some famous TB racehorses include, Eclipse, Phar Lap, Man O’
War and Secretariat.
Picture: https://www.angelfire.com/id/horsemania/images/thoroughbred.jpg
BARDIGIANO
Origin: from Italy, origins may have been in the mountain areas of
Tuscany, and parts of Venetia.
Type: Pony
Height: around 13hh
Colour: Commonly bays of all shades
Characteristics: The Bardigiano has short and sufficiently muscled strong
legs, with very pronounced joints. The tail is thick and well-set on it’s
round and heavy quarters. It’s body is built strongly, with a deep chest,
allowing for large lungs. The shoulders are quite upright and short, but
the withers are well defined. The head has small, neat ears and a broad
forehead, with a real pony look. It is very sure footed, quick moving,
hardy, and easy to keep.
Use: It is a working mountain pony, and not very well known outside it’s
breeding area. Often used to carry packs.
Temperament: Easy going
History: Most likely has a close connection with the Avelignese and other
heavy Italian mountain strains. Both the Avelignese and the Haflinger have
the common ancestor of the Arabian stallion El Bedavi and are traced back
to his half-bred great-grandson 133 El Bedavi XXII who was bred at a
Hungarian stud. The neat head, and dished profile of the Bardigiano today
reflect this in it’s breeding.
*YOUR OPINION
In this section I will ask a question every issue and put in the best few
responses. Please limit your responses to about a paragraph. I'll also add
in my opinion. Send in replies to me at thehorse@hotpop.com with "Your
Opinion" in the subject line.
This issue’s question is:
"What famous horse do you consider to be the most important and for what
reason?" (Can be historical or modern)
Now we’ll take a look at the responses to last week’s question which was:
"Should Thoroughbreds be allowed to race at age 2, or even at all, and why
or why not?"
Thank you to everyone who replied!
“I don't believe thoroughbreds should be broken in at two, let alone
racing. Racing puts tremendous strain on a horse's joints and tendons, and
a two year old is not fully developed anywhere, including mentally. Racing
can put a huge amount of pressure onto a young horse, both physically and
mentally. I think it is very important to wait until a horse is fully
matured in both senses before being broken in and work. My favorite age is
four going on five. Thank you.”
-Emily L.
“It is my opinion that Thoroughbreds should NOT be raced at two years of
age because as any informed horselover should know, horses are not fully
mature physically until they are at least four years of age. A horse's
bones and muscles are still developing at two years old. The only reason
trainers and owners start racing horses so young is GREED. Lipizzan horses
in Austria do not start their training until they are four years of age.
Unfortunately, with the way races are set up in the United States, I don't
believe this will ever change.”
-Jamie
“Yes I think that TBs should be able to race when they are two, just not
much. Their knees and bones are still soft and it would be very easy to
damage them. Some people race their two year olds too hard too often and
they are ruined just like that, but there are trainers and owners out
their who don't do that. So I think its OK for them to race at two, but
not too hard or too often.”
-Jules
“I believe that 2-year old horse should NOT be able to race, but 4-year
olds should. By that time, they are pretty much developed, while your
2-year old is not. Racing at that age is too much strain on growing bones
and muscles, and they are still babies. That is the only problem I have
w/ the racing industry. Yes, they should race. It is one of the oldest
sports, and it is
fun for spectators, owners, and horses alike. We (America) have produced
some legends, for example, Man 'o War and Secretariat. These
Thoroughbreds are the true horses of kings, and the "other" drinkers of
the wind!”
-Lindsay C.
“I think Thoroughbreds should not be raced at the age of 2 because the
bones in the still fragile. trainers should hold off racing these horses
until they are 3. That means having the triple crown races for 4 year
olds. Most horses don't make it at 2 so they have to be retired as either
stallions or broodmares. The same goes for quarter horses. The derby that
they run for 2 year olds should not be run until they are 3. One thing
that i think is good is these people who buy Thoroughbreds off the track
and use them for jumping. This way, they don't have to be destroyed and
they get a good home after a life on the track.”
-Sharon
“I think that Thoroughbreds should be raced at age 2 IF they can. Some
colts and fillys are very able to race, but if they are not looking fit
enough for it, they should wait. Of course Thoroughbreds should be raced.
They are bred for it. It's in them. Thoroughbreds have the desire to win,
and love to race -- at least most of them. If a horse doesn't like racing
or isn't physically sound for it, then of course they shouldn't be raced.
But if they love it,
and can do it, then racing is okay!”
-Kaitlin218@aol.com
and my response:
“I don’t think Thoroughbreds should be racing at two. It is true that they
are especially bred for racing and to mature earlier than alot of other
breeds, but to race at two is still too much strain. I don’t entirely
agree with racing although I think Thoroughbred’s should continue to race
because they are bred for it, but they should wait until a later age. So
many horses have to be put down or retired so early in life due to racing-
I think they should start later when they are fully grown.”
-Susan
*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 be
as long or short as you like.
I own two wonderful horses. Olympia Dude is a 12 year old sorrel tobiano
Paint gelding. Dunrovin's Topsider (Toppers) is an 8 year old red dun
Miniature Horse gelding. Dude is very sweet and is working on training
level dressage. Right now we are working on counter bends. He is an
excellent jumper so sometimes we go to combined training events. He has
incredible spring and is fearless ( except for clippers and new dogs). He
used to be a trail horse so when I take him on trails he is well behaved.
He has navicular in his front feet, but he should be fine for another, at
least, 5 years. Toppers is an excellent jumper. He is soooo cute:) He can
jump any jump the big horses can. He is afraid of water though, but we're
working on it. I also drive him. We have a little training cart and
harness for him and he is pretty good at it. He loves to eat and I
sometimes joke that he looks like a pregnant mare.Both of my horses are
wonderful and I am glad I have them.
-Lindsay Berreth VA
I own an 18 year old Arabian mare, named Tarena (terry-ahna), barn name
"Sissy." I call her that because she really is my best sister and friend.
She is the most coppery bay horse that is on the block- and there are
several. She looks like a polished penny glowing in the sun. I love her
lots because she is always acting so silly. For example, when I approach
her, she knows it's me, but continues to arch her neck and blow big
breaths like "Who are you?" She is the sweetest, kindliest horse I have
ever met. She adores her grain. She whickers when I make it up, and looks
so sweet. My mom believes that she is saying, "I love you... It is YOU I
love!" Once she gets it though, she completely ignores you!!!! I love her
more than anything else, and I know she loves me, too. How? Because when
I leave for an extended period of time, she is sad, unhappy, and runs away
from my mom in the pasture-but doesn't from me!!!:-)
~Lindsay Casper
I'm leasing a horse named Abu (or BooBoo as I sometimes call him!). He's a
big, 16.3 Thoroughbred gelding. He's a chestnut, and his coat is always
shiny. He's around 10-years-old, and is a retired racer. He's got a nice
jump, but likes to sneak away from fences, or race up and after them. I've
been handling him properly though, and he's a great horse. He takes a
little while to get used to people before he entirely trusts them, but
once he does, he's soo sweet! I love him! He's a carrot-head a LOVES
carrots! He's the best horse I've ever ridden.
-Kaitlin218@aol.com
I wanted to write and tell about the horse I once owned. My horse was a
chestnut gelding, average height, gentle and good-tempered. He was an
American Saddlebred and I rode him English. His name was Desdemona's
Stonewall; we called him Desde. At the time I had him, my mother had a
garden and she would very often feed him vegetables (raw) that she wasn't
going to use. She fed him tomatoes, squash,cucumbers, potato peelings,
and radishes. He
loved it! After a while, he would come right up to the fence of our back
yard from his paddock whenever he saw my mother come out or heard her call
him, because he knew he would generally get something good to eat. He
especially loved watermelon rind. Also, we had a plum tree in the back
yard. Desde would often walk up to it, bite off a plum, eat it, then he
would actually SPIT OUT the seed! I had him for four years before I had
to sell him when I went off to college.
-Jamie
*SHORT STORY
Flame from the Abyss by Regan
He steps out onto the path with graceful agility. I settle into his
short, un-saddled back, and run my fingers through his long, thick mane.
He pulls gently at the reins, asking permission to run. I hold him back
as he prances along the shady path, waiting until we reached
the open field. He snorts and chomps on the bit gently, ready to explode
with anticipation. His neck arches against my hold on the reins as the
trees taper off to leave us in the bright, mid-day sun.We push through
some brush and twigs, ignoring any prick or scrape left behind from the
breaking sticks. And we enter into the meadow, a simple valley left
undiscovered by man’s demolishing hands. It extends far into the horizon,
until the sparse bougainvillea bushes and Spanish Bayonets taper off
beyond sight. I nudge my horse forward into the peace of the open field,
and trot with him a short distance to stretch his legs before asking him
for run. He explodes into a gallop, the roaring wind allowing no mercy as
we plunged ahead at a full speed. I loosen my reins, allowing him to run
however he wishes, and lay along his neck, grasping his thick, red mane as
it flew back in my face. The brilliant sun comes out from behind a cloud,
and his small red body shines like the fires of hell. I lean forward even
more and become one with the massive red horse beneath me. The valley
disappears, as does
the entire world around us. And we gallop together as one; a flame from
the abyss.
*HORSE CARE by Lindsay Casper
Shoo Fly!
*As your new horse care writer, I would like to introduce
myself.Obviously, I love horses. I own-well, my parents own- an Arabian
mare, whom I love dearly. I am going into my freshmen year of High
School; I live in California, U.S.A.*
Flys are the horse person's worst enemy, apart from barking dogs and
honking cars, among other things. They are annoying, disgusting, horrid,
and VERY unhealthful. They can pass diseases (downright icky),and can
cause exhaustion, due to stomping feet and twitching muscles. Want to
fight and win? Read on!
GET TO KNOW YOUR ENEMY...
Flies are disgusting. According to COMPTON"S ENCYCLOPEDIA, they lead
an
"active and dangerous life." A fly can live from one to four months; it's
tounge has channels that can suck up diseases and other nasty stuff. Here
is a very disturbing fact: they can breed faster then you can kill them.
The only way to really get rid of them is to kill their eggs.
Not only do flies cause physical damage, they can cause mental damage,
too. After twitching muscles and stomping feet all day, horses just can't
concentrate on work, which must be frustrating. Some horses won't accept
reprimands and punishment after a hard day, or won't work well under
saddle. Flies might also force a horse to change normal feeding patterns,
due to stress and anxiety.
GET BACK WITH A VENGENCE!
These nasty critters have been bugging our horses since day one, and
still are. If you want to give your horse relief, here are some things
you can do:
FEED-THROUGH (products you mix with grain) KILLERS- this stuff kills flies
where they start- in horse manure. It decimates larvae (a.k.a. fly
babies).
NATURAL DEFENDERS-are bugs that flourish on fly larvae. These
non-stinging wasps which are called parasitoids would be a good
combination with another method.
COMMERCIAL MISTERS- these spray pyrethrins and citronella into the air,
where, obviously, flies are. It makes flies take a hike to go pester
some other unfortunate horse.
SPRAYS,WIPES, ETC.- these are the equine equivalent of OFF! bug spray for
people. This is a popular method, and it really works. The only thing it
doesn't do is kill flies.
Sheets, masks, etc.-this is another efficient, effective method to keep
flies away. The weave is small enough that flies can't bite, but your
horse stays cool.
There are tons of different ways to get rid of our worst enemy. If I
haven't mentioned one you think is worth mentioning, please e-mail me at
tareana@msn.com . Please tell me about it, and I will make mention of it
at a later date.
Sources-
HORSE ILLUSTRATED, July 1997- "Flies and the Damage They Do." By Nancy S.
Loving, D.V.M.
COMPTON'S ENCYCLOPEDIA, copyright 1991. "Fly."
*HORSE TRIVIA by Tinker1588@aol.com
Email your answers to Tinker1588@aol.com and the scores will be displayed
next issue!
1. The first horse to win the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred racing was:
a.Aristides in 1875
b.Regret in 1916
c.Whimsical in 1906
d. Sir Barton in 1919
2.The American Horse Shows Association was founded in:
a.1917
b.1933
c.1946
d.1903
3.The offspring of a female donkey and a male horse is called a:
a.mule
b.hinny
c.donkey
4.About how many bones make up a horse's skeleton?
a.500
b.205
c.100
d.650
5.Horses are described as "aged" when:
a.they are 15 years old
b.their coat starts to turn gray
c.they are 9 years old
6. You go to get a horse from a field and immediately know something is
wrong. The horse is standing with his front feet farther forward than
usual,as if to take some weight off his front feet, and he refuses to
move.
You suspect:
a.colic
b.navicular
c.azoturia
d.laminitis
7. Of the following plants, which one is not poisonous to horses?
a.yew
b.azalea
c.dandelion
d.mountain laurel
8. In Standardbred racing, the cart used is called a:
a.buggy
b.sulky
c.horse cart
d.chariot
9. The tallest height a pony can be is _______ at the withers.
a.142 in.
b.14 hands
c.14.2 feet
d.14.2 hands
10.True or False: The ancestors of the wild mustangs evolved in North
America.
a.True
b.False
*WEBSITE REVIEWS
http://www.kidscamps.com/specialty/sports/black-river
This camp is for girls from the ages 7-15years old.This site has alot of
information abut the ranch.Black River Farm and Ranch has been open since
1962 and now it is 1999!!There is a wide range of activities and the ranch
is approved by the State Heath Department.Bleak River offers riding
instruction and adult supervisors and also the free tome to run and romp
around the farm.The staff are 18 years old , or older.The sessions run
from
June 20,1999 till August 28, 1999. These sessions come in one or two week
sessions so go and take a look and if the address doesn't work go to
www.yahoo.com , type in ``Horses for kids`` than look for Black-River.
- Tupacschick@hotmail.com (Caitlynn)
https://www.angelfire.com/hi2/horselovers2
Since in the last issue of Horsemania people submitted their web sites
and my contribution to the newsletter is to do website reviews. So I
decided to rate one of those sites. And so i did.
This website was submitted by Emily. This is a good website if you are
looking for information on horse breeds. i particularly liked it
because at the time I was finishing of a report on the warmblood. So
if you are looking for breed information this is the place to go. The
overall rating is: ***- pretty darn good
~Brittany
*WEBSITES
Do you have your own horse website or know of a good one? Well send it in
and I’ll list it here!
http://www.erols.com/dberreth/
Lindsay's Horse Clipart Page
submitted by Lindsay
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Fields/1560
Hoofprints
submitted by Liz
http://www.earthgem.com/
EarthGem Marketplace
submitted by Nicholas
*ALL ABOUT- The Horse’s Gaits
The horse has four main gaits. The walk, the trot, the canter, and the
gallop. Some horses, often referred to as “gaited horses” have more
natural gaits, or are trained to do others.
THE WALK
The walk is the slowest of all the horse’s gaits and is in a steady
four-time rhythm. It goes in the sequence left foreleg, right hindleg,
right foreleg, left hindleg. During the walk the rider sits upright in the
normal riding position.
THE TROT
The trot is slightly faster than the walk, and is a 2-time gait, making it
very bouncy to ride to. The horse’s legs move in diagonals. During the
trot, a rider can either do sitting trot, where they sit deep in the
saddle as still as possible or rising (posting) trot, where they rise
slightly up and down to the rhythm of the horse.
THE CANTER
The canter is a 3-time gait, and the rider sits deep in the saddle moving
slightly to the rocking motion of the horse. The legs follow the sequence
left hindleg, left diagonal (right hindleg and left foreleg) , right
foreleg, and is then followed by a moment of suspension. It is a much
smoother pace than the trot and many riders favour it.
THE GALLOP
The gallop is the horse’s fastest gait. It is a 4-time pace which follows
the sequence left hindleg, right hindleg, left foreleg, right foreleg.
There is a moment of suspension, as in the canter, when all four legs are
off the ground and in the gallop it is a bit longer.
GAITED HORSES
The American Saddlebred is referred to as “five gaited”. It also performs
the “slow gait” which is a prancing four beat gait with prolonged
suspension, and the “rack” a full speed flashy four-beat gait free from
any lateral movement or pacing.
The Standardbred “paces” instead of trotting, when it harness races.
Pacing is where the legs move in pairs on the side they are on, instead of
on diagonals as in trotting.
The Missouri Fox Trotter has a special gait called the “fox trot” where
the horse does an active walk in front, and trots behind with the hind
feet stepping and sliding over the track of the forefeet. This sliding
motion means it is a very easy gait to sit to.
The Tennesse Walking Horse does a “running walk”, a very smooth gliding
gait that is bounce-free.
The Peruvian Paso has a special gait which has an energetic, dishing
action of the forelegs and lowered quarters with powerful hindleg movement.
The Paso Fino (related to the Peruvian Paso) also is a gaited breed. It’s
four beat gait is divided into the “paso fino” , the “paso corto” where
more ground is covered, and the “paso largo” which is the fast extended
gait.
Next issue: All about coat colours!
*THE NAME GAME by Amanda
Here is the winner for the last Name Game.
Deborah from the UK came up with the name "AURORA" which means goddess of
the
dawn for the palomino Arabian mare. Great Creativity! It was hard to
decide!
Breed: Arabian
Height: 15.7
Color: Dappled Grey
Gender: Gelding
Age: 7
Temperament: Surprisingly gentle and calm for an Arabian; has very good
conformation and pace. Used in dressage and some jumping.
Picture: https://www.angelfire.com/id/horsemania/namegame2.html
E-mail me with a name that you think would be good for him! Whatever name
fits him best, I’ll post on the next newspaper, along with the name of
person who made it up.
Amanda amhorse@usa.net
*Please not none of these horses are owned by myself or anyone I know*
*HORSE QUOTES
If you know of any good horse related quotes, send them in to me at
thehorse@hotpop.com!
"There is no secret so close as that between a rider and her horse."
-old equine expression
"A good horse is never a bad color."
-old equine expression
"Through his mane and tail the high winds sing, fanning the hairs, who
wave
like feather'd wings."
-Shakespeare, Venus and Adonis
"The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears."
-Arabian proverb
"His ears up-pricked; his braided hanging mane upon his compass'd chest
now
stands on end... his eye, his hot courage and his high desire."
-Shakespeare, Venus and Adonis
"When God spoke to the horse, he spoke to the magnificent creature: I have
made thee without equal. All the treasures of this earth lie between thy
eyes.... thou shalt fly without wings."
-The Koran
"There is nothing better than the outside of a horse for the inside of a
man."
-old equine expression
submitted by Qhorse122@aol.com
"That hoss wasn't built to tread the earth,
He took natural to the air,
And every time he went aloft,
He tried to leave me there."
Anonymous tribute to an ummanageable horse
submitted by tareana@email.msn.com
"To ride or not to ride -- what a stupid question!"
submitted by Kaitlin218@aol.com
*DRESSAGE by Caitlin
HISTORY
Dressage is a specialized form of riding similar to the more well-know
forms of riding called "Western", "Jumping", and "English Pleasure" in
that each is a specialized style of training the horse. The word
"dressage" (said "dress-ahz and rhymes with "massage") is derived from a
French term meaning training. It is not only a method of training a horse
(called schooling), but also a competitive Olympic sport. The origination
of the sport was first noted in a book by the Greek General Xenophon
around 400 B.C. As the history of the world evolved the training method
was further developed by the royal court of Europe in the 17th century,
first as an aspect of warfare and then as an art and sport. The most
famous of these training centers is the Spanish Riding school in Vienna
and Austria, with its beautiful white Lipizzan stallions. While relatively
new to America and Canada, dressage has long been a competitive equestrian
sport throughout much of the world. Especially in Europe, where countries
such as Germany, Finland, and Sweden have dominated international
competitions for decades.
ARENA
The Official Standard Size Dressage Arena is 20 x 60 meters(22 x 66
yards). Although a shorter version of the arena, 20 x 40 meters, may be
used for training level tests. One to five judges may be present during
the execution of a test.
SOME TERMS
Above the Bit- When a horse raises its head and stretches forward with the
neck, so that its mouth and the bit are above the rider's hand. This
position makes control difficult, and spoils the horse's outline and paces.
Airs above the Ground- Advanced movements performed by horses trained in
the art of haute ecole or high school. Horses trained in the art of
dressage are not expected to perform these movements.
Counter Canter- Canter around the arena or on a circle when the horse
leads with the outside foreleg.
Flexion of the head- When the head is bent at the poll without showing
tension or strain, and while keeping the jaw relaxed. Of the body or neck,
indicating a very slight bend in a required direction.
POPULAR BREEDS FOR DRESSAGE
The most common and popular breeds for the equestrian sport of dressage,
are Warmbloods. These include the Dutch Warmblood, Trakehner, Danish
Warmblood, Hanoverian, Holstein, and Lipizzaner. Horses used for dressage
need to be felxible, responsive and athletic.
*MANES AND TAILS by Jamie
Here are the answers to the horse quiz from last
issue.
1) b-The size of the first horse millions of
years ago was no bigger than a medium-sized dog.
2) false--the first horses did not have hooves
3) The size of a horse is measured in hands,
with a hand being four inches.
4) The three oldest breeds of horses are the
Arabian, Andalusian, and Lipizzan.
5) The famous Australian racehorse who died
under mysterious circumstances years ago was named
"Phar Lap".
6) The parts of a horse: crest-at the top of his
neck; barrel-the sides of the horse, between the
forelegs and hindquarters; cannon-the long bone in the
horse's front legs below the knee to just above the
hoof; pastern-the part of the horse's foot just below
the ankle bone and above the hoof; frog-the tender
part on the inside of the horse's hoof; fetlock-the
hair, usually on the horse's front legs, right at the
ankle bone.
7) A liver chestnut would be a dark
reddish-brown.
8) A blaze is a long white stripe down the front
of the horse's face; a snip is a tiny white marking,
sometimes just on the horse's nose.
9) In the 1978 American Triple Crown races, the
horse who ran second was Alydar, with Affirmed the
last Triple Crown winner since then.
10) The largest horse in the world is the Shire,
found in England, and it is a draft horse.
11) The Spanish Riding School, located in
Vienna, Austria, is the oldest institution of its kind
in the world. It is here that men and horses train
for years to learn and perfect the movements of
classical horsemanship and the famous "airs above the
ground" of the famous Lipizzan horses. These
magnificent horses are not trained until they are four
years of age, and only stallions are used in the
school.
Well, hope everyone enjoyed the quiz! How did you
do? Did you learn anything?
Next issue: Recommendations for horse books and
movies.
*HORSE DISEASES by Sara
Name of disease: Strangles
Causes: Strangles is an upper respiratory and throat infection that is
caused by a bacteria called Streptococcus equi. Strangles is transmitted
from one horse to another by infective secretions and from contaminated
feed, troughs, stalls, equipment,ect.
Symptoms: Large, swollen, lymph nodes on the neck and back of the
throat. A horse with Strangles often stands with it's neck stretched out
and head held down low.
Treatments: Penicillin is used to treat horses with Strangles. Horses
with Strangles should be isolated and kept in a warm, dry stall away from
other horses. The horse should be fed a soft diet (such as soaked
pellets) and be encouraged to drink water.
Area/type of horse most likely to effect: Horses 1-5 years old.
References: Horse Owner's Veterinary Handbook, Howell Book House (1989,
reprint 1998)
*POEM- The Ghost Mare by: Angela Stephenson
When the moon is full and the nights clear and peaceful,
Some say u can hear or maybe see a silvery white mare
Running through the desert without so much as a care.
She is wild and free to which no stallion may tame
And she rears in the moonlight showing her power and glossy mane
All the mares envy her extreme beauty and grace
And the mare smiles with delight with a smile to amaze all who see
And she sings a song that enchants all who hear
All the crickets and rabbits and deer stop to listen
But the mares of the herd snort and sneer
And the mare rears once more showing that no stallion will ever tame her
Or will ever touch her glossy,silky mane
And she disappears into the night as though she never was
And she smiles not with a smile of hate but of love
She then turns her body which is sleek as a dove
And runs to place unknown to man only to return again
And she is known throughout the valley as The Ghost Mare
The End
*HORSE JARGON
Every issue I will include some groups of horse-related words and their
meaning. It isn’t alphabetical, just random groups of terms.
Stable Vices- usually caused by boredom.
Weaving- the horse rocks from side to side.
Windsucking- The horse grips the edge of the stable wall in his teeth,
arches the neck and gulps in large amounts of air.
Crib biting- similar to Windsucking. When the horse grabs the door with
his teeth and swallows air. Can lead to indigestion.
Characteristics
Roman Rose- convex profile of the head (as seen in heavy horse breeds)
Dished Face- concave, dished profile of the head. (as seen in the Arabian)
Straight Profile- a straight head profile (as seen in the Thoroughbred)
Roach Back- A convex curving of the spine. (the opposite of a hollow back)
Hollow Back- an unusually deep dipped back, often seen in old age.
Jibbah- the bulged forehead formation of the Arabian horse
Mitbah- the angle at which the neck of the Arabian enters the head
Set Tail- a tail broken or nicked, giving it unnaturally high carriage
Next issue: Conformation Faults, Bridle Parts
*JOKE CORNER
Send in your horse jokes and I’ll add them here!
Q: “What do you call a horse listening to loud music?”
A: “A Rocking Horse!”
Submitted by Jenny
*PENPALS
Thanks to an idea by a reader, I have decided to put in a 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. I'll put in probably a maximum of 5 ads per issue so don't
worry if yours takes a while to appear.
Here are the ads for this issue:
First Name: Caitlin
Email Address: cait_rowe@mailciy.com
Country: Canada!
Age: 13
Horse Owner?: No, I wish!
Other Comments: I ride a 16.2h chestnut Appendix QH gelding named Spinner,
and I jump about 2'6". I love the Backstreet Boys, and I love to watch
movies with my friends.
First Name: Jenny
Email Address: seinfeld@hotpop.com
Country: Australia
Age: 12
Horse Owner?: no
Other Comments: My favourite animals are horses and cats. I ride regulary
and I am really eager for a horsy penpal of any age.
*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.
--------------------------------
End of Horse Mania Newsletter #3
--------------------------------
