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, go to
https://www.angelfire.com/id/horsemania/unsubscribe.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Horse Mania Newsletter #9
October 6th 1999
Subscriber Count: 289
************************************************************
The NEXT deadline for ALL article writers and things submitted to the
newsletter is October 19. Please let me know if you cannot meet this
deadline for some reason.
************************************************************
I’ve been working on updating the Horse Mania website a bit, there’s full
details below. Please note that the deadline for next issue is a few days
later than usual because I have my yearly exams from the 14th to the 20th
this month. Please be sure to get in your articles on time so that I can
send it out as soon after that as possible. Anyway, 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:
-Website News
-Wanted
-Breeds in Focus- Clydesdale and Missouri Fox Trotter
-Your Opinion
-Tell Us About Yours
-Archer’s Corner
-Horse Care
-All About: Paddock vs. Stable
-Tales of Foalhood
-Q&A
-My Thoughts
-Manes & Tails
-Thoroughbred Racing
-Horse Jargon
-BB`s Site Reviews
-Horse Help
-Horse Polls
-Pen Pals
-Archives
-Change of Address
-References
*WEBSITE NEWS
-------------
I had a couple weeks off so I decided to renovate the website a little
bit. Here’s all the changes I made and they can be found linked at the
Horse Mania website main page- http://horsemania.cjb.net
Writing Guidelines- instead of sending everyone them when they first
subscribe shorter welcome notices will be sent and these are now located
on the website. You might like a look even if you’re a column writer
already.
Link to us- if you like Horse Mania and would like to link to it, here are
some banners you can use, with ready-made HTML that you can just
copy/paste.
Horse Clipart- as I’m sure you’ve already seen there are some little horse
clipart pictures around the webpage that I drew, now you can see them all
on one page, there’s eighteen so far.
Horse Trivia- I’ve made a horse trivia game to test your horse knowledge.
There are three levels to try; Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced with
15 questions each on a variety of horse topics. All you have to do is fill
in the circle of the one that you think is correct and then check your
answer in the drop-down menu. I would appreciate any feedback you have on
this, too hard? too easy? something wrong? so that I can make appropriate
changes.
Win an Award- If you have a horse related page you can apply to win the
Horse Mania Excellent Webpage Award, there’s Gold, Silver and Bronze but
your site still has to be good to win Bronze and VERY FEW websites will be
awarded Gold.
Polls- I’ve added a couple of online horse polls. Each newsletter there
will be an update of how the last poll results were and I’ll change the
questions now and again. There’s more information on that in the “Horse
Polls” column this issue.
And remember these things on the website concerning the newsletter are
still there-
Subscribe- well, you’ve done that already
Unsubscribe- if you need to unsubscribe ever there is an easy form to fill
out.
Change of Address- if you ever need to change the email address where you
receive the newsletter just fill out the quick form on the webpage.
Archives- every issue of Horse Mania from #1 to the current issue is
available in the archives, I try to upload them at least a week after
they’re sent out. Take a look at the first issues and laugh :o) I hope
we’ve improved a bit. I might “brighten up” the archives in the future
because right now they’re just plain text.
Links- I’m working on the links page right now and the new one will be up
soon.
By the way, I’ve finally got rid of that awful URL redirection address
thrill.to/horsemania that loaded my page in frames with ads and looked
really bad. I’m sorry if you came through that way the first time, but
it’s gone now!
So I encourage you to take a look at the “new” website at
http://horsemania.cjb.net and send me any comments or suggestions you
might have!
*WANTED
-------
Here are some regular columns I’d like people to do. You need to be able
to do it once every two weeks. If you’re interested and know a bit about
it and have good books on hand, send me your name, age (optional), and why
you’d like to do it to thehorse@hotpop.com
-Horse Quotes- I’m looking for someone to take over this column. All you
need to do is find a few horse quotes for each issue and invite readers to
send in some of their favorites. Remember that you must be able to meet
the deadline, once every two weeks.
Also remember you can submit anything horse-related you want, poems,
jokes, stories about your horse, experiences you’ve had or once off
articles.
*BREEDS IN FOCUS- Clydesdale and Missouri Fox Trotter
----------------
CLYDESDALE
Origin: Clyde Valley, Scotland
Type: Heavy Horse
Height: Usually around 16.2hh-17hh
Colour: Usually bay or brown but greys, roans, and blacks are also seen.
Characteristics: The Clydesdale has a straight profile, unlike many heavy
horse breeds and it has a very wide forehead. The shoulders are sloped and
the neck proportionally longer than that of the Shire. Clydesdales have a
deep body width and well defined withers that are higher than the croup.
The quarters are big and the legs longer than seen in several other heavy
horse breeds. The hocks are strong and cow-hocks are accepted in the breed
but not sickle-hocks. The feet are a bit flat, but strong and Clydesdales
have heavy feathering on the lower legs.
Use: The Clydesdale was bred for plowing and heavy work on farms but today
are most often seen in the showring, and sometimes drawing carts in
cities.
History: The Clydesdale has only been around for about 150 years but is
one of the most influential of heavy horse breeds. It was founded between
1715-1720 when the 6th Duke of Hamilton wanted to improve and increase the
size of the native draught stock by importing Flemish horses. There was
also an influence of Shire blood.Two famous 19th century sires were Prince
of Wales 673 and Darnley 222. However, it is Glancer 335 who is recognised
as the breed’s foundation sire. He was foaled in 1806 and his descendent
Broomfield Champion, appears in Darnley’s pedigree.
Picture: https://www.angelfire.com/id/horsemania/images/clyde.GIF
(this photo is not mine and comes from http://home.earthlink.net/~plunton/
)
MISSOURI FOX TROTTER
Origin: southern states of the USA
Type: Light Horse
Height: Usually around 14-16hh
Colour: The main colour is chestnut of all shades, usually with white
markings, but any colour is accepted.
Characteristics: The Missouri Fox Trotter is a “gaited” breed and it’s
extra gait is known as the fox trot, which has a sliding action. The horse
performs an active walk in front while trotting behind with the hind feet
stepping down and sliding over the track of the forefeet. Missouri Fox
Trotters have a neat head with pointed, well shaped ears. The chest is
deep and wide, with rounded withers and sloped shoulders that produce the
low action.The back is broad and the body is well muscled, noticeably wide
and deep. They are a compact horse but sometimes there is length in the
back. The quarters are broad and muscular and slope down from croup to
dock. The legs are long and quite heavily built. There is a good length
from hip to hock and the second thigh is muscular.The Missouri Fox Trotter
has to have fetlock joints and pasterns without fault to maintain the
sliding action.
Use: They are seen in the showring but most of all they make a wonderful
trail horse with their easy gait and surefootedness.
History: It was beginning to be established in 1820 when settlers moving
westwards across the Mississippi from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia.
They took with the Thoroughbreds, Morgans, and Arabs. The mares were bred
to the fastest stallions available. In 1948 a stud book was opened.
Picture: https://www.angelfire.com/id/horsemania/images/fox.jpg
(this photo is not mine and comes from http://www.mofoxtrot.com/jbrranch/)
*YOUR OPINION
-------------
In this section I will ask a question every issue and put in the
responses. Send in replies to me at thehorse@hotpop.com with "Your
Opinion" in the subject line.
This issue’s question is:
“What is your favorite style of riding, and why?”
(this can be your favorite style, english or western, favorite discipline,
or maybe just what gait you like)
Now we’ll take a look at the responses to last issue’s question which was:
“How did you first get involved with horses?”
Thank you to everyone who replied!
“I got involved with horses when I was little. I started reading horse
stories
when I was 8 years old and from then on, it's all history. I rode my first
pony at the field days where I lived in new York State. Then I started to
ride friends' horses until I got my own when i was 23. Ever since then i
have
loved horses and nothing will take them away from me. I plan on becoming a
trainer for myself with training Arabians.”
-Sharon-
*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.
I ride a horse named Myriah. She is a 9 year old Arabian. She is a
flea-bitten gray. She is so much fun to ride. She is very playful and
loves
to be ridden but I always have to be ready for any trick she will pull on
me. I think she hates to canter because whenever I signal her to canter,
she
will ignore me , but will listen to any other command I give her. I love
her
so much that sometimes I feel like she is actually my own horse.
-Lydia
*ARCHER’S CORNER
----------------
Hey there horse folks !!!!
I’m trying to see if I can get a new horse. They’re pretty expensive down
here in Chile. I’m trying to compare prices with other countries. So
please, if anyone has a reference of the price of a horse in your country,
send it to me ok? I’m looking for a horse over 5yrs with training. It can
be of any breed or sex.
Oh I also need some help from some New Zealander. I need to know (for a
friend) about any horse magazine that is published in New Zealand, with
it’s name and if possible with price. Thanx to everyone that can help me,
don’t doubt to mail me!!:D
Enjoy my articles!!
Buy a horse Part III
At last the last part of this long article. I hope that it helped anyone
that needed orientation on buying a horse.
Specific considerations in buying a horse
Once you have located a horse for sale, there are a number of interesting
things to look for.
Check the horse in its stall
As you enter the stable, watch the horse. Does it lay back its ears? A
horse that lays back its ears in anger upon being approached may be bad
tempered, have been spoiled or be barn sour. If it shows interest and its
ears are up, this is a good sign. Horses have very good hearing. They
should be interested in all that goes on around them.
What does the horse do as you approach the stall? In a box stall, it
should go to the rear, turn, and face you. If it turns away from you, it
may kick.
Does the horse stand quietly as the handler enters the stall or does it
charge to get out? Does the seller walk right up to the horse's head or
does he seem to hesitate? Does the horse turn away, not wanting to be
caught? If it has been properly trained, it should be easy to catch, its
ears should reflect no fear or mistrust, and the seller should have no
reason to be afraid.
Learning from the stall
Examine the bedding. Is there any indication that the horse has been
eating it? Eating bedding is a bad habit. It makes feeding difficult
because such horses tend to fill up on bedding that has very little
nutritional value.
Has this particular horse been bedded with sawdust, shaving, or peat moss
while other horses are bedded with straw? The horse might have heaves or
some other respiratory ailment. Ask why straw was not used.
Is there a path around the edge of the stall? Stall walkers are hard to
cure.
Even the manure can give you a clue to the horse's health and the
condition of teeth. If excessive long straw or hay and whole grain appear
in the droppings, the horse may need some dental work.
Health records
Consider the horse's general health. Has it been treated for parasites in
the last three months? Has it been vaccinated within the last year for
tetanus and eastern-western equine influenza?
Be alert for runny noses; listen for coughs. Has the horse been tested for
swamp fever? Most horses purchased should be tested and shown negative.
Feet, legs and action
Observe the horse carefully as it is led from the stall. Be on guard for
even slight indications of limping, stiffness or the favoring of a leg or
foot.
Examine the feet and legs with care. Since a horse is no better than its
underpinnings, sound feed and legs are vital. Any problem with one foot or
leg is enough reason to reject the horse.
Give particular attention to the legs. Are they straight? Cannons should
be set squarely below a flat knee. Tendons should be well-defined.
Fetlocks must be strong. Pasterns should be directly below the cannon, and
sloping — not straight — between fetlock and hoof.
The hoof should be well-shaped and form good angles to the wall.
A sound horse walks correctly from the first step. Some unsound horses,
after having been warmed up, appear to be sound.
Look closely at the fetlocks, pasterns and hocks. Any swelling should
provoke serious doubts about soundness.
The head
Often an inexperienced person pays too much attention to the head. Just
because the head is attractive does not mean that the rest of the horse is
right. When the horse is led from the stable into the light, watch his
eyes. The pupils will contract quickly if vision is normal. They should be
clear with no cloudiness and no tearing. The eyes should be wide-set and
large.
Do the incisors meet? If not, and the horse has a parrot mouth or
undershot jaw, it probably cannot eat properly.
The body
Stand directly in front of the horse and compare the two sides. They
should match. Muscles in one side are often large, particularly in the
forearm. One of the flaws indicated by uneven development is a tendency to
use only one lead. Just as humans are either right-handed or left-handed,
a horse may favor one lead.
Repeat the inspection from directly behind the horse to detect hip and
stifle trouble. A horse is an athlete and, as such, must have enough
muscle to perform well, but the muscle must be of the proper kind. Avoid
the horse with short, bunchy muscles if you are looking for a mount with
agility and sustained speed over a long distance.
Next, examine the horse from the side. Shoulder and pastern angles and
straightness of legs are of major importance in this view. Does the horse
seem to be a bit long in the back? Chances are good that a long-backed
horse is a poor keeper. The shoulder is probably too straight as well.
Does it have enough withers to hold a saddle well? Are the withers too
high and sharp? White marks at the withers or just behind the elbow
indicate that the horse has old, healed saddle galls and girth chafes.
There may have been problems in the past in fitting a saddle and keeping
it in place.
Does the front half of the horse match the rear half? Lack of balance may
not look the best but may not detract seriously from the horse's
performance unless it is excessive. Remember that the main power and
thrust comes from the rear quarters and deficiency here is the most
damaging.
Horse at work
Before you make a final decision about the horse, have it worked until it
is warm. Notice its breathing. If its wind is broken, you can spot it now.
If it doesn't want to leave the stable and strongly resists or tries to
bolt for the barn, it is barn sour. Don't buy the horse unless someone in
your family is an experienced horse handler.
Watch the horse as it is ridden. Does it take the proper leads when asked?
Does it stop collected on its hindquarters or bounding on its forelegs?
Will it back readily with its mouth closed and head down? Does it toss its
head or go quietly? Does it wring its tail?
Does it fight the bit or tuck its chin to avoid it? Does it move out
freely with plenty of flexion in knees and hocks, or does it need a lot of
urging? Does it require restraint? Does it have to wear any correctional
equipment (martingales, tie downs, drop nosebands or similar items? Not
all of this equipment is allowed in the show ring. Worse yet, it may be
needed to prevent the horse from indulging in bad habits.
Ride the horse yourself, but remember that most horses will not perform at
their best for a strange handler. However, riding it yourself gives you
the chance to discover small details or to prove what you might have
suspected. Does it handle easily? Is it responsive, especially to leg
pressure? How sensitive is it? Does it accept handling by a stranger or is
it unduly upset?
Ride the horse at least once and preferably several times if you think
that you would like to purchase it. It is not fair to the horse to judge
its performance in one short ride with a complete stranger in the saddle.
When it becomes used to you and you both relax, you will be able to
evaluate it more fairly. However, if there are several reasons for
rejecting it and its performance is poor, look elsewhere.
Evaluate the horses under consideration
Be objective in your evaluation of the horses you are considering. If in
doubt look at more horses.
No horse is perfect. Your budget may dictate a horse with minor faults.
However, the horse you select should not have faults that are dangerous to
it or to you. It should be sound and willing enough to perform the
functions you require.
With patience and practice, minor problems can be worked out together and
horse and horse owner can become a happy combination.
Horse Whisperer Part II
I hoped you all liked the first part of this article. I now have an
article for all horse nut guys (and girls) who saw the ‘Horse Whisperer’
of Redford. It’s from the famous web page equisearch.com (check it out).
There’s a lot of info’ on Horse Whiperers there. Some of the information
for the first part of this article was taken from that page.
Lean back and enjoy.
Imagine a horse running full steam toward you. His ears are pinned, his
teeth are bared and he's mad as hell. Do you stand your ground and
hope
this raging creature will stop just in the nick of time?
You could be standing in Robert Redford's boots, filming "The Horse
Whisperer," where the script calls for this charging horse. The only
thing
standing between you and him, though not literally, is Rex Peterson.
While Redford starred and directed the actors in "The Horse
Whisperer,"
Peterson directed the horses. The movie is based on the highly
successful
book of the same title. Disney Studios has set a release date of May
15.
In the plot, a horse turns wicked after surviving a horrifying
accident on
an icy New England road. A man (played by Redford) known for his way
with
horses nurtures the horse, and ultimately the child owner, back to
normal.
Peterson used four different horses to play the leading horse role
("Pilgrim") in the movie. He already owned the main horse, an
unregistered
sorrel Quarter Horse named Hightower. He bought the other three just
for
"The Horse Whisperer." All three are registered Quarter Horses. Top
Decker
Special is a 1986 gelded grandson of Top Deck (TB) and also traces
to
Three Bars (TB) and Go Man Go. Whynotcash is a 1988 gelded son of
stakes
winner Lil Easy Cash, by Dash For Cash, out of a granddaughter of
War
Admiral (TB). Sierras Ghost is a double-bred Sonny Dee Bar gelding
foaled
in 1994. "I bought all three horses for a reason," Peterson said.
"The
Dash For Cash horse (called 'Cash') was a spoiled barrel horse, so I
knew
he had some attitude about him and was pretty iron tough. I had
ridden the
Jet Deck horse (called 'Maverick') before, so I knew him."
The horses playing Pilgrim perform some incredible stunts. "There
are some
things we did that I’m very proud of," Peterson said. "They were
difficult
things to get on film. And there are things I think the public will
be
amazed to see."
To film Pilgrim's mean side, Peterson trained each of his sorrel
horses to
fight and act mean on cue. That, he says, is the easy part. "The
hard part
is getting control of it, being able to turn it on and off when you
want
it," he explained. "Anybody can teach a horse to fight. The hard
thing is
to direct a horse to fight just me into the camera and not
everything
else. "Gaining the confidence and control of the horses before you
start
fighting them is the most important thing," he continued. "Cues for
control at liberty must be drilled to extreme so when you fight them
you
don't lose that control." (When Peterson refers to working his
horses at
liberty, he means they are completely free of any type of physical
aid,
like a bridle or lead rope. They respond to his voice and hand
commands.)
Each of the horses fights differently and were in different segments
of
the required fight scenes. "There's a fight scene inside a trailer,"
Peterson said. "I used Hightower when the actors were in there. Then
we
put in a stunt double and I put Cash in for one sequence. The horse
was
supposed to be in a back corner and just snap around and come at the
actor. Hightower would come around, but not with the fire that Cash
had.
When I put Cash in there, it cleared everybody out."
At one point in the film, the equine lead "fights" while standing in
a
pond. The script calls for the horse to have been locked in his
stall for
quite some time, so he is taken to the water as a form of
rehabilitation
and exercise. Once in the water, the horse blows up and the handlers
lose
control. "I had to have a horse rear and fight in this water and
still
control him," Peterson continued. "That took a little bit of
figuring, but
the scene is just phenomenal. I had one horse that went into the
pond and
came apart at the seams. He went in take after take and looks so
radical
and out of control. When it was over he just walked back out and
waited
for take two."
Filming the accident that sets the whole storyline in motion was a
big
challenge for Peterson's stars. In this scene, an 18-wheeler comes
careening around the corner of an icy road, sliding out of control
toward
two horses and their young riders. Peterson's two most famous horses
took
the lead. Hightower plays Pilgrim and Docs Keeping Time, better
known as
"Justin" and the star of "Black Beauty," plays the other horse. "I
had to
get Justin to lay down and allow that truck to come around the
corner
sliding sideways at him, then jump up and drag the stunt girl out of
the
middle of the road," Peterson said. "And all while keeping control
of
Hightower spinning and jumping around above him."
As if the truck and the ice weren't distracting enough, huge fans
sitting
just off camera blew fake snow onto the scene. Add in the fact that
the
female stunt double is Peterson's sister, shooting the scene became
a true
test of nerves. "You dang sure want people there that you have faith
in,"
he said. "That's my sister and those are my horses. When the stunt
coordinator said the truck would stop right here and drew a line in
the
snow, that's where the truck stopped."
Another scene got into the movie accidentally, at least from
Peterson's
viewpoint. At a time he wasn't needed for filming, the trainer took
two of
his horses out into an open field. Riding one horse, Peterson played
his
own game of tag with the other, unrestrained horse. A member of the
crew
caught the game on video, and after viewing it, Redford recreated it
to
include in the movie.
*HORSE CARE by Lindsay Casper
-----------
Bath Time!
We all remember our bath times when we were little. "Tilt your head
back, close your eyes, and plug your ears!" your mother would sing in a
lilting voice. Too bad it isn't that easy to give your 1,000lb. baby a
bath. Being prepared is the key to make bath time easier for both of you.
Since you will most likely become as wet as your horse, I suggest
wearing a bathing suit. Gather up all your supplies; I suggest... a fan
sprinkler nozzle, a long hose, shampoo (horse shampoo, dish soap, human
shampoo- it MUST be mild and gentle. Think of sensitive skin.), sponges,
bucket, and a rubber currycomb.
Prepare your soapy water, and wet your horse. Start with the legs
first- there isn't a water heater big enough for a horse's bath-
unfortunately. Get him wet all over. Then, start applying shampoo. Rub
in
with the currycomb. Finish currying him, then use the sponge and water to
clean his legs.
Rub his tail with all the water left in the bucket, and rub it in very
well. Same with his mane.
Rinse your horse, and rinse your horse, and RINSE your horse. Wash
himself off so much that the water is crystal clear. You leave any
shampoo, and you will have one uncomfortable animal.
Then, leave him out to dry, with a bit of hay to keep him company.
When
he is all dry, brush him off, and enjoy your clean smelling horse for as
long as possible- I'll promise you he will roll!
Comments or questions? Write to me at tareana@msn.com to tell me how you
feel.
*ALL ABOUT....Paddock vs. Stable
----------
Keeping horses stabled versus in the paddock
There are three basic arrangements you can have for looking after your
horse.
1) Lives in the stables fulltime
2) Lives out in the paddock fulltime
3) Lives both in and out
There are several advantages and disadvantages to each type and also it
depends on what type of horse you have as to which arrangement is best. Of
course expense and availability also has to be taken into consideration.
STABLE (Live in)
Advantages
-Your horse is easy accessible (no trying to catch him out in the field)
-You can control the amount your horse eats (no unlimited grass supply)
-The horse can’t roll in a patch of mud just after you’ve groomed him!
-It takes up less land, as a horse only needs a 12 X 12 ft stall instead
of at least an acre of paddock.
-When you muck out it’s all in one place (instead of having to clear out a
large paddock)
-The worm cycle is slowed a bit because the horses aren’t passing them on
to each other and the horse isn’t eating grass near worm infested dung
-Protection from the weather
Disadvantages
-The horse can easily become bored
-Borden causes such difficult vices as weaving, crib biting, and wind
sucking
-Bedding (such as straw, shavings etc.) can be expensive
-The horse cannot get exercise by himself and relies on you to take him out
-The stable must be mucked out at least twice a day
-The horse is missing out on his opportunity to let off some steam and
will be a livelier ride and may take more time to settle into work.
Best suited for
Horses in a high level of fitness and who are exercised twice a day, such
as racehorses and eventers. It should be noted that it is a good idea to
still turn them out to let off some steam now and again.
PADDOCK (Live out)
Advantages
-Cheap, no bedding costs
-The horse can exercise himself to a certain extent
-The horse is living more like he was intended to be
-More freedom, and so the horse is less likely to suffer from boredom
-Don’t have to buy the same quantities of feed, grass available
-The horse has already let off some steam and shouldn’t be as lively to
ride and should settle down to work more.
Disadvantages
-The horse can’t be fully clipped in winter or groomed with a soft brush
(because it takes out the coat’s natural oils) for showing.
-The paddock needs to be checked regularly for broken parts in the fence,
sharp objects and poisonous plants
-It can take a while to go around the paddock and pick up all the droppings
-Worms spread easier between horses
Best suited for
The family pony or horse, who is in light work and is a hardy type, such
as most ponies are.
STABLE AND PADDOCK (Live in and out)
Advantages
-The horse gets the ‘best of both worlds’
-You can adjust your horse’s diet, exercise, or condition more easily
Disadvantages
-You have to look after both the stable and paddock
-More costly than a paddock arrangement
Best suited for
Almost any horse will fit into this arrangement!
Next issue: Wild Horses
*TALES OF FOALHOOD by Erika
-------------------
I'm sorry - I know I'm not quite a regular writer here yet, but you've
seen
enough to know that its usually lighthearted. Well, this time its not,
its a
story of a wonderful horse whose time has come. If you've gone through
saying goodbye yourself, you know the agony I feel. If you haven't, you
can
probably feel it after reading my article.
Foalhood is such a cute stage. All spindly legs and tufted hair foals
capture our imagination. Then they grow older into that awkward stage of
the
terrible twos - some enter this stage early, some enter late, and some
don't
seem to enter this stage at all. I know one horse that never seemed to
enter
this stage - his name is Blitz. Blitz was born 26 years or so ago on a
small
farm in Kentucky. The only thing spectacular about his birth was the
speed
with which he was born - for which he got his name. Before he was one he
was
sold to another farm, this time a farm that wasn't nearly as nice as his
previous home. There he was mistreated and most horses would have had
their
spirit broken, but not Blitz. His ancestry of Arabians and Saddlebreds
led
to fire in his heart and in his eyes. Around two years of age he was sold
again, this time to my family. He was the first horse my mother ever
owned.
Jet black with a snip and a hind sock, he was beautiful from day one.
Never
an awkward stage it seemed. The fire coursing through his veins was never
put
out, just put to use. He lead many a trail ride even after loosing an eye
due to a negligent vet or maybe ignorant. He could jump with the best,
he'd
park out like the National Show horse he was and he'd float across the
ground
at a ground eating gallop like his desert ancestors. As he aged his fire
didn't go out, it just dimmed. He was willing to please and always
tried.
No matter what the task - whether ponying a youngster or leading a trail
ride
- Blitz always rose to the occasion. Now however, the fire in his eyes is
still there, but his body can't take it anymore. His stride once long and
smooth is now short and jerky. His beautiful outline once graceful and
full
is now sunken and loosing fullness at an alarming rate. His time has
come.
He must part this world a beloved horse who will be missed by all whom
were
ever graced with a meeting. So goodbye Blitz and farewell. This world
treated you well for 24 years and you did the same.
*Q&A by shareasmile@hotmail.com
---
Have any horse questions? E-mail them to shareasmile@hotmail.com and you
will be helped! :)
Dear shareasmile,
I have a small problem. My parents don't want to pay for my horsey
interests
but I REALLY want to ride, what can I do?
Hopeful Hannah
Dear Hannah,
You could offer to pay for or split the cost of lessons [or a horse if you
already have riding skills]. To earn money you could babysit or clean
people's tack for them. If your instructor accepts working students
[helping
him/her out in exchange for lessons] that is also an option!!
That is all for this time! Please get those questions into
shareasmile@hotmail.com ASAP! :)
*MY THOUGHTS by shareasmile
----------------------
The other day in class someone said "horses are dumb." I was very
insulted,
some horses I have known are much more responsive to emotions then people
I
know. Horses aren't dumb, they just think differently than us!! Grr I was
so
mad, know what i mean? Hope this provokes some thoughts!
*MANES & TAILS by Jamie
--------------
Still more horse movies
Another one of my favorite horse movies came out
in the 1950s, and was basically "an equine remake of
'Lassie Come Home'." The title is "GYPSY COLT," and
starred a famous television horse of the 50s named
FURY. More about this handsome and talented horse in
a later issue.
The story is set somewhere out west, in a rural
area, with a young girl who owns a black horse that
she has had since he was a foal, and of course the
horse, Gypsy, is her best friend. Gypsy will stick
his head in her bedroom window in the morning to wake
her up, and when she is ready, she jumps on his back
and rides him to school bareback. She never rides
with a saddle.
Her parents are not doing well financially, and
one day they make the painful decision to sell Gypsy
to get some money they desperately need. Naturally,
the girl is distraught, but she and Gypsy have such a
strong bond that the horse soon escapes from his new
owner and shows up at her school after class, and she
rides him home. But of course the horse has to go
back to his new owner, who takes the horse far away.
Gypsy breaks away when the horse trailer stops for a
rest and he's taken out. He gallops off and is soon
being chased by a bunch of guys on motorcycles down
the beach.
Finally, Gypsy makes it back to the girl's home,
tired, with a few cuts, and caked with mud. The girl
is so glad to see her beloved horse again that her
parents cannot bear to see her unhappy again, and a
deal is worked out with the new owner where she gets
to keep Gypsy for good.
Another film that came out a long time ago is
"SMOKY," based on the book by western writer Will
James about a wild black mustang stallion and the
cowboy who tames him. The cowboy, Clint, gentles the
horse, names him "Smoky," and starts training him to be
a cowhorse. But Smoky will only let Clint near him,
no one else. The horse gets sold to a rodeo as a
bucking bronco, and reverts to his wild nature again.
Meanwhile, Clint looks and looks for Smoky, but
eventually goes off to WWII, and upon returning,
attends a rodeo where Smoky just happens to be
performing. He finally sees Smoky and barely
recognized him. He arranges to buy the horse and, I
believe, sets him free to roam the range once again.
Both this movie and "GYPSY COLT" are seldom shown on
TV.
Another oldie but goodie and seldom shown movie
has former child star Shirley Temple in it as a young
woman who plays a role in the life of a famous
racehorse of long ago, (late 1930s-early 40s?) named
SEABISCUIT, in "THE STORY OF SEABISCUIT."
Unfortunately, I don't know much about the horse,
except that he did race against a famous Triple Crown
winner and BEAT him. I believe the horse SEABISCUIT
beat was a son of the great MAN O' WAR, WAR ADMIRAL.
But I'm not certain of that, so don't quote me on it.
The movie, as I remember the last time I saw it, had a
great deal of emphasis on the lives of the people
connected to SEABISCUIT, and not a whole lot about the
training of the horse and his career, but it did have
a good human interest angle in it.
In future issues, I plan to try to research the
lives of famous horses and write a column about them,
one horse at a time.
Till next time, Happy riding!
*THOROUGHBRED RACING by Anna Rempfer
***********************Thoroughbred Racing****************************
**********************September 18-25, 1999***************************
~~~Queen's Plate Winner Euthanized After Injury~~~
Gus Schickerdanz, owner of Queen's Plate winner Woodcarver. This flashy
gray colt won the Queen's Plate three months prior to his devastating
accident. On September 12, Gus buried his prized colt at his farm in
Ontario.
Woodcarver was euthanized the day before due to his catastrophic injury to
his left front foreleg. On the day of September 11, about 70 yards from
the
finish line during a six-furlong (one furlong equals 220 meters) on the
main
track at Woodbine racecourse, Woodcarver fell, flipped over twice, tossed
rider Mickey Walls and ran loose for another eighth of a mile. Rider
Mickey
Walls was unhurt, but a bleeding Woodcarver was in severe distress.
Woodcarver, by Woodman - Sharpening Up, by Sharpen Up, won three of nine
starts and earned $464,626. The colt was insured.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
** Storm Cat's stud fee is upped to $300,000
** Coronado's Quest's fee is upped to $75,000
** Honest and True, dam of Epitome died due to colic surgery
** Regal Search Euthanized, a Florida stallion
** Freetex, who upset Riva Ridge in the 1972 Monmouth Invitational, was
30-years-old, dead.
~~**************Victory Gallop Starting Off At $25,000**************~~
Classic winner Victory Gallop, who will enter stud at brothers Art, Jack
and
J.R. Preston's Prestonwood Farm near Versailles, Ky., will start off at
$25,000. "He will probably cover 80 mares and maybe a hundred if he can
handle it," said farm manager Rich Decker. "He'll let us know if he can."
Four-year-old Victory Gallop (Cryptoclearance - Victorious Lil, by Vice
Regent) won the 1998 Belmont Stakes (grade I race) over Real Quiet after
finishing second to the rival in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
This year, he defeated another dual classic winner, Silver Charm, in
winning
the Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. II race) in track-record time of 1:47.28
at
Churchill Downs. He also ran third in the Dubai World Cup this spring,
captured the Whitney Handicap (gr.I) by a nose over Behrens at Saratoga in
his last start. He was retired with 9 wins from 17 starts and earnings of
$3,505,895.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Texas Stallion Dead ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To Freedom, a Texas stallion, died from complications of colic on Sept. 8
at
Millennium Farms near Belton. Bred in Florida by Charles Patton.
To Freedom (Blue Ensign - Hindu Diplomat, by Diplomat Way) was a graded
stakes winner in 1990 as a two-year-old and in the next two years, then
was
retired with nine wins from 28 starts and earnings of $447,335. He
entered
stud at age six in 1994 as property of Heinlein and Prestonwood at Dixiana
Farm near Lexington.
The eleven-year-old stallion sired two stakes winners.
*************************** Racing News ******************************
*** Mike Pengram's filly SILVERBULLETDAY wins the $200,000 Gazelle
Handicap,
gaining her 11th straight victory over fillies and taking aim on possible
Horse of the Year honors.
*** Val Prince's victory in the Man o' War stakes is his first score since
Hong Kong in 1997, co-owner Steve Weiner.
*** Garden City stakes winner, Perfect Sting gets her first grade I stakes
under Pat Day.
*** Forest Camp's win in the $250,000 Del Mar Futurity (gr.III race), a
Bob
Baffert colt. This was his fourth straight Futurity win.
*** River Keen defeats Almutawakel by a nose in the Woodward Memorial.
*** Bevo is brave winning the grade I Futurity Stakes on Sept. 19.
*** Finder's Fee upends Darling My Darling and Circle of Life in the
Matron
Stakes (grade I race).
*** Hawskley Hill and Pat Day were disqualified after impending Jim and
Tonic giving Quiet Resolve to Atto Mile win.
*** Kirkwall holds off Special Quest and Game Play in the By Meadows
Handicap.
*** Kayf Tara pulls double duty in the Irish St. Leger.
** On the Tube: Sunday, October 3rd, the Kentucky Cup on NBC, 3-4 PM.
That's all for racing news, until then . . .
*HORSE JARGON by Bethany
-------------
Grooming Equipment
Groom--to clean and care for a horse.
Body Brush--used to remove dust from a horse`s coat.
Curry Comb--made of rubber or metal. Used primarily to clean bristles on
body brush. Metal combs should not be used on a horse. Rubber combs may
be used in a circular motion on shoulders, neck, and hind quarters.
Dandy Brush--stiff-bristled brush used to remove mud.
Hoof Pick--a hooked metal device used for removing stones and debris
from a hoof.
Mane/Tail Comb--long-toothed comb for cleaning and combing the mane and
tail.
Stable Rubber--a cloth of any material used for polishing a horse`s
coat.
Sweat Scraper--a curved metal or plastic blade used to scrape water or
sweat from a horse`s coat.
*BB`s SITE REVIEWS by
------------------
If you know of a horse site you like and think others will like, send it
to
me at hrsgrl@hotmail.com
I`ll review it and post it here. I`ll do 2 or 3 sites a week.
This weeks sites are:
1) www.blipz.com
***** out of *****
A good site. It has where you can adopt Virtual petz that can be sent to
the
pound, get sick, etc. You earn credits to buy different pets. Some of the
pets are: Cats (2 kinds) Dogs (2 kinds), a horse, Pegasus, unicorn,
smiley,
dolphin and a raptor.
2) www.usdf.org
*** of *****
It`s a good site if you like dressage. It has where you can learn about
it,
some places where competitions are held, and a jr. riders discussion form.
That`s all for today. Send in your horse links.
*HORSE HELP by Emily E.
-----------
Do you have a horse related question? Send it to me @
delliott@ecsu.campuscw.net and I`ll
answer it or look it up. I`ll answer questions about riding, horse
diseases and other stuff about them. This week`s question is:
Dear Emily E.~
I own a darling mare. I think she has a fungus that is commonly called
scratches on her two rear legs, above both hocks, and right on her butt
muscles! I asked about this on a bulletin board, and they said it might be
related to her living in so much sand. My mare usually throws a hissy fit
if you pull out any hair- mane and tail included- but she doesn't even
mind
when I pull the fungus hair out. There is a greyish matter surrounding a
largish clump of hair; as I said, it pulls out very easily. My question
is; how does a horse get this nasty gunk, and what in heaven's name is
it???
Tareana
P.S~ if anyone has this problem, here's how to cure it: scrub daily with
betadine, it will go away after awhile (all the more reason why I believe
it
is a fungus.)
Dear Tareana,
Here is some info I found about scratches: ~+~ Fungus can occur in the
pastern area, at the horse's heels. Called Scratches in the US and Mud
Fever in England, it is caused by the horse standing in wet muddy areas.
Treatment for this is the same as for the Rain Rot - gently scrape off
the scales and apply Desitin to treat the area. Drying the heels
thoroughly after bathing will help too. ~+~ No where have I found that
it`s deadly or harmful to your horse. But if you haven`t I would ask a
vet about it, just to be on the safe side. None of the horses my friend
or I have seen have had that problem, yet. That stuff she has sounds
gross. It probley is a fungus b/c most funguses come off easily.
*HORSE POLLS
---------
Now I have some Horse Polls on the website for you to vote for your
opinion! Go to https://www.angelfire.com/id/horsemania/polls.html to vote!
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?
Thoroughbred- 0 votes
Arabian- 1 vote (50%)
Quarter Horse- 1 vote (50%)
Other Horse Breed- 0 votes
Other Pony Breed- 0 votes
What style of horseriding do you prefer?
English- 2 votes (67%)
Western- 0 votes
Bareback- 0 votes
Both English & Western- 1 vote (33%)
I don't ride- 0 votes
*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.
Here are the ads for this issue:
First Name: Darelle
Email Address: darelleo@hotmail.com
Country: Canada B.C.
Age:11
Horse Owner?: yes
Other Comments: none
*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 #9
--------------------------------
