When I am an Old Horsewoman
When I am an old Horsewoman
I shall wear turquoise and diamonds,
and
a straw hat that doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my social security on red wine and carrots,
And sit in my alley-way of my barn
And listen to my horses breathe.
I will sneak out in the middle of a summer night
And ride the old bay gelding,
Across the moonstruck meadow
If my old bones will allow.
And
when people come to call, I will smile and nod
As
I walk past the gardens to the barn and show instead the flowers
growing inside stalls fresh-lined with straw.
I will shovel and sweat and wear hay in my hair as if it were a jewel.
And I will be an embarrassment to all,
Who will not yet have found the peace in being free to have a
horse as a
best friend,
A
friend who waits at midnight hour
With muzzle and nicker and patient eyes
For the kind of woman I will be
When I am old.
Ten Great
Horse Records
The Tallest Horse:
Samson, born in 1846, stood 21.2 1/2 hands high
and weighed 3,360 pounds!
A hand is equal to four inches, so that's 7.2
feet high at the withers! Imagine trying to ride a horse THAT big!
The Smallest Horse:
His name was Little Pumpkin, and he was only 14
inches tall at the withers, and weighed just 20 pounds! He was born April 15,
1973.
The Oldest Horse:
Old Billy (fitting name!) lived to be 62 years
old. That's ancient! He was born in 1760 and died in 1822, and lived in England.
Oldest Pony:
Sugarpuff, a pony that lived in England, lived
to be 56 years old. He was a Shetland x Exmoor gelding and he was put down due
to health problems. He was seal brown in color.
The Highest Jump:
Huaso could have easily jumped over the biggest
horse in the world! He is the world record holder, jumping 2.47 meters, or 8
feet, 2 inches! He was a Thoroughbred born in Chile and was ridden by Captain
Alberton Larraguibel Morales. You can read the whole story here!
The Longest Jump:
A horse named
"Something" jumped an amazing 27 feet, 6.75 inches over water! ridden He was
ridden by Andre Ferreira in
Johannesburg, South Africa in 1975
The most expensive horse:
The Green Monkey, a Thoroughbred racehorse, was
purchased for $16 million... he was later retired from racing when he was raced
3 times and placed third once.
The Most Races Ever Won:
Kingston, a Thoroughbred, ran 138 races and won
89 of them.
The Fastest Horses:
Quarter Horses are said to be able to sprint at
almost 50 miles per hour! Thoroughbreds race longer distances, and often win
races going 35-40 miles per hour!
The Greatest Load Ever Pulled
A Shire horse named Vulcan pulled an incredible
29 tons, when he was measured in 1924 with a "dynamometer", an instrument used
to measure power. Two Shire horses then pulled the max that registered on the
dynamometer-- over 50 tons!
CURRENT AHA NEWS &
PROMOTIONS
Swayze Book and Posters Serve as Youth Fundraiser
Give friends and family Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi's book,
""The Time of My Life." Book proceeds benefit Youth Programs. Pair this
heart-felt book with the Patrick Swayze and Tammen poster at a discounted rate.
Books are $20, Posters are $10 each or you can get the pair for $25.
Don't let your Arabian horses slip into the shadows... Register
them --it's their birthright!
Sadly, unregistered horses lose their connection to the heritage
of the Arabian breed. Without ever being registered, there is no historical
record of their bloodline, progeny, accomplishments, or even their existence.
Horses without a registration number or certificate are also less valuable and
desirable when being sold.
RESULTS Joins AHA as Corporate Sponsor
Arabian Results, Ltd., the daily chronicle at the major Arabian
horse shows since 1988, is welcomed by the Arabian Horse Association (AHA) as an
official Corporate Sponsor. Conceived, owned and managed by Christy and Jim
Egan, RESULTS has grown into the premier source of information at the shows,
from the first class on the first day, to the last victory pass on finals night.
Scholarship Established in Honor of Patrick Swayze and Lisa
Niemi
A scholarship in honor of Patrick Swayze and his wife Lisa Niemi
has been established by the Arabian Horse Foundation (AHF), based in Denver,
Colorado. Swayze and Niemi have had close ties to the Arabian horse breed and
owned Arabian horses for many years.
Stan Morey, Known for Fairness, Hired as AHA Judges and
Stewards Commissioner
The Arabian Horse Association (AHA) announced Saturday that R.
Stanton Morey of Edmond, Okla., has been hired as the new Judges and Stewards
Commissioner. He will start on November 16 in time for the AHA Convention in
Reno, Nev.
Adequan Joins Forces With Arabian Horse Association As The
"Official Joint Therapy Sponsor"
The Arabian Horse Association announced that one of the nation's
leaders in the fight against degenerative joint disease in horses, the
veterinarian-trusted name of Adequan® is now a corporate sponsor and the
"Official Joint Therapy Sponsor of AHA."
What's Your Horse's
Favorite Flavor?
What flavors do horses prefer? Not those you might expect.
according to a study from England. In taste tests conducted at the University of
Southampton, fenugreek (an herb often used in curry dishes), banana and cherry
topped the list of flavors preferred by horses. ahead of more traditional fare,
such as carrot and peppermint. In the first phase of the study. which lasted for
16 days, eight horses received their usual forage every day along with six small
portions of feed, each infused with a different flavor. How much of each
flavored feed was consumed and over what period of time was observed and
recorded. Of the 15 flavors, only 12 were eaten by all the horses. In the
study's second phase. the eight flavored meals that had been eaten most quickly
were then presented to the horses two at a time in all combinations to discern
which they liked best.
Analysis of the final data showed that the top eight
flavors were, in order of preference, fenugreek, banana, cherry, rosemary,
cumin, carrot, peppermint and oregano.
By modern standards the results may be surprising, but a review
of different cultures and historical records suggests that equine predilections
are fairly consistent, says Deborah Goodwin, PhD, who headed the study.
"In India horses are routinely offered bananas, and the Greeks and Romans fed
fenugreek to horses." she says. In the United Kingdom when horses worked the
land. fenugreek and cumin were used to encourage fussy eaters to eat their
food."
Goodwin's work may eventually lead to the formulation of tastier
rations for horses, but she says she hopes it may ultimately have health
benefits as well: "We know from previous work that horses prefer variety in
their forage ration. Yet owners vary the concentrate ration with great caution
due to concerns over colic. This work suggests that by varying just the flavor
of an otherwise identical diet we may be able to provide the variety horses need
without changing the nutritional content of the diet."
This article originally appeared in the May 2006 issue of
EQUUS magazine
If
horses were software....
A letter to tech
support
Dear Tech Support
Recently I purchased and
installed Horse 1.0. I soon noticed that this program appears to have numerous
glitches. For instance, every time my computer boots up, I have to run Feed 5.3
and Water 7.1. Many times I've been in the middle of writing an important
document, and a window will flash telling me to run Clean Stall 2.0. This
program also contained applications I did not wish to install, such as Manure
8.5, however they auto-installed with Horse 1.0. Applications such as Vacation
2.7 and Free Time 10.1 can no longer run, crashing whenever selected. Possibly
the worst is that Horse 1.0 has attached itself to programs like Finance Manager
and MS Money, with folders added such as "Monthly Shoeing" and "Winter Blanket'.
Periodically, I'll get a reminder telling me to send a check to the manufacturer
of Horse 1.0 for the aforementioned items. I have tried to uninstall Horse 1.0
numerous times, but when I try to run the uninstall program, I get warning
messages telling me that a deadly virus known as 'Withdrawal" will infect my
system. Please Help!!!!!
THE REPLY:
Dear User,
Your complaint is not
unusual. A common misconception among users is that Horse 1.0 is a mere
"utilities and entertainment program." It is not - it is an OPERATING SYSTEM and
is designed by its' creator to run everything! A warning will soon be imprinted
on the box. Since you have already installed Horse 1.0, here are a few tips on
how to make it run better. If you are annoyed by the applications Feed 5.3 and
Water 7.1, you may run C: \HIRE HELP, however this will cause another folder to
be added to financial applications, labeled "Staff'. Failure to send payment to
"Staff' will result in Feed 5.3 and Water 7.1 being run again on startup. A note
of caution: NOT booting up your computer for several days isn't the solution to
avoiding Feed 5.3 and Water 7.1. You will find that, when you boot up your
computer again, a nasty virus called "Colic 4.2" will have attached itself to
important documents and the only way to rid your computer of Colic 4.2 is by
purchasing and installing "Vet 10.1", which we admit is extremely expensive, but
crucial. Otherwise, Colic 4.2 will cause irreversible damage to the operating
system. Finally, it is important that you run C: \Carrots and C:\Scratch Ears on
a fairly regular basis to keep the application running smoothly. If you have any
more questions, please call our toll free number.
Sincerely, Tech Support
Going Equine Green Tips
from
the Forum
The
winter 2008 issue of Everything For
Horse & Rider, the shopping magazine
for horse people, featured a story full of advice on how to make your barn more
eco-friendly and reduce your--and your horse's-environmental footprint. Read
more "green" tips from our forum members.
Conserve Water
"Simple stuff matters!!! Put a sprayer head
on your hose that you can easily turn off water flow during baths,
between water buckets, etc." --Solaris
"Bathe with
a bucket and sponge. Your horse doesn't need a shower! Soak,
turn
off
the hose,
later up, than rinse. There's no reason to keep the water running
constantly." --Citabobita
"I re-use
rain water. We have the down spouts run into tubs to catch the rain. If it's not
clean enough for horses to drink (depends on your roof shingles), we use it
around the barn for dust control and/or watering plants."
--Spragueme
"In stalls, move your water
buckets away from the feed buckets. A water
bucket that is not located within 'dribbling' range of the feed tub will
stay cleaner much longer, saving you both water and time."
--Citabobita
By the
EquiSearch.com Staff
Horses In Winter
As the weather turns cold, many horses are ridden less and
less. It is easy to become relaxed in a horse's daily care since they are not
being used as often. However, horses still require much care and attention
throughout the winter.
Here are just a few of the points to think about when caring for your horses
during those frigid
winter months.
·
For a horse to be an "easy keeper" during the winter he needs to be free
of parasites, in good flesh,
and properly immunized going into the winter. We tend to
think that if we are cold, our horses must be cold. Not necessarily so. Preconditioning horses before
the onset of cold temperatures helps to reduce the effect of cold weather on the
horse and will reduce his nutritional needs to maintain weight. A horse
shouldn't lose weight in the winter. In fact, a little extra layer of fat to
fend off the cold won't hurt. Fat cover acts as an insulator and provides energy
reserves during stress. Altering
your feeding program for the upcoming winter by
providing some extra calories will allow horses to
lay down an insulating layer of fat under the skin.
·
The winter coat is a horse's first defense from the cold. When allowed to
grow, a horse's natural coat acts as a thermal blanket. A winter coat is also
naturally greasy, which helps repel snow, ice and
sleet. Horses that are to be
maintained outside should be allowed to grow long hair coat, plus the hair
within the ears and around the fetlocks should not be clipped throughout the
winter months. Stabled horses may need blanketing when they are turned out
during the day, but the best blanket for an out-side horse is his own full
winter coat.
·
Falling temperatures, wind and wet conditions cause a tremendous demand on
the horse's body for heat production. As with all warm-blooded animals, horses
must maintain their body temperature to survive. The environmental temperature
and the heat produced within the body determine the extent
to which heat must be
conserved. The body does little to regulate heat generation and heat loss when
the environmental temperatures are within ranges of the animal's comfort zone or
the "thermal neutral
zone."
As environmental temperatures fall below the minimal temperature of the comfort
zone or "critical
temperature," heat production is increased by the body by speeding up chemical
reactions which produce heat.
·
The combination of cold wind and rain or sleet is probably the worst case
scenario for a horse. Under those conditions, without shelter, he can quickly
become chilled. Older horses, in particular, tend to have difficulty maintaining
their internal temperatures in such circumstances. The effects of falling
temperatures, wind and wet conditions will put a enormous requirement on the
horse's body for heat
production. How much body condition a horse loses depends on the severity
and duration of the cold season and the amount of energy the horse receives from its feed.
·
Know in advance what you are going to feed during the winter months. When
first frost kills your summer pasture is not the time to decide on a winter
feeding program and it can be detrimental to
your horse. When the temperatures dip, the best heat
source for your horse is extra hay. During the
cold weather it is best to increase the amount of
hay, not concentrated feeds. Hay is digested in the
cecum and colon which results in heat production by bacterial fermentation.
·
Without water, nothing in your horse's body will function. Water should be
available at all times.
Water should be maintained between 45-65 degrees F and any ice crystals
should be removed. If you are in an area that has regular freezing, check the water supply twice
daily as horses will drink 8 to 12 gallons a day.
·
Stalling is not necessary for all horses but protection from the winter
elements is necessary. Horses acclimate to winter conditions extremely well but
need to be able to escape the bitter winds and moisture. A small, three sided
run in shed or timberline to provide escape from strong winds and
snow or ice is often all that
is necessary for pastured horses. Horses provided shelter will require less
feed, can more easily maintain body weight and are less stressed. These effects
make the cost of sheds and windbreaks more attractive by reducing feed bills and
reducing stress related sickness.
·
Care should be taken when leaving younger, less experienced horses on
winter pasture. Running an older horse as a "baby sitter" can help teach the
youngsters how to find shelter, food and water.
Consult your local equine veterinarian when you have
questions or concerns about your horses health
and well-being. Create and
maintain a proper winter management plan for your horses and they will
respond by coming out of winter fit and ready for the new
year.
Submitted by
Debbie
Price
Thank You Debbie for the information
!.f.'
Making the Most of
Vaccinations
By Barb Crabbe, DVM
Take the following steps to ensure
the vaccinations you administer will be as effective as
possible.
1.
Maintain all of your
horses on the same vaccination schedule.
2.
If you are
administering vaccines yourself, make sure you can do it properly.
3.
Obtain your vaccines
from a reliable source--where they've been kept in a clean, refrigerated
environment. If they become contaminated,
you could risk an injection-site reaction.
That leads me to a word about adverse reactions. Even if you do
everything correctly, there's always a chance
for adverse reactions. These include:
·
Acute allergic
reactions-called anaphylaxis. In this situation, your horse's immune system
responds too strongly to the antigen that's administered-leading to events
that can result in collapse or even death. Anaphylactic reactions, although
frightening, are extremely rare.
·
Local injection site
reactions-ranging from sore spots in the muscle to the formation of an
abscess. Note: Abscesses can occur if bacteria enter the skin during the
vaccination processes, although it's also possible for your horse to
develop a sterile abscess-one that
contains no bacteria-simply because of the way his body responds to
the vaccine.
Barb Crabbe, DVM, is an equine
practitioner in Oregon City, Ore., whose
practice is 70 percent dressage horses. A lifelong horsewoman, she is an
equestrian journalist, a US. Dressage Federation "L" graduate and has competed
through Prix St. Georges.
Married With Horses: A Husband Shares
His StoryHave you ever wondered how your spouse cares for your horses
while you're out of town? Share a morning with a husband who is "married with
horses."
By Jeremy Law
I feel rather fortunate. It took me only 30 years to decipher the meaning of my
life, and ironically, the success is completely unrelated to my college
philosophy major. For me, the realization occurred when I met the woman I wanted
to marry. I fell in love with her instantly. I also fell in love with her two
children; her two hairy, four-legged, occasionally moody, sixteen-hand-tall,
hay-eating children.
Yes, my wife is a horsewoman. Before we were married I did not know quite what
this meant. Some people believe that certain individuals are interested in
horses in the way that others may like dogs, cats or hamsters. I have had dogs,
cats and hamsters. Equine ownership is something entirely unique. Horses are not
pets; they are a lifestyle.
I will never say to anyone: "My wife has horses." If your life partner owns
horses, you also own horses. Caring for our horses has changed much about my
life. I can no longer imagine sleeping late, and I don't mind at all. I look
forward to the sunrise, even if I go to bed late. I enjoy the sound and smell of
breaking off flakes of hay. I savor the scrape of the scoop against the inside
of the bucket as I mix beet pulp with grain. I think the click of an electric
fence is a comfort, and I even find a freshly mucked stall to be terribly
satisfying. This is quite fortunate considering my wife travels with her job.
"Have a great trip," I say as I help her to the skycap with her luggage, "The
boys and I will be just fine." I check my pocket to make sure I have my phone
list: farrier, vet, neighbor, trainer and a long list of our horsey friends. I
kiss her goodbye and navigate light traffic to return to our house.
It's 7 a.m. and 26 degrees. I'm starving, so, I feed everyone else first. I go
out to the stalls where the horses stand waiting. I do my best to give our two
horses some hay to eat while I soak the beet pulp. They manage to eat most of
the hay before I even get the stall door open.
I figure they need some water to drink with their meal, but the previous night
was well below freezing and using the water hose is not an option. I grab a
couple of buckets and run to the house to get them water. I run back. I grab two
new buckets. I measure out differing amounts of beet pulp for each, and run back
to the house for more hot water, wondering if I'm even doing any of this
correctly. I run back to the stalls and set the buckets of pulp aside to soak.
I jog out to the pasture with a roofing hammer and spend far too long breaking
up the ice in the trough. When I'm done, I am soaked, freezing and there is
definitely not enough water in the trough for the horses. So it's back to the
house. Then it's back to the pasture, several times. I grab the beet pulp and
measure out the proper amounts of grain and several supplements and mix it all
together. The horses hear me stirring their food and with some snorting and
whinnying they let me know I'm taking way too long. While our horses eat, I
portion out some kibble for our cats, kibble for one of our dogs and canned food
for the other.
Now, the horses figure that yelling at me is a fine way to tell me they're ready
to go out. So I lead one horse into the pasture, hold onto him while I fiddle
with the four strands of the electric gate, then I fiddle with getting his
halter off. When I return to the stalls, the other horse is not feeling much
like wearing a halter this morning. I remain calm for 10 minutes and countless
attempts at putting the halter on. It pays off. I lead him out, hold him while I
fiddle with opening the gate, then hold him while I get it closed. Now he won't
let me take his halter off. Ten more minutes of my being calm, but persistent
and he finally relents. I look at my watch. It's two minutes past eight, and I'm
late for work.
A while later, I am at work, seated and looking out the window, wondering if I
put the right blankets on the horses. If it rains today I may return home to get
them in. What did these animals do before we came along? More correctly: what
did we do before these animals came along? What did I do, for that matter?
I can't imagine being satisfied with any other kind of life. I love being
married with horses. Tonight, my wife will call from another city, and I'll ask
her some horse questions and tell her that we all miss and love her. We are
considering getting another horse and show season starts in less than a month,
but those are probably adventures for another time.
Jeremy Law and his wife, Kimberly, live on a small farm in Grifton, N.C., with
their two cats, two dogs and two horses.
Submitted by Laurie Henkel
Which of Your Horse's Legs is Lame?
This article is excerpted
from the book Hands-On Senior Horse Care by Karen Hayes, DVM, MS, and Sue
Copeland.
In most cases, pinpointing lameness in your
horse's legs isn't difficult if you follow these steps.
What
you're looking for:
 |
Head-bob:
Your horse's head bobs UP when a sore forelimb hits the ground. His head
bobs DOWN when a sore hind limb hits the ground. (Tip: A head-bob is
easiest to see when your horse is trotted toward you. As a general rule,
the more pronounced the bob, the more severe the pain.)
|
|
Hip-hike or
hip-drop: The hip on one side rises
HIGHER and or/sinks LOWER than the other side. (Tip: This is easiest to
see when your horse is trotted away from you. Make it more visible by
sticking a piece of white adhesive tape on each hip to give your eye a
reference point.) |
|
Toe-drag:
The toe of the affected hind limb drags
the ground on the forward swing. |
|
Shortened
stride: The stride on one leg is shorter
than the stride on the other legs. |
Now,
locate the lame leg:
Follow these steps. Call your veterinarian if you
observe any sign of injury or lameness in Steps 1, 2 or 3. If you still can't
ferret out the lameness, call your vet for help.
Step
1. Examine your horse's legs and feet for external evidence of injury.
|
Stand him squarely on solid, level
ground, and then visually examine each leg and coronary band for bumps,
swellings, wounds, discharges or other such problems.
|
|
Feel each hoof for excess heat, and then
check the strength of your horse's digital pulse (using the thumb and
middle fingers of your right hind, feel behind and on either side of his
lower fetlock--above the sesamoid area--with your palm on the front and
fingers rapped toward the back until you feel a faint pulse.)
|
|
Pick up, clean and examine each foot for
nails, cracks, bruises or other abnormalities. Note any resistance,
which could indicate pain in another foot, hence his reluctance to
increase the load there. |
Step
2. Watch your horse trot a straight line. Lameness that's barely perceptible
at the walk can become more evident at the trot.
|
Find a flat, smooth surface with solid
footing. |
|
Recruit a helper. Give her a crop or
whip, if necessary, to help get your horse trotting in-hand.
|
|
Have your helper trot the horse on a
straight line away from you, for about 50 feet, loosely holding the lead
so as not to inhibit a head-bob. Then have the pair trot toward you,
then past you, so you can view the horse from the front and side.
|
|
Repeat the exercise two to three times.
If you still can't identify the lame leg(s), one of three things could
be happening: |
1. Your horse may be too lame, fresh or
uncomfortable to cooperate.
2. The lameness is bilateral or too subtle to show up on a straight
line.
3. There is no lameness.
Step
3. Lunge your horse.
Have your helper lunge the horse in both
directions, gradually tightening the circle. Or have your helper trot him in
circles in-hand. As a general rule, the tighter the circle, the more
pronounced the lameness. Still can't see the problem's origin? Call your
vet.
Submitted by Laurie Henkel
The second
installment of a very funny story on the topic of foaling. Submitted by Laurie
Henkel
Fighting Foaling Frenzy & Surviving Foaling Season
By Kelly S. Sharpe
Your local tack
shop will probably have foaling announcements. They usually come in packages of
twelve, with envelopes. Buy two. You can spend the waiting time addressing the
envelopes and filling in all the information except the date and whether it is a
colt or filly. If you cannot find foaling announcements, just pick up a couple
of packs of baby announcements at your local Hallmark shop. Be sure and cross
out "boy" and "girl", and write in "colt" or "filly". Otherwise, it startles a
recipient to find out you've had a 95 lb. baby. Be sure to get a big pink or
blue bow for your mailbox. (What's really fun is if you have two mares that foal
within a month or two of each other, and you get a colt and a filly. It startles
passing motorists to see a pink bow on your mailbox only a short time after
seeing a blue one.) Be careful with "It's A Boy" or "It's A Girl" balloons in
the barn. Some mares are firmly convinced balloons are aliens that have come to
earth to round up all the mares and take them to some strange planet where
they'll become school horses for spoiled six-year- olds.
Don't forget a baby halter. They come in pink and blue, and have a little strap
hanging from the bottom, theoretically for ease of catching the newborn. Don't
be misled by this strap. Its actual purpose is so the newborn can drag you
around the pasture. Which color should you buy? That's easy; buy one of each.
Keep the color you need, and give the other one to a friend who may not be as
well prepared as you when their mare foals.
Write down your vet's phone number in a conspicuous place - such as on the
inside wall of your barn with a can of Day-Glo spray paint. “I don't care how
long you've had his or her number memorized, you will forget it”. It's important
to be able to reach your vet in case of emergency, such as getting up and down
repeatedly after contractions begin, and nothing happening, or obvious abdominal
distress unrelated to foaling. If you experience either of these symptoms, call
your vet immediately. Your farrier's number is not really necessary - few mares
feel the sudden need for shoes right after foaling. Of course, if she feels very
strongly about shoes, I would certainly recommend giving her whatever she wants.
It is always helpful to know the signs that foaling is imminent. Any good book
on horse care will include this information, or your vet will be more than happy
to discuss it with you. Basically, when you see a hoof emerge from under the
mare's tail, you can be pretty sure foaling is very close. There are other
signs, such as the worst rainstorm in fifty years blowing up at 8 pm, or an
unexpected visit from relatives you haven't seen in twenty years, but the hoof
test is really the only 100% reliable one I've found. The "waxing over" thing is
okay - if your mare's udder is a little waxy, you can assume she will foal
sometime in the next month or so. That should narrow it down a bit for you,
anyway. Your mare's personality is a good indicator of how easy or difficult the
birth will be. If she is a timid, nervous mare who shies at everything, she will
foal quickly and easily with no problems. If she's a sturdy, no-nonsense honest
mare that'll take you through a minefield and never blink at the explosions, the
foal will be born upside down and sideways.
Please resist the urge to grab the foal's front legs and yank it out to find out
what it is. Also, resist the impulse to shove it back in and ask the mare to
work on it a little longer. Foals in the process of being born may not look like
your mental picture of a brand-new baby, especially if you've never seen one.
Their ears are wet and folded back against their heads, and they have an
expression on their faces that seems to say, "I have absolutely no idea what is
happening to me, but when I get myself together, I'm sure I won't like it." When
the foal is completely out, try to refrain from gathering it in your arms and
running to the house with it to raise it yourself. It's a major temptation, I
know, but pretty soon it's going to realize how hungry it is and it's going to
want a meal. Then what are you going to do? Better to leave it with its mother,
at least for six months or so. Then it's yours forever.
Friends and family are going to want to come over to see the new arrival. If you
can get them to wait a day or so, your mare will really appreciate it. Having a
baby is strenuous business, and she needs a little time to get herself together.
Besides, the baby needs some time to get his eyes working. He may not recognize
someone he's already met if he didn't see them well. Waiting a day or two before
allowing visitors also gives you time to clean up the gruesome remains of the
event. Empty pizza boxes, cookie and M&M bags, and cola bottles scattered
throughout the barn detract from the professional image you work so hard to
maintain.
So your long-awaited baby is on the ground (or standing up). Congratulations!
What are you going to do with it? Do you remember saying nineteen months ago
when you first bred your mare, "I can always sell the baby and get my stud fee
back, at least"? Okay, so write the ad. What are you waiting for? Write it now,
and maybe you can sell it by weaning time.
Oh, what the heck. You can always decide about selling it later. In fact, it's
such a nice baby! Did you remember to call the stallion owners and tell them it
had been born? No? Then take a good long look at it so you can describe it
exactly. Be sure and look closely at its perfect head, and shoulder angle. That
stallion sure did cross well with your mare, didn't he? In fact, maybe the
stallion owner would be willing to make you a deal on a repeat breeding! Why
not! After all, you've got your foaling kit container and you survived foaling
once! Go for it!
* One word of warning: When Domino's arrives with your pizza; don't take your
eyes off the mare for a minute while paying for it. Many unsuspecting owners
have blithely tripped outside to get their pizza and returned to the barn five
minutes later to find the mare smirking and the foal standing and enjoying his
first meal. Besides being disappointed that you missed the whole thing, you'll
forget about your pizza and the dogs will get it. Then you'll have to call
Domino's again and wait another thirty minutes!
Memories
60 Years of Horse Shows
SOME THOUGHTS BY SCOTT W. DUNN
The AHASC Fall Show is an institution. It has been one of the go-to shows during my forty years of involvement with the Arabian horse industry.
Many of my distinct memories revolve around one class in particular: the Working Cow Horse class. The remembrances, unfortunately, are not based on any particular horses’ performance and there were some very good ones, but instead, are based upon my Dad’s organization and handling of the cattle. Norman K. Dunn, or Norm, to many of his friends grew up in Colorado raising cattle. He knew how to work around them, some of us did not have that experience—namely Nick Guriel, Charlie Perez, Steve Norman, Alan Sanders, many other Cal Poly students and I.
The show usually obtained their working cow horse cattle from one family, Clarence and Tyke Minetti, who raise cattle in Santa Maria and own the Far Western Restaurant in Guadalupe. The cattle that they usually provided weighed 400-550 pounds, each. The staff that Dad assembled would help construct some pipe enclosures at the out gate area. The cattle did not have much exposure to pipe fencing; and most of us had little current experience in moving cattle. Another complicating factor was that, since we were all at least 21, we typically would consume adult beverages before the Working Cow class began. This may have been to bolster our confidence and/or lack of skill or
perhaps as a preventative anesthetic. As one might imagine, by the time the class began, those on the “cow crew” could feel little pain. We were ready to tackle those cattle no matter what! Literally, some of the stouter fellows did in fact “tackle” some of these cattle that weighed two-three times their weight.
Most people who have been around cattle know that certain amount of calm is necessary. The movement of these cattle, one at a time, was anything but calm. We became loud and this only served to excite the cattle further. The more agitated the cattle were, the more likely they were to try on run through one of us, or to try to duck under the pipe fencing and pull or move it. This became a tradition that we all looked forward to, sort of a Southern Cal version of the running of the bulls. It didn’t take long for many of our friends to come and view from the seats or railing above the out gate. Their glee and cheering only encouraged us to do more dangerous moves. By the
time the class was over, usually 7-15 head of cattle had been through our handling procedure. I don’t know how much weight the cattle lost over this, but many of us had bumps and bruises that we would begin recalling the next morning.
Carol Mann also reminded me recently, that one time a cow escaped the pipe corrals and made its way to the local shopping center before it was rounded up.
The working cow horse classes that were overseen by my Dad will always be something that I will remember about the Southern Cal Fall Show. They were raucous and fun for all concerned.
Sincerely, Scott W. Dunn
Recipe for the Month
Horsey YumYums
1 cup grated apple
1 cup grated carrots
½ cup oatmeal
½ cup flour
2 teaspoons molasses
½ teaspoon brown sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients well.
Spoon into small balls, and place them on a cookie sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Allow them to cool, and your ready to serve.
Your Horse’s Vital Signs
When you suspect colic and call your vet, they'll need to know your horse's vital signs. Here's how you can get accurate readings for temperature, pulse and gut sounds.
Taking your horse's temperature. Use a glass or electronic rectal thermometer (available at tack/feed stores, and through veterinary-supply catalogs). If you use a glass one, tie a string with a clip on the end to the thermometer's end loop. Shake down a glass thermometer; activate an electronic one. Lubricate the tip with a dab of K-Y or petroleum jelly; spit can work here as well in a pinch.
Tie your horse and gently insert the thermometer into his anus the depth of about two inches. Clip a glass thermometer to his tail for security. Hold the thermometer in place. Wait about two minutes for a glass thermometer to register; 30 seconds for an electric one (listen for the beep). Remove the thermometer and record your reading. His normal temperature range is between 99 and 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit.
How to take your horse's pulse
Place your horse's left front foot forward (if he's standing). Place the stethoscope against the chest wall, just beneath the left elbow. You need to push the scope as far forward under the elbow as possible. Listen for the "lub-dub" sound of his heartbeat. Count the number of beats in a 15-second period, and multiply that number by four to determine his beats-per-minute (bpm). An average resting heart rate is between 30 and 40 bpm.
How to listen for gut sounds
Hold a stethoscope against your horse's lower flank for at least one minute. Move the stethoscope higher on his flank and listen again. Move to his other flank and repeat. Normally you'll hear two to four soft bubbles/gurgles per minute, and one loud grumbling sound every two to three minutes. If his gut sounds are louder and/or more frequent, he may be experiencing mild colic. If you hear nothing (and your stethoscope is working) he may be experiencing severe colic. Silence indicates no gut movement.
Article submitted by Laurie Henkel
Information for this column was borrowed from an article by Karen E. N. Hayes, an equine practitioner
Good Things About Husbands
Contrary to the popular T-shirt and bumper
sticker slogan that states "The more I know men, the more I love my horse,"
husbands do have advantages over horses, as this amusing Top Fifteen list
proves.
1. Husbands are less expensive to shoe.
2. Feeding a husband doesn't require anything that
even mildly compares with the hassle of putting up hay.
3. A lame husband can still work.
4. A husband with a belly-ache doesn't have to be walked.
5. Husbands don't try to scratch their heads on your back.
6. They're better able to understand puns.
7. If they're playing hard to catch you *may* be able to run them down on foot.
8. They know their name.
9. They pay their own bills.
10. They apologize when they step on your toes.
11. No saddle fitting problems.
12. They seldom refuse to get in the vehicle.
13. They don't panic, yelling and running all through the house when you leave
them alone. (unless you left the kids too)
14. For a nominal fee you can hire someone else to clip them.
15. They don't like the lady
next door just as well as you just because she fed him 3 days straight.
Submitted by Laurie Henkel, however, the original author is unknown.
The
McCoy’s
Ever since I read in your AHASC newsletter regarding the passing of Helen McCoy,
I have been meaning to drop you folks a line. I do not think enough could ever
be said/written about the McCoy accomplishments and their contributions to your
club, the Arabian Industry and to mankind itself. They were just a wonderful
couple.
I'll never forget the time I was attending an Arab show at Fairplex - Pomona
back in the early 1990's. I was standing at ringside and up came a crowd of
people and there was Frank McCoy standing in the middle of the crowd. He finally
made his way over at ring side and I literally saw the show come to a halt.
There were people all around and everyone was trying to talk to him all at once.
Even the exhibitors in the arena were stopping in front of him and wishing him
well and carrying on conversations with him. I was really impressed with the
whole scene.
It was shortly thereafter I visited the McCoys at their home and again, I was
impressed with them and all their contributions to the breed. Down through the
years I have read and heard about the McCoy's and their story and it is all so
true. They were really good folks and their devotion to the breed was really
exceptional. We definitely need more folks like the McCoy's in our lives and in
this world. I have been into horses all my life and into many breeds; however, I
am amazed at how many of you - - your lives are intertwined and bound together
forever through the breed and Arabian horse bloodlines.
I really feel fortunate that I was able to attend the dedication ceremony of the
McCoy Equestrian Center. I will never forget that day watching Mrs. McCoy drive
around in her golf cart greeting new and old friends. She just looked so
beautiful on that day and she just beamed with all the excitement going on
around her. I wouldn't have missed it for the world! She really was such a
wonderful, gracious and giving lady.
There are and have been many wonderful folks in the Arabian breed. I know I have
many favorites, especially when it comes to some of the ladies within the breed.
I really feel fortunate to have met the McCoy’s. I have no doubt that the AHASC
misses their presence. The McCoy’s have and will continue to be an example for
all of us to emulate. I, for one, could never forget them.
Sincerely yours,
Val Sibert AHASC member since 1979
