Do you think that if the eyes are the windows to the soul, we see our horse’s soul and our own reflected in our horse’s eyes?
Windows to the soul
26 Monday Mar 2012
Posted in Uncategorized
Author Archives: Katie
Clean
25 Sunday Mar 2012
Posted in Sunday Photos
It’s spring. Time for a clean start. And time for us Connecticut Yankees to give our horses a bath (we just have to beware of a cold night or day sneaking up on us before the horses are dry). Unfortunately, even after a bath, I don’t think any of my horses will look as sparkling as this pony, who, despite being grey and despite having whiskers, appears to embody the phrase “clean shaven.”
Romance
24 Saturday Mar 2012
Posted in Farm Life
I have a new horse on my farm. What a great time for him to arrive, when we’re having the most ideal spring ever. It’s warm and clear and the bugs have yet to join us.
The pastures are turning green, but the horses are so happy to have a new friend that they’ve forgotten their routine of staring longingly at the grass from inside the sacrifice paddock. I don’t let them out until I think the grass is high enough that they can tear off what they want to eat without weakening the roots.
Whenever there’s a new horse on the property, I like to keep watch to make sure that everyone’s settling in well, and that makes for long days and nights. Call me obsessive. I don’t care. I freely admit to being obsessive about things I care about. Primary among those things are horses.
Why I’d rather live in the Scottish Isles
23 Friday Mar 2012
Posted in Horse Care
Here in the United States, if you decided to keep your horse in your living room, the authorities would come and put a stop to it. Legislation and regulation has a far reach in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
When it comes to freedom, I’m beginning to prefer the Western Isles of Scotland. And in terms of bravery, there’s one Stephanie Noble, who despite being declared “a fruitcake” by her neighbors, is still bravely caring for her Connemara filly, Grey Lady Too, inside her home.
Does this look like an unhappy horse to you? For true horse lovers, that’s all that matters, isn’t it?
The Scottish SPCA has investigated the case, and their inspector declared that “it [the horse] does appear to be in good condition and well cared for.” A spokesman for the Western Isles Council announced that Noble was free to do as she pleased in her own property provided that public safety or hygiene were not affected.
Before you conclude that Noble has no idea what she’s doing when it comes to horses, you should know that she is a British Horse Society instructor. She lived in the US until 1994 and has run equestrian businesses here as well as in Ireland and Europe. Her latest horse is named after her first pony, Grey Lady.
How is a horse like a fruit fly?
22 Thursday Mar 2012
Posted in Training
The oft-quoted aphorism of Etienne Beudant, “Ask for much, be content with little, and reward often,” always works when you’re training horses.
Now, we’re on the way to finding out why, courtesy of some fruit flies. Sex-starved ones at that. It’s all a little roundabout and quite racy and it might sound like a tenuous connection at best, but stick with me…
Scientists at the University of California conducted an interesting experiment consisted of two groups of male fruit flies. The first group was put in a box with female fruit flies who were interested in hooking up. The second group was put in with an already satiated group of female fruit flies, who showed no interest in their male counterparts.
Afterwards, the two groups of male fruit flies were offered a choice of two meals — one with alcohol and one without. The males who had hooked up avoided the alcohol, while the other males, according to the BBC news, “went on a comparative bender.”
The rocky road
21 Wednesday Mar 2012
Posted in Uncategorized
Sometimes, doesn’t it just make you tired?
Let’s go girls
20 Tuesday Mar 2012
Posted in Farm Life
Before you know it, it will be time to mow. In the 70s this week and 81 predicted as Thursday’s high. Pastures will come high and quick, if this continues. Pray for good hay!
Putting it into perspective on the racetrack
19 Monday Mar 2012
Posted in Racing
It’s not world news, but there’s been a lot of press about the fact that HBO is canceling its new drama “Luck” after three horses died during filming.
But did you know that 18 horses have died at Aqueduct since November 30th?
That’s right. All on the inner dirt track. And 13 out of those 18 were horses running for a claiming price of $15K or less.
It’s all to be expected, as a natural outcome of breeding for speed alone because stamina isn’t necessary, and running on dirt instead of turf.
I look for good bone when I’m considering an off-the-track Thoroughbred, but that’s gotten harder and harder to find. It’s not impossible, and there are pictures of horses with decent-to-good bone in my Beauties on the Backstretch post. But it’s gotten to be so unusual to see a horse with good bone, that people don’t even know what a good Thoroughbred is supposed to look like anymore. No wonder that they’ve been replaced in popularity by warmbloods in disciplines where they used to reign king — even in eventing (it’s not just the elimination of the steeplechase that did it).
From the horse’s mouth
18 Sunday Mar 2012
Posted in Horse Care, Tack
How well do you know your horse’s mouth?
If the answer is, “not very well,” it might serve you well to become better acquainted.
That’s especially true if you feel that your horse’s mouth isn’t exactly the way you want it to be — hyperactive…dry…gaping open…gnashing…or, worst of all, up in the air or with a tongue hanging out. Even worse if that’s a blue tongue, but that’s unlikely to be the case with your horse. We’ll reserve that distinction for Patrick Kittell and his ilk.
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know that I’m always talking about hands, and a rider’s hands have a lot to do with whether a horse’s mouth is comfortable or not, but with the wrong bit, even educated hands can have a hard time making a horse feel comfortable, look comfortable or act comfortable.
So let’s put our hands aside for the moment and focus on your horse’s mouth. It’s critical to look at your horse’s mouth and understand what you’re seeing if you want to fit your horse with the proper bit, whether your horse has a perfect, untouched mouth or whether you’re trying to solve mouth “issues” (so often bit-related).
Horseboat
18 Sunday Mar 2012
Posted in Uncategorized
Near Yangshuo, China, 2009
Reflections on Riding 