Be kind to your barn manager: Part 1

Note: It takes me a while to get to my point here. Bear with me! A dear friend of mine has a lovely arab/quarter horse cross, about 15 hands high, named Chuckie. He's among the sturdiest, most sensible animals I know. My friend Patrice loves him fiercely, and like many owners (including me, I suppose) she tends to romanticize Chuck. In fact, she doesn't seem to see the same horse the rest of us see. What do I mean?



Chuck has a bit of spunk (the arab in him), and in an agreeable way he can be a character. In Patrice's eye, though, he is a spirited rogue--a barely tamed desert pony that only she can ride. For years Patrice insisted on individual turnout for Chuck. "He's like a stallion!" she would protest. "He'll kill a horse if he's in the same field!" Beside her, Chuck stood placidly in cross-ties, hip cocked while he rested on one hind leg. No one could dissuade Patrice from her fears. For years, Chuckie had his own field no matter how crowded the other fields became.

Recently Patrice moved to another barn, and she arranged for individual turnout there. After she moved, she discovered that individual turnout carried a surcharge of $50/month. Imagine my shock when she told me a few months later that Chuckie was going to go out in the gelding field with the other horses. "Won't there be a blood-bath? Equine carnage?" I joked. Patrice offered a lame rationale but it was clear to me -- a must-have in horse care became optional when it was no longer free.

Oh, yeah, my point was...
Okay, here comes my point (thanks for bearing with me). It's about barn management. For years Patrice's original barn manager gave Chuck individual turnout--at no charge--even when space was tight. There were times when this created a juggling act, with workers rotating horses throughout the day. As a Sunday worker, I can attest that it was a major hassle.

Sometimes boarders forget that there are costs associated with horse care requests, whether it's labor or resources. Let's face it, I'm a high-maintenance client myself. But I try not to ask for special favors, I swear! If I can't decide if a request is legit, I ask myself:

• Is my request in line with the board rates and service contract, and with what other boarders are getting routinely?
• If every boarder made this call/request, how would it affect the barn manager? Would he/she go crazy?
• What are the estimated costs in labor, and would I be willing to pay for this extra service?
• Is this part of routine care or is it in the "special favor" category? If it's the latter, consider compensating the manager for the extra time.
• What is the true impact on my horse's safety and health?

The answers to these questions have made me put down my cell phone on more than one occasion. It also helps me to think of the barn manager as a horsie daycare center director. I have two special wondrous babies -- that happen to be horses -- but the director has 24 or so in his or her care, and at least that number of doting parents. The moral of the story is, be considerate of your barn manager. Ask for the care that your horse needs, not what you wish he or she could have.

Animal communicators

A BTB reader made a great suggestion to write about animal communicators. I've never used one, but know several people who have, with a fair amount of success. Traditional research may not be the approach that'll give us much insight into animal empaths. So I have this survey. Please share your thoughts and experiences. I'll collect responses and summarize, and maybe add a little research too. If you have technical difficulties, leave a comment. Thanks!

"Santa please bring me...."

Bob hates to Christmas shop, so I did him a favor and got a bracelet on Etsy and told him it would be his gift to me. I don't know why I'm so fond of jewelry, I don't wear it much, but the jeweltones of this bangle really caught my eye.


So now I'm Etsy-shopping for my sister. She's been a good girl by all reports and I wish I could get her this bag below, but it's $650.

clipped from www.etsy.com

Tails of Two Horses

For the person who -- well, I don't know who would deserve this -- a Yanni beaded bag at $750.

clipped from www.etsy.com

Yanni

I can only guess that the target audience for this bag is small in number. The maker of this bag loves Yanni, and I hope there is someone out there that will appreciate it.

Dressage with a mini!

Well, not a mini doing dressage, but...

Feeling so darned grateful!

Happy Thanksgiving all! I wish for each of you a happy and peaceful holiday and the time to reflect on the many blessings we have. Horse folks always have something to be thankful for, right? I'm completely infused with gratitude for having Harv, Riley, Bob, Buddy, and Red Kitka.

Harvey wished me to share some of his Thanksgiving thoughts. He is thankful that...

• Santa has opted to use reindeer to pull his sled (not semi-retired thoroughbreds)
• his pasture is on a slight incline (easier to do a full rollover)
  
• mom took that plaid turnout blanket to the cleaners (it's too snug around the neck)
• Riley will soon be under saddle (that'll take some of the pressure off him!)
  

Riley is thankful to have 3 nice play buddies who assist him in shredding his turnout sheets. Aside from that he's a typical youngster, enjoying life and not reflecting too-too much. Which is fine with me.

Hope everyone has a wonderful break!

Watch out for crown vetch...

A friend of mine (yes, another friend's trauma forms the basis of a blog entry) has a horse that is showing some subtle neurological symptoms, similar to stringhalt (click for text description or video). She did some research and learned that ingestion of toxic plants can produce such neurological symptoms. Crown vetch, or Coronilla varia L, is a common plant that is known to produce stringhalt-like movement in horses. I have seen crown vetch where I board Harvey where many of us hand-graze our horses around vetch. It's toxic to horses? Who knew???

Crown vetch is toxic to horses because of the presence of nitroglycosides. The stems, leaves, and seeds contain the most nitroglycosides. If consumed in large amounts, vetch can cause paralysis, weight loss, poor growth rates, depression, ataxia, staggering (hindquarters), heart irregularity (with consumption of the seeds), rapid respiratory rate, and difficult breathing. While the lethal amount of vetch is not known, consuming large quantities vetch can be fatal. Note that ruminants like cows can consume it with no ill effects; but single stomached animals like horses cannot.

Sounds pretty awful for anyone with a lot of vetch, doesn't it? It's one of those introduced species that got out of control -- like kudzu -- and it's hard to eradicate. When I contacted Rutgers University, veterinarian Dr. Carey Williams offered some good advice.

If you have crown vetch...
It's tough to get rid of, but there are herbicides for keeping it in check. You can also limit growth and reduce grazing activity by frequent mowing. Making sure horses have enough good grazing pasture will make it less likely they'll turn to vetch. Adding alfalfa to the horse's diet also helps reduce the effects of the toxins.

Hairy vetch is also toxic. Crown vetch may be confused with partridge pea (Cassia fasciculata) or other native vetches (Vicia sp.)


RESOURCES

Poisonous trees and plants can be harmful to your horses

Toxic plants

Horse people haiku

I stand at Harv's side
Watching him graze contently
Lead rope in my hand

The foal's first day out
his impossibly long legs
wobble, stretch, and fly

"Riley please stand still!"
He fidgets, tosses his head
and nips my bare arm

Pony at the fence
a child extends her small hand
he licks her fingers

The dressage divas
Passage, piaffe, and half pass
in crimson lipstick

Who did what to who
Gossip and allegations
No more barn drama!

Muck stalls every day
I'm getting too old for this!
Hand me that pitchfork.

Harvey do know you know
You are in my thoughts
Wherever I am?

Round pens: A cautionary tale

Over the weekend I visited a boarding barn in the area and was unlucky enough to witness an accident in a round pen. While it turned out okay as far as I know, it could easily have ended in tragedy.

The story begins...
I was visiting my friend Lori, who boards her horse Eli at a farm about 5 miles from where I board Riley. Several horses at this farm, including Eli, are on layup. To preserve their sanity each gets a few hours in a small portable "tubular type" round pen every day. I'm told this has been a practice for years, but recently the pen was moved to an area between two pastures.The pen is a foot from the pastures on either side, and two or three horses are turned out in these adjacent pastures.

Eli was in the round pen when I arrived. I noticed that he was playing with another horse over the fence -- nothing that seemed too serious -- squealing, halter tag, and nipping. After a fashion Lori went to talk to someone riding in the indoor, which was some distance from the barn. Standing in the aisle of the barn, I had a view of the round pen.

I saw Eli and the horse on the other side of the fence both rear -- Eli went pretty high up -- and something about the way he landed made me do a double-take. I walked closer, but could not tell what seemed so strange. It didn't look right. I started to jog and as I got nearer, I saw the problem. Eli had caught his right foreleg on the top of the fencing. His pastern was firmly wedged in the fence just above where the fences are pinned together (see photo). His left front leg was just barely touching the ground. He was standing fairly quietly as I approached. His leg was at an unnatural upward angle and his scapula was pulled back hard. Much of his weight appeared to rest on that right leg. He would periodically lean back as if try to pull his leg free.

Trying to avert a crisis
Knowing Lori would not hear me, I yelled the name of a young girl (Wendy) I had just met who was tacking up her horse. I pushed the fencing toward Eli, trying to lower it so he could more easily pull it out. I went between the fences and tried to push up on the hoof, but it was too deeply wedged to free. Wendy came running and i asked her to find someone who could help move the fence. Believe me when I tell you that I am useless in a real crisis situation. But because Eli was calm, I could be fairly calm. I figured we would need to dismantle the pen, and I tried to see how this could be done. The panels were held together with pins that were likely jammed from the weight of Eli and bolted chains. It didn't look very hopeful.

In short order, the barn manager came out, wielding bolt cutters. As he approached, Eli apparently decided the best course of action was to raise his upper body (rear) -- clever boy! He was trying to get out of his predicament the same way he got in it. On his first attempt, he tried to use his other leg to climb up the panel and got his other front leg caught between the rails. My heart sank. Now he was on his hind legs with both front legs caught. The barn manager asked me if I was ready for him to cut the chain. I said yes, not knowing just what I was ready for. Just as he was positioning the cutters, Eli lifted himself again and got free. When he landed he put weight on both legs, moving a little tenderly. The manager took him back to the barn, and closer examination showed some cuts/gouges but no major arteries or tendons hurt.

Is it just me, or did something bad just happen?
Lori was summoned to attend to her horse, but she was only told he cut himself on the fence. A few minutes later Wendy, Lori, and the manager were chatting casually while Lori hosed Eli's leg. I stood off to the side, quietly having a post-traumatic stress reaction. If anyone else was reflecting on how narrowly Eli had escaped a serious injury, it was not apparent from their demeanor. Maybe I should cut them some slack, I thought. It is tough to judge someone's feelings based on outward appearances. Then the barn manager excused himself to do the afternoon turnout. As I watched, he put out another group of horses in the same configuration -- another horse went in the round pen and horses were turned out in the adjacent pastures. The effort of keeping my mouth shut made my throat hurt. I had expected the manager to turn to us and say, "help me dismantle this thing and take it to the dumpster." But instead he turns more horses out. So much for risk avoidance.

Yes, Eli is okay. But what if he had panicked? What if he had fought? If he had leaned either direction -- well, legs don't bend that way. What if he had fallen? To me, this was a real life drama, and Eli was a champ! If he had not been so sensible, he might severed an artery or broken a leg, and we'd be getting a backhoe, not leg wraps and betadine. We all should have been hugging Eli and saying "Good Boy!"

Portable round pens: A safety issue?
In googling for more information about (portable) round pen safety I found no substantive articles on the subject. Not one. A lot of round pen ads make references to "safer construction." More telling, I found many anecdotes on bulletin boards like this a Horsetopia bulletin board posting that described the same kind of accident Eli had...

" A friend of mine had a severe accident with her horse not too long ago--he was turned out in an area that she had her round pen and he decided to try to jump INTO it....LORD ONLY KNOWS WHY....but she had a round pen with pins, so there was a space between the panels and when the horse reared to jump the panel his hoof slid inbetween the panels and got stuck, of course he paniced (this was an 18 hand draft horse) cut an artery, blood everywhere, round pen totalled...it was a mess. Horse was fine, but it was a mess. If they would've had chains, bolt cutters would've gotten him out a lot quicker than trying to pry the pins out."

You can also buy panel caps to cover the gap in round pen panels constructed like the one that injured my friend's horse...


The takeaway message about portable round pens is, they ain't all that safe. Some are constructed better than others, but I would not leave a horse unattended in in a metal structure with gaps for legs, heads, or hooves to get caught. At least, not any more.

A must-see cat video

The Holy Cuteness blog featured an amazing cat in a series of videos. HC is a must-see blog that you may want to check out, but here is a teaser.

We have a lookalike cat named Buddy, but he's our Neurotic Cat. His notion of play is hiding under the bed, lying flat like a Manta Ray. Buddy is the one on the left...

Another take on galloping boots

Found this on another blog (laughing-trip.blogspot.com) -- a humor blog. It was also on SolitaireMare's blog -- but I must have missed it.

Update: Someone just asked via the comments "are these for real?" Truly I thought they were novelty items but here is a link to an article that says they are all the rage in Japan...
http://www.wornthrough.com/2008/05/20/remarkable-japanese-footwear-trend/

clipped from laughing-trip.blogspot.com

Fashion Find: The Galloping Boots!

Use this if you're wondering just how it feels to be a horse..

America's Next Dancing Dressage Star

Mike Matson, a member and frequent contributor to both the Ultimatedressage.com and COTH bulletin boards, is sponsoring America's Next Dancing Dressage Star contest. The best musical freestyle video will win a tidy sum of money. The contestants are below and the rules can be seen at the Ultimate Dressage post or COTH post. There is still time to vote, I think. If you belong to either board you can just reply with your favorite to either post, or enter your choice on Youtube via the comments (just add a comment to your favorite ride like "I vote for this one").

Even if you don't like contests, the videos are fun to watch...

Contestant 1


Contestant 2


Contestant 3


Contestant 4

Xbox ad -- The new creep factor in TV ads

This is not horse-related but I thought I'd share my reaction to this TV ad. Is anyone else creeped out? The image of a kid's head being hollowed out is just repulsive to me -- Daumeresque.

Yuck. Yuck. Yuck.

And the boy's eyes and expression are so vacant. I actually had to look away the second time I saw this commercial. There are a few commercials that I find a little to high on the ick factor -- the one about carpet cleaning with the dog scooting across the floor, and the mom's shriek? WHAT ad agency thought that up???

There, I feel better now. Y'all have a nice day ;-)

Child of the seventies follows the call of the hounds

Thanks for indulging me n a reminiscence...
For the most part I was a typical seventies teen. Some of my clearest memories are of me at the mall, begging my mom (unsuccessfully) for clothes that no good mother would let her daughter wear. Perhaps you recall hip huggers, but I wanted hiphuggers that laced up the front. What can you expect from a kid who grew up watching the Mod Squad? Saturdays, though, were different. In the wee hours of the morning, I donned a black melton wool coat, canary breeches, and ascot tie. In weather that kept most sane people snug in their bed, I braved the frigid temps to ride with the Romwell Foxhounds in pursuit of the elusive red fox. The fox always eluded us, which is just as well as far as I'm concerned. The photo on the right is a picture from those days -- my friend Lori and I at the Blessing of the Hounds. St. Huberts medals which were given out at each Blessing. I still have the seven I collected dangling from my old stock pin.

Foxhunting in Indiana
The Romwell Foxhounds was based at the barn where I learned to ride, and I was invited to join by a friend's mom who was a whipper-in. Foxhunting is associated with the east coast, but Indiana farmland provided a stunning backdrop for this traditional sport. The terrain was relentlessly flat and uniquely beautiful, especially in the fall. In the winter the morning frost covered everything and the breath of humans and horses drifted up like smoke. Nothing but fields and sky in every direction, and only a few outcroppings of trees and solitary farmhouses in the distance.

My  ultimate partner
My mount was a lesson horse named Foxfire. Fox was the penultimate foxhunter, the living breathing definition of an honest horse. His one quirk was that he periodically did a capriole while we waited our turn to take a jump. Fox was of unknown lineage but he could really jump. We jumped as high as 4 feet, usually a chicken coop style, at least one or two times during each season. I dreamed of owning Foxfire, but he was one of those golden school horses that no money could buy--my parents told me in my adulthood that they had inquired about buying him. I never knew. I don't know how I managed to snag him for foxhunting.

A shaky start
My first season riding with the hounds had a shaky start. The highlight of the first year was a) a feeling of almost constant terror and b) having the Master of Foxhounds (MFH) yell at me in front of the whole field. He yelled at everyone, though (he was also my riding teacher). Year Two I was awarded my colors -- the right to add a velvet bottle green and wine collar on my black coat. That was also the year my enjoyment and understanding of foxhunting deepened. The only times I ever skipped school I wasn't smoking pot or shoplifting, I was out with my friend Lori on the Thursday morning foxhunts. Far from discouraging our behavior, the other members of the field offered us swigs from their silver flasks. One moment we would be standing/waiting quietly, and the next we were careening across a field. So exhilerating! There were sad moments too -- one horse died in the field (he had COPD and had an attack), and one day I wasn't in the field, a young woman was killed in a nasty fall. Foxhunting is the closest I've ever come to eventing. Rolex reminds me of my foxhunting days, and the "old timer" eventers (Denny Emerson?) learned to ride cross-country by foxhunting.

I didn't appreciate how lucky I was to stumble onto foxhunting; if only I could thank the people who gave me the opportunity and a horse to ride. The memory of riding Foxfire over endless rural landscape will always be with me. Few things during that period of my life were worth remembering, but the time I spent riding with the hounds was absolute magic.

Disclaimer: Foxhunting is an elite sport associated with the monied class. Don't get the impression I'm a trust fund kid :-). My folks were teachers in a public school system.

RESOURCES

Foxhunting in Ol' Virginny

Foxhunting (chapter from A community of the horse)

Master of Foxhounds Association Web site

Foxhunting on the Web (a list of sites)

Foxhunters online mailing list


Should foxhunting be banned? from the BBC

Hunting booms three years after ban from The Telegraph

Evil-doers! Miscreants! My bumper sticker is MIA

Someone stole my "Horses get great grass mileage" bumper sticker from the parking garage at work. Can you imagine? I know it didn't just fall off because it was misting out that day, and there was a clear outline where the magnetic bumper sticker was. On the bright side, I was not 100% happy with the cheesy horse clip art I'd picked. Recently a friend showed me several databases of copyright free images, and there were lots of horse shots to pick from. I ordered a new sticker, and soon my car will be back with a bumper that's better than ever :-) BTW it'll be the same size, only the image is smaller.

UPDATE: For those of you who expressed interest in getting your OWN sticker (vinyl, not-magnet), you can go to http://www.cafepress.com/behindthebit.281193487 to buy a slight variation, for .50 over Cafepress cost for $3.99. If you want the magnet sticker, I've contacted buildasign.com to see if they will let you order this design, which is more like $11. I'm flattered there is interest in my little old sticker. Thanks!

OLD STICKER (STOLEN)


NEW STICKER!

What mares cross best with Quaterback?

Last week I received an email message from
a BTB reader who has a Harvard mare in foal to Quaterback, the stallion who has been the subject of many of my blog articles. She suggested that I write about what mares cross best with Quaterback. Of course I don't know what mares he crosses with, but I occasionally pester "the Quaterback authority" Judy Yancey of Yancey Farm. Judy is a breeder and also a semen broker for some lovely stallions, including Quaterback. I emailed her and asked her about what mares work best with Quaterback. She responded immediately, and in the interest of accuracy I'm providing the text she sent me more or less word for word....

We are just starting to formulate - and speculate - on what type of mare would best blend with Quaterback. First of all, every breeder should know what their mare produces. If it is a maiden mare, best to use a seasoned stallion. I rarely use a freshman sire on a maiden mare. Of my foals, I could see the dam in each one of them; yet they all had a few things in common. -foremost were the front legs, which are long, and when viewed from the front, have a particular look to them. I will try to get a photo for you. Aside from the legs...

• nice faces
• well set necks
• nice length of back and strong loins
• round croup

That said, I would say that a typey mare, maybe one with "blood" would suit Quaterback best. In the Hanoverian region, some of the foals (that I have seen) out of the more old fashioned mares were somewhat normal. But, temperament wise, I would not use a spicy or difficult mare hoping that Q'back would tone her down. The foals are VERY intelligent and quite engaged in their surroundings. They have above average energy, which adds to the power of their movement. And I think this quality will also make them good competition horses for those that know how to train and deal with this type.

Judy sent along some pictures as well. The photo top right is Quetzal out of Reina H (Rubinstein - Herbststurm (TK.) - Boris (TK) - Pregel (TK)). The top left is Qredit out of Reina H's daughter, Dream Rubina by Dream of Glory. The first foal of the season is due Christmas Eve. You can check the News section of the Yancey Farms Web site for pix and info. I know I'll be looking for some pix!

Why can't quarter horses do dressage?

I was checking my search logs -- looking at what search keywords people use when they find my blog -- and found that someone googled "why can't quarter horses do dressage?" An interesting topic! And I guess the short answer is, "They do!" Here is a picture of Patrick Marley and his Quarter Horse mare, Honey Bright Dream. The mare is a stock quarter horse with no thoroughbred blood. The pair earned the Gold Medal in their first season at Grand Prix.

clipped from www.aqha.com.au

Honey Bright Dream and Patrick Marley.

clipped from www.northstartrainingcenter.com

Patrick Marley on Honey Bright Dream

Patrick (from Burlington) teaches and
trains dressage horses and is the coach for the Intercollegiate Dressage
Association for Elon University. Honey is an 11 year old, 15 hand, Quarter horse
mare, who was purchased "green broke" in 2003. Patrick trailers Honey to weekly
lessons at North Star Training Center, and participates in clinics.

When you talk about what breeds can do upper level dressage, you make broad generalizations and think about what traits most of those horses possess. But there is an awful lot of variation even within a breed or registry. The AQHA permits the infusion of other bloodlines so long as they conform to the breed's standards. You can find quarter horses that are stock type, some that are hunter type, etc. As I have heard so many times from experts, "look at the individual horse standing in front of you."

Quarter horses in general
From the standpoint of temperament, quarter horses have a laid back and forgiving nature. While it sounds like weak praise ("you have a nice personality"), it's actually pretty important. Barns are full of fancy warmbloods that top out at second level, either because they find collected work distasteful or because they lack the right trainer to get them there.

What keeps quarter horses from moving up the levels?

Here's a good guess from a non-expert: Conformation. There is a lot of individual variation in the conformation of a quarter horse, depending on what discipline they compete in. There seems to be a fair amount of thoroughbred blood in at least some quarter horse lines. The desirable traits in a "classic" western quarter horse include low head carriage, a rather straight hock, more upright pasterns, blah, blah, blah. To me, it's easiest to just look at the typical quarterhorse outline (see above). Does it not just SCREAM downhill?

An important quality to look for in an upper level dressage horse (assuming you can pick just one) is an uphill frame to facilitate collection. While there are downhill horses that have made it to the upper levels, it's more the exception than the norm. If I were looking for a quarter horse just for dressage, I'd look for a horse from a breeding program that produces hunter or even dressage types. My Royal Lark is a great example.

My Royal Lark in a dressage test

clipped from www.lynnpalm.com

Indian Artifact and the DeGraff Stables breeding program provide another example of quarter horses suitable for dressage. An Indian Artifact son is shown here:



A Quarter horse from the Niobe Valley Ranch...


Conclusion
When all's said and done, I see a lot of quarter horses competing in the lower levels, where most of us are at in our riding anyway. They may not all be huge movers but they can really shine in areas like obedience/submission, relaxation, elasticity, acceptance of the bit, etc. I've seen some nice ones in the ring, esp. the appendix registered QH. Even those not destined for Grand Prix can be star mounts, especially for the younger kids/juniors getting started or the adult beginner rider.

RESOURCES
American quarter horses in dressage from Equisearch

Quarter horse dressage

New program recognizes quarter horses in dressage

Niobe Valley Ranch dressage quarter horses

Golden horses of the Niobe Valley

Harvey dissed: Harrumpf!

Last Saturday Bob and I went to see Harv. When we arrived, we found a gaggle of boarders standing around his stall. Harv had been left in his stall while other horses were turned out. His turnout partner was being ridden, and his outside time was delayed by an hour or so. He was none too happy and was:

• reaching out his dutch door to bite the rear ends of passing horses
• head butting people who get too close
• Bellowing loudly
  
• Rushing against the stall bars

Two or three boarders began joking about his obnoxious behavior; it sounded like this was not an isolated incident. I stood sheepishly as my barn mates regaled me with stories of Harv's naughtiness. "He sounds like a moose!" "His ears are flat against his head!" He bares his teeth!" "He's really pissed off!"

I pulled him out of the stall and put him in cross ties, hoping he would calm down. He did, especially when Bob gave him an apple, and within a few moments he was looking rather mild. One boarder, a woman I don't know well, was grooming her horse nearby. She had not joined in the friendly scolding. She was walking past Harvey with her grooming box, and as she passed him and he reached out to touch her with his nose. It looked like your basic "treat check" to me, but technically he was being fresh.

This woman recoiled as if he'd given her an electric shock, and she angrily exclaimed "Stop that!" She held her hand up as if she expected him to lunge at her. The emotion in her voice disturbed me -- it was as if she'd reached her wits end. Had Harv done something to this woman or to her horse? Her mare is around the corner from Harv but they would not normally cross paths.

So what's up with this lady? She must have overheard us talking. I suspect part of her reaction to demonstrate that not everyone thinks bad manners is funny. I chose not to say anything to her. Harv and I went out and had a good ride.

Update: This happened last week and I have to admit it cast a shadow over my day. I never thought of Harv as a "problem horse" but clearly he had been naughty enough to generate barn buzz. I'd been letting him have his way a lot, reasoning that he's an old codger and entitled to be grumpy. Time for some anger management and a chain over the nose for corrective action. This Saturday I ran into the same boarder who had reacted so strongly to Harv's nudge. She was friendly to Bob and I, and she gave Harv a carrot. So I guess this little incident has blown over. Thank goodness.

Interview with British dressage rider Hannah Biggs

A Sept 2008 interview with a rider who has made the transition from successful junior to the professional realm. Her mount, a stallion, is a Weltmeyer grandson. In this video she talks a little about her experiences as a young rider and her current situation. Also of interest is the site that sponsored the interview, Horse Hero.

Harvey's 15 minutes of fame

I recently changed my blog logo and header. The new logo is Harv's face cropped from this photo from New Jersey horse show, taken perhaps 7 or 8 years ago. Of all the horse shows we competed in, this is the one I remember most. Here is the story...


How I remember it...
After testing our mettle in schooling shows, Harv and I enter our first USDF rated show, at Hobby Horse Hill Farm. My trainer Amanda is my advisor, trainer, hauler, and braider. I wish I could say she is a cheerleader, but her personality is decidedly unperky. Her lessons are a blend of Zen master and drill sargeant, depending on what I need. Not given to praise, she has taught me to listen carefully to the brightness or neutrality of tone in her standard compliment, "Not too-too bad." Insightful instruction is one of her qualities; warm fuzzies, not so much.

Timeliness is not her strong suit on this day either. We start late and get lost on the way to the farm. Trying to contain my panic, I pull on my boots and tie my stock tie in the truck. When we arrive it is only 20 minutes until my first ride time. We unload Harv and Amanda runs to to the steward's stand. My hands are trembling as I tack up Harv. This is SO not my style. I'm absurdly early for any event that matters to me, and for horse shows I follow a thought-out methodical routine to get ready. Today, my usual psychological preparation is out the window. I can hear my mother in her lugubrious singsong voice: "All it takes is for one person to drop the ball, and then pieces start flying off."

I am on Harv in ten minutes and we warm up in drizzling, chilly rain. Once I am in the saddle, my panic subsides but my mood is dark. How could we be expected to perform well? There is no time even to run through a test. We trot a little, then walk around on a long rein. Nearby, a nationally ranked grand prix rider, Hannah Mitros, is schooling a young Andulusian gelding. As she passes me she smiles and nods. She doesn't know me, and she'd probably smile at anyone. But small kindnesses have a power all their own, and her gesture sends a wave of encouragement. What can I say? My motivation returneth. I take up the reins and nudge Harv into a trot. We practice a few circles and a leg yield in one direction, and then the gatekeeper calls our number. A few moments later I'm in the ring, feeling more ambitious but also stiff and unready. We haven't even cantered.

How does it go? It is first level test 3. Harv looks beautiful, sleek and shiny from the rain with a line of perfect white-taped braids lining his neck. He is relaxed and moving well. As we proceed with our test, my glasses fog up. I could reach up quickly and wipe them off, I suppose, but Harv is nice and round, right where I want him. I'm not going to drop contact just to have the ability to see. The final halt is Harv's favorite movement -- he knows what the center line means (almost done!), and he likes to end with a flourish. When we leave the ring, Amanda relays her "not too bad" in an upbeat voice.

There are ten or twelve horses riding the test, and it takes over an hour for the results to be announced. The results are finally called, in reverse order. Sixth. Fifth. Fourth. Third. Nope. Darn. Disappointed, my mind turns to the drive home, what needs to be done....

"Second place, Harvard, owned and ridden by...."

We had gotten second place, with a score of 66%. Amanda literally jumps up and down. Then the first place winner is announced, and it is the pro rider who had smiled at me, Hannah, with a score of 68%. A second place behind Hannah somehow makes the moment even more remarkable. I grin and pat Harvey, who is looking smug. At that moment, Amanda reaches over and hugs me.

Amanda. hugged. me.

I can't believe it. A rather perky-seeming Amanda heads off to pick up my ribbon and scores while I prep Harv for the ride home. When she returns, she thrusts the scoresheet toward me. I notice we got an 8 on our halt, but Amanda's thumb indicates where I'm to direct my attention. "The judge went easy on you. Your stretchy trot was non-existent, and you halted at least ten feet in front of X. We need to fix that stretchy trot, okay?"

Things had returned to normal. We packed up and went home.

Looking back
In re-reading this I wonder if it seems like a braggy story. Actually Harv and I triumph in all of our stories! I guess it is a bit of a dramatization, because I my memory has probably made it a little larger than life. I've my share of embarrassments and disappointments as a not-particularly-gifted older rider. This was just one of those days when you feel you've stepped into someone else's life. Thanks for reading, and for your indulgence :-)

Modern Morgans: New and improved?

When I was a wee child, I had all of the Marguerite Henry books, including the one with the bay colt on the front: Justin Morgan had a Horse. The original Morgan, Figure, is the stuff of legend, and his origins are shrouded in mystery. Like a lot of great horses that seemed to "spring from nowhere" (e.g., Seabiscuit), experts speculate that in fact he descended from "proto-thoroughbred" bloodlines that were heavily influenced by the Arabian, the North African Barb, and the Spanish Barb. Known for being a sturdy, versatile, attractive animal, the Morgan is one of few horse breeds to originate in the United States.



Early in the 20th century the U.S. government became involved in breeding Morgans for use as cavalry horses. One of the government foundation stallions is the bay General Gates (pictured to the right). He is the how I imagine the original Morgan Figure looked, and the way the Morgan breed in general is described in the horse breed books I thumbed through endlessly as a child. The American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) describes the Morgan as a horse with "small ears set above a broad forehead with large, kind eyes, tapered muzzle and expressive nostrils, an arched neck set on a well angled shoulder, broad chest, short back; deep, compact bodies set on legs with flat, dense bone; round croup, and round, hard hooves. Their proud bearing gives them a distinctive beauty that catches the eye of all."

So like, what happened?
Pictured left is an admittedly lovely park-type horse--but it doesn't look like a Morgan! According to the Foundation Morgan Horse web site, breeders began introducing Saddlebred blood in their breeding programs in the 1930's in an effort to transition the breed from a farm/work horse to a riding horse. It seems as if it was an effort to make the Morgan marketable and to capitalize on "the popularity of the Saddlebred and the prestige they brought in the show ring." This practice resulted in Morgans which were less and less of classic Morgan type. More than 50% of the Morgans living today carry a good bit of Saddlebred blood.

While I love Saddlebreds, I tend to think Morgan breeders could breed for the qualities of a riding horse while preserving the traits that make the Morgan unique. A number of Morgan breeding farms have chosen to focus their efforts on preserving the original/traditional morgan type. There are several foundation Morgan societies/organizations listed below.

My (admittedly anecdotal) experience with Morgans
Exhibit A: I boarded Riley briefly at a barn that also boarded some show Morgan mares. These park horse types showed aggressive behavior toward other horses and they had no respect for humans. They were frankly dangerous. Bob and I had to go through their pasture to get to Riley's pasture and I always carried a whip. The barn owner who boarded them was no fan. Her most memorable comment was "if all horses were like these Morgans, I would not be in the horse business."

Exhibit B: At another boarding facility (where I once kept Harv), two boarders with their show Morgans were asked to leave the farm. Their horses were "little beavers," not only chewing wood but stripping it from the walls. They were on regular turnout but they had to wear kick chains when stalled. One was so fractious she could not be ridden outside of an arena. In the end the barn owner decided they were too much trouble.

Exhibit C: My dear friend Linda has an aged "old style" Morgan. Her cresty necked liver chestnut gelding is formerly a horse-for-hire at the Claremont Riding Academy in NYC. His character exemplifies the ideal -- well, maybe he's a little too clever for his own good :-).

The future of Morgans
The point of re-making the Morgan in the image of a Saddlebred seems to stem from the desire to make the Morgan marketable as a riding horse. After all, the need for a versatile "farm-type" horse was on the wane in the twentieth century. As a layman, non-Morgan expert, I'm intrigued by the Sport Morgan breeding programs scattered around the country. I'm very glad they exist. Some interesting sites for Morgan enthusiasts:

• Sportmorgan.com provides more information about Morgans as athletes.
• Check out Laughter's Lord Wilson, an example of a dressage sport horse that has the traits and characteristics that make him identifiable as a Morgan.

For the visually oriented, here are videos.


Trillium Farm has a great dressage type morgan:



Take a look at this Morgan eventer/jumper:



Okay, this is a part Morgan, but WOW


Another nice one


RESOURCES
Silverymoon stables "About the Morgan"

Breeding out the usefulness from the Bridlepath Blog

Morgan pedigree information from the Foundation Morgan Horse web site

Alpha Morgan Horse Farm

Barb Wire a blog about the Barb horse

The regeneration of the Morgan Horse, a 1910 U.S. government publication

Moon blindness, or equine recurrent uveitis (ERU)

Moon blindness has been around a long time. In fact it may be one of the earliest veterinary diseases ever documented. In historical accounts of moon blindness, the disease flareups were thought to be tied to phases of the moon. Over the years, this disease has gone by several names, including periodic opthalmia. The name in vogue right now is equine recurrent uveitis (ERU). ERU is a chronic, painful, eye disease and is the most common cause of blindness in horses. ERU is incurable but early diagnosis and treatment can improve the long term prognosis. Symptoms of ERU vary, but usually inflammation is involved. After the initial occurrence of eye problems, problems recur both eyes repeatedly. With each occurrence, damage to the eye worsens. The prevalence of ERU is around 8% according to a 1992 article in Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice; 1992). Appaloosas are more likely than other breeds to develop ERU and 4 times more likely to become blind as a result of the ERU.

Symptoms
The first signs of ERU include inflammation in one or both eyes, corneal edema (causing a blue-white color to the cornea), red blood vessels in the corners of the eye, corneal ulcers, eye squinting, blinking, tripping, sensitivity to light/head shaking, runny nose, white spots on the eye, or bleeding in the eye. The eyes of the horse may constrict in darkness rather than dilate.

What causes ERU?
ERU has been a tough nut to crack. In the "days of yore" horsemen astutely noted that ERU was more prevalent in swampy areas and farms with poor drainage. Just a few few decades ago experts believed that ERU was caused by lack of riboflavin in the horse's diet. In relatively recent articles in The Horse magazine, I learned that ERU is thought to arise when an abnormal autoimmune response is triggered and the body attacks the eye and its internal structures. What precipitates this response? The most common indirect cause of ERU is infection with Leptospira, a spiral-shaped bacteria, or spirochetes, that can be found in areas with stagnant water. Other indirect causes can include other kinds of bacteria, parasites, viruses, or trauma. The working hypothesis is that horses contract an infection or sustain trauma, mount an immune-response, and fail to appropriately terminate that response. I read and re-read this article from The Horse magazine which provides detail on the immune process that triggers ERU. It made my eyes cross, but if you are interested in exactly how the immune system gets out of whack, that's the article to read.

Treatment
If the horse is experiencing painful eye spasms, atropine will be prescribed to relax/dilate the eye. However, atropine can affect gut motility and increase the risk of colic. If bacterial infection is present, antibiotics will may be used, while steroidsmay be used to control inflammation. Medication is usually applied topically, as much as 4-6 times a day. Bute, aspirin, or banamine can reduce inflammation. Banamine, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), analgesic, and antipyretic may be the single most effective treatment of acute anterior uveitis in horses.

One new development in treatment is a delivery device that is surgically implanted in the eye. The implant releases cyclosporine A, an immunosuppressant, to "turn off" the cells that cause the inflammation in ERU. These implants can last five years.

Take home message
Now you've had an earful on ERU, rest assured that there is far more to the story than I can impart. But there is a take home message, embedded in a story. A few months after I bought Harv, way back in 1997, his eye got weepy and was partially closed. It didn't look that serious, just uncomfortable. Another boarder bullied me into calling a vet, saying "no eye injury is minor, and it could be serious." In this case, Harv recovered without incident, but I know now that eye problems are not to be fooled with. If you notice anything unusual about your horse's behavior (related to vision) or his/her eye, CALL THE VET. Any infection or inflammation can damage vision, and if god forbid there is a disease process, you can treat it early.


RESOURCES

From The Horse Magazine
Leptospira Not an Important Factor in Recurrent Uveitis, Researchers Say

Understanding Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU)

Other
Spotlight on Moon Blindness from Thoroughbred Times, Sept. 1998

Merck Veterinary Manual on ERU

Blind Appaloosas Web site

Equine Recurrent Uveitis: Information for Horse Owners