BTB, Party of eleven? See you at Rolex!

It looks like our Rolex dinner will be a healthy party of eleven including me (but it's not too late to sign up!). The plan so far:

UPDATE! New Restaurant! Ramseys Diner on 496 E. High Street, 7pm Saturday (the other restaurant below would not take our reservation). UPDATE!
Cheapside Bar and Grill, 8 miles from KHP, 7pm Saturday. It has a good selection, and a light menu for those of us who are hell-bent on returning to their birth weight. I'm on my way to my weight loss goal, having lost about 5 lbs. Hope everyone is psyched for Rolex, and to Saturday evening! I know I am.

Attendees so far:
Kelly, area code 859, party of 2
Cate, area code 502, party of 2
Christel, area code 715, party of 2
Becky, area code 864, party of 3
Stacey, area code 610, party of 2



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Tracing a thoroughbred's past: Harvey

My experience tracking Harv's past
Setting aside Harv's life of intrigue and adventure (with his sidekick Skippy/Manuel), I wanted to learn of his days as a professional athlete. Here's what I found, and how I found it.

Harv came with JC papers and a tattoo. His racing name was Sotally Tober. Ugh. Anyway, his papers said he raced 7 times at Remington Park in Oklahoma, and he won one race. I contacted the Remington Park racetrack in the hopes of getting the winner's circle photo and video footage of his winning race. He was too old (records didn't go back that far), but their databases of photos and videos includes more than five years of races.

Harv's dad was "kind of a big deal" in the early sixties and I found pictures of him on BloodHorse.com's photo store. Here is Harv's dad High Tribute. What a handsome fellow! Harv is a chip off the old block -- their heads and body type are quite similar...

clipped from gallery.pictopia.com

Harv's previous owners...
Most recent owner: I started with Harv's most recent owner, the 19 year old college student who sold him to me. She had been given video footage of Harv's claiming race but could not find when I asked if I could see it. She gave me the name of the woman who sold Harv to her--Diane Evans from Chapel Hill NC. The name was on his papers too but I couldn't find her in the phone book. It was a dead end until...

Owner #2: I remembered that someone at Harv's barn mentioned that he had won a combined training year end award years ago. I borrowed a friend's copies of the NCDCTA newsletter and was delighted to find

• Harv on the FRONT COVER of one of the issues and
• Diane Evans' email in another issue.

Diane was pleased to hear about Harv and she told me he had come to her as a four year old, from Virginia. "He steered like a Mack truck when we got him," she said. "But he came along nicely." She bought him from someone in Virginia, a dealer, but couldn't recall his name to verify what was on the JC papers.

Owner #3: I googled the only other owner listed on Harv's papers, but he appeared to be incarcerated per a newspaper article I found. Didn't call him.

Breeder: Harv's breeder was "Jim D. Day" of Arkansas, Rainbow Enterprises. Again, no luck there.

Conclusion
Anyway, that's Harv's story. I think the search process will be unique to each horse, depending on paperwork and circumstances. The best leads are almost always from actual human beings, so glean everything you can from each person. I'm no racing expert so I may be missing obvious research sources in the world of racing. Feel free to jump in with additional suggestions!

A pain in the horse: Signs your horse is hurting

The Horse magazine's published an article on detecting pain in horses which they highlighted in their Lameness Report recently. Studies show that horses are much more stoic than we realize. From an evolutionary standpoint, the ability to mask pain has survival value, since predators can't easily pick out the compromised animal in the herd. Horses can't tell us when they're in pain, and unfortunately there are no physiological responses that can be attributed specifically/only to pain. Horse owners are left with the task of looking for subtle behavioral signs. Here is the The Horse magazine's list of signs a horse might be in discomfort (from The Horse article):

• head at wither height
• ears out
• trying not to move
• glazed eyes
• elevated heart rate
  

Other articles mention depression or sedentary attitude, reduction in self-maintenance behaviors (eating/drinking), "guarding" and attraction to the painful area, stamping, pawing, and of course some of the classic colic signs like sweating, biting sides, etc.

Kinds of pain
Lots of articles classify equine pain along different dimensions: acute/chronic, systemic vs. localized, etc. I'll let you read those yourself since they're tough to summarize. But I love little factoids like these...

• Years ago I read in Equus Magazine that horses experience pain differently than humans. I think the authors tried to make a case that because horses are flight animals, lameness somehow doesn't hurt as much. Personally I was skeptical, but it's an interesting thing to contemplate.
• Another article said that horses are especially sensitive to internal pain, and that's why the signs of colic are fairly obvious (horses can't mask the pain as easily).
• Muscular pain is most likely to result in aggression. "Aggression" is loosely defined but I think it refers to bucking under saddle, "air biting" when you tighten the girth, etc.
  

Cortisol in the blood
High cortisol levels in the blood are a possible sign of pain according to The Horse. Other sources, such as a Purdue extension publication, pointed out that cortisol is not a specific indicator of pain -- levels go up during periods of excitement, exercise, stress, or pleasure (e.g., mating). Cortisol fluctuates during the day and is elevated in the morning. Purdue veterinary experts suggest that repeated blood samples over time are needed before drawing any conclusions. For most owners, this is impractical.

How is cortisol related to pain? Cortisol is a hormone that initially increases glucose, which provides energy for “flight.". While this effect of cortisol is beneficial at the onset of a stressful situation, cortisol ultimately decreases the uptake of glucose into the cell.

Some pain is good
Years ago an older lady at a barn were I boarded complained that her mare was more difficult to handle after her Legend injections. "She moves better, but now she's full of piss and vinegar, and she's bucking under saddle," the lady told her trainer. Her trainer paused for a moment. "Well, then let's keep her sore. " That was the end of the Legend injections. While we like our horses be comfortable, trying to eliminate pain entirely is probably a mistake. Pain forces the animal to rest and guard it's body, which allows tissue to repair itself.

Conclusion
The Horse article states that "The absence of normal behavior is the most striking sign of pain in animals....any abnormal posture, movement, expression, attitude, or behavior is a potential sign of pain." This strikes me as a pretty good take home message.

RESOURCES

Understanding equine pain from The Horse Magazine

Detecting pain from The Horse Magazine v. 8 (3)

Masters of Disguise from The Natural Horse

International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management

Assessing the well-being of horses from Purdue University

Recognizing pain in horses from Michigan State U

Exploring the perception and physiology of pain in horses from DVM News


New research boosts understanding of pain from Horse and Hound

Not a dressage prospect!

I was very naughty and borrowed this picture from a Texas breeding farm Web site. I was shocked at first, mustn't this little guy be very uncomfortable? Could this be an example of the infamous halter horse type? It doesn't appear to be. From what I can gather, the colt's breeding appears to be quite good -- for cutting and reining. We won't see him trotting down the centerline anytime soon.

The Horse in Human History: Book excerpt

I received an email from Jonathan at Cambridge University Press the other day, out of the blue. He asked if I would be willing to write on their forthcoming book, The Horse in Human History. He offered to provide an excerpt. I was impressed that a) Cambridge U Press would know of this blog and b) assume that I routinely include serious historial works on my reading list. I didn't tell him that my most recent horse-related read was The Island Stallion's Fury by Walter Farley.

Anyway, the author is publishing a weekly blog article on horses in history at http://www.cambridgeblog.org/tag/the-horse-in-human-history/, through the books pub date of June I think. Jonathan sent me an excerpt from the book. Jonathan shared an excerpt that describes a horse training manual recorded in cuneiform on clay tablets circa 1360 BC by a guy named Kikkli, a Mitannian (empire encompassing Mesopotamia and Syria). Here is the excerpt -- note that as horsemen and women, at least some of our equipment and practices have roots in ancient history...

"Kikkli’s manual, designed for the instruction of the formidable chariotry corps maintained by the Hittite king, revealed the extensive discipline exercised over a seven-month period in the preparation of the chariot horse. The first few days were a trial intended to eliminate from the outset horses unfit for Kikkuli’s rigorous course.

• In the morning, the horses were harnessed and required to pace 18 km and gallop 120 m; on the way back they were made to run 180 m.
• Unharnessed, the horses were rubbed down, watered, and each given a handful of clover, two handfuls of barley, and a handful of chopped grass mixed together.
• In the evening they were driven at a pace 6 km and at a run 120 m.
• At the stable they were again rubbed down, watered, and given three handfuls of green chaff; later a bushel of boiled grain was added.
• Coming off grass to a sparse if concentrated diet, the horses craved bulk. At night therefore they were muzzled to prevent their eating the bedding or chewing the manger.
• This training was continued, extending distances, intensifying effort, alternating gaits, and maintaining a varied diet.
• After sweating, rugs were put on, and the horses were each given one pail of salted water and one pail of malted water. Other days water was withheld to accustom the animals to thirst. The horses regularly swam in the river.
• The entire training was conducted in pairs, not only in the chariot but also in the slow pacing during which the horses were yoked but driven by a groom on foot.

Said the author, 'The teams were inseparable, if one horse was a casualty the survivor would only accept another yokefellow after considerable re-training' (Dent 1974:56–59). Superb chariotry would enable the Hittites not only to dominate Asia Minor but also to extend their armies to the borders of Egypt."

This one's really good :-)

I loved this video on core stability, not only because I learned new exercises but because it's fun to watch trainer and rider interact. Dry humor alert! And of course, the Brits have a lock on cool accents...

Improving your stability in the saddle with John Pitts

Reminds me of my wedding -- NOT

Bob and I got married in NYC City Hall and spent the weekend in NYC -- a memory I'd never trade. I'm not the romantic sort, but I loved every minute of this video. Between the horse, the dress, the ocean, and the sunset, it should feel a little cliched, but it's absolutely fresh. What is it about horses and the ocean?



Okay, now that you've watched it I'll mention being a tad annoyed at the repeated references to the horse's fear of water and the rider's magical skills. For me, it seemed a little silly and unnecessary. The movie was magical all by itself.

Tracing your thoroughbred's past: Tried and true & stabs in the dark

If you're like me, you think about your horse's past alot. You know, the perennial questions horse owners ask, like

• Why is Sugar so afraid of men?
• Why won't Chloe won't let me touch her chestnut?
• What did Gabe look like as a baby?
• Did Prince ever race?

While those questions may never be answered--but when it comes to tracing a horse's past, we thoroughbred owners have a leg up on many other breeds and registries. There's so much information out there!

Thoroughbred identity
In researching a thoroughbred's past, you start by confirming the Jockey Club identity. The tattoo, Jockey Club paperwork, and the information from the past owner will be helpful starting points. Not all tattoos are readable, and not all thoroughbreds have tattoos -- generally just those that go to the track, train and have been entered in a race. If you know the horse's race name, you don't really need the tattoo. If you can get a partial tattoo, the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau may be able to help.

Sometimes you just don't have enough to work with, but if you have a few facts to start with, here are still some basic approaches to try.

Thoroughbred research resources
Thoroughbreds are well-documented animals in general, from breeding to performance. For U.S. bred thoroughbreds, take a look at Can I find out about my ex-racer's background? to get racing performance/bloodline info. Most folks are already familiar with Thoroughbred pedigree query database, which provides pictures, pedigrees, and other information about lineage and performance.

Jockey Club papers list breeder, date/location foaled, owners, races won, identifying markings, etc. In this age of Google, I suspect most of us know Internet search basics, but here are a few tidbits...

• If you know where the horse raced and/or what races the horse won (date, etc), you can contact the race track (most have Web sites) to see if there is video footage of the race. Race replay videos from over 70 racetracks are available through a database called www.racereplays.com but there is a fee.
  
• Winner's Circle photographs may be available from the track or the track photographer, who is often listed in the Contact Us section of the Web site. Racehorsephoto.com partners with many different racetracks, collecting photos to create one searchable database.
  
• For free (selected reports) or for a small fee, you can find out a lot on the vast thoroughbred database Equineline.com. For example, I got a list of all of Harv's siblings, including one full sibling. I searched high and low for Harv's brother on the Internet but never found him. I found one half-sibling competing at 4th level in Minnesota.
• If the horse, his sire, the trainer, or breeder is successful, you might find reference to them in publications such as Blood Horse, Thoroughbred Times, or other publications.
• Lots of equestrian and racing bulletin boards have forums for horse searching and tracing your horse's past. One example is the pedigree query forum...
  
• If all else fails, put an ad in regional equestrian or racing publications seeking information on your horse. You never know who might respond.
  

Believe me I'm no racing expert! I may well be missing some great resources -- if you know of one, or some, feel free to comment!

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

www.racingpost.co.uk and www.racingpost.co.uk for free database searches/race records going back up to 30 years. Mostly UK, some US.

www.ustrotting.com for Standardbred information

Thoroughbred pedigree query

Racehorsephoto.com partners with many different Thoroughbred and Standardbred racetrack photographers to create a database of photos.

www.racereplays.com "With over 70 tracks and growing,RaceReplays.com is the only comprehensive VideoCharts™ Internet site, offering members the ability to view unlimited individual Race Replays, Photos and Results from North America’s leading racetracks."

Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau (partial tatoo searches)

Stallion-schmallion: Pick your broodmare carefully

Mares really do rule! In horse breeding, the influence of the mare exceeds that of the stallion -- one breeder told me that the split was 60-40, with the mare bringing 60% to the table. She said that the mare's influence was in part due to her mothering skills. A spooky mare will pass on fears to her baby, for example. I've also read that maiden mares tend to produce smallish babies that grow up to be smallish horses. This suggests that the uterine environment can permanently affect how the baby horse develops.


But wait! There's more!
I did not know till recently that the mare is also genetically more influential than the stallion. The X chromosone is the bigger than the Y chromosone, and in the case of horses it carries far more genetic information than the Y chromosone. In addition, the mitochondria (cell organelles) carry genetic information. Most body cells contain as much as 10,000 mitochondria, and mitochondria are passed on to the foal exclusively by the mare. A stallion who really "stamps his get" is something of a freak of nature, as is a mare that is genetically neutral -- letting the stallion's traits dominate.

Have you heard the term "broodmare sire"?
I talked a bit about this subject in a past article, but it bears repeating. Secretariat was a disappointment as a sire in some respects, as he was not a "sire of sires." His male offspring were not successful enough to make it to the breeding shed. However, he was a good sire of broodmares. How can this be? It's a genetic thing, and one reason, in Secretariat's case, has to do with something call the X factor.

Secretariat's heart was measured to be twice the size of a normal thoroughbred horse. Twice the pumping capacity menas greater speed/endurance. Some horses have this trait -- a big heart, that is -- and they can pass it on to their offspring. Those that do are believed to have the X factor. The term originates from the fact that the large heart is tied to the X chromosone.

Girls rule!
But Secretariat could only pass his big heart to his daughters! When Secretariat bred a son, his contribution to the offspring was always the Y chromosone, so he had no chance of passing on his big heart. When he sired a daughter, he passed on his X chromosone and potentially the X factor big heart. A daughter that grows up to be a broodmare can pass on the trait to either her male or female offspring (she always contributes an X chromosone). That's how Secretariat's legacy -- lots of really good moms, genetically programmed to pass on Secretariat's big heart. I don't mean to suggest that the X factor is the ONLY reason Secretariat was a good broodmare sire -- the X factor is just a good illustration of the principle.

Riley's mom Rachael

Riley's mom
I bought Riley before I understood intellectually how important the mom is -- but I fell in love with his mom, especially her kind eye and lovely face. I had only seen pictures of the sire. Riley has many traits of his mom (neck, size, shoulder, eye, movement), but I think his dad gave him a slightly stronger hindquarter and a more refined head. He has a longer leg and a shorter back than both parents at this point. Time will tell.

If you're thinking of breeding or buying a young horse, ask to see the mother and evaluate her as well. Ask about her inspection/performance scores if she is a warmblood. Most warmblood registries recognize a particularly high quality mare through special designations: States Premium for Hanoverians inspected in Germany, for example, or elite mare for Hanoverians in the U.S. If you're not impressed with the mom, think hard before you buy the foal.

Riley's mom again

RESOURCES

The legendary Ratina Z from sporthorsebreeder.com

Heart size in pedigree from horse-smart.com

Sport horse breeding: The mare from citizenhorse.com

Real housewives of New York: Equestrian episode

One of my guilty pleasures is watching Real Housewives of New York. I'm especially intrigued by the affluent folks of New York, in part because unlike the Atlanta and Orange County shows, some of these women do seem to actually work. Even so, it's clear that the NYC socialite's world is indeed very different from mine.

Horses are usually featured somewhere in the 'real housewives' series. In an Orange County episode, a mom tells the camera she is impressed that her daughter can guide a "powerful Friesian" around a jump course. Needless to say, the unfeathered bay jumper with white socks is not a Friesian, and I laugh cattily.

I'm hoping you'll enjoy this clip of one of the housewives at the Hampton Classic...

Sunday funnies (from autiobiocomic.com)

A fellow bloger sent along this horse-related comic strip -- thought it was an appropriate Sunday post!

From autiobiocomic.com

Two different feet, Part II

For months now I have been looking to replace my aging sport Dansko clogs -- now grey and scuffed with five years of wear. My quest has been fruitless -- until last week. I went to Horseman's Outlet last Friday to get Riley a soaking boot (did I mention he has the mother of all abscesses?), and as I rounded the corner to the horse boot section, the proverbial shiny object -- in this case something in the shoe display -- caught my eye.

To see the "color" line of Dansko, click here...

The photo above does not BEGIN to capture the deep, rich, luminous indigo of these clogs. Technically purple, but not garish, the hue suggests "royal elegance" rather than "Barney the Dinosaur." My dream clogs, at last!

I was dimly aware that a sales lady was hovering in the periphery, and I gave her my shoe size. Within moments those jewel-toned beauties were on my feet. While seated I admired them, turning my ankles this way and that; then I stood and took perhaps seven steps, gazing downward the whole time. Returning to the chair, I removed them placed them carefully back in their box.

Although the sales lady was a study in neutrality, I'm sure she wanted my verdict. I explained that my husband had cautioned me NOT TO BUY ANYTHING non-essential as we're paying taxes out of this month's budget. She nodded with understanding. I placed the lid over the Danskos with the magic purple patina. Then I handed her the box. "So you'll hold these for me at the checkout counter?" "Of course," she answered as if she never doubted -- then she whisked them off to their happy consumer holding area.

It was a true shopper's high.

Dutch National Championship ride

Edward Gal and Totilas (toe-TEE-lass) are reportedly undefeated at all FEI level. This particular ride received an 82.92%. Even more astounding, the video is getting nearly unanimous praise from the tough audiences of the dressage bulletin boards. I say nearly unanimous because one poster did refer to T's showy trot as "cart-type movement."

Totilas is by the Trakehner stallion Gribaldi, who is undeniably talented but known to be rather hot and to produce spirited offspring.

Youtube video


Non-youtube video (for people who live where Youtube is not available)

Two different feet

Riley's movement seems to be pretty straight. Maybe that's why I never scrutinized his front legs very much. I had noticed certain tendencies but dismissed it as "just the way he's standing now." The vet, however, made a comment that I bet a lot of horse owners hear or think to themselves: "Why, this horse has two different feet!"

I took 5-6 photos. Depending on how he stands, I see different things. In the right picture especially, you see the left front turning out. The left foot is also more upright than the left. My vet showed me how this impacts his movement and most importantly, the weight-bearing phase of his stride.

Toeing out
Horses that toe out do not land with their feet flat, which is desirable. Instead, they land on the outside of the hoof and then roll to the inside. In this gait pattern, the inside of the hoof absorbs most of the impact of the trot stride, so there is greater pressure on the inside of the bones and joints of the leg than on the outer side. The inside of the hoof will experienced increased circulation and will grow faster/steeper, resulting in the problem of sheared heels.

What are sheared heels?
In a sheared heel, the inside heel bulb of the foot is pushed upwards. The side opposite the load-bearing inside will tend to flare. . One way to mitigate the unbalanced landing is to trim the inside of the hoof slightly lower than the outside. I think this is a fairly simplistic explanation of farrier work, though. There seems to be much more to it, but that's the short answer.

But there is hope! Breeders say that while you can't be sure, it's possible a horse can 'grow out of' the toe-out tendency. The legs and shoulder are not attached to the spine -- they're sort of a free-standing structure. Young horses tend to be narrow-chested. As the chest widens, it's possible that the toes will realign. The best predictor, it seems, is parent conformation.

Resources

Hoof care for toeing out from The Horse magazine

Sheared heels from EquinePodiatry.com

GOV, ISR, OHBS, WTF? (Pardon my french) Part II

Disclaimer: this is mostly stuff I read on COTH, and I'm presenting the information that there seems to be general agreement on among posters. Corrections, additions, severe scoldings for imparting misinformation should be directed to Comments. Thanks.

The registries redux

• The GOV is the German Oldenburg Verband, the old prestigious organization.
• The ONA/ISR (Oldenburg North America/International Sporthorse Registry) was once a division of the GOV, but no more!
• The OHBS (Oldenburg Horse Breeder's Society) is presently the recognized American division of the GOV.
  

From the late 80's to the late nineties, the Oldenburg Registry of North America(ONA/ISR) was a division of the German Oldenburg Verband (GOV). There was no Oldenburg Breeder Society of North America. The GOV appointed a breeding director for the ONA/ISR, but by all accounts they didn't show much interest in how the ONA/ISR was run.

So what happened, anyway?
The "scuttlebutt" on COTH is that the ONA/ISR began to depart from the GOV's approval standards and practices, and there was a scandal when the ONA/ISR allowed a quarter horse mare into their main mare book. Some are saying that the mare was placed in the lower mare books, others disagree. At any rate there were allegations. Other things were happening too, accusations about corruption and wheeling/dealing (not proved). The GOV broke/separated from the ONA/ISR, and amidst the bitterness of the split, the ONA/ISR revealed that it had trademarked the traditional Oldenburg name and brand. Oldenburg name and brand even though the original organization had severed ties with them.

Imagine how odd this is. One COTH poster (tri) drew this analogy. It is as if...

1. Mercedes contracted with a U.S. company to make its cars.
2. Then the U.S. company began producing cars that Mercedes found to be of poor quality.
3. Mercedes severed its ties with the company.
4. The company continues to manufacture cars under the Mercedes name, using the Mercedes logo/trademark.
5. U.S. courts rule that this is okay. If this is really the way it went down, it's insane. Disclaimer: In this analogy I don't mean to suggest that the ONA/ISR really degraded the quality of the Oldenburg registry. But if that is the perception of the sponsoring body (GOV), shouldn't the GOV retain control of their own name and emblem?

In the end, the GOV broke off from the ONA/ISR and started the Oldenburg Horse Breeders Society (OHBS). Breeders who were active through this transition were confused and some of them got burned as paperwork on their horses got lost in the transition (or failed to be returned to the GOV). The OHBS no longer brands its horses.

What it's like now...
Thank goodness all this seems to be history, and both registries have gotten past this rather lively history. The ONA/ISR continues to operate independently, and the OBHS operates as part of the GOV. Each registry has its own strengths. The ISR has a reputation for being very easy to work with, customer oriented, and focused on the needs of American breeders. The OHBS has the prestige that comes from being a part of hundreds of years of European breeding, and from adhering to the Oldenburg Verband standards and practices.

Still, it's a shame that the organizational politics of the late nineties resulted in confusion over the name "Oldenburg."In my opinion the ONA/ISR registry probably didn't need the Oldenburg name or brand to legitimize it (if that is why the name was co-opted), and in the end I wonder if we've missed an opportunity to have a unique identity and legitimacy in our own right. Oh well.

RESOURCES

The Beautiful Kranich: Count Anton Günther’s Favorite Oldenburg


Chronicle Postings....
Help me understand both Oldenburg registries


Oldenburg Verband inspections - questions from a newbie

Can someone tell me about the Oldenburg NA?

American Registries and Discipline Influences...

Disappointment @ inspection ISR/OLD.... MUST READ

Six year old does one tempis (six year old rider that is!)

This was posted on the Chronicle of the Horse bulletin board. I'm impressed with the kid but what a great horse!

Rolex for dinner! An interest poll and signup

Hey BTB readers: Several folks have suggested that a group of us try to meet at Rolex in Lexington for dinner. Please come! If you are going to Rolex, and want to meet and dine with us at some to-be-determined restaurant (moderately priced), fill out the form below. If you can't complete the form for some reason, you can email me at behind the bit at gmail dot com.

Nanotechnology innovations for horses

Nanotechnology is having a dramatic impact on our world, and on human and equine medicine. A number of new horse and pet products use nanotechnology, and over time I've run across a few equine consumer-oriented nano innovations. Thought I'd share...

Nano fabric for horses and riders


Nano paint for horse barns
Nanovations, an Australian company, has developed a paint coating which clears up the air in stables. The paint reduces the risk for horses from cough allergies and lung diseases. The paint has been tested as emission free. Even if a horse would chew on a painted surface, there is no reason to believe that some mechanism within the horse could separate the particles from the adhering paint molecules. A high pressure cleaner can be used to maintain the surface and to make sure dirt build-ups are removed. At the moment the paint comes with a 5 year warranty against fungus and mildew. Theoretically the paint should remain this function forever.

How to videotape horses: A guide (from someone else)

This nice video was posted on the Vimeo Web site. It's fun to watch the author's real life examples of how NOT to videotape, as well as how to do it right...


Pro Horse Productions Video Tips Seminar Horse Demos from Susan DeSylvia on Vimeo.

New footage of Quaterback, and more BABIES!!!

It's been awhile since I've posted on Quaterback, the stallion that is generating a lot of buzz in sport horse breeding. He was only about 3 or 4 years old in the 2006 video that "made him famous" as a youngster. Quaterback has no doubt changed and I have been looking for new pix or footage. Hopeful Farm shared this picture on COTH -- think it is fairly recent.

Well, just this morning I discovered 2009 video footage on Youtube! He looks stronger, more fully developed and in control of his own movement. In short, still gorgeous. Sigh.

Judy Yancey of Yancey Farms shared some photos of his 2009 crop. Aren't they just lovely? The bottom picture is a baby out of a mare (by ET) that I drool over, Tamarinde. My friend who breeds Oldenburgs -- she can spot conformation weaknesses at 20 paces -- calls her a "kickass mare." You can bet I'll be looking out for more pix of this flashy chestnut.

I have one gripe, which is why can't any of these Quaterback breeders pick the names I am dying to see in use: Quiji and Quixotic. I mean, how many good 'q' names can there be????

A Rolex 3 day resolution and theme song

Blancmange (white jello)

Last weekend we captured Harv's birthday on video. Reliving that day through the video should have been a fun reminiscence. Instead, I found myself cringeing. Geez. Is that what I look like in breeches?

Quel horreur! Je suis un blancmange.

Instead of just slapping the video up on Youtube as usual, I found myself carefully editing out the most gelatinous moments.

Bad news, good news
Well, that's the bad news. I think about losing weight a lot, but when confronted with say, a nice carrot cake, rationalizations have been easy to find. No more. The good news is, I'm now motivated to watch what I eat. Big time! Will sharing a goal with BTB readers compel me to achieve it?

My goal is to lose 8 lbs by the time I to Rolex in Lexington -- April 23. And now, the theme song for Rolex 2009...

By the time I get to Rolex...
(sung to By the time I get to Phoenix)

By the time I get to Rolex I'll be thinner
Cuz my weight chart is now hanging on the door
I'll have a bowl of steam tonight for dinner
"May I see the dessert menu?" Nevermore!

Zara Phillips

When I board the plane for Rolex I'll be skinny
I'll turn down the bag of peanuts and drink Tab^TM
I'll buy Equissential^TM breeches one size smaller
And the waist will not be rimmed with extra flab

By the time I'm riding Riley I'll be lighter
He won't buckle at the knees when I get on
He'll be pleased that I'm too weak to make him canter
We'll just walk until the dizzy spells are gone

I will stroll about the Horse Park in white breeches
In a halter top for everyone to see
They'll tell me I look just like Zara Phillips
A blogger's dream! Regards, from BTB

GOV, ISR, OBHS, WTF? (Pardon my french) Part I

A BTB reader suggested a good topic for the "warmblood series." We've all heard of the Oldenburg horse, but why so many registries? What is the difference between the German Oldenburg Verband, the Oldenburg Horse Breeder's Society, and the ISR/Oldenburg North America registries?

The organizations
The German Oldenburg Verband (GOV) is the original Oldenburg registry -- it has been around since the 1920's and is based in Germany. This bloodlines in the GOV date back to the 1600's in the region of Germany by that name. The Count Anton Günther von Oldenburg, an avid horseman and breeder in the region, guided the early development of the Oldenburg horse. Understandably there is quite a bit of history and prestige associated with the GOV.

The Oldenburg Horse Breeders Society (OBHS) started around the year 2000 (give or take a few years), and it is presently the North American branch/division of the GOV. The GOV assigns a North American breeding director and the OBHS follows the philosophy, principles, and practices of the GOV. In short their programs are in total alignment. Horses that are part of this registry get pink German registration papers. They do not, however, get a brand -- more on this later.

The Oldenburg Registry of North America and International Sport Horse Registry (ONA/ISR) was founded in 1983, and its past is, well, let's say colorful as far as the Oldenburg side. From about 1988 to 1997 (I think) the ONA/ISR was the American division of the GOV, and the GOV appointed a breeding director for the ONA. There was a falling out in the late nineties, though. The brief explanation is that the GOV separated from the ONA/ISR when it appeared that the GOV policies and practices were not being followed.

GOV brand
ONA/ISR brand adds the letters NA)

Breaking up is hard to do. Like a bad divorce, there was the question of who gets what -- what Bob calls "the toaster wars." The ONA/ISR secured the trademark for the Oldenburg brand and continued to use the Oldenburg name that had belonged to the GOV for hundreds of years. Litigation ensued over the identity and ownership of these things, and the court decision was surprising. The ONA/ISR won the right to use the word "Oldenburg" in their title and the Oldenburg brand, even though the name and brand didn't originate with them, and even though they are no longer affiliated with the original owners, the GOV.

The ONA/ISR states on its Web site that it follows international breeding standards. I'm not sure who sets international breeding standards, so I can't speak to that. But there are some differences between the practices of the ONA/ISR vs. the GOV...

1. The ONA/ISR provides approval for mares that do not have official registration documents or proper documentation of their pedigree (most registries require a four generation pedigree). In the U.S., a lot of nice mares don't have paperwork -- we're just not as cognizant of bloodlines as they are in Europe. The ONA/ISR has different mare books depending on a mare's pedigree, conformation, and performance.


2. The ONA/ISR uses a different inspection scoring system than the GOV.


3. ISR brands its horses; the American division of the GOV does not.

ISR/ONA
A note about ISR vs. ONA: Although they are one organization, the ISR and ONA serve different purposes. Stated simplistically, the ISR has the lower mare books and is the registry for mares lacking in pedigree. ISR has its own brand. Oldenburg NA has the higher mare books and offspring can be eligible to become stallions.

Part II will talk more about the events of the late nineties -- where the GOV and the ISR/ONA parted ways...

Line breeding, close breeding, inbreeding in sport horses

Wow, I just read a great article in the Fall 2002 issue of Holsteiner magazine: Linebreeding, Inbreeding, Close Breeding A primer covering the Tesio Method, the Rasmussen Factor, and other breeding theories. I anticipated a dry but instructive read, but it was actually fascinating. I'm going to share a few of the basics from the article, but I recommend you read it yourself if you're interested in the subject.

"Isn't that like marrying your cousin?"
Several years ago, when a friend first described line breeding to me, it seemed kind of creepy. If you haven't heard this term, the average person would probably think of it as inbreeding--when a sire or dam appears more than once within a pedigree. The goal of line breeding is to concentrate bloodlines to bring out desirable traits in the resulting offspring.

It's all about what genes influence the offspring. Geneticists say that a parent must carry 10% of a desired bloodline (e.g., Bold Ruler) in order for that blood to have any influence on the offspring. A son or daughter will have 50% of a sire's blood, a grandson or granddaughter will have 25%, and a great grandson or great granddaughter will have 12.5%. Blood from the great-great grandsire would be less than 10% (no influence). Line breeding or inbreeding will increase the genetic influence of a bloodline. Here are the definitions of line breeding and related terms.

Line breeding
A horse is considered "line bred" or the product of line breeding when he or she has a common ancestor outside the fourth generation. According to the article, linebreeding "is duplicating key forbears in the fourth to sixth generation." An example of line breeding is the thoroughbred Fairway. If you look at his pedigree you'll see where horses are repeated. It isn't just the presence of the horses that matters, it's where they appear (sire or dam line, etc). Theories of line breeding can be very, very involved.

In the article Pedigree generation position, the author Kathleen Kirshan states that "the focal linebreeding should be in what many call the engine room, which is the 4th through 6th generation positions." If you do choose to read more, it helps to know there is a notation used to describe the pedigree in terms of line breeding: 4X4 indicates the same horse is presesnt in the fourth generation two times; 3X6 means the horse is present in the third and the sixth generation; and so on.

Inbreeding
Inbreeding in the vernacular is a general term for what happens when you marry a relative. In horse breeding, it means duplicating an ancestor in the first four generations of an animal's pedigree. An example of inbreeding is found in the warmblood stallion Matcho.

Close breeding
Mating between brothers and sisters, or between parents and their off-spring, is referred to as close breeding. It is seldom done in real life breeding, although the spectacular jumper Rex Z is the product of a full brother/full sister mating. Also a few years ago I read in the USDF Connection that Hilda Gurney bred a daughter to hers sire. I believe this horse was a year end award winner -- but it's still creepy in my book. Close breeding is often used in genetic research to expose genetic weaknesses quickly.

Risks of inbreeding/close breeding
The same mechanism that strengthens the desirable traits also exposes weaknesses in the genetics of a bloodline. Too much inbreeding in labrador retrievers and german shepherds led to the problem of hip dysplasia. Inbreeding can cause runty, unhealthy, infertile, bad-tempered animals. Most breeders try hard to balance line breeding with outcrossing.

Outcrossing
Secretariat was outcrossed, meaning he was the product of two unrelated strains. This results in what they call "hybrid vigor," and in the horse world it can produce super-horses like Secretariat. But while outcrossing is more likely to produce healthier more fertile, and stronger individual, it's less likely to produce a good sire. Because their genes are heterozygous it is harder to predict what their offspring will be. In contrast, line bred horses will have homozygous genes. There is less variaility in their genetic makeup so their offspring will more predictably inherit the traits of their sire or dam. A stallion that produces the same traits consistently is said to be prepotent. A prepotent stallion consistently passes on desirable characteristics to offspring. The trait can be speed, endurance, jumping talent, dressage gaits, or beauty/conformation, for example.


Takeaway message
While homozygous genes (from line breeding) make it easier to predict what the offspring will be like, heterozygous genes (from outcrossing) make for a healthier animal. Most breeders will agree that a pedigree should be balanced with respect to outcrossing and line breeding. Avoid extremes in either direction!

RESOURCES
Reading pedigrees from The Horse

Chief Bearheart: The power of line breeding

Sport-horse-breeder.com

Is sire line outcrossing possible any more? from the Blood Horse

Riley steals Harv's birthday thunder

From Kym's Creations, Allentown PA

On Saturday, the day we celebrated Harv's birthday. I picked up the half sheet of rich gooey carrot cake, and Bob and I were planning to take it to Harvey that morning. We'd have our cake, I thought, and then I was going to ride. But on the way to the bake shop, I got a call from the other barn. Riley had been brewing an abscess for a few days, and it had taken a turn for the worse.

Instead of spending the morning at Harvey's barn and riding, we dropped off the cake, quickly fed him a piece, and left him in his stall with a feed tub full of carrots. Then went to see what Riley's barn manager meant when she said that he refused to leave his stall.

What does this mean for you? Big excitement, we filmed from two locations this weekend! Here is the Harvey birthday footage...



Here is the footage from the trip to Riley's barn. I changed shirts b/c it was approaching 70 degrees! Riley was reluctant to walk but he seemed to enjoy a good foot-soaking...



Initially I thought Riley was stealing Harv's thunder, but in retrospect maybe it was his birthday gift to Harv. After all we only had time to feed Harvey and then go tend to Riley. No time to ride :-)

Another impressive jumper

Well, I'd like to know the people and the story behind this talented jumper!

How not to advertise on Craigslist

I found this ad on Craigslist. Talk about too much information! If you don't have enough going on in your life, and enjoy assuming a role in other people's problems, respond to this ad. Note picture is not part of the ad....

Hi. I am currently keeping a horse at my home for a friend, but, I am not set up for this additional horse and he needs to find a new place. He needs to be kept with other horses as he has seperation anxieties otherwise. The preference would be for a private farm w/turnout and stall. Sid is a 16 hand TB gelding about 12 yrs old. His girl loves him very much but has had a bad run on luck and been used by another local farm who took advantage of her and then threw them out. I have done work for this woman as well and know what a smuck she is and how she uses people. This is not a case of the owner of the horse being a problem. She has had her horse here for a few months now but I have told her all along that she has to find somewhere else. I don't have enough pasture and room for him and my horses are suffering because of it. She is here to see him every day and takes excellent care of him as well as cleaning up after him and herself and the rest of the barn (guilty here as I don't keep things nearly as nice as her, so it has been nice that way). She does not have internet access so I am posting for her. She is working in Eaton and and just took an apartment in Carver and so needs to find a barn somewhere in that area so she can see him daily. If something can be worked out that she can help out some at the barn to help keep the board reasonable, she is more than willing to do what she can. If you think you can help out here please respond and I will be glad to forward your information to her so that you can contact each other. Thanks so much.

Another reason NOT to stand on a scale

A friend of mine went to an equestrian Pilates class last week. As part of a demonstration, the instructor brought out two scales and had participants (volunteers) put one foot on each scale. They were asked to stand as they normally would. Apparently most of the participants placed significantly more weight on one scale than the other. Even when they tried to balance the numbers, most had trouble making the numbers on the scale match closely. The teacher was demonstrating that most people aren't perfectly symmetrical -- most of us have skeletal anamolies, muscular "one-sidedness," or something else.

I took a similar class and it did make me more aware of my own tendences to be crooked. Simple behaviors like always cocking the same hip or cocking your head in the same direction can be indications of which you prefer. Alas, I'm very one-sided.

Does anyone hae two relatively identical scales? Can you test the theory?

BTW I took a short workshop on Pilates with Betsy Steiner and bought this book after the class. I can recommend it in terms of readability and format. I haven't been a good practicer of Pilates so I can't vouch that it's improved my riding. But that's not Betsy Steiner's fault!

Harv's birthday! 22 years of being a good boy...

It's Harv's birthday -- he's 22 (March 5)!!! Here's something I wrote a bit ago -- guess this is a good time for a blog entry that's 100% Harv.

Fun with fabrication
Bob and I talk about Harvey a lot, and it's part of our schtick is to invent all sorts of things about him. When Bob heard about layoffs at his company, we had a serious talk about finances. As the conversation wound down, Bob leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. "Ahhh, it's a good thing we can fall back on the Harvster's financial resources." I gave him a questioning look. "The Harvster dabbles in the market, " he went on. "He has investments of his own -- offshore holdings, a Swiss annuity, but also domestic preferred stock." Bob took a swig of coffee. "Yeah, I found the documents in his feed bucket," he explained.

Well, I think it's cute.

Harv's checkered past
When Harvey moved to a new barn last year, he encountered Skippy, a little donkey. The first meeting was dramatic. Bob and I were leading Harv into the barn, and as we rounded the corner we ran smack into Skippy. Harv stopped in his tracks and went rigid, then he reeled backwards and tried to turn and run. He was shaking slightly and we had to take him back outside.

At the time I didn't know that many horses are afraid of donkeys. So, on the drive home, Bob and I analyzed at Harv's terrified reaction. I wondered aloud if he'd had a bad experience with donkeys. Bob thought about this for a minute.

Bob: "I didn't want to say anything, but Harv told me something of this when I was cooling him out this summer."

Me: "Hmmm?"

Bob: "It turns out, Harvey and Skippy go waaay back. But back then, Skippy was 'Manuel.'"

Me: "Manuel?"

Bob: "Yes! It was on the Mexico-Arizona border. Harvey was still with the FBI then, and Skippy was on the wrong side of the law. Some things happened. Things Skippy knows about. Things Harv isn't proud of. Harvey came to eastern Pennsylvania to forget those days. Lead a simpler life."

Me: "So Skippy was -- a drug mule? "

Bob: "Well -- not a mule, but yes, there were drugs involved."

Me: (musing aloud) "And Harvey told me he'd never been west of Ohio."

Bob: "We mustn't let on we know anything. Skippy is in the witness protection program."

Me: "No wonder Harv was so shocked to see him."

In retrospect, something in Harv's expression on seeing Skippy -- er, Manuel -- was tinged with recognition. Maybe it's my imagination but the moment of panic fit completely with the scenario Bob described. I haven't felt the same about Skippy ever since.

Coming soon -- digging up your horse's past
Well, that was fun for me, but you may wonder why on earth I'm sharing this. It's an intro to Part II which is coming up in the next few weeks. I'll be doing some research on how to track down real facts about your horse's past...

Text message abbreviations for horse lovers

I'm not really big on texting, but I seem to be alone in this. The barn where I ride has teens and young adults, and it's always amusing to see their silhouette in the barn aisle, head bowed, thumbs poised. If you didn't know they were texting you'd think a) they had learned to sleep while standing or b) they were praying -- and with the fences I've seen some of them jump, that at least seems appropriate.

Anyway, if I did text a lot here are some of the text abbreviations I think horsewomen could use...

Abbrev.	Means...
SSAB	Sorry, still at barn (for spouses)
OHTL8R	On horse, talk later?
3LL	Three legged-lame
VV	Vet visit
VV$	Emergency vet visit
ASTM?	Are you wearing your helmet? (for moms)
T3	Talking to trainer
WWJD?	What would Jane Savoie do?
RUMOR?	Are you mucking or riding (and therefore can't talk)?
PICT	Pawing in cross ties
BOT	Boarder on tirade
MRF, MLF, MRR, MLR,	Which shoe is missing
W84F	Waiting for farrier
ChamporChump?	How did it go at the horse show?
Ch& (or RCh&)	Champion or Reserve Champion
JSNF	Judge was so not fair!
R, RR, or RRR	One, two, or three refusals
STAR!	Stop texting and ride!

Okay, those are mine -- What are some more? Have you used them in texting?

Freedom USPC field boots: A big thumbs up!

Note to impatient readers: Video of boots at bottom of entry

I'm a tough fit bootwise. My custom Petrie boots are 34cm calf size and 52c, height. I have never had an off the shelf boot come near a good fit -- till now. I ordered the Freedom USPC (Devonaire) field boots. The short review is, THEY'RE GREAT.

Why do I need new boots?
The zipper on one of my Ariat schooling boots broke last week. Beval charges $90/boot for a repair, and the rep assured me that if one zipper had gone, the other will soon follow. I paid less than $200 for the boots new, so that didn't seem like a good option. I'm not sure what I'll do with my Ariats -- Bob is suggesting adding brass eyelets for lacing up, and I'm going to get a quote from a dry cleaner/leather shop near where I work. But in the meantime I have no boots for everyday. I needed something to ride in, and fast.

Shopping mission #2467
Starting with Dover, I found the Devonaire USPC field boots in Dover for $89.70. They looked too good to be true (see top right photo). A tall calf, nice shape, and hose-off maintenance because they're vinyl. Devonaire is not a brand I seek out, and usually I don't order something online unless I've seen the product. I posted a question about the boots to COTH and got encouraging responses. Everyone who owned them was quite happy and said many said they showed in them. So I bought'em. And here they are, right after my first ride (a bit dusty):





My impressions

• I love love love the height of these boots -- never have I had an off the shelf boot fit me this well.
• The sizing of the foot is pretty much on the spot, perhaps a tad generous. An 8.5 tends to just fit me just a tad snug, and these are generous enough that i could wear thick socks in the winter.
• The vinyl is soft and leather like, they were comfy in the first ride.
• The zipper look decent and feel solid.
• The only things that seems a little on the cheap are the laces and the fake tabby thing on the side :-). But those are details that probably wouldn't be noticed. I would show in them for sure.
  

In short, a thumbs up. Now I'm off to write a letter to Devonaire -- they need to know they done good!

Riley long lining: Ho hum

I'm reluctant to even post this footage -- it is so uneventful it doesn't even interest me that much. But for the sake of documenting each and every milestone, here it is. This is about ten minutes into Riley's first long lining experience. The first ten minutes is even MORE boring as it's all at the walk, but the audio portion includes a chatty conversation between me and another rider (we were standing next to Bob while he videotaped). I'm sparing you that.



Note that after his long lining session he gets a kiss on the nose! Well-deserved I'd say. I'll be honest--I grasp the basic benefits of long lining to prepare for being under saddle (turn right, turn left, whoa) but I know there's a lot more to it. This is probably the second or third long lining session I've witnessed in person. Note to self: Get more informed about long lining for advanced work.