A mule with upper level potential...

Last week someone poo-pooed my speculation that a mule could do second level. I not only stand by my original statement, I'll go ya one more. Take a good look at the yearling minature donkey below. I say this one will go Grand Prix!

(April Fools)

Oh BTW, this little guy is for sale (email jim-fish@sbcglobal.net).

Weird thoughts and horse lips

This is an admittedly weird topic, but here's a confession. I just marvel at Harvey's lips. For such big animals, horses have such soft noses and mouths. I love to wiggle Harvey's lower lip while impersonating his voice, and he doesn't seem to mind. I love when horses are dozing and their lower lip droops. It's too cute for words.

A triumph of form and function
A horse's lips and mouth have some unique adaptive features. Here are a few facts and links that I found pretty intriguing!

• Bit fitters have established categories of mouth conformation to assist in bit fitting. Click on the link to identify your horse's mouth type.
• Horses have a prehensile upper lip. Prehensile means "adapted for seizing, grasping, or taking hold of something." When grazing, a horse's lips actually grasp the grass tips; they curl their lips inward and deliver the grass to their teeth.  Below is a picture of Harv, about age 11, with his buddy Wesser. I think they demonstrate the role of lips in grazing very nicely.

• Linda Tellington-Jones, who is famous for her bodywork with horses, has an article on mouthwork.

• There is lip balm for horses!

Ever heard of "flehmen?" It's a term having to do with horse lips... (Compendium Equine 3:2 (March 2008), pp. 91-94)

• One sign that a horse could be infected with the West nile virus is twitching or flaccidity of the lips.

• Lip smacking is a mild nuisance vice in horses. It's the rhythmical smacking action of the lower lip toward the upper lip when under saddle or in unfamiliar environments.

So that's my treatise on horse lips. Thanks for indulging me...

Make-believe barn manager: "He's too thin"

"He's too thin" is a common boarder refrain. In the last make believe barn manager post, I talked about putting hay amounts in the boarding contract, but that doesn't make it an immutable law. Horses are individuals and some will want/need more hay: hard keeping horses, ulcer-prone horses, horses with stall vices are a few examples. Boarders also have their own ideas (I should say we have our own ideas) about how much hay is enough.

All you can eat?
Boarders have expressed the opinion that their board should pay for whatever amount of hay their horse needs. Boarding is not like an all-you-can-eat restaurant.  Just  go to a Country Buffet restaurant and look at the quality of the food. The horse equivalent would be to feed cow hay. That nice, green, timothy mix would be like filet mignon or crab, which you seldom see on the buffet warming trays.  Help yourself to some potatos though.

Good barns do try to make adjustments for a particular horse's needs. There is hardly any profit margin on horse boarding, though, and the barn starts to LOSE money pretty quickly when expensive resources like hay are consumed at a faster rate.  Businesses often use tiered pricing to reflect level of service/use of resources.  Some barns in our area are starting to do this.

What happens when "He's too thin!"
When boarders perceive their horse needs more hay, they aren't likely to suffer in silence. They'll either a) talk to the barn manager or b) self-serve. I think the latter occurs when the protocol/expectations are unclear (e.g., no explicit rules or  fee structure), or when the barn manager is unapproachable or absent. Many barn managers seem hesitant to offer more hay for an extra fee -- I don't know why. Perhaps it's just a hassle.

Tiered pricing: Are you a gold card holder?
I may be a PITA boarder (well, let's say "high maintenance"),  but  I don't ask for something special unless I'm prepared to pay for it.  Some barns don't even permit extra hay, even when boarders are willing to pay -- which I think is crazy. When available, the costs for extra hay can vary a great deal. Charging by the flake was a policy at one barn where I boarded years ago. The cost was so high ($1 per flake) it was not even to make a profit -- it was as a deterrent. Most other barns charged a rate that was basically cost recovery -- little or no profit from extra hay fees. Over the years I've run across these fee structures...

• Provide your own, barn manager creates storage space
• Charge by the flake
  
• Monthly fee per flake or flakes
  

I like that last option, since it let's the barn manager plan for usage and there are no surprises for the boarder. Have I exhausted the topic of hay at this point? Remember, I already did parts 1 and 2 of a hay series.  I'd say we're done!

Riley gets ridden again!

Riley went back into training last Monday, and Saturday he was ridden at the walk and trot for the first time in over a year. I couldn't film the event because I was holding the lunge line and backing up the trainer's leg with the lunge whip! He was a good boy and it was so fun to watch. Here is some footage of the pre-riding lunge session. FYI there is another lesson going on and the dialogue/commentary is not referring to Riley.

So 3 days a week he's with "the pro." She pushes him more than I do and it's enlightening to see how he steps up to the plate for he. She really makes him focus.

After today's session I was positively giddy. I hand-grazed him for about 45 minutes, praising and patting my good boy.

To quote Michael Jackson...

"He's baaaaad...."


Is this intended to be a piaffe? It looks like the horse is planted on his forelegs and the hind is bouncing up and down (Come'on, buck! Buck him off!). Maybe this is just the rider's way of making a horse dance? Whatever the intent, to me it just looks like bullying, and it goes on way too long.

Meet the horses of Hawaii!

Hah! Not really. This horse isn't wearing a grass skirt. This is a patented 1896 vintage fly cover/fly sheet, which, as it happens, is made with Mexican grass and wire.


The idea of covering a horse with grass is amusing, but the author states that he "desires it to be distinctly understood" that the patent encompasses other materials such as fringe. Guess this takes us from the Edwardian era to the twenties!

I can't imagine this working on every horse. Riley would be reaching down and tearing off mouthfuls of grass.

Mules in dressage: More unbridled cuteness

They aren't just for packs and plowing any more...

Meet the new, modern mule
 The first mule we see in this video looks particularly suited to dressage -- lovely trot, softly yielding poll, clear 3-beat canter, and the kind eye -- can't you just SEE this one doing second level? If judges like to see softly flopping ears in the dressage ring, well, here ya go :-)



I think I'm talking myself into a mule.

Considering corticosteroids: What horse owners should know...

Corticosteroids are used for a variety of different ailments either orally or by injection, to treat systemic allergies/allergic reactions, respiratory diseases, eye problems, and inflammatory conditions. They are often part of a "cocktail" of substances used in joint injections. While generally vets have a good grasp of how much steroid can be safely injected, you may have information that "completes the medical picture. Here are three things to think about when  your vet recommends corticosteroids...

1. Is your horse under stress or "fighting something off?" Some horsemen have noticed that horses often come down with disease 2 weeks to one month after joint injections. There is only anecdotal evidence to support this, but it's true that corticosteroids can lower the immune system. When the immune system is depressed, a disease that is weakly present in the body can gain a foothold, bringing on a full on attack of the disease. If you suspect your horse may be fighting something off -- EPM or Lyme, for example -- be cautious of administering joint injections containing steroids. Similarly, if your horse is under stress from competition, a move to a new barn, or travel, mention it to your vet when s/he prescribes a steroid-based treatment.
2. In some circumstances steroids, especially triamcinolone, can contribute to the onset of laminitis or founder. Does your horse have a history of laminitis? Is your horse actually a fat pony? Is your horse otherwise at risk? Use corticosteroids only when absolutely necessary and in small, short acting doses. For the average healthy horse, though, the incidence of steroid-induced laminitis is only .5% when given a dose that was two to four times greater than that used by most practitioners in the USA (see this article for reference). 
3. Is your horse being treated with another steroid-based medication? Technically your vet should know this, but definitely mention any meds that your horse is taking or has taken (some cortiscosteroids are long-acting). The effects can be cumulative.
4. Corticosteroids are known to slow or prevent normal healing with respect to soft tissue (tendon and ligament) injury. Because corticosteroids suppress inflammation, your horse may overwork damaged tissue because pain associated with inflammation is gone.  If your horse is in hard work or  if you suspect soft tissue injury, tell your vet before beginning steroid treatment.

RESOURCES


How steroids can lead to laminitis from Thoroughbred Times

Equine joint injections from The Horse magazine

Steroids from The Horse magazine

Therapeutic steroid use distinct from anabolic steroids from The Horse magazine

Snooze alarm! An Anglo-Arab goes to Rolex

"I would not recommend for anyone to buy a four year old, barely broke, redheaded, Arabian as their 13 year old kid's first event horse"     LK

But then again, it's apparently one way to get to Rolex. I don't know if there have been other Anglo-Arabs (half-Arab) at Rolex, but how exciting that one of the entries this year is a 15.2H dish-faced chestnnut! His rider, Lauren Kieffer, is from Mount Carmel, Illinois and she rides with the O'Connors. The story is that  Snooze Alarm came to her barn as a youngster, and she rode him for her trainer while her trainer was pregnant. They didn't instantly click, but they eventually formed a partnership and her parents bought her the horse. Lauren tells their story the best (see the Eventing Nation series) so I won't recount it here.

They have been recognized for their achievements in eventing. In 2007 they won the Arabian Horse Association's Ambassador Award and the USET Markham Trophy in 2008. In 2009 and 2010 they were named on the Eventing Developing Rider list.



A sad aside...
Lauren was also in the news several years ago when, at Jersey Fresh 2008, she was aboard Tigger Too when he experienced a sudden abdominal aortic rupture on course. He died moments after falling as he landed from a jump, and Kieffer was pinned underneath him for a short time. She was uninjured.



RESOURCES
Anglo-Arab Snooze Alarm and Lauren Kieffer win Ambassador Award, Eventing USA blog

Lauren Kieffer and Snooze Alarm Chapter 1 from Eventing Nation (see also Chapter 2 and Chapter 3)

Lauren Kieffer and Snooze Alarm at Jersey Fresh (pictures)

Lauren Kieffer and Snooze Alarm (pix from Hoofclix)

Lauren's sponsor, Equestrian Services LLC (article on Lauren)

Feature on Lauren on the O'Connor Web site

Another kind of Friesian cross -- think it'll catch on?

This ad was in one of the major horse publication -- Dressage Today, I think? The picture is stunning, and I love mules, but...

What job do these mules do? Driving? I would love to see one in action. If you're going to do an unusual cross like Friesian/donkey, I think you ought to say why it's a good idea and not just a "novelty cross." I couldn't find this breeder's Web page -- frustrating. Breeder(s), tell us more!

Non-horsey Sunday: There is a blog for everything!

As demonstrated by Disapprovingrabbits.com...

This blog is basically pictures of rabbits disapproving of things. With captions.

Harv has the last laugh

So for a few days I contemplated Harv having his first significant sign of aging -- ringbone.  Thanks all for the encouraging words about ringbone, but it I've seen it, and it ain't for sissies. The word degenerative says it all. I worried that this would be the beginning of a gradual decline. My poor old boy.

What the vet found...
As it turns out, Harv had the last laugh. Sure, he's lame, but it's not the injury of some old dude, it's an athletic injury (Harv would want me to point this out).  Like the weekend warriors at the gym, Harv just plain overdid it. He pulled the distal sesamoid ligament, which extends from  the sesamoid bone (at the back of the fetlock) to the back of the pastern. Do you remember a blog post about Harv running around in deep snow in mid Feburary? Hmmmm.

While pulled tendons/ligaments can be a b*tch, at least it's an acute-type injury and not a degenerative condition. And apparently Harv's situation is not considered serious.  That tendon will be more injury prone in the future, but it should heal.

Harv's leisurely spring
The treatment  light turnout, no running (Hear that Harv?), and 3 grams of bute a day for five days, then 2 grams for a few weeks.  The vet even said I could ride him at a walk!   I'm supposed to report back to him in a month. I asked about some of the fancy treatments for tendon injuries, but Dr. B---- waved me off. Overkill. Even Equioxx was an unnecessary expense in his book.

Heck, I'll take it. Harv, you're not off the hook as a riding horse quite yet. Sorry ;-).

Isabel and Ludger: Trading places video

Isabel Werth and Ludger Beerbaum trade horses as part of a "half-time" show at Aachen. I'm totally impressed with how readily these folks adapt to the new discipline. Do you think they "cheated" and traded their mounts in advance (I probably would have, but only out of a survival motive)?


chio aachen - MyVideo

Darren Chiacchia's interview: It's a messy business...

Darren, a former Olympian eventer, lived through one of the worst falls I have ever seen captured on video. He was in a coma for a week but made a miraculous recovery and is back competing at a high level. He's been a magnet for controversy before and after this horrific incident, and the latest buzz is well, kind of a messy business.

I'm sharing this video because I'm a closet psychologist. What makes people tick? And in this case, what on earth was he thinking? The video includes footage of Chiacchia's fall. The good news is, the horse was fine, and ultimately Darren recovered. But it is a nasty, awful fall. Consider yourself forewarned.



My own little anecdote
 Last year, at Rolex, there were two celebrity signings going on at once one morning. I walked past David O'Connor's signing. He was being photographed with his arms around two starstruck teens, smiling broadly while the girls appeared to be transported to heaven.

About 10 booths down was Darren. He sat behind a table, grimly signing autographs without looking up. I don't think he made eye contact with any of the fans. I'm not a schmoozer myself, but I think I would have given it the old college try, or else I would not have agreed to the signing.

 So much drama, so many story lines, and it's not a soap opera -- it's just one person!  Do you have an inquiring mind that wants to know? Here are some sources to get you started.

RESOURCES

 Not guilty plea by Chiacchia to HIV Charge,   from Horsetalk New Zealand (2010)

Olympic Equestrian Darren Chiacchia Speaks For First Time About Arrest, WGRZ TV (2010)

Chiacchia arrested: Mug shot and police report, from Eventingnation.com (2010)

Darren Chiacchia earns first win since major injury, from Eventing Radio (March 2009)

Chronicle forums posting about Chiacchia recovery, (March 2009)


Chronicle forums posting about Chiacchia competing, (February 2009)

Inside look at Darren Chiacchia's injury, from WCTV (March 2009)

WCTV continues exclusive look at Darren Chiacchia's recovery, (March 2009)

Equestrian Chiacchia's recovery serves as a reminder, (NYT, February, 2009)

Equestrian Darren Chiacchia continues comeback, (King Sentinel, Sept. 2008)

Chronicle forums posting "Darren is back," (July 2008)

Darren Chiacchia making "super-human" progress (Horsetalk New Zealand April 2008)

Injured equestrian Chiacchia heading home, (The Horse  April 2008)

Olympic rider Darren Chiacchia in critical condition after fall, (March 2008)

Olympics worth the wait for Chiacchia Buffalo News, (August 2004)

How they do it in the Netherlands...

When I think of how we backed Riley for the first time, and compare it to this -- well it's a totally different approach! While I think Riley had the perfect introduction to the riding life, I'm impressed with this clip...



Why I'm impressed? Because of...

The Rider. She is tight as a tick, sitting lightly, and look how motionless her legs are. I would ride this way if my lungeing partner was flicking a whip behind a just-backed horse. I would also be whispering expletives at him as my heart pounded in my chest with fear. It would never have occurred to me that the first time a horse is ridden, one would use the...

Whip. Look at this mare's ears. She looks as if she is contemplating whether to cooperate or not. Let's see, there's something moderately heavy sitting on me, I've got a metal bar tugging at my lips, and there's a long lash tickling  my hocks. Should I go forward or leap about wildly???. If she chooses the latter, it may be because she feels a little too confined by the...

Reins. Is it me or are they a tad snug for a first-timer? Maybe it's this mare's way of going naturally, but she appears to be driven forward into a frame. Unusual, as are her incredible...

Active, bending hocks. Love it! This is a nice, nice, talented mare. She doesn't seem to be struggling all that much with the work load, even in this...

Teensy 15 meter Circle.  If I were the owner I'd be at the arena's edge, mimicking the scream from Edvard Munch's famous painting.  Small circles =  Tork. Strain. Early arthritis. And she is so game, trying to comply with so much thrown at her.

If this girl does not buck now, she never will.

What do you think they'll do for an encore?
On her second ride, will they...

1. Bring her out second level at a local show.
2. Set off some firecrackers.
3. Introduce some large predators in the ring.
4. All of the above!

I really am kidding. Kudos to horse and rider. Still not sure about the guy with the lunge whip.

Block party: Harv has a vet visit Part I

I took the photo left today. Harv is in the middle, thoughtfully licking the side of his stall. His neighbor, a normally jovial Irish sport horse,  is baring his teeth. Skippy is on the left, looking distracted. It's a restless photo.

But then, I'm feeling restless...
The vet came today (Monday) and did a lameness evaluation. Harvey was/is Really Lame.  They did a nerve block which told part of the story.

Years ago, a Monty Python movie had a skit where the grim reaper visited a dinner party and told the guests "It was the Salmon Mousse."  I think of this line today -- except "It was the Left Front." Here is what was found...

•  Thickening of the LF pastern joint compared to RF.
• Lame on LF, 2/3 out of 5.
• No reaction to hoof testers.
• He resisted flexions on the  LF, leaning away and pulling back when the vet tried to curl his leg under him. 
• After a digital palmar nerve block (anesthetizes the rear 1/3 to 1/2 of the hoof), he's lame.
• After an abaxial sesamoid nerve block (anesthetizes  back portion of leg below the fetlock, he's sound.

Cut to the chase...
We can rule out an abscess, navicular, laminitis, and anything from the fetlock up. What's left? Soft tissue injury (he tweaked something) and  ringbone are the vet's two best guesses. He will be back on Wed. or Thurs. to do x-rays which will hopefully give a more complete picture.

Retirement party?
My preference is for Harv to have a tweak!  The prospect of ringbone is scary, not so much because it might curtail his riding career, but because it's a chronic pain. Cross your fingers for us. Think tweak!

Lovely mare cleans up at CDI Bremen

Quote from Topdressage.tv forum...
"Belgian combination Vicky Smits-Vanderhasselt and her Hanoverian mare Daianira van de Helle (by Dream of Glory) blew everyone out of their socks at the CDI Bremen beating international top riders, trainers and Olympians with the greatest ease in the Grand Prix Special (71,500)." What do you notice about this pair?



Here's what I notice...

• Nose in front of the vertical and long stretching forward neck
• Relaxation (no tension)
• Lightness
• Rider's hands are very high :-), but that's neither here nor there

This mare's sire is Dream of Glory, by Donnerhall out of a Pik Bube  mare. Dream of Glory is deceased. Her mare's sire, Ritual B, is a stallion by Romino.

Schenkelgängers und Rückengängers: Leg movers and back movers

The direct translation for these terms, respectively, is "Maverick legs" and "Back-goers." My short, paraphrased explanation--back movers have energy freely flowing through their body, a loose and "floaty" spine, active hind leg, and a lengthened neck that one instructor told me "feels like your horse is looking over the edge of a cliff." Leg movers are tight in the back and hollow, short in the neck, hind legs trailing, with energy blocked by the riders hands.

Now, if you want to read about these terms from some of the truly eloquent dressage experts, here are some resources...


Create a back mover... Dressage Today, June 2009

Timeless take on the terms leg mover and back mover, Dressage Today, March 2007

Keep it simple from jonibentley.co.uk

Controversy over short and deep from Walter Zettl

The flipping up of the front foot from iceryder.net

Back mover vs. leg mover from USPC dressage articles

Leg mover vs. back mover from Betsy Labelle

Importance of engagement from Equus Inspiration 2010

Elements of dressage: A guide to training the young horse By K. A. Von Ziegner

Sidney Nolan, Australian painter: The Slip

I can't say I "like" this painting, but it intrigues me. The painter witnessed a horse falling. The gully was exceedingly rough and precipitous. So much so that on one occasion as we were ascending in single file one of the packhorses lost its footing and fell.

The Ned Kelly paintings by Sidney Nolan

Saddle pads are fair game, and a Harv update

Our Red and Black kitkas love saddle pads. This black pad has been used more by the cats than Harv.

Speaking of  Harv -- I'm a little worried. In late February, Harv seemed a little off when I rode him.  I gave him time off to feel better, but the next week he was worse. The farrier came out to check for a bad nail or abscess but he didn't react to hoof testers or taps to the nail holes.

Thinking the tincture of time would a) reveal a deep, brewing abscess and b) heal any soft tissue injuries, I chose to wait a bit before calling a vet. Harv has never been this lame before, and  as of today, March 12, he is still  lame.  The vet is coming Monday to do a workup.

 The symptoms...

• Nods irregularly/stiffens to show lameness on the left front (or right hind, I suppose).
• No heat, no swelling, no signs of injury.
• Sound at the walk -- even walking down an incline he takes nice long strides.
• Fine on sharp turns at the walk.
• On the lunge he is worse travelling to the right, which is odd if it is the left front that is bothering him. 
• He really wants to canter rather than trot, which makes it hard to evaluate him.
• His hind legs really don't look bad, fairly fluid and even.

 On the plus side, he seems comfortable and "in character" (otherwise the vet would have been out sooner).  On the down side, I really don't like him showing this level of lameness for three weeks.  

Oh, one more thing.  Bob said he found text messages from C. Everett Koop on Harv's Blackberry.  I don't know if this is good or bad. Wish us luck.

Thinking of Courtney: Beyond well wishes

Photo by Arnd Brockhorst

Like so many people, I'm poised to hear good news from Courtney's family and supporters any day now. But when? Will she be okay? How long before she wakes up, and what does a longer sleep stage mean for her recovery? I did some research.

If you read no further than this paragraph, read this: 1001 loving ways to help a patient, family, or caregiver. It gives wonderful advice. Novel readers may want to read Range of Motion, a wonderful novel of coma recovery by Elizabeth Berg. I read it years ago.

Facts and stats...
Stats on traumatic brain injury can be a bit scary. But the medical experts are quick to point out that each case is unique and progresses in  its own way, at its own pace.  "People with moderate to severe injuries have made remarkable recoveries" (braininjury.net).

• Doctors are saying that Courtney's fitness and age weigh heavily in her favor. It's true -- people under the age of 20 rebound miraculously, and patients under 40 years of age have a significantly  better long term prognosis than older folks, because their body is better at repairing the damage.  . Outcomes for older folks are not so great.
• The outcome of a patient can be associated with their best response in the first twenty-four hours after injury. We don't have a lot of detail, but it's great that doctors are reporting small improvements at this stage. 
• Pupil reaction, age, CT-defined brain lesions/injuries, and motor scores (on tests body reactivity) are strong indicators for recovery (see PLoS Med, 2008).
• The majority of individuals who survive a period of coma eventually regain consciousness. Data from the Traumatic Coma Data Bank indicate that of 650 patients who experienced a vegetative state [note: I don't think Courtney is in this category] after a brain injury, only 14% were released from the hospital in a coma. And of those, about half had regained consciousness after one year's time. (from the Traumatic Coma Data Bank -- see Caregiver.org for more)
• Approximately 20% of survivors of severe TBI remain unresponsive for at least one month.
• Annually 300,000 individuals suffer brain injuries severe enough to require hospitalization, with 99,000 resulting in a lasting disability.
  

Many equestrians have made remarkable recoveries from bad falls. Remember  that Darren Chiacchia was in a coma for about a week after his fall -- and despite dire predictions (e.g., he'll never walk), he is now competing every weekend. Everything I've read just confirms the frustration and mystery around brain injury and coma recovery -- there is so much we don't know.

RESOURCES

Lots of info at caregiver.org

Prognosis of traumatic brain injury from braininjury.net

More stats in The Diagnosis of Stupor and Coma By Fred Plum, Jerome B. Posner, chapter on Prognosis in Coma.

Traumatic brain injury by Donald Marion

Read about the Glasgow Coma Scale at braininjury.com. The eye, verbal, and motor responses of a brain injury survivor 24 hours after the accident can indicate—to some degree—the eventual outcome. For example, a person with a best score of 3 to 4 24 hours following the accident is likely to die or remain in a vegetative state. Those with scores in the 11 to 15 range, on the other hand, have a high likelihood—close to 90 percent—of making an almost full or full recovery.

Gaga for grazing: Unintentionally funny?

Harv will graze through almost anything -- but I'm not sure he'd be as oblivious as the horse in this OPM video. OPM stands for Opium Horse Natural Horsemanship Training -- it may be a serious business, or it may be a spoof -- but at any rate, this video is a hoot.  I'm thinkin' it tells me more about the horse than the training.

If that guy (or ANY guy) approached me with a chainsaw, I'd run.

Clever with leather: Part of the Rolex ramp-up

When I went to Rolex one of the trade fair booths I visited repeatedly was the Clever with Leather booth. There were probably hundreds of halters, belts, dog collars, and purses in several base leather colors (black, chocolate, chestnut) and many, many padding/piping colors. Somehow I managed to not buy anything, but only because they didn't have my desired color combination in Riley's size.

I grabbed a fistful of business cards which I lost for nearly a year, and found the other day. How happy I was to find them! This was what Bob got me for my birthday or Valentine's Day (I forget).

Take a look at the image to the right, and look at the dog collar that is second from the bottom, chestnut with orange piping -- I got a  halter in those colors for Riley. They had several other colors that I was tempted by:

• Banana
  
• Pink (I know, I know)
  
• Light orange (kind of a melon color, not shown on the color chart but they sent me swatches)
  
• Forest green
  
• Snake beige

The halter arrives!
It came 3-4 weeks ago. Even though the color isn't reproduced well in this photo, is it not lovely? It will brighten up Riley's slightly faded chestnut coat.


So I'm an enabler: you can own one too!
You too can own a Clever with Leather halter -- go to www.cleverwithleather.com or go to Rolex! Keep in mind they also make:

• Belts
• Dog collars
• Purses
• Lead ropes
• Keychains
  

Check'em out...

Riley's hooves: A celebration of differences?

No, no cause for celebration, although it's not a great tragedy either.  I happen to have a horse whose front feet could belong to different horses. It's really most evident when you look at the angles of both feet (pastern/hoof) -- but you can also see diffrences in the outlines of his front feet -- click on the image to see the actual size of the hooves.

Riley's RF used to be the better of the two in terms of angles (the left was clubby). The shapes of the hooves were similar last year before the surgery and everything else. The glue-on shoes, hospital plate, and stall rest have caused some changes to his RF hoof shape. Lack of exercise and having his frog elevated off the ground caused the the heels to contract and the hoof is narrower than it was. Riley's LF is a size 2, the right front is now a 1.5 per the farrier.

Here is the RF overlaid on top of the LF.  Riley's feet toe out slightly. I'm thinking the LF may have a bit of a flare? Or not. Oh, by the way he is doing really well. Even after slicing his heel bulb (minor) during a lunge session (yes he had bell boots on), he's stayed sound, and is now working in tack.  He is paired with a horse that is perhaps a worse nudge than he is and watching them interact is a hoot.

Oh

Harv just standin' there, Riley on the lunge line (video)

The title says it all. Harv had a nice birthday with petit fours and red velvet cream cheese brownies (for humans only). He is just a tad lame on the left front and has been for over a week, but he is comfortable and happy-seeming. If he isn't right by spring shots next week, I've have the vet take a look.

Riley lost a shoe in the mud Thursday  -- now replaced -- but he is on "indoor turnout" until further notice. Indoor turnout is a stopgap that leaves him with plenty of energy. After a careening lungeing session that drove 3 horses out of the ring on Friday, here he is lunged on .7 cc of acepromazine.

Lip service: The weekly comments of note!

We had some really notable comments this week from readers -- I mean ROFL and LOL. I really should point out great comments more often:

Response to my post about the "light-up" boots from Bar-F:

Hollyn said... "Uh... I looked at this and my first thought was, no concidence that the company is called Bar-F (barf)..."

 Response to the post about rider injuries and helmet safety:

Anonymous said "word verification: reptini - a snake-like pasta? LOL"

I am looking for a utility that lets readers rate or vote on comments. Anyone seen this?

What kind of cake for Harv's birthday? The analysis...

Harvey's birthday is today, March 5! He's 23 years old. We celebrate on Saturday the 6th. Harv has traditionally gotten a 1/2 sheet carrot cake, which is shared with the other boarders. This year I need a plan B cake. Why? Last week another horse at our barn turned 23, and his owner brought the most glorious carrot cake ever.  It was mounded with cream cheese icing and I gorged on the caloric gooey goodness.  Harvey got the cake part. It was just blissful, but  at this point Harv and I had our fill of carrot cake. What to do?

• A different kind of cake? I thought about red velvet cake. Light, moist, lovely to look at, but the flavor? I don't know. Maybe.
• Brownies? Nope. Theobromine in chocolate is bad for horses, and chocolate can causes horses to test positive in drug tests.
• Cookies? Not very birthday-like.
• Banana bread? Downright unattractive, and no icing.
• A healthy non-dessert?  Yeah, right.

Harv's 23rd birthday indulgence needs to be special. And I found the answer...

The answer: Petit-fours!!!

A 36 piece box of Strawberry Shortcake, Chocolate Fudge, Red Velvet, Carrot Spice, Lemon Mist and Royal Vanilla hand-decorated Petits Fours from Swiss Colony!

Hopefully Bob will be around to videotape Harv enjoying a sample. I'll share that moment if we capture it.

Happy Birthday Harvster!

Courtney King injured while riding

 In a recent issue of Dressage Today a reader commended one of the high profile demo riders for wearing a helmet. In the premier U.S. dressage magazine, it's a big deal -- noteworthy --  when someone actually rides with a helmet. It merits a Letter to the Editor. I (and I'm sure a lot of others) wondered, Is it going to take someone getting seriously hurt to get people to understand dressage riders are not immune to falls and injury?

clipped from www.eurodressage.com

American Dressage News

Courtney King-Dye Severely Injured in Riding Accident

U.S. Olympic team rider Courtney King-Dye got severely injured in a riding accident at her farm in Florida yesterday March 3, 2010. Initial reports say that King-Dye sustained serious head trauma  and is currently in a drug induced coma in the Intensive Care Unit.

March 4 2010

Courtney fell from a client's horse, which she asked to move the haunches when its legs got tangled and slipped. Courtney hit her head which knocked her unconscious. She was transported by helicopter to  St. Mary’s Hospital in North Palm Beach, Florida, with a skull fracture.

To Courtney King Dye and her friends and family -- we send all of our prayers and thoughts of healing. 

Dammit dammit dammit
Horse-related injuries happen at any time, and for freakish reasons. It is, often as not, unrelated to talent of the rider, character of the horse, or safety of the environment. All riders, and yes even dressage riders, owe it to our families and our community to protect our safety as best we can. This means wearing a helmet. Even if you think it looks stupid. Even if your horse is a saint. Even if you ride the upper levels. If Courtney was wearing a helmet, it's probably why she is still alive. If she was not, well, right now it doesn't seem that important.  We just want her to  get better.

If any good is to come of this wretched incident, maybe we can use it to make people to rethink old habits -- a teachable moment as we say in higher ed. Let's encourage our fellow riders and boarders to wear helmets and remind them that even top riders like Courtney can take a fall. And if riders start wearing helmets, tell them they look Maaahhvelous!

The make-believe barn manager: How much hay?

Bob and I talk about running a boarding barn -- after our lottery winnings are deposited and the hoopla dies down, that is. We envision a "money is no object" approach to horse care, with stalls available for close friends and a mini-retirement community for older horses. Free choice hay, 5 pasture acres/horse, and ample bedding are part of our plans.

And then there's reality
I'll letcha know when that happens. In the real world, barns operate within a budget. A  barn manager  tries to control variable costs like hay and shavings. This post focuses on managing hay costs and setting boarder expectations.

Some boarding contracts specify exactly how much hay is provided. I've seen this expressed as:

• number of flakes a day
• number of feedings per day
  
• % of body weight (the horse's)
  

How much hay in contract?
I think it's smart to be fairly generous in the amount of hay quoted in the boarding contract.

• First of all, knowlegable horse people will scrutinize hay amounts
  
• Second, you don't really want everybody asking for extra hay -- it's an accounting/billing headache;
• Thirdly, your staff will have to remember exceptions in addition to the regular rules (e.g., "feed three flakes except for Rosie's mom paid for 2 extra and Sugar's mom paid for 3 extra")
  

Six flakes a day to me would be an absolute minimum (e.g., for a barnful of easy keepers); eight would be more realistic. If I was a barn manager I might word the contract to state "2 am flakes, 2 lunch flakes, and up to 4 flakes at dinner (subject to seasonal changes and individual horse needs)."

But that's just me. Of course the post-lottery ticket barn contract will be a whole 'nuther story. "Do not feed more hay than you can lift."

Gaits part 4: Glossary of lesser known terms

In reading about gaits, I ran across some interesting terms --like galop en arrière, or the backwards canter (see video, right). Considered by some to be part of classical dressage, it is hard for me to think of as anything but controlled rearing and bucking.

Anyhoo, this post is is a half-serious attempt to present some new and lesser known dressage terms, mostly related to riding and gaits. I think some of these terms are described, if not coined, in the book Tug of War: Classical vs. Modern Dressage. The links for each term are video illustrations -- some don't fit exactly, but you'll get the idea. Also, it's hard to resist a bit of personal commentary for the terms I'm sure we all know...

GLOSSARY

Absolute elevation (video example): The raising of the horse's neck (in isolation) without shifting the horse’s balance to the rear.

Against the bit (video example): When the horse braces against or fights the contact (see video at 4:00 minutes).

Backwards canter (video example 2): IMHO a variation on rearing. And bucking. Obediently.

Behind the vertical (video example): the way practically every upper level dressage horse is ridden :-)

Broken Neckline (video example): The position of the neck in which there is excessive longitudinal flexion approximately one third of the way down the neck, so that the poll is no longer the highest point of the skeleton, and the topline of the neck no longer forms an even, smooth arc.  Not to be confused with sweetheart neckline.   [from PVDA document listed under RESOURCES]

Closed Halt (video example) : A posture at the halt in which the horse is secure in balance and attitude and has the hind legs sufficiently under the body. [from PVDA document listed under RESOURCES]

Goose-stepping (video example): Refers to exaggerated or artificial action of the forelegs. Usually applied to the walk. [from PVDA document listed under RESOURCES]

Hocks trailing (video example) : When the hind legs don't "step under" the body when trotting.

Lateral canter (examples: Quarter Horse and Bashkir Curly/QH): When the inside hind and foreleg on each side of the body tend to move together (2 beat), rather than the normal pattern of inside hind, diagonal inside hind/outside fore, inside fore (3 beat).

Lateral, ambling, or pacey walk (video example): An irregular walk rhythm in which the time intervals between the beats are not equal (the interval between the hind hoof and same-side fore hoof is shorter than the interval between the fore hoof and its diagonal hind hoof). [from PVDA document listed under RESOURCES]

Leg mover vs. back mover (great article): a real distinction, but sometimes used inappropriately and jealously IMHO. 

Nodding/Bobbing (for example, see 4:42 of this video): A rhythmic up-and-down or backward and forward action of the horse’s head and neck which is not part of the normal mechanic of the gait. It may be caused by the past use of gadgets, by constraint, or by lameness. [from PVDA document listed under RESOURCES]

Passagey trot (video example): from what I've read, this is a trot that horses offer defensively to avoid engaging the hind end. The telltale sign for the rider is that the horse loses the ability to collect/extend on request. The PVDA document states: "A trot in which the phase of support of one diagonal pair of legs is prolonged, while there is a hesitation in the forward travel of the other diagonal pair of legs, giving a floating, hovering impression. Also called 'hovering trot.'” [from PVDA document listed under RESOURCES]

Wide behind (video example): Hind legs stepping outside the normal track, especially in the bigger gaits. Can be due to an upper limb lameness. Note: if you watch the video (link) look at sequence between 00:34-40 seconds.
also
The reason some of us ride in 18" saddles...


SOME GREAT RESOURCES

Unusual action vs. slightly lame from Horseandhound.com

Correctness of gaits in horses (video) from extension.org

Faulty gaits in dressage from equisearch

Judging terms from PVDA.org

Ultimatedressage passagey trot thread

Regularity: Rhythm, Tempo, Stride Length, Energy Level from artisticdressage.com

Hot to trot by Hillary Clayton in USDF Connection, July 2002

How does a dressage judge score gaits? from Aiken Horse, Feb/March 2009

Musical freestyle: Ready, set, NO NO NO NO!

I read once where Olympic dressage horse Flim Flam sometimes balked at going into the ring -- this upset his rider Sue Blinks, who wanted her horse to enjoy his work (article in Practical Horseman from years ago). This horse is also showing some, reluctance, shall we say? They sort of missed their musical freestyle, but some of his moves were dancelike.

Riley sometimes balks going into the indoor ring (where he is lunged). Is this I have to look forward to???? Thanks to the rider for sharing this rather tense moment.