04.24.08
Posted in Horses for the horse crazy at 9:23 pm by petArtist Cmoses
HorseGal will shortly be blogging her observations and interactions with the Herd during the month of April. Our 3 horses all went to visit a barn very close to her (WOOOOO HOOOOO!) and not far from where Emmie lives, so she and Em are playing with them frequently (and also shedding them out, yaaahay!)
FYI, our herd-bound Herd behaves a bit differently in a strange environment than they do around home, as poor HorseGal soon found out! Even momma mare, normally very well-behaved, was NOT her usual self, especially for the first week or two. They all suffer from separation anxiety and the mare is the worst, so she gets the boys all anxi ous too. Don’t miss HorseGal’s stories, pics and movies on the Herd’s less-than-well-broke behavior (embarrassing), occasional fits of pique (scary), Emmie’s handling and schooling of each one (expert), HorseGal’s own riding (she’ll have to describe that), and other issues as the horses adjust to being relocated.
One note of interest… when any single horse, even one of ours, is taken to a new barn to live, it is generally able to adapt very quickly by making new horse friends and settling into new routines. I find my Herd to be at their worst when they are first all moved into a strange barn, because they get so anxious when one is taken apart from the others.
Eventually they get over it mostly, but it takes much longer than for a solo horse. Their anxiety levels feed off of each other. All the horses I have ever owned have pitched a fit when one or two of them is loaded on or off a horse trailer and the other one(s) are not. They are plenty smart enough to realize immediately that they’re being separated– and they just HATE that!
As well, since my mare is much worse about it, and other mares I have had were also horrible about being separated from each other in unfamiliar situations, I assume it is a “mare” thing. Does anyone else care to comment on mares vs. geldings and their “herd-bound” attachments to each other?
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04.23.08
Posted in Horses for the horse crazy at 9:13 pm by petArtist Cmoses
When daughter Emmie at age 12 started riding our new Arabian mare (Willow’s Bask) in 1992, it was MY first horse too and I got to enjoy her riding lessons and show experiences vicariously. Em was dying to show in Native Costume classes (because they got to hand-gallop entering the ring!) so I conceived the idea of making a costume for her and Willy mare, knowing we couldn’t afford one otherwise.
Em on Willy showing in Arabian native costume class, Deerfield Fair (click to enlarge)
True to form, I had to research ideas by studying books on Arabic design and traditional native costume, and also seeing how other costumes were made. (I knew how to sew from 7th grade Home Ec but had not made anything in years.) Next were trips to fabric stores, where I found velvet-like upholstery materials and tapestry-like cloth with an oriental/Arabian motif similar to a fleur-de-lis. These fabrics and motifs became my primary theme for colors and design; the colors were medium turquoise and sky blues, burgundy/roses, and black and white, with accents in gold.
Motif on Arabian costume poll cover, which is worn on top of horse’s neck just behind ears. Decorative fringe is applied, also a throat chain, glued-on imitation jewels and removable tassels.
Our existing tack used was a western one-ear headstall, a breastplate, and my Simco cordura nylon/leather endurance saddle (very lightweight and hornless). I decided to make coverings for the saddle, bridle, and breastplate; braided reins with coordinating rein covers; a rump blanket; and a poll cover. And that was only for the horse!
At left are the braided reins with decoration attached at front. On right are covers for the side-cheeks of the western bridle (the leather ends which attach to the bit are seen at bottom.) Stings of beads were sewn on.
This closeup shows a beaded applique sewn onto the bridle cheekpiece cover.
Black tapestry-like material on left is the saddle cover, and blue velour-like upholstery fabric was used for the horse’s blanket, with appliques, jewels and trim applied.
For Emmie I designed a vest, cape, and head scarf which was held in place with a head wrap, all matching the horse costume’s colors and motifs. There was decorative beading, fake jewels glued on, tassels, braids and trims. I had no idea what I was getting into when I started, or how costly trims and braids were!!!
The vest fabric matched the saddle cover, with braid and fringe trims and frog closures. The blouse was storebought, and I sewed embroidered trim onto the neckline, front plackett and cuffs.
Fabric for the cape was like a sateen, subtle blue and rose stipes with a rose-colored wrong side. I added metallic gold nylon edging, trim and appliques. The arm slits held the cape in place while Emmie was riding.
Closeup of the cape lower edge, and glued-on fake jewel. I used a pattern for the cape.
Once I start something though I do go all out (a drawback of being artistic and a perfectionist I guess), so making sketches, newspaper patterns and a mockup or two out of old sheets I plowed ahead. Having a calm sensible horse was a bonus, none of the fittings or trial runs ever bothered our Willy!
At the neckline, the cape tied with gold cord. The rose fringe you see is what the fabric did all by itself when I unravelled the cut edge.
This is the headband which held Em’s headscarf in place, made of yarn wrapped with gold cord.
Closeup of wrapped yarn headband.
End results pictured here reflect close to a year of effort; these many years later I have a mental block against recalling just how long I spent on it, but I was truly obsessed! The only things I didn’t make from scratch were the tack and part of Emmie’s outfit– I bought her white blouse and cotton pants from Goodwill and applied decorative trim. The pants leg braids were velcroed on so I could remove them for washing the pants.
How was it??? Lots of frustration, learning and relearning… breaking and changing needles and thread tension on the sewing machine… fabrics from very thick to very delicate, some gold wrapped thread, hand-applied beading, decorative stitching, appliqued motifs on the cape, gold lame lining of cape and vest, removable tassels (fastened on with fishing snap-swivels) again for washing ease… reins braided from parachute cord, frog closures on the cape and vest, braided gold-wrapped yarn to hold on the headscarf, and lots of strategic velcro especially on the saddle cover…
Geez, did I really do all that? If YOU want to make your OWN costume, may I suggest a simpler design!!! I guess it ended up costing at least two or three hundred dollars, probably more, although I gave up trying to keep a total. Plus, I had to hand-clean and wash it myself; although I had used launderable fabrics, the dry cleaners were afraid to touch it because of the beading and braids and handwork!
Was it worth it??? YOU BET!! Some of my best horse-show-days memories were of the Arabian Native Costume classes! I’m pretty sure Emmie’s are too!
More Arabian costumes and also Frie-sian fantasy horse costumes at Costume blogs…
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04.18.08
Posted in Horses for the horse crazy at 11:37 pm by petArtist Cmoses
Friend Kim has acquired a marathon cart and plans to train another one of her horses to drive! She has Abby now, and will probably start out with Abby– Abby could probably do well at lower levels of competitive driving.
Kim in her marathon cart…
Yes, as in everything else, people compete in various types of carriage driving…
CDE = Combined Driving Event, consisting of three phases similar to ridden Eventing. In a CDE the driven horse(s) do a CONES course which is an obstacle course in a ring; they do a driven DRESSAGE course in a ring, being judged on form; and they do a timed cross-country course where they are driven through HAZARDS such as crossing water and bridges and navigating fence mazes.
Some of these extremely daring people run four-in-hands (four horses) pulling a cart through the most intricate series of sharp turns and narrow passageways that you can possibly imagine! With the fours there will be two “Navigators” riding standing on the back of the cart, whose job it is to counter-balance it on sharp turns by leaning way out to the side to keep the cart from tipping up on two wheels. Which it could easily do because the horses are going so fast!
Kim envisions herself and hubby Jack sharing the competitive driving experience as a team, with Jack being the Navigator who hangs off the back. I’m hoping to learn from the sidelines and will share it all here!
A good magazine for competive driving articles is Driving Digest.
This is Abby, our former horse (Morgan-Percheron mare), saying hi to Hubby when we visited!
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04.15.08
Posted in Horses for the horse crazy at 1:23 pm by Q L Caballo
An aging mare in Uxbridge, MA is the center of controvery. The owner is refusing to put a mare down who has been maimed by arthritis and is covered in sores. The barn of fellow horse owners who are buying her meds and caring for her want to see her released from pain. All news reports are showing an emotional charged personal feud taking place between the parties including name calling and public embarassment which is doing nothing for animals or owner rights.
A very dangerous precedent is being set here that could AFFECT ALL OWNERS OF AGING HORSES. Perhaps all the name calling should be put aside and get this out of the courts before a legal precedent is set that will take on a life of its own.To those who voluntarily paid and cared for this mare, as most good horsepeople do when another owner falls down on their responsibilities- Why not sue for reimbursement of the money by taking over the mare. This is a legal option especially if board is due at any facility.
If the mare was in such inhumane condition at the last stable he owed money to the last stable owner should had taken possession and put the mare down.THE DECISION TO PUT A HORSE DOWN IS A PERSONAL ONE - gut wrenching. Let it stay that way. The video showed the legs of a foundered horse with arthritis. It did not show the rest of her. What is her will to live?
If the owner was that abusive why hasn’t the Humane society been contacted before now. I commend those advocating for the mare. I have been there and agree no creature should suffer in unending pain but be careful of how you will affect good owners and possibly yourselves in the future. All of you need to TAKE THE COURTS OUT OF THIS before a legal precedent is set that opens a Pandora’s Box concerning aging horses and their owners where anyone can say an animal is too old and have it disposed of.
I appeal to the owners and Quincy’s advocates to PUT THE BS ASIDE AND GET DOWN TO THE REAL ISSUE — THE WELFARE OF THE HORSE.
Websites with information on Quincy:
http://www.wickedlocal.com/milford/news/x688585191
http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/pet/641248962.html
http://www.milforddailynews.com/homepage/x481062593
To her advocates I can only pray that Quincy will be cared for now that the owner has moved her from your protection.
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Posted in Dogs for dog lovers, Horses for the horse crazy at 1:23 pm by petArtist Cmoses
My Peaches puppy went with me snowshoeing in the woods. I had it easy compared to her, the snow and temps were just right to create snowballs on every hair on her lower body! The snow was pretty deep for her, but she never slowed down.
When we started out, we had to cross the horse pasture. My horses were off on the other side of the field, but were obviously pretty bored with all the snow cover so they came wandering over to see what was going on. Glendale the youngster arrived first, and immediately lunged at Peaches, whom they are not used to seeing within that particular pasture.
I had to shoo Glendale off by waving the snowshoes I was carrying in my hand, and holding poor terrified Peaches next to me. I got her leash on her so she couldn’t run off. She is used to the horses and around the barn she knows just how to avoid them, but in this strange area (outside of her invisible dog fence) she was really paranoid.
Peaches happy once we were out of the horse pasture!
By then Gilford was showing interest in chasing Peaches too, but he wasn’t as aggressive about it as Glendale. Momma mare could tell I wasn’t allowing it so she watched from a short distance. I had to walk the dog on her leash to the other side of the pasture and get her under the fence before releasing her. The horses followed us almost the whole way.
It was a little unnerving because I had not expected that to happen, and if Peaches had run away from me at the first lunge the boys would have chased her aggressively and she would not have known where to go. I have seen them lunge at strange dogs near the barn before, but I did not expect them to do this. I would guess there is some sort of protective instinct going on, they challenge another animal the same way they would challenge another horse… even though Peaches is no stranger to them. My lesson learned! (I didn’t get this incident on video because I was too busy trying to protect the dog from injury.)
Link to video of Peaches and snowshoeing in the woods…
We had a wonderful long tramp through the woods and coming back we took a route to avoid the horse pasture. Once back in the house, I had to give her a nice warm bath to melt off the snowballs, which were totally matted into her fur!
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04.14.08
Posted in Horses for the horse crazy at 4:42 pm by petArtist Cmoses
Friend HorseGal joined Hubby and me in the Eagle 4-wheel carriage for an outing in mid-March. Gilford the horse brought us down to Gilford Village where we bought a newspaper at the Village store, then on through the historic district of town, past the schools, and back up the hills to home.
STARTING OUT, GIFORD WEAVES SIDE TO SIDE SHOWING HIS RELUCTANCE TO LEAVE HOME…
see youTube video at Starting out on carriage drive…
Gilford as usual started out distracted and got better over the course of the drive. He is good-natured but still young enough that he can be a little silly starting out. Kinda like, “do I really HAVE to leave the barn? do I really HAVE to go in a straight line? are you SURE that mailbox is not going to jump out and eat me??
Driving Gilford through Gilford village…
HorseGal was pretty ecstatic to get to join us. We crowded all three of us into the front bench seat, and removed the back seats from the carriage to keep Gil’s load as light as possible.
See trotting video at Horse carriage in Gilford Village…
He goes straighter when he’s trotting… by later in the drive he has settled in pretty nicely.
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04.07.08
Posted in Other fun stuff at 12:50 pm by glendale
It has been a long and arduous winter in New Hampshire, one that has seen record snowfalls. We have over a foot of snow still on the ground, often hard-frozen and crusty but slowly dwindling with warmer days. Our horses have given up doing much wandering, it is too much effort for too little gain. They have eaten all the tree bark they can reach, they can’t dig through the crust for leaves or dead grass, and life seems pretty boring in general so they hang around near the barn hoping someone will throw them some hay.
On the good side, snowboarding has never been better than this year, with a longer than usual season as well. Plenty of base, plenty of fresh snow, great conditions for riding. We finished up our last runs at Mount Sunapee this year…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfXBanwJYo4
this is Hubby’s top to bottom snowboarder’s view from one of Sunapee’s slopes, with me trailing down to the lift at the end. LOL. He is faster than me even when he’s shooting a video on the way down!
We’ve had a decent run of maple sap and the sugaring is over for us… it wasn’t a great season, lost a couple of batches due to inattentiveness to the boil-down, and lost some sap when buckets blew over due to the sinking snowpack. We’ll end up with maybe 2 gallons of syrup, where usually we get at least four gallons.
Looking forward to post-mud season, we have ordered pairs harnesses for the boys and a pole for the Eagle 4-wheel carriage. We have pretty ambitious hopes to hitch Gilford and Glendale together before the end of the summer. This will all depend on how things go of course; we will seek professional training assistance for the first few times hitching them as a pair. Glendale has only been hitched to the training cart maybe 6 times in our lower pasture, so he needs a lot of road miles put on him first.
Some carriage driving/training manuals advise thoroughly training both horses individually before putting them together as a pair. Old time methods however put a green horse with a more experienced driving horse in ORDER to train the newbie. So we are thinking to try it, with due caution and the advice of an expert.
With that in mind, we will soon begin separating the mare from the two boys in their turnout. We do that to prepare her for their leaving the barn when we’re training them together, but mostly so that they can become more bonded to each other (desirable for a driving pair). This will be tough on the mare, who suffers a lot from separation anxiety. Hopefully she will end up bonding with her two boyfriends across the fence and find solace there…
The horses have started shedding out, and have already gotten their spring shots, Coggins tests, and recent trims and hoof-shaping. I’ve been doing some tack cleaning and conditioning, checking for repairs needed, ordering bug spray and fly trap bait juice, and dreaming of warmer days when the mud is mostly gone!
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Posted in Horses for the horse crazy at 11:50 am by glendale
Remember how our horses are part beavers in the winter time… chewing bark off trees and gnawing on wood rail fences? About two months ago I came across a Farnam product claiming to stop horses from chewing wood, on the premise of providing certain nutrients that they were lacking in their diet. There were several rave reviews by customers so we decided, skeptically, to try the product, which supposedly is “guaranteed” to work per Farnam’s advertising.
Adding the pellets to their grain at 2 ounces daily per horse, we fed this product for over a month. Reviews and Farnam’s advertising claimed it would become effective within 10-14 days. After about 3 weeks Hubby and I both noticed a marked slowdown in the horses’ wood chewing. Since this slowdown might have been attributable to other factors (such as no productive places left to chew anymore), we decided to put it to the acid test.
We have kept the horses shut out of our largest pasture all winter, because there are nice huge trees there which we did not want to get chewed on and killed. So I opened up that pasture to them and spent significant time observing what they were going to do. This was the equivalent of putting fresh candy in front of babies.
The horses were reluctant to wander very far into this pasture due to the density of the untracked snowpack, which made it very uncomfortable for them to walk. Nevertheless, they were motivated to wade into this pasture because it is their favorite. They tiptoed in a ways, and within ten minutes had turned aside to trees around the edges and Gilford started working on fresh tree bark. By the end of that day, at least 4 trees had been partially stripped of their bark, so we just shut them back out of that field again.
I would have to conclude that this product did not work for my three horses as advertised. I might try to get a refund, although there is no obvious information on how to go about that. Though the Quitt Chew-Stop seemed to help slow their chewing down when they were in pre-chewed areas, that advantage disappeared when they were allowed access to fresh trees. I hope someone else who has used this product can comment on their own results!! Has anyone else tried to get a refund??
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