Good wishes go out to the folks at Grand Review Farm, who, working through Lifehorse.org, help terminally and chronically ill children find happiness and companionship through emotional and spiritual healing, using the horse.
Our Meadowbrook horse cart was purchased by the folks from Grand Review Farm in Michigan. They drove all the way to New Hampshire to pick it up, then turned right around and drove back home (12 hours one way!) He said that being a truck driver by trade made this no big deal for him.
This is “Domi” in Michigan hitched to our former Meadowbrook cart. (His handler is just out of the picture; we all realize it is dangerous to have the horse hitched without control of the reins…)
This cart is destined to be enjoyed by therapeutic riding students who have difficulties mounting a horse, but will be able to drive with assistance. Because this Meadowbrook has a fold-up split seat and thus can be entered from the rear, it proves suitable for the therapeutic drivers. If makes us happy to imagine the Meadowbrook now serving such a wonderful purpose.
After a few days of constipation and several water enemas, Thor ended up having a few weeks of diarrhea! Good grief! The poor guy was almost a month old before things started working properly in that area. We were starting to get concerned that since he had the runs for so long, he wasn’t getting the nutrition/water he needed. No sooner did Mark pick up the prescription for antibiotics from the vet than the diarrhea went away - we never even gave him his first dose.
Adorable Thor about 1 week old…
…and at 6 weeks here!
He started eating hay and grain about 5 days after birth, just taking nibbles here and there while Sive was eating. Now, at 8 weeks, with his adorable baby teeth, he digs right in! We tried getting a creep feeder for him, but it is “horse” size and too deep for him. We moved the bars farther apart to allow him to reach the grain, but then the bars hit his eyes and they were far apart enough for the older horses to gain access. So we scratched that idea and he just shares with Sive.
Having no trouble nibbling hay! Note Mark’s homemade slow-feeder; the wire grate keeps the horses nibbling a long time, thus occupied and happy!
At about 2 weeks, he ended up tweeking his hind leg during one of his rambunctious “Hey look how I can kick my back legs any way I want” spells, and he was slightly lame for a bit. We were in a bit of a pickle: Sive had quite the case of edema and we needed her to be walking around all the time, so we really couldn’t put Thor on stall rest. His leg would get better, he would get all rambunctious again, and then he would make it worse. He finally figured it out, though, and took it easy for about a week, and he’s good to go again.
Fuzzy little fjord foal!
As far as training, we touch him all over, pick up his hooves, groom him, halter him, tie him next to Sive for about 5 minutes at a time (using a bicycle inner tube around the post), and he’s been on two walks being led next to Sive. He has a super personality and is very friendly. Kirsti and Bjorn are very gentle with him, even when he bites the back of their legs, they just walk away (if either of them did it to each other, they would get a swift kick!).
He’s quite the ladies’ man - even at 8 weeks, he’s already tried mounting Kirsti a few times. The vet recommends gelding around 6 months (this won’t come soon enough!). He’s had his first round of dewormer and he nibbles at the daily dewormer we put in Sive’s grain.
Looking pretty innocent here…
…and here!
One odd thing happened right away - he would only sleep standing up. When the vet came for the 24 hour check up, she suggested we actually show him how to sleep laying down. It took about a week, but now he sleeps laying down most of the time. My favorite thing is to watch him running around the paddock - he is so fast and can turn and stop on a dime. A few times, he’s even jumped off of all fours straight up in the air. It is amazing how agile horses are!
He’s also become very attached to our 4 wheeler we drive into the paddock to haul the wagon of horse manure. He nibbles on the stretchy key chain dangling from the ignition and when it is parked, he lays down right beside it, like it is his security blanket. He’s quite independent from Sive though, and will explore even out of sight of her, but when she calls him, he comes running. And his whinny is the most adorable sound ever!
Gotta love those eyes!
Mark and I are grateful we have had the last 6+ months to get to know Sive, Bjorn and Kirsti before Thor arrived. Now we know what types of behaviors we won’t/can’t tolerate and are able to nip them in the bud with Thor.
This photo shows Sive’s bad case of edema [swelling under her belly] several days after Thor’s foaling. Her hind legs, belly, front legs and chest were all swelled with fluid. After several weeks of exercise the swelling went away.
Now that Sive’s edema has gone down, we are really seeing the toll that lactation is taking on her body. In order to keep her weight up, we feed her continuous hay in the trough feeder when Bjorn and Kirsti are in the track (so they can’t hog her food). She always has backup hay in the slow feeder in case we don’t get out there in time to fill up the trough. She has also slowly gone up from her usual 1 pound of grain a day, to 6 pounds split into a morning and evening feeding. She seems to be maintaining at this point, but it certainly didn’t take long for lactation to take off her extra pregnancy weight.
The Four Fjords! Newbies’ herd enjoying a family meal.
Q: from HorseGal [always wanting to learn more]
Can you explain the difference between being “hot blooded” (like a TB, right?) or a warmblood (like Willy?). Or is being “hot blooded” and a warm blood not even close to being the same thing? (I hate showing my ignorance, but I really want to know).
A: Good questions, not ignorant at all, and horse people who already are familiar forget to explain things… type and breed nomenclature is confusing to all of us!
Hot-, cold- and warm-bloods are not breeds, they are categories of horses based roughly on body types.
“Hot” blooded horses are Arabians and Thoroughbreds (TBs). I have always assumed the description comes from the fact that they are more energetic than many other breeds, ie. “hot,” bred to race (yes, even Arabians, who raced across the desert.) In fact, the Thoroughbred breed itself derives from Arabian heritage.
“Cold” blooded horses are draft horses, I assume so called because they are slower, heavier, and generally quieter by nature. Bred to work and to pull heavy loads, originally as warhorses to carry knights in heavy armor, to be intimidating to the enemy, and to be relatively unfazed by battle.
“Warm” blooded horses is a relatively new term coined to describe “crosses” between hot-blooded (usually TBs) and cold-blooded horses. Warmbloods first became popular in Europe where they proved very suitable for dressage particularly, and for other athletic competitions such as eventing and sport driving. Often called generically a “sport horse,” the warmblood type can offer the best of both worlds, combining the energy and athleticism of hot-bloods tempered by the tractable nature and added size of the cold-blooded breeds.
Horse Breed organizations USED TO be for purebred horses only. Today there are “breed” registries for just about any kind of horse, even for “crosses” such as Morabs (Morgan-Arabian) and Pintabians (Pinto-Arabian). There are registry associations for colors of horses, such as Pintos, which could be of most any breed– Pinto Horse Association. However, Paint horses, which are also spotted (but not always), are breed-specific (from quarter horse, paint, or thoroughbred stock)– American Paint Horse Association.
Each breed (or “color”) registry association has its own specific definition of what qualifies a horse to be officially registrable, and to be an excellent “type” example. Sometimes a horse can be qualified to be “double-registered” in two different registries, or even more. Each association promotes its breed by offering breed-specific horse shows and classes, awarding fame and glory to outstanding examples of their breed, which in turn helps breeders who raise and sell that type of horse.
And what is a “Quarter-” horse you might ask? The Quarter horse originated from crossing Thoroughbreds with “native” American Indian horses, which were actually descendants of animals brought to the Americas by the Conquistadors (Iberian/Spanish horses, Barbs, and– you guessed it–Arabians.) Quarter horses were initially racing horses, their name stemming from their speed in quarter-mile sprints. Nowadays they compete in rodeo/western/trail disciplines and also in English riding disciplines and driving– American Quarter Horse Association.
Our boys, being Arabian/Percheron crosses, are thus called warmbloods and are registered with the American Warmblood Society. Gilford’s official name is Bask’s Commandant and Glendale is registered as Willow’s Fleet Command. (We derived their names from their dam’s name, “Willow’s Bask,” and their sire’s name, “Silent Commander.”) And as you now see, Willy is a hot blooded Arabian, not warm! Obviously not reflected in her personality… not usually, anyway!
- - - - - - - - - P.S. from HorseGal: The reason for my question being I was on a horse site and I saw for sale a “wb/tb”. Is wb warmblood and is tb thoroughbred? If a tb is hotblooded then how can it be called a warmblood too? Thank you SO much!!!
A: A “wb/tb” would be a cross between a warm blood and a TB, making it approx. 3/4 thoroughbred probably (unless the wb parent was an arabian cross…) and 1/4 something else, a draft breed — confusing isn’t it!
Using this terminology is mixing a TYPE with a BREED and is not strictly proper, or at least does not really indicate that horse’s complete bloodlines. What it DOES indicate is that this horse is (or should be) 3/4 HOT-blood and 1/4 COLD-blood (draft ).
Our horses got their yearly spring vaccinations recently. Gilford turns 6 this year, and he has always been tough to give shots to. As best we can remember, he disliked his first shots even as a foal, and he has gotten worse each year. It’s hard to know how to condition or desensitize for this because shots happen so infrequently. We have spent some time poking him in the neck with a pencil and such; he deals with that when we do it, but he is more reactive to the vet’s doing it, even to his smell and appearance. There is possibly some negative memory or association with his gelding.
Anyway, this last visit the veterinarian was in poor health and unable to do the usual wrestling routine, where he and Hubby are at risk of getting stepped on or shoved aside. Instead, he used a humane restraint which, when tightened against the horse’s upper gums, is supposed to release endorphins to calm the animal. It did seem to work; after a few minutes of gum pressure from the restraint, Gilford became much less reactive to the shots and to blood being drawn for a Coggins test. He was safer to handle and everyone breathed a sigh of relief, including the horse.
Restraint which applies pressure to the horse’s upper gum, releasing endorphins to help the horse feel calm.
We normally do not use any severe restraints on any of our horses, however we did have to use a twitch once on Gilford for his shots. This device seemed much kinder than a twitch, which squeezes and twists the horse’s upper lip. As big and strong as a horse is– and Gilford is bigger than most– it is no fun and downright dangerous to have to fight with one. For safety’s sake, and admittedly for the convenience of the vet and handler, we considered using this device to be better than the alternative.
Glendale (above with Hubby and the vet) is much more reasonable about getting shots, and the mare is no problem at all.
Just for Horse Gal… a How-To illustration of the correct knot for tying on a rope halter. This is a knot which will hold and which you will also be able to loosen even if it should get over-tightened.
Since I forget to remember to watch the webcam sunsets, and am always sorry when I forget– this is to remind you and myself too. On the right sidebar I have a link called Webcams in New England– CATCH THE SUNSET! where you can go each day if you want to and enjoy what the sun is giving us.
Here’re the ones I just caught today, beautiful in their simplicity…
Looking at Mt. Washington from the southeast, I think… a little reflected color showing in the sky.
West from Pac Monadnock, 8:20pm
Sunset from top of Mt. Washington, May 13, 2009, viewing southwest.
If I time it right, I like to start with an Acadia sunset then work westward following the sun, from Appledore Maine to Mt. Washington, buzz around Lake Winnipesaukee, then to Boston and Pac Monadnock, then over to Burlngton VT. Usually you can come back to Mt. Washington at the last because it is so much higher, the sun goes down later when seen from up there! What a great way to enjoy sunsets from all over, especially when you can’t get outside.
While there, take note of the new webcam on the M/S Mount Washington cruise ship. You’ll want to check that one out during the daytime, and sail along on the Mount, cruising the Big Lake!
Hello and welcome to Spring in New England (finally!) I got my 2009 Horse time off to a great start by taking care of Connie’s small Herd of three at the end of April! Four days of it!! Woo hoo!!! And I loved every second of it– from cleaning their stalls, to grooming (LOTS of grooming as they are all shedding out) was just great. I think hands-on care of a horse is the best experience a Horse Gal can get. [AND therapy!]
Horse Gal and her favorite Willy mare relax together
Momma Willy mare posing
Gilford, on the lookout for food, shows his cute pink lower lip. He can look SO pouty, especially when he quivers it!
Glendale displaying the winter hair still on his chinny-chin-chin
These are three very content and such well-behaved horses, although Glendale and Gilford did have a few “go-arounds” with each other as brothers are apt to do (human and horse). [ED.NOTE: They are worse to horseplay when they are penned in a confined area and bored.] You’ve read in many of Connie’s posts about Glendale and Gilford’s relationship! I love to sometimes pull up a chair and just watch all three of them – which I did several times during those 4 days.
At the time I was there, Connie had them in a small paddock… actually they had two small paddocks to roam around in connected by a track, confined to keep them from eating the grass in the pastures before it has a chance to grow.
Momma mare’s pretty tail. [The sticks are part of a collection thrown to them to chew on, to ease their boredom. As you can see, they have made good use of them! Even Horse Gal brought them fresh sticks.]
I was very lucky as we had had no rain at all so I didn’t have to deal with any mud. So, I’d pull out my chair that I keep in my truck (for times like this) and just watch them being themselves!
Peaches always needs to be in the middle of things! Willy and Glen behind look longingly over the temp fence at the grass they are not being allowed to have yet!
Connie had given me the ok to hand graze each of them on a small area of grass that was next to their paddocks. They LOVED it!!! It was so much fun to see them happily searching for the tastiest morsels of grass or clover! I took out the boy’s mom first and how happy she was! She did some squealing when she saw me lead her boys out (I took each of them alone for about ½ hour), but when she could see that they didn’t go far she settled right down. How she loves her boys!!! Isn’t motherhood a beautiful thing?! [NOTE: Separation anxiety!]
I used Momma’s nylon halter on her, and used rope halters on each of the boys. I wanted to try my hand at tying a knot on the rope halters. I must be honest; it wasn’t very pretty. I know it’s not rocket science, but it’s something I want to learn to do well. I just want to be able to tie a proper knot without thinking twice about it… or over thinking it as I am always doing.
How to tie the rope halter…
Rope halter tied correctly. The main purpose of tying a particular way is so you can loosen it after the horse steps on the lead line and pulls it really tight! Also of course, it will hold well. All ropes should be snug against the horse’s head, to allow the lead-line to telegraph your signals precisely to the horse and he feels your slightest movements.
Anyways, my knot was nothing like what it should have looked like. It did the job which was keeping the halter on and secure, not too loose, not too tight, but it still wasn’t the right kind of knot. So, I’ll practice it again when I see the Herd next month. I can do it if I have a picture to look at, but can’t yet do it without thinking about it.
Most of my halter experience is with nylon or leather ones with snap-on lead ropes; I don’t come into contact with rope ones very often. It was fun to use because for me, it was different. You all know how much I love to learn even the smallest of things– like learning how to tie a proper knot on a rope halter!
My visit went off without a hitch. I can’t tell you how much I hated to leave the Herd and my beloved lake. But I’ll be back in June!
I must give a shout out to Connie’s dog, Peaches, for the great entertainment she provided! She was a lot of fun and I laughed constantly watching her run after her tennis ball! She brings it right back for you to toss again… and again…. and again!
Peaches says THROW it!!
THROW IT!! AGAIN!!
We played a LOT of catch with the Moses Herd watching us. Connie’s son Ezra was kind enough to share Peaches with me! You know, it is an animal lover’s paradise at Connie’s place!!!
and AGAIN!!
[Photos compliments of Horse Gal's sister! THANK YOU!]
When Peaches likes a product, she sticks with it and shares it here with readers.
We have for years used a fly trap called Big Stinky (aptly named). Big Stinky Fky Trap is baited with meat initially, starts catching flies, and then the collected dead flies become the attractor. You just keep the mess moist with occasional attractant fluid addition.
My fly traps catch over a gallon of flies during the worst 3 months of summer. I have them placed near the barn where the horses can’t go, and glass jars work much better than the plastic ones.
A nice clean Big Stinky trap with bottle of attractant… this is a gallon jar. Flies go down through vents under the cover, then they can’t escape.
Usually I use Big Stinkies in conjunction with other fly control, such as a feed-through larvacide. Last year I used no other control and flies were still reasonable. This year I am trying fly predators along with the fly traps; I’ll let you know how those work.
Here’s one of my 5 traps after about a week and a half… everything you see in the bottom of the jar is dead flies!
I have the technique of starting the fly traps down to a science with all my practice; their instructions are very clear. Anyone wanting to try Big Stinky can email me for my helpful tips!! Peaches actually leaves the traps alone, but heaven help us if she finds the discarded flies to roll in! That smell is just TOO appealing!
