If you are interested in watching more than 6 1/2 hours of the World Equestrian Games this fall, please contact NBC sports and let them know. Below is a sample email that you can customize any way you wish. Remember there is strength in numbers so please take the time to send in your petition as below.
I am writing to encourage extensive coverage of the upcoming World Equestrian Games that will be held in Lexington, KY, Sept. 25 to Oct. 10, 2010.
There is a very huge potential audience of people with very favorable demographics. All 8 of the FEI sport disciplines will be competed and I urge you to provide comprehensive coverage of the all the events.
I see on the WEG web site that NBC is providing a paltry 6 1/2 hours of coverage. PLEASE commit to much more extensive coverage of what is considered the Olympics of the Equestrian world.
_____________________________________
Thank you, and thanks to C.A. for sending us this!
Saturday, April 24th is The Carriage Barn’s Annual Frostbite Arena Driving Trial with cones, obstacles, and dressage. Our judge for this year’s Frostbite ADT is Shelly Temple. Doors open at 8:30am, first competitor in the ring at 9am. Spectators welcome!
Sunday, April 25th will be a Driving Clinic with the Frostbite show’s Judge. Shelly will offer a hands-on private lesson format clinic to review results from the show and / or prepare competitors for the coming show season. Auditor spots are also available.
Drivers can join us for Saturday or Sunday, or make a weekend of it!
A limited number of on-site accommodations & overnight stalls are available. There will be a dinner with Shelly after the show on Saturday evening.
And the fun continues… Granite State Carriage Association will also host a fun day for members and guests at The Carriage Barn on Sunday, April 25th. The day will include demonstrations, carriage quiz bowl, and team relay activities. The Concord Coach Society and the Amesbury (MA) Carriage Museum will also be part of the activities.
Space is limited for this fun-filled weekend. Registrations for both days can be found on our website at www.carriage-barn.com or by contacting The Carriage Barn at carriage-barn@comcast.net or by phone at 603-378-0140.
VERY informative resources on how the biomechanics of the horse’s movement affect barefoot hoof wear. Crucial to know more about if you keep barefoot horses, and highly informative to anyone concerned with balance, straightness, and developing better athletes (both horse and rider) in any horse discipline– as we ALL should be!
Our horses get to be pretty lazy all winter… they wander around a lot pawing in the snow for leaves and acorns, and make their little paths in the fields. THis past winter they were pretty bored because we fenced them away from the trees they love to chew on.
When Horse Gal came to visit in January, they had not been used since November. In mid-January there was an unusually warm spell, so we hitched them up with Horse Gal and went for a drive into downtown Gilford village.
Starting out, our local Belknap Mountains seen beyond
HorseGal has a great time whenever she’s with horses!
Going onto Gilford’s snow-lined main street… hubby wears his Finnish knit cap.
“Main” street in the village…
Car traffic is a bit heavy for our little main street, but the boys aren’t fazed– they even trot through a puddle of snow-melt without shying away from it!
At the barn, Horse Gal says hello to the Herd.
Friendly horses enjoying the hot winter sun
Glendale looking for more than his share of the attention
Dogs get many health problems which are the same as –or very similar to– those suffered by humans. The study and medical treatments of these issues aid research related to people.
Though some research is difficult for many to contemplate, these efforts seem worthwhile, so long as done humanely.
This week the 2010 Radio Show has a mission; not just to
entertain and inform, but to help three outstanding and inspiring, young
para-equestrians ride at this year’s Alltech 2010 World Equestrian Games.
We’ve joined forces with dressage legend Robert Dover to appeal for help,
specifically for horses, for Becca Hart, Holly Bergay, and Jonathan Wentz.
These three athletes are all in training for the World Equestrian Games,
but their horses’ fitness is now in question, and they are searching for new
mounts to make their dreams come true. Can you help them, and can they help you? Do you own a suitable dressage horse and have you always dreamed of watching it go at the World Equestrian Games? Becca, Holly or James could make that happen for you.
Robert Dover, who has competed in 6 consecutive Olympics for the US Dressage Team, as well as 4 World Championship Teams and earned more honors than any other US dressage rider, stepped in and wrote about Jonathan, Holly and Becca’s predicament on his website, Doversworld.com .
When Robert Dover recently met Jonathan, 19, he felt compelled to help him. Jonathan has cerebral palsy, and it is his dream to
represent the USA at the 2010 Alltech WEG in Lexington, Kentucky. He
combines being a full time student at SMU with working off his board at the
barn. In May last year he competed in his first CPEDI 3*, para-equestrian
international dressage competition and first Para-Equestrian National
Championships where he ranked 7th nationally, and received qualifying scores from both tests, earning his certificate of capability for the Games.
Last weekend Jonathan and his horse Richter Scale made the
thirty-something hour trip from Texas to Del Mar, California to compete at
Dressage Affaire, only to find that sadly, his horse was not sound upon
arrival.
Becca Hart, 25, was born with a rare genetic disease called
Familial Spastic Paraplegia (FSP). As an adult, it primarily affects her
muscles and joints from the waist down. Becca started riding at the age
of 10, and has been the National Paralympic Champion in 2006, 2008, and 2009. In 2008, she was a member of the US Paralympic Equestrian Team competing in Hong Kong with her horse Norteassa, and took 4th place in the freestyle. Becca is a full time student at Pennsylvania State and when she graduates hopes to become a forensic accountant. She is currently working for U.S. Para-Equestrian Team Coach Missy Ransehousen at Blue Hill Farm where she keeps her horse, as well as moonlighting as a barista at Starbucks.
Holly Bergay is just 17 years old, and was born without her left hand. Like Becca, she has competed through Prix St. Georges level Dressage. She has also competed at the North American Young Riders’ Championships and now it is her dream to ride at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Holly trains in California with Debbie McDonald and Sarah Dodge and is also in need of a mount for the games.
The 2010 Radio show read about these riders’ predicament
on Doversworld, and has dedicated this week’s show to them. Robert Dover,
Canadian Dressage Team Coach, is our special guest, and we are joined by Becca, Holly and Jonathan. They deserve a chance to ride at the Games, and we would love to help them get there. They all need Dressage trained horses, so please rack your brains and put your heads together to see what you can do to help these three amazing young riders achieve their ambitions and represent the USA at the Alltech FEI 2010 World Equestrian Games.
If you have a horse, or know of a horse that might be suitable, please contact the www.2010radioshow.com, Robert Dover, or one of the riders (see below).
The 2010 Radio Show goes online with a new show each week at www.2010radioshow.com. This online radio show (podcast) keeps you informed about all things 2010 World Equestrian Games. The 2010 Radio Show is part of The Horse Radio Network. Listen in every week as we keep track of all the Alltech 2010 World Equestrian Games news for you. Listen on your iPod, MP3 player or on your computer. That is the nice thing about podcasts, you can listen any time you like, anywhere you like.
Contact:
Samantha Clark and Glenn the Geek
Hosts of the 2010 Radio Show
glenn@horseradionetwork.com
From 10 Foods Poisonous to Pets, at Care2.com healthy and green living
posted by Megan Zehnder Mar 19, 2010
Okay, we know we’re not supposed to feed our pets human food, but let’s face it, sometimes, it happens. You’re eating lunch and don’t quite feel like picking up the crumbs, so you let your pet play the vacuum cleaner role. Or the sneaky little guy takes some food off your plate when you aren’t looking.
Sometimes it’s not that big of a deal–there are some healthy “people foods” for pets (only small amounts though!). But there are also many foods that can be dangerous to our furry friends.
In honor of National Animal Poison Prevention Week (March 14th-20th), here are the top 10 common foods that are most toxic to your pet:
Grapes and raisins
Can be toxic to dogs and cause kidney failure when they are ingested in large amounts. Researchers say there are still many unknowns about the toxicity of grapes and raisins, including whether only certain dogs are affected, but it is advised not to feed grapes or raisins to dogs in any amount.
Avocado
While many pet owners say they feed their pets avocados with no problems, studies have shown that their leaves, fruit, seeds and bark can contain a toxin called Persin. According to the ASPCA, the Guatemalan variety, which is commonly found in stores, contains the most toxicity.
Yeast dough
Dough that is not cooked and contains yeast can rise in your pet’s stomach and cause pain in the stomach and potentially cause the intestines to rupture. This risk diminishes once the dough is cooked.
Onions, onion powder, and garlic
Can lead to gastrointestinal irritation and red blood cell damage. Cats are more susceptible than dogs, but it is recommended that you not give cats or dogs large quantities of these.
Foods with a high salt or fat content
While pets do need certain kinds of fat in their diet, excessive fats can cause upset stomach and potentially inflame the pancreas causing pancreatitis. Salty foods can pose a risk for the development of sodium ion toxicosis, according to the ASPCA. Be aware that if your pet gets into food with a high fat or salt content, she could experience stomach problems including diarrhea and vomiting.
Left-over bones
Left-over bones pose a choking hazard to pets, and they can also splinter and puncture your pet’s digestive tract. Additionally if you feed your pet meat or eggs, make sure they are fully cooked. Undercooked or raw meat and eggs can contain harmful bacteria.
Sugarless Candies (or products sweetened with xylitol)
This compound can cause liver damage and even death in some more vulnerable dogs. Xylitol is in many products including gum, candy, sugar-free cookies and toothpaste.
Macadamia Nuts
Can cause weakness, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia in dogs. Symptoms generally last up to two days, and usually appear within 12 hours of ingestion.
Alcohol, Chocolate, Coffee
According to the ASPCA, the substances in these products, methlxanthines, can cause vomiting, diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, tremors, seizures, and potentially death in pets. The higher the cocoa percentage, the more dangerous the chocolate is, making dark chocolate more toxic than milk or white chocolate.
17 Most common poisonous plants
1. Lilies
2. Marijuana
3. Sago Palm
4. Tulip/Narcissus bulbs
5. Azalea/Rhododendron
6. Oleander
7. Castor Bean
8. Cyclamen
9. Kalanchoe
10. Yew
11. Amaryllis
12. Autumn Crocus
13. Chrysanthemum
14. English Ivy
15. Peace Lily (AKA Mauna Loa Peace Lily)
16. Pothos
17. Schefflera
What do you do if your pet ate something poisonous?
If your animal is having seizures or losing consciousness, bring him or her to your veterinarian or emergency vet center.
If your pet is not showing symptoms, but ingested something potentially toxic, call the ASPCA hotline at (888) 426-4435. Have the following information available: the species, breed, age, sex, weight, and information about the product exposure. It is best to have the package of the product available for reference.
All stocked up, an article by Marcia King on TheHorse.com, presents an in-depth descrtiption of how to recognize stocking up, its possible causes and treatments, and how to tell the difference if something else is causing the horse’s leg swelling.
Horse Stereotypies Vary by Discipline, Researchers Say, from theHorse.com, by: Christa Lesté-Lasserre
SEE CONNIE’S COMMENTS AT END!
Some horses crib, some weave, some chew wood. Some have many in-stall habits, while others have practically none. But these equine stereotypies are not as random as they might seem. According to recent findings from an equine behavior research group in northwestern France, they point to the kind of work those horses are doing outside their stalls.
Because of the different kinds of stress horses experience in different disciplines, their “bad habits,” or stereotypies, will also vary, said Martine Hausberger, PhD, director of the Laboratory of Animal and Human Ethology, a branch of the French national research center (CNRS) and of the University of Rennes 1. Her group studied 77 French saddle horses at the Ecole Nationale d’Equitation at Saumur over a one-month period to observe their in-stall behavior. All of the horses included in the study worked one hour per day and spent the other 23 stalled.
In their study, the most serious kinds of stereotypies–cribbing, wind-sucking, and head shaking–occurred with dressage mounts and horses of the haute école (classical dressage, including airs above ground). Some of these horses performed a combination of stereotypies, and they performed them more frequently than the other horses. “These horses are under immense pressure to control their movements and restrict their emotions,” Hausberger said.
Jumping and eventing horses had a greater tendency to lick or bite their surroundings, which are minor stereotypies, the authors reported. “They’re under pressure when working,” said Hausberger, “but they have more freedom of movement and expression during their workouts.” They might also be seeking more nutrients from their environment due to the amount of energy they expend, she added.
Vaulting horses, which pass their working time longed while supporting the acrobatic movements of humans on their backs, generally only showed tongue play habits. These stereotypies were considered the least serious of all, Hausberger said, and were likely a reaction to being tightly reined in during their longeing sessions.
“These results strongly suggest that work stressors are one of the sources of stereotypic behaviors,” Hausberger said. “Unfavorable housing conditions–the tight confinement of stalls, separation from other horses–probably make the problems worse.”
The study, “Could work be a source of behavioural disorders? A study in horses,” was published in the open access Public Library of Science journal, PLoS ONE.
_____________________ CONNIE’S COMMENTS: I gotta say, keeping these horses stalled for 23 hrs. a day is their primary stressor in the first place. The researchers are missing the point– they should be focusing their studies on giving horses more natural freedom. It may well be that HOW horses act out their frustrations is influenced by what they get to do, or DON’T get to do, when they are allowed to be only minimally active. But for the poor horses, it is SO abnormal to suffer such long-term confinement. I’m betting they ALL display vices– sorry, “sterotypies”– of some sort.
