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Showing posts from February, 2010

NER United States Pony Club Show Jump Rally - July 20, 2019

Ellie and I had SO MUCH FUN at our first Pony Club jump rally this year.  We drove up to Clay Brook Farms, where we had our D-1/D-2 rating, in order to compete for the day on July 20.  This happened to be one of the hottest days of summer, so the organizers modified the schedule a bit.  Instead of doing two rounds in the morning and one in the afternoon, we all did just two rounds (with a ten-minute break in between) all in the morning, so we were done and headed out just after lunch.  
Everything ran so smoothly despite the condensed format.  We were able to do our formal inspections right before we mounted up, and we were all encouraged to limit our warm up time.  We were not allowed to wear jackets, and there was a TON of horse water and ice cold human water available at numerous stations around the field.
I was competing with Epona Pony Club, but I was again put on a Horsemaster team with two other adults from Foxcroft Pony Club, Angie and Beth, the two riders I competed with at the…
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Because we ALL kick our horses to make them move, right????

Watch the video.......no matter what the "truth" really is, I am thinking that there has to be something wrong with a horse owner who kicks a horse to make them move out of the way. Watch the video.....right after the state vet's quote is on the screen (1:10), you can watch the owner of Fair Play Farm (see my past post) KICK AT A HORSE TO MAKE IT MOVE! Seriously? I am sorry, and maybe I am reading too much into things, but if you feel the need to KICK a horse who is just standing in your way and not being aggressive, you are NOT a very good horse person. Again, just my opinion!

http://www.wabi.tv/news/10063/horse-care-in-clinton-questioned
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Seriously, I just don't get it...

So this seems to be a big story up here in Maine. And it is downright sad...

http://www.fuglyblog.com/2010/id-be-less-of-a-bitch-if-i-were-wrong-more-often/#comments

There are other local bulletin boards with threads about this person, but for Fugly to pick it up is great. When are people going to stop hoarding animals, pretending they are OK when they are not, and basically acting like idiots???? Good grief. :P I even looked this girl up on Facebook and two of my "friends" have her listed as a friend! I am about ready to "defriend" them! Who stays friends with someone who abuses/starves a horse??? (Not me!!!!!! And believe me, I have been there, done that...)
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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease aka COPD

So, now that I have discussed Sparky's scary health issues (though I neglected to speak on her colic issues or Cushing's disease.....that's a whole 'nother post or two!), it is on to Dreamy.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung disease that is similar to human asthma. COPD is common in horses who are shut up in airtight barns or where hay is dusty. COPD horses are usually allergic to pollens, chemicals, microbes and other substances found in foods, medications, or the environment. After managing Dreamy's COPD for over six years, it still amazes me to go into a barn that is all closed up. One winter, I visited to a large boarding barn that was all shut up and "warm". While it might have been comfortable for the humans, the STENCH of urine was unbearable. It was an environment just asking for respiratory issues. I never shut my barn anyways, but especially with a COPD horse, shutting up the barn can mean a respiratory emergen…
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Nosebleeds, ethmoid hematomas.......and sleep deprivation???

So, without much going on in terms of riding right now, I have been thinking it is time to write some "educational" posts. I am not a veterinarian, nor do I play one on TV. But after twenty five years around horses, I have dealt with my fair share of injuries, sicknesses, and oddities. Sometimes it helps to hear what others have gone through if you yourself are dealing with it.

Can horses really be sleep deprived? I would have laughed at you a few years ago if you had suggested that to me! LOL! But after a very scary incident almost three years ago, my views have changed. Yes, my beloved older mare Sparky suffers from sleep deprivation. Stay with me, this is a long story...


During the fall and spring of 2007, Sparky began having frequent nosebleeds, known as epistaxis. It seemed to happen every few weeks or so, and I could never really find a cause. The nosebleeds were pretty minor, but the sight of the 15-20 drops of blood was no less alarming.

Of course, I keep a ve…
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A Day in the Life.....

"Uggggggggg" I say as I roll out of bed. I am NOT a morning person, especially on a Monday morning.

Frosty whiskers and throaty nickers greet me as I began morning chores. It is not that cold at 17 degrees at 6:20 AM! :D

Love. My son is the best kid on the planet. :)

Seriously? Did I really read that correctly? Sometimes I am still amazed at how ridiculously idiotic people can be. Good gravy. Talk about crazy. It is quite funny to watch people destroy "friendships" only to find they have no friends! And then try to grasp for the ones they previously treated badly! The more I get to know horse people, the more I like my HORSE(S)! ROFL! Thankfully the drama has not reached me. PHEW!

YAY! Only four more days to teach until vacation! Life is good.

Oh, my aching back. Hauling water from the house to the barn is no fun.

More love. Slobbery kisses, horse cookies, neck scratches. Saying goodnight to the ponies is one of my favorite times of the day!

Re…
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Rollkur: Just Say No!

Kate at A Year With Horses has this rollkur image and text posted on her blog. Dr. Heuschmann will be at the FEI meeting on Feb. 9th to speak out against this awful practice. Kate encouraged her blog readers to consider speaking up in this debate, by posting Dr. Heuschmann's following message:

The FEI is holding a closed-door round table meeting on Feb. 9th to discuss the training method known as rollkur, or hyperflexion, which involves pulling and holding the horse's muzzle to his chest. This practice is known to have many negative effects on the horse, both physically and psychologically. Gerd Heuschmann, the lone voice for the horse at this meeting, has my support and appreciation as he presents his case "for the good of the horse" along with petitions and letters saying NO TO ROLLKUR.

Please take a moment today and again tomorrow to think positively about the outcome of this meeting. It will make a difference.

Sign the petition here. I just did it and it seriously…
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Dressage? Eventing? Or Both??

My real love is eventing. I love dressage, but nothing beats riding a cross country course! Having an older horse has forced me to focus more on dressage in the last year. This is not a bad thing, as I love dressage and it obviously helps over fences. The real reason for this focus shift is because I believe a horse has only so many jumps in them, and I am very careful how much I jump Dreamy due to her age. We jump no more than once a week, which includes when I jump at a show. This year I am planning to do pretty much the same shows as last year. So the plan is as long as she is sound and happy, I still want to do a few one day horse trials. Having been started until saddle at age 15, I am hoping she will be sound for low jumping (under 2'3") well into her 20's. And if not, that is obviously OK. I monitor my horses like a hawk, and each horse tells me what she can do.

So with not much to do outside, I like to spend time making my show calendar. I scouted around…
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More on MDS awards...

My dear friend wrote and sent this to the USTA as a surprise to me! It was posted to their website yesterday. It is great to have the publicity for the breed, but even better to have such a supportive friend. :)

http://xwebapp.ustrotting.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=35652
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Maine Dressage Society Year End Awards 2009

Dreamy just keeps making me proud! The Maine Dressage Society awards banquet was held on Jan. 31, 2010. Here are the ribbons that were handed out...



The ribbon colors are odd. The year end coordinator chose them a few years back. She does this color at her farm's dressage schooling shows too. First is more of a navy, second is HOT pink (gag), third is more of a light yellow, fourth is gray, etc. I am not a huge fan, truth be told. But, what the heck, ribbons are ribbons, right?? LOL!

Dreamy was 8th in Training level adult amateur, Standardbred Horse of the Year, and I received my bronze medal! YAY!



Such a super mare! :) Special thanks to my "date", Shelly! :)
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