Mourning the Loss of Fancy

As I write this blog I am crying over the loss of my beautiful Fancy. For my readers who have never seen a horse humanely euthanized I would like to share my experience with Fancy. I also hope that if any of her former owners read this blog they will understand how much I loved Fancy and only wanted the best for her. Tom, myself and my friend Laura surrounded Fancy feeding her treats and stoking her soft fuzzy body. Our vet, Caitlin explained to us what would happen. "First "happy juice" would be injected into the vein in her neck. She would then be lead to the area near where she would be buried and she would receive the "blue" lethal injection. We would hand Fancy's leadrope to Caitlin, and step away". Caitlin didn't want anyone to accidently get hurt when Fancy went down to the ground. "The drug goes right to the brain. She would not feel any pain". Because of her vascullitis, Fancy was unable to walk until she had recieved the "happy juice". We were then able to walk her over close to the area where she would be buried.Tom and I stood right in front of Fancy who was noticably drowsy from the tranquilizer.I hope she felt loved. I nuzzled her forehead breathing in her horsey smell, telling her there would be no more pain; and thanking her for sharing her last 2 years with me. I stroked her face while the lethal dose of barbituate was injected into her neck. She dropped gently down to the ground onto her side, as though she was taking a sun bath. Cailtin took hold of the leadrope and we stepped back. Caitlin listened to Fancy's heart and told us what we already knew. Fancy was gone. Her legs did move a bit which is a normal reflex. I'd like to think she was trotting over the Rainbow Bridge. Everyone was quiet. Fancy was gone. There would be no more pain. No more blackflies and ticks. Just peace. This is how the life of a dear friend should end. Gently, quietly, surrounded by those who love her.

Another Star in the Sky

Tickle My Fancy
April 24, 1982 to December 28, 2011
Our sweet girl's vascullitis was flaring-up on a regular basis. She was scheduled to be euthanized Christmas week, but the night before I just couldn't follow through. My plan was to get her through the winter, and see how she was in the Spring. On Monday her leg was so swollen and she was very sore. Tuesday she was barely able to walk, so I kept her in our round pen so she wouldn't have to walk on uneven frozen ground. I knew in my heart she wouldn't make it through the winter, so I made arrangements with the vet and our neighbor with an excavator, to have Fancy euthanized on Wednesday afternoon. Wednesday morning when I went out to the barn to feed, Fancy was down in her stall and unable to get-up. My brother-in-law was visiting, so with his help we were able to remove the stall door, and its supporting beam, and eventually got Fancy onto her feet. She was unable to put any weight on her right hind leg, and had to hop on her left leg to move. I called the vet, and told them one of their vets needed to come immediately. While waiting, with the help of a friend, I was able to keep Fancy standing. Tom came home from work, and we were with Fancy "giving her love" until she was "asleep". So, another one of our beloved horses has crossed the Rainbow Bridge, and is now a star shining down upon us. Fancy was loved by many; taught many riders the joys of horse ownership and how to ride; won many ribbons, and championships. She lived a full life of 30 years, which ended as it should with all our equine friends-gently, quietly, painless, and terror free. And so my girl, whenever I look at the stars, I know you are shining down upon me.

The Winners

USPA Southeast Circuit Arena Master's Cup, 2011 winning team. This qualifies them to attend the Nationals which will be held in CA, Feb. 2012. the handsome guy in the middle is Mark.

Horse Glossary

A Bit: What is left over after a horseperson visits a favorite tack shop.
Fence: A decorative structure built for horses to chew on.
Horse Feed: A costly substance used to manufacture manure.
Race: What your heart does when you see your horses's vet bill.
Withers: The reason you will seldom see a man riding bareback.

Our Sweet Boy

More sad news. Our polo pony, Trick, had to be humanely euthanized following a freak paddock accident in Aiken, SC. Mark is not exactly sure what happened, but it appeared that Trick somehow got his leg over something, pulled back, completely severing the tendon in his left front leg. As Mark said "Mom, as soon as I saw the injury, I knew it was hopeless". It never is easy having to euthanize an animal, even when it is obvious that there is no hope for recovery. It is always in the back of my mind "what if?" Could we have trailered Trick somewhere to have surgery? Mark said the tendons were like spagetti. How would Trick even get into a trailer? There are special trailers designed with hoists and other equipment to handle horses and large animals, but even with that, the type of microscopic surgery would have cost a fortune. Even if I had all the money in the world, would it be fair to Trick to put him through surgery and the recovery; to maybe be able to stand and walk? He certainly would never play polo again, and it would have been a miracle if he were even pasture sound. I can't speak for other owners of polo horses/Thoroughbreds, but it seems that once they can't play polo, race or have some use, they start to fade away. Polo or racing has been their life; it is what they know how to do; it is in their blood. Take it away, and what is there? All Mark and the vet could do was to wrap Trick's leg and give him pain medication until arrangements could be made for a backhoe. Mark sat on Trick's back, hitting polo balls, while Trick grazed. I know you're up there in Heaven galloping as fast as you can, chasing polo balls, and when the game is over you are napping in the shade. Twilight Trick by Clever Trick(Ice Capade) out of Glory's Light(Halo). Born in Ky on March 23, 1995. Raced until 6 years of age. Retrained for polo.Crossed over the Rainbow Bridge on Oct. 20,2011.

Just for Fun

I read this in a book and wanted to share it with my readers.
Riding Anniversary Gifts For That Special Horsewoman
First year traditional gift is a paper product. For the horsepwoman a subscription to a horse magazine.
Fifth year traditional gift is silverware. Horsewoman-Saddle with silver nameplate
Tenth year traditional gift is a diamond. Horsewoman-riding blouse pin with diamond.
Fifteenth year traditional gift is crystal. Horseswoman-New truck.
Twentieth year traditional gift is Platinum. Horsewoman-High-quality show horse.
Thirtieth year traditional gift is diamond. Horsewoman-New barn.
Fortieth year traditional gift is a ruby. Horsewoman-New Hip.
Fiftieth year traditional gift is gold. Horsewoman-Back Brace.
Sixtieth year traditional gift is diamond. Horsewoman-diamond.

South for the Winter

Last Tuesday Mark announced that he may have a job in Aiken, SC. Wednesday evening it was definite, and he was to leave on Saturday. Having just spent 24 hours "camping" with Fancy I knew of all the things needed for 1 horse and 1 human. Consider what is needed for 5 horses and 1 human, plus the fact that it would be for at least 5 months, and Mark really wasn't sure what would be provided at his destination other that an apartment, 12 stall barn, and 10 acres of paddocks. He didn't even know if there were buckets in the stalls, or how cold the weather might get-should he bring blankets and rainsheets? Lists were made and items gathered, packed, piled, inventoried and washed. The trailer also had to go into the garage so the tires and brakes could be checked. We weren't sure if Divine Brown should travel that distance with her "bad" knee, so our veterinarian came by and performed a lameness evaluation on DB. Fortunately, she passed the exam, and we were informed that the warmer weather would actually be very helpful for her arthritis.It would be a 17 hour drive, so he needed someone to help drive. The first 2 people that agreed to go backed-out. Luck was on our side when Marks brother-in-law volunteered to go along on the trip. Tom and I were quite relieved as Joe has driven the truck and trailer in the past, was very good handling the horses, and had mechanical knowledge.
Because Joe would need someway to get back "North", airline reservations had to be made. Keep in mind that we had only 2 days to get everything done. It was a monumental task, but somehow everything fell into place. Horses were loaded at 2:30 AM Saturday, and off everyone went. Wow!! I had forgotten how easy it is to care for only 2 horses! I feel like I'm on vacation!

Camping

One thing I have always wanted to do, was to go camping with my horses. I suppose Mark or Tom could also go with us! Each October the local riding and driving club hosts a 3 day trail ride in nearby Barre, MA. Riders and their horses can camp-out; all meals are provided; there is some form of entertainment-this year it was a jousting demonstration. There are several well marked trails(13, 20 miles and any variation). As always, I volunteer, and rarely ride, unless it is to mark trails. My jobs for the weekend were to register riders, help with the meals, and "man" the lunch stop on the 20-mile trail. The weather was perfect, and we had at least 20 riders camp-out with their horses, and 60 riders on the trails. Since I was going to be at this event, I decided to have Tom bring our trailer, with Fancy and Mark's portable corral, to the field so I could try "camping". I didn't ride, but got to spend quality time with Fancy. At first I was afraid I'd be awake all night worrying about her escaping, but told myself that if she did escape, she wouldn't go far as she was in a big field with lots of other horses. Surprisingly I slept well, and Fancy being the sweet mare that she is, didn't nicker for breakfast until 7 AM. I can't wait until next year. Maybe, I'll even get to ride!

Vasculitis

I have learned of a new equine condition. Fancy didn't eat her grain one morning, nor her hay during the day. She had no temperature, but by the end of the day, she could barely walk, and her right hind leg was very swollen. I was not too alarmed, as she has always had a problem with this particular leg swelling. Usually the swelling would subside after she moved around. In this case the swelling only increased, and she became very listless, and still had a poor appetite. We initially treated her with Bute, but after 2 days of stall rest our veterinarion Vasculitis is inflammation of the walls of blood vessels. It's cause is somewhat of a mystery, though it is believed to be a reaction of the horses own immune system aagainst bacteria, virus, drug reaction, or reaction to an herbal. Vasculitis almost always occurs in one hind leg, very often the horse will have recurrent episodes in it's lifetime, and there will be "Scratches" on the affected leg. An appointment was scheduled with our veterinarians Buck Hill Veterinary Services. They were able to see Fancy the next day, and by that time Fancy had a fever of 103, and her entire leg was affected and the edema was spreading to her udder and belly. She was given Lasix--I know understand the statement "Peeing like a racehorse", 2 different antibiotics, and the use of steroids was discussed if the problem didn't quickly subside. Fortunately after 24 hours she was improving and even wanted to go outside into the paddock. Four more days of treatment, and she should be as good as new-at least as new as one can expect for a 28 year old horse!! Poor Fancy !!!

Artistic Creativity

Yesterday, Tom was looking out of the bedroom window and saw a rainbow of colors on the roof of our tool shed. Upon closer inspection, he realized each of the colored items was actually a horse grooming tool. After washing a bunch of brushes, combs, etc; I had set them on the shed roof to dry. Maybe I'll leave them there, and get an early start on holiday decorating!

Bit Warmers

I find it funny to see all the new horse-related products I can waste my money buying. I don't know about my readers, but whenever I am thinking about buying something frivolous, I say to myself "How many bales of hay would that money buy?"
Yesterday I saw an ad for "Bling Bit Warmers". The description of this product is: Add glamour(shiny material and sequins) to the process of heating up your bit before bridling.Heat 40 seconds in a microwave. Stays warm for 1/2 hour. Machine washable. Has 4 Velcro tabs at the corners for easy fitting on most standard bits. Suggested retail, $14.99 each. Shipping is $7.95 Now tell me how many people have a microwave oven in their barn? Who is going to see and appreciate your bit warmer with bling? Certainly not your horse. And, call me old fashion, but what ever happened to holding the bit between your hands, and huffing on it with your warm breath! Even holding the bit between your warm legs/knees will work. I don't know about you, but for $24.95 I'll buy 5 bales of hay, and NO your cannot have the name of my hay supplier!

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

On Sunday, Lilo was returned to Squirrelwood. What a lovely mare. I had hoped she would work-out as a polo horse, but alas it was not meant to be. Sunday morning I gave her a good grooming, lots of treats, and let her graze in our backyard, which is the biggest treat for any horse, as we don't mow the lawn very often!Having all this quality time with Lilo got me thinking "Maybe I should adopt her, and use her for a trail horse". Keep in mind that I have never even sat on her back, my ankle is stil in rough shape, and she is a TB polo horse. Mark was working and I was unable to reach him by phone to ask if he'd mind if I rode her for a few minutes in our riding ring. Of course this would be under Tom's supervision, maybe even using a lounge line. By the time Mark got home, Lilo's "ride" was already in route, so I'll never know if she would have worked-out for me. We were sad to see her go. Looking at her photo, I think she was equally as sad, or maybe just bored with me taking pictures! Could be the puddle she is standing in! So, Lilo will be greatly missed.I know she will eventually find the right home, and I'll have more money in my checking account----sweet--

Ulcer Enlightenment

October's issue of Equus magazine arrived the other day. What a surprize to see that there was an article titled "Understanding Ulcers". Equally as surprizing to me was that the author is Heather Smith Thomas. This surprized me because she has been writing horse related articles since I was a kid(a million years ago), and I didn't know she was still alive! Does this mean that ulcers are as common as I thought? Why would a leading magazine bother with an article unless it would draw its' readers interest?
Of course I read every word, and have been enlightened. The 5 major risk factors for developing ulcers are: Long periods between meals; diets high in grain/low in forage; Intense high-speed training; Stress; and Illness. 90% of racehorses have ulcers, as do high performance athletes, and show horses kept in stalls being fed large amounts of grain, and subjected to travel, training and competition. The most effective long term way to prevent ulcers is to make changes in the horses'lifestyle. Lets keep stall confinement at a minimum, stick to a routine, and provide lots of forage. In otherwords, let horses be horses!

Ulcers

A few weeks ago I was visiting a friend at a boarding facility she owns. All of the horses were outside in paddocks, except for one. This lone horse was a beautiful 5 year old Thoroughbred stallion. The owner arrived, removed the horse from it's stall, groomed it using a horse vacumn cleaner, tacked up the horse and led it to the riding arena. Once mounted, the horse was immediately asked to collect itself and trot. This collected trot continued for about 15 minutes, and then the horse was returned to the barn to be groomed again, and put back into its stall. I should add that even though this was a stallion, at no time did he misbehave, or act "studdish". I commented to my friend about this, and she informed me that the horse is kept in its stall for 23 hours a day, and if its raining is not allowed outside at all. The owners riding time and routine is also always the same-hop on the horse with no warm-up, and trot for around 15 minutes. Even though this stallion showed no signs of distress over the routine, it got me thinking about horse psychology, and how they are able, or not able, to adjust to a humans' demands. This was a lovely stallion and only 5 years old. Will he eventually develop vices? Will he eventually become difficult to handle? Have any of my readers ever noticed how many products are available to control ulcers and cribbing? In one supply catalog I found 5 chemical products and 3 mechanical products. In another horse supply catalog I found 13 mechanical products, and 3 chemical products. This does not incude items and food additives for stress and boredom. This picture comes to my mind-horse in stall with bars across the front,except for a spot to add grain. It's wearing a cribbing strap or muzzle, and hobbles on its hind legs, "jolly ball", "Pas-a fier", "Jolly Stall Snack", Himalayan salt-on-a-rope,and some other stall "toy". At feeding time, there are more additives in the food than there is grain! What are we doing to our horses? Wouldn't it be a lot easier, and better for the horse to let it be a horse, and not some object it wasn't designed to be? Please don't comment to this blog article by telling me that "a horse is personal property, and as such we can do whatever we damn well please."

Hoses and Bees

In the past week, I have done some things that were a bit stupid, and in one case, dangerous. The water hose that runs to the large 12x12 stalls is very long. I believe around 100 feet. For the past year,whenever it gets a leak, I wrap the spot with duct tape. As expected, this quick fix only lasts a short time. The holes had gotten so large and numerous that it was effecting the water pressure in the hose. I have no patience when it comes to waiting while a water buckets fill with water. Often I will do some small task and ineveitably I forget about the hose, and the bucket overflows. Standing next to the bucket for an length of time seems like a waste of my time! There was a box of hose fittings in the garage, so I decided to "properly" fix the hose. I suppose I could have purchased a new hose, but it seemed like a waste of 90 feet of hose. I got a razor knife, hose coupling and pot of boiling water. The water is to pour over the cut ends of the hose so they easily slide onto the connector. Job done, I dragged the end on the hose to the water bucket, turned on the water, and promtly discovered that I had missed a few holes. So much for being so cost efficient. Yesterdays lack in judgement involved bees of which I am allergic. Fancy was in her stall eating her dinner. I decided to give her a good grooming. On the opposite side of her stall door is a window. As the brush and curry comb got dirty, I was banging them against the window sill. Suddenly, Fancy shied away from her grain bucket, and started jumping around her stall. At the same time, something was buzzing around my head. Since I am allergic to bees, I also started to panic. Here I was in a stall with Fancy jumping around, bees buzzing around my head, and I am opposite from the stall door. I felt bad for Fancy, but knew that if I got stung, I'd have to go to the local Emergency Room. Finally, I got out of the stall, ran out of the barn, and yelled for Tom and Mark. As they were running to the barn, I was yelling "bees, get Fancy out of her stall". Tom was yelling to me "Get out of there before you get stung, wheres the Wasp killer?", to which I replied "If I get out of here, how can I show you where the wasp killer is located?". Mark got Fancy out of her stall, Tom found the wasp killer, I didn't get stung, and we now keep a can of spray in the barn, along with one of my Epipens in the barn first aid kit!

Buff Teagan of NEADS*** Dec. 6,1996-Aug.30, 2011

In 1997 we became involved with NEADS. It is an organization that provides Service Dogs for the deaf,disabled and combat veterans.Puppys are either donated by breeders, or adopted from shelters, and trained for the many tasks they may be required to perform. When the puppies are young, volunteers called "Puppy Raisers" train the puppies for basic tasks like housebreaking, walking calmly on a leash, basic commands, behaving in public situations, ect. When the puppies reach a certain age, around 8 months old they are returned to NEADS for more in-depth training and then placement into a home. We had the privlage of being a puppy raiser for a yellow Lab named Teagan. From the beginning she was an easy dog to teach. Eventually she went back to NEADs to be "fine-tuned" and then placed. A few months later we got a phone call asking us if we would like to take back Teagan. She had flunked her final training. We rushed over to get her, and she has been a beloved member of our family for 14 years. What a great dog she has been. Children could climb all over her, She was a jogging companion for Tom,until her hips got bad,was mother to our bassett hound Talullah, and as Mark once said "her heart was bigger than her body". After a year of incontinence, repeated UTIs, inability to use her hind legs to raise, we made the difficult descision to have her euthanized. The entire family accompanied Teagan for her final trip to the see our veterinarian. There was not a dry eye in the room, as Teagan fell asleep forever. Rest in peace sweet Teagn. There will be no more pain, you can bounce and run around again, and can mother all the other dogs in Dog Heaven.

Hurricane Warning

As if Junes' tornado wasn't enough, know we have a hurricane coming our way! I've had several people ask if I'm ready for the storm.My sister even called from her vacation in PA. You know the drill-water, batteries, candles, food, radio, charged cell phones. My response to this question is always the same."If the horses have everything they may need, then I'm prepared!" The first task is to figure-out where to house everyone. Are current number of horses is 8, and number of stalls is 5. We decided to have Stitch and Lilo co-habitate in one of the 12x12 stalls, Mudslide gets the other 12x12, Fancy, DB, and C'est Bon can use the stalls in the main barn. This leaves Trick and Eva to brave the elements wearing their raincoats. They will have one of the run-in shelters for cover, so long as it doesn't blow away. Every available container of water has been filled, hay has been brought down from the loft, and hopefully we have battened down all the hatches! If all goes as the weather gurus are predicting, we will all be blown to the Land of Oz by Sunday night. Do you think Toto is an acceptable name for a polo horse?

He's Got Personality

Today I attended a gathering of friends for dinner. We got to talking about animals and their personalities. Our horse Trick is big goof. He is built funny with all kinds of odd angles and slopes, in all the wrong places. He's definitely not a horse you would buy, just for looks. His attitude is usually very lackadaisical. For the final game of last week's tournament, Trick was the "extra" horse. I sat in a chair holding his reins, as he fell asleep, practically resting his head on my lap. Stitch was suppose to play the last chukker, but hadn't recovered from the 2nd chukker, so poor Trick had to wake-up and play polo. He not only played well, but as Mark commented while coming off the field "Mom, did you see Trick fly down the field?"
The above photos are of Trick falling asleep, and of Trick "flying" down the field. What a crazy horse!

Northeast Circuit Amateur Cup Winners

Guess who?? The handsome guy on the far right is Mark.

Weekend Preparations

This weekend Mark is participating in a tournament in the Cortland, NY area. His first game is Friday afternoon, in Skaneateles, second game is Saturday in Ithaca, and hopefully there will be a championship match on Sunday. For anyone that has had to travel with horses a long distance from home, for any length of time, it is a huge process gathering together all the "stuff" that you will need, might need, and doubt very much you will need, but bring "just in case"! My first job is finding a place to stay that is near the games, and making arrangements for all our animals that stay home. Mark needs to work on getting a team together, finding stabling for his horses, and getting the playing schedule. Between the two of us there are blankets and the "dredded" polo wraps to wash(5 horses times 4 legs times 3 games equals 60), tack to clean, lists of food and clothing to bring for both horses and humans, and the horses must be in top condition, and of course, looking beautiful. Looking beautiful and having enough feed for the horses is my biggest concern-big surprize! No matter how much time goes into the preparations there is always a last minute frantic rush. The "stuff" necessary for 3 people and 5 horses is monumental. It reminds me of vacations with my 3 children, when they were young. Cribs, walkers, car seats, toys, diapers, clothes, thing to entertaine them in the car, medicine, sunscreen, strollers, ect. This doesn't even cover the adults! Then just as you are about to drive out of the driveway,or worse yet, a few miles down the road, you remember that you forgot a favorite pacifier! Mark left with the horses on Thursday, Tom and I left early Friday morning, so it wasn't a problem gathering together last minute/forgotten items like an extra bag of grain, a different size feed scoop, and a toothbrush. After all of this we finally got to the designated location of the first game in Skaneateles, and during the 2nd chukker a stirrup leather breaks and then a set of reins. Did we have extras? We used to have some in the trailer. I know I have a new set of leathers, and reins back home, which is 6 hours away. Panic starts to set-in, and then you remember that Mark is stabling his horses with a family that owns a tack shop.

Baby Come Back aka Lilo; Bay mare; DOB April 24, 1998 in LA; by Dusty Sassafras out of Little Rumble.
Nuces aka Stitch; chestnut mare; DOB Feb 17, 1995 in IA; by Give Me Strength out of Noose. Raced until age 5.5 in OK and IA.
Introducing the 2 new additions to our "herd". I have mentioned in previous blogs about a polo rescue in Montgomery NY. Mark and I went on a road trip to look at 2 rescue polo horses currently in their care. Mark rode both very sweet mares, and I even wanted to climb onto Stitch. It was decided to adopt Stitch. Both horses had been together for a year, and Beth, the manager/owner of Squirrelwood, asked if we would also take Lilo, at least for 6 weeks to see if she would also work out as a polo horse for Mark. How could we say NO? Home they came and settled in nicely. Mark has already taken them to a few polo games, and has gotten several compliments on Lilo and Stitch. Now, if my ankle would just heal quickly so I can ride Stitch!

Mom, can you---?

Whenever I hear these words, I know I'll be asked to do some task. More often than not, its not a simple task like "turn on the TV". The other day Mark brought a mountain of polo wraps into the house to be washed. He didn't specifically ask me to wash them, but strategicly place them where everyone had to step over them to get to our foyer. Right know I have nothing better to do, so of course I washed the wraps. Once they were washed he asked "Mom, can you roll-up the wraps"? I don't know exactly how many wraps Mark owns, but he once told me that he only needs to wash the wraps every other week. His math is 5 horses times 4 legs, wearing wraps at least 3 times each week, so 60 wraps each week. This means he has approximatley 120 wraps! No, these were not all purchased! The majority of the wraps were ones that went unclaimed after polo season ended at Blue Sky last year. He also does a similar thing with dirty, stinky, saddle blankets. These, he conveniently hangs these on the backs of the kitchen chairs.Todays "Mom, can you" was to make egg salad sandwiches (he did boil the eggs), and fill bottles with water, and put them in the freezer so he would have cold water at todays' polo practice. He didn't ask me to roll polo wraps, but brought a bunch into the house, and piled them in the middle of the living room floor. He started to roll a few, I started to help him, and then he went to do something else, leaving me to finish the job. I commented on the fact that some of the wraps were very thick and wide, while others were very thin and narrow. He told me that he uses the thin ones under the tendon boots, and the thick ones on the horses'back legs. "Mom, can you maybe sew some bright colored thread on the ends of the thin wraps so they are easier to find"??

She's Safe

This sweet little mare is now safe in quarantine. She has a nasty wound on her poll, and is very headshy. Once she settles into her new surroundings, she will be sedated and the wound will be further examined.

Is She Safe Yet?

As I mentioned in a previous blog, I check the Camelot Feedlot horses each Thursday for polo horses. Horses are run thru the auction on Wednesday night, and ship to slaughter on Sunday, so there is a narrow time frame to pull the horses. The above mare was listed this week. Due to my current "mobility" situation, we could not take this polo mare. Squirrelwood Equine Sanctuary, located in Montgomey, NY specializes in polo horse and draft horse rescue. Upon seeing the polo mare at Camelot, I immediately emailed Squirrelwood, to see if they could take her. This morning I got the good news that they would take the mare. The next step is calling Camelot to secure the mare, transportation, and quarantine. Fortunately Squirrelwood will be able to provide these services. I will assist providing the funds for the mare's "bail". I'll keep my readers updated. Hopefully we will have saved another polo horse from ending-up on some European's dinner plate!

The Princess and the Pony

The Horse Show

Over the weekend, I had the honor and pleasure of judging 8 trail classes at a local horse show. When I aggreed to judge these classes, I assumed I would arrive at the show, be given judging cards, and just sit in my wheelchair, and watch riders ride their horses through an obstacle course. A small club was managing the show, with few volunteers. I quickly learned that I also was required to design the course, make copies of the course for riders, set-up the course, post copies of the course around the show grounds, and a few other time consuming tasks. I am still using a wheelchair, so had plenty of time to do all these tasks. I volunteered Tom to set-up the course, with me barking orders, like "move that log 3 inches to the left". I went on-line to read up on judging this type of class, and course designs. The #1 problem I had was deciding between 2 riders that scored equally. This was especially true with the kids participating in the lead-line and WT age 11 and under. The riders are so cute, and in my opinion should all receive ribbons, but it is what it is. The only way I could think of making the decision in the lower levels of classes was what I called "appearance and suitability". Was the child confident, dressed appropriately, and fit the horse. For example: Two riders complete the course perfectly, but one isn't wearing proper attire, is 5 years old and riding a 17 hand horse, and is hanging on for "dear life". The same thing occured in the upper level classes. Open English Trail, may be open, but wearing a polo shirt, or no suit jacket, is going to earn you a slighty lower score, even if your horse completes all of the obstacles. What is the rider's attitude. I'm sorry, but it is a real turn-off when you need to use a crop to get your horse over the bridge! To parents and trainers, please don't critize the judge. I'm sorry if you think the magazine in the mailbox is too big, or you can't reach the raincoat because you horse is too tall, or too small. If your horse would stand still, and listen to your cues, these obstacles would probably not be a problem! All in all it was a successful day. I couldn't have managed without Tom's help. He was a real trooper throughout the day, even though he keep saying "I don't remember volunteering for this job"! Thank you, Tom. We are already on the list of judges for next year! BTW The horse in the photo is my "Fancy" This is a photo of her and her previous owner, Jen. It was taken 2 summers ago. Fancy was 26 years old! Aren't they beautiful?

World's Tallest Holsteiner

Stringhalt Anyone?

I know-I'm bitching again! Some horse owners never cease to amaze me!
This is what I just finished writing for my other blog: Craigslistadsthatpissmeofff
Yes, I know there are 3 "f"s in "off". I was typing too fast when I entered the title into the "setup your blog name page"!
I was browsing Equine.com this morning checking-out the Free Horses.
All but a pony were described as special needs, companion only, pasture pets. My guess is few stand any chance of ending up in a good situation. Maybe I'll see them on the Camelot Auction website, where current feedlot horses are listed. BTW, new horses are listed each Thursday morning, and ship to Canada on Sunday. The Champion horse, on Equine.com, shown above, is in Hamilton, MA, and has been shown very successfully at Myopia Hunt Club. For those of you that are not familiar with Myopia, it's the creme-de-la-creme of horse society. You mean to tell me that this horse, that has accomplished that much success for its owner, can not be provided for in its retirement?
Browse through the Free Horses on Equine.com, and see if there is a bad-backed, arthritic, allergic, laminitic, violently bucking, broodmare with stringhalt, an injured deep digital flexor tendon,COPD and ESPM that appeals to you. Come-on now,suck-it-up--everyone needs one of these horses in their barn!
To tell you the truth, if I had the time and money, I would take the sweet looking, grey, TB/Trakenher gelding!

Storm Warning

On June 1st we had severe thunder storms. Just 1/2 hr from us there were 3 tornados devastating sections of Springfield and Monson, Ma. There was also severe damage in Sturbridge and Brimfield. Four human lives were lost, and 1 horses' life. A horse trailer had been picked-up by the tornado and blown into a horse, instantly killling it. Another horse on the same property had serious damage to its leg from flying debris.
Tom and I were driving home from Worcester during the rainstorm. An emergency alert was broadcast on the radio to seek shelter in a basement, ect. Of course, our first thoughts were of the horses. Five of our horses were outside in paddocks, and Fancy was inside the barn (don't ask. It’s a long story!).The 5 horses had run-in shelters, but the shelters are not as sturdy as the barn. Hence the question arose. Are horses better inside a barn, or outside, during a severe storm that could include tornados? I imagine that in the central states like Kansas, it might be better to let the horses remain in the open. Didn't they let the horses loose in the Wizard of Oz? That way the horses can run away from the tornado. Here in New England there are lots of trees, so it would be difficult for the horses to run away. I've been asking other horse owners, and get different answers. Maybe I'll call the MSPCA, and find out what they recommend. Anyway, this issue is something we should think about. What are your emergency plans for your horse/horses? BTW, by the time Tom and I got home, the skies had cleared, and all the horses were fine, which was a good thing, as we had never come-up with a definitive answer to the question!
++The above picture is of Mark bringing in one of this horses during a rainstorm. Yes, it was really that dark at 3 PM++

In Our Backyard

Rose-Breasted Grosbeak

The Cast

For anyone that interested, this is a picture of my latest cast. They didn't have any Pretty Ponies! Only 8 more weeks-Yuck!

Reward for Your Service

This horse is on the AC4H website,looking for a home. He is a 19 year old Standardbred named Peppercorn, currently in a dealers lot in PA. Born in PA, and last owner on record lived in Canada. After his racing days were over, he was sold to the Amish who used him until he was used-up and then sent him to auction, where he would have been sold for slaughter. He is covered with rain-rot, and as you can see, very emaciated. Believe me whan I write: the Amish are not the sweet gentle, caring people that you see on TV, and read about in books! Nineteen years of serving man, and then man was going to serve him on a plate!! Interesting that he was born in PA, raced in Canada, and then back to PA, where he was going to be shipped back to Canada. Read my Sept. 27, 2010 blog "Where Have You Been" So, would any of my readers like to save this guy? I'll pay the $200, and also ship him within New England.

Hay for Sale

Every March my hay supplier runs-out of hay until he starts cutting hay again for the year. Last June, when the first load of hay was delivered I was asked how many horses he should plan on for the year That way he could set aside enough bales. I told him four. Little did I know that I would be providing lay-up for 4 polo horses, which brought the total to 8 horses. Of course, this meant I still ran-out of hay. I have been spoiled by my hay supplier, whom I have been using for the past 15 years. I don't even need to call him when I run low, as he stops by periodically to check on what I might need, and then just delivers, and leaves me the bill. He even loads the hay into our hay loft. This for $5 a bale, its very nice hay, and I am supporting a local farmer. No, I will not give you his name!! When my hay supply began to run low in March, I started looking around for hay to get me through until first cutting. This involves lots of searching and phone calls. You may be thinking that I should ask other horse owners who supplies their hay, but no one wants to divulge that information for fear of their horses not having hay for the rest of the season. Then I have to go to look at the hay and see if it is suitable for feeding to my horses. Prices ran from $5.75-$11.99 a bale, and this is not delivered. The expensive bales are not necessarily the most palatable hay. We did pick up 50 bales of the cheaper hay, but I did not like the people we bought it from--I know--what a ridiculous reason! I found some local hay that was advertised for $6 a bale, but by the time I called, all he had left were the big round bales, which I am leery to try, as I feel a lot would be wasted. Finally, I found on Craigslist, a supplier that had alfalfa/timothy hay that was around $10 a bale delivered and loaded, if I purchased at least 2 tons. These are big 70 lb. bales and he did deliver and stack. Wow, 2 tons is a huge amount of hay! It is very impressive when stacked! I just hope that my 8 horses don't eat 2 tons before June! Hay stretcher pellets anyone???????

Horsemans' Seasons of the Year

Yesterday was a perfect riding day. You know the type of day, around 60-70 degrees, not too humid, bright blue sky. I have to have more surgery on my ankle this month, so will be in a cast, again, until mid-July. This is so depressing! April 1st was suppose to be my first day "back-in-the-saddle" after my initial surgery, though I did cheat, and sat on Trick for a few minutes last month! What this means is that I will, hopefully, be able to start riding in the hottest month of the year in New England, at least in my opinion. It got me thinking about what seasons are the most enjoyable to ride,so I came up with a list of the months and a description.
January--too cold and icy
February--even colder and very icy
March--Muddy
April--perfect
May--perfect
June--perfect with blackflies
July and August--too hot and humid with mosquitos and deer flies
September--perfect
October--perfect,cool weather with beautiful scenery
November--near perfect,cooler and sometimes rainy
December--cold, and busy with hoidays
According to my description, this leaves 4 months of perfect riding weather. Tom and I ride every weekend, unless it rains, so this means we ride 16 times in the year, for about 2 hours per ride,so 32 hours. Each of our horses costs $200 per month, so according to my math, it costs us $150 per ride. We horse people are so crazy. Maybe I should just rent horses for trail riding!!

In the Woods

I was working at my desk trying to catch-up on paperwork. My desk is next to a window with a view overlooking my backyard. It was a lovely day outside, and paperwork is such a bore, that I kept looking out the window, longing for warmer weather. Suddenly I see something moving in the woods. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was Mark riding Trick. There is a short trail that goes from the back of my property to the edge of the back paddock. Of course, I had to get a couple of pictures. What a great excuse to go outside on a nice sunny day in March. Its even a beter excuse to do paperwork next week!

Snow Balls on Mudslide

Spring must be in the air. On Sunday, Mark started working the horses. He started by ponying Eva while riding Trick. Both horses were very calm. I think it helped that there was still snow on the ground-it took a little more energy to move forward. Eva, especially, was not happy about the situation. She'll be 19 in June, and has been the Queen Bee around the barn for many years. It's as if she is thinking "I'm too old for this nonsense". Around and around the ring they walked, this direction and then the other. A few circles, and figure eights, and I saw the "look" in Mark's eyes. "Mom, maybe I'll hit a few balls". He "stick and balled" off of Trick for a few minutes, and then decided to saddle-up Mudslide and hit a few balls while riding her. I was getting that "longing to ride" feeling, just as Mark suggested I get on Trick. I haven't been on the back of a horse, since my accident in August, and my ankle was hurting, but I just HAD to get on top of a horse. Mounting from the right side, I managed to get into the saddle, and though I couldn't put weight into the left stirrup without pain, I rode a few steps. Wow--did that feel good! Once the horse loving blood gets flowing in your veins, there is no stopping. I had planned on waiting until April to ride, and promised my surgeon I'd see her first--but---can't wait till next weekend!!!

Tess/Pachita in VA 3 months later

Tess/Pachita at New Holland

March 2010 Stony Bridge Farm assisted in the rescue of a polo horse at the New Holland Auction in PA. She was called Tess. After a short rehab, she was adopted by a very nice family in VA. A groom saw Tess and recognized her as Pachita. Pachita had belonged to a high-goal polo pro. I guess she didn't turn fast enough, so he dumped her at the auction. Another perfectly good "unwanted horse" with a lazy, irresponsible owner. The Unwanted Horse Coalition, a division of the American Horse Council, describes an Unwanted Horse, as follows:

HORSES THAT FAIL TO MEET OWNERS EXPECTATION
>UNATTRACTIVE
>NOT ATHLETIC
>UNMARKETABLE
>WRONG COLOR
>BARREN/INFERTILE
>COST TOO MUCH TO CARE FOR

NORMAL, HEALTHY HORSES OF VARIOUS AGES
AND BREEDS

HORSES THAT ARE OLD

HORSES THAT ARE INCURABLY LAME

HORSES THAT HAVE BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS

HORSES THAT ARE DANGEROUS

UN-ADOPTABLE FERAL HORSES

I don't know about you, but the descriptions I hate the most are those under the heading "Fails to meet the owners expectations" Maybe not their expectaions, but an ugly, barren Paint mare with a lot of white is OK for me!!

Planning for 2011

We experienced 2 days of temps in the 50s last week, so Winter blankets got to come-off. Everyone rolled in the mud almost immediately. It reminds me of how I feel at the end of the day when I take off my workboots. AHHHH! It seemed that no sooner were the blankets off and the horses were all muddy, when we got a terrible rainstorm, with thunder, lightning, and high winds. Mark and Tom dashed outside to get the blankets back on the poor horses. Even though I was born and raised in New England, I still have this odd belief that on March 1st, the weather will get warm and sunny. Well that date is only one week away, and I guess its time to be realistic--it ain't getting warm anytime soon. So, what do you do during your winter "down-time". This assumes you don't travel south in the winter. I try to catch up on paperwork,research, and correspondence I also try to spend some time enjoying my hobbies other than horses. Mark has reffed a couple of arena polo games at UCONN. He's also taking some classes at the local community college. He must be planning to someday have a job that is non polo related, like something that pays real money.

Dressage Anyone??

We have had an unusual amount of snow this winter. The top rail of the riding ring is 5 ft. off the ground, and there are 5 rails. With 3 feet of snow in the riding ring, it looks like I'll be changing my discipline to dressage!

Missing Horse

"Left for college in the fall of 2009. Gave my Morgan mare to someone with the agreement that she would be taken care of, and would not be leaving that location. Horse is no longer at that location, and information as to her whereabouts will not be given." Read on this blogsite, Sept. 27, 2010 "Where has Your Horse Been?"
As a lawyer once told me, even with contracts and agreements on the sale of your horses, once all the legal steps are taken, and the legal fees are paid, your horse will be long gone, or dead!

For Sale

I can't help it!!! Saw this ad on Craigslist. Horse needs attention, and an experienced rider. Bet the phone is ringing off the hook!

Giving Your Veterinarian the Winter Off!

I know I had promised to write about "Horse Safety" this week, but an event occured this past week that made me change my mind. I suppose since this is my blog, I can write anything I want, so long as I keep it legal! Last Saturday was the first time since my accident in August, that I brought the horses in, from the back paddock. Its a bit of a walk, through the snow and ice, to get to the gate. When I got to the gate, I noticed that there was a layer of ice on top of the water tank. After I brought the horses inside for their dinner, I got my "trusty" hammer, and went to break-up the ice. To my horror, the water was solid ice!! The heater in the tank had died! I was sick-to-my-stomach thinking about the poor horses not having water. The only thing that calmed me down was knowing that they had water at night, while in their stalls. As a result of this incident I have decided to write about a couple of health issues that may occur in the winter. Colic: A horse consumes about 1 gallon of water for every 200 lbs of body weight. Ideally, the water temperature should be between 44 and 65 degrees. Without sufficient water a horse may develop a blockage in its' bowel, that could lead to colic. In the winter, when your horse is less active and water temperatures drop, there will be a decreased desire to drink. Use bucket/tank heaters (working, of course). Also, try to provide as much turn-out time as possible. Rain Rot, and other skin conditions. If you don't blanket your horse, and he is outside during cold, wet weather, be sure he has a chance to get dry. Rain Rot and Scratches(Mud Fever) are caused by bacteria. These organisms become trapped under a wet coat, or on the horses pasterns from standing in wet mud. Both conditions can be very painful, and are difficult to get rid-of. I blanket my horses, and they have outdoor shelters that have good drainage. I still remove the blankets on a regular basis to groom them, and check their skin/coats This also gives me a chance to make sure they are not losing weight, or as in Fancy's case, gaining weight. At least her butt will be wider than mine this Spring! I hope!!

Safety Check-Part One

Our main barn is not fancy. It is what one would describe as "functional". When we moved to our current address, the barn was a workshop. Initially we had 2 stalls, and gradually have increased the number to 4. Before my accident in August I spent most of my time outside with the horses, and in the barn. Big surprise! After the accident I was house-bound for 4 months, only occasionally getting to the barn, using a wheelchair. Now that I am back to doing barn chores, I am noticing lots of things that would be considered unsafe for a barn housing horses, especially if they are accident prone like my horses. Some of the things I noticed were screws and nails starting to loosen, wood that had splinters from being chewed or kicked, too many heater cords plugged into outlets, halter and lead rope hooks that were jutting out into the aisle, bucket hooks that were too low and grooming items on the floor. Remember, horses chew, rub, paw, lay-down, rear-up, and are wide and tall. It made me think about safety measures that need to be made when you have a young child. I once read that you should get down to the level of the child, and look at the world from his/her perspective. Maybe we should look at our barns in a similar manner, looking at things from a horse perspective, or have a "horsey" friend critique your barn. Checking a barn for safety should be done on a regular basis, or like batteries in a smoke detector, maybe do a thorough safety check when the clocks are changed twice a year. Next week I will write about safety issues when handling horses, and checking the horse's outside environment.