The Horse Community

Craig Thompson on Trotting Jumps: Horse Tip Daily #89

Chad — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:35:00 GMT

International Eventer Craig Thompson joins us with a variety of tips from training to horse care to tack selection. Listen in today as he explains the importance of trotting jumps.

Horse Tip Daily #89 - Show Notes and Links:

Check out Craig's bio and the links to his website...
We want your ideas on the tips you want to hear and if you have an idea on an expert to be on the show - click here to contact us.
Listen to all of Craig's tips here.

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Listen in to Online "Radio" Shows

Kimberly — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:11:00 GMT

TheHorse.com and HorseRadioNetwork.com have teamed up to bring TheHorse.com users equine-related podcasts.

Podcasts are audio recordings and interviews from across the industry on various topics. They range from a few minutes to an hour or more in length. They are entertaining and educational.

The great thing about podcasts are that you can either listen on your computer, or you can download an individual program to your iPod, iPhone, or other mobile device to listen to as you drive, ride, work, etc.

Check out the EquineRadioNetwork.com podcasts now on TheHorse.com. You can even comment on each individual show!

Let me know what you think!

Volunteers Needed & Endurance Review: 2010 Radio Show Episode 65

Chad — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:18:00 GMT

Volunteers are still needed for the Alltech 2010 World Equestrian Games and Amy Walker of the 2010 World Equestrian Games Foundation fills us in. Plus, we hear from Emmett Ross, the Manager of Endurance for the 2010 WEG, as he reflects on the rain soaked, yet successful endurance test event held a few weeks ago. Listen in.

2010 Radio Show Episode 65 - Volunteers Needed & Endurance Review:

Hosts: Samantha Clark and Glenn the Geek
Guest: Kim Brown, Publisher of TheHorse.com. We are excited to announce that TheHorse.com is the newest affiliate carrying all the Horse Radio Network Shows. Thank you to everyone at TheHorse.com for their support.

Guest: Amy Walker of the 2010 World Equestrian Games Foundation joins us to talk about the need for local volunteers. You can learn more about volunteering here.
Guest: Emmett Ross, Manager of the Endurance for the 2010 Games, for joining us with a review of the endurance test event held a couple of weeks ago. Hear Samantha's report on the Endurance Test Event on Episode 61.

News: Australian rider Shauna Larcombe has won a four-star reining competition in Lyon, France. Larcombe, who is head trainer for Corinna Schumacher at CS Ranch near Geneva, Switzerland, rode RS Fondadores Olenaon to victory, in her first FEI competition.
News: The world's most talented horses and cowboys take center stage July 6 in Oklahoma City to battle it out for top honors at the inaugural Battle in the Saddle competition. State Fair Park and the American Quarter Horse Association have teamed to present this first-of-its-kind equestrian event. Battle in the Saddle, owned by Oklahoma State Fair Inc. and managed by AQHA, will be a premier equine competition showcasing five western disciplines.
News: The Equine Canada Canadian Reining Committee CRC is inviting proposals from show committees interested in hosting the World Equestrian Games Canadian Reining Committee Selection Finals. All proposals must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. eastern time, on December 18, 2009. Any proposals received after that time will not be considered.
News: When the world comes to Kentucky next September, we want to put our greenest foot forward. That's according to Carol Hanley, director of engagement in the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture and Tracy Farmer Institute for Sustainability & the Environment. More...
News: Let the games' merchandising begin: Breyer, modeler of all things small and horsey, has signed on as a sponsor of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Fans of the model horses can look for "Esprit," commissioned from sculptor Kathleen Moody "to symbolize the spirit of the horses competing in eight different disciplines" at WEG, according to a news release. Read more...

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Australian rider Shauna Larcombe has won a four-star reining compeition in Lyon, France.Larcombe, who is head trainer for Corinna Schumacher at CS Ranch near Geneva, Switzerland, rode RS Fondadores Olenaon to victory, in her first FEI competition.

Meet the WEG Discipline: Jumping

Jennifer — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:08:00 GMT

A couple of blog posts ago, I began introducing the eight equestrian disciplines that will be featured at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. I started with eventing, which in many ways is the bedrock of modern English equestrian sport. This week, let's take a look at eventing's close relative: jumping.

Jumping (aka show jumping or stadium jumping) is one of eventing's three phases: in an arena, over a course of "frankly fake" obstacles. No pretenses of navigating hill and dale, logs and split-rail fences, here: The obstacles are brightly colored, often extremely fanciful in nature (a car! a row of beer bottles! a lady's fan!), and topple at little more than the touch of a hoof. And in jumping competition, it's all about going fast and "clean" -- without time penalties or "faults" incurred by knocking down a rail, putting a foot in the water jump, or a horse's refusing an obstacle.

Because jumping is easy to follow and colorful and exciting to watch, it's the most popular English-riding sport, and the one that gets the most sponsorship, the biggest audiences, and the best TV coverage. Of the WEG disciplines, it commands the highest ticket prices and will undoubtedly sell out.

Jumpers are supreme equine athletes, and jumper riders are pretty gutsy people. Just look at the size of the obstacles. In Olympic competition, for example, obstacles have a maximum height of 1.6 meters (about 5.3 feet). Spread obstacles can be two meters (6.7 feet) in breadth, while triple-bar jumps can be 2.2 meters (about 7.2 feet) wide. Water jumps can have spreads of up to 4.5 meters (14.9 feet). The courses range in length from 500 to 600 meters. Course designers may arrange obstacles as single jumps or as combinations, the latter meaning that the distances within them are related (translated: get to the first one out of synch with the necessary striding and you're in a heap of trouble).

Speed is essential, as are jumping ability and bravery. A good jumper also needs to be careful, meaning that he does everything in his power to avoid "rubbing" an obstacle. He must be able to swap leads in midair so as to land primed for a quick turn, and he needs to be "ratable" enough to allow his rider to set him up for a good approach instead of charging wildly with excitement. Some jumpers indeed give the impression of being nearly out of control, but more often than not those aren't the ones with the fastest, cleanest rounds. Good jumpers don't waste energy, effort, strides, or space. They can collect and extend their strides gymnastically, much like a trained dressage horse. In fact, there's an old saying in the jumper world that dressage is what you do between the fences -- or that jumping is dressage with fences in the way.

The sport of jumping seems to attract colorful characters, both human and equine. Some riders are known for a flamboyant style, or a less-than-classical position in the saddle, to name two examples. And some well-known horses have become successful jumpers in spite of (or is it because of?) unruly behavior, unorthodox jumping style, and distinctly oddball pieces of tack and equipment, especially when it comes to bits and bridles. In the end, it doesn't matter if a horse looks like a cow or jumps like one; if he can get over the fences in a fast, clean, reliable fashion, he's good to go.

And in that same vein, jumping is one equestrian sport that's refreshingly free from subjectivity. There is no judging of performance per se; the results are objective and quantifiable. Your Uncle Ned can tell whether a horse knocked down a rail just as well as the jumping experts can, and so the sport is spectator-friendly. It's glamorous, exciting, and often complete with a nail-biting finish as the final few riders compete in a "jump-off" to decide the winner, complete with blazing speed and eye-popping turns and maneuvers that would give a cutting horse a run for his money.

Ditched

Erin — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:54:00 GMT

A horse believed to be stolen from his Georgia pasture was found alive in a nearby ditch three weeks after going missing, reported television station WALB News.

A cell phone video shows Sheyenne being lifted from the five-foot ditch in a cotton field about a mile from his owners' farm. He's lost about half of his 1,200 pounds, but a veterinarian who examined him said he's likely to recover from his ordeal.

"I was worried his legs weren't strong enough to make it but he seems fine," owner Laura Davis told WALB.

A neighbor reported someone opening Davis' pasture gate several weeks ago. Another five horses were recovered at the time.

A sweet horse story from the Las Vegas Sun: a pasture on Pecos Road, just before Sunset, has lost Checkers, its friendly equine resident of the past 30 years.

The brown Appaloosa was the last of Stacy McNamara's childhood horses to remain at the family farm along a now-busy highway. Passersby often paused with a treat or pat for Checkers, who would trot over.

Although she died in late September, her admirers still stop by; instead of apples, they now bring notes.

Grab a tissue and read some excerpts from Checkers' memorial.

Horse placenta is big news in The Netherlands currently, as soccer player Robin Van Persie is in Serbia trying a new treatment for an injured ankle.

"I am going to receive treatment from a female doctor," SkyNews quoted him as saying. "She is vague about her methods, but I know she first massages you for a long time with placenta fluid.

"I'm going to give it a try. It can't do any harm, and if it helps, it helps."

He's optimistic the treatment will have him back in the game within six weeks.

Check out ESPN Global's compilation of odd football remedies.

Horse Rescue: Are You Part of the Solution, or Part of the Problem?

Kimberly — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:22:00 GMT

It's an all-too-common issue these days: you take good care of your horses, providing food, water, shelter, attention, veterinary care, a farrier, the works, but your neighbor does not. What do you do? An old adage (are there any new adages?) says that if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem. That sounds like an unequivocal call to action, and some individuals and organizations concerned with animal welfare feel that doing anything is better than doing nothing.

The danger, however, is creating new problems while trying to solve existing ones. Rescue groups that take in more horses than they can manage sometimes have to be rescued themselves, and good-hearted and well-intentioned individuals create more problems than solutions when they overextend themselves by taking in too many horses that need help.

Is your neighbor neglecting his or her horses out of ignorance, or intentionally abusing them? If it's the former, and if your neighbor is amenable, some friendly advice about basic horse care might solve the problem. "Knowledge is power," according to Sir Francis Bacon. Keep in mind, though, that no one has an obligation to take your advice, no matter how good it might be, or even to allow you on private property to give that advice. There are myriad civil and criminal legal issues associated with horse rescue, including trespass, conversion or theft of personal property, and even libel or slander. Simply being a good Samaritan likely will fail as a defense to a lawsuit or criminal charge.

If your neighbor is intentionally abusing animals, the proper authorities should be notified immediately. No matter how strong or weak the animal welfare laws are in your state, there are few situations in which taking the law into your own hands is a good idea.

But what about a neighbor who wants to take care of the horses but has fallen on hard times, another victim of a bad economy? Should you take in some of the horses and care for them? While this might be the right thing to do, you should consider the legal ramifications.

First, there should be a written contract that includes, among other things: the business relationship between you and the neighbor (are you partners, for example); which horses you'll be responsible for; how long the animals will be in your care; the standard of care you will provide; whether the owner will provide any feed, veterinary and farrier care, or labor to supplement your care of the animals; who has authority to call a veterinarian and who will be responsible for unexpected and extraordinary expenses such as colic surgery; whether you can expect to be reimbursed by the owner for your expenses at some later date (if so, the date should be specific); and whether you will share in any profits realized if horses in your care are sold.

If there are broodmares involved, the contract should give you decision-making authority over whether animals in your care will be bred. This can be a particularly touchy subject, especially if the owner wants to keep breeding in hopes that the horses will someday be sold for enough money to show a profit. Keep in mind that continuing to produce any product that cannot be sold profitably seldom makes good economic sense. Overproduction and diminished demand are serious problems in the horse industry today, and you do not want to become an enabler who adds to the overpopuation problem.

Finally, remember the law of bailments. This has nothing to do with getting your neighbor out of jail by posting bail, and everything to do with your responsibility for taking care of horses belonging to someone else. If one person turns over personal property (including horses) to another person for safekeeping—-the exact scenario envisioned here—-the person who takes possession of the property has a legal obligation to return the property to the owner undamaged. If one of your neighbor's horses is injured while in your care, you must prove that you were not negligent to avoid legal liability. That can be a difficult burden for the defendant in a lawsuit. Anyone who assumes responsibility for horses owned by someone else should have care, custody and control insurance for their own protection.

If all this seems like too much complication for performing a good deed, remember another old adage: "No good deed goes unpunished."

Jewell's Better, but What's in My Hay?

Kimberly — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:10:00 GMT

Jewell my Quarter Horse mare that tied up is feeling and looking much better. My daughter brought me the mare from Wyoming, where she'd been riding her most of the summer to try her out for me. After finding out that Jewell tied up really bad about two weeks after arriving in Kentucky, Barbara talked to the previous owner. He said right after he bought the mare a few years ago she did get stiff one day after being out. A little bute/banamine and a few days off and she was fine. No more problems ever seen. So whether she had a small episode of tying-up at that time or not is hard to determine. Might have been just overwork, or it could have been tying-up.

So I got back the reports from Dairy One today that analyzed the three types of hay I have (Washington state alfalfa; Kentucky-grown alfalfa/timothy mix; Kentucky-grown grass hay). That was a really quick turnaround! Interesting all the information you can get from a hay sample and a good lab!

I'm going to sit down with the county extension agent and maybe Dr. Joe Pagan of Kentucky Equine Research and go over the results and determine the best diet for Jewell once we get the results of the PSSM test back from the University of Minnesota. I hope it comes back this week, but it probably will be next week before I find out if the genetic test is positive for PSSM.

My vet, Dr. McLeod, gave me a chart of Jewell's enzymes we've been testing. She said she'd never seen a five-figure CK (creatine kinase) before in Kentucky. LDH is lactate dehydrogenase. AST is aspartate aminotransferase. ALT is alanine aminotransferase. The normal ranges are in the headings for each enzyme.

Date                CK (70-348)           AST (173-330)           LDH (170-370)           ALT (10-49)
11/8/2009       40,976                     5,360                          5,740                           370
11/10/2009       3,933                     4,908                             738                           294
11/14/2009       1,255                     3,578                              462                          162

You can see she's doing well, but she's still got a ways to go. But, one thing Dr. McLeod mentioned is that we don't have a baseline on her muscle enzymes. We don't kow if they are "normally" elevated.

Either way, we should expect it to take two to four weeks for the ranges to return to normal. Then she can start on a light exercise program and we'll see how she does.

Horse Country by Car

Alexandra — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:29:00 GMT

Getting lost on the winding country roads outside the city of Lexington may be one of the best ways to experience bluegrass horse country. On such picturesque roads as Old Frankfort Pike, Midway Road, and Paris Pike, to name a few, sightseers pass countless spectacular and well-known Thoroughbred farms. Driving tours can be self-guided by following the many “Bluegrass Scenic Highway” road signs, or you can pick up a map of farm locations at the Lexington Convention & Visitors Bureau (301 East Vine St., 859-233-1221). The LCVB also offers a great guide to horse farm tours on their Web site www.visitlex.com. A must-see, however, on anyone’s driving tour is the famed Calumet Farm on Versailles Road near Keeneland Race Course and the Bluegrass airport. Calumet’s signature white fences and red-trimmed barns are quintessential Kentucky. What are some of your favorite Thoroughbred farm drive-bys around the bluegrass?

Companies specializing in guided horse farm tours:
Blue Grass Tours (859-252-5744 or 800-755-6956)
D.W. Guided Tours (859-361-4390)
Horse Farm Tours, Inc. (859-268-2906 or 800-976-1034)
Thoroughbred Heritage Tours (859-260-8687 or 800-808-9533)
Unique Horse Farm Tours (859-233-4303 or 800-678-8813)
Suburban Woman’s Club Monthly Horse Farm Tours (859-624-2338)

Some companies offering customized tours:
Blue Grass Tours (859-252-5744)
Tours of Tradition by Scott Goodlett Inc. (859-879-0319; 800-450-6444)
Unbridled Horse Tours (859-255-7863; 859-333-8940)
Kentucky Horse Tours (859-312-1124)
Horses of Kentucky (859-277-4625)
Lexington in Touch Inc. (859-224-4226)
John Midbo (859-278-9488)
Karen Edelstein, private guide (859-266-5465)
Lexington Connection, Inc. (859-269-4040)
Kentucky Living History Tours (859-293-9367)

DID YOU KNOW: Those stone fences you see scattered across the Bluegrass region have been a distinctive feature of the area since the 1820s when Irish and Scottish immigrants passed their fence-building knowledge on to slaves and later, free blacks. The fences — unique in that no mortar of any kind was used — remain the most extensive collection of quarried rock fences still standing in the U.S. (From Horse Lover's Guide to Kentucky)

Noteworthy and Upcoming Events:
Churchill Downs fall race meet, Louisville: Nov. 1-28
Kentucky’s biggest Christmas parade, Owensboro: Nov. 21
Southern Lights at the Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington: Nov. 20-Dec. 21
The Christmas Shop at Keeneland, Lexington: Nov. 1-Dec. 23

For more detailed information about bluegrass driving tours, check out the Horse Lover’s Guide to Kentucky in its entirety.
(Photos courtesy of Anne M. Eberhardt)

From Blog to Book

Alexandra — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:22:00 GMT

As many of you may be aware, the “chapters” that have been offered monthly for download are part of a larger project to put together a cost-saving book for horse owners. There have been a ton of chapter downloads and great suggestions from readers, so it looks like there really will be a physical Thrifty Horsekeeping book coming out early spring 2010!

Feel free to continue downloading excerpts and offering your suggestions and advice while we work on perfecting the chapters. The final chapter of the book will be full of reader suggestions chosen from your comments on the blog pages over the past months. I should be in touch via email with the authors of the comments we decide to publish.

Thanks for making Thrifty Horsekeeping a success, and keep checking back from time to time as I post money-saving tips, coupons, and deals I come across.

What's on Equine ER's playlist?

Leslie — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:15:00 GMT

Equine surgeons love music in the operating room. Dr. Larry Bramlage, for one, is a big fan of David Allen Coe, the outlaw country and western artist. This writer needs her music as well. Here's some of what was on my playlist as I reported and wrote Equine ER. I loved driving around horse country at six a.m. through the mist listening to Purple Rain.

1. When Your Mind's Made Up (from the soundtrack of the movie "Once") – Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova.

2. Air on a G String – National Philharmonic Baroque Ensemble.

3. Purple Rain – Martin Sexton's solo version.

A light-footed Belgian looks a bit like he's dancing during a lameness exam.

4. I Will Survive – Cake's version.

5. If I Was Your Woman – Syesha Mercado's version - (Yes, Equine ER watches American Idol!)

6. Fool of Me – Me'Shell Ndegeocello.

7. Northern Downpour – Panic at the Disco.

8. Angel – Sarah McLachlan.

9. Flat Foot Floogee – Benny Goodman (Equine ER was a band geek in junior high - clarinet.)

10. Ruthie Pigface Draper – from the soundtrack of the movie "Dan in Real Life."

We're working on some new features, including a surprise development that came out of the publication of the story of Marching Orders that we just excerpted. Stay tuned. Also, at the request of a reader, we're now offering SIGNED copies of Equine ER. To order one, click here. Thanks for visiting this blog.

Steffen Peters Joins Us: Dressage Radio Episode 25

Chad — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:05:00 GMT

We caught up with Steffen Peters last weekend at a clinic in Prospect, KY and heard about how busy his life has become since his wins this year and his plans for next year with Ravel. He also shares his thoughts on Rollkur and the importance of basic training. Claartje van Andel reports from the Global Dressage Forum too where Steffen was warmly received for his riding and training. Listen in....(read more)

Gina Miles and Templeton Thompson: Stable Scoop Episode 64

Chad — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:55:00 GMT

Olympic Eventer Gina Miles and our very own cowgirl Templeton Thompson join us for a chat today. Listen in as we catch up and listen to some fantastic music.

Hosts: Helena B. and Glenn the Geek
Guest: One of our first guests Olympic Silver Medalist Gina Miles returns to fill us in on her year. Thanks Gina!

Guest: Also, back with us today is friend of the show, fantastic cowgirl and country star Templeton Thompson. Templeton just released her new CD "Life on Planet Cowgirl". What a fantastic holiday gift this would make! Check out "Life on Planet Cowgirl" here. Buy a copy today!!

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Quiz Show: Karen/Max vs. Boyd/Shannon: Eventing Radio Episode 49

Chad — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:33:00 GMT

It’s quiz time with Karen O’Connor and Max Corcoran facing off against Boyd Martin and Shannon Kinsley. You don’t want to miss this battle of wits and good fun. Take a listen.

Eventing Radio Episode 49 – Show Notes and Links:

Co-Hosts: Chris Stafford and Glenn the Geek
Team Virginia: Karen O’Connor and Max Corcoran. Find them at www.oconnoreventteam.com.
Team Pennsylvania: Boyd Martin and Shannon Kinsley. Find them at www.boydandsilvamartin.com.
Thank you to all the players – what fun we had! Listen in.
Please visit our sponsors as they make this show possible:

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Prison horse: Marching Orders video

Leslie — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:41:00 GMT

On Monday, we concluded our excerpt from the new book Equine ER about Marching Orders, the stoic Thoroughbred with the big heart who transformed an inmate's life. Today we have a video about the chapter. The footage of Chris Huckleby was shot last year by Equine ER author Leslie Guttman right after Huckleby violated his parole upon finding out about Marching Orders' death. (Although the video says Huckleby is incarcerated, he was released in summer 2009.)

If for any reason you can't access the video below, you can see it by clicking right here.

Equine ER just returned from the Kentucky Book Fair! We are so happy to announce we sold lots of books and met many horse lovers. We also recently got a letter from reader Jackie Betts. She wrote of Equine ER: "I found myself swept up in the day-to-day, sometimes minute-to-minute drama of this group of dedicated [vets] ... [the book shows] their private moments of fatigue and doubt and tears; all of this information is accessible and captivating." To order Equine ER, click here.

Reining Talk with Dan Wall & Lisa Coulter: 2010 Radio Show Episode 64

Chad — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:24:00 GMT

All about the exciting sport of Reining this week as we speak with Dan Wall, Executive Director of the National Reining Horse Association. Dan fills us in on how Reining will work at the 2010 World Equestrian Games. Plus, we get an update from our Spotlight Reiner Lisa Coulter. Listen in.

2010 Radio Show Episode 64 – Show Notes and Links:

Hosts: Samantha Clark and Glenn the Geek
Guest: We replay the interview with Dan Wall, Executive Director of the National Reining Horse Association. What a fun sport!
Guest: A fun update from our Spotlight Reiner Lisa Coulter. Looking good Lisa!
News: Para-Equestrian Canada is pleased to announce that Simone Williams Navan, Ontario has been hired as an Assistant Team Coach. Williams will be working closely with Para-Equestrian Canada’s National Team Coach Andrea Taylor, with key responsibilities in coaching short listed riders in Eastern Canada. More…
News: British show jumper Michael Whitaker made a dream return to top-class international competition on sunday when he took the first prize of about $50,000 for winning the Rolex FEI World Cup series in Verona, his second victory since returning from a drugs ban. Read more…
News: Along with tickets and accommodation, it seems like traffic and parking has been a red button issue at next year’s World Equestrian Games. To that end, Jim Downs, a traffic expert from Gameday Management Group, the Orlando, Florida company that has overseen traffic for the last ten superbowls, has moved his family to Lexington. More…
News: Here’s the video we mentioned from the recent Katydid CDE in Windsor, South Carolina, that you’ll enjoy. Gavin Robson, from Australia, but based in Ohio, took the lead after the dressage, and it looks like he’ll be joining his English based compatriot Boyd Excell here at the Horse Park in Lexington next autumn. He beat out Keady Caldwell, who has been one of the USA’s top pair’s drivers now driving a team.

The Kentucky Arts Council is seeking artists who would like to perform next year during the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Applications from professional artists and community or school groups in all genres are being accepted by the Kentucky Arts Council through December 15th.

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Performance-Enhancing Horse

Erin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:11:00 GMT

Why run a marathon when you can just ride a horse?

The fine folks at The Onion recently covered the New York City marathon in true Onion fashion, with an article on victor Meb Keflezighi's "performance-enhancing horse."

Per The Onion report, Keflezighi won the race aboard a 2- to 4-year-old chestnut Thoroughbred.

Race officials investigated after reports of, "remarkable speed, unusual race-day height, and distinctive 'clip-clop' gait, Keflezighi's frequent nickering caused the other runners to speculate that he may have been using a horse in some fashion," organizer Mary Wittenberg was quoted as saying.

Read the rest and see a photo.

Snaps to reader Leah for the weird news tip!

A woman is suing the New York Police Department after a police horse allegedly bit her on the arm, nbcnewyork.com reported.

The woman contends that she suffered permanent injuries in the "ferocious" attack by a horse named Mr. Biggs. According to the report, the (human) officer allowed the horse to approach the victim, at which time she was bitten on the forearm. The suit alleges the officer should've had control of the horse because of its "propensity to attack and bite human beings."

The best part of the story might be nbcnewyork.com's closing line: "We've left a salt block and a few carrots outside the precinct but have yet to hear back from Mr. Biggs for a comment."

A Horse Lover's Welcome

Alexandra — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:35:00 GMT

As a life-long lover of horses and having recently re-located to Lexington, Kentucky – the “Horse Capital of the World” – it seemed only fitting that my first book showcase both the horse and the region that it made famous.

More than a year ago, when my editor and I first embarked on this project, we just had the idea that the book would make a fitting companion for people who would be coming to the 2010 World Equestrian Games at the Kentucky Horse Park. It would serve as a sort of reference guide for those enthusiasts as to how the Bluegrass Region got to be the center of the horse universe, as well as a practical guide on places to go outside of the Games.

Over the course of the year I spent researching the book, however, it sort of took on a life of its own. No longer did I want it to be just a chronicle of places to visit, stay and eat. As I peeled back the layers of the area’s rich 200-plus year Thoroughbred history, as I learned the stories, the triumphs and tragedies, I wanted it to be a tribute to all those – human and equine – that made it the fascinating industry – and compelling saga – that it is. I hope I have done it justice, and I hope that you will find Horse Lover’s Guide to Kentucky and its companion blog a valuable resource in beginning or continuing your own love affair with these magnificent animals.

– Patti Nickell –

Patti Nickell is an award-winning freelance travel writer whose assignments have taken her to 101 countries and six continents, where she has gotten plenty of fodder for her bi-monthly travel features in the Lexington Herald-Leader. Her work has also appeared in several newspapers and magazines, Fodor’s Travel Guide, and television’s The Travel Channel. Horse Lover’s Guide to Kentucky is her first book.

The Horse Lover’s Guide blog will feature a different Kentucky attraction each week as well as upcoming events, equine happenings, and tidbits from the book. Patti will continue to pop in from time to time with stories and advice for visitors leading up to the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Use the comments box at the end of the blog to share your bluegrass experiences and suggestions.

And Now, a Word About Our WEG Sponsor (or, What the Heck Is Alltech?)

Jennifer — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:02:00 GMT

It seems as if every entity today has "naming rights" -- stadiums, airports, schools, even horses. Sporting events are no exception, including the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games.

Make that the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Alltech, you see, is the title sponsor.

I hope I'm not the only horse enthusiast to admit that, prior to the WEG sponsorship announcement, I'd never heard of Alltech. The name puts me in mind of a computer company -- perhaps a maker of motherboards or a stable of tech-support wizzes a la Geek Squad.

I was therefore surprised to learn that Alltech is an international animal-health company headquartered in (you guessed it) Lexington, Kentucky. The equine sector is just one facet of its market, and its products revolve around things like yeast and enzymes.

A fermentation specialist might seem an unlikely bidder for top WEG naming rights, so I decided to poke around and find out a little bit about this company that's invested heavily not only in the competition itself, but also in high-visibility pre-WEG events in Lexington itself. Here's a sampling of what I learned.

Alltech's sponsorship of an international equestrian event made more sense when I discovered that the company has offices and distributors in 119 countries. It produces what its Web site (www.alltech.com) terms "feeding solutions" for the animal-health and animal-production industries. Among its products for horses is Lifeforce Formula, a digestive-health supplement.

Founded in 1980 by an Irish yeast biochemist named Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech opened its Lexington-based international headquarters in 2005. In 2007, it announced its 2010 WEG sponsorship. According to the company's Web site, Alltech is the first animal-health company to sponsor an international sporting event of WEG magnitude. The 2010 event will also be the first WEG to have a title sponsor.

At least in Lexington and environs, the sponsor's name is becoming increasingly well known. The Alltech WEG logo adorns digital countdown-to-WEG clocks that dot the city. In September and October of this year, marking the commencement of the one-year-to-go point, Alltech sponsored the Alltech Fortnight Festival, a series of musical-entertainment events held in Lexington and other Kentucky cities and intended to generate excitement about the 2010 WEG.

There have been other special events and receptions in the Lexington area to drum up support for the WEG, some hosted by Alltech or with the sponsor's presence evident. Most recently, the famed Churchill Downs racetrack dubbed Sunday, November 8 "World Equestrian Games Day." Some lucky track visitors that day won Alltech WEG gift baskets and other goodies.

Sponsorship is a funny thing because it's difficult to quantify. With a conventional advertisement, response can be tracked. But a sponsor isn't in it for immediate returns. Rather, it's usually about things like visibility, name recognition, and brand awareness. With its name plastered everywhere and a projected TV audience of 500 million worldwide, it's evident that Alltech will be getting plenty of ink and air time. It will be interesting to see whether the investment in visibility pays off for this company.

Count me one horse enthusiast who's had her consciousness raised. Now I need for Alltech to explain how its products can help my horse!

Max Corcoran on Baby Powder: Horse Tip Daily Episode 82

Chad — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:20:00 GMT

Max Cochran, long time groom for International Eventer Karen O’Connor, joins the Eventing Radio Show with some grooming tips she has learned through the years. Max speaks today about using baby power with liniment on your horses legs, listen in.

Horse Tip Daily #82 – Show Notes and Links:

Check out Max Corcoran’s bio and the links to their website…
We want your ideas on the tips you want to hear and if you have an idea on an expert to be on the show – click here to contact us.
Listen to all of Max Corcoran’s tips here.

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Testing, Testing, Testing

Kimberly — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:48:00 GMT

Does anyone else hate the time change? I feed in the dark in the morning, and I feed in the dark at night. Makes it really hard to get a good eye on the horses or get anything else done on my farm. (Okay, moving chickens is best done in the dark, but besides that ...)

But I digress from the topic at hand.

I took off a couple of hours early last night to get sample bags and order sheets in order to get my hay tested. Based on the research at the University of Minnesota on feeding hay to PSSM horses (again, assuming that's her problem), feeding a hay under 11% nonstructural carbohydrate content (NSC) is recommended. And you can't know that by looking!

I've never gotten a hay sample to send off before, so I went to my friendly local county extension office. They provided me with the bags and instructions, although someone had borrowed the hay probe so I ended up having to cut open several bales of each type of hay to get samples near the middle of each bale. (Makes for a messy hay shed for a few days.)

Samples in the mail this morning! Should be back early next week. I had the Washington state pure alfalfa, the local alfalfa/timothy mix hay, and the local grass hay tested. Any bets on which has the highest NSC (sugars and starches)?

While I was at the extension office I borrowed the soil probe to get soil samples. We had a great, wet, warm (not hot) summer this year after two years of drought. I've seeded and fertilized the past two years, but hadn't tested, so was just--literally--throwing seed and feed into the soil without knowing what I needed.

The goats thought it was fun ... walking a grid across the field and trying to pull a plug of soil four to six inches deep (my farm has some good soil, and lots of rock ... good limestone rock). But as I passed some of the honeysuckle trees I'd stop and pull down branches for the goats to gnaw. Then off my herd and I would go to take a few more samples of dirt (and leaves).

Dirt is drying in a bucket in my kitchen, and all I have to do is fill the sample bag and drop it and the probe back at the extension office.

If you haven't made friends with your county extension agents, I would highly recommend it. If you have, what services do you most often use?

Negligence or Not? You Be the Judge

Kimberly — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:43:00 GMT

A farm owner in Northern Kentucky hired a tree removal service to clean up some fallen tree limbs on his property. There's nothing peculiar about this; it happens all the time. The result, though, was unexpected and tragic and led to lawsuits filed against both the farm owner and the tree removal company by the owner of a neighboring farm.

As part of the clean-up process, employees of the tree removal company operated a wood chipper, a mechanical device that grinds limbs into sawdust that can be carted away. Wood chippers are very efficient—and very noisy. According to the lawsuits, the racket from the wood chipper spooked some horses in a field adjacent to the clean-up work. One of the horses ran into something that severed an artery in his neck, causing the animal's death; another horse suffered injuries serious enough that he could not race. The horse owner claimed that either the farm owner who hired the company, or the tree removal company and its employees, or both, were negligent and caused the injuries to his horses.

Who wins?

This dispute never reached a jury. The trial judge short-circuited the process by granting summary judgment in favor of the farm owner and the tree removal company. Summary judgment is a legal result in which a judge determines that there are no facts in dispute requiring a jury trial, and that one party to a lawsuit wins as a "matter of law." In this case, the trial judge relied on a 100-year-old case to rule that neither the farm owner nor the employees operating the wood chipper had a legal duty to warn the horse owner on the neighboring farm that noise from the machine might scare the horses.

A finding of negligence requires several things: that the defendant owed a legal duty of care to the plaintiff, that the defendant breached the legal duty, that there was harm, and that the breach of duty actually caused the harm. If there is no legal duty in the first place, which the trial judge determined, there can be no breach and no finding of fault. With no fault, there can be no legal responsibility. Whether the farm owner or the tree removal company employees should have warned the neighbor of the potential risk as a matter of courtesy was not the issue. While doing so might have been prudent, the trial judge said there was no legal duty to warn.

The horse owner appealed the decision, and the Kentucky Court of Appeals agreed with the trial judge. The Court of Appeals said that the farm owner and the tree removal company employees were "not acting in any improper manner," that the wood chipper was a "piece of equipment routinely used for tree removal," and that the "landowner and the contractor hired to remove branches did not have a legal duty to the adjoining landowner to warn him of loud noises when performing work upon their property." The Court also determined that there was no overriding "general duty of care" that covered the situation.

The cases were decided earlier this year: Wright v. R & M Fence and Construction (No. 2007-CA-001000-MR) and Wright v. Kelly (No. 2007-CA-001014-MR). The decision is unpublished, which means that it cannot be used as precedent in other proceedings. The decision does show, however, that in some situations there is no legal duty to be a good neighbor.

Debbie McDonald on Moving Up Too Fast: Horse Tip Daily Episode 81

Chad — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:18:00 GMT

Olympic dressage rider Debbie McDonald is co-host of the Dressage Radio Show and does a tip of the week when she is on that show. Today she speaks about the importance of taking your time and not moving up too fast. Listen in.

Horse Tip Daily #81 – Show Notes and Links:

Check out Debbie McDonald’s bio…
We want your ideas on the tips you want to hear and if you have an idea on an expert to be on the show - click here to contact us.
Listen to all of Debbie’s tips here.
You can hear Debbie on the Dressage Radio Show at www.dressageradio.com.

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Jewell: PSSM Testing Tomorrow

Kimberly — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:38:00 GMT

Dr. Carol McLeod called yesterday afternoon to say yes, just as we'd suspected, Jewell's muscle enzyme levels were high.

We discussed options, and we decided on the less-invasive hair follicle test for determining if Jewell is positive for genetically induced PSSM. Dr. McLeod visited the University of Minnesota Web site to download the papers and instructions on submitting the hair sample.

In the meantime Stephanie Valberg, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, of the University of Minnesota Equine Center, responded to my questions about Jewell and PSSM.

Quite a bit of information on PSSM can be found on the University of Minnesota Web site as well as on TheHorse.com by searching under polysaccharide storage myopathy

"Basically there are many reasons why horses can tie up," said Valberg in her personal correspondence. "For Quarter Horses, 10% have the GYS1 genetic mutation for PSSM, so (the genetic test) is a good place to start. If that is negative and serum vitamin E is normal, then a muscle biopsy helps to look for other causes of tying-up."

There is a good flow chart for determining which test(s) is/are needed (based on your horse's breed) in the article The Gene for PSSM Has Now Been Identified! on the University of Minnesota Web site.

"Polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) is a common form of tying-up in many horse breeds and is characterized by excessive and abnormal storage of sugar (polysaccharide) in muscle cells," the article stated. "We have recently found a mutation in a gene that is highly associated with the presence of abnormal polysaccharide in muscle biopsies in several horse breeds. The genetic test for this mutation is now commercially available to horse owners and veterinarians through the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. We are calling this the classic or type 1 form of PSSM. This mutation is accounts for greater than 90% of PSSM cases in some horse breeds. This mutation appears to have its origins prior to the foundation of modern horse breeds, which is why it occurs in several horse breeds." The article "Glycogen synthase (GYS1) mutation causes a novel skeletal muscle glycogenosis" was authored by McCue M.E.; Valberg, S.J.; Miller, M.B.; Wade, C.; DiMauro, S.; Akmand, H.O.; Mickelson, J.R.

There is also a Frequently Asked Questions page about PSSM at the University of Minnesota Web site.

Dr. Valberg also recommended I go back to Dr. Joe Pagan, founder of Kentucky Equine Research, and ask him about the pasture grasses and get specific recommendations from him as an equine nutritionist on feeding, including grazing and hay.

Still looking for your experiences with PSSM horses. Several have sent me personal correspondences about their PSSM horses and how well they did with proper managment!

Part 8 of Marching Orders: The inmate finds out what happened

Leslie — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:40:00 GMT

On Thursday in Part 7 of this excerpt from the new book Equine ER, Marching Orders, the stoic Thoroughbred with the big heart, died on the operating table because of complications from a portion of his small colon being trapped inside a diaphragmatic hernia. Today, we find out what happened when the inmate whose life the horse transformed, and who was intending to adopt him, found out about Marching Orders' sudden death.

On the last weekend in March, former inmate Chris Huckleby got word his sister had been killed in a car wreck in Texas. One week later, he got a phone call at work from the head of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation that Marching Orders had died. The foundation knew what the horse had meant to Huckleby. After he was told what happened, it was as if the sun had been painted out of the sky. About three days after that, the wife of the couple who had donated the horse to Blackburn brought Marching Orders’ halter to Huckleby, knowing he would want it. He says on that day, life became overwhelming.

The paddock where Marching Orders once grazed.

Depression and drinking followed and within a week or so, Huckleby violated his parole by going out of state to Wisconsin, for family reasons, he says. As a result, he ended up back in jail, first at the Fayette County Detention Center in Lexington, in a cell where where he dreamed about Marching Orders at night. Shortly afterward, he was transferred to various facilities, and ultimately ended up in a minimum-security prison southeast of Louisville, where he was released in summer 2009. (This story took place during 2008.)

Huckleby’s downward trajectory had a flickering spot. One day after he got the call about Marching Orders’ death, his daughter’s mother called and said she’d permit him to see the child for the first time since 2004. He felt like somehow the horse had helped him get to that point.

“The horse loved me with everything in him,” says Huckleby. “He trusted me. It gave me a lot of confidence. … I wasn’t loved a lot as a kid. I’ve been loved more by a horse than anything in my life, it’s sad to say, besides my kids. He was everything to me at the time.”

Thursday: A video featuring former inmate Chris Huckleby and the story of Marching Orders.

Jennie Brannigan on the Secret to a Really White Tail: Horse Tip Daily Episode 80

Chad — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:15:00 GMT

Jennie Brannigan is a young, up and coming international eventer who works out of Phillip Dutton’s barn in Pennsylvania. Jennie is one of the new rotating co-hosts of the Eventing Radio Show and today speaks about how to get the whitest tail ever. Listen in.

Horse Tip Daily #80 – Show Notes and Links:

Check out Jennie Brannigan’s bio and the links to their website…
We want your ideas on the tips you want to hear and if you have an idea on an expert to be on the show - click here to contact us.
Listen to all of Jennie’s tips here.

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