Hello all,

This past weekend I came across a unsettling and quite dangerous situation at the farm I board my pregnant mare at. I brought it to my barn owners attention and I hope he will fix the situation but if not I will have to move my mare to another barn for her own safety and for my peace of mind. She is currently boarded at a farm in near Harford County. I'd like to find a place in or near the Baltimore County or Harford County to board her at but will take on more options. Like I said she is pregnant and should be due around May/June 2010. She is a easy keeper, isn't a cribber or biter, she's a sweet little horse (13.3 hands rocky mountain / paso fino mix we believe). I just want her to be kept in a safe environment with good fencing. I'm looking for a place that offers full care or at least supplies hay and free feeds hay 24/7 for turned out horses. Supplied grain would be nice too, but not necessary.


If anyone knows of a farm that is willing to take in a pregnant mare who will have a foal in the next few months in or around the Baltimore area, PLEASE contact me.


Allison

I've been doing the whole "WHAT DO I WANT TO DO WITH MY LIFE?!" thing lately and I've tentatively entertained the idea of entering an equine degree program. Luckily, I don't live too far from SUNY Morrisville. But, the thing is, I've known various people who've attended there, some for the equine program and some not, and I hear mixed reactions about the course. One of the trainers at my barn who's not that much older than me graduated from it and one of the other trainers said it's gone downhill a little since she was there...

But getting to the point of my post: Have any of you done the Equine Science and Management program at Morrisville, even if you didn't graduate from it? Do you think it was worth the time and money? Or should I just hang around my trainer for a few more years and just learn that way? lol

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From Sam and I :D



( More Christmas images under the cut! )

 I posted yesterday about my horse having possible mild colic, then a tooth issue because he was off his hay. He was acting normal aside from not wanting to eat his hay. Last night I let him loose inside the barn (there is nothing he can get into aside from hay or catfood) so he could eat the loose leafy stuff that falls from the hay. I went this morning and he was 100% normal, eating like nothing has ever been wrong. Is it possible for a horse to get a bug? He is on a good grass hay, no dust, mold etc. I guess I never knew a horse could get a bug, there is nothing he could have gotten into to provoke his behaviour change. I plan on still having the vet check him out and have his teeth looked at by an equine dentist.

I am looking for a book that does a good job of explaining bits. Hopefully something along the lines of a "this is what it is, this is what it's good for, this is what it's bad for" kind of thing. I am realizing lately that I am very uneducated as far as different types of bits go. Anyone have any recommendations?

I have heard of Bits: "Their History, Use and Misuse" but before I go buying it, does anyone know anything about it, or how useful it is?

Thanks for any suggestions, and Merry Christmas! (or Happy Holidays!)

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can feed my 18 yr. old QH until I can get the vet to come out and look at his teeth? I thought at first he had a light case of colic but now I'm pretty sure he is having a tooth issue. It is christmas so the vet won't come until Mon. since it isn't an obvious emergency. He is peeing/pooping and drinking but he seems to not want to eat his hay. He picked thru it last night and ate the leaves but that looks to be all. He has been notorious for having teeth issues, I have him floated and dremeled and all that once a year. He was done in the spring but he always tilts and acts like something is still bothering him. I plan on having an actual equine dentist look at him as soon as we get one back in the area. Thanks for any info.

Vello is wearing and tearing around his ears where his bridle sits. Hair is now absent, and the wound is nearly rubbed raw. It is curious that he has had the same bridle for years now, yet the abrasion starts up now. 

Anyone have any suggestions to prevent this abrasion in the future? For now I have a fleece halter cover on the top part of his bridle to prevent the leather from rubbing. .

Should I get a larger bridle?  

Silly question, but here it goes as I am the queen of silly questions.

Over nine years ago, when I bought my first horse, her first set of shoes that were pulled off, I grabbed one. It's starting to rust slightly, and I was wondering if there was some sort of finish I was supposed to put on it or something I can put on it to help slow down the rusting process.

Like I said, silly, but it's sentimental. Thanks!

Saw this video yesterday and LOVED it.



I personally am a huge fan of 'unsuitable' horses!
:D

This is only somewhat off-topic, but I think it's EXTREMELY important and definitely applies to horses and horse back riding. If you don't feel so mods, feel free to get rid of it.


I just wanted to come on here and tell everyone to be VERY CAREFUL when riding or driving out on the roads, especially in the winter. I was involved in a head on collision 1km from my house on my own road today. Instead of me in my truck it could easily have been one of the boarders from the barn down my road, or one of the neighbours, or anyone on horseback or driving really. I was at no fault, but remember to stay safe and wear as much hi-viz stuff as you can! Rethink roads with tight bends and limited visibility and keep a cell phone on you incase of an emergency.

Stay safe riding out everyone, and Merry Christmas!

( Some photos of the damage )

So...just curious...how heavy on the packing materials have other people gone when shipping saddles they have sold? Saddle is worth about $500.

EDIT:::
The saddle pad, matching shims, and the treeless saddle all got put in a gigantic plastic bag (meant for snow tires) and then bubble-wrapped severely. I re-used packing materials from my father's business where they were happy to see some of it carted away. Filling the rest of the box with bubble wrap took a fairly large quantity.

Thanks everyone for the good suggestions re: using a plastic bag in case it got wet, and making sure there wasn't much room for it to move around inside the box. Cost $30 to ship it from New England to Minnesota.

Anyways, send good thoughts for it arriving safe and sound!

I thought I'd post a brief little update, since its been a while.
Costa has been undersaddle now for about 5 months and is doing very well - although he is sadly for sale, as I just don't have time for two horses.
Enrique and I are going to be attemping 1st level this year (I think if I refuse one more time my trainers are going to stop talking to me altogether)

But really, that brief little segue was just an excuse so that I could post the free jumping videos.

( Jump, ponies! Jump! )

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Attention those in the NE Ohio area:

I have a 6 YO Dutch Warmblood mare. She's a nice horse; good mover, is schooling a light 3rd level (halfpass, changes, but not pushing her to do them every ride yet). She's shown since she was 3 and a half years old.

The problem is I am so frustrated with her that every ride is turning in to one big fight. It's not her fault, it's mine. I get nit picky about one thing I feel a horse her age should be completely solid with when she's not 100% perfect and it just escalates until the only thing we're doing is trotting and bending with tension on both of our parts.

I need to step back and take a moment or two away from the horse. I don't have the money right now to send her to a trainer that I feel confident she'll come back actually trained from, since those are down in Florida this time of the year. So here is what I'd be looking for:

You can free lease her if you can ride her correctly.
You can keep her where she is or take her to a reputable barn in the area.
I really would like to hear that you're with a reputable trainer. You don't have to put her in training there, but I would like to know who's program and method you follow.

What I would give:
Standard vaccinations/coggins.
If my farrier is used, I'll pay for the shoes. (if you use your farrier though... then I don't pay)
Pay your entry to local schooling shows.

She is not a schoolmaster, since she is just learning, but she tends to be on the lazier side of things.

If interested, email me at s.justic1 at gmail dot com

Hey everyone, I have been doing some research, and I found this bridle it's called the Rambo Micklem Multibridle, and you can use it bitless or with a bit, but I was wondering if anyone knew anything else about it other than that, and I have heard good things, like the horses like it better and it fits your horse's head better but how is it as a training tool, would you reccommend it, do you know anything about it? Anything you could offer would be great thanks! http://www.williammicklem.com/multibridle-multibridle.html