Camilla launches equine charity’s USA branch

Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall, officially launched Brooke USA at a reception for Brooke donors and guests at Churchill Downs in Kentucky on Friday.

The launch was part of the visit to the US by the duchess, who is president of the Brooke, and her husband, Prince Charles.

Brooke USA is based at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. Brooke USA staff, board members, donors and guests travelled to Churchill Downs to honour the Duchess of Cornwall beginning with horses and donkeys in the saddling paddock at Churchill Downs followed by a reception at Churchill.

Camilla was aslo met by retired racehorses from the Secretariat Centre at the Kentucky Horse Park during the Brooke USA reception at Churchill Downs.

“The purpose of Brooke USA is to support the world-wide programs of the Brooke in alleviating the suffering of working horses, donkeys and mules,” said Petra Ingram, Chief Executive of the Brooke.

“Americans have a close affinity with horses and are exceedingly generous to the impoverished places of the world, so we are deeply appreciative that Her Royal Highness is bringing attention to the plight of these working animals and to the Brooke’s proven solutions for long-term improvement to their welfare.”

“I am very proud to be the president of the Brooke,” the duchess said at an event celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Brooke in 2014.

“I love horses, and I’ve ridden all my life, so I am passionate about the work of this unique charity. Its determination to improve the lives of working horses, donkeys and mules in many countries where animals are not so respected and loved as they are here is legendary.

“During the second world war, my father was a cavalry officer stationed in Cairo, and I recollected him telling me about Dorothy Brooke and the wonderful work she was doing there,” she said. “That is when my passion for the Brooke was ignited.”

Cindy Rullman is Fundraising Development Manager for the Brooke USA headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky. She and members of the Brooke USA Board of Directors were present for the royal occasion.

“We were honoured to have Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall with us,” Rullman said.

“Since she began her role as President in 2006, Her Royal Highness has given the Brooke, and the animals and people whom we serve, the international awareness we need to advance the cause for the poor and suffering in our world today. She is keeping us on track to achieve our goal of reaching two million working equines, benefiting 12 million people, each year by 2016.”

Headquartered in London, England, the Brooke was founded by Dorothy Brooke in 1934. As the wife of a British Major General stationed in Cairo, Mrs. Brooke began a free veterinary clinic there after seeing the deplorable conditions of the British, Australian and American war horses who had been left behind in Egypt after WWI by the military and virtually sold into hard labour. The Brooke has expanded over the last 80 years to assist millions of working equines and the people who depend on them, and is currently working in Egypt, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Nepal, Senegal, Jordan, Guatemala and Nicaragua.

At least 100 million working equines are the engines that power the developing world, doing the hardest jobs under the toughest conditions to support the livelihoods of 600 million people. That’s 9% of the world’s population. The Brooke is dedicated to improving the lives of working horses, donkeys and mules in communities where people often earn less than one dollar a day. Poverty and desperation often force owners to overwork their animals, resulting in a great deal suffering. Most of this suffering is preventable. The Brooke works together with local communities to bring about lasting improvements to the lives of their working animals, which also protects human livelihoods.

www.brookeusa.org
www.thebrooke.org

Monty Roberts joins Brooke equine charity as Global Ambassador

“Horse whisperer” Monty Roberts has become a Global Ambassador for the Brooke, joining double Olympic gold medallist Charlotte Dujardin in the role.

Roberts was surprised at his demo in Kent in Britain this week by Brooke trustee Angela Horsman who formally invited him to become an ambassador in front of a cheering audience. He graciously accepted, calling the invitation an “honour”.

The Brooke is the largest international equine welfare charity dedicated to improving the lives of working horses, donkeys and mules and the families they support.

Roberts has made it his lifelong mission to leave the world a better place for horses and for people too.

This aligned mission saw the Brooke invite Roberts on a week-long tour of its work in India late last year. The conditions were harsh and Monty’s emotional journey was captured in a short film, above, which was released today alongside the announcement of his role as ambassador.

A hobbled mule suffers in the heat at Beri Equine Fair.

“The visit to India really opened my eyes to the welfare problems that exist amongst working equines. At times it was unbearable and the suffering I witnessed, especially at the equine fair, will stay with me forever. But, on the plus side, I also saw the wonderful work that the Brooke is doing to improve the welfare of these animals. There is a lot of work to do, and I am honoured to help the Brooke in whatever way I can,” Roberts said.

During his time in India, Roberts met local community groups in Sonipat, Muzzaffarnagar and Baghpat who talked through the improvements they have made since the Brooke arrived, and the positive impact these are having on their animals.

Brooke trustee Angela Horsman presents Monty Roberts with a Global Ambassador certificate at his demonstration on Tuesday.

At the Beri equine fair, he saw thousands of animals as they waited in line to be bought or sold, in temperatures soaring to 40°C. They suffered from wounds and heat stress, tightly hobbled without room to move – a sight which reduced Roberts and the Brooke team to tears.

Petra Ingram, Chief Executive of the Brooke, accompanied Monty on the trip to India. “Parts of the tour were extremely difficult as you’ll see in the short film. We delighted together in seeing the progress the Brooke has made, and we cried together when we saw the sad reality of life for some working equines.

“It was an emotional trip but what really stood out to me was how resolute Monty was in wanting to make a positive difference and how mindful he was of the unique challenges people living in poverty face. He engaged with animal owners with a great deal of respect, offering practical advice in handling and simple suggestions on how to make tack more comfortable. He understood the importance of the Brooke’s work and we knew he would be a brilliant Global Ambassador. We are delighted that he has accepted the invitation, and we look forward to working together for the benefit of working horses, donkeys and mules the world over,” she said.

The announcement comes as Brooke USA was officially launched by Brooke President HRH The Duchess of Cornwall at a supporter event in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Brooke works in 11 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America and in the last year it reached 1.5 million working horses, donkeys and mules.

Deep-voiced stallions have a seductive edge, say researchers

Stallions with deeper whinnies pull the mares, French research suggests.

Females in many mammal species use a range of indicators to assess male fertility. The researchers set out to investigate the possibility that stallion whinnies conveyed information to the mare about their arousal and fertility.

They used recorded whinnies from stallions and monitored the reactions of mares in relation to the pitch of the voice.

Alban Lemasson and his colleagues found clear correlations between the acoustic features of the call with arousal and reproduction success.

They found that the lower-pitched the stallion’s voice, the slower his heart beat and the higher his fertility.

“Females from three study groups preferred playbacks of low-pitched voices,” they said.

Mares, they said, were attracted by whinny frequencies that appeared to provide them with information on large body size, calmness and high fertility.

There was evidence, too, that large females preferred the voices of larger stallions, the five researchers reported in the open-access peer-reviewed journal, PLoS ONE.

More work was needed to explore the relative importance of the biological interrelationships involved, they said.

The research team said vocal communication was primordially important in the daily social life of a large number of mammal species. “Just by hearing a given voice, some mammals, including humans, are able to assess their degree of familiarity with the caller.”

It was known that some mammals used vocal signals to attract mates.

“Horses are interesting models in this perspective for several reasons,” they said, noting the nature of male-female interactions in their social system and the long-lasting social and breeding relationships formed.

It was noted that, during their lifetime, females were not all equally receptive to males. Older and more experienced mares tended to be more receptive.

“Authors have hypothesized that females’ libido and reproductive efficiency are related to the time spent in contact with a male.”

In captivity, when presented a choice of males, females preferred some males to others, but the question of how the choice was made remained open.

Whinnies are notably exchanged when horses are separated.

The researchers explored whether stallion voices encoded their physiological characteristics, and whether mares display preferences for certain types of voice.

In February 2012, the researchers recorded the calls and heart rates of 15 breeding stallions of various breeds and ages, housed on three different French stud farms – Le Pin, Lamballe, Saint-Lô. A total of 178 whinnies were recorded.

Blood samples were also collected and tested for cortisol and testosterone levels, as the researchers were interested in respectively emotion- and reproduction-related hormones. The scientists already had access to previously measured sperm mobility data in respect of the stallions.

They analysed the data in relation to the known breeding performance of the stallions.

In the other phase of the study, they monitored 40 mares, aged 7 to 27, when the stallions’ whinnies were played to them.

They found that the mares favored the lower-pitched whinnies by a significant margin.In a series of tests, each mare was placed centrally in an area, and exposed to a lower-pitched whinny from a speaker on one side and a higher-pitched whinny from a speaker on the other side. The researchers noted whether the mares turned their head or moved closer to the source of one whinny or the other.

The researchers noted that the taller stallions possessed lower pitched voices, and that the preference for the low-pitched whinnies was ever greater among the taller mares.

They found that the lower-pitched the stallion’s voice, the slower its heart beat and the higher its reproductive success.

No correlation was found between cortisol and testosterone profiles and sperm quality, or any other physiological and acoustic parameters.

The status of each mare’s oestrus cycle did not influence the strength of their preference for one type of voice, the researchers said. This suggested that the preference was not systematically related to mating or fertility, but may represent a step along the way.

“Indeed, directing its attention and interest towards a particular male is the first indispensable step for an active choice of partner, but not a direct proof of sexual motivation.”

They said that females’ preference for low pitched voices, as found here in mares, was a widespread characteristic, including in humans.

“Our study showed that frequency-related voice features are reliable predictors of male reproduction success,” they concluded.

“However, our study also questions the relevance of different physiological parameters for assessing male reproduction qualities. Here, male reproduction success – measured by artificial inseminations – was not related to sperm quality or hormonal profile.”

Lemasson was joined in the research by Kévin Remeuf, Marie Trabalon, Frédérique Cuir and Martine Hausberger.

Racetrack accident injures three jockeys, results in two horse deaths

Press Release:

Three jockeys were hospitalized and two thoroughbreds euthanized following an accident during the sixth race at Florida’s Tampa Bay Downs racecourse on Saturday.

Six-year-old Wild Kiss, who was ridden by Keiber Coa, broke down while leading the 12-horse field. Four-year-old Iron Media, ridden by Silvia Zapico, was unable to avoid Wild Kiss and took a tumble as well.

Tampa Bay Downs reported that both horses had to be euthanized. A third horse, four-year-old Traffic Telling, ridden by Ricardo Mejias, went down as a result of the accident as well, but did not appear injured.

Coa, Zapico and Mejias were taken to St Joseph’s Hospital Trauma Center with various injuries.

The racetrack reported that Coa had a broken collarbone, Zapico a broken leg, and Mejias an injured wrist.

The accident occurred in a claiming race.

Some horses can’t cope – help them out

By Neil Davis 

Due to bad handling and bad training, thousands of horses never reach their full potential. Many horses don’t make it past the “breaking in” stage. Many others are “blown up” by the use of too much pressure and too much force during their training.

These days, trainers everywhere chase horses with flags, ropes and tarps. Frightened horses are forced to run backwards in the name of horsemanship. Countless young horses are saddled for the first time and let go to buck. Some trainers advocate the use of hobbles, straps and ropes to handle a horse’s legs, others say tying a horse down on the ground will “cure” whatever problem you may be having.

These trainers preach a rigid system of horse training where one size fits all. If things aren’t working out, these trainers say it’s because “your horse doesn’t respect you”, or “it’s in his breed”, he’s “claustrophobic”, he hasn’t been “desensitised” or he has a “medical problem”. We’re told that horses have “different personalities” and you must “establish yourself as the leader”.

Just because a famous trainer says something or does something, doesn’t mean it’s right. Everywhere I go, I see horses that have been through this treatment. Many of these horses are nervous and worried. They don’t trust people and they’re always ready to kick, buck, strike and rush away.

The fact is, about eighty percent of young horses will adapt to bad initial training. One way or another, most of them will work out what they’re supposed to do. Some of these horses will respond better than others, however many will never reach their full potential.

The other twenty percent never get over the trauma of being bucked out and terrified with flags, ropes and tarps. They’re unreliable as riding horses and are always nervous and worried. Some are rejected all together. Then there are the horses that make it through their early training but are pressured to perform by impatient riders. It takes years to develop a good campdrafter, dressage horse or showjumper. Often, people don’t want to wait, so they try to force horses to chase a cow when they’re not ready, or perform passage and piaffe too early, or jump too high too quickly.

I’ve seen horses spurred down the shoulder with sharp spurs to “make them turn”. I’ve seen horses jerked relentlessly with severe bits to make them run backwards. I’ve seen horses being ridden while a trainer on the ground whipped them relentlessly, trying to force passage and piaffe. I’ve seen a trainer rap a jumping horse’s legs with a bamboo pole so “he won’t hit the jumps”. The cruelty goes on and on.

Many horses can’t cope with such treatment and become nervous wrecks. I’ve seen horses “freeze up” and not move at all when they’re ridden into a yard with cattle. Others rear, leap away and stop thinking all together. I’ve seen showjumpers bolt and run off when faced at a jump. The pressure applied to try and jump has been too great and the horse stops thinking and rears, runs off or bolts.

I’ve seen dressage horses so worked up that they try to jump out of the arena every time they’re ridden. Many dressage horses have had too much whipping from the ground and I’ve seen them leap, rear, kick up and bolt whenever a trainer approaches.

Not every horse will be a champion. However when a horse doesn’t improve or perform to their expectations, some trainers say it’s because the horse is “mad”, “stupid” or “disrespectful” and needs more pressure and punishment. Many performance horses are “blown up” and become rejects, simply from the use of too much pressure and force.

Just because a famous trainer does something, doesn’t make it right. It’s never right to chase horses with flags, ropes or tarps at any stage of their training. It’s never right to saddle a young horse and let him buck. It’s never right to rope or strap any horse’s legs. It’s never right to force horses to run backwards. It’s never right to try to force horses to perform by relentless whipping and spurring.

Instead of using pressure and force, how about going to your horse and rubbing his head. It doesn’t matter how old your horse is or what stage of training he’s at, rubbing his head can never be overdone. I don’t mean rub his head for 10 seconds then move on to something else. Spend a few minutes several times each lesson rubbing your horse’s head.

You might be surprised that your “mad”, “disrespectful” horse is not “mad” and “disrespectful” after all. In fact, you’ll find he’s a lovely horse when he learns to be confident and relaxed with you.

Neil Davies began training horses full-time in 1977. Over the next 15 years, he started more than a thousand horses under saddle and trained thousands of so-called ‘problem’ horses

He is the author of Fear-free Horse Training – every step of the way.

Visit Neil’s website at www.fearfreehorsetraining.com.

Horse dies in pasture after being hit by out-of-control pickup truck

Press Release

A horse grazing in its 11-acre Pennsylvania pasture was struck and killed by a pickup truck which sheered off a power pole, crashed through the fence and careened 100 yards across the field.

The horse, a 16-year-old black and white Tennessee Walker named Sierra, died only minutes after being struck.

The accident happened on Tuesday evening, off Route 488 in Butler County. The 56-year-old driver of the truck was taken to a nearby hospital. His injuries were not considered life-threatening.

Police are reported to have taken samples to determine if the driver was intoxicated at the time.

Local media report that Sierra was owned by Kenny Albert. The mare had been a part of his family for four years, with family members said to be devastated by the loss.

State Police Trooper Jason Frances told the Butler Eagle that the pickup truck involved in the accident ended up about 100 yards into the pasture.

Holistic Horse Care

Here are a  couple ideas for  natural and holistic horse shampoos you can make.  It maybe a few weeks before the weather is truly warm enough to bath, but eventually that winter coat will be completely shed out and a bath will required to get some of the springtime  mud off of them.

Recipes for Natural Horse 
Shampoo 

Easy Horse Shampoo #1
10 chamomile tea bags
1 cup liquid castile soap
1/2 tablespoon glycerin
A few drops of essential oils from the list provided – optional but nice
 
  Steep chamomile tea bags in boiled water, cover for about an hour. Remove tea bags, add castile soap, glycerin and essential oils (if using) to the cooled tea mixture. Bottle and place it in a dark, cool place or in the refrigerator.  Since your homemade shampoo is preservative- and paraben-free, keep the lids tightly closed and store in a cool place.

Easy Horse Shampoo #2

1 cup distilled or spring water
1 cup liquid castile soap
1 cup aloe vera gel
4 teaspoons glycerin
1 teaspoon avocado or rice bran oil

  A few drops of essential oils from the list provided - optional
  Mix well and store in a bottle. Place in a dark, cool place or in the refrigerator. Shake well before use.

Purifying Rinse -
To remove silicone and product build-up

2 cups cider vinegar
8 cups cool water
6 tablespoons baking soda

  Mix the cider vinegar and water together in a bucket, then add the baking soda and lightly stir. Pour over mane and tail let sit for 15 minutes, rinsing is optional.

Horses and the Mystical Path

On a trip to Scotland, the psychotherapist family team of Adele, Marlena, and Thomas McCormick; pioneers in the psychotherapeutic use of horses; discover that early Celtic mysticism holds important insights into an equestrian-partnered spirituality. Through serendipitous encounters, they learn the
at the ancient Celtic people befriended the horse to cultivate the human heart and soul, and that horses accompanied the Celts as they spread their spiritual vision far and wide. The McCormicks soon embark on a wisdom pilgrimage. From India to Mexico to Spain and Morocco, they follow the ancient relationship between horses and humans, exploring a mystical path lit by a spirit of unity and beauty. With help from their horses, the McCormicks learn to integrate spirituality with their psychological training, forming a new, powerful form of healing. Horses and the Mystical Path recounts their memorable journey, and the lessons they learn from their amazing equine guides.

This book is a great read and I would highly recommend reading it. You learn about the Celtic people and how their related to horses. It is very well written and holds your interest from beginning to end. It may make look at your relationship with your horse completely differently. 

Tevis Cup Ride - Still The Granddaddy of Endurance Rides

Photo by Cathy Childs

By Cheryl Childs:

This July will mark the 61st running of the Western States Trail Ride, better know as the Tevis Cup Ride. It is considered the oldest modern day
endurance ride.
 The ride was first organized by Wendell Robie of Auburn, California, who was a  businessman  and devoted rider who rode the Sierra high country, in 1955. Robie and a few friends wanted to prove to people that modern-day horses could cover the rugged trail from Lake Tahoe ( located in the Sierra Mountain range) down to the mining town of Auburn, in the foothills. The ride continued to be held every year thereafter.
 The ride is steeped in history dating back to the 1800’s and the California Gold Rush. The ride was named for Lloyd Tevis by his grandson, Will Tevis, a prominent San Francisco business man and early benefactor of the ride. The
first rider to complete the 100 mile ride whose mount is “ fit to continue” is awarded the Tevis Cup, along with a belt buckle.
  The  Haggin  cup which, is awarded  each year to the  horse among the top ten finishers that is considered to be in the best condition, is named after James Haggin. Haggin and Tevis met in the California gold fields in the early 1850’s. Haggin raised Thoroughbred horses on his ranch is Sacramento.
In 1964 Louis Haggin donated the James Ali Haggin Cup in honor of his
grandfather.
 For the most part the route is  much as it was in 1955 when Robie and his friend made the 100 mile ride in 24 hours, but the years of population growth in the Sierras have affected the trail. There have been certain modifications that had to made in the route.
 The ride originally started at the Tahoe City Community Center, which was literally on the shoreline of  breathtaking Lake Tahoe. Then, in the 1970s the start was moved to Squaw Valley ( ski area)
where it remained for 20 years. In 1990 the start was moved to  Robie Park. To
retain the 100 mile length of the ride a leg of the race had to be changed. There have been some changes throughout the  years due to snow pack or other
weather conditions.
 The historic  Western States Trail is rugged and it’s often said the ride had 19,000 feet of “up” and 22,000 feet of “down” which for the most part is true. Horses and riders scramble up the famous Cougar Rock at the beginning of the ride. About 60% of the ride is single track trail and the rest is graded fire roads. Horses and riders encounter rocky terrain and canyons and cross the river. The heat is a  factor as well for the horses and riders, often times reaching over 100 degrees on sections of the ride. The ride also goes through the small historical town of Foresthill, which is also one of the numerous vet checks throughout the ride. Near the end of the ride they cross the famous “ no hands bridge” over the American River near
Auburn.
 The ride ends at the Fairgrounds in  Auburn. The riders come into the
Fairgrounds in the dark. At first you just hear the hoofbeats in the darkness then the riders appear under the lights of the arena, where they cross the finish line. Sometimes it’s a horse race between two or three horses right to the finish line. It’s a rather emotional
event for the riders, crews and the crowd cheering them on. Both horse and rider are smiling.


Editor’s Note: I had  the pleasure of covering the Tevis Cup in the mid-eighties, for an article, and I can still hear the hoofbeats and see the shadows of the horses and riders scrambling up Cougar

BREED PROFILE-Appaloosa Horse

The Appaloosa horse is descended from the horses imported by the Spanish Conquistadors in the 16th century. The Spanish introduced  horses to Mexico in the 1500s. Following the Peublo Revolt horses rapidly spread throughout North America. The Nez Perce tribe began to develop the breed and the name. Appaloosa is derived from the  Palouse river, which ran through Northern
Idaho.
  The horse changed the life- style of the Nez Perce tribe. They went from sedentary fishermen to mobile hunters known for their hunting skills.
 The Nez Perce were one of the first, and certainly most skillful, people to begin selective breeding of the their horses. They established herds and by gelding  or trading any horses that were not of the highest quality, maintained a breed standard. By the 1700’s the Nez Perce had established their herds and gained a considerable reputation for their horses. They also became known for their horsemanship skills. They bred the Appaloosa not only for it’s attractive spotted markings, which were excellent camouflage, but also for it’s qualities of stamina, endurance, speed
and athleticism.
 Explorer Meriwether Lewis was appropriately impressed with the breeding accomplishments of the Nez Perce, as he noted in a diary entry in 1806- “Their horses appear to be of an excellent race; they are lofty, elegantly formed, active and durable. Some of these horses are pied with large spots of white irregularly scattered and intermixed with black, brown, bay or some other dark
color.”
  By the late 1800’s settlers flooded onto the Nez Perce
reservations and conflict ensued. The Nez Perce War of 1877 resulted in their herd being dispersed. The U.S Army captured the horses and slaughtered many of them, nearly eradicating the entire breed.
  In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s interest in the breed gradually began to grow as Appaloosas began appearing in Western roundups and rodeos.  By the late 1930’s the the flashy coat patterns caught the eye of the public,
especially after an article written up in the Western Horseman entitled “ The
Appaloosa, or Palouse Horse”. That revived a widespread interest in the
breed.
 In 1938, a group of breeders revived the breed using
some of the descendants of the original Nez Perce herd. The Appaloosa Horse Club was chartered in
1938.
 The Appaloosa horse became the official  state horse of Idaho in 1975. The bill was signed by the Governor at that time, Cecil Andrus. This is a deserving honor for a horse that had been an integral part of Idaho’s history.
 The Appaloosa is characterized by it’s spotted coat, of which there are six acceptable configurations. These are know as snowflake, leopard, frost, marble, spotted blanket or white blanket. The Appaloosa has mottled skin around the nose lips and often has white sclera
around the  eyes.
 The generally have a sparse mane and tail, hooves tend to display black and white vertical stripes. Appaloosas have smallish heads with a straight profile. They have long ,  muscular necks that are set on a deep chest with sloping shoulders.  Their withers are moderately pronounced, the quarters rounded and muscular, and the back short and com-
pact.
 The Appaloosa is a an excellent riding horse, being both docile and quiet, but also energetic. They stand between 14 and 15.2 hands. They have good stamina and are naturally athletic. The excel in many disciplines including western pleasure, working cow horse, jumping, dressage and gaming. They are considered an excellent family horse with an easy -
going disposition.

Appaloosa Horse

Registry:

Appaloosa Horse Club

2720 W. Pullman Rd

Moscow, ID 83843

208-882-5578  www.appaloosa.com

Galloping In the South- a poem by Pablo Neruda

Galloping in the South

Forty leagues on horseback,
the ranges of Malleco;
the fields are newly washed,
the air electric and green.
Regions of rocks and wheat,
a sudden bird breaks out,
the water slithers and scrawls
lost letters in the earth.

It rains, rains a slow rain,
it rains perpetual needles
and the horse which was galloping
dissolved into rain;
later, it took shape
with the grave-digging drops,
and I gallop on in the wind
astride the horse of the rain.

Astride the horse of the rain
I leave behind these regions,
the vast, damp solitude,
the ranges of Malleco.

by Pablo Neruda

Tennessee Walking Horse breed show will not be on the roster at the North Carolina State Fair this fall.

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDACS) has confirmed that a Tennessee Walking Horse breed show will not be on the roster at the North Carolina State Fair this fall.

Last year, some Tennessee Walking Horse advocates launched a Change.org online petition asking the North Carolina State Fair and the state's agriculture commissioner to cancel Tennessee Walking Horse performance classes at that state's annual state fair on grounds that some of the exhibited horses could wear performance packages and might have been sored to produce a exaggerated, high-steeping gait.

On March 11, Heather Overton, NCDACS spokeswoman, said that after a review of participation and revenue from the 2014 event, the North Carolina State Fair administration decided to eliminate the Tennessee Walking Horse breed show at the 2015 event.

“Walking Horse exhibitors are welcome to show in nontrotting classes that will be part of the open show, as well as nontrotting classes in the State Fair Youth Day Show,” Overton said. “The open show allows breeds without dedicated shows to exhibit at the fair.”

Overton said that, so far, reaction to the change in the horse show event had been slight.

“We received one phone call from a member of the North Carolina State Fair Walking Horse advisory committee,” she said.

Walter Chism, acting executive director of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders and Exhibitors Association (TWHBEA), declined comment pending further review of the decision: “We have not had an opportunity to review the actions of the North Carolina Fair Board and, until then, TWHBEA is uncomfortable making a comment.”

Teresa Bippen, president of the Friends of Sound Horses (FOSH), applauded the decision.

“FOSH is thankful the North Carolina State Fair recognized the abuse of 'Big Lick' horses by eliminating their classes from the state fair,” Bippen said. “We also appreciate the state fair continuing to provide its venue for sound … flat shod horses.”

The 2015 North Carolina State Fair Open Horse Show is slated to take place Oct. 16-18 in Raleigh. The State Fair Youth Day Show is slated for Oct. 17-18.

Old West Challenge

Press Release: March 12, 2015

On September 12 the premier Old West Horse & Rider Challenge will be held. The event was originally slated for a Spring 2015 premier, but due to scheduling conflicts that couldn't happen. The Old West Challenge is being held in Ozark Missouri. Ozark is a picturesque and growing community that is located just a short drive south of Springfield and north of Branson. In keeping with western theme the event will be held in the rodeo arena. The rodeo arena with it's western charm is adjacent to the lovely Ozark City park that sit on the Finely River. Dog and Pony Productions who produce the event have announced there will a second Old West Challenge held on October 17th.

The Old West Horse & Rider Challenge is a four phase competition where individuals or teams ( consisting of three horse and rider) compete in the challenge.

Phase 1 Let's Ride- In this phase each rider or team will be asked to ride a pattern that may include figure eights-trotting over longs-backing though poles. The riders will be asked to demonstrate a walk-trot-canter. This phase is to demonstrate that you and your horse have what what takes to get the job done on the ranch.

Phase II Riding the Trail - In this phase horse and riders have to demonstrate that your handy on the trail. The riders may encounter water-bridges-downed timbers-rocky trails-stray cattle or wild animals. Competitors need prove they handle the round up or guiding that wagon.

Phase III Keeping The Peace- The west can be wild and wooly place. In this phase competitors may need to step in and help the local Sheriff keep the peace using your handy Colt 34 water pistols

Phase IV The Wild West Show-  In this finally phase competitors will compete for a place in the Wild West Show. They are looking for a talented rider  for the Wild West Show so competitors must be creative with their costumes and music.

This event is all  about fun and camaraderie even though it is competition. Bring your horse and step back into the Old West. So start training today and making your costume for the Old West Horse and Rider Challenge.

For more info please go to www.oldwestchallenge.com

All Breeds Have Arabian In Their Bloodlines

Arabians aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. They have a reputation of being hot, deserved or not depending on the individual. They’re too small for some people and some sports. They have a tendency to jump without considering that they also have to land, so it takes a lot of work to make an Arabian shine in the hunter ring. Take an Arabian into any western ring and you might hear snide remarks about your A-rahb. In fact, ride an Arabian and you’ll probably run into your fair share of ‘haters’ and critics. 

But these hardy little horses deserve more respect. Hardy? Yes, they may look delicate, but one place this breeds outshines all others is in long distance riding. Carrying full grown men with all their tack, Arabians consistently cover distances of a hundred miles or more over very challenging terrain within 24 hours. But that’s not the only reason they deserve more respect. Chances are, those making snide remarks about Arabians are sitting on a horse that has some percentage of Arabian blood in its pedigree. The breed itself is the oldest in the world, with the purest bloodlines. A horse that has any other breed in its pedigree is always a partbred, no matter how distant the outcross.

Before Arabians were brought to Europe, horses were either draft-type cold bloods or ponies. It wasn’t until the first Arabians were bred to these native horses, to introduce more refinement, that light horses as we know them came into existence. Since then, almost every light horse breed has been influenced by the Arabian. Most notable is, of course, the Thoroughbred, whose ancestors included the Godolphin and Darley Arabians. 

Ask an American Quarter Horse rider if they want to ride your Arabian, and you’ll probably get a look of horror. The Quarter Horse and Arabian may seem like opposites when it comes to temperament, but today’s Quarter Horse has a good sprinkling of Arabian. The ancestors of the modern Quarter Horse were brought by colonists from Europe that would have had Arabian ancestors, and the horses of the first nations people, most notably the Chickasaws, who rode horses descended from the Spanish horses brought by the conquistadors many decades before. 

The Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, Paints, Appaloosas and other light horses we ride are descendants of the Arabian. Some heavy horses too, have Arabian ancestry. The Percheron, one of North America’s favorite draft horse breeds, is thought to have Arabians in their pedigree. Friesians, a Dutch breed, is thought to have Arabian bloodlines. Anytime a breeder wished to imbue elegance, refinement and hardiness into a breed, the Arabian has been the likeliest choice. 

Pony breeds too, have been influenced by the Arabian. Welsh Ponies and Cobs are most likely a combination of native pony breeds and Arabians. New Forest Ponies are descendents if the grandson of the Darely Arabian. Even the diminutive Falabella and the sturdy Dales Ponies have been influenced by the Arabian. Some breeds, like the Trakehner, Oldenburg, and Selle Francais have open studbooks, and continue to allow Arabians to help refine the breed.

So critics, have a little respect. Without the Arabian, most of us wouldn’t have the horses we ride.

Seasoned Rider Takes Up Jousting

A Sneak Preview

by Cheryl Childs 

Seasoned Rider has often asked the question " what can't we do?" and  Lauri Post and her 30 year OTTB ( Off The Track Thoroughbred)  gelding  Gabriel would like you to know Jousting is not one of things we can't do.

Laurie and her daughter Jessica  saw a demonstration of Jousting while attending the Equine Affaire in Ohio. Jessica became interested in Jousting and decides to pursue the sport. Laurie who was always looking for challenge to keep Gabriel busy thought it might be fun for both of them to start Jousting and so their journey began.

Look for the rest of this article in our upcoming issue of Seasoned Rider 

Mississippi Children's Hospital Declines TWH Show Donations

By Pat Raia who is a veteran journalist who enjoys covering equine welfare, industry, and news. In her spare time, she enjoys riding her Tennessee Walking Horse, Sonny.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) Batson Children's Hospital has declined to be a beneficiary of a high-profile Tennessee Walking Horse show to remove itself from the ongoing controversy surrounding soring.

In February, some Tennessee Walking Horse advocates backed a petition on Change.org asking the UMMC and the Batson Children's 
Hospital to dissociate itself from the Mississippi Charity Horse Show, which supports children's charities in that state.

Marc Rolph, UMMC associate director of public affairs, said the
children's hospital had been affiliated with the horse show for almost a 
decade. Robert Taylor, president of the Mississippi Charity Horse Show, 
said the event has contributed about $250,000 to the children's
hospital over the years.

On March 4, the UMMC administration issued a written statement
 declining further donations drawn from the show's proceeds.

“After careful reflection, the administration of Batson Children's Hospital has
asked the organizers of the Mississippi Charity Horse Show to discontinue
donating proceeds of the event to the hospital for the benefit of its patients,
” the UMMC written statement said. “We are grateful for the generous support
 of the charity horse show over the last several years. This support has included
not only monetary contributions, but also opportunities for patients under our
care to be involved.

“Although we are comfortable the Mississippi show complies with all
applicable laws for the protection of horses, the national controversy
 over the way Tennessee Walking Horses are trained and handled—
particularly those that perform in the 'Big Lick' style—has brought us to this decision,
” the statement continued. “We are not in a position to evaluate the strongly
held beliefs and assertions on either side of this issue, so our decision is
intended to remove the children's hospital from controversy.”

Taylor said he was disappointed with the hospital's decision, but believes
 the hospital administration's statement was fair.

Meanwhile, Teresa Bippen, president of Friends of Sound Horses (FOSH),
 said the decision to decline proceeds from the charity show must have
been a difficult one, “however, FOSH feels that university officials realized
there was no win for them receiving proceeds from a Big Lick horse show.”

Walter Chism, acting executive director of the Tennessee Walking
Horse Breeders  and Exhibitors Association, said, "Many of the children (at the hospital) have never had the opportunity to interact with a horse and may never 
again have theopportunity. The loss to the kids is not quantifiable on a balance sheet but it is a loss just the same. ... The only losers in this situation are the kids. For that, we are disappointed.

"While the opponents (of padded walking horse shows) have a right to
their opinion, they do not have the right to attack kids or distort the truth,”
 he concluded.

The Mississippi Charity Horse Show is slated to take place March 26-28 in Jackson.

The Celtic People and Horses

by Cheryl Childs 


The Celtic people are a bit of a mystery to historians and anthropologists. It is believed the the Celts occupied land in Eastern Europe, Greece, Spain, Northern Italy, England, Wales, Scotland and, of course, Ireland.  Horses were a very important animal in both Celtic culture and spirituality.
 Horses certainly were a integral part of Celtic life. It's said the Roman begrudgingly admired the equestrian skills of the Celtic people they encountered in war. They were said to ride their horse bareback and without bridles in battle. The Celts were said to not only be highly skilled horsemen and horsewomen, but also to have had a special knowledge of a horse's psyche on a very intimate level. Celtic warriors, who were both male and female,  were taught to ride at the center of the wind, for they believed the wind was literally and symbolically God's spirit and breath.
 The Celts preferred to live in the country in clans and move when they wanted, taking their horses with them of course. They didn't like excessive organization, management or conformity.
 Many horse breeds are credited to the Celtic people. Breeds like the Shire, the Belgian, the Clydesdale and the Percheron. Other breeds such as the  Connemara Pony are also thought to have been bred first by the Celts.
 The Celts worshiped the horse on many levels. Today you can see horses carved into a chalk hillside in Berkshire, England. It is called the White Horse Of
Uffington.  It was discovered in 1994 and some think there are probably other such horses carved out of hills. The hill upon which the figure is drawn is called White Horse Hill and the hills immediately surrounding it, the White Horse Hills.  White horses have been considered lucky much like a horseshoe.
  At one time the Celts believed in a horse goddess. Her name is Epona and  shrines to her could be found in stables. She was often depicted sitting sidesaddle or lying on a horse, or standing with multiple horses around her.
They believed she protected horses, animals, riders and stables. The Romans even embraced her as a goddess. People would bring offers of baskets of apples and  carrots.
 Even after the Celts embraced Christianity they did not abandon nature and combined nature's teachings with the lessons of Scripture. Like the Native American in this country the Celts still believed in
nature's way as well as embraced Christianity,  combining the two the beliefs. It said that when St. Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland he used nature to teach the Celts about Christ. The  Celts respected nature and  felt as if horses were a Godsend.
 The Celtic people’s influence can still be found in places such as Spain, Wales, Scotland, Italy, and Ireland. These countries are places where horses and humans still seem to have a special.
  Don't forget to give your horses a carrot or apple on St. Patrick's Day.

The trainer who started both Seabiscuit and War Admiral under saddle has died in the US at the age of 98

Charles Schick, who died on February 11, worked his way from stable boy to trainer, and is likely the last person who worked with both horses.

The two great horses were quite different prospects, Schick said.

Seabiscuit and War Admiral in the Pimlico Special in 1938.

In 1934, he first laid eyes on Seabiscuit, when the horse arrived on a rail car. Schick was 18 and working at Aqueduct Race Track in Queens, New York.

“Seabiscuit looked like a mustang coming out of the West,” he said in a television interview following the publication of Laura Hillenbrand’s 2001 bestseller, Seabiscuit: An American Legend. “I had to keep after him all the time,” he said.

“You liked Seabiscuit for his temperament because he was so lackadaisical, like he didn’t care if tomorrow came or not.”

In about 1935 he moved to Glen Riddle Farm in Maryland, where he first saw War Admiral.

“You could just see the class in that horse,” Schick told the Tampa Bay Times.

Schick spent the years up to 1954 in the racing industry, training several winners. In 1954 started working in the airline industry, until he retired in 1981 and moved to Florida.

He was a regular at the Tampa Bay Downs track, and of his involvement with Seabiscuit and War Admiral, told the Tampa Bay Times in 2003: “I wouldn’t say that actually I was that important. But all I know is, I broke Seabiscuit and I broke War Admiral. And they went on from there.”

Charles Franck Schick (August 29, 1916 – February 11, 2015) is survived by three daughters, six grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Featured Breed Connemara Pony

We  use to post photographs of different horses on our Seasoned Rider Facebook and ask people what breed of horse that was, so thought it might be fun to do a featured breed once a month here. It being March lets' start with an Irish breed of horse. 



The Connemara Pony is considered Ireland’s only native breed and also is the oldest breed. The breed is native to the Connaight region of Ireland and is a descendant of the Celtic Pony. It is believed that they were brought to Ireland by the Ancient Celts, who were skilled horseman. There is a
legend that  a Spanish Armada    sank off the Connemara coast in the 16th century and the horses swam ashore and bred with native ponies running wild in the mountains. It is believed they learned to live on the rough vegetation and survive the hardships of their  habitat. (A rocky, barren mountainous terrain where one misstep could send a pony crashing to it’s death. There were also endless,  desolate
moors and bogs.)
 The Connemara pony has been influenced by a diverse range of breeds including: the Spanish Jennet, Arab and Barb breed. Other breeds that have influenced the breed are the Thoroughbred, Hackney and, most significantly, the Welsh. The breed has absorbed the best qualities of all those breeds.
 Life on the coast of Connemara was an arduous one for farmers in the area .
With large families to support, they could only afford one pony and that pony was often captured off the mountain and tamed. A mare was bred each year to produce a foal that could be sold to help sustain a family through the long winter.  Ponies carried heavy loads, pulled a plow, and pulled a cart.  Mares hauled tons of rock that had to be removed from the land, as well as seaweed, used to fertilize the barren fields, from the shore. They carried turf cut from the bogs, used for cooking and heating. She also carted the family to Mass on  Sunday. The mare had be hardy,  with good stamina and a
good disposition or she was replaced. In this  manner, the good mares were kept in Connemara, producing foals with these qualities.
  Stallions traveled between villages on primitive roads, breeding to many mares. Local racing was popular and the Connemaras competed equally with the larger Irish Hunter as well
as the  Thoroughbred.
 The Connemara Pony Breeders Society was formed in 1923, in Clifden, Ireland, by local breeders for the purpose of conserving and developing the breed. Some of the important stallions were Golden Glen (foaled in 1932), Rebel (foaled in 1922) and Cannon Ball (foaled in 1904) who was of Welsh and Connemara origin. Cannon Ball became the first stallion to be entered in the Connemara stud
book in 1826.
 The Connemara is the largest of the pony breeds, ranging in  height from 13 to 15 hands with 14 to 14.2 hands being the average. Their cannon bone is short, dense, flat and clean. The body is deep and compact, well-balanced with depth, substance and good heart room. The have well conformed shoulders, allowing for good length of stride. They have fine, attractive heads set on a well arched neck. They have large, kind
eyes.
  The Connemara has a natural jumping ability and is well suited to dressage. They are also very suitable for driving, western pleasure, endurance and pleasure. They make a wonderful mount for children, as well as adults. They are known for their strength, kindness
and trust.
 There are no large commercial breeding farms. Most keep only a few mares. After all, the Connemara breed was built on one good mare per farm.
 Like the Irish people the Connemara breed has been exported to all European countries, New Zealand, and Australia as well here in the United States.

Alexander the Horse

by Cheryl Childs

 I remember, as a child , reading a book called Alexander the Horse. It starts out with a little boy at bedtime telling his father about his day. He tells his father about how bad Alexander had been all day. He had gotten into trouble all day he explained. He tells his father how his Mom got mad at the horse for being so bad all day. Of course  it wasn’t the imaginary horse, but the little boy who had done all the bad things.  I’ve always wondered why the author chose an imaginary horse?
Was the author a horse owner ?
  Some people refer to them as “ a bad horse day,”, but I like to call them “Alexander” days. It just seems no matter how good or how old a horse may be there is always that one day they go “Alexander” on you. I think we have all had days like that and here is a tail of such I day I had a few years ago.
 It was one of those lovely warm days when the tempature was in the 70’s and I had spring fever so I left the office early to go horse around. I was really looking forward to it, since I been really busy and stressed out the last few days. I was looking for some stress relief by riding or even just being around my horses. Apparently I hit
an “ Alexander” day.
 I got home, changed my clothes and head out to the barn. It was a little after three so I had plenty of time and it was warm so it didn’t matter that it was late in the afternoon. I grabbed the halters and grooming tools and went out to get  a horse. I was really looking forward to a relaxing afternoon.
 Relaxing wasn’t what I got, however. I got five horses  that  were  acting like the “Alexander” horse. I have no idea what they had been doing all day, but whatever it was, all five of them were in a mood.
 I started with one of the mares. I led her up to groom and saddle her.  I guess she had Spring fever too, but her fever involved a stallion, that she could smell, somewhere in a twenty mile radius . She wasn’t the usual sweet, loving mare, wanting to please you. All she wanted was that stallion, wherever he was.
 After 15 or so minutes of grooming her I realized that maybe riding her wasn’t such a good idea. No problem I thought she wasn’t the only horse on the place so I put her up.
 There was always my Welsh cross gelding. I bought him last fall. I really felt like we were beginning to bond. I guess he wasn’t in a bonding mood that afternoon, since all he wanted was to steer clear of cranky mares and graze.
 Again I spent all my grooming time disciplining him like a spoiled child. I always say if you’re tired and the horse is cranky that’s a bad combo, so after grooming him I opted to put him up too.
  Next was my other gelding, who I thought should be worked, well maybe I would just do some longing with him. This gelding is always full of youthful exuberance and it seemed ,  on that warm spring day, that  he was feeling like a 2 year old again. I thought I’m too tired for that today, so I moved on.
 Okay, well the 20 year old mare how much trouble could she be? You wouldn’t think a 20 year old horse could have so much energy  and so much interest in a stallion, but she did. I could see riding that afternoon wasn’t in the cards, but certainly she wouldn’t mind a nice relaxing grooming session. Of course she wasn’t interested in that at all.
 I couldn’t undertand what was going. That was on Tuesday and the Sunday before they all had been so good. I had  a really nice ride on my Welsh cross gelding and they were all so sweet that day. It didn’t make any sense to me at  all.
 After putting the 20 year old up I glanced over at the Paso Fino gelding. They say Paso Finos have Brio (controlled spirit) which translates into - they love to go, but they are easy to stop. Well I didn’t have that kind of energy either and besides why would he be any different than the his four stable mates were?
 I gave up. This wasn’t de-stressing me at all, so I filled the water buckets and gave them their evening feed. As I walked by each one, after I had feed them, they looked up at me with the same expression that little boy in the book gave his dad, as if to say, “ I’m sorry. I don’t what got into Alexander today, but he will be a good boy tomorrow.”
  That's my tail of Alexander.I have had other days like that of course through the years, but that one stands out because not just one horse was being Alexander, but all of them were. Of course we all still love them no matter.

A judge has ruled that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) violated the National Environmental Policy Act

A judge has ruled that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) violated the National Environmental Policy Act in last year’s roundup on the Checkerboard lands in Wyoming.

However, claims that federal agency failed to follow the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act in the roundup were rejected by the judge.

A total of 1263 wild horses were permanently removed during last fall’s operation from public and private lands in the Adobe Town, Salt Wells Creek and Great Divide Basin Herd Management Areas (HMAs).

The three HMAs total about 2,427,220 acres, with 1,242,176 acres falling within the Checkerboard region – so-named because of its alternating public and private land parcels.

On Tuesday, US District Court of Wyoming Chief Judge Nancy Freudenthal issued an order stating that the BLM violated the environmental act when it conducted the operation in the southwest of the state.

The court remanded the violation back to the BLM to “remedy the deficiencies”.

In this case, the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign, The Cloud Foundation, Return to Freedom and photographers Carol Walker and Kimerlee Curyl contended that the BLM violated federal law by proceeding with the roundup in the absence of any environmental analysis and public participation, and by reducing the populations in the three HMAs below established appropriate management levels.

The judge ruled in their favor on the environmental issue.

The BLM authorized the roundup without analyzing any of the environmental consequences of a wild horse roundup of this magnitude, or reasonable alternatives to this action, as required by the environmental act.

However, in the same decision, Judge Freudenthal denied claims that the BLM violated the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act.

The operation removed all of the wild horses from the private and public Checkerboard lands within the three HMAs.

The plaintiffs’ lawyer, William Eubanks, of the public interest environmental law firm Meyer Glitzenstein & Crystal, said: “We are disappointed that the court upheld BLM’s countertextural interpretation of the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act which allows the agency to disregard its own established wild horse minimum population levels.

“However, the court vindicated our concerns with BLM’s complete failure to analyze the impacts of this action on wild horses and the natural environment, as well as the agency’s failure to engage the public before pressing forward with this ill-advised decision.”

The ruling is the latest in the ongoing legal battle about the future of wild horses in the Wyoming Checkerboard, where more than half of the state’s remaining wild horse herds reside.

In 2013, the BLM entered into an agreement with the Rock Springs Grazing Association in which the agency agreed to remove all the wild horses from association’s private lands on the Checkerboard and to consider, through the appropriate public process, zeroing out the wild horse populations in this area.

The plaintiffs argued that the deal essentially turned the public lands over to ranchers who graze livestock.