Horse Football - A Growing Sport

This will be the last newsletter for a week - AHA, I can hear your sighs of relief. Well, 'er indoors and I are off sailing in the Whitsundays with my friend Capn Pugwash and his mate Roger the cabin boy (girl). I have to catch all the fish and have been threatened with dire consequences should I fail. Frankly, my idea of the trip is a slab of cold tinnies in the yacht cockpit, lunch and an afternoon snooze and let someone else sail the thing. Fat chance of that.....

The history of the horse has been one of pain. Maybe that will end. Rolex World Cup Final 2009 winner Steffen Peters, treat trains and he has changed the future for riders who thought aggression based training was tops. Steffen Peters went to the Olympics on the first horse he ever trained. Below is a video of Steffen Peters’ Kur with Ravel 2009 and it is breathtaking. Turn up the volume, this horse can dance!
This courtesy of Aileen Berwick who writes for Philadelphia's Examiner.

Here's the story of Me & Sebastian...well not ME, but this YouTube video. It's a nice story of one plucky young girl's journey with her horse. Well worth a look and you'll like the music too but don't look too closely at the spelling.

A nice video on round penning an unbroken Arabian filly. I'm facinated by the differing methods people use to train their horses. Some are patently bad, some are excellent but each one seems to have an individual approach. This one is called 'Journey to Connection'.

High Tech Saddle Pads
Learn about the benefits of high tech materials, such as closed cell foam, memory foam and gel, and how they work, to help you select the right saddle pad for your horse. Courtesy of Equisearch and I can tell you that I wish some of these had been around some years ago when I was riding.

Controversy continues over Mongolian race. If you hadn't heard about this both sides involved have invoked the memory of Genghis Khan, and both seem as intractable as the mighty Mongol warrior, as the war of words continues over the merits of a 1000km horse race across the Mongolian steppes. Rather them than me...have you ever been to Mongolia? Nice place they say but I prefer Queensland....it must be my adventurous spirit.

Ever done an egg and spoon race on a horse?? Or even a pairs race, you know, when your inside legs are tied together with your partner. Well, have a look at this video of just that. I couldn't do it...could you?

Now I've shown you horses playing football before. Here they are actually having a competitive game. It's Dutch which may account for it and the horses are dressage horses which means that the style is terrific but the talent may be missing. Good laugh though. Courtesy of Lauren and The Examiner

Have a great week!

Beware -The Demon Drink and Horseback Don't Mix

I'm pooped from watching the Test cricket and the Tour de France. 'She who must', thinks I'm an idiot and that watching paint dry must be an equally rewarding experience, but there's something about both sports that make compelling vision, at least to us sports tragics. So, a week left of the tour and lots more cricket probably means that it will be the spare bedroom for me....again.
I'm tired.....

Riding For The Disabled In Aus is holding a 2009 Asia/Pacific video competition for unclassified riders (classified riders not eligible). Riders need to submit a DVD recording of the two tests in their Section. Tests will be judged by three qualified Judges. Go here for details and also to watch a lovely video.

Fancy a mobile horse grooming service? Seems reasonable considering that many people get their dogs 'done' this way. I always liked to spend grooming time getting to know my horses better...and vice versa. I know they can't talk but they can communucate in other ways. Anyway, I suppose you could use this service but it's a bit of a way for them to come and may cost a bit......

In a dreamlike, two-hour spectacle, Cavalia puts dozens of galloping horses on a massive stage with acrobats, aerialists, dancers, riders and musicians as an impressive multimedia presentation celebrating the bond between humans and horses comes to life. Click on the picture to see the slideshow.

Here's an equine blog that references lots of others. The spread of content is great so if you've got some time it's well worth clicking on....and on.

Join highly respected Australian horse trainer Jason Webb at his Australian Horse Training Centre, Risebridge Farm on Saturday 15th August to enjoy free demonstrations, entertainment and participate in the celebrations for the opening of the exciting new facilities! The event is completely free to attend and to add to the fun Jason Webb will be performing exciting and informative demonstrations throughout the afternoon. Nice to know that we can show the POMS something but it's a long way to go for some of us.

In Late June, Robert Tite was arrested after he drove through his neighbor's yard while drunk. He was driving a bulldozer at the time. The 57-year-old man from Wakeman, Ohio rode back into his hometown last Sunday. This time he was on a horse, drunk again. Beware the demon drink and horseback.

If you go to the UK and fancy some trekking, here's some great news from Rebecca Ritzel. The first thing you need to know about riding holidays in Wales. They are not, like polo, just for the rich and famous. Once you are in the United Kingdom, staying at a horse farm is an affordable way to get out and see the countryside. For a weekend of riding, including all meals and accommodations, Cwmfforest charges 220 pounds, roughly $360 US at the current exchange rate. Have a look. I remember the Welsh Black Mountains as an army reservist ages ago...and they were steep then.

Is this a weird horse...or is it trying to tell us something? Strange video.

If you've never heard of Jesse Beery, then don't worry too much. He was the USA's most famous horse trainer at the start of the 20th century when there were few cars and you literally had to have a horse to get around on. He sold thousands of copies of his horse training course which really did revolutionise horse training. It's still used today and what's more makes very good reading too...real stories and a reflection of how things were then.

Have a great week

Vehicle Drivers and Horses...A Fatal Duo??

Do you ever get one of those weekends planned for you when it's a constant stream of cleaning, washing and hosing outside the house? No...well you should try it. This weekend is just one of those. Boy am I looking forward to it.....and my nose is growing longer by the second.

Did you know that over feeding your horse and the consequent overweight are prime causes of laminitis? Neither did I but here's a short video from The Horse magazine you might find instructive.

Here's a horse that obviously does not agree with the opinions of her owner....and shows it.

There's a moral in this one....On March 31, a horse being ridden by Jessica Ruppel, one of Canada’s top young equestrians and prospects for Olympic competition,was struck by a pick-up truck and injured. Ruppel suffered a black eye and severe bruising, but Bella, the three-year-old Hanoverian filly bred and trained by Mrs.
Hess, had to be put down by the roadside. Mad drivers. If you have a story like this one, then let us know.

Equine ER? Yes, it really does exist and here's the first exciting episode with lots more to come.

Horse whisperers - fact or fiction? I dislike the term myself but here's a nice article that puts things into perspective.

Life isn't so bad being a wild horse. We've seen lots of clips on other wild animals...done to death most of them, but here's one on wild horses. Very good too...thanks to National Geographic.

Horse Riding is a sport right? Not according to this clip which puts the whole vista of horse riding in another perspective. I've shared some of these moments myself and when you mount one of these animals you're on trial and it's your skill that will be tested. See if you agree...I sort of do (great English that).

For those of you who have never had the pleasure of a ride through the woods in the middle of winter with snow on the ground and in the trees, crisp blue skies and a winter wonderland all around, this is for you. Me, well, I've seen more snow than I'd like to admit to...gimme the beach any time.

If you ever noticed dogs seem wary of going out in the rain, it's not because they're afraid of getting wet. Nope. It's because rain amplifies sound and it hurts
their ears. I knew that...didn't you??

Getting Started in Cutting. Al Dunning gives a Horse & Rider magazine reader the ins and outs on what it takes to get into the sport of cutting--and how to do it
without breaking the bank.

If you're a Western rider then in this short article from Horse and Rider mag World champion trainer Carol Metcalf discusses spacing along the rail in a Western
pleasure class.

Australia to beat New Zealand All Blacks Saturday? Hope so!!!

Britney Spears Equine Video - Nice Horses Rubbish Song

Well, the financial year ended...and then began again of course. I hope all of you who could added to your super so that Govt can pay you something back. We bought a holiday instead and are off to the Whitsundays cruising on a yacht at the end of this month. Why? You might well ask. The only thing I know about boats is how to use the sweep oar on our local dragon boat so the terms hailliards and sheets etc are terms I learned from Wikipedia and from Hornblower books. As for navigation, I reckon I'll have to hire a GPS.
Strange though, we've had lots of offers from friends who, all of a sudden, are now expert navigators. Wonder why?

Why train your own horse? It's a divided subject but this lady from Horse Care Daily, offers some good reasons for attempting it. Horses for courses I guess (sorry).

Britney Spears has wrangled up a few stallions and a couple scruffy K. Fed wannabes for her new video "Radar" -- I'll let you decide which category actual horses fit into. With more clothes on than normal, Britney has spliced together a fresh music video for her fourth single off of her latest album "Circus."
Nice horses...rubbish song but that's just my opinion.

Those people at Urlesque love their interspecies friendships, and this video - in which a terrier walks a horse on a leash - is no different. It is so nice to see a friend lend a helping hand paw don't you think?

Why have beer commercials nothing to do with beer. Whatever, this is a lovely short video for Bud beer and it's very clever. It's the fourth video down on the page. You might remember the first video here...it's Patches the hamburger eating horse.

Some nice photos here from my friends at Horse Deals on a Dressage & Jumping Event in Mount Gambier. I don't think there's one bloke amongst them. Shame.

After complaints and even injuries at a parade in the Montrose area in the USA, Houston police are talking more about how their mounted patrol is used in crowds. A lot of people will have seen them at Fourth of July celebrations around town. One woman is complaining about her treatment at a recent gay pride parade. I have to say that it's the rider not the horse and as for the news footage of fireworks too...who'd want to be a horse there anyway?

Courtesy of National Geographic Magazine, this is a short video on horse photographer Mark Harvey. He's almost as good as me with a camera......I've just
ditched film for digital so I'm making progress!!

Got kids? Are they horse mad too? Then have a look at this site. It's got lots of resources just for them including 'how to' videos although the intro video is a bit
wonky. Don't let that put you off.


Have a great week

The Greatest Moment Ever For Australian Horses

You'll probably be relieved that I've nothing to say about Michael Jackson. Life has instead been taken up with daughters problems...both of them. Those of you who are parents will understand, he said with a sigh and a knowing nod. As a distraction we have a crop of lemons that would keep a decent hotel stocked for weeks (fancy ANOTHER gin & tonic?), and gallons of orange juice from a bumper harvest. No shortage of vitamin C here.

This is probably the greatest moment for our Australian Stock Horses. The opening ceremony of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. Who will ever forget it. Great viewing but don't bother reading the usual inane YouTube comments. I don't know why they allow idiots to comment anyhow.

The horse boy - video clip. Enlightened horsemanship through touch - Autism Therapy On Horseback. Never seen this before but it's an interesting approach to a very difficult condition. (Patience, takes a little while to load)

JD Wilton slide show. Probably the greatest horse trainer Australia has ever seen, this is an slide show of the methods used by the great man.

On the same site is a nice little video of horse tricks - also this guy says that he can make his horse smile. Wish I could do that with 'she who must be obeyed'.

Beautiful horses made from driftwood - courtesy of Jake Hamilton

Here's Mercy - the painting horse. She's female of course, men are only good for painting sheds, and some of her work has sold for $100. Would you buy it? Make sure you scroll down to view the video.

Mona Ramouni has been blind since birth, but that hasn't stopped her from achieving her goals. Now 28, Ramouni, of Dearborn, has been looking for more independence. Typically, people who are blind use guide dogs to aid them in their daily tasks, however, Ramouni said as a Muslim she is not supposed to have a dog in her home. While fighting boredom one day, Ramouni, came across a topic she found interesting - miniature horses as guide animals. Read on.

I Hate Your Horse - Living the Dark Truth through the eyes of a horse trainer. Uncensored, uninhibited and far from sugar-coated. Exposing the insanity that is the world of horses, their owners, the breeders, and of course the wacked out wannabes...Welcome to my life...This is what I get the joy of dealing with.
Not my words I hasten to add, but a new blog I found. Just read some of the tales from people who bought 'good' horses. There's a lesson or five in there somewhere.

Dunno if you've ever heard of Badminton (no, not the game, the horse trials in the UK). It's the UK home of eventing and I used to go regularly, in fact on one visit there in a suppliers tent I bumped into Pricess Anne (literally!). That's another story. Here's a great video clip form Olivia Haddow and Horse Hero showing the event from the point of view of 4 very different women. You have to register to watch it but it's no cost and a great future resource too.Good stuff.

Married with Horses, is a long running and amusing real life saga on Equisearch. After months of waiting Jeremy and Kimberly finally meet Mandy's new foal, Justin. Read about the colt's arrival, plus view his photo gallery and video!

Here's the photo gallery

The H10 ointment offer (2 for 1) is still on but I'm running stock down so you'd better be quick.

Have a great week