Frightening Thoroughbred Goes WIld at Race Track

I have a very special book offer with forty percent off the following titles
HORSE TACK BIBLE
HORSES HEALTH PROBLEM SOLVER
HOW YOUR HORSE WORKS
INJURY-FREE HORSE
RIDING FOR PLEASURE
SOUND HORSE BIBLE
YOUR HORSES HEALTH:LAMENESS

All of them are around the thirty five dollar region with the first two at forty nine and fifty four respectively so the forty percent off is a good one. I haven't used figures otherwise this newsletter would not reach you!
If you are interested then email me at geoff@h-10.com.au and I'll send you details but be quick because my supplier does not expect them to last.

This week's newsletter is all about horsey videos and I hope you enjoy them...even 'er indoors raised a chuckle!

Horse Mishaps on Video....click to see Video. This is a cleverly narrated collection of absolutely hilarious horse mishaps.
Courtesy of The Equinest.

Here's a frightening clip of a thoroughbred that went crazy at the start of a race and made off into the crowd. There's no conclusion so I wonder how they got it back.........

A rebellious horse  is sick and tired of the way his people have been oppressed. Long live the Equine Revolution! Courtesy of Break.com. Perhaps they should have fixed the bridle adjustment first?

Watch the chicken in the bottom left of the video pecking the ground for food when suddenly the horse gives him a swift kick to the head sending him about thirty feet to the top of a barn roof. Who'd be a chicken with bad tempered horses around....eggceptional video though.

Here's Virtual Horse - Create colored virtual horses, play horse games online, build a ranch, train your online horses, manufacture horse tack, breed horses and play with the breed of your choice. Great for kids....no cost either.

Now, let me tell you. In future you won't have to run after your horses to catch him. Just use your dog and it'll do it for you. Don't believe me? Just watch this. Courtesy of sevenload.com

Here's some truly amazing horse jumping for you. Some of the antics I thought were 'manufactured' but apparently the only thing manufactured is the music....which of course you can turn off. I did.

Have a great week

Are These Horses Real? You Choose - Then Be Surprised!

I'm stuffed after a local dragon boat regatta at the weekend. Woke up Monday with aches all over...that despite the fish oil, glucosamine, chondroitin etc, etc. Y'know, age can be a terrible thing!

We are looking towards another book order in a month or two so we'll let you know when the list is ready for you. Those of you who haven't been involved before should have a good look because we're able to get 40 percent off all titles and we share that with you 50:50.

Are these real horses or not?......you choose...then you might well be very surprised.

"The Waterhole Rituals can be thought of as a courtship to win a horse’s trust, affection, loyalty and respect rather than a horse training method. Your communication skills with horses using my Method are meant to evolve organically from the relationship you build with your horse. I will guide you though each step as your relationship matures to a dancing partnership in harmony and unity. Leadership in the moment a horse feels a connection in companionship inspires a horse to follow your lead like music inspires the dancer to dance." This is the first chapter of a new horse book that describes itself as above...NOT as training you understand. I know, I know, I'm a bit of a cynic about these things and frankly I don't believe that I want to 'quick step' with my horse. For a start, his feet are much too big. But, like most things I'm open to change.....

"Are you an equestrian enthusiast? Perhaps you're thinking of buying a horse? If that's the case, we've created this guide to help you groom your four-legged friend." Courtesy of eHow editor, Christy Buena. Pretty comprehensive too and if you click the links you'll have about a days reading as well.

There's a whole lot of extra and interesting content this month on the Horse Channel. Worth a browse I think.

llustrated Guide: Body Condition Score System. Don Henneke's nine-point body condition score scale takes the guesswork out of evaluating equine body fat levels. Courtesy of Equus magazine.

A brief look at what goes into getting the horses ready for a Wells Fargo film shoot.   Nice clip.

Remember that video of an unbound horse running alongside bicycles in the Tour de France, featured in Amelie? A runaway Barnum & Bailey zebra paid homage to that yesterday, but on a downtown Atlanta highway. The nimble quadruped escaped from its enclosure and galloped to freedom down a major commuter thoroughfare. A fleet of police closed in on motorcycles, apprehended the runaway, loaded him on a truck, and returned him to a life of tap dancing for pennies with clowns. Shame.

We are thinking of another competition for 2010 so if you've any ideas then please let us know. Rewards of course for good ideas.

Meanwhile - have a great week
Geoff

If You Have A Horse Like This....Look Out!

Hope you all remembered Valentines Day? If not then you're probably still feeling put out because you forgot (bad), or someone forgot you, (even worse!). I managed a last minute card for 'er indoors...and with her suitably impressed I was allowed to indulge myself in the cricket for the day. Still don't know why I don't get the cards I used to though.......

If you have a horse like this, then you need to do something about it....quick!

Here's a very sad story...and a very puzzling one too.
A retired pregnant race horse was shot and killed, and now lawmen are asking for help in tracking the shooter. Carteret County deputies say someone shot "Breeze" in the head between Sunday and Monday at the owner's property on Taylor Farm Road, outside of Beaufort in Carteret County on the North Carolina coast. The horse's owner, Elizabeth Loftin, says the horse was worth approximately $30,000. Detectives say they believe that the horse was specifically targeted and the person who shot her meant to kill her.

Here's the training clip of the week. Larry Trocha, teaches how to cue your horse to stop. Check it out! Courtesy of my friend Deanna Castro and Larry Trocha.

For those of you who have read the novels of Dick Francis the best-selling British thriller writer and steeplechase jockey, sad news. Dick Francis died in his home in the Cayman Islands Feb. 14, The Associated Press reported. He was 89. More here:

Probably the last word on this controversial topic.... Participants in a Feb. 9 conference organized by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) imposed sanctions on aggressive riding, including that which results in hyperflexion of the horse's neck. "The group redefined hyperflexion/Rollkur as flexion of the horse's neck achieved through aggressive force, which is therefore unacceptable," the FEI said in a statement. "The technique known as Low, Deep, and Round, which achieves flexion without undue force, is acceptable."  So, how do you tell the difference. Well, I'm not a dressage expert. Courtesy of The Horse.

I've been doing a series of unfortunate crashes lately...this recent one in the US shows just how dangerous the trots can be and how those jockeys/drivers earn their money. Listen to the commentator too...I don't think he would change the pitch of his voice if you dropped a bomb on him.

This poor girl has a rough time....we all know just how slippery horse manure can be, even for a horse. Her horse slips on the mess, and she gets dumped into the ****. Unfortunate but I had to raise a chuckle. Bet she'll be keeping an eye out for it in the future.

Here's a useful little video for those of us that go for jumping.  Exercises to Tune Your Eye for Jumps. Watch a video of two exercises Olympic silver medalist Peter Leone uses to help his students tune their eyes for jumps. Courtesy of Equisearch

We have John Pinnell's complete horse training programme including initial training, overcoming horse problems and horse trailering, together with his accompanying book all available in a presentation pack. Have a look

Have a great week.

Watch Two Jockeys Trading Punches...During The Race!

Australia Day coming up and the annual neighbourhood barbie. Nice time of year, good to see all the flags out and a good chance to get to know people better...I should know since we've had new neighbours for 2 months and I haven't even seen them yet! When I've been around there's no-one there so perhaps I'll get the chance over a beer next Tuesday.

"Check out this video of two jockey's throwing some punches at each other as they try to gain the edge on the track.  It's dangerous, and probably highly illegal, but this is just the type of thing to draw a crowd and open the doors to a whole new base of fans." Oh Really? Why not give them sabres and just call them cavalry? Anyways, it's an amusing video.

Determine whether your horse’s tack fits well or makes him fit to be tied. By Sharon Biggs. One of the most important things you can do for your horse is to make sure his tack fits properly. Poor fitting tack is comparable to you wearing poorly fitted shoes: too tight and you’ve got squished toes and painful feet; too loose and blisters abound. A horse suffers the same fate when a small saddle pinches his withers or a big saddle rolls around on his back.

A chain-reaction, nine-horse spill during a race in Japan has left one jockey injured. Japanese rider Hiroyuki Uchida broke his left arm after the leading horse veered in at a sharp angle. He and eight other jockeys were thrown from their horses, one after another. The spill occurred in the fourth race Monday at Nakayama Racecourse outside Tokyo. Uchida was aboard Lilac Punch in the 16-horse race. Nasty, and just shows that riding can be dangerous.

How many times can a girl fall her horse in less than 5 minutes? I'm guessing 5 but who knows? How many can you count?

www.HorseTraining.org presents Rumba the Wonder Horse performing tricks. Tricks include: Tamborine, Bike Horn, Coights, Croquet, Soccer, Fetch, Rear, Lie Down, Bow etc. It's clicker training I guess and I've never been a great fan but whatever...quite interesting and amusing to watch.

If you're into horses as a business then this site might be useful for you.

I've just watched (on your behalf of course) a 10 minute video on You Tube showing a large inflatable horse....being inflated. It's ridiculous and doesn't look remotely like a horse. What's the big deal? Why do people post such stupid videos? I've no idea and I'm not going to bother you with it either. Yawn........BUT, if you really want a laugh about inflatables, watch this video of the late lamented Kenny Everett 'taking off ' Rod Stewart....absolutely hilarious!

What's Your Horse Saying With His Body Language? Lynn Palm explains what this horse is "saying" with the language of his entire body, including the position and movement of his neck, muscles and skin. By Alana Harrison and courtesy of Horse and Rider.

Your horse prone to small accidents, cuts, abrasions and bruises? Have a look here at our 2 for 1 offer and read what others think about H10 ointment.

Have a great Australia Day.

New Years Resolutions.....Hah!

Happy New Year to you...it's got to be better than the last one hasn't it? Had a wonderful rest over the hols with No 1 daughter appearing for nearly 2 weeks.  A minor miracle in itself but great to see her although she was unconscious for at least 75% of the time. That girl could 'Sleep for Australia'....'spect some of you've had much the same experience.

All the rain has meant that the back yard is like a jungle and 'er indoors has handed me the list of garden jobs already. It reads like a list of instructions....1 do this, 2 do that, 3 do that again because it wasn't done properly..etc, etc. At that point I made yet another New Year resolution and, no, I'm not telling you what it is.

On Friday evening last at the 2009 USEA Annual Meeting and Convention, eventing legend Lucinda Green joined Freedom Health’s Lyndsey White to discuss theories and philosophies in feeding and horse care habits that keep modern sport horses happy, sound, and performing to their ability. Fascinating insight and a conclusion that 'modern ain't necessarilly best'. Watch both presentations here!

Have you resolved to take better care of your horse’s health in 2010? A free webcast series offered by the Michigan State University (MSU) Extension My Horse University and eXtension HorseQuest can help you stick to it. During the webcasts, which begin Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. EST, horse owners will learn about diagnosing, treating and preventing common horse health problems such as colic, respiratory disease and lameness, and equine emergency first aid.

Here's a new video about the games from the 2010 World Equestrian Games Foundation due in Kentucky later this year. This really is the 'Olympics' of horse riding and thsi trailer is really worth watching.

We've some great new products coming up. One is a new dvd from Tatjana Fruth, an expert German trainer on the use of early work with the double lunge (longeing) and the long reins. I've spent a lot of time reviewing this and it's an excellent programme, wonderful for both teachers and pup0lis and anyone who wants to know how to 'get it right'. This lady really knows how and the way she handles and treats her horses should be a model to all of us.... The other dvd is a 'doco' on the famous Marbach stud, one of Germany's oldest and most famous state studs but the programme covers the whole range of activities there. I was fascinated and captivated by this programme and the hour it runs went like a couple of minutes. Both dvds are professionally produced with stunning photography and soundtrack. More news soon and some clips too.

You'll remember that we posted some news on the dressage 'rollkur' scandal. Well it refuses to go away....tens of thousands of equestrian fans have signed a petition over allegedly 'cruel' training methods that threatens to disrupt the sport ahead of the 2012 Olympics. Some fans are warning they will boycott the Games's equestrian event - due to be held in South London - over what has been labelled 'the blue-tongue scandal'. The British Horse Society has called for an urgent inquiry into the practices being used on some of the world's most expensive competition horses. There's a vid half way down the page.

It seems that 'personalities' are falling off horses regularly. Last year I wrote about Madonna falling off her horse and here's news of Leona Lewis (X factor UK winner) falling off hers. Nice photo but riding lessons in order perhaps?

"We all make them. We all blow them. Most resolutions almost set you up to fail because they are so general that you won’t know if you have succeeded or not. For instance, if you resolve to “ride better this year,” I’m fairly certain your trainer would push you on that vague goal and want to know precisely what movements you were hoping to ride better and what your definition of better is." Well, yes...so hear are some exercises to help. Go on...have a look.

There's a whole lot of related exercises here too. Just the thing for the New Year. Courtesy of Equisearch.

If you're on hols...enjoy them.

What To Do When Your Horse Invades Your House.

Our horse pics comp ends next week and I contacted the 'tame vet' to confirm his presence at the judging. I hate to admit it but he has a real eye for a horse and that's not the only thing he has a 'eye for' either according to his long suffering wife, a good friend of 'er indoors. So it's apricot muffins and coffee next week for the judging. Should take most of the morning if I plan it right.....
After that, bits of the estranged UK family start arriving for their yearly 'bash' of good weather and of course Aussie red wine....my Aussie red wine. Still, charity begins at home I'm told but not exactly in words like that from 'er indoors. Don't be such a ***** skinflint are her words of choice. Think I'll hide the good stuff.......

What do you do when your horse invades your house? Why, let him in of course. Plain daft I call it.

A horse that fell forty feet down a hill got stuck in heavy brush had to be rescued by emergency crews in Covina, USA on Monday. The horse had apparently broken loose at her owner's home near Via Verde Street and Covina Hills Road and then fell on a steep hill and slid into thick shrubbery. Emergency crews got the call around at 10:43 a.m. and were there within a few minutes. It didn't look good from overhead at first since the horse wasn't moving... watch the video, a bit drawn out but a happy ending.

Here's a little blog entry about the comfort and suitability of Australian saddles....yep, we get a mention at last.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum has never taken a half-hearted approach to anything, and his involvement with horse racing is no different. Bloodstock empires have come and gone since the thoroughbred breed emerged in Britain about 300 years ago, but never one to match the scale and global reach of Sheikh Mohammed's racing and breeding interests. Read this and you'll be gob-smacked, as I was. What's more he spends a small fortune here in Australia. Wonder if he could lend me a dollar or two.....

Fitness Tip of the Month for Riders: Fitness for Mature Riders. Tips to improve flexibility, mobility and strength for the over-40 rider.
By Heather Sansom. Heather says, 'When I do a clinic, participants over 40 often apologize for their age and confess that they wanted to come to a rider fitness clinic because their bodies don’t work like they used to. What’s ironic about the confession is that the majority of my clients and clinic participants are over 40.' Well Heather, join the clan and I'll have a go too.

Learn a little more about the history and importance of the horse wrangler or horsetailer as they're known here in Aus (translation courtesy Fiona Lake). Along the cattle trails, a good wrangler was as important as the cook. Legendary writer J. Frank Dobie talked about the wrangler’s job in the December 1954 issues of the Journal.

Look, we all know we put on weight at Xmas but we can all learn how to minimise that before the great event. It's a short 12 page read that you'll thank me for...hope so anyway.

If you remember your childhood days, then you can surely remember your first Wooden Horse. It was so much fun to be able to sing your rhymes while swinging to and fro on the horse. It is much the same today. Although the design of the wooden horses has undergone a sea change, the pleasure is still the same. You can make your child’s life memorable too by making a wooden horse for him. It requires some kind of mastery over crafting wood but the trade can be learnt easily. So let us learn how to build your own wooden horse in a step by step manner. Got some spare time with the kids this Xmas...this is perfect. Ready?

We never get snow at Xmas, so, if you want to see what it's like, complete with horse drawn sleigh and festive music...here it is.

Have a great week...and don't forget the Xmas lights!

Colt With Severe Deformity Saved From Death

We've had 10 entries for the horse pics competition and there are some good ones there too. Thanks to all who have emailed their precious pics but we need lots more too so get on to your computers and email us those horse pictures. There's plenty of time but don't leave it all too late because you know just how busy life will be in December don't you........

Here's some trivia that opened my eyes. We know that cows produce lots of 'wind' - most of it's methane and of course we're told that it's a major greenhouse gas etc etc, but I always thought it came from the 'back end'. Silly me eh....'er indoors put me straight. 'It mostly comes front the front, from the stomach(s), idiot'. Well, good reasons for keeping well clear of both ends I reckon, don't you?

A colt born just 30 days ago has been given a second chance to survive by an East Texas equine rescue group. The people at Safe Haven Equine Rescue went the extra mile to save a little filly named Jewel. Born to a rescued horse, the colt had severe front leg deformity and Jewel had little chance for survival. The video is on the right of the page...nice little colt too.

A DEPUTY stable manager is in training to undertake an epic six month 2,000 mile horseback trek across America. Lisa Waller, 23, will follow the cowboy routes of the 1860s and 70s from 145 miles west of Dallas, Texas to Montana as part of a team of five. “I always thought what an amazing experience it would be to ride across America,” she said. Now here's the best bit..you can join too at a cost of around 800 Aus per week inclusive. Hell, why not?

A man was arrested on Friday for driving drunk after crashing into a horse-drawn buggy. The accident happened on S Ray-Quincy Road near Copeland Road, California, Michigan. The man was airlifted to hospital...of the horse no reports. One hopes it was ok but then it's only a horse eh? Typical.

Equine Health - Skin Conditions. Common Skin Problems in Horses and How to Treat Them
Read more here
I can tell you that for the conditions of ringworm and mud fever/rain rot there's nothing much better than H10 ointment. If you don't believe me then read what other users have said......and you can get two for one.

Former jockey Roy Higgins says the success of Bart Cummings as a horse trainer has a lot to do with the quality of his support staff. You'll find that quality in any good team.... that's what it's all about. Cummins is a about the best they come...and I've immense respect for him. I might even hazard a small wager on his horse in the Cup...daft if you don't eh?

Grooming your horse need not be a stressful practice. If you are new to horse grooming, you will find that it can be difficult at first. You have to be willing to create a trusting relationship with your animal and learn your pet’s quirks. There are some horses that require extra attention and grooming, so it pays to learn early on what your horse needs. This article is 'different' and is worth a good look. I wish my Mum had been as careful and considerate with me......

Finally - Australia's first TV channel for horses and horselovers launched on Oct 16th. I missed it...typical, but here's the link and I know you'll want to have a good look. So far the channels are capital based (and where do most of the horse lovers live?) but the web site is great.

Have a great week!

You'll Never See Another Horse Like This....Ever

I had to go to Sydney for the weekend and while I was there I met up with a couple of long standing friends who were en route for the UK with a free night's hotel stay in the city. Very posh place and, like a idiot I said I'd buy a round in the cocktail bar. Never again....they decided after that we'd go out to a pub where they could buy their rounds.If you were in doubt that we were in for an early summer, they've just started spraying locusts in NSW western regions and we'ne now got dust storms.. Ouch.

Ever heard of Dave Allen, the Irish comedian? He loved horses and made this epic video clip. Believe me, you'll love it and it's about a horse you will never see the likes of again.

The Importance of Being a Thinking Rider - Olympic gold medalist Melanie Smith Taylor encourages riders to think independently, learn from others and continually educate themselves. Good article that made even me think. Courtesy of Equisearch

An accident involving a taxi and one of New York's horse-drawn carriages has added more fuel to a campaign to have them banned. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) has long argued for a ban, saying it is not good for the horses and dangerous, given the volume of traffic. I've always thought that the two could peacefully co-exist providing there is awareness and understanding on both sides..as for PETA, well don't ask.

Perhaps one of the most important elements of any stable or barn is a horse first aid kit. Because as we all know, around horses accidents happen.
This handy video will tell you what you need and how to maintain your kit. Courtesy of Equestrian Life but tell me this, what idiot would make a video like this with her sunglasses on.

One of the major misconceptions foreigners often have with regards to the Japanese is that they only eat fish and nothing else. While it is very true that the Japanese love to eat fish, they crave for other animals as well. Yep, you guessed it and it's here if you want to read more.

Just in time for Christmas (well, it's not far away). Amazing Facts About Horses, The Oldest Horse, the Biggest Horse, and Other Horse-related Trivia. Astound your guests with this 'all horse' quiz. Courtesy of Carol Rzadkiewicz and Suite 101.

If you are a trail rider and you haven't joined TrailTown USA as a founder member (at no cost) then you'd better be quick before the doors open on the site on Sep 30th. It looks as if it will be a great site. After that, well......... and by the way I have no commercial relations with them at all.

This clip was from Australias Funniest Video Show. Poor girl....she'll be running for the shower and you can guess the rest.

And finally...if you mistreat a horse then you are likely to have this happen. Serves this idiot right and I hope it hurt.

Have a great week!

Cops Chase Illegal Street Racing....But Equine Culprits!!!

The 'Tame Vet' dropped in this morning hoping for coffee and cake. No chance. Doesn't he know I have work to do? Anyway, he wanted to know when the next H10 competition was going to start and that's got me thinking about just what we might do this time. I guess he has his uses. More news soon.

The cops are cutting down on illegal street racing and about time too..get a load of this. I think these guys should be gelded.

Being around horses means there is a long list of terminology to remember. The basics list is a mile long, then it’s time to get into the specifics of each discipline.This video goes over the differences between horse trainers and horse behaviorists. Um, things have changed since my day when you had to be a bit of both.

The population of Virginia City, NV, a small town of about 800 people, swells once a year as tourists from all over flock in to race...camels! Just like a horse, the riders put a saddle in between the hump and take them for a spin. But just when you've thought you've heard and seen it all...here come the ostriches. Yes, they race those too and surely, since we breed racing camels in Aus, we should be represented here?

If you ever volunteer to ride a horse in a parade or at a sporting event, don't whatever you do, follow this guy's example.

In the July '09 issue of Horse & Rider, Clinton Anderson and his student Renee Humphries demonstrate how to desensitize your horse to your ground-training tools. That segment is the first in a series of basic groundwork exercises designed to increase your horse's respectfulness and make him a pleasure to handle. Here, Clinton gives a refresher course on exactly why groundwork is so effective, plus offers key tips for getting the most out of every groundwork session. Courtesy of Equisearch.

New shoeing techniques are here. Take a really close look at this "shoe". What looks at first glance like a Natural Balance shoe is actually a urethane hoof application created on the foot by injecting Vettec Adhere material into a mold. There's a video too - what do you think?

Prescott USA is well-known for its proud cowboy heritage. After all, it's home to the World's Oldest Rodeo and is the former stomping ground of Doc Holliday and Big Nose Kate. Today, a new style of riding is capturing the imagination of this Western town. Read more here.

Horse racing can be a dangerous game and these two ladies were very lucky to walk away from this crash with only minor injuries. Ouch.

You'll know the present controversy about jockeys and the use of whips on race horses. Here's an article with a few different aspects and opinions. I'm not sure if it's 'broke' or not or whether it needs 'fixing'. Both views are represented.

Summer coming - your tack box should not be without a tub of H10 ointment. The 2 for 1 we are offering is a great start and you can read what others think of it.

Have a great week!!

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

A Horse That Rides In Cars And Eats Cheeseburgers?!

I get a lot of amusing mail from friends around the world. Some of it is repeatable, much of it isn't but here's one short saying that struck a chord with me since, like a lot of men, I spent much of my earlier life working away from home. Apart from that of course I am the ideal husband...just ask my wife (and be prepared for the holocaust that follows).

OFFSPRING
Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favourite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams.
A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house!
How true is that?

One LAST thing about families. There's a new blog called Awkward Family Photos. Believe me we've all been in one or two in our time. This site just puts them all together. Hilarious. I think you'll really enjoy these 'family shots'

On to more horsey things.

Patches, the Car Riding, Cheeseburger Eating Horse. Yep, it could only happen in the US of A. Lovely horse, idiot owners but you'll laugh at this four legged legend who's a lot cleverer than his minders. He even answers the phone...heaven knows what the callers think.

From Katherine, and posted on Barnmice are these lovely photos. This is a newborn offspring of Taskin, Gypsy Stallion owned by Villa Vanners that was born on April 6/09. the photos were taken immediately after the birth. Beautiful.

Last week we featured an equine photographer and you seemed to like that so this week we feature an equine artist. Here's bit from her bio - Scottish artist Sheona Hamilton-Grant was born in 1969 and is married with two children. She grew up in Europe (Holland, France & Belgium), studied in Brussels, Madrid and London, lived in Belgium, Britain, Germany, France, Holland, Sweden and the USA (New Mexico). Is fluent in 3 languages, worked as a marketing assistant, in real estate, as a home groom and a rider. Has loved and cared for animals all her life. Nice stuff.

You can see lots of other equine artists here - just scroll down the right hand side of the page

Married With Horses is a regular column on Equisearch and gives a real insight into horses and humans. As a horsewoman and her husband try to cope with the passing of a beloved dog, they realise that, in their own ways, their other four-legged family members feel the loss too. Lovely story but make sure your box of tissues is near.

Friends are a good thing for a horse to have. Who wouldn’t want a partner for swatting flies head-to-tail in the field, a fellow scratcher for that itchy spot just behind the withers and a cohort in raising mealtime rackets? And from an owner’s point of view, it’s comforting to know that your horses aren’t lonely when you’re not around. But firm friendships between stable and herdmates can have a downside. When two horses become so attached that any form of separation leads to stress verging on panic, the virtues of companionship are outweighed by the complications it brings. Read how this happens and what to do about it. Courtesy of Equisearch.

And finally...the current H10 comp finishes at the end of this month so you've got just 10 days to get your entry in.

Swine Flu Special - Can Your Horse Catch It?

How did you do in the budget? Touch and go for private health care perhaps. There are measures for superannuation too but I get too depressed looking at the remnants of what's left of mine.

Can my cat, dog or horse catch swine flu? Had to be asked didn't it? Should there be concern? Why, for example, is the World Organisation for Animal Health currently awaiting test results to determine if the new virus is capable of infecting horses and other livestock? It is unknown whether the new swine flu spreading among people can infect other animals, the American SPCA says, but probably not, said Tom Chambers, PhD, who heads the OIE Reference Laboratory for Equine Influenza at the University of Kentucky's Gluck Equine Research Center in Lexington.
Influenza viruses have an amazing ability to mutate and change their characteristics, so scientists who study them never say "never." But, while it's perhaps not impossible for a horse to get swine influenza, Chambers said he thinks it's unlikely. Let's hope he's right.

I thought that an article on how the para-equestrian dressage tests compare to U.S. Equestrian Federation levels would be fascinating to all of you AND THEN I woke up and decided this would be better. This tiny white donkey, named JB, has been taken in by Panhandle Equine Rescue because his distraught owners were unable to give him the numerous feedings he requires daily. His mother was shot by some idiot who, I'm glad to say has been arrested. Lovely pics but be careful, once seen you'll want to adopt him.

In this video, eventing star Boyd Martin shows you the best way to stay dry as you introduce your horse to these entry-level water jump questions. Useful for any rider in any bush situation I guess particularly here on the East Coast but elsewhere it's fine if you can actually find any water to cross.

Look, I go to the races every now and then and I always have a punt on The Melbourne Cup. Here's an exciting video replay of last week's Kentucky Derby, the US equiv of the MC. The winner came in, no hold that, he cantered in at 50:1. I wish I'd had some of that eh?

Check out this horse photographer. She has the perfect touch and the photos are well worth a look...particularly if you like grey horses.

Having been told that 66 percent of Australians are overweight, now comes a revelation that our horses are overweight too! The Blue Cross animal charity has warned of the dangers of equine obesity as it revealed that 40% of all horses and ponies taken in by its equine centres last year were overweight - an increase of 5% on the previous year.

A reader in Kentucky wrote in to Bob Basler of Reuters with a problem.
“Bob,” she begins, “I would like to put clothes on my horse, but it’s so hard to find stuff that fits. Her lineage is German, so it would be great to have her in traditional garb for Oktoberfest.” Have a look at the pics. Laugh....I certainly did

How to Catch Your Horse When It Runs Away - Some horses long to run free and will break away from you or the stable if they get the chance. If your horse has a wild spirit and is hard to contain, you may want to follow these simple steps for getting your horse back in the stable. This is Shane's way..what do you think?

Our current comp will end at the end of May so get in quick with your entry. Great prizes. We'll publish all of them next month in a big round up.

Have a great week!

Terrible Accident Ends In Horse Death

Don't forget Mother's day next Sunday...as if you would though. My Mum is not around to scold me any more and she had some very endearing qualities although cooking was not one of them. I remember well that veggies had to be boiled until they were a mush (the veggie water used in the gravy of course) and any meat simply had to be cremated before it was fit to eat. Something about tapeworm or some other nasty. Glad to say that I haven't kept up the family tradition.

Deadly Collision at Pre-Derby Workout - As Derby contenders were on the track prepping for the weekend's race, a 3-year-old filly ran full speed into a 2-year old horse standing nearby. The younger horse was euthanized after the collision. Not nice but shows what can happen when a horse gets spooked. You might have to wait for a short advert before the main clip. Be patient.

Long a folk remedy, cider vinegar has been shown to improve the health of dairy cows, horses, dogs and other animals. It reduces common infections, aids whelping, improves stamina, prevents muscle fatigue after exercise, increases resistance to disease and protects against food poisoning. It also really seems to keep the flies away. Well, every year we get 'miracle cure' claims like this. Me, a cynic? Never. What's more important is what do you think?

Now I thought that you could name a horse with anything you wanted too. But it's not the case. The first rule of naming a horse is that a name may consist of no more than 18 letters, and spaces and punctuation marks count as letters. Eighteencharacters is acceptable (and is, in fact, a registered horse name) but Eighteen Characters is not. You'll need to know more won't you?

Talking about names...You might be surprised to hear that weight loss queen Jenny Craig owned one of the favorites in last weekend's Kentucky Derby. But you'll be even more surprised to hear the name: Chocolate Candy. Does Jenny Craig really want to be using her horse to push temptation? We don't think this is good for obese America or her business.
So they're trying to get the horse's name changed to a more dietetic option before the big race. Your choices are: 1) Inallhissplenda, 2) Lotsa Fiber, 3) Desert Dessert, 4) Cal-O-Wee, 5) Worth The Weight, 6) Results Not Typical. You can vote too

Emaciated horse becomes Michigan racing champion? When Ernest Davenport first met Jasper, he was an emaciated horse on his way to the slaughterhouse. Now, 33 years later, the Arabian horse has beaten the odds, becoming a reserve and grand champion numerous times, winning against horses many years his junior. Great story.

You've just got to visit Horse Hero where you'll find a paradise for horse lovers...on film too. It's a You Tube but for us horse lovers.

Here's an 'out takes video' they have made. Good laugh too.

We only had 4 entries for April's competition but they were of very high class and the tame vet and I had a good laugh at them....that is when he wasn't stuffing his face with the wife's muffins. Our winner was Des who has a horse with a mechanical 'bent' so to speak....she's called Prudence which is a strange name for a budding mechanic. We'll send the winning entry by email in a separate short newsletter. Nice prize off to you Des and thank you to everyone who entered. We'll be posting all the entries in a file on the web site soon so that you can download them yourselves.

Fake Doctors..And Now Fake Vets Too?

We've had lots of local shows recently including Wauchope and I always go there specifically just to see the different breeds of chooks on show. Wonderful care and attention but some very strange looking breeds. Next project from 'er indoors is a chicken run, some brown birds and some free range eggs. All this despite the fact that we already get our free range eggs from a fellow dragon boat paddler who owns an egg farm. Um.

Y'know, I had the greatest difficulty in my time an actually pricing a horse. How much is it worth and how much does that figure depend on how much you want it. You only have to look at the prices at famous yearling sales to consider the dilemma. OK, so that sort of price won't ever affect you or me, but when it comes to your average hack...well what then?
Here's a great 4 part series that considers almost everything in buying a new horse, together with the questions you must ask. After all it is your money that's changing hands. From citizen horse

Here's an unfortunate event that happened at a recent horse show, happily not here in Australia. A horse has been injured after being attacked by a dog during a show-jumping event in Londonderry, N Ireland. The horse was being led by a young girl at an event in the council-owned Ballyarnett Park on Sunday. The horse was bitten on its neck and hind quarters when it was attacked by a Staffordshire bull terrier. Nasty. From the BBC.

Australia’s Lucinda Fredericks wins the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event on Headley Brittania, following her husband Clayton’s 2007 victory. Wonderful achievement and you must read and see more of this famous victory. Courtesy of Equisearch

This month, Equisearch and Horse and Rider have come up with a swag of interesting horse stuff so I'm making no apologies for pointing you there.

The Best Reward is a Built-in One
According to Leslie Desmond, you should train your horse so the entire process is well-understood and pleasing. If you do then that becomes his ongoing reward. Read more.

Managing a Hearing-Impaired Horse. With a few minor adjustments in your training and horsekeeping techniques, you can make sure your deaf horse can get along just fine. Do you know I'd never thought of this but I know lots of us keep older horses and love them dearly. Anyhow, my kids are always complaining I'm going deaf so perhaps this might help me too.

We have had a man posing as a doctor in Queensland and the US now have a man posing as a veterinarian making house calls and operating on a horse, according to Lincoln County Animal Services. "He had no background. He said he had some cows on his farm," said Lincoln County Animal Services Director. Same crime, same punishment I think, don't you?

We have a couple of book titles left including 'Teaching Safe Horsemanship'. That alone is worth a look.
Have a great week.

PR: wait... I: wait... L: wait... LD: wait... I: wait...

Royal Easter Show Horse Event Pictures

I missed the Sydney Royal Easter Show this year which was a pity but economics are economics and unfortunately this year they won and I lost. Better luck next year perhaps. However, my good friend Jackie Long had a good show with 'Heza Star' (Heza Bruce/J Star Classic), winning both the ASH Hack NE 15hh Ridden in a Snaffle and Ridden in a Curb Bit. Heza Star went on to be declared Reserve ASH Hack. Well done Jackie.

Here's a new blog....'I'm just a girl. Who's been taken out of Texas to live on a ranch. A ranch on a Reservation. In the middle of South Dakota.' It's worth a look and this week she's been looking at equine dentistry. I went to the dentist this week and I'm considerably poorer than before. Wish I had a licence to print money too.

If you haven't been to Barnmice then you've missed a real treat. I've kept this as a bit of a secret for a while but it's now time to share this excellent site. Horselovers from 151 countries, videos, blogs etc. I joined a while back and it's a good move to join this growing breed of social sites for horselovers.

One question riders commonly ask is "How can I make my horse go straight?" To tell the truth, this was one of the first questions students ask in Matt Gable's Advanced Rider Program. Here's the answer.

How Do You Train A Horse To Buck On Command? I’m not looking at teaching the horse to throw the rider. The horse is very good natured and very willing to learn. If you fall off this horse, she will turn around and nudge you back on your feet and stand perfectly still as you get on, saddle or bareback. Look, not my words but from a blog that received plenty of feedback as you might think. Want to read the replies?

By the way, Julie Wilson has lots of photos from every day of the Royal Easter Show on the Horse Deals site here.

For those of us mad keen to keep in touch with the stars of this world....Madonna's Saturday equestrian accident in the Hamptons was a real bummer, says her physical trainer. "She fell on her bum," Tracy Anderson told PEOPLE. The accident occurred when the horse Madonna was riding was startled by paparazzi who jumped out of the bushes to photograph the singer. Typical eh?

Joel Means is a natural hoofcare barefoot trimmer, a trainer of horses and an instructor to people located in the Austin, TX area. Joel is an advanced student of Parelli Natural Horsemanship who has been following the program for 12 years, and has been helping others with their horses for 8 years. Here's a video of him with horse Chico that's worth looking at.

Hey, we've had one entry only for the April competition. How do you think that makes our tame vet feel? Unwanted. Come along now, we could do with some more entries please. Don't tell us you've never had a funny or amusing incident with your horse? Share it with 1000 others.

Have a great week.

New Social Sites For Horse Lovers

Great Easter. Great family get together. Daughter came up from Sydney and slept for the whole three days. I wonder how she does it sometimes.....I got a big egg though......

Ease Mounting Pressures on Your Horse
The way you mount up from ground to saddle at the start of a ride has important implications for your horse's body and mind. By Karen Smith courtesy Equisearch

Here's a new horse blog I found. It's called 'The Long Horse Ride Blog' - From Beijing to London on horseback between the Olympics and details the travels of Megan Lewis from the UK as she treks from there to London in time for the 2012 Olympics. Takes the trail ride to a whole new level eh?

Introducing Horsevine.com - a social networking site by and for the Horse enthusiast! Their words, not mine but it looks like a Facebook for horse lovers. Their advertising slogan, "I heard it through the Horsevine'. Um.
Then there's Horse-Networks, another 'social site' for horse lovers where you can connect with 8000 horselovers and view over 13000 horse photos. Social networking has come a long way in the past few years.

Funny Horse Pictures - You Don’t See That Everyday. Can’t say I agree with all (any) of them, but you have to admit, they make you do a double take. Courtesy of Paige.

10 Fun Arena Exercises. If you've fallen into a riding rut, try our 10 basic arena exercises. By the Editors of Horse & Rider magazine
In the October '08 issue of Horse & Rider they offered 10 arena exercises you can use in your regular training sessions, as a warm up before your classes at a show, or to get the "fresh" out before a trail ride. Here, you can print out the diagrams (along with detailed information about each) and laminate them to make a handy barn-proof cheat sheet.

The worst horse-human combination possible is a green or young or unbroken horse and a beginner/novice rider. he idea that the untrained horse and the new rider will 'grow together' is one of the most believed, but most dangerously wrong ideas that floats around in the horse world. Here's a video that shows what can happen. Courtesy of Phil Tregear.

Hairdressers are used to grooming wayward locks - but Australian artist Julian Wolkenstein set a new standard when he used horses as models. The 36-year-old teamed up with hair stylist Acacio da Silva to turn the beasts of burden into supermodels of the equine world. Um...interesting.

The City of Boston's mounted patrol - the oldest police horse unit in the United States - is to be dismantled because of budget cuts. The unit, which comprises 12 horses and 10 officers, will be closed this northern summer, bringing to an end a service which dates back to the 1800s. About a dozen staff who help tend the horses will be laid off and the 10 mounted officers redeployed to foot duties. Very sad.

I have one copy only each of Storeys Guide To Raising Horses and Teaching Safe Horsemanship . Certainly worth a look since we pass on our savings to you.

Have a great week!
Geoff

Competition Results Here

Results of the March comp at the foot of this email...and April's comp is now on so why not enter today? We hosted the Australian Ironman comp last weekend and I have to say I have the greatest admiration for all who competed. I've no wish to take years off my life so you won't catch me anywhere near it but congratulations to all who completed the event.

'Because of a Horse', is a promotional campaign designed to raise awareness and funds for America's Horse Cares, the therapeutic riding program of the American Quarter Horse Foundation. I suppose the nearest equivalent is our Riding For The Disabled organisation. Here's a nice video showing some disadvantaged people and the great relationships they build with horses together with the therapeutic advantages too.

We all need a laugh now and then...there's a joke site that has a category of horse jokes that might raise a chuckle for you. I don't guarantee the quality though...

Here's a small article that debunks the 'myths and legends' we all hear about horses. What to do...and what not to do. It also has a graphic pic of a horse getting his teeth 'floated'. Nothing to do with horse floats but filing down teeth. I'm very glad that my dentist doesn't do this sort of thing. He's expensive enough as it is without all the extra apparatus.

Equine-assisted learning programs are based on the idea that horses can sense what a person is thinking and feeling. If the student is fearful or calm, angry or loving, a horse will react in a like manner. An equine-assisted learning program helps CEOs and other executives overcome business obstacles. Great training for bank managers, prime ministers etc perhaps!!

The UKs Grand National is one of the toughest jumping events in the horse racing calendar and I reckon you have to be either supremely professional or a complete idiot to take on those fences....and that's just the horses. Anyway, this year if you had your money on Mon Mome, well he romped home at 100-1. All that after he'd be beaten by 57 lengths and 42 lengths in his last two races. The bookies had a field day...sorry about the pun.

Many horse owners assume that the rain rot, rain scald, mud fever etc is caused by a fungus. Dermatophilus congolensis is interesting because it shares charastics with both fungus’s and bacterias. They are wrong. Dermatophilosis is in fact caused by an organism called dermatophilus congolensis. In horses the dermatophilus congolensis works by entering the follicle of the horses hair shaft. Once it is in the horses hair shaft it can be seen in the form of a large hive. When these hives are removed from the skin horse owners can easily see several (literally dozens and dozens) of hairs embedded in each large lump. Because the dermatophilus congolensis damages the hair root removing these hives does not seem to bother or pain the horse in anyway. Once the scabs/hives are removed owners can see that the skin under the hives is generally a pink color and oozing a yellow pus.
It can be epidemic in mild, wet weather. H10 ointment is very effective and you can read about the condition here.

"I have a 4 1/2 year old appaloosa mare, very heavy cob type, and she is docile and calm in every way except she really protests when I try and put her bit in her mouth, she is not head shy, but refuses to accept the bit, once it's in she's absolutely fine. I have tried using polos, carrot, even washing the bit in minty fresh mouthwash... I do not force the bit into her mouth, just gently persist, which can sometimes take 10-15 mins. Any suggestions?" Read the answer here

Teaching your horse to sidepass makes him more maneuverable on the trail, in traffic, or when negotiating any tight turn. Use the Click 'n Learn stop-action sequence to see Clinton Anderson use sidepassing to ride his horse through a gate. By the Editors of Horse & Rider magazine.

You all wanted to hear the results of March's competition..and thank you very much for the entries. Judging wasn't easy but the 'tame vet' sat down with a coffee and a plate of muffins and scoffed the lot by the time we'd finished. The winner was Toni but we had great fun judging some very high quality entries and so thank you all for supporting us.

"The funniest thing I have seen is teaching my now hubby about horses, and saying when we went to Melbourne 3DE, that you can tell how fiery a horse is by its bit (we were watching the x country warm up ring) he proceed to go "really???", and walked along for a good few minutes with his head on the side studying the horses. I thought he was just being a bit weird, then he asks "do girl horses run quicker than boy horses because they dont have wind resistance??". "No", I answered amused, then watched him while he watched a horse warming up and when it came past him, he was ducking down and putting his head on odd angles. Curiosity definitely got the better of me and I had to ask what an earth he was doing. "Checking out their bits" was the innocent reply. After having to sit down while crying, I had to go back a step and explain that "a bit" was something that goes in the horses mouth and not slang for what's between their legs."

Nice one!

Have a great Easter.

Do Horses Swim Well?!

Where has the sunshine gone?
Our forecast for today after 150 mls of rain yesterday - Showers or rain areas with some moderate to heavy falls, isolated thunderstorms in the north. Fresh east to southeast winds, strong on the coast. Damaging surf conditions. I'd love to share our water.
Some north coast areas have had 750 mls over the past 36 hours...can you believe it?

"You can take the horse out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the horse." Domesticating and stabling horses has radically changed their natural environment and can lead to some serious health issues. Respiratory difficulties are reported to be the leading health problem in domesticated horses. At the first hint of any pulmonary issue, start by immediately consulting your holistic veterinarian for recommendations. From Amy Snow and Nancy Zidonis

Andy Curry is a horse trainer I regard highly. Here's a TV interview of him explaining how much he owes to the methods of training used over 100 years ago when your horse was your livelihood. .
You can have a look at his site and sign up for his newsletter here and watch the second part of the interview here.

In the March 2009 issue of Horse & Rider, trainer John Lyons shares his step-by-step methodology for training a horse to load and unload from a trailer (see "Trauma-Free Trailer Loading" in that issue). But what should you do--and not do--when you encounter a particular problem with your horse as you're working on his trailer-loading training? Here are more of John's expert tips for dealing with five common trailer-loading problems.
To see the 'complete' guide to trailering, then view a short clip of John Pinnell's Australian video here

"She sent pictures of him at a dressage comp and we have spent a number of hours phoning and emailing to ensure that I knew everything about him before buying him. Bad weather and snow prevented me from going to try him out so, foolishly, I bought him without trying." This is how Not to buy a horse...Phil Tragear continues this fascinating story.

If you like horses and musicals then you should not miss this - a very professional short video.

Never heard of Kerry Kuhn? I hadn't either until I came across of column in a US outback newspaper and decided to do a bit of research. Here are some of his methods on short clips. I liked what I saw...hope you do too.

After my plea for entries for the H10 competition last week...we had lots. So thank you everyone who entered. The tame vet and I will be sitting down this week to judge the best entries. More news and the winners very soon. New comp on now though....

An Orlando man is disputing allegations that he hit and shoved two police horses early Saturday. Yep, it's the good old USA and if you hit a police horse then look out for the consequences. Quite right too.

I have always loved heavy horses and Shires too. There's something in their size and their gentleness and here's a great video that captures all that. Courtesy of Northcote Heavy Horse Centre in the UK (sorry about the few Shetlands at the end)

We have a society in Aus too if you're interested.

Have a great week and keep dry!!!

Close Shave From The Cyclone

Our local surfies have been queing up along the beach car parks waiting for the waves from Cyclone Hamish. They seem to be the only people disappointed that the storm is dwindling, thank goodness.
There's been so much rain that I'm fed up with lawn mowing. I've an idea to dig it up and plant fruit trees but that's met with some opposition....

Here's an useful equine expense sheet so that you can calculate all your costs involved in keeping your horse(s). Courtesy of Equisearch. Thanks.

Bad hay is more than unappetizing for your horse. Moldy, dusty or spoiled roughage can trigger respiratory allergies or colic in horses. Buying your hay from a reputable supplier reduces your chances of getting an unacceptable lot, but an occasional bad bale can slip into any shipment. Here's how to test it:

I make no apology for this video...and I hope you laugh yourself silly. I did. It's got all the basic mistakes courtesy of French & Saunders. What skilled riders.

Here's a new blog I found from Katherine Blocksdorf. It's different in that she covers a multitude of topics with some great links to other sites. Worth a look.

The economic impact of the horse industry?. This short letter looks at the impact of the current fiscal crisis in the US on the horse industry. Why print it? Well, I hope things don't get to this stage here in Aus but it's salutary if emotional piece.

The Dubai International Horse Fair (DIHF) 2009 will be held from 19 – 21 March at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hall 5 & 6. This development is in line with the huge growth of the Equestrian Market in the Middle East. New equestrian projects are being developed, driven by the rapid 5% annual growth in population and further propelled by the region's heritage as a culture of horse-lovers. What a show too...if you haven't had a preview you can, here and you can read the 2008 show report too.

Do you watch ER on the TV? Well, here's the equine equivalent together with all the drama and illustrations too.

Some people spend a lot of time and money bathing and conditioning the manes on their horses. Does that really help? Here's a short sound bite from expert Rick Lamb on the importance of looking after
your horses mane and tail.

I've put a big list of all types of horse books you can view here on the H10 site. They're at our usual discounts so it's well worth a look.

Have a great week!