Saturday, December 27, 2008
More from DownUnder, Parelli Clinic
Last April, my friends and I went to West Springfield, MA to enjoy a two-day Parelli Tour Stop.
When the Tour Team was introduced, Alison Bickley was among the group. At the first break I went to speak with this young woman from Sydney. She gave me the email address of her mother, Cassie, in Australia.
Cassie and I emailed back and forth several times about my trip to Australia. In one email Cassie mentioned Helen Topp’s Level 2/3 Clinic that she and Alison were planning to attend in Wilton, New South Wales. I immediately contacted the Center to see if I’d be able to audit. A return email assured me that I would be welcome!
The Australian Parelli Center is on Neil Pye's farm in Wilton, NSW. Neil is a five star Parelli instructor who has been with Pat and Linda Parelli for many years. He is the Dean of Faculty at the Parelli International Study Centers in Colorado and Florida.
Two years ago he married Sue Shoemark, an Australian, and the first president of the Parelli organization.
He and Sue were back in Australia for their Christmas holidays as well as for the wedding of Sue’s son Jake to Helen Topp.
Alison and Cassie Bickley brought their horses to the clinic in their horse ‘float’ (Australian for horse trailer).
Cassie’s horse was a beautiful dark dappled palimino gelding and Alison’s dark bay Thoroughbred mare looked like a Warmblood.
There were six other participants, with different types of horses ranging from Arabians to Australian Stock Horses.
Alison’s American boyfriend, Jake was also at the clinic. He was in Australia for the first time visiting Alison’s family. He is the bloke we see at the Parelli Tour Stops and on the Parelli Savvy Club DVD’s. A wonderful young man, he is playing in level 3 with his horse in the United States.
Saturday morning began on the patio with introductions and all of us expressing our goals for the weekend, including the four auditors!
Helen led an interactive overview of the level 2 and 3 principles, skills, tools and techniques while we furiously took notes and shared experiences.
All of the humans at the clinic had passed at least their Level 1 (safety) and were currently playing with level 2 and 3 (partnership and harmony) in several of the four savvys.
After a couple of simulations everyone went to get their horses ready to ‘mosey’ to the playground to enjoy playing with their partners on-line. All the horses wore rope halters. Most of the participants used their 22-foot lines, carrot sticks and strings. Two participants were learning how to use 45-foot lines.
The weather was sunny, warm but not humid and as WINDY as it could possibly be!! Seriously, it pulled the plastic chair right out of my hands and almost knocked me over several times!
The horses were amazing. Only one seemed to be a little spooked by the wind. All the horses were focused on their humans and were happy.
Everyone played the Seven Games with as many obstacles as they wished in the large playground on the property. There were so many different obstacles to play with: logs of all sizes, hills and ditches, trees, gates and fences, barrels and Irish banks of every description, a “car wash”, a balance beam, a horse size see-saw, cones, pedestals of several sizes and tires in different configurations.
Everyone was having such a wonderful time. Each partnership was at a different place in their journey. Helen moved around from pair to pair, providing encouragement and feedback, discussing techniques to try with differing “horsenalities.”
You could see both humans and horses gaining confidence in their own skills and trust in each other. It was amazing to watch!
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Sunday, December 21, 2008
More from Australia
I went on a natural ride in Canyonleigh, New South Wales at Aruma (an Aboriginal
word meaning 'place of contentment') with Kath and Liz who live on 3400
acres of land.
These two young women give horsemanship lessons and
rides and do summer camp weeks...all natural. They use a lot of Parelli
with other natural techniques. It was just the three of us for a half
day ride in the bush. Liz rode out the first leg of our journey with
her rope halter and 12-foot lead as a single rein. Kath and I rode with horseman's reins on a snaffle bridle with rope halters
under their stockman bridles. We rode on a "casual" or loose rein.
Midpoint we dismounted for a rest, a chocolate bar, an apple and a
drink of water. Kath and I tied our horses to gum trees with the
mecate rein using a quick release knot, while Liz's mare was ground
tied.
As we mounted for our return ride I noticed that Liz had looped
her 12 foot line loosely around her mare's neck, so now she had only
her intent,
focus and body to control her horse's speed and
direction.
Kath and I would trot, canter or gallop ahead as we liked.
Liz was able to ask her horse to wait and then canter softly to join
us! It was sooo nice to see.
Near the end of our ride, Liz began to
whistle for her dog to come meet us. Suddenly two kangaroos leaped out
of the bush spooking my horse...a cool head, a one-rein stop, full seat
britches and practice on the 'mechanical horse' at the Parelli Center
the previous week-end kept me astride my lovely Australian Stock Horse mare named Dakota.
Notes on the Parelli clinic next!
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Saturday, December 20, 2008
DownUnder Experience
My friend, Robin, is having a heckuva time this month. It's summer downunder! Don't want to introduce any feelings of envy here, but read on to live vicariously -- if only for a moment. And stay tuned for more blogging from Australia!
Robin writes: "I am having a wonderful time...took a ride out last week in the bush
and saw lots of wildlife...kangaroos, wild goats, emu and her three
babies, a giant three foot long lizard, wallabies and two huge
eagles...I attended a two day Parelli Clinic at the Australian Parelli
Center last Saturday and Sunday...super! I am riding out in in the
bush in a different place tomorrow..natural horsemanship...can't wait.
Take care. Tell my horses that I am coming home soon."
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Monday, December 15, 2008
Ice Storms Compared, '98 to '08
This just in from Sharon Higgins of Andwemet Farm and a former CMP worker:
I worked at CMP for 19 years and was there for the ice storm of
98.
This storm was nothing in comparison. I worked 19-20 hour days for
28 days straight back during the '98 storm.
People were without power
for 2-3 weeks. Our linemen worked around the clock with 4 hours off to
sleep for every 20 they worked.
As much as we all hate being without
power - especially those of us that have lots of horses to water, this
storm was pretty minor compared to that one. I just thought I would
send a reminder out that we never want another storm like the '98 one.
Hope you get your power back on soon.
I am saying a prayer for all the
linemen out there risking their lives for us and all of us horse people
that need electricity for lights and water.
Sincerely, Sharon
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Thursday, December 11, 2008
Horses Abandonned at California beach
File this under the "How Desperate (and creative) Can Horse Owners Get?
This just in from a woman in California: She and her husband brought their horses to the beach for a winter ride. They took them off their trailer and hit the beach. When they returned to the parking lot, there was two horses in their trailer, munching away on hay!! Desperate owners had apparently dropped off their horses with the assumption that the beach riders/Good Samaritans would give their horses shelter. Wow! A little like dropping off your newborn at the firehouse, huh?
There is no Safe Haven law for horses and their owners -- If there was, I'm sure states would have their hands plenty full with cute, little 1,000-pound bundles of joy.
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Tuesday, December 09, 2008
MPBN radio reports tough times in horsey Maine
Not long after NickerNews blogged extensively on the topic, MPBN reporter Susan Sharon covered the story and interviewed several Maine folks in the horse business.
Check it out at this link:
http://www.mpbn.net/News/MaineNews/tabid/181/ctl/ViewItem/mid/1858/ItemId/8431/Default.aspx
If you can't click on it directly, copy the code and paste it into your browser line. OR, check the Links page of NickerNews.
Thanks!
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Sunday, November 30, 2008
Old Orchard Beach Riding
This note from NickerNews reader Maria:
I was a bit aprehensive about trailering my horses to OOB for a late
November ride. The weather looked good. There was no way to get
the approved seal to park and ride at Pine Point in Scaborough on such
short notice. I made a call to the OOB dispatch and was told we could
park along First St. and use Staple St. Ext. to excess the beach. I was
also instructed to pick up any droppings.
When we arrived, we found a
municipal parking lot right off from First St. We unloaded, saddled up
and had a nice ride on the beach.
The down side of this advanture was the trains which passed through.
First St. runs along the tracks and three trains went by in the 3 hours
that we were there. Although we were in a parking lot, it was close. We
were lucky to have been able to use the parking lot, as our rig was long and the lot only had a few cars.
For a group of riders to go down
together, parking would be an issue.
The other issue was that you would
need to be aware of where the OOB, Scaborough town line is on the
beach, so you wouldn't get in trouble by crossing the boundry to
Scarborough.
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Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Beet Pulp and Bacon
My old mare, Phoenix, and I are all about the same thing lately. Namely, FOOD!
It's gimme, gimme, gimme in the effort to stay warm with this onslaught of cold temperatures! This week, we've been in the teens overnight and barely making it into the thirties during the windy days.
I knew winter was here when I stopped into my friendly North Yarmouth Variety after one of my barn visits. Usually, it's a donut and coffee. Now (and for the foreseeable future!) I got their bacon egg sandwich. It's warmer and heartier. Yum.
And for Phoenix, I've doubled up on the beet pulp. She was getting it once a day. Now it's twice. I soak it and then warm it up with hot water before feed time. I like to think she appreciates it.
Whether we add outside layers (coveralls for me, occasionally a nighttime blanket for her) or inside layers (fat), it's what we do to get through this lovely season.
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Saturday, November 22, 2008
Tough Times, submitted
The following is an email letter I submitted to a public
radio show. They were asking for stories of communities affected by the
economic downturn. And, of course, I thought of our horse community.
Here's
the letter: I listened to your show today while driving from barn to
barn. I take care of horses for a living. One segment prompted me, the
audience, to write about our community during this economic struggle.
And so here I am!
I
am writing on behalf on the horse owner community. Now you may think
horse owners are a well-heeled bunch. And you wouldn’t be entirely wrong.
People who hire me to take care of their horses aren’t the ones I’m
worried about.
But many, many horseowners live paycheck to
paycheck. I know lots of horse folks from across the socio-economic
spectrum and we all agree this winter may bring the Perfect Storm we
all dread.
I hope you’ll consider airing my point of view.
Over
the past year or so, prices for grain, hay, shaving, and other supplies
essential for horse care have gone up dramatically. Some blame biofuels
for grain increases. Lumber mills are burning their own wood instead of
oil, so wood shavings (for horse stall bedding) are no longer a cheap
byproduct. Their cost has shot up.
It costs at least $4,000 per year to care for a horse, so a 30 percent hike in food prices is pretty hard on people.
Here
in Maine (and much of the northern US), costs shoot up in the winter
anyway as we lose our pastures to cold and snow. So we replace our
“free” pastures with more hay and grain. And then, of course, they need
more hay and grain just to stay warm, too.
Maine is a poor,
rural state to begin with. Add a tough job market and I’m thinking the
laid-off worker will feed his kids before he feeds his horse.
In
my opinion, even the recent, well-intentioned ban on horse slaughter
will put horses and their owners in a more miserable position.
I
envision horses dying in their fields. I drive by farms where they’re
suffering already. So, which is more humane – a captive bolt to the
head or death by starvation and exposure?
My friend in Montana sees the same thing happening there.
I talked with a man who works for the Bureau of Land Management and he sees the same thing.
There
aren’t enough equine rescues in Maine to handle all the neglect cases
that are piling up. And I fear there aren’t enough horse owners with
deep pockets and big hearts to adopt or foster all those being
surrendered or seized.
Just today, I heard of a dozen seriously neglected miniature horses surrendered at a local veterinary clinic.
One
of my clients asked me to spread the word, he had a good quarterhorse
and was asking $5,000 for him. I just laughed. In this climate, I doubt
he could give him away. Just look at craigslist, I told him.
It’s
true – boating and horses are two of the most expensive recreations.
But you can’t throw a tarp over your horse for the winter.
I
hope you might consider airing this point of view on behalf of all us
committed to keeping equines safe and sound during this tough time.
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Monday, November 10, 2008
Neglect Steps up in place of Horse Slaughter
I am in complete agreement with the whole horse slaughter thing --- I think it has created a ton of hardship for horses. It really sucks that animal rights people don't really think of the whole big picture when they are lobbying so hard to get something banned.
Those same folks could lobby the horse-loving population to make sure horses don't fall headlong through the huge cracks that have developed since the slaughter ban.
When
we were doing the Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue course, our
instructors had nightmare stories of possum-bellied livestock trailers
(the kind meant for hauling pigs) crammed with horses bound for
slaughter either north of south of the border. Then the trailer crashes
because its overlimit and illegal and they're trying to get away with
it on sideroads and at night.
More horses suffer.
Sucks much.
I work with the MSSPA here in Maine. Proceeds from this site goes to the MSSPA. www.msspa.org
Almost all their horses come from court cases where the state animal welfare
department has seized horses from owners for neglectful or abusive
treatment.
I've been to their barn several times and every single horse
has come from a nightmare. Brooke was kept in a 10 by 10 stall for
years and shared it with 3 other horses and even bore a foal in that
stall with the other horses in it. Others have had to have their
halters surgically removed because the halters have dug so far into
their skin and muscles. Sick situations all.
They
probably have a million dollar
per year operating budget. They house 70 horses steadily. Only about 12
per year get adopted out, mostly because as you can imagine, the horses
can be tough to handle.
There are maybe a half dozen much smaller equine rescues in Maine.
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Saturday, November 08, 2008
Horse Slaugher Ban, the Economy, and Suffering Horses
This entry is from my friend, Afton Otto. We wrangled together in Montana and she has many years experience in things horse in Alaska, Colorado, Montana, and Idaho.
Both of us have seen the unfortunate by-product of the new ban on horse slaughter in the US: More Suffering Horses.
It's too bad when all those animal rights folks were conjuring up this law, they made no effort to construct a contingency plan for all those "saved" horses. Instead, many horses saved from slaughter end up staying alive but just barely. To say their lives have been improved would be a gross mistake.
Afton writes: "I can't write everything that has led me to this point as it will
take a couple hours so here's the short version of the story: the
slaughter ban in the US has really put the horse market in this area of
the country in a bad way.
People are selling off, giving away and
deserting their horses by the dozens as along with the poor economy,
hay being high, etc. they can't afford to keep them and nobody wants to
buy or take them in.
The language in the bill that was passed to ban
the slaughter made no provisions for the horses that would be going to
slaughter except to say "people can take them to a shelter or rescue or
have them humanely euthanised". Unfortunately, humane euthanasia is
expensive (if you can't afford hay, you probably can't afford
HEuthanasia), and there is one rescue in Montana that I have been able to
find. There are several sanctuaries but when those people max out with
horses, no more move in until one dies, etc. So, what we want to do in
this area is to start a shelter!
It is very hard to get started as I
absolutely don't know which direction to go or who to talk to! We are
currently looking for a "free" lawyer to help us and may have some
leads and other than that are kind of stuck! Would you know how to
proceed with this?
Also, it makes me a little bit angry that no one is
talking about this huge problem except to put people on the news that
are neglecting their horses (no mention of how and why they got to that
point in the first place), and I want to put it out there and gain
public support, who do I write to and what should I say?????"
Consider NickerNews a venue for getting the word out, Afton!!
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Sunday, November 02, 2008
Three boos for Deer Season
Yes, folks, that wonderful time of year again. I broke out the orange vests for Brooke and Shea and put orange felt collars on Phoenix and Trixie. We've been hearing gunshots in our neighborhood for over a month now. Target practice, I imagine.
Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with deer hunting. I don't even have a problem with deer hunters. But I do have a problem with Stupid Deer Hunters -- like the Massachusetts woman who shot and killed our dog just a few hundred yards from our house (I suppose I should feel blessed she didn't shoot my mother, who was taking our English Pointer for a walk). Or like the hunters who come into my neighborhood from who-knows-where. You'd swear they're trying to see tracks from the warmth of their pickup truck. No kidding, I have seen these guys sitting 20 feet from their truck with their rifles on their knee, waiting for a deer (or something) to walk within range!
Yes, this blog entry is heavy on disdain. But hey, now I have four horses in my care. And they look a lot more like deer than our dog did.
More to follow...
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Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Field Management
Recently, I had the luck to get a visit from a University of Maine extension agent. He took a look at my fields and made some suggestions. I thought I would pass them along.
I have two fields totalling about eight acres for my four horses. There are plenty of weeds but still lots of quality forage, too. He suggested I mow it every late June or early July, to keep down the weeds. It was good to do it at this time, before the weeds starting getting big and going to seed (and spreading).
Also, he talked about the horses' grazing patterns. If the horses have lots of space, they will graze only on what they like and leave the less tasty plants. Eventually, since the less tasty plants aren't being eaten, they will outnumber the horses' preferred grasses.
In order to combat this problem, he suggested fencing off smaller portions of the pasture and have them graze down the entire plot. The horses will get used to eating everything -- not just the creme de la creme. Then, he continued, rotate the horses over to rested pasture every week or so.
Who knew? I thought I was doing my horses a favor by fencing off as much pasture as possible. But his suggestion of blocking off portions of the pasture and moving them regularly makes perfect sense. I'm so glad it's been pointed out to me.
And the mowing makes sense, too. By mowing, I knock down the not-so-tasty weeds that the girls won't eat. If I didn't mow, then (again) those weeds would overtake the good grass.
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Saturday, October 25, 2008
Boot Success
A little 'wahoo!' today after nearly a month of waiting.
I bought a pair of Ariat lacers from Bootbarn.com earlier this year. They were ok, but wearing out too quickly and not as great as I've come to expect from Ariat. So after four months and much deliberation, I sent them back along with a letter of disappointment from this faithful and long-time Ariat wearer.
The 'wahoo' comes with my new pair of boots, delivered today, at no charge.
Hey, when you spend all day in your boots, you need them to be comfy and wicked durable, right? It was so satisfying that Bootbarn and Ariat agreed.
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Chillin'
An amusing musing: I was hanging out with the girls (my four mares) tonight and having my barn-chore beer. I sat for some minutes on the step of one of our stalls and Shea, my 7 year old, hung out with me. She usually lingers with me while the others graze.
As in the past, she seems to like to sniff my beer bottle while I hold it in front of me. I think she likes the smell OR likes the noise her breath makes as she blows on the top of the bottle. Shea would blow out and seemingly listen to the noise (like the noise we make when we blow with our mouths across the bottle opening). Then she would switch nostrils and do the same thing with the other nostril. Then back to the other nostril!
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Wednesday, October 15, 2008
That's what mares do
Back to the herd dynamics discussion. Yes, that's me and my barn full of mares (four), including the new 12-year old little quarterhorse.
She's doing much better, now. All the drama has calmed down but not without the intense locker room karma of heat.
Yes, ma'am. First one, then another, then another came into heat. You would have sworn you were backstage at a Broadway show with all the tails up in the air and noses everywhere!
As my brother's elderly babysitter would say, "this too shall pass."
And it has, thank goodness!
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Monday, October 06, 2008
A twist in her knickers
Just another note about our farm's new addition and the dynamics of her fitting into the herd.
Well, at least it is getting better.
After a few days of watching the new mare getting bullied around by the big girl, Shea, I decided to force the issue. I moved my older paint and the diplomat Shetland across the street, where I have temporary room for them at another barn.
I figured with cohorts gone, she would have no choice but to buddy-up to the new girl. Make nice, I was asking of her.
Well, so far, so good. They are getting along well. Only an occasional ears-back, better-move-over-sista kind of look.
Tune in next time as I move them all to greener pastures for some bigger space and grazing opportunities!
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Herd Dynamics
We recently added a new mare to our herd. Four mares now - an elderly Shetland, an elderly paint, a big, 7-year old PMU, and the lovely, new addition - a little 12-year old quarterhorse.
It was VERY interesting to watch them sort themselves out.
Immediately, the Shetland befriended the new mare.
Now, before the new addition, the Shetland was at the bottom of the totem pole. And the paint was very much at the top.
In this new scenario, the little pony was the mediator. She would put herself between the newbie and the bigger girls even if it meant getting pushed around and nearly kicked.
Meanwhile, the paint was totally taking the backseat. She did not play the assertive card at all. I watched as she left the little quarterhorse alone.
The PMU, on the other hand, felt it was her job to make our new addition as miserable and unwanted as possible. Talk about pinned back ears!
More on these observed dynamics soon!
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Tuesday, September 23, 2008
More Road Items
Oh, hey! Just back from another ride with my girl, Shea. We hit the road again, as we must in this neighborhood. (Unfortunately, I don't have a monster National Forest in my backyard!) And hitting the road reminded me of some basic lessons I've learned over the years:
1. Always ride against traffic. When you ride on the left side of the road, you can see what's coming. In other words, ride with traffic and you cannot see that idiot who's about to scream by your boot.
2. Wave and smile to considerate drivers. Paying it forward, ya know? Consider yourself an ambassador to all things horse.
3. Avoid the "Slow Down" hand gesture favored by highway workers. I've found this gesture pisses people off. Inconsiderate drivers, when 'waved down' usually respond by a). speeding up, b). coming closer, c). sounding their horn, d). all of the above and then some.
My friend uses the horrified look. The "my-horse-is-going-to-flip-and-lives-will-be-lost-because-of-you" expression. That sometimes works. If not, see next pointer.
5. Carry cell phone. Necessary for calling for help OR calling in the license plate number of the guy who just buzzed by your boot.
6. Anticipate hazards, especially if you have a spooky horse. If some guy is mowing his lawn, cross to the other side. Same if there’s a sprinkler or yard sale or whatever.
7. If a dog is harassing you, remember the front of a horse is way more scary to it than the back of a horse. Also, the unseen dog is way more scary to your horse than the seen dog. So, be pro-active!
8. Your suggestion here!
9. Have fun!!
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Tuesday, September 02, 2008
What's Five Minutes?
I think most of us would like to spend more time with our horse(s). But there's work, kids, bills to pay. Heck, I only see the couch once a week with all the clean laundry piled on it!
So I'm pushing for mini-moments. If I can take 5 or 10 minutes and do something with my horse (and then do something else with my other mare), then I will feel better. And I think she feels better, too.
And what's five minutes? It can mean a lot if you check in with your horse and have him work a little. Five minutes of playing games and challenging him just a bit. Five minutes of bonding. Five minutes of therapy (cheap therapy, lemme tell ya!). Five minutes of getting dirty. Call it what you want.
It ain't much but it might keep horse and rider sane 'til bigger chunks of time come along.
It takes even less time to check over your horse every morning and every night. Did you check out his hooves and run your hand over him? Sounds simple and easily done - but how many of us do it religiously?
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