Natural Treatments for Thrush

  Thrush is a hoof infection that many horse owners are aware of. It is caused by not properly caring for the hooves, especially in a wet, muddy environment, or by not mucking out the horses stall and or not changing the bedding often enough. This buildup of moist debris allows bacteria, commonly Fusobacterium necrophorum, to grow in the hoof. The result is a frog with a putrid-smelly, greasy black substance coming from. If caught early enough, you can stop the infection from spreading to inside of the hoof, causing lameness. A good way to prevent thrush is by regularly scheduling your farrier visits and making sure your horse's paddock and stall is clean and dry.

 If your horse gets thrush, the first thing you have to do is get him to a dry, clean environment. Make sure to pick out his hooves daily. Thus prevents more bacteria from building up. A helpful strategy is to use a popsicle stick to clean the frog and heel bulbs.

Click to enlarge

 You should also make sure you disinfect to the kill the bacteria. According to Melissa Shelton, DVM, you apply several drops of Thieves oil blend directly to the affected area two to four times a day or as often as needed. Other oils you can apply are cassia, cinnamon, eucalyptus globulus, lavender, lemongrass, marjoram, melaleuca, alternifolia, mountain savory, ocotea, oregano, black pepper, and thyme. You can also use the following oil blends in addition to the Thieves oil blend: Abundance, Exodus II, Melrose, Purification, R.C.(Respiratory Congestion), Thieves Household Cleaner, and Thieves Spray.

 It is important that you use at least one of these oils several times a day on the infected hoof. Apply several drops of the oil directly onto the infected and clean out the hoof. Also, it is important to talk to your farrier if your horse gets thrush, as he may be able to help by shoeing your horses(if he isn't already) and trimming his hooves regularly.

The Dartmoor Pony

 History
Dartmoor Ponies are native to southern England. They have lived there for centuries. During the Middle Ages, the hardy little ponies hauled heavy loads from one village to another,often traveling several miles. However, in 1535, King Henry VIII passed a law to kill all horses under 14 hands, putting the tiny Dartmoor at risk. He even fined people with small horses! Later, he passed another law, changing the minimum height to 15 hands. He hoped that by doing so, bigger horses, more suitable to carrying knights in heavy armor, would be bred. Once Queen Elizabeth I took the throne, she invalidated the law. Tiny Dartmoors came into use again.

 In the eighteenth century, when mining became popular in England, the Dartmoors became pit ponies, used to haul mine carts out of the mines. Shetland blood was added to the breed by miners. After the mines closed, ponies were released into the wild.

 In the 1930s, the Dartmoor Pony came to North America for the first time. His sturdiness and kind temperament made him loved by adults and children alike. Throughout the years, as often happens to other breeds, the Dartmoor was crossbred with some other horse breeds to create a better pony. Before long, pureblood Dartmoors were becoming rare. It was Joan Dunning that had a significant influence on the breed. From the day in 1936 when Dartmoor Ponies first set foot on her farm in White Post, Virginia and forward, she bred pureblood Dartmoors, become a leading breeder in the Dartmoor Pony world. Today, her daughter, Hetty Abeles, is one of the most popular Dartmoor Pony breeders.

Dartmoors are small and sturdy, making them perfect for driving or children's mounts.
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 In 1951, Dartmoor National Park was made in the area of England where the pony originated. There, the Dartmoor Ponies, some of which are owned by local farmers, are protected by the government. To further help the Dartmoor Pony, the Dartmoor Pony Moorland Scheme was founded in 1988. They helped by keeping the pony' bloodlines pure. Since then, the Dartmoor Pony has become increasingly popular in the U.S., and more and more Dartmoors have been imported from England.

Breed Description and Uses
 Dartmoors are small, sturdy ponies, standing between 11.1 to 12.2 hands high on average. Their legs are short and their head is small. Due to their small size, they are popular children's mounts. Sometimes, they are even used for driving.

Horse Show in Fresno

 Saturday was probably one of the most awesome days ever! I went to an eventing show and got to watch Sarah, one of my blogging friends, and her horse Bohemian compete in eventing. I watched one show jumping class before Sarah's and really enjoyed myself. Several horses stopped before some fences, and one time the rider fell over the head of the horses and landed on the other side of the fence. Ouch. No, I didn't get a picture of it. The rider left the arena after that fall. This show was actually the first horse show that I have been to, so it was fun.

Group shot! Left to right: Me, my friend Angel, Bohemian, Sarah, and Walden(the dog).

 After the first class, I went over to say hi to Sarah, who was getting ready for her class. Blogging friend in real life! It was so cool to meet her. We talked about Bohemian(her horse) while she tacked him. Then we went over to the warm-up arena and I watched her warm-up. When it was her turn to enter the arena, I went over to the rail to watch her ride. She and Bohemian looked great out there.

 I watched the rest of the class. There were lots of big horses. Huge. Surprisingly, there was even a pony ridden by a girl around 10 or 11 years old. Once the class was over, I went back to Bohemian's stall to talk to Sarah some more. She let me give Bohemian treats and then my dad took pictures of us. Bohemian even gave me some hugs. Cute boy. It was a really fun day. Sarah was as awesome in real life as she is on her blog(if not even cooler), and Bohemian was such a sweet boy! I told my mom on the way home that I want a horse like Bohemian(with his temperament, I mean). I loved being at the show and most of all meeting Sarah and Bohemian, and would love to do it again some day. Now, for pictures.                              

Bohemian munching on hay before his class.

Sarah and Bohemian before their class.

Warming up.

Still warming up.

Went over a jump before their class. 

The first fence

Cantering around the course

The bay is heading for the first jump.

This bay is canter is cantering. I think he just landed
after the first jump of the course.

Before we watched any classes, my family and I said hello
to Flo, an Irish Sport/Swedish Warmblood mix.

Dales Pony

History
 The Dales Pony comes from the eastern slope of England's Pennines Range, originating from the ancient Pennine Pony that once lived there and the now extinct Scottish Galloway. When the Romans invaded the area between 43 and 410 AD, they discovered the the small ponies were strong, so they began using the ponies to carry heavy loads of lead from various to mines to mills. Often, the ponies would travel as much as 200 hundred miles a week without tiring.

 Later, Norfolk Trotter, Yorkshire Roadster, and Friesian blood was added to the mix, creating a pony with even more speed and substance, as well as flashy knee action from the trotter. In the eighteenth century, the agile pony with lots of stamina became favored by hunters. To improve the gait of the pony, a Welsh Cob stallion by the name Comet was breed to the dales in the 1850s. Not long after that, with the improvement of roads, the Dales became a stage coach horses.

 In 1916, the breed stud book was opened and the Dales Pony Improvement Society was formed. It was in the early part of this century, however, that the breed was hit pretty bad. They were used during the first World War and again in World War II. World War II almost brought the end of the breed. Hundreds of mares were taken by the army to by used for breeding cavalry mounts, many never to return to their homeland again. In 1964, The Dales Pony Improvement Society, who then changed their name to the Dales Pony Society, began to make efforts to save the breed. They searched for Dales Ponies, registering them and breeding them. Over the next seven years, the number of ponies steadily increased. Today, only about 300 exist in North America.

Dales Ponies and strong and sturdy, commonly coming in black.
source

Breed Description and Uses
 Dales Ponies, standing 14 hands high on average, are sturdy and muscular. They have strong, solid hooves, often tinted blue; clean legs with some feathering on them; sloping shoulders; arched necks; a straight profile; and a small muzzle. They are most commonly black, but bay, gray, and roan sometimes occurs.

 The Dales' endurance makes it excellent in almost every equestrian sport, particularly driving and English sports.

Interview: Lynn Reardon

 Last week, I was able to interview Lynn Reardon, who runs the LOPE(LoneStar Outreach to Place Ex-Racers) in Texas. She re-homes ex-racehorses, something I am interested in doing. It was a really fun interview and I thought you guys would enjoy it.

Midway, one of the horses Lynn rehomed.
credit

Do you need any special education or a license to rescue horses? No, that is not a requirement. I had owned horses before and had some very basic understanding of horse care needs -- which was helpful.

How did you first get interested in rescuing horses? How did you get started? I wrote a book (Beyond the Homestretch) about how I began my work -- it was a bestseller in Austin and Dallas, plus became the #1 horse book on Amazon for a short period. I actually never got interested in "rescuing" horses -- instead I had fallen in love with ex-racehorses and wanted to work with them very much. I wasn't a professional trainer and didn't have the usual credentials to become a trainer. My career had been in accounting and administrative management for nonprofit organizations -- horses were a hobby. I took lessons at a polo barn -- and nearly all of the horses were ex-racehorses. When I realized that ex-racehorses often need help transitioning to new lives after racing -- and that Texas didn't have a racehorse charity to do that -- boom, I had the idea to start LOPE. It was a way to combine my previous nonprofit experience with helping ex-racehorses :) We actually see ourselves as an employment agency for at-risk equine youth rather than a fireman kind of rescue place. 

What are your primary responsibilities around the rescue? At our ranch, I supervise the care of all the horses (feeding, vet care, farrier, etc). I also do the riding and training at our farm (though we also send some of our horses to professional trainers before being adopted). I am also responsible for fundraising, event management, updating the website and social media pages -- and writing for our blog.

How do you find the horses and how much do you usually buy them for? We take donations of horses directly from the racing industry -- which means that race owners, trainers and breeders donate their horses to LOPE that aren't racing anymore. We don't usually buy horses.

How do you decide which horses to rescue? We take horses on a first come, first serve basis from the industry. We do prefer that the horses have raced within the last year and that they be able to do another job with retraining and rehab.

Lynn on Mystery Blessing. credit

How much work does it take to train and rehabilitate the horses before you set them up for adoption? Each horse is an individual, so the answer to this question varies depending on the horse. Typically, we like to give the horses a month or so off from work (like a mini-vacation) before we start retraining them. The retraining might take just a few rides or a couple months. Rehabilitation also varies, depending on the type of injury. We have taken in horses with simple mild body soreness as well as horses requiring surgery to remove bone chips -- so the range is pretty broad :)

What sort of training exercises do you do with them to get them ready for being ridden off the track and prepare them for future careers(pleasure, jumping, etc)? We like the horsemanship school of Tom Dorrance and Ray Hunt. These two master horsemen are now deceased, but there are several excellent clinicians who studied with them -- such as Buck Brannaman, Peter Campbell and Tom Curtin. If you would like to get a better sense of this horsemanship, you might want to check out the documentary called "Buck" -- it is about Buck Brannaman and you might really enjoy it. The movie won the Audience Award at Sundance Film Festival and made the long list for an Oscar nomination.

But back to your question -- we like to help the horses with the basic foundation training (kind of like kindergarten for horses). We do ground work exercises, a gentle re-starting under saddle (so they learn that being ridden doesn't mean racing anymore) and overall building their confidence levels. If we help the horses get a good foundation in the basics, we think that will help them no matter what career (jumping, trail riding, etc) they go into later.

What is your favorite part about rescuing horses? I really love working with the horses and riding them! It is so much fun to help a horse learn new job skills that help keep him safe in the future :)

What is your advice to someone wanting to start a career in rescuing horses?(I realize that it's more of passion than something you do to make money) First, I would say it is important to narrow your goal. Do you want to rescue horses from neglect situations? Do you want to transition racehorses to new careers? Do you want to work with senior citizen horses? Or PMU foals? All of those things (and more) are considered forms of horse rescue -- but are all very different types of work. It's kind of fire fighting. Do you want to be the firefighter who pulls people from burning buildings and leaves them safely on the curb? Or do you want to be the nonprofit shelter that takes the people in while their house is being rebuilt? Or do you want to be the person who set ups smoke detectors in homes -- so that a fire wouldn't happen at all?

Also, I worked in the nonprofit world for years before I started a horse adoption charity. There is no reason why someone who runs a horse rescue shouldn't be paid -- it helps keep the organization stable to have a paid person running it and also is reassuring to funders to know that the charity is well-managed. I am paid for my work -- it's a very small salary, but my charity's board of directors insist that I take some payment for my work -- because they think it is important to value the efforts of the executive director position.

What do you do if a horse doesn't get adopted? That has never happened :) Once a horse comes to LOPE, he or she can stay as long as necessary to find the right home. One horse (Storm, who is in my book) was with us for almost two years -- but eventually found the perfect home for him.

Do you have a favorite horse that you have rescued? In my book, I talk about a beautiful stallion named Tawakoni. He was the son of a famous winner of the Kentucky Derby (Grindstone). I had never worked with a stallion before -- and when I asked horse neighbors for advice, they all thought I was crazy to have a stallion on our place (because in their biased world view, all stallions were dangerous). But Tawakoni was very gentle and well-mannered. He was adopted by a petite woman who owned a beautiful breeding facility for show horses. She worked with her stallions easily and had no fear of them. She and Tawakoni taught me how important it is to not accept the "conventional wisdom" on face value -- but instead to keep an active, inquisitive mind to learn the truth about horses.

Is there anything else you would like to add? No, you asked excellent questions -- thank you for that!

Also, do you allow visitors? Yes, we do allow visitors by appointment :)

Criollo Horse

History
During the early 1500s, Spanish conquistadors travelled to  the New World, settling mostly in South America. They took horses of Barb descent with them. Many were lost or stolen, and began to run free across the Pampas(plains) of South America. Over the next few centuries, the number of feral horses in South America increased rapidly. At one point, in 1580, there were 12,000 of them galloping across the plains, though were captured over the years when settlers needed them for work.

 However, there huge numbers began to change in the early 1800s when European invaders came to Argentina, binging with them Percherons and Thoroughbreds, both of which greatly increased the size of the breed. Before long, the Criollo was almost becoming extinct. Only 200, held by a south American tribe, remained. It wasn't until 1917, though, that the Sociedad Rural de Argentina began making efforts to save the breed. Upon discovering the small herd, they began a breeding program. The next year, a breed registry was made, and in 1923, the breed association was formed. Five years later, a breeder named Dr. Solanet, who was interested in the Chilean Horse, wanted the Criollo to become more compact and stock, like the horse he admired. In 1934, he took over the breed association. Soon, over 70% of the Criollo had been culled from the registry because they didn't fit the criteria, and the breed became more compact and stocky, like it is today.

Criollos are stocky, muscular horses, perfect for ranch work.

Breed Description and Uses
 Everything about the Criollo reflects strength and power. Standing 14.1 hands, it has muscular, sloping shoulders, a powerful crested neck, short legs and back, a sloping croup, and burly hindquarters. Most commonly, it comes in dun, but other coat colors can be found as well, including patterns with a dorsal stripe and zebra markings on the legs.

 The Criollo is one of the best endurance horses. In fact, breeders often test the horse's endurance by having them travel 466 miles in 75 hours, divided evenly among 14 days. Despite the rigorousness of the test, no supplements of any kind are allowed. The horses must be able to make to the end without any performance-enhancing supplements.

Book Review: Beyond the Homestretch, by Lynn Reardon

 Quite recently, I purchased a Beyond the Homestretch, by Lynn Reardon. Lynn founded LOPE(LoneStar Outreach to Place Ex-Racers), a Texan adoption center focusing on finding homes for ex-racehorses. It was an excellent read!

Click here to check it out

Summary
 Beyond the Homestretch talks about how Lynn quit her office job in Washington DC and moved out to Austin, Texas area. She became interested in Thoroughbreds and decided she wanted to rescue them. At first, she started out by just listing adds on her website for local trainers and owners, but one day, she  bought a 26 acre ranch and began taking horses to her ranch as well. The book is full of success stories, ranging from those of a docile filly, injured geldings, a stallion, and many more horses–all experiences of her own.

 I love her writing style, too. her descriptions are vivid, often involving humorous descriptions about certain situations.  I would recommend this book to any Thoroughbred lover, or people who are interested ex-racehorse success stories. Beyond the Homestretch is definitely high up on my favorites list!

The Connemara Pony

History
  More a thousand years ago, small, Shetland-like ponies roamed the rocky coast of Western Ireland. They remained untouched by other breeds of horses until the fifth and sixth century, when raiders brought Celtic ponies with them. These ponies bred with the Shetland-like one. Over the next few centuries, more horses, possibly Spanish Jennets(extinct) and Irish Hobby horses, came to Western Ireland, mixing with the native breed. The result was the famous Connemara, who is believed to have inherited its smooth gaits from the Jennet and the Hobby horses.

The Connemara
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 As with many other breeds, the Connemara began as a farm horses(ponies). Poor farmers would capture one, usually a mare, and train it for farm work using food was much better than that found in the wild. Because most families only owned one, the pony had to be able to perform a variety of tasks: driving, plow pulling, riding, and even breeding.

 Throughout the 19th century, Arabian blood was continually added to the Connemara as a way of refining it. However, in the late 1800s, the number of Connemara took a plunge. Many died during the Potato Famine, when people had better things to worry about than the continuation of the breed. Nevertheless, the breed managed to survive through the Irish government's efforts to preserve it by adding Hackney, Thoroughbred, Norfolk, Yorkshire Roadster, and Welsh blood to it. Today, the government still checks the beed yearly, inspecting it to see whether it is suitable for breeding.

Breed Description and Uses
 Connemaras are nimble, sure-footed horses, able to leap stone walls and canter over uneven ground. Standing 12.2 to 15 hands high, the ponies have round haunches and long legs with high knee action and ground-covering strides. Their coats come in brown, dun, black, gray, and chestnut.

 Because of their athletic ability, Connemaras are often used are sport horses in England.

The Colorado Rangerbred

History
The Colorado Rangerbred's history began in 1878, when Ulysses S. Grant sailed to Europe and the Middle East, particularly Turkey, during his presidency. When it was time for Grant to leave, Sultan Abdulhamid gave Grant two young stallions–an Arabian by the name Leopard and a Barb called Linden Tree. Those two stallions helped diversify Grant's stock.

 In 1879, Leopard and Linden Tree arrived in Virginia. There, they caught the attention of Rudolph Huntington, who wanted to use them to produce a light harness horse. Grant gave Huntington permission to use the horses in his breeding program. However, Huntington lost funding for the project just before the 20th century when the horseless carriage was introduced, so he had to sell the horses. General Colby, a rancher from Nebraska, managed to convince Huntington to lend him Linden tree and Leopard for one breeding season. It wasn't long before ranchers in Colorado heard of excellent cow horses with Barb and Arabian blood in them. A.C. Whipple, one Colorado's most respected ranchers, headed to Colby's ranch to buy a small band of mares, all sired by either Leopard or Linden Tree, and a stallion named Tony, who was the gray grandson of Leopard. These horses were bred with mixed bred stock horses, producing spotted offspring with amazing cow sense. Before long, there were many Appaloosa-patterned horses in Colorado.

The Colorado Rangerbred
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 In the 1930s, Colorado State University became interested in the breed. With the help of Mike Ruby and his stallions Patches #1 and Max #2, descendants of Linden Tree and Leopard, a breeding program was created. Foals received the refinement and stamina of the Barb and Arabian while still maintaining there dam's level-headedness and cow sense. In 1938, the breed was officially named the Colorado Ranger Horse and the Colorado Ranger Horse Association was founded. However, the association had a fifty member limit, and not all the horses could be registered at the time, so many were accepted in the Appaloosa Horse Club instead. Only in 1964 was the limit removed. Since then, many Appaloosas with some Rangerbred blood in them have been registered.
Today, all registered Rangerbreds must have either Patches #1 or Max #2 in their pedigree.

Breed Description and Uses
 Standing from 14.2 to 16 hands high, the Rangerbred has a stock horse conformation: powerful haunches, clean legs, solid hooves, and a level topline. Because of this, they are generally used in western classes, particularly western pleasure, though they are used in ranching too.

Clydesdale

History
 The Clydesdale is the United Kingdom's youngest draft breed, with it becoming a breed only 150 years ago. To create the breed, calm mares from Lanarkshire(the Clyde Valley) were bred with the type of English draft stallions that were often found carrying knights bravely into battle. Also in the bloodline was several Flemish stallions imported to Scotland in the late 1700s.

 Several stallons are noted to have had a great influence on the breed. One includes a brown imported by the Duke of Hamilton in the 18th century. The other two include a black Flemish with white stockings and a white face, as well as Blaze, a 16.1 hand high black horse thought to have the blood of a coach horse. He marked the Clydesdale with his flashy knee action.

 In 1806s, a filly, the descendant of the black flemish stallion, was foaled. She became very influential to the breed, producing sturdy offspring with strong legs. These offspring, too, made a mark on the Clydesdale we know today.

 In the early 1900s, the Clydesdale had reached its peek. There were an estimated 140,000 horses, with about 1,600 stallions being exported in 1911 alone. However, things began to look down for the famous draft by the end of World War I. The '20s brought on the use of machines for farm work, and, consequently, drafts were simply left to run free in certain countries. By the end of World War II, only 200 hundred Clydesdales were licensed to work in England. By 1949, the number plummeted to 80.

A team of Clydesdales pull a wagon. source

 In the '60s, the breed took another hit as more and more machines were used, and their numbers began to swiftly decline. Only several hundred existed in the UK. In 1975, the breed was categorized as "vulnerable," though over the past four decades, the number has increased a little. Now, with approximately 5,000 Clydesdales registered worldwide, the breed has advanced to "at risk."

 Today, Clydesdale are extremely popular throughout North America due to the famous Budweiser horses.

Breed Description and Uses
 Clydesdales, unlike most other draft breeds, are more slim than burly, though don't underestimate their strength. They were bred to work hard a carry heavy loads of coal, produce, and even beer. Their gaits are high-stepping and flashy, their neck high-set, and their stockings and blaze eye-catching, making them elegant enough to be nice carriage horses. Also, their feet are huge, which complicates using them to pull plows. Because of that, these tall, 16 to 19 hands high drafts were commonly found in cities.

 Most commonly, Clydesdales are bay with white stockings, a blaze, and heavy feathering around the fetlocks. Sometimes, sabino coloring occurs, with white stretching up as far as the belly. Other colors include roan, black, and gray.

 Clydesdales are mostly used for driving, though if crossbred with another breed, like the Arabian, a common choice, they make prized eventing horses.

PS Check out this cool giveaway @ She Moved to Texas.

The Carolina Marsh Tacky

History:
 The Carolina Marshy Tacky came to North America with the Spaniards, who were hoping to colonize parts of it. One man, Luis Vazquez de Ayllon, was hoping to colonize the coast of North and South Carolina, as well Virginia, in 1526. He brought with him approximately 500 people and 89 horses. However, the idea of creating a colony flopped, and the people who had not died there left within the year, leaving behind their horses.

 One herd had swam to the Shackleford islands, while the other remained in what is now South Carolina. The latter had to adapt to the harsh marshlands of the area, but once they did, they became a prized horse among local Native American tribes–Choctaws, Chickasaws, Cherokees, and Seminoles. When Europeans began settling North American, the sure-footed horse was used by them too. Francis Marion and his troops, who fought in the swamplands of South Carolina, used these horses during the Revolutionary War. The breed had become so popular by them that the British referred to them as "tacky," meaning "common."

Marsh Tackies are sturdy, sure-footed horses, able run effortlessly through
wetlands due to their flat, dish-like hooves. source

 However, the breed is not so common today. As cars arrived in South Carolina, the horses went out the back door, their numbers dwindling down to 300 in South Carolina alone. In 2006, the American Livestock Breed Conservancy got involved after having travelled to South Carolina to determine whether the breed still existed. After confirming their find using DNA testing, they created a studbook. By June of 2007, owners decided to form the Carolina Marsh Tacky Association. Today, the biggest herd is owned by the Carolina Marsh Tacky Association, consisting of 100 horses. In further attempts to preserve the breed, the Marsh Tacky became South Carolina's state heritage horse.

Breed Description and Uses:
Standing under 14.3 hands high, the Marsh Tacky is well-muscled, yet also refined with large, pan-like feet and the ability to be ridden all day without tiring, even over rough terrain. Consequently, it is commonly used as a trail horse. Most often, the Tacky is dun colored.

 As for the temperament, the Tacky is calm and unafraid of guns, which is why it is favored among hunters. Should it get stuck in a bog, it would calmly climb out, whereas most other breeds would likely panic.

The Budenny

History
 After the Russian Revolution and World War I, with many equines having died in battle, the Russians needed to breed new mounts for the cavalry officers. Marshall Semyon Budenny, a respected Soviet general, began trying to create a perfect officer's mount in 1921. He looked for horses with favored characteristics–strength, sure-footedness, controllability, maneuverability, and spirit. Furthermore, the horse had to be be to survive on scanty rations and still be ready for action the next day.

 They achieved creating such a horse by crossing the Don, a native cavalry horse that traces back to Thoroughbreds, Arabians, and Russian Orlovs, with the English Thoroughbreds that had come over as racehorses in 1885. The best of the offspring was sent to the Budenny(pronounced bood-yo-nee) Higher Cavalry School, where they received training before becoming cavalry horses. Of this small amount of horses, only 10% of the mares and 5% of  the stallions were accepted as suitable breeding stock. In 1948, the horses were recognized as a breed and was named Budenny. In 1953, though, the USSR Calvary disbanded, changing the Budenny's role from a war horse to a sport horse.

If you really look at the Budenny, you can see the Thoroughbred in it.
source

 Today, only 2,500 Budennies have been registered, with only 600 of them being mares.

Breed Description and Uses
 The Budenny has received the best qualities from both the Thoroughbred and the Don. From the Thoroughbred came its flowing, agile movement; its long neck; its slender, strong legs; large bones, and pretty head, while it inherits its hardiness and calm from the Don. Standing around 16 hands high, the Budenny usually comes in various shades of chestnut, also inherited from the Don. One peculiarity of the breed is that it has the same metallic sheen in its coat as the Don and the Akhal-Teke.

 The Buddenny's temperament, intelligence, and trainability make it an excellent war horse. Often, it is known as a one-person horse because it bonds so deeply with its handler, bravely doing anything for him, whether that be bravely marching into battle or boldly soaring over fences. Also, Budennies are smart enough to think independently should their rider be otherwise occupied. At the same time, though, they will do what their rider asks of them, even if they had made another choice.

 The Budenny excels in dressage, jumping, steeplechase, and eventing, though its ability to recover quickly from a hard exercise makes it an ideal mount for almost any sport.

The Brumby

History:
 In 1788, the first horses–a group of seven mares and stallions–landed in Australia with the convicts that first settled the continent long ago. These horses had proved that they were tough enough to survive the voyage and once again showed they could withstand the intense heat and bitter cold of the continent. As a result, the breed improved by one simply law–the survival of the fittest.

 Before the 1800s, horse racing gained popularity on the continent. Consequently, English Thoroughbreds were sent there to improve the racehorses. Timor Ponies, Arabians, Clydesdales, Suffolk Punches, and Chilean horses soon followed. While most were intended to be bred and used as police horses, war horses, and gold rush mounts, many simply ran away and disappeared. These horses probably bred with the free range horses belonging to early settler James Brumby, thus earning their name. When tractors and other mechanical farm equipment came into use, horses were abandoned, sent to run with the wild Brumbies.

The Brumby source

 Many of these Brumbies were gathered to be used as sheep and cattle. However, some people believed that the wild horses were eating to much of the cattle and sheep grazing lands, and thought that the horses had to be killed, so they began shooting them from airplanes to reduce their numbers. One such massacre occurred at the Guy Fawkes River National Park in October 2000. Shortly afterward, a group of people in favor of saving Brumbies formed an organization known as Save the Brumbies Inc. The group seeks to stop Brumbies from being killed in huge numbers and wants to give them a sanctuary where they can safely roam. However, just like the BLM continues rounding Western United State's mustangs, Brumbies are often being hunted, though alternate methods of control are being investigated. This includes the adoption of Brumbies.

Breed Characteristics and Uses:
The Brumby's appearance can vary, seeing as many different breeds have been introduced to the wild over the years. However, they usually stand 14.2 to 15.2 hands high, and are cunning, sure-footed, and intelligent. Sometimes, they are even captured and used as saddle or stock horses.

Secretariat Sketch

Secretariat was one of the greatest Thoroughbreds to ever set foot on the racetrack.
Even people unfamiliar with horse racing know of his achievements. He is most known
for winning each Triple Crown race in record time and zooming to a 31 length finish in
the Belmont Stakes. Today, this legendary horse is considered to be one of the greatest
racehorses to ever live, the other being Man o' War.

Equestrian Activities: a Workout

I saw this one on Facebook and thought fellow equestrians would appreciate it. Bye bye long hours at the gym! Lol.

Ha ha! Who needs a gym membership when you have horses? Not me!
source

The Belgian Draft

History:
 The ancestor of all draft horses, the Flemish, a heavy black horse much like the Friesian, originated in the small European country of Belgium. From him came another draft in the early 1800s–one sharing similar traits to the Flemish.

 To encourage the breeding of this new breed, the Belgian government started making district shows, all of which were qualifying rounds for the great National Show In Brussels. They began offered generous cash prizes for well-bred mares and stallions. They even had inspection committees examine stallions that were in public stud service so they could control the type of horses that were produced. It was a huge-scale operation, set to produce the best new type of draft horses. These "Belgians," as they came to be called, were like a treasure and national heritage to the people of Belgium.

 In 1866, Dr. A. G. Van Hoorebeke from Monnouth, Illinois imported the first Belgian horses to the United States. Several businessmen in Wabash, Indiana, became interested in the breed and began importing them and selling them to the Midwest in 1885. In February of 1887, they founded the American Association–breed offices–for the Belgian in that city.

 The gentle nature, strength, and willingness to work made the breed the perfect choice as a foundation for many other draft breeds. In 1891, Belgians were exported to government stables in countries such as France, Germany, Italy, Russia, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Twelve years later, they breed had it's first official public appearance in America when some were sent St. Louis World Fair and the Chicago Livestock Exhibition. From there, the popularity of the breed steadily increased and Americans "Americanized" the breed, as they sometimes do for other breeds. However, all that changed as the twentieth century wore on. Once World War I started in 1914, importation halted. 

 During the '20s, draft breeds everywhere began to decline. Parts of certain countries that were still in need of drafts bought Belgians, which were imported in small numbers. By the mid 1930s, things began to look up for drafts. Belgians were once again exported in massive numbers. The last group to be imported were sent from Iowa to New York on January 15, 1940, just four months after the start of World War II. Four months later, the Germans invaded Belgium. 

I can't believe she's riding that beast! source

 Throughout World War II, with the push for mechanization, draft horses once again began to decline, and the Belgian was no exception, At one point, under 200 were being registered a year. Then, slowly, ever so slowly, the number of Belgians increased. During the first half of the '80s, the average number of Belgians registered a year was a whopping 4,000! Today, the Belgian remains the most popular draft breed. 

Breed Characteristics and Uses:
 Belgians are strong, hefty horses, standing 16.2 to 17 hands high, and built to work hard for hours at a time. They can haul a load of 6,000 to 8,000 pounds! At first, the breed was a farm horse used to pull plows, but later on they found themselves in cities working at warehouses, freight stations, and fishing wharfs alongside other draft breeds. Today, they are used for hobby farming, logging, pleasure driving, and sometimes even riding.  Unlike most other horses, they mature quickly and can begin working at a mere eighteen months.


When the breed was new, it was commonly bay, roan, black, gray, and chestnut/sorrel. As time went on, though, they changed to how they are today: sorrel with a blaze, four white stockings, and white manes and tails.

The Dressage Chronicles Book Review

 Recently, I read a novel about dressage, called the Dressage Chronicles, written by Karen McGoldrick. It's a great, well-written book, and I would recommend it to any horse lover, even dressage isn't your preferred discipline.

The Dressage Chronicles

 Summary

 The book begins by introducing a college student named Lizzy who is looking for working student job with famous dressage trainer Margot Fanning. She gets hired as a groom, with dressage lessons to boot, and begins her journey in high-level dressage. Throw in a hard to please boss, a cheerful trainer, and hard-working take-charge co-worker, and you get the Dressage Chronicles. Throughout the book, Lizzy and her horse both learn more and more about dressage, and I even learned a little myself.

Why I Like It

 Unlike many other horse novels I have read, this one is very realistic and covers the small parts of horse ownership and showing---grooming, braiding, cleaning tack, putting on polo wraps(however imperfect they were at the beginning), and working hard to take care of horses at shows. I really like how Lizzy comes to Margot as an imperfect rider who had trained her own horse and competed only at the lowest level of dressage. You can really see how she progresses as she experiences life with the pros. 

 All in all, reading the book was an enjoyable, realistic horse experience. Those who show their horses in the arena will probably relate to what happens, and even readers who don't do dressage will understand the hard work of grooming horses. I would recommend this book to all horse lovers looking to read a book about horses that stills covers all the tiny things that only horse owners or those around horses a lot can relate to. Believe me when I say that I would give it a six rating if I could. 

The Barb

History:
 The Barb is an ancient breed, and is the ancestor of many Spanish horses to date. Although its complete origins are unknown, it is believed to have been established in the Fertile Crescent of North Africa, a place that surrounds the countries of Morocco, Algeria, and Libya.

 The Berbers of North Africa prized the fast and agile Barb as great war mounts, using them when their large Muslim armies invaded Spain in the eight century. The name "Barb" actually originates from the group of barbarous people.

 By 1492, the Spanish had regained control of their country and began their explorations of the New World. They took with them many horses---descendants of the ancient Barb. The horses were originally taken to several islands throughout the Caribbean, where they were bred for multiple purposes, but later they were taken to what is now the United States, Mexico, and South America. From there, they became foundation horses for many popular American breeds---Quarter Horses, Paint Horses, Appaloosas, etc.

 During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, many horses had escaped and were taken by Native American tribes. At about the same time, the English had begun colonizing much of the east coast, and found these Spanish horses, thinking of them as native horses.

Barbs are the ancestors of many popular breeds, including
Spanish breeds and stock horses.

 Before long, the English began importing their own horses---racehorses of a Barb type with a little bit of added Irish blood. From there, of course, the English imports were bred with the Spanish horses, and  many horses made their way West with pioneers. However, it was during these westward treks that many of the breeds already living in the West became endangered. People didn't realize the value of the Spanish Barbs that were living in the West with Native Americans. As a result, they crossed their English horses with the ones that had been their for centuries, hoping to Americanize the ones that had seemed unappealing. Many were sold or slaughtered or extensively crossbred, nearly destroying the pure Spanish Barb. However, Western ranchers liked the breed and helped preserved the ancestor of America's stock breeds.

Breed Description and Uses:
Barbs are stocky, standing 14.2 to 15 hands high, and can come in almost every color, particularly dun, chestnut, grulla, black, bay, roan, palomino, buckskin, grey, and pinto. Their head is long and refined, with a broad forehead, short ears that point slightly inwards, and a refined muzzle that often sports crescent-shaped Roman noses. Their chest is strong, their ribs well-sprung. Much like Arabians, they only have seventeen ribs. Their shoulders are sloping. As for their back, it is proportional to the rest of the body, complete with short, straight loin, a rounded croup, and hindquarters that aren't very heavily muscled.  The legs are straight and strong, with clean cannon bones, strong, sloping pasterns, and hard hooves.

 Barbs makes excellent endurance and trial horses due to their stamina and agility.

Banker Horse

History:
 Off the Coast of North Carolina lay a group of islands known as the Outer Banks. Wild horses, known as Bankers, have lived there for centuries, carrying a blood variant that was present in ancient Spanish horses.

 During the times of the exploration of the New World, Spaniards had several breeding stations located throughout the Caribbean, where they would breed work and saddle horses. In 1526, eighty-nine horses from one island, Hispaniola, and 500 people travelled up the coastline of North and South Carolina  and Virginia in hopes of creating a colony. Their efforts flopped. Within the year, the colony disbanded, leaving behind deceased people and many horses to return the Caribbean island of Antilles. The abandoned horses travelled back to the coast of North Carolina, swimming to the nearby Shackleford Banks island. With no interference from mankind, the number of horses grew, helped along by groups of horses abandoned in shipwrecks.

Banker horses are relatively small, though they have the
proportions of a regular horse. source

 In 1926, National Geographic stated that 5 to 6,000 horses lived on the islands off the coast of North Carolina. By the late 1950s, thousands had been removed under the mistaken belief that horses and other livestock caused the Banks to wash away. Residents managed to convince the state legislature to stop removing horses until they had hard evidence that they were causing damage, but not before the majority had been taken away.

 Only 350 Bankers are left in the world today, with a herd 117 in Shackleford. The legislation protecting them limits their number, using birth control to do so. Excess horses are adopted out of the herd.

 Breed Description and Uses:
 Standing under 14.2 hands high, Bankers are compact with strong haunches and slender legs. His profile is straight.Bankers belong to the same group of old-style Spanish horses that the Paso Fino belongs to, coming complete with several inherited gaits: the running walk, single foot, amble, and pace. They come in chestnut, buckskin, dun, bay, and sometimes pinto.

 Though Bankers are protected in their natural habitat, several people have taken them off the island in past years and trained for personal use in driving, trail riding, and mounted patrols. 

Pura Raza Española

History:

 In 1578, when Portugal was annexed to Spain, the horses living on the Iberian Peninsula were known simply as the Iberian Horse. These horses were an ancient breed, with similar ones found in 20,000 year old cave drawings. In AD 711, during the Moorish invasion, the ancient Iberian horses were bred with the invaders Barbs, changing the breed a little. Over time, other civilizations, including the Celts, Carthaginians, Romans, and some German tribes, influenced the breed, making it what it is today. 

 During the Middle Ages, the Andalusians were briefly replaced by heavier breeds as a war mount of choice, but that soon changed when guns started coming around. Before long, the Andalusian became the royal horse of Europe and was found in riding academies in Austria, France, Italy, and Germany.

 In 1567, the breed was selected by King Phillip II to go the Royal Stables of Cordoba, where they were trained in classical dressage. For centuries afterward, the breed was reputed as the ideal war and dressage horse. Many dressage enthusiasts know Francois de la Gueriniere, who wrote that Spanish horses's agility, elasticity, and strong hind legs make it an ideal dressage horse. He also continues on to state that their natural cadence and pride make in preferable in parades and its courage make it suitable for battle. 

 The Andalusian is arguably the original dressage horse. Centuries ago, when many of today's horse were still doing farm work, the Andalusian and Lusitano were in the arena, performing flying changes and half-halts. Because of that, it became the foundation breed for other breeds, including the famed Lipizzaner, and is found in many popular breeds all over the world, namely the American Quarter Horse, the Connemara, the Cleveland Bay, Peruvian Paso, and many of the German warmbloods. 

Another name for the Andalusian is Pura Raza Española, P.R.E. for short. In the breed's early days, major breeders living in Spain were often found living in Andalusian, hence the modern American name for the breed. Their first national studbook was formed in 1911 by Cría Caballer, and the recognized official breed name became Pura Raza Española.

Andalusians are beautiful, elegant horses. source

Since then, arguments have arisen between Spain and Portugal about the breed. Historically, Spain's Andalusians and Portugal's Lusitanos are the same breed, but disagreements between the two countries separated it into two different breeds. In 1954, the two countries made an attempt combine the two studbooks, yet a common name was never agreed upon so they were never united. Consequently, the Andalusian and Lusitano share many physical qualities, the only difference being lineage or usage. 

Breed Characteristics and Uses:

 Andalusians are athletic horses with dramatic movement. They are strongly built, yet elegant with good, substantial bone, arched necks, well-defined withers, short backs, deep barrels, strong hindquarters, and rounded croups, all framed by luxuriously thick, flowing manes and tails. They stand 15.2 to 16.2 hands high. Their gaits are naturally collected. Most commonly, Andalusians are grey, though bay, black, dun, and palomino sometimes occur.  

 Their profiles are lean and rectangular with a broad forehead, and their eyes are large and kind.

 In contrast to the Lusitano, their profiles are straighter, hindquarters finer, and trot more active. 

Andalusians excel in dressage, jumping, saddle seat, driving, cavalry displays, bullfighting, and ranch work. 

 They are proud, docile, intelligent, and cooperative, learning quickly and easily. Just like Thoroughbreds, they have what most people call heart and bravely do what they are asked, whether it be fighting a bull or clearing an impossibly high fence. 

Homemade Horse Treats

 Almost everyone loves to feed their horses treats---lots of them. Horses can be found nibbling at their owner's pockets, searching for a peppermint or a horse biscuit. Have you ever considered the benefits of homemade treats? For people who love to bake, they can be a cheaper, and possibly even healthier, alternative to store-bought biscuits. I've been going through an old horse health magazine that my dad picked up from New Zealand several years ago and found some recipes for homemade herbal biscuits.

Biscuits for a Healthy Coat
2 cups feed(pellets or whatever you usually use)
2 cups rolled oats
1 ounce dried nettle powder
30 grams dried mint leaves, crumbled(brings out dapples)
1 cup flax seeds(fatty acids to make healthy coat)
1 cup molasses
1/4 cup of brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 356 F(180 C) and lightly grease the cookie sheet you will be using. 
2. Combine all of the ingredients. If it doesn't have a sticky enough consistency, add a little water. 
3. Drop the mixture onto the greased cookie sheet by the spoonful.
4. Bake for an hour, then let them cool for another hour before removing them from the tray. Store in an airtight container. 



Horses love being fed treats. source

5. Feed to your horse!

Nutrition Biscuits
1 cup of old fashioned oats
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 cup oatmeal(quick oats)
1/4 molasses
1/4 water
1/4 dried rose hip powder
2 tablespoons dried ginger powder
30 grams dried chamomile flowers
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 356 F(180 C) and grease a cookie sheet.
2. Stir ingredients well. It should come out as a sticky mixture.
3. Scoop out a heaping spoonful of the mixture, then roll in your hands until it forms into a ball. Set on the greased cookie sheet and repeat until all the mixture is used.
4. Bake for five to ten minutes or until golden brown. This treat can be stored at room temperature in a jar.
5. Feed to your horse with lots of love!

Herbal Biscuits
3 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup dried parsley
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1/4 barley grass powder
30 grams dried goat milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil

1. Combine the dry ingredients together. Then add the water and oil.
2. Knead the dough on a floured board and roll until it is about one inch(25 millimeters) thick.
3. Let it stand for 30 minutes before cutting into squares. 
4. Place in 356 F(180 C) oven. Check every three minutes; they burn easily.
5. Feed to your horse!

It's fine to experiment with different herbs and other healthy foods. For example, garlic powder and apple cider vinegar work well with bug repellent.

tis post has been linked to the HomeAcre Hop.

Magic of the Egyptian Arabian

Usually, when I draw a picture I just show you guys a finished copy. Today, I have decided to show you the unpainted version, as well as the painted one.

Before

After

The Kentucky Saddler

  Back in the eighteenth century, British colonist wanted to produce a horse more suited to their new environment, so they crossed their own stock with sturdy Canadian horses, creating the ambling Narragansett Pacer. Most of America's breeds date back to the this horse. However, all the crossbreeding between it and other breeds soon led to its extinction.

 During the American Revolution, settlers crossed the Pacer with Thoroughbreds, creating a horse lean and elegant like the Thoroughbred with the smooth, flowing gaits of the Narragansett Pacer. They named the horse simply the American Horse.

 The breed's smooth gait allowed farmers to ride for hours in relative comfort. It was also strong and sturdy enough for moderately heavy farm work.

 As time passed, more Thoroughbred blood was added, and soon the breed was named the American Saddlebred Horse. In 1891, owners and breeders living in Louisville, Kentucky founded the first breed association designated for an American breed---the American Saddlebred Horse Association.

 Standing 15 to 16 hands high, Saddlebreds have long, slender bodies with good muscle tone and shiny coats. Their pasterns are long and sloping, giving a lot of spring to their stride. They are very refined, smooth, and exceedingly exquisite. Commonly, they come in chestnut, bay, brown, and black, although gray, roan, palomino, and pinto and sometimes found.

Saddlebreds look just as flashy in a harness as they do under saddle.
credit

 Saddlebreds always seem happy, perky, and curious, giving them lots of admirers.

 Saddlebreds are most commonly found in the show ring. there, they compete in four primary divisions: Five-Gaited, Three-Gaited, Harness, and Pleasure. Five-gaited, harness, and show pleasure horse are shown with long, full tails that are often set unnaturally high with a device called a tail set. Competitors of the five-gaited are shown with roached manes to accentuate their long and thing arched necks. In the three-gaited classes, Saddlebreds are judged on the three common gaits: walk, trot, canter. Five-gaited horses are judged on the previous three, as well as two other man-made gaits: the slow gait and the rack. The slow gait consists of the horse moving in a prancing motion and lifting the legs very high. A racking horse will move faster than a slow-gaiting horse, covering more ground with each stride and snapping up his hocks and knees. The overall impression of a Saddlebred in the show ring is elegance and grace and a look that seems to say, "Hey! Look at me!"

 Throughout history, specifically during the Civil War, several Saddlebreds have been found on the battlefield. Among those are Traveler, Robert E. Lee's mount; Cincinnati, who has ridden by Ulysses S. Grant; and Little Sorrel, Thomas Jonathan Jackson's horse.

American Cream Draft

 In 1911, a rich creamy colored draft mare was sold at a livestock auction in Story County, Iowa. A horse dealer by the name Harry Lakin bought her, calling her Old Granny, and used her a breeding program. To his delight, all her foals sported the creamy coloring.

 During the 1940s, a man named C. T. Rierson, who lived in Hardin County, Iowa, further contributed to the breed by purchasing colts sired by Silver Lace, the foundation stallion, and creating his own herd.  Then, through careful, painstaking research, Rierson recorded the pedigree of each horse. In 1944, the American Cream Horse Association of America was formed. In 1950, Iowa's Department of Agriculture recognized the association's breed standard.

Creams are actually quite small for a draft horse, and can be found
under both a harness and a saddle. credit

 In the mid-twentieth century, when the age mechanization replaced horses with tractors, the market for draft horses collapsed, and with it, the number of Creams. Their numbers had already been low at the time, seeing as they were a new breed, and that declination hurt the breed more badly than any other. At one point, they had almost become extinct.

 The breed wavered in a dark ages state for decades, until 1982, when several breeders decided to reopen the inactive stud book. Since then, their numbers have slowly increased, yet, with only 400 horses currently registered, they are far from safe.

  When mature, a Cream will stand anywhere between 15 to 16.3 hands high, with mares weighing 1600 to 1800 pounds, and stallions 1800 to 2000 pounds. Their profiles are straight, necks arched, and body well-muscled. Ideally, they are a light creamy color with a white mane and tail, pink skin, and amber colored eyes. Blazes and stockings are desirable. Creams are born with eyes that are nearly white, but they darken as they age, becoming amber colored once they reach maturity. The unique coloring---cream coat, amber eyes, pink skin---are a result from the Champagne gene, which has been passed along to every Cream since Old Granny. Temperament wise, Creams are calm and willing.

Because of their small size, Creams can still be used as saddle horses, though they are commonly found under harness.