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Posted on 06/19/2006 8:46:45 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
This is a horse chat thread where we share ideas, ask for input from other horsemen, and talk about our riding and horse-keeping. We have a lot of different kinds of riders and horses, and a lot to share. In the previous threads we have had a great time talking through lessons, training, horse lamenesses, illnesses and pregnancies... and always sharing pictures and stories.
I always have a link to this thread on my profile page, so if you have something to say and can't find the thread in latest posts… look for it there and wake the thread up!
I also have a ping list for horse threads that are of interest, and MissTargets will now be pinging everyone most mornings. Let MissTargets and/or me know if you would like to be on the ping list. As FreeRepublic is a political site, our politics and other issues will probably blend in…. There are many issues for horsemen that touch politics… land use, animal rights/abuse cases that make the news…. Legislation that might affect horse owners.
So... like the previous threads, this is intended as fun place to come and share stories, pictures, questions and chit-chat, unguided and unmoderated and that we come together here as friends. There are lots of ways of doing things and we all have our quirks, tricks and specialties that are neat to learn about.
Previous threads:
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - thread ONE
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - Thread TWO!
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - Thread THREE!
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread FOUR
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread FIVE
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread SIX
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread SEVEN
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread EIGHT
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread NINE
New folk and occasional posters, jump right in and introduce yourselves, tell us about your horses, and post pictures if you've got them!
The pasture is all sprayed. Now, I hope I have it all covered. The new sprayer made the chore, a lot easier.
Good morning! Wishing everyone a good weekend.
Spoke with the Dr yesterday regarding Deuce. Yag laser repair guy came Weds and found that more was broken than anticipated. He'll be making another trip out to vet's on Weds of next week. As soon as this #$@^ thing is fixed Deuce is first on the list for surgery.
I'm learing a lot about patience this year!
I'm already, waiting on Celia.....tapping fingers:)
Becky
Ah - I thought I might have slept in too much to see you off!
Have a good weekend! Good luck! Happy Trails!
Oh dear. Patience indeed. How's Deuce doing? Keep us posted!
He's been an unbelievable patient. Can't turn him out to play so he is getting a lot of hand grazing. Last night I heard him make this really funny rattling noise in his throat. I think it was the mass moving around while he was swallowing grass. Not a pretty sound.
Oh dear. I sure hope he gets it fixed before it becomes more of a problem to him. Next week?
See above, if you'd like to be added :~D
Please add me. I've never seen this. Will have to check it out.
OK - post the pictures of yourself and/or your critters that you want up there, and we'll add you!
Great. Thanks. I've got to get Deuce scanned. With everything that happened this summer I just never had the enthusiasm to do it.
Got to go take a test but will post photos, etc. when I get back!!
Cool - I'll send updated pictures this weekend if that's okay. By the way, Quest is now cantering in his training. Report is he's smooth as glass. His momma is so that wouldn't surprise me. AND CJ is getting spots :)
Great... look forward to everyone's updates :~)
I have been trying to keep up with everything but have been pretty busy here at work. Was in Rhode Island for two days earlier this week, so glad to be home. Came across this interesting article thought you all might like to read. I see this all the time at the local horse shows and have gotten to the point where I don't enjoy watching anymore. You will need to copy/paste to your browser, I forgot how to add a link
http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1532318,00.html?cnn=yes
Posted Wednesday, Sep. 06, 2006
Imagine calling off the Super Bowl because most of the players tested positive for drug use, and you have an idea of how a crowd of 26,000 horse lovers reacted Saturday night when the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration ended without a grand champion, after USDA inspectors disqualified six of 10 finalists. Reason: the inspectors said the horses had been sored — abused — to exaggerate their already exaggerated high-stepping foreleg stride.
It marked the first time in the celebration' s 68-year history that a grand champion was not named. And it prompted 20 federal, state and local police to converge on the fairgrounds to hustle the inspectors away from the angry crowd. But it was far from the first time federal regulators have gone to war with the Walking Horse industry. More than half of the chemical swabs analyzed from the 2005 National Celebration — and all of the swabs analyzed from the Kentucky Celebration that year — tested positive for chemicals shown to cause soring and numbing. "You need to decide which way you' re going to go. You can step up and do your job, or you will put us in a position where we are forced to do it for you," Chester Gipson, USDA deputy administrator for animal care, told members of the Tennessee Walking Horse industry at a meeting in February.
Responding to the judge's command to "Walk on!," riders urge their mounts into the running walk — an exaggerated foreleg stride called the big lick, a gait originally bred into the horses by Southern plantation owners who spent long hours in the saddle. (Imagine running barefoot across a bed of hot coals.) Now, many trainers apply caustic chemicals, particularly diesel fuel and mustard, to the horses' legs or even cut the tissue above the front hooves, to force a horse to step higher to avoid the pain, bringing its knees up and throwing its forelegs out. The practice has been banned since Congress passed the Horse Protection Act in 1970, but it has not died out. The more exaggerated a walking horse' s gait, the more likely they are to win shows. The descendents of Allan F-1 — the founding stallion of the breed — sell for between $35,000 and $500,000 for a grand champion stallion, each of which is capable of commanding at least $1,000 in stud fees, Considering that breeding is done through artificial insemination, and up to 200 mares can be serviced each season, it becomes clear that a lot of money is at stake.
The industry itself is divided over soring. Many claim soring has been gone for years and that USDA inspectors are too subjective in their examinations. Other owners and trainers say soring is all too common, and that the practice has perverted the breed, creating false standards of achievement and an invalid breeding standard.
The three trainers whose horses were cleared> by inspectors Saturday night would likely agree. After the disqualification of most of the field, they urged that the race continue — even refusing an offer by the trainer of one disqualified horse of $10,000 apiece if they would refuse to enter the ring. But the grand championship was canceled anyway. By Tuesday the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders and Exhiibitors Association had already proposed a sanctioning plan against owners who allow soring, as well as the creation of a single rulebook and inspection standard.
Personally I think the horses that were not disqualified should not have been punished for the abuse of the ones that were soring their horses. Does not pay to be honest and humane. They should have been allowed to compete and win the World Championship HONESTLY!
Agreed, and I was wondering about that... Did they just think the pool was all too murky?
Personally, I wish they'd do away with the blocks. They're already absurdly silly with those blocks on. Soring is just adding insult to injury, IMHO.
I don't have a page yet but would like to. Here are some pictures of Blade and myself and Jake and my hubby and me on our old girl Queen.
Jake and Gary
Carolyn and Blade
Carolyn and Queen
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