Draft Horse|adoptadrafthorse.com
Nov
18
Filed Under (Pets) by drafthorse
Elizabeth Miller asked:
No animal has done more for the advancement of humankind than the horse. That said, it’s hard to imagine ever using the horse as a source of food. But of course, that’s how the man-horse relationship began.
The history books contain many references to the horse as prey some 50,000 years ago, when Cro-Magnon man had to hunt for his food. Seems that no one knows for sure just when or how the horse first became a helper to man. But many have reasoned that when early Cro-Magnon man needed to move his encampments from place to place, he started using the more docile horses as pack animals. So that would mark the beginnings of horse domestication.
Historians also believe that as man progressed from hunter to farmer, he continued using horses for food but also as helpers for herding. This would have brought about the need to jump on the horse’s back and follow along behind the herd. And that would mark the beginnings of the horse as a means of transportation for humans.
Recent archeological excavations in the Ukraine unearthed horses’ teeth and evidence of the first “bridle.” These findings have brought the experts to conclude that the beginnings of horseback riding began with the nomadic tribes of what is now Eastern Europe, in about 4000 BC. However, riding wouldn’t really catch on until long after the invention of the wheel and the preferred use of horses as draft animals.
It is believed that the horse’s domestication as a draft animal began sometime between 3000 and 2000 BC. Faster than the oxen and equids that had first been used to pull wheeled vehicles, the horse soon took over and this spawned the ever-improving development of yokes, ****** straps, collars, bits and bridles.
Inevitably the horse was to become a major tool of warfare. Around 1350 BC the Hittite king Suppililiuma decided to go to war against the Mitannians, bought large numbers of horses, and engaged the services of a Mitannian horsemaster named Kikkuli. After defecting from the Mitanni, Kikkuli turned the king’s horses into war machines that were ridden into battle until the king’s militia had totally destroyed the Mitanni.
Now the bonding of man and horse had truly begun. Still, horseback riding was not for the elite, much less the general populace. For hundreds of years, horses were bred to be warhorses. But when Xenophon wrote “The Art of Horsemanship” in around 400 BC, the time was approaching when people would ride horses for more than herding, hunting and fighting.
Although America’s wild horses had been tamed by the Indians, it is said that the Spanish explorers brought the first domesticated horses to North America in 1519 AD.
By the early 1700s, Rhode Island had become America’s principal horse breeding state. Horses became the primary means of transportation, soon carrying riders on their backs and pulling people and materials in wheeled vehicles across the vastness of the New World.
By the 1800s the horse was a necessity of urban and rural life. The horse helped us build cities, farm the land, fight wars and settle a continent. No animal has done more for humankind.
ERIN
No animal has done more for the advancement of humankind than the horse. That said, it’s hard to imagine ever using the horse as a source of food. But of course, that’s how the man-horse relationship began.
The history books contain many references to the horse as prey some 50,000 years ago, when Cro-Magnon man had to hunt for his food. Seems that no one knows for sure just when or how the horse first became a helper to man. But many have reasoned that when early Cro-Magnon man needed to move his encampments from place to place, he started using the more docile horses as pack animals. So that would mark the beginnings of horse domestication.
Historians also believe that as man progressed from hunter to farmer, he continued using horses for food but also as helpers for herding. This would have brought about the need to jump on the horse’s back and follow along behind the herd. And that would mark the beginnings of the horse as a means of transportation for humans.
Recent archeological excavations in the Ukraine unearthed horses’ teeth and evidence of the first “bridle.” These findings have brought the experts to conclude that the beginnings of horseback riding began with the nomadic tribes of what is now Eastern Europe, in about 4000 BC. However, riding wouldn’t really catch on until long after the invention of the wheel and the preferred use of horses as draft animals.
It is believed that the horse’s domestication as a draft animal began sometime between 3000 and 2000 BC. Faster than the oxen and equids that had first been used to pull wheeled vehicles, the horse soon took over and this spawned the ever-improving development of yokes, ****** straps, collars, bits and bridles.
Inevitably the horse was to become a major tool of warfare. Around 1350 BC the Hittite king Suppililiuma decided to go to war against the Mitannians, bought large numbers of horses, and engaged the services of a Mitannian horsemaster named Kikkuli. After defecting from the Mitanni, Kikkuli turned the king’s horses into war machines that were ridden into battle until the king’s militia had totally destroyed the Mitanni.
Now the bonding of man and horse had truly begun. Still, horseback riding was not for the elite, much less the general populace. For hundreds of years, horses were bred to be warhorses. But when Xenophon wrote “The Art of Horsemanship” in around 400 BC, the time was approaching when people would ride horses for more than herding, hunting and fighting.
Although America’s wild horses had been tamed by the Indians, it is said that the Spanish explorers brought the first domesticated horses to North America in 1519 AD.
By the early 1700s, Rhode Island had become America’s principal horse breeding state. Horses became the primary means of transportation, soon carrying riders on their backs and pulling people and materials in wheeled vehicles across the vastness of the New World.
By the 1800s the horse was a necessity of urban and rural life. The horse helped us build cities, farm the land, fight wars and settle a continent. No animal has done more for humankind.
ERIN
Nov
16
Filed Under (Pets) by drafthorse
Ann Knapp asked:
The evolutionary history of the horse is one of the most-covered subjects in modern biology. And no wonder - of all modern animals, the horse has behind it the most intact and visible family tree.Our story begins millions of years ago - with the Perissodactyls.
No, not “pterodactyl” - those clawed flying relics of the dinosaur age as imagined in B-movies and The Flintstones. The “Perissodactyls” are hoofed animals with an odd number of toes on each foot (they are also distinguished by their tooth structure); this group of animals is itself, say scientists, descended from the same ancestor as the tapir and the rhinoceros but, unlike these animals, gradually adapted to life on drier land than the tropical forests preferred, even today, by the rhino.
One creature’s evolution often influences that of other creatures in its environment, and this was true of the equids (the horsey branch of the Perissodactyl family tree), who began eating grass as this new crop began to flourish. Such a diet favored the spread of new sorts of equids who had larger teeth.
Likewise, the equids - adoption of a dry, steppe-like habitat, where predators lived and where the comparative lack of foliage made it harder to hide, encouraged the survival of those equids who ran the fastest. Gradually longer-legged equids with a long third toe (which allowed for greater running efficiency) began to predominate. The Mesohippus species of 40 million years ago reflect this trend.
It’s a common - but disastrous - mistake to see evolutionary history as a smooth straight-line progression from early to middle to modern versions of an animal, with the modern animal taken as the final copy of the earlier animals’ rough draft, as if we were viewing successive sketches of Michelangelo’s David in a line that ended with the real statue.
In fact, though, most equid species lived their day and died, without having any influence on today’s horse; they existed in their own right, and we shouldn’t think of the modern horse as the “goal” of all this equine living and dying. Many genealogical lines simply ran out, while one (leading to our horse) happened to survive; but it could as well have been any, or all, of the others, given slight modifications in some habitat a million years ago or so.
In any case, of the many horselike species whose fossils have been found, it’s thought that Plesippus - a species descended from the earlier Dinohippus - is the father of the modern horse. This species responded to falling North American temperatures by heading, either to South America or across the Bering Strait from North America to Eurasia, about 2 and a half million years ago, with a few staying behind in North America.
Somewhere toward the end of the Tertiary period or at the beginning of the Quaternary - that’s scientists’ talk for the beginning of the most recent Ice Age, roughly 1.8 million years ago - descendants of Plesippus gave rise to offspring different enough from their sponsors, and like enough to our modern horses, that scientists have dubbed them Equus stenonis, the first “true” horse.
They crossed into North America and survived for millions of years, perhaps giving rise to the other ancient horses known to have inhabited the area during this period - the super-sized Equus scottii giganteus, whom the present author swears he is not making up (they seem to have exceeded modern horses in size). But all North American horses died out, rather inexplicably, around 11,000 years ago - at the same time as many other kinds of animals, and for reasons scientists have yet to discover. Was it some mega-virus of the ancient world? Or, a more tantalizing possibility, did humans (arriving on the North American scene, according to some theories, at about this time) hunt them to extinction?
In any case, horses had no purchase on this continent until after European colonization of the Americas began in 1492; for this long period, then, from 11,000 BCE to 1491, the horse’s development took place in Eurasia instead. (Another tantalizing thought - after the colonizers had reintroduced horses to Mexico, the southwestern US, and Peru, some indigenous tribes told stories about how “the grass remembers” these new animals.
Did these people groups retain some memory, perhaps through myth and legend, of the long-gone North American horse?)
The outline of horse-history given here is just one sketch, based on one strand of scientific theorizing. Like those ancient Perissodactyls giving rise to many species of not-quite-a-horse, most of which flourished in their time and died without contributing in any way to the development of modern horses, scientific speculation as to the origin of any species will include many interesting, intelligent “dead ends.” So who knows.
A popular theory, the “Four Foundations” theory, suggests that at some point long predating the horse’s disappearance from North America, four basic types of horses developed in Europe (from those Plesippi, perhaps, who crossed from North America to Eurasia before the last Ice Age began). Warmblooded, forest-dwelling horses and draft horses of northern Europe, plus taller, slimmer Asian horses and pony-sized Tarpans, are considered, in this theory, to be the “basic” horses from which all others are descended.
ELBERT
The evolutionary history of the horse is one of the most-covered subjects in modern biology. And no wonder - of all modern animals, the horse has behind it the most intact and visible family tree.Our story begins millions of years ago - with the Perissodactyls.
No, not “pterodactyl” - those clawed flying relics of the dinosaur age as imagined in B-movies and The Flintstones. The “Perissodactyls” are hoofed animals with an odd number of toes on each foot (they are also distinguished by their tooth structure); this group of animals is itself, say scientists, descended from the same ancestor as the tapir and the rhinoceros but, unlike these animals, gradually adapted to life on drier land than the tropical forests preferred, even today, by the rhino.
One creature’s evolution often influences that of other creatures in its environment, and this was true of the equids (the horsey branch of the Perissodactyl family tree), who began eating grass as this new crop began to flourish. Such a diet favored the spread of new sorts of equids who had larger teeth.
Likewise, the equids - adoption of a dry, steppe-like habitat, where predators lived and where the comparative lack of foliage made it harder to hide, encouraged the survival of those equids who ran the fastest. Gradually longer-legged equids with a long third toe (which allowed for greater running efficiency) began to predominate. The Mesohippus species of 40 million years ago reflect this trend.
It’s a common - but disastrous - mistake to see evolutionary history as a smooth straight-line progression from early to middle to modern versions of an animal, with the modern animal taken as the final copy of the earlier animals’ rough draft, as if we were viewing successive sketches of Michelangelo’s David in a line that ended with the real statue.
In fact, though, most equid species lived their day and died, without having any influence on today’s horse; they existed in their own right, and we shouldn’t think of the modern horse as the “goal” of all this equine living and dying. Many genealogical lines simply ran out, while one (leading to our horse) happened to survive; but it could as well have been any, or all, of the others, given slight modifications in some habitat a million years ago or so.
In any case, of the many horselike species whose fossils have been found, it’s thought that Plesippus - a species descended from the earlier Dinohippus - is the father of the modern horse. This species responded to falling North American temperatures by heading, either to South America or across the Bering Strait from North America to Eurasia, about 2 and a half million years ago, with a few staying behind in North America.
Somewhere toward the end of the Tertiary period or at the beginning of the Quaternary - that’s scientists’ talk for the beginning of the most recent Ice Age, roughly 1.8 million years ago - descendants of Plesippus gave rise to offspring different enough from their sponsors, and like enough to our modern horses, that scientists have dubbed them Equus stenonis, the first “true” horse.
They crossed into North America and survived for millions of years, perhaps giving rise to the other ancient horses known to have inhabited the area during this period - the super-sized Equus scottii giganteus, whom the present author swears he is not making up (they seem to have exceeded modern horses in size). But all North American horses died out, rather inexplicably, around 11,000 years ago - at the same time as many other kinds of animals, and for reasons scientists have yet to discover. Was it some mega-virus of the ancient world? Or, a more tantalizing possibility, did humans (arriving on the North American scene, according to some theories, at about this time) hunt them to extinction?
In any case, horses had no purchase on this continent until after European colonization of the Americas began in 1492; for this long period, then, from 11,000 BCE to 1491, the horse’s development took place in Eurasia instead. (Another tantalizing thought - after the colonizers had reintroduced horses to Mexico, the southwestern US, and Peru, some indigenous tribes told stories about how “the grass remembers” these new animals.
Did these people groups retain some memory, perhaps through myth and legend, of the long-gone North American horse?)
The outline of horse-history given here is just one sketch, based on one strand of scientific theorizing. Like those ancient Perissodactyls giving rise to many species of not-quite-a-horse, most of which flourished in their time and died without contributing in any way to the development of modern horses, scientific speculation as to the origin of any species will include many interesting, intelligent “dead ends.” So who knows.
A popular theory, the “Four Foundations” theory, suggests that at some point long predating the horse’s disappearance from North America, four basic types of horses developed in Europe (from those Plesippi, perhaps, who crossed from North America to Eurasia before the last Ice Age began). Warmblooded, forest-dwelling horses and draft horses of northern Europe, plus taller, slimmer Asian horses and pony-sized Tarpans, are considered, in this theory, to be the “basic” horses from which all others are descended.
ELBERT
Nov
11
Filed Under (Pets) by drafthorse
Michael asked:
When Paloma arrived at the barn, which was accustomed to warmbloods, she drew a crowd of people who were waiting to see in person what a real mustang looked like. Curiosity turned to even greater intrigue when her owner said that she was a “Spanish” mustang, not the feral mustang that roams free in the west. The timing was an interesting coincidence as most of the boarders had seen the movie “Hidalgo,” in which the equine star plays a Spanish mustang.
The Spanish mustang is a descendant of the horses brought to the Americas by the early Spaniards. On his second voyage to the New World, Columbus brought a number of Spanish horses, as the breed was considered to be the finest horses in the world.
In the 1950s, because they were on the verge of extinction, an effort to preserve the Spanish mustang type began through the selection of horses that best demonstrated the Spanish mustang breed characteristics. As a result, the Spanish Mustang Registry was incorporated in 1957. “This registry was formed to preserve and perpetuate the last remnants of the true Spanish mustangs,” according to the Registry. Twenty horses were originally entered into the registry, and current numbers show about 3100.
Like the Spanish mustang breed classification describes, Paloma was just under 14 hands, with short strong canon bones and round, muscular hindquarters. But her most outstanding trait that caught everyone’s admiration was her classic Spanish head with concave forehead and convex nose. Her noble head was set on a fully crested arching neck, and she looked like a baroque horse, such as the Andalusian or Lipizzaner.
A particular herd of pure Spanish mustangs was discovered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in 1977 and separated to preserve their purity of traits. These horses are known as the Kiger mustangs. To be considered a Kiger, according to the Kiger Mesteño Association, a horse must be the offspring of a registered Kiger or have documented proof it was obtained from one of the Kiger herd management areas. Additionally, Kiger mustangs carry the breed color traits, which include dun and gruel, among others, along with markings such as dorsal stripe, zebra stripes or ****** mask.
By contrast, the American mustang is the descendant of escaped light riding horses and draft horses, mixed with the Spanish bred and others. In general, these horses are thought to have little-to-no remaining Spanish blood.
Charged with the oversight of wild mustangs and burros is the BLM, which manages wild horses and burros on the public land in a “multiple use” mission that considers natural resources and uses such as ranch livestock grazing. The BLM monitors herds for health and population size and offers individual animals for adoption. Since 1973, BLM placed more than 213,000 horses and burros in homes through its adoption program. In 2005, Congress enacted a new law to maintain herds at healthy population levels that requires BLM to place for sale horses and burros older than age 10 or for whom adoption has failed three times. According to BLM, this affects approximately 8400 horses and burros.
Formerly wild mustangs have found success in new homes. J.B. Andrews, a large black mustang, has successfully competed in dressage to Intermediare I while schooling at the Grand Prix level.
GERMAN
When Paloma arrived at the barn, which was accustomed to warmbloods, she drew a crowd of people who were waiting to see in person what a real mustang looked like. Curiosity turned to even greater intrigue when her owner said that she was a “Spanish” mustang, not the feral mustang that roams free in the west. The timing was an interesting coincidence as most of the boarders had seen the movie “Hidalgo,” in which the equine star plays a Spanish mustang.
The Spanish mustang is a descendant of the horses brought to the Americas by the early Spaniards. On his second voyage to the New World, Columbus brought a number of Spanish horses, as the breed was considered to be the finest horses in the world.
In the 1950s, because they were on the verge of extinction, an effort to preserve the Spanish mustang type began through the selection of horses that best demonstrated the Spanish mustang breed characteristics. As a result, the Spanish Mustang Registry was incorporated in 1957. “This registry was formed to preserve and perpetuate the last remnants of the true Spanish mustangs,” according to the Registry. Twenty horses were originally entered into the registry, and current numbers show about 3100.
Like the Spanish mustang breed classification describes, Paloma was just under 14 hands, with short strong canon bones and round, muscular hindquarters. But her most outstanding trait that caught everyone’s admiration was her classic Spanish head with concave forehead and convex nose. Her noble head was set on a fully crested arching neck, and she looked like a baroque horse, such as the Andalusian or Lipizzaner.
A particular herd of pure Spanish mustangs was discovered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in 1977 and separated to preserve their purity of traits. These horses are known as the Kiger mustangs. To be considered a Kiger, according to the Kiger Mesteño Association, a horse must be the offspring of a registered Kiger or have documented proof it was obtained from one of the Kiger herd management areas. Additionally, Kiger mustangs carry the breed color traits, which include dun and gruel, among others, along with markings such as dorsal stripe, zebra stripes or ****** mask.
By contrast, the American mustang is the descendant of escaped light riding horses and draft horses, mixed with the Spanish bred and others. In general, these horses are thought to have little-to-no remaining Spanish blood.
Charged with the oversight of wild mustangs and burros is the BLM, which manages wild horses and burros on the public land in a “multiple use” mission that considers natural resources and uses such as ranch livestock grazing. The BLM monitors herds for health and population size and offers individual animals for adoption. Since 1973, BLM placed more than 213,000 horses and burros in homes through its adoption program. In 2005, Congress enacted a new law to maintain herds at healthy population levels that requires BLM to place for sale horses and burros older than age 10 or for whom adoption has failed three times. According to BLM, this affects approximately 8400 horses and burros.
Formerly wild mustangs have found success in new homes. J.B. Andrews, a large black mustang, has successfully competed in dressage to Intermediare I while schooling at the Grand Prix level.
GERMAN
Nov
10
Filed Under (Pets) by drafthorse
Marc Goldberg, CDT asked:
“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.” Josh Billings (1818-1885, US Humorist)
This morning I was driving along a busy street, in a fog, sipping strong tea when I saw the geese. I have come to think of geese as very large rats with wings. The outlying Chicagoland area is so infested with these birds that you have to be careful where you step. The best thing I can normally say about them is that it’s fun for the dogs to run them off, and I frequently use the cantankerous fowl as distractions. When you can call a six month old pet Lab off a flock of geese, I figure you have a recall.
Now I never said geese were stupid. That has never been my opinion. They seem to know it is more likely they will be harassed by dogs on my property than on my neighbor’s. Therefore, they avoid my grass. Or perhaps they just have an aversion to dog urine. Either way, we’ve reached an understanding.
Frankly, with the vast numbers of them around, I never understood why we weren’t eating them. Then I saw the pair of geese along the road.
One was lying dead on the median. The second was crossing two lanes of busy traffic. Cars were whizzing past the live goose, back drafts unbalancing it. But it waddled on, unaware or unconcerned of the hazard. That goose appeared to have one single minded purpose…reach its unmoving mate.
Before I continue, let me emphasize that I am not a scientist, geneticist, nor a zoologist. I am a dog trainer. I am well read, and most of what I believe comes from what I have read combined with what I observe. Can one even be a good dog trainer without keen powers of observation, reading and interpreting what one sees?
Geese, as most people know, mate for life. Their bond is undoubtedly instinctual, a product of natural selection in which strongly bonded pairs must have a greater likelihood of successfully raising young, thereby propagating the species. If the gene succeeds, the gene continues.
Sounds simple doesn’t it?
But it got me to thinking about the nature of bonding. And of course, that got me to thinking about dogs, and the nature of their bond to humans. While it has been proven that a duck will “imprint” on and follow a human if it is the first thing it sees after hatching, I think of “imprinting” and “bonding” as two different things.
Imprinting is a simple instinct stamped into the brain that dictates the duckling will follow its mother. She is likely to lead that duckling to sources of food and shelter. This increases the offspring’s chances of surviving infancy, reaching sexual maturity, mating, and propagating the species. Again, the gene succeeds, the gene continues.
But what is bonding?
I think of it as something more complex. Something more bound to social order. Instinctual? Probably. Still related to survival? Definitely. But still complex.
Dogs in the wild, since their earliest descendants, understand social order and collaborative hunting. A well ordered pack of wolves can successfully hunt, shelter, raise offspring, and pass on their genes. A pack suffering from social strife will not have clear leadership or collaboration, and will eventually die.
Dogs understand this on a genetic level. It is why a properly socialized dog understands how to communicate with other dogs using their species’ unique and understandable body language. It is why we, as dog trainers, are sometimes described as being able to “read” dogs. We’re simply recognizing attitude and thoughts, and yes, even emotions, by interpreting body language. And that is precisely what allows us to shape dog behavior by using our own body language to clearly show a dog what we want from them.
But why do dogs CARE about what we want from them? That is the question that has both mystified and thrilled me ever since I got my first dog at the age of 11. Why is a dog willing to be trained? Why do they thrive on it in fact? Why is a dog remotely interested in what we want from them?
A cow doesn’t much care. So we eat them. Most horses I have known and ridden will yield to humans, but they seem to me to prefer their own company to mine when given a choice. But because they yield to us, and helped us form our nation, as a culture, we’re horrified at the idea of eating them.
Wolves, I am told, are canids whose behavior can be somewhat modified by men. But they will generally return to behaviors for which they are genetically programmed, regardless of what training they have had.
So what is it about dogs? Why do they care about what we want? Why did my first dog remember and perform his utility signals exercise into his dotage, way after deafness, strokes and until shortly before he died at seventeen and a half?
His name was Gus. He was a Sheltie born April 29, 1969. He came to me in a dream several years ago and he spoke to me in words that did not come out of his mouth, but which I heard in my head. These are the exact words of the interchange.
“Where are you?” he asked, intense in his sadness.
“I’ll come to you one day,” I told him.
“But I have been waiting so long,” he said.
“Because it’s not my time yet,” I told him. “But I will come.”
He paused, but only briefly.
“I’ll wait for you,” he said.
“Find Bobbi and Frannie,” I said. “They are Greyhounds They are mine too, and they will know you. They will wait with you.”
“I will,” he said, and he left me slowly, reluctantly, at my bidding. I woke up crying, as I cry now recounting the experience.
I have always known that dogs care about us on the deepest possible levels but only recently did I put together my own concept of why. I think it was that dream of Gus. I told you he spoke to me in words. The words did not come from his mouth. They came from his mind into mine. But they had a voice. And that voice was my own.
My waiting dog spoke to me in my own voice. We love our dogs. But they adore us on a level beyond love. They are what we ask them to be, becoming part of us if we ask them to. I think Gus came to me that night, or perhaps my unconscious summoned him, because I was finally ready to understand the answer to my long held question.
Dogs care about what we want from them because, when led properly by man, they consider us to be more than their pack mates. We provide more than food, shelter and more than comfort. We provide dogs what the concept of God provides to us, a sense of meaning, comfort, a sense of purpose, a sense that we are not alone.
Dogs do not love us. They worship us. But not from afar. They live with their gods. They worship us from the foot of our beds, they adore us as they look at us, and they long for us even as we touch them.
Trained dogs submit and yield to this worship readily. It satisfies them on a level which humans with our questioning mentalities may not fully comprehend. The faith of a dog, particularly a trained dog, is absolute. He never questions or has a crisis of faith. He doesn’t believe. He knows.
Have you ever noticed that after putting a dog through even a basic course of obedience, other behaviors change for which you have not trained? If you do your work artfully, the dog gives up undesirable behaviors without even being commanded.
This occurs because the dog always knew his owner didn’t like the behaviors. After all, they grumped and yelled when he did it. He simply didn’t care. He felt no particular compulsion to give up a treasured behavior such as jumping on guests.
But when a dog is trained, he learns to look at his humans in a whole new way. He learns that the bond has more meaning that he ever knew before. He learns that he no longer has to make every decision for his life. It’s not satisfying to a dog to pull on the leash and be out of control. Yet, if that behavior is all he knows, he’ll do it over and over. I now see that behavior as a cry for help, the way the dog shows his profound need for leadership.
But once the dog has learned to yield his decision making to a human, a bond between dog and handler is formed that knows no limits of depth. So why do dogs care about what we want? Why are they willing to do what we ask of them if we can only show them clearly what we want? Why will they yield their willpower to ours?
They do it for the love of man. They do it because they love us more than they love themselves.
Is it genetic? The gene succeeds so the gene continues? Probably. But I think it’s more than that. I think the dog has a void that only we humans can fill. Even those of us who succeed the most with dogs don’t quite have the same love for dogs that they have for us. We can’t. We don’t have that gene. But we can understand and honor the dog’s need for leadership.
We can bring a dog to a place where his need for us is absolute yet doesn’t destabilize the independent nature of his being. Lest you take from my words the idea that I am a tree hugging dog spiritualist, I will tell you flat out that I am not. I am a dog trainer. I both correct and reward my dogs. That’s pretty much the way life treats me.
The ultimate reward for us both is a bond during the dog’s lifetime that exceeds any other comfort he can ever know. And after the dog’s death, he brings a form of comfort that some, like me, have not known before.
Someone is waiting. Someone who loves me more than he loves himself.
DUDLEY
“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.” Josh Billings (1818-1885, US Humorist)
This morning I was driving along a busy street, in a fog, sipping strong tea when I saw the geese. I have come to think of geese as very large rats with wings. The outlying Chicagoland area is so infested with these birds that you have to be careful where you step. The best thing I can normally say about them is that it’s fun for the dogs to run them off, and I frequently use the cantankerous fowl as distractions. When you can call a six month old pet Lab off a flock of geese, I figure you have a recall.
Now I never said geese were stupid. That has never been my opinion. They seem to know it is more likely they will be harassed by dogs on my property than on my neighbor’s. Therefore, they avoid my grass. Or perhaps they just have an aversion to dog urine. Either way, we’ve reached an understanding.
Frankly, with the vast numbers of them around, I never understood why we weren’t eating them. Then I saw the pair of geese along the road.
One was lying dead on the median. The second was crossing two lanes of busy traffic. Cars were whizzing past the live goose, back drafts unbalancing it. But it waddled on, unaware or unconcerned of the hazard. That goose appeared to have one single minded purpose…reach its unmoving mate.
Before I continue, let me emphasize that I am not a scientist, geneticist, nor a zoologist. I am a dog trainer. I am well read, and most of what I believe comes from what I have read combined with what I observe. Can one even be a good dog trainer without keen powers of observation, reading and interpreting what one sees?
Geese, as most people know, mate for life. Their bond is undoubtedly instinctual, a product of natural selection in which strongly bonded pairs must have a greater likelihood of successfully raising young, thereby propagating the species. If the gene succeeds, the gene continues.
Sounds simple doesn’t it?
But it got me to thinking about the nature of bonding. And of course, that got me to thinking about dogs, and the nature of their bond to humans. While it has been proven that a duck will “imprint” on and follow a human if it is the first thing it sees after hatching, I think of “imprinting” and “bonding” as two different things.
Imprinting is a simple instinct stamped into the brain that dictates the duckling will follow its mother. She is likely to lead that duckling to sources of food and shelter. This increases the offspring’s chances of surviving infancy, reaching sexual maturity, mating, and propagating the species. Again, the gene succeeds, the gene continues.
But what is bonding?
I think of it as something more complex. Something more bound to social order. Instinctual? Probably. Still related to survival? Definitely. But still complex.
Dogs in the wild, since their earliest descendants, understand social order and collaborative hunting. A well ordered pack of wolves can successfully hunt, shelter, raise offspring, and pass on their genes. A pack suffering from social strife will not have clear leadership or collaboration, and will eventually die.
Dogs understand this on a genetic level. It is why a properly socialized dog understands how to communicate with other dogs using their species’ unique and understandable body language. It is why we, as dog trainers, are sometimes described as being able to “read” dogs. We’re simply recognizing attitude and thoughts, and yes, even emotions, by interpreting body language. And that is precisely what allows us to shape dog behavior by using our own body language to clearly show a dog what we want from them.
But why do dogs CARE about what we want from them? That is the question that has both mystified and thrilled me ever since I got my first dog at the age of 11. Why is a dog willing to be trained? Why do they thrive on it in fact? Why is a dog remotely interested in what we want from them?
A cow doesn’t much care. So we eat them. Most horses I have known and ridden will yield to humans, but they seem to me to prefer their own company to mine when given a choice. But because they yield to us, and helped us form our nation, as a culture, we’re horrified at the idea of eating them.
Wolves, I am told, are canids whose behavior can be somewhat modified by men. But they will generally return to behaviors for which they are genetically programmed, regardless of what training they have had.
So what is it about dogs? Why do they care about what we want? Why did my first dog remember and perform his utility signals exercise into his dotage, way after deafness, strokes and until shortly before he died at seventeen and a half?
His name was Gus. He was a Sheltie born April 29, 1969. He came to me in a dream several years ago and he spoke to me in words that did not come out of his mouth, but which I heard in my head. These are the exact words of the interchange.
“Where are you?” he asked, intense in his sadness.
“I’ll come to you one day,” I told him.
“But I have been waiting so long,” he said.
“Because it’s not my time yet,” I told him. “But I will come.”
He paused, but only briefly.
“I’ll wait for you,” he said.
“Find Bobbi and Frannie,” I said. “They are Greyhounds They are mine too, and they will know you. They will wait with you.”
“I will,” he said, and he left me slowly, reluctantly, at my bidding. I woke up crying, as I cry now recounting the experience.
I have always known that dogs care about us on the deepest possible levels but only recently did I put together my own concept of why. I think it was that dream of Gus. I told you he spoke to me in words. The words did not come from his mouth. They came from his mind into mine. But they had a voice. And that voice was my own.
My waiting dog spoke to me in my own voice. We love our dogs. But they adore us on a level beyond love. They are what we ask them to be, becoming part of us if we ask them to. I think Gus came to me that night, or perhaps my unconscious summoned him, because I was finally ready to understand the answer to my long held question.
Dogs care about what we want from them because, when led properly by man, they consider us to be more than their pack mates. We provide more than food, shelter and more than comfort. We provide dogs what the concept of God provides to us, a sense of meaning, comfort, a sense of purpose, a sense that we are not alone.
Dogs do not love us. They worship us. But not from afar. They live with their gods. They worship us from the foot of our beds, they adore us as they look at us, and they long for us even as we touch them.
Trained dogs submit and yield to this worship readily. It satisfies them on a level which humans with our questioning mentalities may not fully comprehend. The faith of a dog, particularly a trained dog, is absolute. He never questions or has a crisis of faith. He doesn’t believe. He knows.
Have you ever noticed that after putting a dog through even a basic course of obedience, other behaviors change for which you have not trained? If you do your work artfully, the dog gives up undesirable behaviors without even being commanded.
This occurs because the dog always knew his owner didn’t like the behaviors. After all, they grumped and yelled when he did it. He simply didn’t care. He felt no particular compulsion to give up a treasured behavior such as jumping on guests.
But when a dog is trained, he learns to look at his humans in a whole new way. He learns that the bond has more meaning that he ever knew before. He learns that he no longer has to make every decision for his life. It’s not satisfying to a dog to pull on the leash and be out of control. Yet, if that behavior is all he knows, he’ll do it over and over. I now see that behavior as a cry for help, the way the dog shows his profound need for leadership.
But once the dog has learned to yield his decision making to a human, a bond between dog and handler is formed that knows no limits of depth. So why do dogs care about what we want? Why are they willing to do what we ask of them if we can only show them clearly what we want? Why will they yield their willpower to ours?
They do it for the love of man. They do it because they love us more than they love themselves.
Is it genetic? The gene succeeds so the gene continues? Probably. But I think it’s more than that. I think the dog has a void that only we humans can fill. Even those of us who succeed the most with dogs don’t quite have the same love for dogs that they have for us. We can’t. We don’t have that gene. But we can understand and honor the dog’s need for leadership.
We can bring a dog to a place where his need for us is absolute yet doesn’t destabilize the independent nature of his being. Lest you take from my words the idea that I am a tree hugging dog spiritualist, I will tell you flat out that I am not. I am a dog trainer. I both correct and reward my dogs. That’s pretty much the way life treats me.
The ultimate reward for us both is a bond during the dog’s lifetime that exceeds any other comfort he can ever know. And after the dog’s death, he brings a form of comfort that some, like me, have not known before.
Someone is waiting. Someone who loves me more than he loves himself.
DUDLEY
Oct
30
Filed Under (Pets) by drafthorse
Keith Londrie asked:
Depending on breed, management and environment, the domestic horse today has a life expectancy of 25 to 30 years. It is uncommon, but a few horses live into their 40s, and, occasionally, beyond. The oldest verifiable record was “Old Billy,” a horse that lived in the 19th century to the age of 62. The size of horses varies by breed, but can also be influenced by nutrition. The general rule for cutoff in height between what is considered a horse and a pony at maturity is 14.2 hands(h or hh) (147 cm, 58 inches) as measured at the withers. An animal 14.2h or over is usually considered a horse and one less than 14.2h is a pony.
However, there are exceptions to the general rule. Some smaller horse breeds who typically produce individual horses both under and over 14.2h are considered “horses” regardless of height. Likewise, some pony breeds, such as the Pony of the Americas or the Welsh cob, share some features of horses and individual animals may occasionally mature at over 14.2h, but are still considered ponies. The difference between a horse and pony is not simply a height difference, but also a difference in phenotype or appearance. There are noticeable differences in conformation and temperament. Ponies often exhibit thicker manes, tails and overall coat. They also have proportionally shorter legs, wider barrels, heavy bone, thick necks, and short heads with broad foreheads.
Light horses such as Arabians, Morgans, Quarter Horses, Paints and Thoroughbreds usually range in height from 14.0 (142 cm) to 16.0 hands (163 cm) and can weigh from 386 kg (850 lbs) to about 680 kg (1500 lbs). Heavy or draft horses such as the Clydesdale, Belgian, Percheron, and Shire are usually at least 16.0 (163 cm) to 18.0 hands (183 cm) high and can weigh from about 682 kg (1500 lb) up to about 900 kg (2000 lb). Ponies are less than 14.2h, but can be much smaller, down to the Shetland pony at around 10 hands, and the Falabella which can be the size of a medium-sized dog. The miniature horse is as small as or smaller than either of the aforementioned ponies but are classified as very small horses rather than ponies despite their size. The largest horse in history was a Shire horse named Sampson, later renamed Mammoth, foaled in 1846 in Bedfordshire, England. He stood 21.2 hands high (i.e. 7 ft 2 in or 2.20 m ), and his peak weight was estimated at over 3,300 lb (approx 1.5 tonnes). The current record holder for the world’s smallest horse is Thumbelina, a fully mature miniature horse affected by dwarfism. She is 17 inches tall and weighs 60 pounds.
Horse breeding
Pregnancy lasts for approximately 335-340 days and usually results in one foal (male: colt, female: filly). Twins are rare. Colts are usually carried 2-7 days longer than fillies. Females 4 years and over are called mares and males are stallions. A castrated male is a gelding. Horses, particularly colts, may sometimes be physically capable of reproduction at approximately 18 months but in practice are rarely allowed to breed until a minimum age of 3 years, especially females. Horses four years old are considered mature, though the skeleton usually finishes developing at the age of six, and the precise time of completion of development also depends on the horse’s size (therefore a connection to breed exists), gender, and the quality of care provided by its owner.
Also, if the horse is larger, its bones are larger; therefore, not only do the bones take longer to actually form bone tissue (bones are made of cartilage in earlier stages of bone formation), but the epiphyseal plates (plates that fuse a bone into one piece by connecting the bone shaft to the bone ends) are also larger and take longer to convert from cartilage to bone as well. These plates convert after the other parts of the bones do but are crucial to development.
Depending on maturity, breed and the tasks expected, young horses are usually put under saddle and trained to be ridden between the ages of two and four. Although Thoroughbred and American Quarter Horse race horses are put on the track at as young as two years old in some countries (notably the United States), horses specifically bred for sports such as show jumping and dressage are generally not entered into top-level competition until a minimum age of four years old, because their bones and muscles are not solidly developed, nor is their advanced training complete.
Horses are adapted to grazing, so their teeth continue to grow throughout life. There are 12 teeth (six upper and six lower), the incisors, adapted to biting off the grass or other vegetation, at the front of the mouth, and 24 teeth, the premolar and molars, adapted for chewing, at the back of the mouth. Stallions and geldings have four additional teeth just behind the incisors, a type of canine teeth that are called “tushes.” Some horses, both male and female, will also develop one to four very small vestigial teeth in front of the molars, known as “wolf” teeth, which are generally removed because they can interfere with the bit. There is an empty interdental space between the incisors and the molars where the bit rests directly on the bars (gums) of the horse’s mouth when the horse is bridled.
The incisors show a distinct wear and growth pattern as the horse ages, as well as change in the angle at which the chewing surfaces meet, and while the diet and veterinary care of the horse can affect the rate of tooth wear, a very rough estimate of the age of a horse can be made by looking at its teeth.
EDMUNDO
Depending on breed, management and environment, the domestic horse today has a life expectancy of 25 to 30 years. It is uncommon, but a few horses live into their 40s, and, occasionally, beyond. The oldest verifiable record was “Old Billy,” a horse that lived in the 19th century to the age of 62. The size of horses varies by breed, but can also be influenced by nutrition. The general rule for cutoff in height between what is considered a horse and a pony at maturity is 14.2 hands(h or hh) (147 cm, 58 inches) as measured at the withers. An animal 14.2h or over is usually considered a horse and one less than 14.2h is a pony.
However, there are exceptions to the general rule. Some smaller horse breeds who typically produce individual horses both under and over 14.2h are considered “horses” regardless of height. Likewise, some pony breeds, such as the Pony of the Americas or the Welsh cob, share some features of horses and individual animals may occasionally mature at over 14.2h, but are still considered ponies. The difference between a horse and pony is not simply a height difference, but also a difference in phenotype or appearance. There are noticeable differences in conformation and temperament. Ponies often exhibit thicker manes, tails and overall coat. They also have proportionally shorter legs, wider barrels, heavy bone, thick necks, and short heads with broad foreheads.
Light horses such as Arabians, Morgans, Quarter Horses, Paints and Thoroughbreds usually range in height from 14.0 (142 cm) to 16.0 hands (163 cm) and can weigh from 386 kg (850 lbs) to about 680 kg (1500 lbs). Heavy or draft horses such as the Clydesdale, Belgian, Percheron, and Shire are usually at least 16.0 (163 cm) to 18.0 hands (183 cm) high and can weigh from about 682 kg (1500 lb) up to about 900 kg (2000 lb). Ponies are less than 14.2h, but can be much smaller, down to the Shetland pony at around 10 hands, and the Falabella which can be the size of a medium-sized dog. The miniature horse is as small as or smaller than either of the aforementioned ponies but are classified as very small horses rather than ponies despite their size. The largest horse in history was a Shire horse named Sampson, later renamed Mammoth, foaled in 1846 in Bedfordshire, England. He stood 21.2 hands high (i.e. 7 ft 2 in or 2.20 m ), and his peak weight was estimated at over 3,300 lb (approx 1.5 tonnes). The current record holder for the world’s smallest horse is Thumbelina, a fully mature miniature horse affected by dwarfism. She is 17 inches tall and weighs 60 pounds.
Horse breeding
Pregnancy lasts for approximately 335-340 days and usually results in one foal (male: colt, female: filly). Twins are rare. Colts are usually carried 2-7 days longer than fillies. Females 4 years and over are called mares and males are stallions. A castrated male is a gelding. Horses, particularly colts, may sometimes be physically capable of reproduction at approximately 18 months but in practice are rarely allowed to breed until a minimum age of 3 years, especially females. Horses four years old are considered mature, though the skeleton usually finishes developing at the age of six, and the precise time of completion of development also depends on the horse’s size (therefore a connection to breed exists), gender, and the quality of care provided by its owner.
Also, if the horse is larger, its bones are larger; therefore, not only do the bones take longer to actually form bone tissue (bones are made of cartilage in earlier stages of bone formation), but the epiphyseal plates (plates that fuse a bone into one piece by connecting the bone shaft to the bone ends) are also larger and take longer to convert from cartilage to bone as well. These plates convert after the other parts of the bones do but are crucial to development.
Depending on maturity, breed and the tasks expected, young horses are usually put under saddle and trained to be ridden between the ages of two and four. Although Thoroughbred and American Quarter Horse race horses are put on the track at as young as two years old in some countries (notably the United States), horses specifically bred for sports such as show jumping and dressage are generally not entered into top-level competition until a minimum age of four years old, because their bones and muscles are not solidly developed, nor is their advanced training complete.
Horses are adapted to grazing, so their teeth continue to grow throughout life. There are 12 teeth (six upper and six lower), the incisors, adapted to biting off the grass or other vegetation, at the front of the mouth, and 24 teeth, the premolar and molars, adapted for chewing, at the back of the mouth. Stallions and geldings have four additional teeth just behind the incisors, a type of canine teeth that are called “tushes.” Some horses, both male and female, will also develop one to four very small vestigial teeth in front of the molars, known as “wolf” teeth, which are generally removed because they can interfere with the bit. There is an empty interdental space between the incisors and the molars where the bit rests directly on the bars (gums) of the horse’s mouth when the horse is bridled.
The incisors show a distinct wear and growth pattern as the horse ages, as well as change in the angle at which the chewing surfaces meet, and while the diet and veterinary care of the horse can affect the rate of tooth wear, a very rough estimate of the age of a horse can be made by looking at its teeth.
EDMUNDO
Sep
03
Filed Under (Pets) by drafthorse
MIKE SELVON asked:
When you decide to have an animal at home or on your farm, it is important that you know how to take care of them properly. This may be easy if you have those domesticated animals that do not require much care. But what if you buy a riding horse and discover it is not as easy to care for the animal as you thought it would be? A lot of tack supply items are needed to take care of horses and one of the most important are the horse blankets.
Saddle blankets are made to keep horses warm. These blankets are also ideal for protection from wind and other elements. These types of blankets vary in sizes. In fact, most of them are custom-made to perfectly fit around the body of the horse from his chest to rump. Blankets for horses have straps that cross underneath their belly.
Although the blanket are heavily secured and fastened, horses can still move about freely. The most common of these blankets normally have one or two straps that securely buckle in front.
However, there are also some designs with closed front, thus requiring it to be slipped over the head of the horse. Also, there are those that have smaller straps lightly lopped around the hind legs of the horse that help to prevent the blanket form slipping sideways.
Horses wear horse blankets especially when they are traveling and they are designed with different weights for different weather conditions; water-resistance blankets are also available. Presently, almost all of these blankets are created and made with the toughest of modern materials.
These materials are also the ones used on human outdoor wear. Additionally, blankets for horses also help to keep their hair short. Preventing winter coats is also possible when they are used all throughout autumn. These are also suitable for horses with a partial trace clip or full body clip.
The Cooler is another of the many kinds of horse blankets. It is that square blanket that is tied and then draped over the horse that has just been bathed or has just completed a hot and sweaty, intense workout. This type of blanket is placed on the horse while it is being walked to cool down.
This provides better air circulation for the horse to dry off, while preventing drafts and chills that can cause problems. It is always important to consider the safety and the health of your horses, and this includes the type of horse supply products that you use.
EDUARDO
When you decide to have an animal at home or on your farm, it is important that you know how to take care of them properly. This may be easy if you have those domesticated animals that do not require much care. But what if you buy a riding horse and discover it is not as easy to care for the animal as you thought it would be? A lot of tack supply items are needed to take care of horses and one of the most important are the horse blankets.
Saddle blankets are made to keep horses warm. These blankets are also ideal for protection from wind and other elements. These types of blankets vary in sizes. In fact, most of them are custom-made to perfectly fit around the body of the horse from his chest to rump. Blankets for horses have straps that cross underneath their belly.
Although the blanket are heavily secured and fastened, horses can still move about freely. The most common of these blankets normally have one or two straps that securely buckle in front.
However, there are also some designs with closed front, thus requiring it to be slipped over the head of the horse. Also, there are those that have smaller straps lightly lopped around the hind legs of the horse that help to prevent the blanket form slipping sideways.
Horses wear horse blankets especially when they are traveling and they are designed with different weights for different weather conditions; water-resistance blankets are also available. Presently, almost all of these blankets are created and made with the toughest of modern materials.
These materials are also the ones used on human outdoor wear. Additionally, blankets for horses also help to keep their hair short. Preventing winter coats is also possible when they are used all throughout autumn. These are also suitable for horses with a partial trace clip or full body clip.
The Cooler is another of the many kinds of horse blankets. It is that square blanket that is tied and then draped over the horse that has just been bathed or has just completed a hot and sweaty, intense workout. This type of blanket is placed on the horse while it is being walked to cool down.
This provides better air circulation for the horse to dry off, while preventing drafts and chills that can cause problems. It is always important to consider the safety and the health of your horses, and this includes the type of horse supply products that you use.
EDUARDO
Aug
09
Filed Under (Pets) by drafthorse
Lydia K Kelly asked:
So, you have begun shopping for your first horse, but you aren’t sure exactly what you need? When selecting a new horse, it is very important not only to consider your personal likes and dislikes, but also your body build, your riding skill and your long-term goals.
There are so many breeds and types of horses that there is really a horse for any type of person somewhere out there. Unfortunately, the right horse for you might not be the cheapest, or the easiest to find.
Let’s start out by considering the overall type and size of horse you need. It is important to get a horse that fits you physically. A large rider looks foolish on a fine boned Thoroughbred; likewise a tiny rider looks silly on a huge Warmblood. There are three things to consider: height, weight and proportion.
If you are tall, you need to consider buying a horse that will take up your height without becoming unbalanced. For example, a 5′8″ rider fits a 16hh horse very nicely. If the rider is light weight, a Thoroughbred, or other light type of horse would work well. A thicker rider looks best on a thicker horse. A Quarter horse or a Warmblood might suit a mid-weight individual better than a lanky Thoroughbred. If you are heavy set, it is worth considering a heavier breed of horse or even trying a draft cross.
Proportion also plays an important role. A rider with a long leg and a short upper body can get away with riding a shorter horse. It is important to consider that the horse needs enough barrel to take up the long leg so that the rider’s feet don’t dangle below the horse’s belly. A rider with a short leg and a long upper body does better with a taller horse with a narrower girth.
Next, you need to consider your riding skills. What discipline do you currently ride? How long have you been riding? Do you have any training experience? Do you know anyone who can help you if you get into trouble?
A beginner rider should always choose a horse who is reasonably well trained. While he may cost a bit more, a well trained horse is worth his weight in gold. On the other hand, you should not choose a horse who is trained for an advanced rider. The horse will be far more sensitive that you need, and you will likely run into trouble in the long run, unless you are working with a coach on a regular basis.
The worst mistake that many riders make when choosing their first horse is to buy a young horse that is too green for their needs. The horse quickly develops issues under saddle and the rider becomes overfaced.
In addition to basic training, you need to consider where you want to go with this horse. If you are only looking to pleasure ride, you should consider a horse that is calm, easy-going, and will be a pleasure to ride. There is no point in buying a fancy show horse to hack around the fields on. In fact, most show horses are not bred for pleasure riding and will likely turn out to be poor choices for pleasure riding.
If you are looking to show your horse, you need to find a horse that is trained in the discipline that you ride, and that knows enough to help you improve as a rider. Unless you are prepared to spend a lot of money on training and coaching, avoid buying a horse that is green. Always take someone experienced in your discipline when shopping for a show prospect. That person can help you select the right horse, keeping you from making a costly and possibly dangerous mistake.
While color, markings, gender and other things may seem important, you need to be sure that the size, type and training are in place first. It is worth taking the time to find the right horse. If all goes well, you can develop the perfect partnership and have a new friend for life.
FRANCES
So, you have begun shopping for your first horse, but you aren’t sure exactly what you need? When selecting a new horse, it is very important not only to consider your personal likes and dislikes, but also your body build, your riding skill and your long-term goals.
There are so many breeds and types of horses that there is really a horse for any type of person somewhere out there. Unfortunately, the right horse for you might not be the cheapest, or the easiest to find.
Let’s start out by considering the overall type and size of horse you need. It is important to get a horse that fits you physically. A large rider looks foolish on a fine boned Thoroughbred; likewise a tiny rider looks silly on a huge Warmblood. There are three things to consider: height, weight and proportion.
If you are tall, you need to consider buying a horse that will take up your height without becoming unbalanced. For example, a 5′8″ rider fits a 16hh horse very nicely. If the rider is light weight, a Thoroughbred, or other light type of horse would work well. A thicker rider looks best on a thicker horse. A Quarter horse or a Warmblood might suit a mid-weight individual better than a lanky Thoroughbred. If you are heavy set, it is worth considering a heavier breed of horse or even trying a draft cross.
Proportion also plays an important role. A rider with a long leg and a short upper body can get away with riding a shorter horse. It is important to consider that the horse needs enough barrel to take up the long leg so that the rider’s feet don’t dangle below the horse’s belly. A rider with a short leg and a long upper body does better with a taller horse with a narrower girth.
Next, you need to consider your riding skills. What discipline do you currently ride? How long have you been riding? Do you have any training experience? Do you know anyone who can help you if you get into trouble?
A beginner rider should always choose a horse who is reasonably well trained. While he may cost a bit more, a well trained horse is worth his weight in gold. On the other hand, you should not choose a horse who is trained for an advanced rider. The horse will be far more sensitive that you need, and you will likely run into trouble in the long run, unless you are working with a coach on a regular basis.
The worst mistake that many riders make when choosing their first horse is to buy a young horse that is too green for their needs. The horse quickly develops issues under saddle and the rider becomes overfaced.
In addition to basic training, you need to consider where you want to go with this horse. If you are only looking to pleasure ride, you should consider a horse that is calm, easy-going, and will be a pleasure to ride. There is no point in buying a fancy show horse to hack around the fields on. In fact, most show horses are not bred for pleasure riding and will likely turn out to be poor choices for pleasure riding.
If you are looking to show your horse, you need to find a horse that is trained in the discipline that you ride, and that knows enough to help you improve as a rider. Unless you are prepared to spend a lot of money on training and coaching, avoid buying a horse that is green. Always take someone experienced in your discipline when shopping for a show prospect. That person can help you select the right horse, keeping you from making a costly and possibly dangerous mistake.
While color, markings, gender and other things may seem important, you need to be sure that the size, type and training are in place first. It is worth taking the time to find the right horse. If all goes well, you can develop the perfect partnership and have a new friend for life.
FRANCES
Jun
30
Filed Under (Pets) by drafthorse
Edna X Wilson asked:
Internet fraud is prevalent everywhere and the horse industry is no exception. If you can avoid selling your horse over the internet, do so. But if the Internet is your only option or you chose to buy/sell your horse or tack on-line be aware of the following inherent obstacles.
Dubbed the Nigerian Letter Scam, it has been used in the sale of large ticket items including horses, cars, and motorcycles. The current activity noted by horse-related websites comes in different variations from foreigners in Nigeria, Africa, London, and Hong Kong seeking to buy purchase horses, frozen semen, or horse-related equipment. A third party representing a potential buyer in one of the aforementioned countries will attempt to purchase a horse using a Cashiers Check to cover the price of the horse and their shipping costs. After the horse is shipped, the third party asks you to refund the shipping charges as part of a ‘finders’ fee” arrangement. Or they may also send you a check over the amount of the purchase price and ask for a refund of the difference. Unfortunately the cashiers check is counterfeit. Many sellers don’t find this out until the horse is gone and your money has been forwarded to the scam artists.
Potential buyers/sellers watch for the following:
* The emails come from free web-based accounts written in poor English, riddled with misspellings and often too familiar and friendly in tone.
* If the party makes big promises, such as offering to pay more then the asking price without first making contact to talk about the horse, it usually a scam. Be careful of anyone who wants to send you more then your asking price.
* Beware if an individual tries to speed up the transaction beyond your comfort range. A legitimate deal isn’t going to move as fast as your money. Think things through and don’t let yourself feel pressured.
* If they ask for bank information, don’t give out financial information including personal account numbers without first establishing a comfort level with the buyer or seller. The European e-mails do try to establish a comfort level, but it’s a bit false. If you suspect anything dishonest don’t give out any information.
Take the following precautions:
Never complete a transaction without some sort of contract. Retain a lawyer to draft a contract and represent you, but if you can’t afford one, the terms of the deal should be written and signed in English by both parties. A buyer or seller that resists or is hesitant is usually a strong sign of a potential problem. To avoid further problems, it’s best to use a law office that specializes in equine business issues, such as Equine Legal Solutions in San Jose, California.
If you’re buying or selling a horse, make sure you get a pre-purchase exam on the horse considered for purchase by the buyer’s Veterinarian of choice. One customer who ships horses outside the USA came up with a solution. She requested that all horses be paid for in cash or by bank transfer - no checks, credit cards, money orders or cashiers checks. If they want to pay using anything other then cash, the horse stays at her place at their expense. The horse wasn’t allowed to leave her property until the bank confirms all the funds are there. It worked. She never heard back from potential scammers.
And finally, keep in mind the internet is a service provider of online classified advertising, not a dealer, agent or broker. They are not involved in the actual transaction between buyers and sellers and accept no liability for any type of dispute or fraud. http://www.HorseClicks.com for example, does its best to educate both buyer and seller about fraudulent activity. They intercept, report and record all contacts that seem suspicious and protect your email address from public display. All internet sites may not take the same precautions, so contact other sites if you think there’s an issue.
If you think the potential party is not legitimate or if you suspect you’ve been scammed, contact the Internet Fraud Complaint Center or your local FBI office.
DOMINIC
Internet fraud is prevalent everywhere and the horse industry is no exception. If you can avoid selling your horse over the internet, do so. But if the Internet is your only option or you chose to buy/sell your horse or tack on-line be aware of the following inherent obstacles.
Dubbed the Nigerian Letter Scam, it has been used in the sale of large ticket items including horses, cars, and motorcycles. The current activity noted by horse-related websites comes in different variations from foreigners in Nigeria, Africa, London, and Hong Kong seeking to buy purchase horses, frozen semen, or horse-related equipment. A third party representing a potential buyer in one of the aforementioned countries will attempt to purchase a horse using a Cashiers Check to cover the price of the horse and their shipping costs. After the horse is shipped, the third party asks you to refund the shipping charges as part of a ‘finders’ fee” arrangement. Or they may also send you a check over the amount of the purchase price and ask for a refund of the difference. Unfortunately the cashiers check is counterfeit. Many sellers don’t find this out until the horse is gone and your money has been forwarded to the scam artists.
Potential buyers/sellers watch for the following:
* The emails come from free web-based accounts written in poor English, riddled with misspellings and often too familiar and friendly in tone.
* If the party makes big promises, such as offering to pay more then the asking price without first making contact to talk about the horse, it usually a scam. Be careful of anyone who wants to send you more then your asking price.
* Beware if an individual tries to speed up the transaction beyond your comfort range. A legitimate deal isn’t going to move as fast as your money. Think things through and don’t let yourself feel pressured.
* If they ask for bank information, don’t give out financial information including personal account numbers without first establishing a comfort level with the buyer or seller. The European e-mails do try to establish a comfort level, but it’s a bit false. If you suspect anything dishonest don’t give out any information.
Take the following precautions:
Never complete a transaction without some sort of contract. Retain a lawyer to draft a contract and represent you, but if you can’t afford one, the terms of the deal should be written and signed in English by both parties. A buyer or seller that resists or is hesitant is usually a strong sign of a potential problem. To avoid further problems, it’s best to use a law office that specializes in equine business issues, such as Equine Legal Solutions in San Jose, California.
If you’re buying or selling a horse, make sure you get a pre-purchase exam on the horse considered for purchase by the buyer’s Veterinarian of choice. One customer who ships horses outside the USA came up with a solution. She requested that all horses be paid for in cash or by bank transfer - no checks, credit cards, money orders or cashiers checks. If they want to pay using anything other then cash, the horse stays at her place at their expense. The horse wasn’t allowed to leave her property until the bank confirms all the funds are there. It worked. She never heard back from potential scammers.
And finally, keep in mind the internet is a service provider of online classified advertising, not a dealer, agent or broker. They are not involved in the actual transaction between buyers and sellers and accept no liability for any type of dispute or fraud. http://www.HorseClicks.com for example, does its best to educate both buyer and seller about fraudulent activity. They intercept, report and record all contacts that seem suspicious and protect your email address from public display. All internet sites may not take the same precautions, so contact other sites if you think there’s an issue.
If you think the potential party is not legitimate or if you suspect you’ve been scammed, contact the Internet Fraud Complaint Center or your local FBI office.
DOMINIC
Jun
22
Filed Under (Pets) by drafthorse
Lydia K Kelly asked:
When buying a saddle, be it new or used, it is very important that the saddle not only fit you, but that it also fits your horse. While some saddles can be re-stuffed, only so much can be changed through the re-stuffing process. It is best to find a saddle that fits well in the first place.
Most retailers will permit buyers to take home a saddle to try on their horse. Some will charge a deposit or even the full price in advance, but will accept the return if the saddle does not fit. As long as you do not damage the saddle, most will accept a return without difficulty.
Saddles are measured according to the length of the seat. A 16″ saddle measures 16″ from the pommel to the cantle. With this in mind, you need to consider how big a saddle you need to comfortably sit in. The average adult is comfortable in a 17″ seat. Teenagers can generally manage a 16″, while children often need something smaller.
If possible, try sitting on a few different sizes of saddles to see what size of seat best suits your needs. Keep in mind that the higher the pommel and cantle, the tighter the fit will be.
As long as the saddle feels comfortable to sit in, your will probably be in good shape as a rider. Keep in mind the height of the pommel and cantle, and the positioning of the padding. Some saddles offer adjustable padding, particularly in the knee roll.
The rest of the fitting is related to your horse. Saddles come in three basic tree sizes, narrow, medium and wide. Most horses will fit a medium tree. Fine boned horses such as Arabians, sometimes need a narrow tree to fit the structure of their back. Wide trees are suited to horses with broad backs such as warmbloods or draft crosses.
When the tree is the correct width, the saddle should sit evenly on your horse’s back with both sets of padding resting on the muscles along the backbone. There should be a clear gap along the spine all the way from the front to the back of the saddle. If there is no gap, the tree is too wide. If the padding is sitting on the backbone, the tree is too narrow. Some saddles have adjustable trees, making them great for riders who need to ride a range of horses who may have different body types.
Next, you need to consider the pommel. While the height of the pommel affects your seat, it also relates to the horse’s whither. If your horse has a high whither, you might need a saddle with a higher pommel. Some saddles have cut-back pommels which are designed to offer room for a particularly high whither.
Finally, the flaps need to rest comfortably along the horse’s shoulder and side. The front edge should not rest off the horse’s side, nor should it dig into his shoulder. A properly fitted saddle should rest smoothly along your horse’s side, with no air space or pinched places.
To check your saddle’s fit, place it on your clean horse’s back without any padding. With a helper to hold the saddle secure, take a good look at how the saddle fits upon your horse. Note any spaces or places where it rubs. If the saddle does not appear to fit, don’t try to ride in it, just return it to the store and discuss the issues you found with the supplier.
If it seems to fit, remove the saddle, and add a clean, thin saddle pad. Fasten the saddle, and see how it looks when the girth is tight. Then try riding in it. Give you horse a good workout, doing whatever you normally would do with him. If he seems sore, stop you ride, and take off the saddle. Ideally, you want to get your horse into a light sweat, just enough to see how the saddle sits on his back while he works.
Remove the saddle when you are done, and check your horse’s back. Are the sweat marks evenly matched from one side of your horse to the other? Are there any places that seem to be more worn than others? If the sweat marks are even, and the weight appears to have been distributed evenly throughout the saddle, your saddle fits. Any uneven wear is a sign that it does not fit correctly.
Be sure to lightly clean the saddle before returning it to the store. Sweat can damage the material if left on the saddle for any length of time, and it looks bad to return the saddle with signs of wear and tear. Do not use the saddle for more than one test ride. Let the store owner know how your ride went, and either return or keep the saddle depending on how well it fit.
AGUSTIN
When buying a saddle, be it new or used, it is very important that the saddle not only fit you, but that it also fits your horse. While some saddles can be re-stuffed, only so much can be changed through the re-stuffing process. It is best to find a saddle that fits well in the first place.
Most retailers will permit buyers to take home a saddle to try on their horse. Some will charge a deposit or even the full price in advance, but will accept the return if the saddle does not fit. As long as you do not damage the saddle, most will accept a return without difficulty.
Saddles are measured according to the length of the seat. A 16″ saddle measures 16″ from the pommel to the cantle. With this in mind, you need to consider how big a saddle you need to comfortably sit in. The average adult is comfortable in a 17″ seat. Teenagers can generally manage a 16″, while children often need something smaller.
If possible, try sitting on a few different sizes of saddles to see what size of seat best suits your needs. Keep in mind that the higher the pommel and cantle, the tighter the fit will be.
As long as the saddle feels comfortable to sit in, your will probably be in good shape as a rider. Keep in mind the height of the pommel and cantle, and the positioning of the padding. Some saddles offer adjustable padding, particularly in the knee roll.
The rest of the fitting is related to your horse. Saddles come in three basic tree sizes, narrow, medium and wide. Most horses will fit a medium tree. Fine boned horses such as Arabians, sometimes need a narrow tree to fit the structure of their back. Wide trees are suited to horses with broad backs such as warmbloods or draft crosses.
When the tree is the correct width, the saddle should sit evenly on your horse’s back with both sets of padding resting on the muscles along the backbone. There should be a clear gap along the spine all the way from the front to the back of the saddle. If there is no gap, the tree is too wide. If the padding is sitting on the backbone, the tree is too narrow. Some saddles have adjustable trees, making them great for riders who need to ride a range of horses who may have different body types.
Next, you need to consider the pommel. While the height of the pommel affects your seat, it also relates to the horse’s whither. If your horse has a high whither, you might need a saddle with a higher pommel. Some saddles have cut-back pommels which are designed to offer room for a particularly high whither.
Finally, the flaps need to rest comfortably along the horse’s shoulder and side. The front edge should not rest off the horse’s side, nor should it dig into his shoulder. A properly fitted saddle should rest smoothly along your horse’s side, with no air space or pinched places.
To check your saddle’s fit, place it on your clean horse’s back without any padding. With a helper to hold the saddle secure, take a good look at how the saddle fits upon your horse. Note any spaces or places where it rubs. If the saddle does not appear to fit, don’t try to ride in it, just return it to the store and discuss the issues you found with the supplier.
If it seems to fit, remove the saddle, and add a clean, thin saddle pad. Fasten the saddle, and see how it looks when the girth is tight. Then try riding in it. Give you horse a good workout, doing whatever you normally would do with him. If he seems sore, stop you ride, and take off the saddle. Ideally, you want to get your horse into a light sweat, just enough to see how the saddle sits on his back while he works.
Remove the saddle when you are done, and check your horse’s back. Are the sweat marks evenly matched from one side of your horse to the other? Are there any places that seem to be more worn than others? If the sweat marks are even, and the weight appears to have been distributed evenly throughout the saddle, your saddle fits. Any uneven wear is a sign that it does not fit correctly.
Be sure to lightly clean the saddle before returning it to the store. Sweat can damage the material if left on the saddle for any length of time, and it looks bad to return the saddle with signs of wear and tear. Do not use the saddle for more than one test ride. Let the store owner know how your ride went, and either return or keep the saddle depending on how well it fit.
AGUSTIN
May
14
Filed Under (Pets) by drafthorse
Daniel Millions asked:
Since the mid 18th century, historians have found references to the breed of dog known as the Dalmatian.
The breeds first established home, for which the breed was also named after was Dalmatia. It is a place in the Western Yugoslavian area which at one time was part of Austria, located on the Adriatic. However, these dogs were well-known throughout many parts of the world long before that time.
The breed was shown in various types of antique art including engravings, paintings, models, and early writings which have accounted for the presence of spotted dogs of the same size and type in wide-ranging areas including early Africa, Asia, and Europe.
As history tells us, several bands of ancient gypsies (Romanies) were accompanied by the dogs in their wanderings around the world, which explains the vast widespread and popularity of the breed.
The Dalmatian quickly became a favorite and established some of their best known claims to fame in Great Britain. They were brought there by members of the British upper classes who in those days often made tours to Europe and would often come back accompanied by some of the striking spotted dogs.
Right after they were adopted by the English aristocracy who used them to accompany their horse-drawn carriages, the charming dog soon became a feature of these processions. The dogs were taught to station themselves beneath the rear axle of the coach, and in some cases to trot underneath the pole separating the horses.
They were also taught to lead the procession, trotting along ahead of the first horse, which was an impressive sight to see!
Another type of activity with which the Dalmatian became known for, which also said to have started in Great Britain, is his very famous role of being a “firehouse dog. This was said to have started with the dogs being used as ratters, for the function of killing vermin in London’s stables and firehouses, which they did with expertise.
But these dogs loved the horses and the fire engine, so it was almost inevitable that they soon were racing ahead of them through the streets whenever the alarm was sounded. In the present days, many Dalmatians can still be seen riding on the fire trucks with their masters.
Dalmatians are still considered as the mascot and are often found in firehouses, not only in Great Britain but in the United States and other countries as well.
In addition to being a firehouse dog, Dalmatians have also worked in war times; done sentinel duty; served as shepherd’s dogs; and as draft dogs.
They have been seen in many circus shows, especially enjoying popularity with the clowns as “assistants,” their intelligence, aptitude, and showy appearance having fitted them particularly well for this activity.
ALEC
Since the mid 18th century, historians have found references to the breed of dog known as the Dalmatian.
The breeds first established home, for which the breed was also named after was Dalmatia. It is a place in the Western Yugoslavian area which at one time was part of Austria, located on the Adriatic. However, these dogs were well-known throughout many parts of the world long before that time.
The breed was shown in various types of antique art including engravings, paintings, models, and early writings which have accounted for the presence of spotted dogs of the same size and type in wide-ranging areas including early Africa, Asia, and Europe.
As history tells us, several bands of ancient gypsies (Romanies) were accompanied by the dogs in their wanderings around the world, which explains the vast widespread and popularity of the breed.
The Dalmatian quickly became a favorite and established some of their best known claims to fame in Great Britain. They were brought there by members of the British upper classes who in those days often made tours to Europe and would often come back accompanied by some of the striking spotted dogs.
Right after they were adopted by the English aristocracy who used them to accompany their horse-drawn carriages, the charming dog soon became a feature of these processions. The dogs were taught to station themselves beneath the rear axle of the coach, and in some cases to trot underneath the pole separating the horses.
They were also taught to lead the procession, trotting along ahead of the first horse, which was an impressive sight to see!
Another type of activity with which the Dalmatian became known for, which also said to have started in Great Britain, is his very famous role of being a “firehouse dog. This was said to have started with the dogs being used as ratters, for the function of killing vermin in London’s stables and firehouses, which they did with expertise.
But these dogs loved the horses and the fire engine, so it was almost inevitable that they soon were racing ahead of them through the streets whenever the alarm was sounded. In the present days, many Dalmatians can still be seen riding on the fire trucks with their masters.
Dalmatians are still considered as the mascot and are often found in firehouses, not only in Great Britain but in the United States and other countries as well.
In addition to being a firehouse dog, Dalmatians have also worked in war times; done sentinel duty; served as shepherd’s dogs; and as draft dogs.
They have been seen in many circus shows, especially enjoying popularity with the clowns as “assistants,” their intelligence, aptitude, and showy appearance having fitted them particularly well for this activity.
ALEC
