Wizard Ride 136: Hm.

Sunday, 4/11/10

After work, I drove out to the barn for an evening ride. I turned Wizard out in the big arena to watch him jog and canter. He enjoyed the big arena, playing and moving out nicely. He usually does a pretty laid-back walk, trot, and little canter, but he broke into a good gallop and seemed to enjoy stretching his legs. If I closed my eyes, it would have sounded a little like a morning at the racetrack for a moment- happy snorting and pounding hooves. I brought him back in the barn and tacked up. We rode under lights in the big outdoor arena. He was very good about standing quietly at the mounting block. We rode for about 25 minutes.

The ride was OK, but he was not as loose or supple as he has been in the past few rides. There was tension in his neck- he braced it where he had been fairly loose and soft all month. And he put his ears back a few times. Hm. Why? Did the deeper footing of the outdoor arena bother him? Did I over-face him with the riding we’ve been doing? Is he sore? Is he reverting to an old behavior? I made sure not to stop when he put his ears back, but I did take it easy. I also introduced a new routine- when I am done with the ride, I dismount, and re-mount at the mounting block for a moment, just to change things up. He’s a clever boy and I need to spice up his routine.

I decided to give him a few days off and I’ll try him again at the end of the week. He is getting a two-week vacation soon anyway, since I’m headed to Kentucky for Rolex and the Kentucky Derby.

Hm.

Wizard Ride 127: A Racehorse and a Trail Horse

Saturday, 3/27/10

Thoroughbred people, did you ever wish you could ask an honest-to-goodness jockey to ride your horse and tell you how he felt? I am fortunate enough to be in that position. I’ve known Shannon Uske since she was 8 years old and we’ve boarded at a few of the same barns. She is unique in the horse world, since she is a professional jockey and she also rides her own jumpers at home. After I finished my ride, I asked her to take a quick spin on Wizard and tell me how he felt. As expected, Wizard trotted out confidently with his rider, because she has a great feel for a horse and possibly because I far outweigh her ;^) There was no unevenness, but she could feel the action in his hind legs that I felt. She liked how responsive he felt and said he has a nice soft mouth.

My ride was about 30 minutes long, including warmup. First, I free longed him for a few minutes- for Wizard, free longeing has all the benefits of longeing without the wear and tear on the joints that repeated circles can cause. I ask him to trot out in each direction so I can assess his gaits and mood, then I tack up and ride. This was our best ride so far this spring. There was a lot less of the ear-pinning behavior and a more forward, confident trot. Once he was warmed up, he stretched down into the bit, just like he did last year during my lessons with Sarah. His trot was more rhythmic and he was moving forwardly. He did not mind being the only horse in the arena, and all the activity outside did not bother him at all. When our ride was over, I opened the gate to the arena while still in the saddle, and walked out. I rode Wizard up to the gate of the outdoor arena, unlatched it, rode in, and closed the gate. We’re taking the trail world by storm, people!

A Visit to Camelot Auction

This is a relatively new aspect of the equine industry that I am exploring and I appreciate all feedback and comments you may have about the topic.

For the past year or so, I’ve had my eye on the Camelot Sales Auction horse sale results. I read Fugly Horse of the Day and her Washington (state) auction reports have piqued my interest in our local sales. Camelot is located in Cranbury, NJ.

This summer, I attended the auction a few times, visiting both the auction ring and the holding pens. All horses have shelter, feed, and unlimited hay and water. They are bedded on shavings and can lie down to rest. One night, I saw a tall, handsome grey warmblood type. This gelding knew his stuff, changing leads and taking jumps with casual grace. He sold for about $2,000. Another night, I saw a pinto pony sell for $750 but he looked like he was worth his weight in gold; he could jump the moon and was as game as could be.

The folks who bought these horses had a good eye for horseflesh and took home some quality animals. These horses were sound, attractive, and well-trained. Why are horses sold at public auction instead of through a private sale? An auction can be a good way to assess the market value of a horse. The horses are sent to auction for so many reasons, from an owner’s divorce to a retired lesson horse to a person who cannot afford his rent. With people tightening their financial belts and cutting back on luxuries, the horse population is undergoing big changes. Factors as basic as the time of year can lead to increased horses at auction in the wintertime due to the increased cost of feeding a horse. People who could afford to keep multiple horses a few years ago are struggling to keep one or two now. Some are getting out of the business completely. A barometer of the climate can be seen in the decline of public auction prices, all the way from the elite Thoroughbred sales to the local riding horse auctions.

At the lower end of the market, there is the added element of the feedlot buyer. Some sellers create a reserve price and if the horse is an RNA (reserve not attained), the seller takes the horse back. Horses without a reserve run the risk of being sent to slaughter. If there are no bids over the going rate for horsemeat, a horse can be sold for slaughter at a public auction.

The question of equine slaughter is a major hot-button topic among horsemen. I don’t know the answer but I’m doing my best to learn more about the subject. Some see equine slaughter as a necessary evil and as a means to control the horse population. Some see horses as livestock and find equine slaughter no more disturbing than the slaughter of cattle. Some see it as inhumane. Some see it as an end that is kinder than years of neglect.

As is the case with any controversial topic, it is quite difficult to get the whole story from either side. Slaughter is not the same as euthanasia, nor is it the same as rendering. At the heart of the debate is the actual treatment which the horses receive both en route to the plant and at the plant itself. Since 2007, slaughter plants in the United States have all been shut down so horses are now shipped to Canada or Mexico. A cursory Google search will provide some of the details of horse slaughter, but be warned, the videos and photos are quite graphic.

Due to the recent decrease in private horse buyers, there appears to be an increase in the number of horses sold at public auction being sold for slaughter. Within the past few months, a network of horse rescue groups have rallied around some large auctions, including New Jersey’s Camelot, and made an attempt to find a home for every horse intended for slaughter and relocate them to rescue groups, foster homes, or private owners.

Each week, the descriptions and photos of every available feedlot horse are posted online and distributed across the online horse community. For the past few months, the number of horses getting purchased from Camelot is high: virtually every horse has been privately sold/adopted from the feedlot. A lot of questions have been raised about these horses. Where do these horses come from? Who is benefiting from this process? What exactly are people rescuing? What happens to the horses who are rescued but have chronic health or behavioral issues? How long can this adoption streak keep up?

My mother, a friend, and I headed to Camelot last week to photograph available horses the morning after the auction. As a horse photographer, I’ve learned that a good photo of a horse can be what gets him a home. I figured that the more photos people can see of the horses, the better they can see conformation and personality.

From a photographic standpoint, I had to break all my usual rules in order to get the shots. Because the horses are close-up and indoors, I ditched my trusty telephoto lens and natural light and instead shot with a wide angle zoom lens and a speedlight (flash).

The process took about 45 minutes. The proprietor was courteous and had one of his assistants help us find all the horses on our list. Many auction proprietors do not allow post-auction purchases so we are fortunate to have this courtesy available to us in New Jersey. We walked from pen to pen, and eventually all 35 horses were photographed. It was a quiet morning, the only ruckus came from a stall where a miniature horse stallion was calling to potential girlfriends. Horses rested, munched on hay, or watched us. Some were shy, nervously walking away and some were friendly, nosing us curiously.

Only when I got home and began to edit the photos did the horses’ stories spring to life. I began to match up the hip numbers with the descriptions…

“Belgian Draft Mare, 16.2 hh, 15 yrs., droopy ears, looked ‘sad’, picked up feet. Purportedly exposed to Mammoth Jack. So could be pregnant for a Mammoth Mule.”

“Bay Pony Mare, 14 hh, 4 yrs old, a little head shy in the pen, Green under saddle, probably never ridden before tonite . . . . $150.00 NOT FOR A BEGINNER.”

“Palomino Gelding, 15.2 hh, 5 yrs old, looked gaited. Ridden thru, not much info. $225.00”

“Bay mare, Looks like a mule, but possible illegible lip tattoo (or pigment) maybe Standardbred if NOT a mule, 16 hh. 15 yrs, let thru, very, very thin – -we’re talking about 200+ lbs. . .. $150.00”

“Palomino Mare, 15.3 hh, 15 yrs., Very nervous/worried, but cute. Was a backyard mare, people ran out of money, led thru quiet but said to be broke to ride . . $100”

“Sorrel/roan Grade/App Gelding with an enormously swayed back. Led thru, but is supposed to be a games horse, intermediate+ rider . Find a Saddle for this guy! . . . $100.00”

“Very, Very thin Black/white pinto Gelding. 6 yrsl, 16 hh, went thru very quickly, think the price was $100.00 – -just led thru.”

“Mule – Belgian Draft-X, Mare, 16.1 hh, they didn’t announce age, was worried in the pen, picked up her feet. Snotty nose – – from Tenn., led thru but announced that she rode and drove. A pretty liver chestnut color . . . . $450.00”

I posted the photos online on Thursday night. By the weekend, every horse had been purchased to be sent to a private home or to a rescue.

Selena Ride 41: Playing Hooky

Wednesday, 10/21/09

You know those sunny, crisp, perfect fall days when you look out your office window and daydream about riding instead of being at work? I had the foresight to take a vacation day on one of those gorgeous days :^)

The barn manager is putting Wizard on a bit of Senior feed to help him pick up weight. He looks ok, but not as nice as he should look. He is a cribber, and he spends too much time cribbing while his paddock buddies munch out on his hay. To top it off, he is a slow eater and I still cannot rule out ulcers. I treated him with Ulcergard and it seemed to help, but I wonder if he is having issues with ulcers now/again. I picked up 40lbs of rice bran and I started him on a Panacur Powerpac. Selena was dewormed with a strongid wormer on Monday.

My mom visited the barn and took some photos of the ride. I tacked Selena up and started our ride outdoors. There were too many gnats and bugs and they were distracting for her so we relocated our operation to the indoor arena. The ride was just-ok, not great. Like Monday, I could not get the awesome effort out of Selena that I’ve been getting in recent rides. She was not her usual focused self and she was not as supple as she usually is- I’m still pretty sure it’s heat-cycle-related. We worked on a large circle at first and ended the ride with serpentines. We got one really nice canter depart to the left, but to the right, we did not get anything too exciting. No biggie, we all have good days and not-good days, right?

After the ride, I gave her a bath (yes, another bath! I’m determined to keep her reasonably clean) and let her graze as she dried off.

Selena Ride 28; Wizard Ride 98: Chasing Daylight

Friday, 9/18/09

I slipped out of work a little early, changed into my riding clothes, and drove to the barn. Summer is fading fast and so is the summer light. I love the cooler weather, but with it comes short days. Within the next week, I won’t be able to ride in daylight after work anymore. At that point, I need to decide when I’m going to do my trail riding with Wizard and Selena. Should I wake at dawn and ride before work? Should I hit the trails on my days off from work? And how will hunting season affect local trail riding? Bow season is here and I need to make sure I keep the horses and hunters safe.

But for now, I’ll enjoy what daylight is left :^)

As soon as I arrived at the barn, I tacked up Wizard and we hit the trails with Mary the Morgan (pictured above) and her owner. I rode Wizard for about 1.3 miles. He was fantastic, even when we had two encounters with deer. Both times, the deer startled loudly and crashed through the woods. Both times, Wizard was sensitive but sensible. He looked, startled a bit, and responded to me. He did just a little jigging after the first deer but then he settled. Before we arrived at the road crossing, I dismounted and hiked the rest of the way with Wizard (about 3.5 miles). I did this because he was so good for the first leg of the ride. I wanted to keep everything positive and it worked beautifully. We walked past the pigs- Wizard snorted but bravely marched on. He did very well on the lead.

By the time we got back to the barn, it was dark. I scrubbed Wizard’s legs with Betadine to avoid bug/tick bites and put him back outside with his buddies. I tacked up Selena and had a nice quiet ride. It was fun to have a quiet, easy hack with her. After a 10-minute walk warmup, I mostly let her work on a large oval, stretching into the bit and playing with “long and low”. The ride lasted about 35 minutes. Some barn buddies watched us ride and they were happy to see the progress and fitness she has attained.

Selena Ride 25: Hot Air Balloon

Friday, 9/11/09

The horses were indoors all day due to the rainy weather. I groomed Wizard and free longed him in the indoor arena for a little exercise. His belly looked rounder than usual and his left hind leg was a little puffy from his old bug bites. I am suspecting that he was a little gassy. His appetite was good and he was eating, drinking, and acting normally so a little light exercise seemed to be the best course of action. After a few minutes of trotting around the arena, his leg looked better and his belly did not look as puffy. I checked up on him the next day and it seems like whatever it was is gone, thankfully. Seasonal? Cribbing? Indoor/outdoor shift? Could be anything.

I rode Selena indoors with Mary the Morgan. The ride lasted about 35 minutes. I did not quite get Selena to the awesome softness that we got on Monday, but that is OK. As long as I keep feeling progress, it is OK to not have a perfect ride every night.

It is time to shape up my ride plans and really think about my goals. We’ve been doing the same-old, same-old rides lately, transitioning, riding around the cones, and it is OK but I need to help her make progress. We did trot a few ground poles in each direction. One time, she LEAPT over them but every time, she trotted them nicely. It’s not time to jump yet, girl ;^)

Alibhai’s Alibar 3/28/1979 – 9/10/2008 (One Year Later)

It has been one year since I said goodbye to you and yet, you have made yourself known at the most delightful and needed moments.

I pull my car into the driveway at the barn. All the horses are outside. If I squint my eyes just right and look at your paddock, I see your blaze shining like a beacon, topped by your tiny, perfect tippy ears.

The horses whinny at feeding time. Amidst the chorus, I hear your deep, musical neigh beginning and ending each round.

A strong gust of wind blows and the horses suddenly cavort in their paddocks, snorting and pawing the air. I know you roused the troops and led the charge.

On the coldest and snowiest days, sometimes I can catch a glimpse of the wildest snow-horse of all.

Your green fly bonnet has been retired, but I ride horses in your old saddles and bridles. I cannot help but think that any bridle that the mighty Alibar looked through must be charmed.

I lean my face against a horse after he has gotten a bath. I can smell your coat, always sweet, even on a hot summer day.

After a difficult ride on one of the new horses, I cannot help but smile. Nothing frustrates me because for almost 20 years, I rode the gamest and greatest horse of all.

At every horse show, there is a teenaged girl proudly posing with her horse. She is wearing rubber boots and her horse is mud-spattered- they had the fastest time in the slop in the jumper class.

When I went to Devil’s Hill to scatter your ashes, I felt your unwaveringly solid feet picking their way down the slope. I heard the wind howling in my ears and felt tears streaming down my face as we outran the wind.

It is late and I turn the lights out in the barn. I slowly make my way back to my car and your left nostril is pressed against my right hand, as it was hundreds of times before.

And just every so often, I close my eyes and dream a dream of you. In death, you carry me as you did in life.

Selena Ride 22; JR Session 55; Wizard Session 93: This Little Piggy

Monday, 9/7/09

Wizard: I took Wizard for a walk in the woods with Mary the Morgan and her owner. We’ve been learning about the trail network around the barn and exploring the trails is becoming an addiction! I hiked with Wizard for a little over 5 miles, behind the barn, past a farm with a little pen of pigs, across the street, around a big loop, and back to the barn.

Pigs??? Yes! There were 4 pigs- 2 were friendly and 2 were shy. Wizard startled a bit when he saw them at first, but then he became bolder and actually touched noses with one of them. It was interesting to see his little wheels turning in his head as he changed from, “Nope! Nope! Nope!” to “Yep! Yep! Yep!”. I really like how curious and bold Wizard is.

The only problem I had with Wizard on the hike was on the last leg of the trail. Mary the Morgan had trotted ahead a little bit and was just out of our sight. Wizard became agitated and pranced and jigged until we were close to them again. It was especially interesting because he is not particularly buddy-sour or barn-sour, but the horse leaving his sight really triggered him.

After the walk, I turned him out in the arena and he cavorted and played for a few minutes. I put him in his stall and he snacked on Dengie while I worked with the other 2 horses.

Selena: Best ride yet! She had a few days off, but it seemed to work to our advantage this time. She was so relaxed, which I partly contribute to the conditions, since it was an hour after feeding time and the weather was very pleasant. We’ve also getting used to each other, which is wonderful. I put the cones out in the arena, this time in a straight line like how pole benders set up poles. I used the cones as huge loops for serpentines. From the very beginning of the ride, Selena was responsive. She heard every cue, and is really beginning to understand my half halts. She is already wonderfully responsive to leg so now she’s becoming a treat to ride :^)

Our transitions were lovely, she was actually a little quiet so I asked her for a canter so I could practice settling her down and relaxing her topline. She responded and her neck and back were tense, but she became more relaxed with transitions and bending. At one section of the arena, I could feel her round her back and accept contact with the bit. She did it a handful of times and it was a wonderful feeling. Now that I’ve felt it, I know that we have the potential to get some great things accomplished. Wonderful ride!

JR: After I was done with Wizard and Selena, I took JR for a hike in the woods. He has put on a little too much weight from inactivity so the exercise was definitely a good thing for him. We went a little under 4 miles, including past the pigs. JR was more fearful than his bold friend Wizard, but I was pleased with his reaction. When we approached the pigs, he telescoped his neck and reached toward them. He did not quite touch noses like Wizard, but he was curious enough to overcome his fears. I did have to handle a little hopping around when I put him between me and the pigs- he was far more comfortable when I was between him and the pigs. He even managed to step on my foot, which thankfully did not result in any injury. I’m 31 years old and I’ve been stepped on twice by horses in my life, both this year: once by Wizard and once by JR.

It was a great day for all the horses. I hope to keep taking advantage of this great weather by riding and exercising with the herd.

Selena Ride 21; Wizard Session 92; One for the Road

Thursday, 9/3/09

Last ride before my trip to Saratoga to see Rachel Alexandra’s date with destiny in the 2009 Woodward Stakes :^)

I arranged the cones and ground poles in a larger pattern for my ride with Selena. The cones were in a big rectangle, making a large oval. I put two ground poles in the center so I could ride through to do figure 8s. I’m not sure if it was the time of day or something about my riding, but it took a while to settle Selena and get her as focused as she was for the past few rides. By the end of the ride, she began to reach into the bit, just a little, so I rewarded her by cooling out. I understand that there will be peaks and plateaus, so it was not altogether disappointing to have a just-OK ride.

My mother and I took Wizard for a hike in the woods. We walked almost 5 miles :^)

Selena Ride 18; Wizard Session 89: Unintentional Intimidation

Monday, 8/31/09

Fall is in the air… in August! There is just a nip in the air and the nighttime temperatures dropped into the high 50s. The horses felt good and it was perfect weather for the barn. Then again, bad weather never stops me :^)

Wizard and I went for another stroll across the street on the new network of trails. He was just as pleased to walk the trails as he was the day before, even though he did not have any other horsey companions.

There is a long, flat straightaway on the path and I decided to take advantage of the exercise and do a little jogging. You would have thought I was the funniest person on the planet by the way Wizard reacted- he got SO silly, totally controllable, but entirely silly. He wagged his head back and forth, arched his neck, flagged his tail, and bounced along next to me, snorting happily the entire time.

We walked for about 30 minutes and I turned him out in the arena when we returned. Still looking good! As long as he keeps looking this good, I plan to saddle up and ride him late next week.

I rode Selena for about 30 minutes under the lights in the big outdoor arena. I took her off the big circle we’ve been doing for the past few days and worked on straight lines and I worked hard to fix my position. I tend to tilt my pelvis forward and slouch. I need to rock my pelvis back and straighten my shoulders and create some bend in my arms by using the correct muscles. The ride was less harmonious than the past few rides, but I was satisfied by the end result. She was much better to the right than the left.

Our riding companions were a lovely draft cross mare and her very nice owner. The mare is young but beautifully schooled. As Selena and I worked on riding back-to-front and worked out the kinks, I glanced over at the other mare and her rider a few times. They looked perfect. It was nice to ride in the arena with another horse and rider but at the same time, it was a little intimidating to see them riding so nicely. I need to get over myself and stop being so self-conscious.