A Summer of Thoroughbreds. Colby: One Month Later

 

Colby: July 6, 2013

In June, I shared the story of Colby, a 4-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (click here to see intake photos and read about him) in the care of Helping Hearts Equine Rescue. My “summer of Thoroughbreds” has been so busy that I am just now finding time to share updated photos of Colby, taken on July 6.

Colby: May 25, 2013

What a difference a month makes!

Colby: July 6, 2013

Colby: May 25, 2013

Colby: July 6, 2013

As Colby get the nutrition he needs, he gains weight and muscle and his coat blooms. Gone are the long winter guard hairs, abscessed feet, and patchy coat. His rainrot and skin issues are under control with the help of medicated baths and daily grooming. He is fed supplements to help him maintain a healthy coat and hooves and support his young joints during his rehabilitation.

Colby: July 6, 2013

After Colby completed his quarantine, he was turned out with some equine friends. He is handled daily and receives training in hand, but his training under saddle will not begin until he is fully rehabilitated. In the meantime, he was quite happy to show off for me during a quick photo session.

Colby: July 6, 2013

Colby: July 6, 2013

He even showed off his potential when he cut across the arena and did an impromptu jump over the arena gate.

Colby: July 6, 2013

Colby looks great in July, but just wait until you see how he looks now. Stay tuned for more updates on this spirited youngster.

If you’re interested in donating to the rescue for Colby’s care, you can send a Paypal donation to hheartsequine@optonline.net, or visit the HHER website for other donation options. HHER is a 501(c)(3) charity, and horses like Colby are nursed back to health through the generosity of donations and the commitment of dedicated volunteers.

Please check back for new photos and updates about Colby, as well as other Thoroughbreds I meet this summer.
 

 

 

 

 

Photographer Sarah Andrew: 2012- A Year in Photos

2011 in Photos
2010 in Photos
2009 in Photos
2008 in Photos

Happy New Year! Thank you so much for all of your support and for making 2012 such a memorable year.

– On my road trips in 2012, I tried to put a face on the “unwanted” horse population, over 3,500 of them, wherever these horses were, from local rescues and farms to the horses at the auction. Each week, I met these horses and interacted with them. The horses continually surprised and inspired me.

– I embarked on my second-annual fundraising project with my friend Gina Keesling from HoofPrints and together, we created Horses and Hope: Faces of Rescue, a 2013 calendar of our favorite rescue photos. Gina volunteered weeks of countless hours designing and producing these calendars. The final product was not a simple 12-month, 12-photo calendar, but was instead a masterpiece of inspirational quotes and over 100 photos. Although the photos could have easily created a gloomy tone, we worked hard to keep the theme positive and uplifting.

100% of the profit is donated to One Horse At A Time. OHAAT is an appropriate charity, since they are not a rescue that houses horses, but rather an organization that helps horses in need across the country. What I particularly like about OHAAT is their gelding grant program- how wonderful would it be for photos of our own rescue horses to help control the unwanted horse population? We raised over $40,000 with the proceeds from the 2012 calendar, and have already raised over $50,000 with the proceeds from the 2013 calendar!

– My work was published in several books and a variety of web/print publications, and featured as album art for bands. Through the TDN, my freelance work, and my volunteer work, I’ve met some tremendous friends and colleagues. HUGE thanks to the folks at HRTV, who took the time to interview me and promote the Horses and Hope calendar- you can view the interview here.

And now… on to the photos!

Sweet Lil Lolly and the rest of her broodmare band in Maryland were rehomed with the help of MidAtlantic Horse Rescue.

Walter, a horse found wandering the streets of New Jersey, settled in for some square meals and a roof over his head at Helping Hearts Equine Rescue in Perrineville, NJ.

No visit to Helping Hearts is complete without a photo of the best donkey ever, Jefferson Airplane:

Havre de Grace won the Eclipse for Horse of the Year, but the OTHER Horse of the Year was awarded to Neville Bardos, a Thoroughbred with an incredible story.

Star pranced and played at Horse Rescue United in Chesterfield, NJ:

The Retired Racehorse Training Project got off to an ambitious start with the Trainers’ Challenge, which took horses from the track to the Maryland Horse World Expo, then to the farms of their trainers, and then to the final showcase at the Pennsylvania Horse World Expo:

Meanwhile, I connected with yet another great rescue, the wonderful folks at Zoar Ridge Stables and Rescue in Newtown, CT. Belle was pretty as a picture during her photo shoot:

Also in Connecticut is Scarlet Rose Farm Equine Rescue, where Stiletto Slim, a Saddlebred, strutted his stuff:

In February, Georgia was on my mind. I took a ride with Lisa Post of Helping Hearts Equine Rescue, and we picked up the Quarter Horse Mare and did her intake photos (you’ll see more of her later).

Back at my barn, I enjoyed photographing Suzie Hehn’s weekly lessons, especially when the students jumped leftover Christmas trees:

My horse Wizard was content to catch snowflakes on his tongue:

Camelot Auction’s temporary closure did not prevent people from abandoning their horses on the property. After a licensing issue was settled, the auction was once again open for business (these horses also found homes).

Three weeks of good food gave Georgia some much-needed weight:

Here and there, I managed to get some time in the saddle:

In March, fan favorite Hansen won the Gotham at Aqueduct, much to the delight of an enthusiastic crowd:

Sweet dreams at Camelot:

Horses and humans alike celebrated St. Patrick’s Day at Handy Acres in Jackson, NJ:

44 days after intake, Georgia was proud to show off her healthy coat and weight gain:

In March, Festus and Eeyore, the famed “Aliens,” came into our lives:

Blue and White Brigid, a Morgan filly, shows off her Easter nest:

This spring, Jon and I visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:

In April, I officially became a horse owner once again, and Wizard was signed into my name. Here he is taking a spin around the pasture at our new barn:

Some faces just beg for the camera:

A tall, dark, and handsome mule at auction:

The official kitty greeting committee:

Smithwick and Mel Monti prepare for the Thoroughbred Jumper Classic at the Garden State Horse Show:

Linda McBurney and Less Is More get ready for the same jumper class:

Saddlebreds at Camelot:

Four’s a Charm, aka Ruslan, and Kacey Rovere at the $4,000 Thoroughbred Jumper Classic at the Garden State Horse Show:

Scout and Toppy spar in the fog in Cloudland, GA:

Rosebud poses for her adoring fans at Central Virginia Horse Rescue:

Some horses (and minis) know just what to do when a camera is pointed at them:

A super-cool blaze at Camelot:

A star is born. Ruby (third from the left) makes her film debut:

And speaking of stars, my training blog about Thewifedoesntknow began in June:

Wizard and Sunny graze at sunset:

Brigid poses in the Black-Eyed Susans:

Cathy and Miss Tuesday enjoy an evening in the Assunpink:

Week by week, Thewifedoesntknow blossoms into a promising hunter prospect:

Oh, Ruby, it must be exhausting being so cute:

Halter tag at Camelot:

Three bay mares:

Ruby is her usual enchanting self, this time with Sophia:

A friendly face at Camelot:

Paynter, another racing fan favorite this year, storms home to win the Haskell:

Kris and her BLM Mustang mare Sunny score ribbons at their first-ever dressage show:

“Find beauty not only in the thing itself but in the pattern of the shadows, the light and dark which that thing provides.” -Junichiro Tanizaki

Paw, paw, splash, splash, bubbles, bubbles. Wizard loves his water crossings.

Thewifedoesntknow continues to progress under the careful guidance of Carole Davison:

Oh, and I got to RIDE HER!!!

In the lake with Wizard:

Thewifedoesntknow gets a massage:

A handsome face at Camelot:

Back at the barn after his victory in the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, To Honor and Serve gets the star treatment from Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and his groom.

Thewifedoesntknow schools at her first horse show:

Rachel and Lily ace the crocodile complex during a judged trail ride at the Horse Park of New Jersey:

Sunny makes friends with one of the trail ride obstacles:

Remember Georgia from this February? Here she is in August!

Silver Gem at Horse Rescue United:

Bev Goff and her Camelot grad, Mimi, are all smiles at their first horse show:

Christie and Brigid enjoy a Centered Riding clinic with Kathy Culler at Stone Tavern Equestrian Center:

One white ear, one chestnut ear:

Point of Entry and John Velazquez win the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational S. at Belmont Park.

Tristan struts his stuff during his Horses and Hope calendar shoot:

Sunny dances and prances for her calendar session:

And Wizard zooms around like a nut after his bath:

I just love a great blaze:

Lots of spots:

My little helpers:

Hong Kong Express at Second Call Thoroughbred Adoption and Placement:

What’s black and white and cute all over?

10YO Thoroughbred, Tough and Good.

“Fall For Horses” All-Thoroughbred Charity Horse Show at the Horse Park of New Jersey, hosted by Second Call Thoroughbred Adoption and Placement:

Monmouth Park stands strong in the wake of Hurricane Sandy

Another Camelot supermodel:

Bill and Mary, now in the care of Central VA Horse Rescue:

Thewifedoesntknow, week 23: she gets better and better every time I see her.

She also was very good at her first show:

Simon, the Helping Hearts reindeer:

Joey P, a millionaire Santa:

Sunset at Camelot:

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way… Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open… jog cart! Jessica (driven by a giggly me in this photo) is available for adoption at Horse Rescue United.

Hailey the beautiful Belgian is also looking for a home:

My volunteer work started as a way to carry on the legacy of Alibar, my beloved first horse. It has shaped my philosophy as a student of the horse and a photographer. A “horse in need” can take many forms, from a horse standing in a feedlot, to a free pony on Craigslist, to an abandoned pet, to a critical case at a rescue. Next time you are feeling frustrated, I challenge you to take some time and give back to your community. Photographers: craft your own style. BE DIFFERENT. You may think that you only have a little skill and time to donate, but as you continue to give, you may find that you are able to give more and more. The horses will thank you.

In memory of Amy Tryon

In memory of Dynaformer

In memory of Mini Cooper

In memory of Lefty

In memory of Sweetie

In memory of Love of Money

In memory of Icarus

In memory of Bronson

In memory of Maram

In memory of Sightseeing

In memory of Johnny McCarthy

In memory of Steve

In memory of Cooper

In memory of Leela

In memory of Join in the Dance

In memory of Romeo

In memory of Cocoa

In memory of Graham

In memory of Abercrombie

In memory of Rio

In memory of Missy

Last but certainly not least, in loving memory of Slade vom Marinik. Forever handsome, forever game, forever alert, forever my mom’s devoted dog. And in my dad’s words, a knucklehead.

Horses and Hope Calendar: Your Cure for the Cyber Monday Blues

Cyber Monday chaos? Have hope!

I have the perfect gift for all your animal-loving friends. This summer, I teamed up with Gina Keesling of HoofPrints, and we created our second charity calendar project, titled Horses and Hope: Faces of Rescue (click here to order).

Like last year, 100% of the calendar’s profit is donated to One Horse At A Time, a 501(c)(3) charity. The 2013 calendar features a wider variety of equine subjects than the 2012 calendar, which focused on horses at Camelot Auction in New Jersey. Horses and Hope: Faces of Rescue contains over 100 photos of horses and dozens of inspirational stories and quotes, and represents almost three years of volunteer work. In addition to my home state of New Jersey, I traveled to New York, Kentucky, Virginia, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Maryland and visited horses at equine rescues, as well as in their adopted homes.

Thanks to the generous calendar purchases of hundreds of horse lovers, the 2012 Horses and Hope calendar raised over $40,000. With that money, One Horse at a Time (OHAAT) wrote grants to help 317 horses, including supplies for emergency feed deliveries, and funds for 255 new geldings.

Gina and I worked hard to keep the calendar inspirational and positive, and highlight the great things that people do to help horses all over the country. Thank you so much for all of your orders so far- the response has been extraordinary. Here are just a few of the fantastic comments that we have already received:

“Sarah Andrew is an unbelievably talented photographer, world-class – and she treats each horse in this calendar with beautiful reverence. The profits from the calendars all help an important cause – helping equines in need – and the images, and the accompanying stories, will stir your heart…win-win!” –Barbara Livingston, Eclipse Award-winning photographer, Daily Racing Form

“The journey of feedlot horses from forgotten to beloved is documented in this incredible calendar, a gift of love from top equine photographer Sarah Andrew. She sees hope in their guarded expressions, bloom in their lackluster coats, and shows that these animals have so much yet to offer. Every page and every story warms the heart and steels the nerves for the continuing fight for the lives of these horses. No true horse-lover should be without this calendar, with its proceeds making a difference for these horses.” –Gina Spadafori, author, The Ultimate Horse-Lover

“In a season filled with commercialism and cynicism, it’s nothing short of a Christmas miracle to discover Sarah Andrew’s Horses and Hope calendar. Filled with true tales of inspiration, Horses and Hope is a reminder of what can be achieved if we don’t give up or give in, but dedicate our collective will to achieving that which needs to be achieved. Sarah’s photography is beautiful, the illustration magnificent, and the overall result a masterpiece you’ll be proud to share with your loved ones at Christmastime, all while receiving that special satisfaction you get from knowing that doing so means you’re not part of the problem, but part of the solution.” –Sue Finley, Vice President/Co-Publisher, Thoroughbred Daily News

“They look like normal enough horses on the cover… but when you open this special calendar and read these horses’ stories, you’ll never take a horse’s handsome head shot for granted again. Are you looking for a feel-good holiday gift that your friends will love? I think I’ve found it. I can say that with confidence, because the 2012 edition of this calendar is hanging over my desk…and I’m saving that spot of honor for the 2013 edition… Saving horses is, like any great mission, a thing that is worked on one day at a time. But at the end of the year, you can look back and see your accomplishments. By ordering this calendar, and giving it as a gift to your friends or business associates, you help assure that at the end of 2013, there will be many horses whose welfare needs were met, as a guarantee of the year’s–and the calendar’s–success.” –Fran Jurga, publisher/editor, Hoofcare and Lameness and The Jurga Report

More testimonials from horse lovers:

“Already ordered mine. The photography and printing are coffee table quality and they make great Christmas gifts for horsey and non-horsey friends.Thank you, Sarah and Gina. You make my Christmas shopping really easy.”

“Just wanted to mention how FAST this calendar arrived! Thank you for making such a beautiful memory book of these wonderful horses.”

“Here is a great Christmas gift for your friends and fellow horse lovers. PLUS, it supports a wonderful charity. We will be displaying one at our barn over the holidays!”

“I got mine a few days ago…cried at some of the stories. So touching!”

“The calendar is amazing, as was last years’ (which I bought also, just to see the beautiful photography). This years’ is a Christmas gift for the woman who boards my horse. She’s heard the stories each week, of the one I almost couldn’t resist, and I thought it so fitting that she finally experience some of what I’ve been talking about.”

“Great calendar!!!! Great cause!! Great stories!!! What else do you need??? This is an awesome and meaningful Christmas gift for the horse people on your list. I buy one for myself and a few other people… Spectacular photos on top-quality heavy paper, and every cent goes towards horse rescue and after-care.”

“I LOVE my new calendars. They are as beautiful, as touching and as beautifully done as the ones I bought in 2012. And I know my money is going for a good cause. Thanks for putting these together and making them available to those of us who can’t buy another horse but still want to help.”

“After working a 12-hour day, I came home to find my Horses & Hope 2013 calendar arrived… it may be I am over tired or the time change, but I cried over every month…not out of sadness, but out of beauty….beauty over these saved souls & all the people who made this happen & took a chance! This is by far the nicest calendar EVER! Congrats to Sarah & team!”

Please click on the links below to read read about the horses, ponies, donkeys, and mules in the calendar:

Georgia’s Story

Sunny’s Story

Rosebud’s Story

Tristan’s Story

Mimi’s Story

Electronic Press Release: 2013 Calendar

Horses and Hope: Sunny’s Story

Part 5 in my Horses and Hope series, an uplifting look at how the equine community helps local horses in need.

No two horse rescue stories are the same. The story of Sunny is a story of matchmaking, and a story of how one of my favorite horses arrived at one of my favorite rescues, and was adopted by one of my favorite people.

Lisa Post of Helping Hearts Equine Rescue (HHER) remembers how Sunny, an American Mustang mare from the Twin Peaks herd in northern California, arrived at her New Jersey rescue:

“I first met Sunny as a fresh-from-the-BLM youngster. Her owner was a client who would trailer her over on occasion to get her out to see the world. When Sunny turned 3, she came to me to be started under saddle and thereafter for several years trailered in for weekly sessions with her owner and her friends. During the first year Helping Hearts was in existence, her owner contacted me asking for help placing Sunny. She’d been trying without success and was considering putting her down rather than sending her into questionable circumstances. There was no way I would let that happen. Sunny had always been a favorite ‘student’ of mine. Sunny was relinquished to Helping Hearts.”

I first learned about Sunny when she was added to Lisa’s list of HHER’s adoptable horses. Although Sunny was not the perfect match for her previous owners, she sounded like the ideal horse for my friend Kris. Kris and I have been friends since college, and she was looking for her first horse. For a few years, she took riding lessons and leased a mare, and was ready to look for a horse of her own. The stout Mustang mare with the cat-shaped star on her forehead turned out to be just what she was looking for.

The intelligence of the Mustang is celebrated by horsemen, and Sunny had a clever plan for sealing the adoption deal when Kris met her at the horse rescue:

“When I read Sunny’s adoption posting, I thought she was a good age, a good size, and had some good experience. I was intrigued by the fact that she was a Mustang, not a very common breed here in New Jersey. I tried not to be too excited, because this was the first horse I was going to see in my search for a horse of my own. My trainer and I went to meet Sunny, and we were both impressed, she had a beautiful trot and was generally pleasant to handle. As I stood next to Sunny discussing the adoption, she sealed the deal by putting her chin on my shoulder and licking my face. Clearly, this mare was coming home with me!”

Trainer Carole Davison (also the trainer of TDN Blog star Thewifedoesntknow) accompanied Kris when she evaluated Sunny and rode her for the first time. Although Carole’s clients usually ride Thoroughbreds and warmbloods, Carole liked Sunny right away:

“When Kris asked me to take a look at a Mustang that she was interested in adopting as her first horse, I was a bit hesitant. However, the first thing I noted was her kind eye. Although she wasn’t sure what was expected of her, she remained calm throughout the entire ride. Sunny is a very sweet mare, with a calm, confident demeanor. She is a comfortable ride with steady consistent gaits. Her canter has improved significantly. When Kris first brought her home she had a difficult time getting into as well as staying in the canter. She now steps into the canter easily, well balanced, and maintains a nice forward pace.”

Two times a week, every week, Kris and Sunny train with Carole. Through the lessons primarily focus on dressage, they also school for judged trail rides, and are beginning a little work with cavaletti and small jumps.

Their dedication and commitment was rewarded handsomely in 2012, when Kris and Sunny competed in their first two dressage shows, and scored in the high 60s (for those who are unfamiliar with dressage, those are great scores!). Sunny shows under the name Sunshine Daydream, as a nod to her California roots.

Kris is a true student of the horse, and always works hard to improve her communication with Sunny:

“Over the next year, I discovered that Sunny was all that I had hoped she would be – patient, smart, willing, and calm. She is tolerant of my rookie mistakes in the saddle and my occasional bouts of fear, gamely trying her best to decipher my sometimes murky aids. Sunny is helping me to become a more confident rider, and already we have tried our hand at intro-level dressage and a judged trail ride.”

A judged trail ride is a very different type of competition from a dressage show. A dressage show requires a horse to be intensely focused during a dressage test, which lasts less than ten minutes. A judged trail ride is a test of a horse’s willingness, bravery, and patience.

These rides can last over an hour, and horses are introduced to obstacles that they have never seen before, like the life-sized model horse pictured below. Sunny, in true Sunny fashion, tried to make friends with the “horse”.

Don’t let Sunny’s primitive wild bay coloring fool you- she is built to MOVE. Her lovely conformation enables her to collect like a dressage horse, and also run and corner like a barrel racer. Genetic markers in the Twin Peaks herd have been linked to Spanish ancestry, and perhaps this is why she can move with such agility and grace.

Descendants of US Army Cavalry and historic ranch stock are also part of the herd’s genetic makeup, which might explain Sunny’s amenable disposition.

This spring, Sunny was diagnosed with Equine Cushing’s Disease, but with careful management and excellent veterinary care, it does not slow Sunny down at all. Kris and I board our horses at the same barn, and we’ve spent many, many hours enjoying trail rides together. I think Kris and Sunny are great riding buddies, and my horse Wizard agrees- he’s quite fond of Sunny.

To know Sunny is to love her. Lisa Post worked hard to find the perfect home for her, and she couldn’t be happier with Sunny’s partnership with Kris, “I always considered Sunny a great example of what Mustangs have to offer. Now, partnered with Kris, she has become a great success story- a wonderful representative of both rescue horses and the American Mustang.”

Kris is excited about a bright future with her lovely mare:

“Sunny is an excellent ambassador for her breed; she is eminently practical with a steady and even temperament. It amazes me every day that a horse born in the wild could be so accepting of all the things we ask of our domesticated horses. We are daily becoming a better team, and I can’t wait to find out what we will accomplish together over the years. I am eternally grateful to Lisa Post at Helping Hearts Equine Rescue for allowing me the chance to become Sunny’s rider and caretaker, and to Sarah Andrew for pointing out the adoption posting (and countless hours of advice giving, commiserating, and encouraging!).”

I’m sure Sunny agrees, Kris!

Click here to read Horses and Hope: Tristan’s Story

Click here to read Horses and Hope: Rosebud’s Story

Click here to read Horses and Hope: Georgia’s Story

Click here to read Horses and Hope: Mimi’s Story

IN OTHER NEWS

Horses and Hope 2013 Calendar

With the help of Gina Keesling of HoofPrints, my 2012 debut calendar contained over 100 photos of auction horses. Thanks to the support of horse lovers all over, it raised nearly $40,000 for One Horse At A Time, helping hundreds of horses in need directly, and untold others indirectly through increased public awareness. Now that we have one calendar’s worth of experience to draw upon, the 2013 version promises to be even more exciting, even more creative, and as always, inspirational and positive.

Please click here to order calendars- they make GREAT gifts!

Horses and Hope: Tristan’s Story

“Don’t ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is the special occasion.” ~Author Unknown

On January 3, 2011, Horse Rescue United founder Anouk Busch attended New Holland Auction. Although her rescue specializes in rehabilitating and training Standardbreds, one of the horses she loaded onto her trailer at the end of the auction was a Belgian workhorse named Tristan. He was tall and thin, covered in dried mud, had a sore tendon and a cancerous eye, and he cost $35.

After Tristan was out of quarantine, he was examined by veterinarians. X-rays revealed that the cancer had spread from his eye into the bones in his head. The prognosis was grim, and Tristan was given only a few months to live. Devastated by the news, Anouk did what she could to keep him comfortable. Through all the examinations and treatments, Tristan was a good patient. He charmed the veterinarians and all the volunteers at the rescue. He hammed it up during all of my photo sessions.

Tristan blossomed in Anouk’s care. Although the vets prepared Anouk for the eventuality that Tristan would lose weight, he gained weight all summer. His bad eye bothered him, though, and Anouk kept it as clean and protected as possible. When it became apparent that Tristan was not planning to leave this world any time soon, Anouk and the veterinarians at New Bolton revisited the option of surgically enucleating his bad eye. In October 2011, Tristan’s right eye was removed, which immensely increased his comfort level.

A year after his surgery, Tristan continues to live in the moment, in true horsey fashion. He has a girlfriend named Hailey (pictured above). His topline and hips are rounded with good nutrition. His coat is slick and healthy. His mane gets longer every time I see him. His missing eye does not bother him in the least.

Last month, in celebration of living in the moment, I climbed up on a bucket, leaned against Tristan’s almost 18-hand frame, and braided daisies into his mane for a photo shoot. As always, Tristan hammed it up and showed off for the camera.

When asked about Tristan’s popularity with visitors and Facebook fans, Anouk explained: “I had no clue what I had gotten myself into, but it’s the best buy we ever made. He has shown so much love, resilience and pleasure in life; he touches everybody with his presence. Particularly cancer and depression patients bond with him and see him as an example of how to take each day as it comes.”

Tristan is one of the many horses featured in my 2013 Horses and Hope calendar. With the help of Gina Keesling of HoofPrints, my 2012 debut calendar contained over 100 photos of auction horses. Thanks to the support of horse lovers all over, it raised over $40,000 for One Horse At A Time, helping hundreds of horses in need directly, and untold others indirectly through increased public awareness. Now that we have one calendar’s worth of experience to draw upon, the 2013 version promises to be even more exciting, even more creative, and as always, inspirational and positive.

Please click here to reserve your copy now for mid-October delivery

From the TDN Blog: Thewifedoesntknow Training Blog, Part 6

Part 6 in Thewifedoesntknow’s training blog- trotting a “course” of trot poles, turn on the forehand, a short video clip, and much more! Link here:

http://thetdnblog.blogspot.com/2012/07/thewifedoesntknow-training-blog-week-5.html

Off-Track Thoroughbreds Q&A with Photographer Sarah Andrew

Thank you to Susan Salk of www.offtrackthoroughbreds.com for hosting such a great Q&A with me. You can read it here: http://offtrackthoroughbreds.com/2012/06/07/qa-her-photos-at-camelot-help-save-horses/. It was such a pleasure to chat about photography, volunteerism, and the Camelot Effort.

From the TDN Blog: Photos and Results of the Garden State Horse Show’s $4,000 Thoroughbred Jumnper Classic

On May 5, Kentucky Derby Day, I attended the Garden State Horse Show and photographed the $4,000 Thoroughbred Jumper Classic. You can click here for my photos and writeup of this fantastic class and all the classy competitors.

From the TDN Blog… Christmas in July: My Morning with Zenyatta

As the world waits for Zenyatta’s first foal (due any day now), here are some photos from my visit with the great mare from back in July- click here.

A Visit to Zoar Ridge Stables and Rescue

Who said you can’t have a nice equine photo session in January?

This Saturday, my weekly photo volunteer work took me to Zoar Ridge Stables and Rescue in Newtown, Connecticut. The adoptable horses were from Camelot Auction, New Holland Auction, and from a local neglect case.

Please contact Zoar Ridge directly with any inquiries about these horses- I photographed them, but the farm has all the details about them. The farm has worked with them for many months and knows their history, health records, etc. Phone: 203 470 9939 Email: zoarridge@sbcglobal.net

BELLE

Belle is a registered Quarter Horse mare- she’s 16 years old and 15.1h. Here’s her pedigree (click here). She has no vices, and rides nicely. Zoar Ridge would like to find a home for her where she will get individual attention since she has already paid her dues as a lesson horse for most of her life. Her adoption fee is negotiable.

You can watch a video of Belle under saddle here:

Photos of Belle:

NAOMI and DOBBY

Naomi was purchased at Camelot Auction in Spring 2011. She was pregnant with Dobby. Naomi’s breed is unknown- she’s 9 years old and just under 15 hands. She was said to be an Andalusian/Quarter Horse cross at the sale, but her colt is gaited. Naomi does not gait at liberty, but her colt Dobby shows a variety of very strong gaits. Dobby’s conformation and movement make him look like a Missouri Fox Trotter, so perhaps Naomi is as well.

Naomi is unbroke, and is considered a training project for an experienced trainer. She was pleasant to handle for the photos, and was very willing to pose for us.

Photos of Naomi:

Naomi’s 8-month-old colt, Dobby, was also very pleasant to work with. He has excellent ground manners. The folks at Zoar Ridge did a great job working with him- he leads, stands, picks up his feet, etc. When he plays in his pasture, he shows a variety of gaits. He is playful, and loves people. Here’s a little video of him…

Photos of Dobby:

HONEY

Don’t tell the other horses, but Honey was my favorite of the bunch. Honey’s name is perfect for her sweet disposition, as well as the color of her eyes. She is 12 years old and about 15h. She was a neglect case, and had not been ridden for more than 6 years. Zoar Ridge is working her on the longe, under tack and she’s been backed several times. They believe she was once broke to ride, but needs confidence. She is very easy to handle, ties well, etc.

Although I only spent a little time with her during our photo session, I got the sense that she’s a really special mare. She has a very easy-going attitude, and she seems very trainable. Honey is very focused on people, and despite her past of neglect, she seems to really thrive on attention. I think she’s the kind of mare who will blossom in the right home, and be a devoted equine partner.

She is colored like a palomino, but her mane and tail have streaks of darker hairs. She might be a “dunalino” (palomino with dun factor) or possibly just have really neat countershading. Her eyes are a lovely honey color, and her ears are REALLY, INSANELY cute. They tilt in toward each other at a steep angle, and are tippy at the edges.

Photos of Honey:

CRYSTAL

Last but certainly not least is Crystal. She’s a 12-year-old registered Haflinger mare who is about 14h tall. She was purchased from New Holland Auction. Crystal rides and drives. She has a wonderful temperament and would love to be a family pet. Because she is a Haffie, she can be a little pushy so would be best suited for an advanced beginner. Her dream rider would be a teenager that would like to go trail blazing as she is steady as rock. Her adoption fee $800- neg. to the right home. Contact Nicole Bourne if you are interested in Crystal: 973-222-9401

Photos of Crystal: