I Met a Horse Whisperer
Have you ever thought how cool it would be to talk to animals like Dr. Doolittle? I had the opportunity to meet the horse whisperer Bill Northern last night and it was quite fascinating. He specializes in race horses and spends time helping to solve both their mental and physical problems. For those who have pets and are in tune with them, it is fairly easy to hear what they are saying, but Bill Northern can dig a little deeper through his dowsing techniques. Check out his web site for more specifics on what he does, I’m more interested in sharing some of the highlights from his stories.
A colorful story teller who often had tears in his eyes while telling his tales, you can tell Bill Northern loves what he does. When he isn’t working in Kentucky, he can often be found jetting around the globe to California or New Zealand. In fact, I believe he left for New Zealand today - he finds it a bit more comfortable in the winter (mostly because it is summer there). In addition to treating horses, he has treated almost any other kind of animal that you can imagine.
The story highlights:
- Cats Lie - most animals will tell him the truth about their behavioral issues, but cats want to bargain and will often lie. He says that they will tell the truth if they are in physical pain. Take the cat he consulted about its nasty habit of scratching on and tearing up its owners furniture. Bill worked a compromise where the owners would feed the cat that pink fish (salmon) everyday and the cat would no longer tear up the couch. . . Well you can guess what happened the one day they ran out of salmon!
- Maybe horses do see color? I’ve often heard that they see in black and white, but perhaps not so! One race horse Bill treated because it was finishing dead last. The horse had recently changed stables and it told him that it (Continued…)
Bookmark this post:The Perfect Man is Waiting!
So maybe he is a stallion, not a man. EVEN better, when he is bad it is ok to leave him out in the pasture. The American Trakehner Association (ATA) just announced that bidding for the 2010 ATA Stallion Service Auction (SSA) will open next week on January 1, 2010. Over 40 of the countries top stallions are participating in the event, including Olympic medalist, Abdullah *Pg*E*. Of course Favian *Ps* aka The Big Red Horse is participating too. What a great way to start the New Year by getting discounted breeding to a versatile Trakehner horse.Best of all, if you have registered to bid in a previous SSA Auction you don’t need to re-register for the 2010 event. Online bidding ends on February 14 (Continued…)
Bookmark this post:The Pastor’s Donkey
AKA - The Pastor’s AssThe Pastor entered his donkey in a race and it won.
The Pastor was so pleased with the donkey that he entered it in the race again and it won again.
The local paper read:
PASTOR’S ASS OUT FRONT
The Bishop was so upset with this kind of publicity that he ordered the Pastor not to enter the donkey in another race.
The next day the local paper headline read: (Continued…)
Bookmark this post:Urgent Notice on Dangers of Horse Hair
In a press release today, the National Institute of Health has announced the discovery of a potentially dangerous substance in the hair of horses.
This substance, called “amobacter equuii” has been linked with the following symptoms in females:
- Reluctance to cook, clean or do housework
- Reluctance to dress up, wear make-up, nice clothes or heels
- Reluctance to spend money on home or car repairs until after “baby has new shoes, pad, blanket, tack, grain, hay & supplements”
“Amobacter equuii” usually results in long hours away from home and exhaustion which may lead to a loss of physical contact with other humans (especially husbands).
“Amobacter equuii” is thought to be addictive, driving the need for additional sources - this may lead to a “herd mentality” or like the potato chip commercial, “you can’t have just one.” (Especially potent if infected from miniature equines)
Beware! If you come in contact with a female human infected by this substance, be prepared to talk about horses for hours.
Surgeon General’s Warning: Horses are expensive, addictive, and may impair the ability to use common sense.
Bookmark this post:Horse Talk
So what do all of those horse terms, phrases and expressions really mean? Brad Krebs, president of the American Trakehner Association shed some light on them in the spring Trakehner Times. Here are a few of my favorites.Horsing Around - comes from the idiom “horse play” describing young horses in various forms of rough or rambunctious play.
Horse of a Different Color - derived from people comparing registration certificates listing color and noticing that the certificate description did not match the color of the horse being observed. And I thought this referred to a gray horse or an odd color.
Straight from the Horse’s Mouth - a racetrack tipster known for picking winners once told his clients that he got his information from the horse itself.
One Horse Town - used first in the 1850s when there were many more horses than people in some American towns. if a town only had one horse, it was a very small town with little happening.
Chomping at the Bit - all horse people have seen this behavior when a bridled horse is anxious to get started with (Continued…)
Bookmark this post:Is it too HOT for your Horse?
Lately I think it has been WAY to hot in Hotlanta to ride. Here is an interesting formula for determining if it is really to hot to ride your horse!
The Formula:
air temperature + relative humidity - wind speed = answerEvaluating your answer:
180 or above don’t ride,
130-170 use caution
130 or below ride!Determine: Temperature (F) + relative humidity (%) - wind speed For example: Temperature (F) 79 (Continued…)
Bookmark this post:The Original SUV
This is too funny. Enjoy a good laugh with the original SUV. The off road vehicle runs on hay, grain and H20. Could be the wave of the future.
Bookmark this post:Trakehner Horse 2008 Merit Awards
The American Trakehner Association (ATA) recently presented its 2008 Awards of Merit. The Big Red Horse gives a neigh of congratulations to these horses, riders and owners. (Photo is Windfall)
The Koenig/ NowPac Young Riders’ Dressage Award is a monetary award awarded to the highest scoring junior/young rider competing in dressage on an ATA Trakehner or Part-Trakehner horse. The 2008 recipient is Laura Noyes of Delaware, Ohio. Noyes competed at Prix St. Georges riding Syncro ORB-A-G442 (by Enrico Caruso *Ps*E* out of Sonset *E* by Habicht); bred by Perlebach Farms, Omaha, Neb. and owned by Laura Noyes, Delaware, Ohio.
The Palmenblüte Award is a perpetual trophy awarded to the ATA purebred Trakehner who has contributed the most in competition to promote the breed in North America. The 2008 winner is Syncro ORB-A-G442 (by Enrico Caruso *Ps*E* out of Sonset *E* by Habicht); bred by Perlebach Farms, Omaha, Neb.; owned and ridden by Laura Noyes, Delaware, Ohio.
The Trakehner Förderverein Award is a trophy donated by the Trakehner Förderverein of Germany and awarded annually to the most successful ATA purebred Trakehner in Eventing. The 2008 award goes to Windfall *Pg* OSB-E-S353 (by Habicht out of E.St. Wundermädel xx by Madruzzo xx). Windfall is bred by Heinz Lembke, Kaufbeuren, Germany; owned by Timothy Holekamp, Columbia, Mo. and ridden by Darren Chiacchia, Springville, N.Y.
The Trakehner Verband Award is a trophy donated by the Trakehner Verband and awarded annually to the most successful ATA purebred (Continued…)
Bookmark this post:Congrats to 2008 ATA Futurity Winners
The American Trakehner Association (ATA) congratulates the 2008 Futurity Award winners. Horses nominated for the futurity have two opportunities to win. As three-year-olds, horses may compete in the U.S. Dressage Federation (USDF) Dressage Sport Horse Breeding (DSHB) In-Hand classes under the USDF Horse-of-the-Year program rules. Horses compete at age 4 ½ to 5 in the Dressage Futurity by competing at Training Level in USDF recognized shows, following the Horse-of-the-Year award rules.
Each year the ATA Futurity showcases talented young Trakehner horses. More information on the ATA Futurity can be found on the ATA website at www.americantrakehner.com.2008 ATA Futurity winners are as follows:
2008 In Hand Futurity - Born in 2005
First: Le Rubio OAB-D-G358 (by Rubino Bellissimo (HAN) out of Lacrosse by Vincent); bred and owned by Stefanie Moses, Chester, N.H.
Second: Rousselet ORB-A-M2713 (by Beaujolais II out of Raumflug by Erzsand *E*); bred and owned by Linda Boyles, Lee, Fla. (Continued…)
Bookmark this post:2009 American Trakehner Association Stallion Service Auction
The Big Red Horse, Favian *Ps* is participating in the 2009 Stallion Service Auction. Breed your next warmblood champion.Mark your calendar! Bidding will open for the 2009 American Trakehner Association (ATA) Stallion Service Auction (SSA) on January 1, 2009. Over forty-five stallions are participating, including two Olympic medalists, Abdullah *Pg*E* and Peron *Pg*. This is the perfect opportunity to ring in the New Year with a discounted breeding to a versatile Trakehner horse. Participants may bid online or via mail. Online bidding ends on February 14 at 12 p.m. EST. If bidding by mail, bids should be postmarked by February 1. Minimum starting bid for each stallion is $500 with $50 increments thereafter.
All foals resulting from SSA breedings are eligible for the ATA Awards programs and ATA Futurity - which have paid out over $500,000 to date.
For detailed information on participating stallions, visit www.americantrakehner.com. For further information on ancillary breeding costs, call the phone number listed next to each stallion’s name before you place your bid. Some stallion owners may require booking fees and/or deposits for shipping containers, stallion collection, mare care or shipping prior to breeding your mare. Please note that any such fees associated with the purchase of any of the donated breedings are the responsibility of the mare owner. This information (if provided to the ATA by the Stallion Owner) will be listed in the stallion information area under Fees/Contracts on individual stallion pages. If that information is missing, you (Continued…)Bookmark this post:
