Is it all bad news? Sometimes it feels like it. But, it really isn’t. There’s lots of good news out there. And, some of it is horse news.
Horse Rescued
Horses do get themselves into precarious situations. First responders in the Milpitas California area helped extract a small horse who got itself caught upside down in a drainage ditch. Fire crews, some who were called in to bring special equipment, took about four hours to pull the horse out and right it on its feet. After the ordeal, the horse is said to have walked back to its stable on its own steam. The horse escaped with only minor scrapes. Rescuers used special rescue glides or slip sheets. These are large sheets of thick plastic, used to slide prone animals over rough surfaces.
Looking For Forever Home
A group of public school students near Woodstock, Ontario, has raised money to give an ex-racehorse a chance for a peaceful retirement. Diamond Beau had a short and very unremarkable racing career, bringing in less than $2500 in purses. He eventually became a therapy horse for autistic children. But, due to arthritis in his hind legs, Beau had to be retired from being a riding horse. Unfortunately, Beau, despite his gentle, good manners got into the wrong hands. The students wanted to ensure that Beau had a good retirement and started fundraising. Selling hot chocolate at lunch hour, they raised over $800, which will go towards his care in a rescue stable until a suitable home is found.
Pony Capture Organized
Sometimes our best efforts to do something good go awry. A New York state woman volunteered to take in three horses that belonged to a couple who could no longer care for them. One of the horses is blind and followed her into the stable. The other two however, made a dash for freedom and have been hanging out in neighbouring forests and fields since March 30. Their new owner is naturally worried about their safety, and them being a nuisance to local homeowners. Riders on horseback have unsuccessfully tried to round up the cagey duo. New efforts to bring the horses to their new home involve a portable corral and volunteers on foot.
Industrial Park Values Mustangs
It often seems that wildlife rarely triumphs over industry. But in Nevada, industrialists are championing for local herds of feral horses. The over 1000 acre Tahoe Reno Industrial Center in addition to being the home of Tesla, Walmart, Google, Panasonic is also home to about 2000 feral horses. The Governor of Nevada planned to hand the ownership of the horses over to private citizens, putting them in danger of being sold for slaughter. But, the head of the Industrial Park and many of its clients wants that decision reversed. These horses, they argue, are actually good for business and are a valuable part of the natural surroundings of the park. But opponents argue they are not wild, not Mustangs that means they are not protected by the federal wild horse and burro protection act. Advocates are suing over the transfer of the horses by the state. And, Elon Musk lists glimpses of the horses as a benefit of working for Tesla. Liability concerns seem to be preventing the state from selling all the horses to any one owner who will leave them free roaming. But it seems these horses have some friends in high places.
Don’t Feed the Horses
Have you ever been swarmed by seagulls as you eat your lunch on the beach? Now imagine if the seagulls all weighed a few hundred pounds (250kg) and had four legs. That’s what beach goers at Assateague Island National Seashore have had to contend with. Seems the feral ponies who live there are adept at raiding picnic coolers. And last summer, one horse died after breaking into and gorging on dog kibble. Rather than ban the ponies from the beaches, local authorities are launching a program to dishabituate the ponies from getting food from tourists. Included in the program are specialized picnic tables that can be used to store food safely away from the reach of ponies, pony-proof straps to lock down and a public awareness program to teach tourists to keep clear of the ponies and not share their sandwiches and apples. That way, everyone can enjoy the beach in safety.
3P *Starring Ruth* has captured two spots on the leaderboard joining * Queen Of Hearts. Starring Ruth is a 17.1 hand Friesian mare out of the PythonPonyPalaces stable and was foaled September 7, 2023. She not only was #1 ranked ho ...
DNA testing can tell you a number of things about a horse’s risk of developing a hereditary disease, coat color, genetic markers for speed, temperament and gait and can give some insight into a horse’s breed. In this video, The Cl ...
Here is a story of how a passion for horses led one woman to a life of secrecy and dishonesty. Over twenty years she built a life of glamor and competitive success. But many people asked how she funded her extravagant lifestyle th ...
One of the world’s rarest breeds is the Suffolk Punch. Native to Britain, these stocky draft horses once had pride of place in agricultural work, hauling artillery, pulling public transportation vehicles like busses and towing bar ...
*V For Victory* is entrenched on the leaderboard and still holds the Best Streak with an 18,792 run and a jumpoff record of 29,444 - 19. But two mares have taken over the Top Rank and Highest Jump records. At 16, the 17-hand Crown ...
Get your daily dose of nature with this 49-minute video of wild horses travelling to a water hole in Sand Wash Basin, a BLM managed area in Colorado. The small herd drinks, grazes and swish's flies in the semi-arid desert environm ...
Halloween is just around the corner and it's time to consider costumes for you and your four-legged friends. A recent viral trend is dressing your pet as a ghost. Some sheets and paint are the basis of this costume, and you can se ...
Good riders do what they can to make their horse’s job easier. Especially when jumping, your position can help or hinder your horse as it adjusts its strides and balance between and over obstacles. Here’s a video with good suggest ...