the snowy day

Rafer Johnson was the first to actually take a stroll in the snow, but he was also the first one back to the barn! His sojourn as a snow donkey was fairly brief!



The snow queen! Once she had breakfast this morning she took a walk in the snow too. First thing she did was stick her face in it!



Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat nor gloom of night stays these Couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds!



Unfortunately, the stunning head and neck shot of Keil Bay was lost to a memory stick corruption. Something similar has happened every time it has snowed - and every time I lose the Keil Bay photo. There's something about a red bay against the white that I would love to capture - maybe later today I'll get another shot.

The pony had ice beads in forelock and eyelashes, and of course there is no photo of that either! But he looked quite the dashing Shetland.

Cody had been out too but didn't have the beads!

It's sleeting right now. Hoping this ends soon so we can enjoy the white stuff a little before it melts - probably Tuesday unless it warms back up sooner than forecast.

thank you, British Horse Society

From Horse & Country today:



BHS RESPONDS TO ROLLKUR RULING
29 January 2010


Rollkur has prompted debate

Following the news that the Swedish rider Patrick Kittel will not face disciplinary action after the FEI's investigation into his warm up techniques in Denmark in October 2009, the British Horse Society has released a statement confirming their position on the use of Rollkur, or hyperflexion.

The statement, posted on the BHS website, says:

"As the debate over the use of hyperflexion as a training technique continues, The British Horse Society’s policy may be stated as follows:

The British Horse Society strongly recommends that all riders training horses on the flat and over fences should adhere to the official instruction handbook of the German National Equestrian Federation. Whilst we appreciate that horses are as individual as humans, and that some may require corrective schooling, the BHS’s stand on hyperflexion (by which we mean the extreme flexion of the horse’s head and neck beyond normal limits) remains clear: it is an unacceptable method of training horses by any rider for any length of time.

We recognise that the scientific evidence is conflicting, and likely to remain so as each party seeks determinedly to prove its case. For this reason we doubt that science will ever provide a single, clear, unambiguous and unarguable answer. It therefore falls to humans to do what the horses cannot, namely to follow the precautionary principle: as nature provides no evidence of horses choosing to move in hyperflexion for an extended period of time; and as hyperflexion can create tension in the horse’s neck and back which has no justifying necessity; and as the horse in hyperflexion is, by definition, unable fully to use its neck; and as the psychological consequences of such treatment remain latent (perhaps in an analogous position with horses which are whipped aggressively but which can still pass a five star vetting), we should take all appropriate steps to discourage the use of this training technique, for the horse’s sake."

The furor surrounding Kittel's warm up broke after a Danish journalist posted a video of the rider on YouTube, in which his horse's tongue appeared to turn blue. The rider said he had consequently received hate mail. While the FEI have decided not to take action against Kittel, they have issued a written warning to him concerning appropriate and inappropriate warm up techniques.

joining the herd mind/getting ready for the snow

There's a more than good chance we'll be getting significant snow tonight and tomorrow, so before I launch out to get things set up (stalls stocked with shavings, water troughs clean and full, horses groomed, groceries, feed store - yikes, I have to do all THAT today?) I wanted to take a few minutes and write about a magical experience I had yesterday afternoon.

It was 60 degrees out, gorgeous skies, really peaceful afternoon. After Salina's morning of bucking and trotting, and her afternoon arena walking with me, I moved her, along with the donkeys, to the front field by themselves so she wouldn't overdo it, and the geldings were in back.

I wandered back to see the boys, and had a sudden impulse to lie flat on the ground so I could see the sky from that angle. The moment I stretched out flat, all three heads were pointed in my direction. Keil Bay and Apache Moon stood where they were, but Cody walked over to check me out.

It reminded me of what an important job he has. Whenever anything scary happens, Cody moves out front to assess the situation. Generally the pony will move up a few yards from Keil Bay. That's exactly what happened. Cody came right up to me, and then spooked a little bit, as if he were shocked to see me lying down. The pony came about halfway between me and Keil.

It was clear Cody was concerned, so I sat up. He immediately relaxed and began to graze right in front of me. The pony went back to grazing and Keil Bay approached and began to graze just behind Cody.

Although the sky was beautiful from a reclined position, I forgot about it. I had slipped into herd mind. Without really thinking about what I was doing, I stood up. Immediately, Keil Bay came to stand beside me, and Cody took a step away, to give space to Keil. The pony stayed where he was.

Keil Bay put his head into my hands for a moment, and then, again without thinking, I moved. As I moved, I realized I was in sync with the herd. We all took the same number of steps, in the same direction. Our heads all went to the front field, to see Salina and the donkeys, then returned to our own space.

I suddenly smelled something and Keil Bay and I lifted our heads together and both took simultaneous deep breaths, trying to figure out what it was. We lowered our heads at the same moment, then took more steps in the direction of the gate.

It lasted about two minutes. But during that brief time, I was not me making conscious decisions to move and breathe and look. I was one of the herd, doing what they do, as one entity. It was a wonderful experience.

this is what happens when women take better care of their horses than they do themselves!

I talked with Patsy yesterday afternoon and received my kinesiology test results. Whoa! I am a wreck compared with my horses! I did not write it all down, but here's what I remember:

yeast overgrowth
thick blood
low bile
low sulphur
low seratonin
low digestive enzymes
low EFAs

tailbone out and spine needs adjustment in 3 places


The interesting thing is that I told Patsy nothing of my medical history, and nothing at all about my back injury in July. Nor did I tell her that I have been having a few twinges in lower back the past month or so and already suspected I need to head back to the chiro. I had my gall bladder out years back and the low bile makes a lot of sense. The constitutional remedy I am most often prescribed by my homeopath is sulphur. I generally need to take it a couple of times a year. And it's nearing that time.

Even more intriguing is that my profile is very close to what Keil Bay's was, and for everything we shared, we tested for the same supplement to correct it.

And, probably the most amazing thing of all - the cost. For all the supplements needed to address the above, in a 7-week program, the total was $81. which included FAST shipping.

Salina was waiting for me at the gate yesterday afternoon, ready to do her walking in hand. This morning she was out back with the boys bucking and trotting like a wild woman. We're nearing 60 degrees today and she seems to be feeling like a million dollars.

Thanks, Patsy! I continue to be extremely impressed with your work.

The FEI's conclusion on Patrik Kittel and Scandic

Watch the video again. Then read the FEI's finding regarding this case. If you disagree with their finding, please follow up your grumbling to self with a LETTER or EMAIL to the FEI, letting them know your feelings.




Swedish Dressage News

Patrik Kittel Exonerated by FEI in Blue Tongue Scandal

January 27, 2010

The FEI investigation into the training methods used by Patrick Kittel on his horse Scandic in Odense, Denmark on 18 October 2009 has been concluded. Witness statements and video evidence have been thoroughly reviewed and the investigation finds are that there is no reliable evidence that the warm-up techniques used by Mr Kittel were excessive.

As a result, the FEI Legal Department has ruled that no formal claim against Mr Kittel will be submitted to the FEI Tribunal, however Mr Kittel has received a warning letter regarding the appropriate and inappropriate use of warm-up techniques and has been made aware that his actions will be watched very carefully going forward to ensure that there are no subsequent violations of FEI rules relating to horse welfare.

The FEI is conducting a major review and analysis of its current policy on pre-competition warm-up activities, with an emphasis on hyperflexion. A working group has been set up with a specific brief to define the term “prolonged and excessive” in order to provide more precise guidelines for stewards.

This issue relates to the welfare of the horse in general and not just to dressage and will be discussed in detail at a round table, taking place on 9 February, where all stakeholders will be represented.