it was like spring here today

No jacket this morning when I went out to feed breakfast, no fire in the woodstove, and the pile of gloves lying near the back door offered a distant memory of the bitter cold from two weeks ago.

At the barn I discovered a cycling mare who spent half her day chasing (and sometimes at a trot) the big red QH, fly predators on my composting manure piles, and later in the day, tiger-striped mosquitoes on the Big Bay's face.

Keil and I had a lovely late in the day ride. He met me at the gate and I got most of the dried mud off him before tacking up. My daughter was already riding her pony, and we crossed paths many times before the sun started to set.

Cody got ridden too, which made me happy. I was in the arena two days ago and not only were the donkeys shoving at the gate to get in, but Cody too. The day before that the pony had nearly knocked the gate down, wanting to get in where I was riding. I love it that the arena is such a popular place!

After the ride, I untacked Keil Bay in the barn aisle and gave him a snack. About 2/3 through it he heard something and strode purposefully to the barn doors and looked out. It was moments before sunset, and he had done that magical trick horses do where they seem to gain several hands. With his head held high and his entire body on alert, he was 18 hands and counting, highlighted by the last few rays of sunlight.

We ended up by the round bale, with me putting his oil of oregano onto frogs. I happened to look up and the sky had suddenly gone pink and purple, in long layers of alternating color. Only a few minutes later, the pink had gone to white and the purple to a deep indigo blue, in the same layered pattern.

There's not much more one can hope for in a day: perfect weather; a handsome, happy horse; and a gorgeous sunset.

some new info on the rollkur issue

SCAN POST FOR NEW INFO!

On an exciting note, Heather Moffett's Blue Tongue Facebook page now has over 4000 members!

More examples of Helgstrand's training techniques and riding behind the vertical. Please note each horse's angle - I didn't see one single moment where any of the horses were "slightly in front of the vertical" which is the standard. Also note how even Helgstrand is hanging on to the reins and leaning back. Why are the horses so herky-jerky in their movement? Is this really good riding? I leave you to make that call.

http://www.helgstranddressage.com/nyheder_aabenhus.html


In this article on Edward Gal and Totilas there has been some after the fact editing:

http://www.dressage-news.com/?p=4009

The photo that showed another horse in Gal's training facility that was being ridden in draw reins and behind the vertical has now been removed.

This was the photo which originally appeared:

http://i46.tinypic.com/261dwr4.jpg

Isn't it interesting that although they all say there is nothing wrong with these methods, they don't want any photographic or videographic evidence linked with them?

NEW: Look in the comments for a link to Gal riding Totilas in the Windsor warm-up. It's 20 minutes of an almost continuously horizontal curb bit, pulling the hand back to the thigh and a few times to the waist, and lots of the Gal "body as lever" riding, which I personally do not enjoy watching, nor do I feel it even approaches the harmony and grace an upper level rider should possess.

Note the foamy sweat forming along the neck where the reins are rubbing, as well as on the flank where Gal's legs are scrubbing back and forth. I don't recall ever seeing foamy sweat in those areas. The sound of T. huffing as he canters by, the foam flying off in flecks behind him, makes me ill. There are several moments when he tries to protest but is immediately shut down with that curb bit.

In the background you'll see plenty more nose to chest riding going on. I'm glad people are videotaping. I'm not sure I could stand there quietly, watching horses under lockdown, body and spirit.

There's a new study which looks at hyperflexion:

A new study by Graf-Lehndorff-Institute (Austria/Germany) is about to be published (Cavallo 02/10). The scientists used a newly developped endoscope to observe the breathing in horses in movement (so far only possible at halt). 16 horses on the lungeing ...line first with long side reins then lungeing session with side reins so short that r hyperflexed. They also assessed superficial body temperature in horses with different degrees of hyperflexion of the neck.
Not only does it take 'their breath away', but pulse rate increases. Thermoscopy shows the horses get tense, blood circulation changes and the back is being hollowed.

http://www.vu-wien.ac.at/i109/equinescience/GLI_Bericht2009neu.pdf


On January 11, 2010, this was released:

World Horse Welfare comment on Rollkur
11/01/2010

In a recent article in the Observer newspaper, the quote attributed to World Horse Welfare with regards to the practice of Rollkur was not entirely correct.

World Horse Welfare does not believe that Rollkur is a "valuable training method". Our comment was that there are many people within the equestrian world who feel that Rollkur is a valuable training method, although clearly there are many people who take the contrary view. We also stressed that Rollkur, like any training method, can cause great harm if it is misused.

World Horse Welfare is taking a stance on this issue. Current FEI rules do not allow prolonged or excessive use of Rollkur. We are seeking robust guidance for stewards at FEI events as to what “excessive” and “prolonged” use of Rollkur means in practice. We are also pushing for robust research to look at whether there is a welfare issue involved in training techniques using Rollkur.

AND, JUST IN, a note on doping in competition. The FEI has launched a new website:

http://www.feicleansport.org/

Ironically this new website, which seems to focus on the FEI's concerns about doping, is actually heralding the NEW RULES they have come up with that actually ALLOW certain drugs to be legal in competition!

How about an FEI NON-ABUSIVE SPORT?

Even more bizarre, they have established an "Integrity Unit" with a nice note that says this:

Concerns regarding integrity issues?
Call the Equestrian Community Integrity Unit confidential hotline on +44 (0) 20 7935 5822 or email: report@equestrianintegrity.com


I have lots to report when it comes to integrity on the part of the FEI in the sport of dressage.

more reasons why I love the Big Bay

I told him at breakfast that once it warmed up fully we would have a ride together. When I got back out to the barn mid-day, he was lying curled up in the front field, soaking up sunshine. My daughter tried to take a picture, but my camera battery died the instant she pressed the button.

I walked into the front field with his new Micklem bridle in hand, and he stayed curled up until I reached him and rubbed his head. There is something special and sweet about rubbing the Big Bay's star while he is lying down. He let me get that bit of magic, and then he stretched full out for a moment and then carefully stood up and shook himself off.

He stood sniffing the new bridle and the booklet that I was consulting to make sure I got the bridle adjusted correctly - it's made differently and I wanted to get the buckles set just right. We worked together to get it fitted, and then I removed it and told him to enjoy the hay daughter was serving while I groomed him in the field.

When I went back to the barn to get organized for tacking up, I realized my saddle was having some issues - the cold damp we had did a number on the leather and it needed a thorough cleaning and conditioning. So I called out to Keil that I was going to clean the saddle and then we'd ride. I pulled up a make-shift stool, turned on the radio to NPR, and got to work.

Once I got everything ready I brought Keil in and tacked up. We haven't ridden in about 5 weeks, but Keil was wonderful. No fussing, no fidgeting. He seemed intrigued by the new bridle and walked with me into the arena. We had a little issue with mounting. The same issue - when I haven't ridden in awhile I get extremely obsessed with the mounting block being in one very precise place in relation to the stirrup. And then I hesitate as I start to mount and Keil steps back one step with one foot, which puts him off square and I stop to move the block.

All this would be alleviated if I would just go buy a 3-step block! But I'm stubborn and I feel I should get over the obsession, which gets better anyway if I'm riding regularly. So we played the game for a minute and then daughter came out and I asked her to just stand at Keil's head, which always works too.

Alas, when I put my foot in the stirrup, it slid almost to the ground. I hadn't buckled it back after cleaning the leathers! Yet another instance where Keil likely knew something I didn't, and instead of checking everything, I kept trying to do what wasn't working.

In any case, I fixed the buckle and got on, and that was that.

We had a very unstructured ride, only walking, and mostly focused on relaxation and just getting back into the swing of things.

One thing stood out though - Keil was walking with a huge amount of freedom in his shoulders, with his head and neck relaxed and ears curious and alert. There was a forwardness to his motion and his general physical demeanor that I loved. I kept looking at his front end, noting the position of head and neck, and also looking at his shadow. Something was different and better.

I'm not sure if it's just Keil being in a good place or the addition of the new bridle. We certainly didn't try anything strenuous or fancy, but as we strode effortlessly along the arena, me practicing an exercise I sometimes practice, which involves just letting my eyes hit a point and then Keil goes there, straight and in balance, with mostly no aids required, I realized that we were doing what I think of as the perfect "working" walk.

We looked like one of those old photos or sketches of a horse and rider walking with purpose and yet pleasure down a country lane. Keil's attention was with me and yet we noticed the neighbor cat walking toward the woods, the crash of a deer in the opposite direction, my daughter mucking out a stall, and various other things that went on around us. We noticed but weren't distracted, as if we were on a path to somewhere important, but there was no rush to get there, and no reason not to enjoy the things blooming up around us as we went.

There were no thoughts of dressage or work or anything like that. No getting on the bit, no fussing with position or trying to achieve a goal. I suppose you could view it as Keil Bay and I not trying to accomplish anything at all, and succeeding at that. But it felt too like we had transcended something and were simply, but brilliantly, enjoying a piece of our journey together.

What more could I ask for? The Big Bay takes me where I need to go.

daktari, or, we change/we stay the same

Something this morning sent my memory skipping back to childhood when one of my favorite TV shows, Daktari, prompted several years of major play. I and several neighborhood friends played "daktari" for hours on end. My back yard was Africa, and we had assorted neighborhood dogs and cats, as well as a collection of stuffed animals, who were treated for various ailments, protected from poachers, and generally adored.

There were numerous cardboard boxes that contained all the Daktari "stuff." I remember things like pecans in the shell being used as big "pills" and there were empty syringes and various makeshift surgical instruments, along with many things I can't remember. But I remember each time we played, the boxes were pulled out of the outside closet in our carport, and we would proceed to set up the main play area. We took pretend jeeps all over the neighborhood, on safari in search of animals needing help.

For most of the years of my childhood I wanted to be a veterinarian. I applied to and was accepted into a pre-vet degree program in my junior year of high school. I had volunteered at our personal veterinarian's office during two summers, loved animals, and felt I knew exactly where I was headed career-wise. With much consultation with my father, I designed a home/office scenario where my living room and office waiting room were on either side of a huge built-in saltwater aquarium wall. In my mind I wanted the place where I worked to be right where I lived, because even back then, with no models to influence me, I realized I would never want to leave animals in cages in an office while I went home for the nights and weekends.

In my freshman year though, I became discouraged with the coursework, which was mostly conducted in huge classes and had no direct relation to animal care. I realized I loved my English classes and stood out in those, while in the science classes I was one of several hundred and the material was dry and generic. So I changed majors.

Sometimes I wonder if our educational system had been different, and veterinary school was more of a "trade" school, would I have gone on to become a "daktari?"

It occurred to me today that in many ways where and how I live now, as an adult, is the fulfillment of that childhood dream and play. Yesterday was spent mostly outdoors, with horses and donkeys, monitoring Salina's progress, interacting with the equines, and then dealing with a yucky cat ear and later two territorial male felines drawing boundaries. It wasn't Clarence the cross-eyed lion or Judy the chimp, but Keats-meow and Dickens, Salina and the donkeys, Kyra the Corgi and all the rest of the gang.

Throughout the days I'm handling various syringes, medicinal herbal mixtures, checking for wounds and injuries, and administering a feed routine that rivals a chemistry lab. While there are no surgical instruments, there are muck rakes, pitchforks, harrows, and grooming tools galore. The hoof pick is reminiscent of some of those early toys we used in our pretend play.

It's funny how much we grow and change from child- to adulthood, and yet if you look beneath the surface just a bit, some things are very much the same.

For a very long time, my career goal was to be the official veterinarian for the U.S. Olympic Equestrian team. The very idea that I would be doing that now, treating injuries resulting from using horses in sport, for medals, makes me laugh. It never occurred to me as a young girl that a job like that would entail monitoring horses for abuse. But it probably explains my fascination today with equine advocacy, and with issues like equine deaths on eventing courses and rollkur in warm-up arenas.

the first of a few warm days!

Although it was really cold this morning, the day warmed up to about 46 degrees, which felt downright tropical after the last few weeks. My morning relief was complete after breakfast tubs when Salina walked out to the gate that leads to the front field. She has not asked to go out with the entire herd in awhile, and although she will always willingly walk out if you lead her, it was nice to see her at the gate.

Of course as soon as I rushed to open it, Keil Bay came up and wanted to visit, so we spent a minute clarifying that no, he wasn't going into the barnyard. He headed back to his hay pile and Salina and the donkeys walked through.

For about an hour after breakfast the entire herd stood out front soaking up sunshine.

After some time spent enjoying the horses and donkeys, I discovered that Keats, our one solid black cat, had a very yucky ear thing going on. Daughter and I swabbed it out and dislodged some of the gunk, and when I checked on her later in the day it was cleaner than it had been. Tonight husband took a turn. She is not rubbing or scratching it, is eating normally and seems comfortable and not in pain - and while it is fairly gross, I already have a vet consult on Friday morning, so unless something worsens tomorrow I'll put that on my list to address then.

When I went out to the barn again I found Salina and the donkeys in the back field. She hasn't been back there in over a month, and she was checking things out. The donkeys were quite happy to escort her. The geldings had traveled to the far corner of the front field where they were nosing a patch of red clay.

This time of year I often leave everything open so they can range around and eat hay and munch on whatever they can find growing. Unfortunately there isn't much growing - so they chew tree bark and dig for minerals - it's usually late January/early February when they seem to start craving grass. Last year I gave them a month of Barlean's Greens in their feed tubs, which I think helped alleviate the intense desire for spring.

Late this afternoon daughter hopped on Cody in the back field and walked him around a little bareback and with no bridle/halter. He was pretty good for a few minutes but then seemed to be heading off into the sunset with her - until we realized he was going to the back gate to the arena, where he patiently waited until I went and opened it. I had to laugh - I guess this means he is ready to go back to work!

I barely got inside this evening before I had to break up a cat encounter between Dickens E. Wickens and our neighbor cat. When I finally got the neighbor cat to go home and Dickens to come inside, they had been through two skirmishes, two containers of cold water tossed at them, and a big flashlight beamed into their eyes. And Dickens was holding up one paw. The list for Friday seemed to be growing, but then I realized he was just holding up one paw and then the other, almost in a slow motion kneading gesture. He ate dinner and seems fine.

It's too early for spring to be in the air, but it almost felt that way today! Tomorrow should be even better, with temps in the 50s. If I don't post about a ride on Keil Bay, someone please fuss at me!