Parade Around

It was Memorial Day and our little town circle was the site of its annual parade. Once part of the Western Reserve of Connecticut, this part of Ohio resembles many places in New England. Our little town center is ringed by white buildings with a gazebo at the center. American flags wave from every pole this time of year, and the graves in the town cemetery are dressed in red, white and blue.

We dressed the way a couple would have dressed (at the turn of the century) driving to attend a special event, to visit a friend, or to attend Church. Our Haflinger's blond mane caught the sunlight and children of all ages were delighted see riders and carriages and horses of all shapes and sizes walk down main street. People waving and smiling and greeting us was like a breath of fresh air considering our country's current struggles.

You see horses bring out the kid in all of us. Horses remind us of the Creator that we all share, and of the strength that we share as well.

Happy Trails, Kathy, horsedrivensite.net

Horses Were There Too

This weekend we will be honoring all of those brave men and women who have severed our country throughout history. Not to take away from their contributions, I'm proposing that we also remember the many fine horses who served and who gave their lives in the service of their masters.

It is thought that horses were first used in war about 5000 years ago, most likely pulling wagons, then graduating to chariots, and then to horseback tactics. From movies like Ben Hur, to the many Medieval period films, one can see the importance of the horse in warfare.

After WWI Calvary horses were being phased out, but as late as WWII horses were being used to transport materials in difficult terrain. My Haflinger and I were in a WWII reenactment as the Haflingers were used to transport supplies throughout the Alpine regions of Europe.

Even today mules are being trained then shipped to Afghanistan to transport supplies in rough terrain.

There has been little recognition given to our equine heroes. Following WWII three horses were given the equivalent of the Victoria Cross for their service during the war. In London's Hyde Park there is a memorial in honor of horses and mules who have served.

So as we remember our soldiers this weekend, let's also remember their canine and equine equivalents, and the roles they have played as well.

Happy Memorial Weekend, Kathy, Horsedrivensite.net

Trail Horse Hunting

A recent article in one of my horse magazines had me thinking about what I was looking for in a good trail horse. Trying to find a horse with a good temperament, courage, trail experience, and calmness can be a daunting task. In the age of Internet shopping for everything, horse shopping is no different, but you want to be able to be sure that you have the time to check out a horse fully. There are no serial numbers to tract for the horse's history.

We took several months to find my Fox Trotter, and in this time we created a folder full of contacts. Visiting farms, checking out the environment where a horse is raised or trained is a must. One contact led to another, leading us to my current horse. She was just four at the time which made me hesitate, but she soon won me over with her temperament.

You see her owner breeder had ponied her on trail from the time she was a baby, so she'd been exposed to trail. I think this is why she loves trail so much. Her owner had me ride her on a variety of trails, some quite difficult with river crossings and she performed like a trooper.

I came to the conclusion that I had not only been horse shopping, but I'd been trainer shopping as well, and all lived happily ever after.

Happy Trails, Kathy, Horsedrivensite.net

Buttercup, Buttercup, O, Butter....

My outdoor riding area is awash in yellow, with one of my favorite spring flowers, the buttercup. Remember holding them under each other's chins as children to see if "you like butter"? To me they are way too perky and cute to be a problem, but they may be for your horse. You see the buttercup, or the Ranunculus bulbosus,is toxic to horses, and most toxic when the plant is flowering. Symptoms of poisoning may include blood stained urine, salivation, depression,blindness.

There's nothing attractive about ground ivy and it apparently grows all over the USA, and this too can be toxic to horses, causing sweating, shortness of breath, salivation, dilated pupils.

The lesson here is to become familiar with where your horses are grazing and what they are ingesting. Some of the most innocent looking, like red clover, can be some of the most toxic to our equine friends.

Happy Trails, Kathy, Horsedrivensite.net

Chew on This

We all know that horses can colic because of the nature of their digestive tracts, but did you ever think about the advantage of not having to rest to chew cud? Horses have an organ called the cecum which allows them to digest plant foods quickly, while the horse is on the move or on the run. Talk about a great way to survive.

In one of my favorite books, "Why Horses Do That" by Lisa Dines this further explains the clear advantage horses have over cows and over sheep for survival. Goats, sheep, etc. hold their food for hours and therefore obtain more energy from less food, making them for favorable as meat animals.

So Mother Nature knew what she was doing when she created the horses digestive tract. Its quick, efficient, vital for survival, but definitely more easily disrupted than the digestive tracts of their farm buddies.

Happy Trails, Kathy Horsedrivensite.net

Muddy Puddles

We take special pains to be sure that our horses have a plentiful supply of fresh, clean water. It's puzzling then when they drink from mud puddles. I found the answer recently in my copy of "Why Horses Do That" by Lisa Dines.

If you think about it, drinking out of a puddle is a more natural neck extension to drinking out of a trough or out of a bucket. It simulates drinking out of a stream or a lake. In the wild, horses paw up their own mud puddles which also provides them with important minerals. Fresh water after a rain may be more appealing than the water that has been in the bucket several hours.

I trail ride with a woman whose horse periodically will stop to paw and to nibble on what appears to be plain old dirt but which may have a mineral that he's seeking. Horses know instinctively what they need and what they like, even it it doesn't make sense to their owners.

Happy Trails, Kathy, Horsedrivensite.net

My Waterless Week

Periodically, and we still haven't figured out how or why, our Springer Spaniel breaks through the invisible fence. His favorite "go to" place is a pile of fresh manure. This happened three times last week. The second time he went manure diving, when I brought him back to the house and asked "what did you do?" he grinned at me (yes he's one of those rare dogs that smiles). He knows this makes me laugh enough to forget about the offense.

After going to the trouble of a full bath the first time, we resorted to our waterless shampoo for the other incidents. Surprisingly he smelled fresh enough to hop onto the bed at the end of the day, confident that his smile helped to erase his latest escapade.

Happy Trails, Kathy, Horsedrivensite.net

For Peat's Sake

Now that the pastures have recovered from winter and the horses are able to be outside more, there is much less need for stall cleaning, thank goodness. We've been through several trials of stall bedding to place upon the stall mats. Hay just did not seem very absorbent, and wood shavings of various types were not ideal when spread in pasture because of the length to decompose and the possibility of too much acidity for the pasture.

We use sawdust pellets in our trailer because they are compact and easy to carry. Our best solutions for stalls was suggested by a friend. We now use peat moss for the "wet spots". Peat is incredibly absorbent, a little goes a long way, and it made great material for composting winter manure. When we do spread manure, we feel good about putting this material back on top of the land. The combination of composted manure and peat made a fantastic addition to my gardens this year.

Go green and give it a whirl.

Happy Trails, Kathy, Horsedrivensite.net

Gnats So Nice

Every season has it's flying pest challenges and riding today on a beautiful spring afternoon was no exception. While grooming and tacking up for our ride, I suddenly realized that I was tasting little tiny gnats and not liking it very much. My Fox Trotter was shaking gnats off her ears and I was remembering that we go through cycles of various aerial bombers throughout the riding season.

I came across a recipe for a repellent in my Horse Council news letter. It consists of mixing 9 teaspoons of petroleum jelly with 1 teaspoon of concentrated (2.5%) permethrin and a half teaspoon of Camph-Phenique from the drug store. Apply a layer on and just inside of the ears, around the eyes and around the nostrils.

I plan to try this if I can figure out where to buy permetrhin concentrate. Will keep you posted.

Happy Trails, Kathy, Horsedrivensite.net

Spring Fling

Western Reserve Carriage Association will be hosting an Arena Driving Trial in partnership with Licking County Park District. The event will take place at Infirmary Mound Park in Licking County, Ohio.

Andy Marcoux will offer lessons or you may pleasure drive on your own throughout the park. On Saturday there is a minimarathon and dinner. On Sunday clinic participants may compete in an ADT. Primitive camping is available.

Sounds like fun. For more information check out this website: www.lickingparkdistrict.com.

Happy Driving, Kathy, Horsedrivensite.net

United Organizations of the Horse

A friend introduced me to this organization. It caught my interest for many reasons, the first being that the name Dr. Temple Grandin caught my eye. Having read Dr. Grandin's book "Animals in Translation", I was even more interested in this organization.

This organization, based in Cheyenne, Wyoming, appears to be a more rational alternative to other animal rights groups. Their approach appears to be more rational and more realistic. They search to find humane ways to deal with unwanted and abandoned horses, and if none can be found they assure that there is a humane end and that someone in need is fed.

As difficult as it is for me to accept, this makes sense. "Animal rights are not the same thing as animal welfare" Let's face it, rescue farms are filling up and running out of funding. It's time to be practical. A fact quoted that there are more meals of horse meat served world wide than McDonald's hamburgers surprised me, but three fourths of the world considers horse meat a food source.

For more information about saving horses from cruel and prolonged suffering from starvation check out United Organizations of Horses.

Peace, Kathy, Horsedrivensite.net

Fast Winds, Slow Talk

There were high wind warnings Saturday but we thought that because we were heading south we would not be affected, so we loaded up our Haflinger and our cart and headed to Berlin, Ohio, in Amish country. We arrived at an Amish farm, home to one of the club members and harnessed up, our Haflinger's blond mane flying in the wind. Yes there was wind, especially since the farm set upon a very picturesque hillside in what is known as Little Switzerland.

The wind was fast, but the pace was slow as it always is in this community. There was time to tell stories in detail, time to talk about family and about horses. There was time to talk about farming and about weather. You see this is a place that is unplugged from TV, radio, cell phones, and that is partially what makes it so special and such a sanctuary for me.

Learning to move at a slower pace isn't easy and at first it can seem irritating. In the American culture quieting the mind is not especially valued or practiced. It's a skill that we are quickly losing, but along with it we are losing our mental and our physical health. Driving or riding through the countryside is an exercise in seeing the world at a slower pace, and of noticing beauty we often miss when we are going too fast to see.

I hope that you are able to quiet your mind on a regular basis and the best way to do this is with the help of horses.

Peace, Kathy, Horsedrivensite.net

Don't Tread on Me

Being the back seat driver that I am, whenever my husband does not make a full stop at a stop sign my smart ass comment is that the rules apply to everyone else but not to him. Actually I stole this remark from a friend's wife who used it in a similar situation.

This came to mind when I read, in my local Horse Council newsletter that riders were riding in environmentally sensitive areas where they were told not to ride. Delicate wildflower beds were destroyed in the process. Trails that were painstakingly being repaired were ruined. I guess these riders felt that the rules didn't apply to them and that these public lands were their private playground.

These public lands are a gift to be treasured and to be persevered. Riders who don't follow the rules may jeopardize my right to ride these trails and that would really piss me off.

Let's remember rule # 1 from kindergarten: play well with others.

Happy Trails, Kathy, horsedrivensite.net

Tail End

The other day I took a photo of my Haflinger running through o back field, blond main flowing in the wind. He's funny and mischievous but easily directed, with a great personality and work ethic.

Brushing that double mane and fluffing his forelock are like having my own giant My Little Pony. Then comes the tail. Whatever wonderful delicacies that he consumes in the field work their way out the other end. Unfortunately my Haflinger barely lifts that overachiever of a tail.

I've tried everything from sheath cleaning gel to peroxide to soaking to get those brown stringy streaks off of his tail. You see cleaning baked on manure on a blond tail becomes an Olympic event. I've awarded myself the Gold medal for effort because I've finally found the secret mix.

Happy Tails, Kathy, Horsedrivensite.net

Nothing to Sneeze At

Spring and fall are my favorite times to ride; one of the best parts being that these seasons are relatively bug free. The temperatures are generally perfect. In spring the wild flowers are frolicking throughout the woods and in the fall the leaf colors shining in the sun will knock your socks off.

The past few years and especially the past year I had noticed that during these seasons I didn't have my usual zip and I felt fatigued and had some heaviness in my breathing although I had very little coughing. This was all especially noticeable this past fall when trail riding became more effort than fun.

Over the counter allergy medication helped to a point, but it wasn't until I went to a new physician that she speculated that I was experiencing the subtle symptoms of asthma. Now with a prescription allergy medication and an inhaler to use seasonally, I feel spunkier.

The point of my story is that those of use who have seasonal allergies (not to mention all the hay, hair and dust that we're exposed to) are at risk for asthma at any stage and that the symptoms are subtle and easy to miss.

Stay well, Kathy, Horsedrivensite.net