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
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
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
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
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
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
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
Monday, May 10, 2010
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
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
Thursday, May 6, 2010
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
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
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
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
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
Monday, May 3, 2010
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
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
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