Spring and Where the Hell Am I?
Ruth Baltopoulos
was icy, gross and frickin' very cold, Cue is either on the
backside of the property where he lives or being trailered
somewhere. In the spring, and especially this spring, it is
as if he has never seen the front of the property and grows
several hands taller when walking or riding that end of the
'track' around the property. Trail riding across the street
is viewed as an entirely new situation. Is this weird? I
mean, he has lived there for five years... Can this
blockhead actually 'forget' the other half of the farm over
the winter and have to 'reacquaint' himself to it?
The other lovely thing about this guy as he seems to be
either ho-hum or What the Phuck!; no middle ground.
Suggestions? Comments? Anecdotes? Lead Deficiency?
--
Ruth
"I get up every morning determined to both change the world
and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes
planning my day difficult." E. B. White
Callen Molenda
news:2Imdnd0J_69...@comcast.com...
> During the winter, and particularly this past winter, as it
> was icy, gross and frickin' very cold, Cue is either on the
> backside of the property where he lives or being trailered
> somewhere. In the spring, and especially this spring, it is
> as if he has never seen the front of the property and grows
> several hands taller when walking or riding that end of the
> 'track' around the property. Trail riding across the street
> is viewed as an entirely new situation. Is this weird? I
> mean, he has lived there for five years... Can this
> blockhead actually 'forget' the other half of the farm over
> the winter and have to 'reacquaint' himself to it?
>
> The other lovely thing about this guy as he seems to be
> either ho-hum or What the Phuck!; no middle ground.
> Suggestions? Comments? Anecdotes? Lead Deficiency?
No suggestions, I'm afraid, except for a "goodie, I'm not the only one".
Callen in VA, who moved the horses to the far pasture this morning and who
had to deal with the yearly horse-eating monsters that live under the dam
between the ponds (the dam that's crossed every day in spring, summer and
fall)
abby kogler
< Trail riding across the street
> is viewed as an entirely new situation. Is this weird? I
> mean, he has lived there for five years... Can this
> blockhead actually 'forget' the other half of the farm over
> the winter and have to 'reacquaint' himself to it?>>
'Every day is a new day!' as my bunch seems to think. Hey, when your brain
is among your smallest organs and its wired for 'Im prey!' you cant let your
guard down for a minute. Im sure Cue 'remembers' those places but alot of
bad things could have snuck in on him in the time he's been 'gone'.
I had a cute experience the other day..All mine stay in for the night, in a
long row of stalls that faces outside the barn...There is a covered barn
aisle, and then a lane for the tractor etc, and then a low fence, a line of
oak trees, and then a big lawn leading to a lake. So its pretty open and
they can see alot. I was parked in the lane, but up the aisle, not in their
view. I unloaded a new mounting block and left it in the lane, sitting out
by itself, while I unloaded other things into the tack room. After a minute
or two I heard this strange noise, looked, and saw all 12 heads and loooong
necks snaking over the stall doors...all with that low breathing/snorting
thing that horses do when worried/puzzled...absolutely GRIPPED by that THING
that had appeared MENACINGLY in their peaceful happy little lane. They were
frozen. Finally Zach, the biggest, just slowly backed up and his neck slowly
receded into the stall..till only his nostrils, still hugely flared, were
visible.
I do fight fluffbunhood but man, sometimes they are just so darn cute.
Abby
Jim Casey
> ... In the spring, and especially this spring, it is
> as if he has never seen the front of the property and grows
> several hands taller when walking or riding that end of the
> 'track' around the property. Trail riding across the street
> is viewed as an entirely new situation. Is this weird?
No. Every change draws a horse's attention. What counts is that it
looks different from yesterday, not that it is the same as six months ago.
- Jim
Ruth Baltopoulos
: Ruth Baltopoulos wrote:
Well, I feel better now, because there is no cure for mental
retardation, and I was beginning to fear for him :) He is
one of the only ones on the farm that is this reactive, but
then again, he has always been a bit insecure than the
average equine.
--
Ruth B
Ruth Baltopoulos
: 'Every day is a new day!' as my bunch seems to think. Hey,
when your brain
: is among your smallest organs and its wired for 'Im prey!'
you cant let your
: guard down for a minute. Im sure Cue 'remembers' those
places but alot of
: bad things could have snuck in on him in the time he's
been 'gone'.
That is exactly the reaction he seems to have: "Hmmm, I know
I have been here before, but no TELLING what horrible things
could be here now!"
: I had a cute experience the other day..All mine stay in
Yeah, well, I know exactly what you mean. I have seen that
happen a few times here with the entire crowd on alert
because there is a new stepstool or trunk or whatever in the
aisle. One time Cue almost lost his cookies over a coop
that had been moved to a different location in the outdoor.
Ain't all that many pistons firin' up there!
Last week I am handwalking him around the track that loops
the property and he close to met his maker! As we
approached the top barn, one of the trailers parked along
the side of the road had a plastic bag over the handle
thingie and it was flapping and snapping in the breeze (very
windy day, so he already had a few gusts up his butt,
anyway). Tail is flagged, neck is up and arched, snorting,
prancing, dancing. Now, you have to realize that half the
time this beast looks like a flippin' slooooow moving bovine
who has been lobotomized, so when he commences with this
crap, it is almost comical :) On top of The Horror That Was
A Plastic Bag, there was a large piece of equipment that was
covered with a tarp whose corner had come loose, so that was
whapping and flipping about as well. Funniest thing was
that a young girl had *just* been there to ride him (as a
prospective lessor), and he was so lazy we practically
needed to light a firecracker under his butt to get a canter
depart...
: I do fight fluffbunhood but man, sometimes they are just
so darn cute.
No fluff either, but I will concede to thinking that my
personal buffoon is kinda cute at times :)
--
Ruth B
Ruth Baltopoulos
: Ruth Baltopoulos"
: > During the winter, and particularly this past winter, as
it
: > was icy, gross and frickin' very cold, Cue is either on
the
: > backside of the property where he lives or being
trailered
: > somewhere. In the spring, and especially this spring,
it is
: > as if he has never seen the front of the property and
grows
: > several hands taller when walking or riding that end of
the
: > 'track' around the property. Trail riding across the
street
: > is viewed as an entirely new situation. Is this weird?
I
: > mean, he has lived there for five years... Can this
: > blockhead actually 'forget' the other half of the farm
over
: > the winter and have to 'reacquaint' himself to it?
: No suggestions, I'm afraid, except for a "goodie, I'm not
the only one".
Yes, it is truly helpful to know that the beasts that you
own are in good company!
: Callen in VA, who moved the horses to the far pasture this
morning and who
: had to deal with the yearly horse-eating monsters that
live under the dam
: between the ponds (the dam that's crossed every day in
spring, summer and
: fall)
Hahahahahaa!! Exactly!
--
Ruth B
Mary Healey
> Last week I am handwalking him around the track that loops
> the property and he close to met his maker! As we
> approached the top barn, one of the trailers parked along
> the side of the road had a plastic bag over the handle
> thingie and it was flapping and snapping in the breeze (very
> windy day, so he already had a few gusts up his butt,
> anyway). Tail is flagged, neck is up and arched, snorting,
> prancing, dancing. Now, you have to realize that half the
> time this beast looks like a flippin' slooooow moving bovine
> who has been lobotomized, so when he commences with this
> crap, it is almost comical :) On top of The Horror That Was
> A Plastic Bag, there was a large piece of equipment that was
> covered with a tarp whose corner had come loose, so that was
> whapping and flipping about as well. Funniest thing was
> that a young girl had *just* been there to ride him (as a
> prospective lessor), and he was so lazy we practically
> needed to light a firecracker under his butt to get a canter
> depart...
Heh. The surprise in my barnmate's Crackerjack turned out to be a
Florida claimer named Mi Aloha. Still sweet, even now that she's gained
a few and doesn't look like an anatomy lesson on the hoof. We did the
whole tarp and plastic bag thing with her.
She was bored.
I showed Regis the Scary Tarp Thing (STT) that hasn't been seen since
last fall. He was bored.
We showed Jack the STT, and he ate hay while standing on it.
OTOH, Cody's brain left the county and had to be retrieved from
somewhere in orbit.
> No fluff either, but I will concede to thinking that my
> personal buffoon is kinda cute at times :)
Regis says the only time it's worthwhile losing one's brain is when
there's a grrrrrl involved.
--
Mary H. and the Ames National Zoo:
Raise A Fund, ANZ Babylon Ranger, ANZ MarmaDUKE, and Rotund Rhia
Ruth Baltopoulos
: Heh. The surprise in my barnmate's Crackerjack turned out
to be a
: Florida claimer named Mi Aloha. Still sweet, even now
that she's gained
: a few and doesn't look like an anatomy lesson on the hoof.
We did the
: whole tarp and plastic bag thing with her.
:
: She was bored.
:
: I showed Regis the Scary Tarp Thing (STT) that hasn't been
seen since
: last fall. He was bored.
:
: We showed Jack the STT, and he ate hay while standing on
it.
:
: OTOH, Cody's brain left the county and had to be retrieved
from
: somewhere in orbit.
It's Cue's MO, you know, to be totally idiotic in the
spring, and then by June, just about everything elicits a
yawn. We have walked on the tarp, been rubbed with the
tarp, had tarps shaken fore and aft. Ditto with the Scary
Plastic Bag (SPB). He has cantered around with a rider
holding a full size American Flag which is flapping over his
head during drill team practice, although I am sure the mere
sight of one would send him into a tizzy of monumental
proportions right about now :)
: > No fluff either, but I will concede to thinking that my
: > personal buffoon is kinda cute at times :)
: Regis says the only time it's worthwhile losing one's
brain is when
: there's a grrrrrl involved.
Now, I'm not all that sure that my muttonhead would know
what to do with one of those...
--
Ruth B
Jim Casey
> Well, I feel better now, ...
I thought someone else would say this, but I guess I'll have to: If
he's refusing or shying, at least one of you needs more training.
(I'm not claiming I'm perfect in this regard, but I know I have a problem.)
If he's just more alert, that's life.
- Jim
Mary Healey
p...@comcast.com:
> "Mary Healey" wrote:
>: Regis says the only time it's worthwhile losing one's brain is when
>: there's a grrrrrl involved.
>
> Now, I'm not all that sure that my muttonhead would know
> what to do with one of those...
Oh, His Geekness doesn't know what to do, exactly. He just knows that
girls are a Very Good Thing. Last broodmare he met, he tried to mount from
the front. (One reason I prefer he not have access to grrrls.)
Were Regis human, he'd be the geeky kid with the taped glasses and pocket
protector who still thinks he's a Greek god to the ladies. Well, okay, he
may be a Greek god, but he's Hephaestus, not Apollo.
Ruth Baltopoulos
: Ruth Baltopoulos wrote:
: > Well, I feel better now, ...
: I thought someone else would say this, but I guess I'll
have to: If
: he's refusing or shying, at least one of you needs more
training.
Yeah, well, and then there's that. I will be the first to
admit neither my training or his is complete just yet :)
He is not refusing but he does startle and/or jump, or
commence to jig with a lovely arched neck. This is in hand,
by the way, and generally, as I mentioned in my first post,
when he is 'rediscovering' the property. Much less
prevalent in a new setting, which Linda's post drove home,
where he is simply more alert.
I have strategized with the owner of the barn, who I greatly
respect, as it used to scare the crap outa me when he would
do this way back in the day (and he is *much* improved, I
might add). I don't get the least bit perturbed anymore,
and we have decided that the best thing to do is make him
busy; stop, back, turn, move laterally, circle, blah blah
blah and keep him moving until his brain settles back into
the correct part of his anatomy. He may not flat footed
walk immediately, but getting after him too hard causes him
to completely lose his mind, so as long as he is listening
and doing what I ask, I generally forgive the jig.
: (I'm not claiming I'm perfect in this regard, but I know I
have a problem.)
Yep. Same here. Hence the discussion...
: If he's just more alert, that's life.
As I mentioned, in new situations, he will be very alert,
but doesn't get so 'spooky. He seems to reserve that for
his home base after a period of absence.
--
Ruth B
emja...@yahoo.com
Ruth Baltopoulos wrote:
> The other lovely thing about this guy as he seems to be
> either ho-hum or What the Phuck!; no middle ground.
> Suggestions? Comments? Anecdotes? Lead Deficiency?
Yup. Wilbur is the same. We always have the "first" trail ride of the
season sillies. Mostly, it's a scoot left or scoot right as we canter
down the trail.
Once he's been out once, it's pretty much done for the season.
Mary
Jim Casey
> He is not refusing but he does startle and/or jump, or
> commence to jig with a lovely arched neck. This is in hand, ...
Thanks for being so reasonable.
My answer to this kind of thing is leading and more leading. I think
most owners don't lead their horses one-tenth as much as they should. I
lead a green two-year-old filly (just turned two this week) a mile at a
time. She gets the stupids occasionally, and I just make her pay
attention to me and resume walking.
Of course, she's one of the sweetest, most willing-to-please equines
I've ever had the pleasure to meet.
- Jim
cc...@quixnet.net
It occurs to me that living out in the swamp with horses out 24/7, many
crazy neighbors on ORVs, crop dusters, etc. is a good thing. Some of mine
still get the spring-time squirrelys, but I suspect that they would be much
worse without the constant barrage of weirdness that goes on around here.
The sandhills came in a few days ago, startled the heck out of me, horses
didn't even look up.
Cricket
cc...@quixnet.net
"abby kogler" <ako...@san.rr.com> wrote in message
news:ivx6e.4187$DV....@twister.socal.rr.com...
You should have seen the riding stable bunch when she replaced the little
square sign with the big black guy-leaning-on-a-wall version...
Though I don't recall her using the word "cute"...
Cricket
>
> Abby
>
>
>
>
cc...@quixnet.net
"Jim Casey" <sea...@compuserve.com> wrote in message
news:115l83q...@corp.supernews.com...
Used to have an Arab/Saddlebred cross (I always said two dingiest breeds in
the universe and they crossed 'em). She would turn herself inside out, and
she was *extremely* supple, at a shit pile by the gate. Which wouldn't have
been quite so infuriating, but the dippy broad had left it there when she
went through an hour before!
Cricket
>
cc...@quixnet.net
> was icy, gross and frickin' very cold, Cue is either on the
> backside of the property where he lives or being trailered
> somewhere. In the spring, and especially this spring, it is
> as if he has never seen the front of the property and grows
> several hands taller when walking or riding that end of the
> 'track' around the property. Trail riding across the street
> is viewed as an entirely new situation. Is this weird? I
> mean, he has lived there for five years... Can this
> blockhead actually 'forget' the other half of the farm over
> the winter and have to 'reacquaint' himself to it?
>
> The other lovely thing about this guy as he seems to be
> either ho-hum or What the Phuck!; no middle ground.
> Suggestions? Comments? Anecdotes? Lead Deficiency?
Been a weird spring. Jack went through the spring of his discontent a year
or so back - bears under every bush, attack rabbits, etc. Wind out of the
east? World coming to an end. Mouse fart in the hedgerow? First horse in
orbit.
Don't know why. He gets ignored in the winter a lot - but that's been a
constant. He got over it, I didn't give him a lead supplement (though it
was touch and go for a bit) and this spring he's an idiot in the pasture,
but under saddle it's like "Oh, this again. Big deal."
My sister claims they have one last desperate fling at idiot childhood
somewhere between seven and nine, before they have to give up and admit to
being more or less grown up. I'm inclined to believe her (those who are
going to ever grow up, at least). Five or six of hers are related to Jack,
so there's that, but the one who had the worst "second childhood" isn't.
Cricket
J. Z. M.
> As I mentioned, in new situations, he will be very alert,
> but doesn't get so 'spooky. He seems to reserve that for
> his home base after a period of absence.
No offense here, but what the heck is getting for food, and have his eyes
been checked by a vet in any way, shape, or form? JMHO, this is not normal.
Once a horse has seen "IT", what ever it may be, they can usually discern in
future meetings exactly what 'it' is. Very alert is alright, I'll give you
that, but after a few outings and circles around an object the horse should
cut it out. New situations should bring some angst, but if the horse has
been trained not to be so "looky" then he should NOT be so "looky" is short
order.
Bailar used to be an alert horse, his engines were always ready to fire when
he saw a new scary object. Nowadays he nary lifts an ear unless it the fire
from hell coming at him. I have an old flag on my pipe gate, you can see it
a bit in the webshots pics, and that thing waves in the wind. It can be
still as the gate on windless days, and be a flapping whistling red siren on
these windy spring days. Today it was windy and I rode both the boys out
there near the flag, neither gave it a thought, though both twitched an ear
it's way. A couple of years ago Bailar would have given it a teleport move,
today it's mere life on the farm. They have to see it and trust you are
more in control than the "thing that can eat them". I'm not sure why Cue is
acting this way, but he should be putting more stock in you than the
placement of things around the barn. You said it is getting better, I hope
you work on this and try to make it go away completely at some juncture. :)
My new boy, looks, I put his head back where it should be and we go on. This
is primary in changing a spooky horse; you have to have control over the
eyes. When they put their head in the air and they get all bugged out, you
change the venue, you circle, you put their eyes down, you make them obey
the command to be on the bit. At really scary things you make them do
shoulder in toward the object, placing their eyes even lower. It's
submission. No one can *LOOK* at the object with their head high and in
flight/flee mode, it's just NOT allowed. If you do this I guarantee the
problem will lessen considerably. Good luck.
Jody
Jim Casey
> Used to have an Arab/Saddlebred cross ...
> She would turn herself inside out, and
> she was *extremely* supple, at a shit pile by the gate. Which wouldn't have
> been quite so infuriating, but the dippy broad had left it there when she
> went through an hour before!
I have to admit, I've never seen a horse spook at shit. I figured the
smell would be a giveaway.
- Jim
Dr Corinne B Leek
>You should have seen the riding stable bunch when she replaced the little
>square sign with the big black guy-leaning-on-a-wall version...
OK.
Call it cultural differences, maybe, but I don't get this one at all.
Coirnne, confused Canuck...
Mikey, TIBD, always confused...
Carrot Gin Fizz Still Crew, "Fizz cures all..."
--
*** Conserve Energy: Laughter is easier than Anger!
*** cl...@ns.sympatico.ca
Mary McHugh
> On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 18:24:47 -0400, <cc...@quixnet.net> wrote:
>
>
>>You should have seen the riding stable bunch when she replaced the little
>>square sign with the big black guy-leaning-on-a-wall version...
>
> OK.
> Call it cultural differences, maybe, but I don't get this one at all.
Some people like to buy metal cut-outs as kind of yard art. One
particularly popular version, at least 'round here, is the life-size
black cut-out profile of a cowboy leaning up against a wall, kind of in
the lighting a cigarette pose, head bowed and one leg up (like a horse's
front leg in the hoof picking position).
At least that's the way I took it.
The other popular version are cut-outs of deer, as if we don't have
enough of the real live versions of the big overgrown rodents.
Mary
Hunter
wrote:
>I have to admit, I've never seen a horse spook at shit. I figured the
>smell would be a giveaway.
>
>- Jim
Funny story..... When I got Wimpy I stalled him on the first rubber
mats he's ever been on.
He stood there for a while and his tail went up.... he pooped and it
made an unfamiliar sound hitting the ground and scared him. He was
almost cantering in the stall to get away from the noisy plops behind
him. <g>
Hunter
Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved body,
but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "...holy shit...what a ride!"
Hunter
<rud...@comcast.net> wrote:
> As we
>approached the top barn, one of the trailers parked along
>the side of the road had a plastic bag over the handle
>thingie and it was flapping and snapping in the breeze (very
>windy day, so he already had a few gusts up his butt,
>anyway). Tail is flagged, neck is up and arched, snorting,
>prancing, dancing. >
Reminds me of when I lived near Tryon. Friends were clearing their
land after the Storm of the Century.
There was a huge backhoe parked along the trail. Every time we went
by it Robbie would tense up, but I kept him moving forward and we got
by unscathed..... until one day.
Robbie's worst nightmare came true. As we approached the backhoe a
black Lab size dog came out from the shadows under it.
It did Robbie in.... he started to rear as high as Trigger...then he'd
drop down on all four, then straight up again, then down, then up.
I couldn't get him to move forward, he was like an hysterical
person.... just going up and down.
I had to get his attention so I screamed and slapped him really hard
on the side of his neck.
He stopped and just stood there frozen.
We both gathered ourselves and went on....
Joyce Reynolds-Ward
Yeah, Zorro did that with me a couple of weeks ago. Granted, it was
over the Evil Killer Dog who was scratching and howling at the office
door, but there for a while it got kinda exciting. Z's racing Quarter
blood showed big time, and we sure did a lot of tight little circles.
He's the only critter I know right now who can find an excuse to spook
even when you're doing transitions, transitions, transitions, figures,
circles, work, etc....I call him the ADD horse.
That said, by the end of the session he was trotting on a loose rein
by the Scary Office Place.
jrw
Jim Casey
> Funny story..... When I got Wimpy I stalled him on the first rubber
> mats he's ever been on.
> He stood there for a while and his tail went up.... he pooped and it
> made an unfamiliar sound hitting the ground and scared him. He was
> almost cantering in the stall to get away from the noisy plops behind
> him. <g>
LOL.
- Jim
cc...@quixnet.net
"Dr Corinne B Leek" <cl...@ns.sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:k0am51tepaqtfvitp...@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 18:24:47 -0400, <cc...@quixnet.net> wrote:
>
>>You should have seen the riding stable bunch when she replaced the little
>>square sign with the big black guy-leaning-on-a-wall version...
> OK.
> Call it cultural differences, maybe, but I don't get this one at all.
Well, *you* don't live nearly far enough out in the boonies!! ;>)
Life sized plywood cutouts, silouhettes of people, fat ladies in bloomers
bending over, women chasing a guy with a frying pan...ringing any bells? If
not, you're lucky. Every other yard around here is, um, "decorated" with
them. And no, I can't tell you why.
The problem is that you are obviously pitifully culturally deprived. Wish I
was...
Cricket
From the home of the anti-art.
Jim Casey
> Some people like to buy metal cut-outs as kind of yard art. One
> particularly popular version, at least 'round here, is the life-size
> black cut-out profile of a cowboy leaning up against a wall ...
These are ubiquitous in East Texas. The cowboy kneeling before a cross
sells well. Another popular item is the rear view of a person bending
over to pick weeds, placed in the garden. We saw a donkey silhouette
that looked lifelike enough to get a nicker from Schatzie until she
realized she was making a fool of herself.
- Jim
cc...@quixnet.net
"Hunter" <HHam...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:d2bm519jl7flmdmrh...@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 20:14:04 -0500, Jim Casey <sea...@compuserve.com>
> wrote:
>
>>I have to admit, I've never seen a horse spook at shit. I figured the
>>smell would be a giveaway.
>>
>>- Jim
>
> Funny story..... When I got Wimpy I stalled him on the first rubber
> mats he's ever been on.
>
> He stood there for a while and his tail went up.... he pooped and it
> made an unfamiliar sound hitting the ground and scared him. He was
> almost cantering in the stall to get away from the noisy plops behind
> him. <g>
Sounds like the first time I put ice in my canteen. It took several miles
for Jack to figure out that it didn't matter how fast he ran, he wasn't
going to outrun it. Then I think he was mad because I didn't try to stop
him. Hey, you want to run in that sort of heat, idiot, go for it...
Cricket
Ray Keller
<cc...@quixnet.net> wrote in message
news:97891$425b1a6d$43d90b29$27...@msgid.meganewsservers.com...
cindi
horses can have. One of our horses is so quiet most of the time that
you'd think he's the dead-brokest thing that ever lived, but every once
in a while he'll sort of suddenly snap to attention, sort of like a
hey, I'm here now, and what the hell is going on? It's almost like a
lot of the time he's just checked out, not even present. He'll be
obedient during those checked out times (or if he's alone he seems
awake but just not really *there*) but then when he suddenly "comes
to", you can see that there is a lot more to him than what's usually
seen. It's not even like he always spooks when he "wakes up", but he
sometimes does. It's not a spring thing, it's an anytime thing.
As for the rest of my horses and the springtime funnies, they are all
totally quiet, obedient, gentle, sweet, non spooky, and I'm very very
very lucky. :-)
Ruth Baltopoulos
: On 4/11/05 5:24 PM, "Ruth Baltopoulos" wrote:
: > As I mentioned, in new situations, he will be very
alert,
: > but doesn't get so 'spooky. He seems to reserve that
for
: > his home base after a period of absence.
: No offense here, but what the heck is getting for food,
and have his eyes
: been checked by a vet in any way, shape, or form? JMHO,
this is not normal.
: Once a horse has seen "IT", what ever it may be, they can
usually discern in
: future meetings exactly what 'it' is. Very alert is
alright, I'll give you
: that, but after a few outings and circles around an object
the horse should
: cut it out. New situations should bring some angst, but
if the horse has
: been trained not to be so "looky" then he should NOT be so
"looky" is short
: order.
Don't ya love it when someone starts the conversation off
with 'No offense'. I always have to brace myself for the
rest... What you offered was not offensive, Jody :)
In answer to your queries, he is getting a smidgen of grain
in the morning and at night (we use Blue Seal products) and
hay, obviously. A little grazing, but only in hand, as the
paddocks are dirt. I have not had his eyes checked, as this
phenomenon is generally in the spring, after not being out
and about at the other end of the property for quite some
time, so it would never occur to me to be a sight issue
based on that. As I mentioned in previous posts, he is
generally back to bovine demeanor by June. He is a bit of a
spook, though, in general.
: Bailar used to be an alert horse, his engines were always
He has improved tremendously, overall. His scary part of
the property has always been the end farthest from his barn,
which is by the fairly busy road. Right across the street
is the trail system, always with some kind of activity going
on, and a big lake. There is another horse or two at the
barn that gets anxious down there *all the time*, while Cue
generally subsides after being exposed to it regularly. I
believe it is the period of absence from that area that
causes the re-initiation rites in the spring. I know
exactly what you are saying; there are many things on the
property that used to startle the hell out of Cue that he no
longer even acknowledges...
: My new boy, looks, I put his head back where it should be
and we go on. This
: is primary in changing a spooky horse; you have to have
control over the
: eyes. When they put their head in the air and they get all
bugged out, you
: change the venue, you circle, you put their eyes down, you
make them obey
: the command to be on the bit. At really scary things you
make them do
: shoulder in toward the object, placing their eyes even
lower. It's
: submission. No one can *LOOK* at the object with their
head high and in
: flight/flee mode, it's just NOT allowed. If you do this I
guarantee the
: problem will lessen considerably. Good luck.
I agree, and that is what I do, for the most part. Each
horse is different, however, and this one is a tad more
easily scared than most I have known. I chalk it up to
'whatever' in the 11 years prior to our owning him. I will
concentrate on the above advice, though, and thanks for
that. Truly, had you met this horse five years ago, you
would realize the difference in him. He still has some
kinks, but most of 'em do :)
--
Ruth B
Jim Casey
> My biggest challenge with this particular equine was
> determining the line where you cross from a productive
> learning experience over to a destructive, mindless exercise
> in futility. If this horse is scared, there are certain
> things he is mentally incapable of doing until his brain
> settles,
Most horses don't go from calm to panic in a second when the stimulus is
a stationary object (if it's something like a dog coming out from under
a trailer, yes). Can you sense the first stiffening or change in
breathing?
If you command his attention at that point, it might not escalate further.
Commanding his attention could just mean saying his name and turning his
head toward you. (I'm convinced calling every horse "babe" or "bud"
would serve equally well as distinctive names, but that's another topic.)
- Jim
Ruth Baltopoulos
: Ruth Baltopoulos wrote:
: > He is not refusing but he does startle and/or jump, or
: > commence to jig with a lovely arched neck. This is in
hand, ...
: Thanks for being so reasonable.
Some might say it's an illusion ;)
: My answer to this kind of thing is leading and more
leading. I think
: most owners don't lead their horses one-tenth as much as
they should. I
: lead a green two-year-old filly (just turned two this
week) a mile at a
: time. She gets the stupids occasionally, and I just make
her pay
: attention to me and resume walking.
Yes, I fully agree. Cue simply needs to get out more. I
have made a point of walking him all over the property every
time I am at the barn, as it makes perfect sense to walk,
walk, walk until he is totally bored with the whole shebang.
My biggest challenge with this particular equine was
determining the line where you cross from a productive
learning experience over to a destructive, mindless exercise
in futility. If this horse is scared, there are certain
things he is mentally incapable of doing until his brain
settles, the biggest of which is a flat footed walk. I have
had some of the 'trainers in residence' <snort> tell me that
I should absolutely not allow him to jig (either in hand or
under saddle) and demand that he walk. This can be
acomplished when he is being an ass, but not when he is
petrified by his own magnified perception of Boogeys in the
Bush :)
As I said before, I will ignore the jig when his mind has
left his body, as long as he is doing everything else that I
ask. When I feel that he is continuing to do this after his
fear has subsided, and he has gone into defensive, goober
mode, then I might growl at him and demand the walk. I have
pretty much learned when my demands will be heeded, and when
it will just cause an escalation in retardation. I don't
like the feeling of a ticking bomb either under my arse or
at the end of a lead rope :)
: Of course, she's one of the sweetest, most
willing-to-please equines
: I've ever had the pleasure to meet.
Cue is basically a good doobie. When we purchased him, he
was a defensive, anxious ball of fear. My two daughters are
fairly competent horse persons, but this was their first
steed, and while I grew up on a farm, it was mainly dairy
cows, and my riding consisted mainly of yahooing across
country bareback with a couple of lead ropes. Suffice it to
say that the entire affair has been a learning experience,
and an ongoing one at that :) The wreck has been a great
help, for many reasons, not the least of which is learning
to sift the bad advice from the good....
--
Ruth B
Ruth Baltopoulos
: Ruth Baltopoulos wrote:
: > My biggest challenge with this particular equine was
: > determining the line where you cross from a productive
: > learning experience over to a destructive, mindless
exercise
: > in futility. If this horse is scared, there are certain
: > things he is mentally incapable of doing until his brain
: > settles,
: Most horses don't go from calm to panic in a second when
the stimulus is
: a stationary object (if it's something like a dog coming
out from under
: a trailer, yes). Can you sense the first stiffening or
change in
: breathing?
Well, I wouldn't say that he goes from calm to panic in a
second. He begins to anticipate problems as we meander up
the hill from his barn toward the top barn by the road (as I
previously mentioned, there are a few other horses on the
property that are anxious about the area by the road as
well, and one of them is a hunt horse that has done
everything you can imagine; he is never settled at the road
end of the track). His head get higher, his ears are very
forward, and he loses that ho-hum attitude for a more alert
affect. Perhaps I am not commanding his attention enough,
so I will concentrate on that.
He is a bit up on really windy days, anyway, and the one
that I referred to in my original post was a doozy. I
suppose I was asking for an interesting walk by heading up
that way with him on such a wild day :) Anyway, with the
plastic bag snapping and the tarp whipping, and the sounds
of traffic getting closer, he began to jig. I would not
allow him to rush me, did some stop and backs, a few turns
and serpentines. He is good about staying right where I
need him to be, which is with my by his shoulder, and I
would give a little tension on the lead (like a half halt)
and then loop it back at him, but he stayed balled up in a
jig until we had gone round the bend by the street and
headed back toward the lower barn. So his 'difficult' area
is about 1/6 of the track itself; just approaching the
street to just past the street.
It is a crazy spot, particularly if they haven't been up
there in awhile. Lots of traffic including the odd
motorcycle that will deliberately blatt their engine for
your horse's benefit, a few houses with incessantly and
agressively barking dogs, a trail entrance that is very busy
with all types of conveyances and critters, the outdoor
arena with riders and a grass paddock that will often have a
horse charging at you along the fenceline... The next time
that I walked him up there, it was a calm day, and although
he was not relaxed, he was much less animated.
: If you command his attention at that point, it might not
escalate further.
I believe you are 100% correct there. Much of this could be
me, so I will try to be more aware of where I am lacking in
all of this...
: Commanding his attention could just mean saying his name
and turning his
: head toward you. (I'm convinced calling every horse
"babe" or "bud"
: would serve equally well as distinctive names, but that's
another topic.)
Would 'Assmunch', said affectionately, work just as well
<innocent smile>?
--
Ruth B
Jim Casey
> Well, I wouldn't say that he goes from calm to panic in a
> second. He begins to anticipate problems as we meander up
> the hill from his barn toward the top barn by the road
Maybe just walking gives him too much opportunity to imagine bogeymen.
You might want to try this: In a safe place, develop a routine like
walk forward a few steps, stop, back, walk forward, make a volte to the
left, make a volte to the right. Then use that to keep his attention as
you approach the scary place.
I'm not too imaginative this morning and I can't think of anything better.
- Jim
Ben Turner
>Were Regis human, he'd be the geeky kid with the taped glasses and pocket
>protector who still thinks he's a Greek god to the ladies. Well, okay, he
>may be a Greek god, but he's Hephaestus, not Apollo.
Though he has been depicted in legend and art as both lame and disfigured,
are you certain you want to be flirting with dissin' Hephaestus with
farriers and other craftsmen present?
--
Best,
Ben Turner, Mare's Reach
Ruth Baltopoulos
: Ruth Baltopoulos wrote:
: > Well, I wouldn't say that he goes from calm to panic in
a
: > second. He begins to anticipate problems as we meander
up
: > the hill from his barn toward the top barn by the road
: Maybe just walking gives him too much opportunity to
imagine bogeymen.
Could very well be, at least until he reaches the point
where he is more comfortable with the area again..
: You might want to try this: In a safe place, develop a
routine like
: walk forward a few steps, stop, back, walk forward, make a
volte to the
: left, make a volte to the right. Then use that to keep
his attention as
: you approach the scary place.
Will try this.
: I'm not too imaginative this morning and I can't think of
anything better.
Hey, I will try anything. I have little interest in being
the kite tail at the end of the string attached to a
runaway, wind-driven object :)
--
Ruth B
Mary Healey
news:qkmn511ao6vhdfd7u...@4ax.com:
> On 11 Apr 2005 21:24:09 GMT, Mary Healey <mhhe...@iastate.edu> wrote:
>
>>Were Regis human, he'd be the geeky kid with the taped glasses and
>>pocket protector who still thinks he's a Greek god to the ladies.
>>Well, okay, he may be a Greek god, but he's Hephaestus, not Apollo.
>
> Though he has been depicted in legend and art as both lame and
> disfigured,
That'd be the guy.
> are you certain you want to be flirting with dissin'
> Hephaestus with farriers and other craftsmen present?
Hey, I ain't dissin' him. I *bought* the scarred, unsound bugger's equine
incarnation, and have kept him in oats and entertainment for nearly 2
decades. Delusional as I am, even I doubt anyone'd mistake him for the
Sungod.
Besides, H married a babe. Not his fault she was a faithless wench. At
least as a horse he has a chance for a stable home life.
--
Mary H. and the Ames National Zoo:
Raise A Fund, ANZ Babylon Ranger, ANZ MarmaDUKE, and Rotund Rhia
lizzard woman
"Mary Healey" <mhhe...@iastate.edu> wrote in message
news:Xns9636661D7EBE8m...@130.133.1.4...
(snip)
| At least as a horse he has a chance for a stable home life.
Very good.
--
love,
la mangosteena
"This is also the 1200# behemoth who will hide her head behind a tree when
you try to 'find' her in the (wide open) pasture, and if she peeks around
and sees you looking at her, will quick jerk her head back behind the (four
inch, at the outside) tree so you can't see her... Horse ain't right." --
Cricket
"Over 50% of Americans find Atheists highly disagreeable." -- Sam Harris
Ben Turner
>Ben Turner <btu...@do.ida.not.org.spam> wrote:
>> Though he has been depicted in legend and art as both lame and
>> disfigured,
>That'd be the guy.
>> are you certain you want to be flirting with dissin'
>> Hephaestus with farriers and other craftsmen present?
>Hey, I ain't dissin' him. I *bought* the scarred, unsound bugger's equine
>incarnation, and have kept him in oats and entertainment for nearly 2
>decades. Delusional as I am, even I doubt anyone'd mistake him for the
>Sungod.
'Twas the reference to taped glasses and pocket protector that
suggested the flirtation in question.
>Besides, H married a babe. Not his fault she was a faithless wench.
While it may be tough to make the case that his betrothal to Aphrodite
was a blackmail payoff, it isn't too hard to argue it was his acceptance
of a reward, if not a bribe, for freeing Hera. While it may not seem
entirely just, high expectations of Aphrodite might have been unrealistic
under those circumstances.
>At least as a horse he has a chance for a stable home life.
Such barnal humor. ;-)
I'm currently debating over the appropriate composition of a sacifice
to be made at the altar in Hephaestus' temple while conducting a search
for a faithful worshipper. Our farrier has suddenly moved from the area
and retired from the trade--we received notice via voicemail last night
with our scheduled appointment today. :-(
Mary Healey
> While it may be tough to make the case that his betrothal to Aphrodite
> was a blackmail payoff, it isn't too hard to argue it was his
> acceptance of a reward, if not a bribe, for freeing Hera.
Put that way, it does seem a bit mercenary.
> While it
> may not seem entirely just, high expectations of Aphrodite might have
> been unrealistic under those circumstances.
<shrug> The time to protest was long past. A contract is a contract. (And
from here I segue into "The Merchant of Venice" and all is lost.)
>>At least as a horse he has a chance for a stable home life.
> Such barnal humor. ;-)
Unintended, I assure you. I'm never as clever on purpose as I can be by
accident.
> I'm currently debating over the appropriate composition of a sacifice
> to be made at the altar in Hephaestus' temple while conducting a
> search for a faithful worshipper. Our farrier has suddenly moved from
> the area and retired from the trade--we received notice via voicemail
> last night with our scheduled appointment today. :-(
Ouch. We've minimal contact with ours -- phone messages requesting
appointments are usually answered with new-trimmed feet and requests for
payment. I guess that's easier for him than going through the interim
steps...
Ben Turner
>Ben Turner <btu...@do.ida.not.org.spam> wrote:
>> I'm currently debating over the appropriate composition of a sacifice
>> to be made at the altar in Hephaestus' temple while conducting a
>> search for a faithful worshipper. Our farrier has suddenly moved from
>> the area and retired from the trade--we received notice via voicemail
>> last night with our scheduled appointment today. :-(
>Ouch. We've minimal contact with ours -- phone messages requesting
>appointments are usually answered with new-trimmed feet and requests for
>payment. I guess that's easier for him than going through the interim
>steps...
We've enjoyed having this fellow as our farrier -- seemingly quite
competent (as best as this civilian can judge by the effect on the
equines' way of going as well as the respect garnered of other
professionals), a charming individual with many a tale to
pass the hours, and reliable (subject to the risks of the trade and
weather).
I really don't yet know what happened -- he's been looking to retire
sometime in the next couple of years (as opposed to days) so I hope
for him it's just some job/property/other-financial opportunity that
just could not be passed up in the heat of the moment rather than
something unpleasant.
I am not fond of these searches and would rather have eased up on
it -- maybe, like the equids of the progenitor thread, I just don't
like change. I'm currently waiting for a couple of calls back to get
a little feedback before taking the plunge into the deep end.
--
Best,
Ben Turner, Mare's Reach
"Thetis' silver feet took her to Hephaestus' house, a mansion
the lame god had built himself... She found him at his bellows,
glazed with sweat. As he hurried to complete his latest
project, twenty cauldrons on tripods to line his hall, with
golden wheels at the base of each tripod... He was getting
these ready, forging the rivets with inspired artistry."
--Iliad (18:398), Homer, tr: Lombardo
Linda Harms
@aol.com says...
> On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 16:24:56 -0400, "Ruth Baltopoulos"
> <rud...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> > As we
> >approached the top barn, one of the trailers parked along
> >the side of the road had a plastic bag over the handle
> >thingie and it was flapping and snapping in the breeze (very
> >windy day, so he already had a few gusts up his butt,
> >anyway). Tail is flagged, neck is up and arched, snorting,
> >prancing, dancing. >
>
> Reminds me of when I lived near Tryon. Friends were clearing their
> land after the Storm of the Century.
>
> There was a huge backhoe parked along the trail. Every time we went
> by it Robbie would tense up, but I kept him moving forward and we got
> by unscathed..... until one day.
>
> Robbie's worst nightmare came true. As we approached the backhoe a
> black Lab size dog came out from the shadows under it.
>
> It did Robbie in.... he started to rear as high as Trigger...then he'd
> drop down on all four, then straight up again, then down, then up.
>
> I couldn't get him to move forward, he was like an hysterical
> person.... just going up and down.
>
> I had to get his attention so I screamed and slapped him really hard
> on the side of his neck.
>
> He stopped and just stood there frozen.
>
> We both gathered ourselves and went on....
>
I'm glad to know that someone else here has resorted to using the IVC
(Intense Verbal Cue) to get a horse to snap out of it and move forward.
A few weeks ago Red decided that he could not possibly go down a fairly
steep hill on the trail just outside the stables. He planted his feet
and then started backing up. I tried everything in the "No Problem
Horses" book, and finally lost my temper, leaned forward, and shouted in
his ear, "WALK, GODDAMN YOU, WALK!!!!" That sure got his attention --
he froze, and then started down the hill toute suite.
Maybe the fear that his carrot dispenser (moi) was about to malfunction
got him to change his mind.
--
************************************
Linda Harms
New York, NY
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
Macbeth, Act 5 Scene 5
Tom Stovall
[...]
> "Thetis' silver feet took her to Hephaestus' house, a mansion
> the lame god had built himself... She found him at his bellows,
> glazed with sweat. As he hurried to complete his latest
> project, twenty cauldrons on tripods to line his hall, with
> golden wheels at the base of each tripod... He was getting
> these ready, forging the rivets with inspired artistry."
> --Iliad (18:398), Homer, tr: Lombardo
Any fan of Hephaestus can't be all bad. I'll see your Homer and raise
you a Longfellow:
(quote)
THE WORKSHOP OF HEPHAESTUS
HEPHAESTUS (standing before the statue of Pandora.)
Not fashioned out of gold, like Hera's throne,
Nor forged of iron like the thunderbolts
Of Zeus omnipotent, or other works
Wrought by my hands at Lemnos or Olympus,
But moulded in soft clay, that unresisting
Yields itself to the touch, this lovely form
Before me stands, perfect in every part.
Not Aphrodite's self appeared more fair,
When first upwafted by caressing winds
She came to high Olympus, and the gods
Paid homage to her beauty. Thus her hair
Was cinctured; thus her floating drapery
Was like a cloud about her, and her face
Was radiant with the sunshine and the sea.
THE VOICE OF ZEUS.
Is thy work done, Hephaestus?
HEPHAESTUS.
It is finished!
THE VOICE.
Not finished till I breathe the breath of life
Into her nostrils, and she moves and speaks.
HEPHAESTUS.
Will she become immortal like ourselves?
THE VOICE.
The form that thou hast fashioned out of clay
Is of the earth and mortal; but the spirit,
The life, the exhalation of my breath,
Is of diviner essence and immortal.
The gods shall shower on her their benefactions,
She shall possess all gifts: the gift of song,
The gift of eloquence, the gift of beauty,
The fascination and the nameless charm
That shall lead all men captive.
HEPHAESTUS.
Wherefore? wherefore?
(A wind shakes the house.)
I hear the rushing of a mighty wind
Through all the halls and chambers of my house!
Her parted lips inhale it, and her bosom
Heaves with the inspiration. As a reed
Beside a river in the rippling current
Bends to and fro, she bows or lifts her head.
She gazes round about as if amazed;
She is alive; she breathes, but yet she speaks not!
(PANDORA descends from the pedestal.)
CHORUS OF THE GRACES
AGLAIA.
In the workshop of Hephaestus
What is this I see?
Have the Gods to four increased us
Who were only three?
Beautiful in form and feature,
Lovely as the day,
Can there be so fair a creature
Formed of common clay?
THALIA.
O sweet, pale face! O lovely eyes of azure,
Clear as the waters of a brook that run
Limpid and laughing in the summer sun!
O golden hair that like a miser's treasure
In its abundance overflows the measure!
O graceful form, that cloudlike floatest on
With the soft, undulating gait of one
Who moveth as if motion were a pleasure!
By what name shall I call thee? Nymph or Muse,
Callirrhoe or Urania? Some sweet name
Whose every syllable is a caress
Would best befit thee; but I cannot choose,
Nor do I care to choose; for still the same,
Nameless or named, will be thy loveliness.
EUPHROSYNE.
Dowered with all celestial gifts,
Skilled in every art
That ennobles and uplifts
And delights the heart,
Fair on earth shall be thy fame
As thy face is fair,
And Pandora be the name
Thou henceforth shalt bear.
(/quote)
Since you are between farriers, you might call the AFA in Lexington for
a list of Journeymen in your area or click on "Find a Farrier" on the
AFA website at <http://www.americanfarriers.org/>. The AFA office has a
record of every farrier who has passed the test; the website lists only
those who are also AFA members.
Or, behind Door Number Two, you can go to <http://www.farriers.com> and
see what you can find. Lots of folks at farriers.com will have letters
after their names: a BWFA credential doesn't mean much; JHU is mostly
track farriers, Guild RJF or RMF is legit, as is the AFA's CJF.
--
Tom Stovall, CJF
Farrier & Blacksmith
sto...@REMOVEwt.net (remove REMOVE)
http://www.katyforge.com
Hunter
wrote:
>Maybe the fear that his carrot dispenser (moi) was about to malfunction
>got him to change his mind.
LOL, they do think of us as dispensing machines...
Dr Corinne B Leek
On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 22:04:24 -0400, Mary McHugh <emja...@yahoo.com>
wrote:
>Dr Corinne B Leek wrote:
>> On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 18:24:47 -0400, <cc...@quixnet.net> wrote:
>>>You should have seen the riding stable bunch when she replaced the little
>>>square sign with the big black guy-leaning-on-a-wall version...
>> OK.
>> Call it cultural differences, maybe, but I don't get this one at all.
>Some people like to buy metal cut-outs as kind of yard art. One
>particularly popular version, at least 'round here, is the life-size
>black cut-out profile of a cowboy leaning up against a wall, kind of in
>the lighting a cigarette pose, head bowed and one leg up (like a horse's
>front leg in the hoof picking position).
>
>At least that's the way I took it.
OK. It was the "little square sign" (whatever it was) that may have
thrown me off. I don't see many cut outs, especially of cowboys,
around here. I think I have seen that cowboy one when I was in Tejas.
>The other popular version are cut-outs of deer, as if we don't have
>enough of the real live versions of the big overgrown rodents.
We have bear silhouettes all over the place and the stupid birch-bark
deer.
Then Cricket:
On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 22:30:35 -0400, <cc...@quixnet.net> wrote:
>Well, *you* don't live nearly far enough out in the boonies!! ;>)
Wanna bet???
It's an hour to the nearest Mall that only has Zeller's as its Big Box
Store.
It's an hour to the nearest Walmart.
>Life sized plywood cutouts, silouhettes of people, fat ladies in bloomers
>bending over, women chasing a guy with a frying pan...ringing any bells? If
>not, you're lucky. Every other yard around here is, um, "decorated" with
>them. And no, I can't tell you why.
Yep. We've got the fat-ladies-gardening things, some quite fancy.
Also the woolly sheep.
>The problem is that you are obviously pitifully culturally deprived. Wish I
>was...
>
>Cricket
>
>From the home of the anti-art.
heh.
You should see some of the "art" around here. Some of it is very, um,
abstract. Old bicycles welded together in various ways. It was a
project for an Arts Festival here. People bought the things and they
are on their yards. sigh.
We have pumpkin people in season, Victorian people at Christmas, and a
whole field of scarecrow people up near Cheticamp on Cape Breton.
Then there's the "folk art".....
Corinne, culturally inundated, but by what?....
Mikey, TIBD, Uncouth and Proud Of It...
Carrot Gin Fizz Still Crew, to whom Fizz = Culture...
Ben Turner
>Any fan of Hephaestus can't be all bad. I'll see your Homer and raise
>you a Longfellow:
>(quote)
>THE WORKSHOP OF HEPHAESTUS
-<snip, wistfully>-
>Since you are between farriers, you might call the AFA in Lexington for
>a list of Journeymen in your area or click on "Find a Farrier" on the
>AFA website at <http://www.americanfarriers.org/>. The AFA office has a
>record of every farrier who has passed the test; the website lists only
>those who are also AFA members.
>Or, behind Door Number Two, you can go to <http://www.farriers.com> and
>see what you can find. Lots of folks at farriers.com will have letters
>after their names: a BWFA credential doesn't mean much; JHU is mostly
>track farriers, Guild RJF or RMF is legit, as is the AFA's CJF.
Thank you for the gifts, both literary and practical.
I knew about the limitation at the AFA website, but I didn't know I could
get the additional information. I also appreciate the quick summary of
the credentials -- it helps interpret a recommendation we got from someone
who's not currently taking any new clients.
Ben Turner
>On Tue, 12 Apr 2005 14:40:53 -0500, Tom Stovall wrote:
>>Since you are between farriers, you might call the AFA in Lexington for
>>a list of Journeymen in your area or click on "Find a Farrier" on the
>>AFA website at <http://www.americanfarriers.org/>. The AFA office has a
>>record of every farrier who has passed the test; the website lists only
>>those who are also AFA members.
>>Or, behind Door Number Two, you can go to <http://www.farriers.com> and
>>see what you can find. Lots of folks at farriers.com will have letters
>>after their names: a BWFA credential doesn't mean much; JHU is mostly
>>track farriers, Guild RJF or RMF is legit, as is the AFA's CJF.
>Thank you for the gifts, both literary and practical.
>I knew about the limitation at the AFA website, but I didn't know I could
>get the additional information. I also appreciate the quick summary of
>the credentials -- it helps interpret a recommendation we got from someone
>who's not currently taking any new clients.
And we have a winner (positive thinking). We've an appointment
in the middle of next week (putting the horses at only a little over
six weeks) with the subject of that very recommendation -- a recent
Guild RJF with about 25 years experience in the trade overall including
a few years as a track farrier (with the JHU or IUJH suffix that would
have baffled me without your note). He seemed to talk talk that, in
general, seemed pleasing to this civilian and he seemed content with
my description of the horses, their history with farriers and vets, and
of course, the physical plant with which he would be contending.
With his ear to the local grapevine, he may even show up with an answer
to the question of whether it was a good or bad chaos event that sent
our previous farrier over the horizon in such haste. Rumors thus far
range from North Carolina to Oklahoma.
I know I owe an update on Joker's lameness (*), but since there's a
farriery issue yet to contend with I'll save details until after next
week. The short version is that she recovered slowly to being declared
[at last farrier and vet visits] sound for light riding [perhaps only
on/near our property].
--
Best,
Ben Turner, Mare's Reach
(*) Joker's Lameness Nov 2004 rec.eq message:
Message-ID: <ohnrp0hlukukitn1l...@4ax.com> or
<http://groups-beta.google.com/group/rec.equestrian/msg/b473a34364f866ac>