Rules Horses Teach Us–Updated

I wrote a blog last summer about some of the “rules” that horses teach us. These are meant to be funny, in a true way. I decided to update it with a new blog featuring more “rules” Taylor has taught me. I know every horse is different and may have their own “rules” you have to follow. I would love to hear yours so please post some in the comments section!

Rules Horses Teach Us (According to Taylor):

1. If you are my owner and bring me treats (as you should always do), they are MY treats. Do not share them with the other horses nearby. You are MY owner and those are MY treats. I do not want to share. Let their owners bring them their own treats. I will become very indignant with you for sharing. You have just cheated me out of a carrot, regardless of whether or not I have eaten every other one in the bag.
2. I will stand quietly next to the mounting block while you climb up. However, I will “mistake” your foot sliding into the stirrup as an indication for me to take a step away to the right. I may do this a few times before you are successful at mounting me. I can’t help the “confusion” and is a total reflection of something you are doing wrong, not me. I may accompany your mount with a sigh as well.
3. It is possible I may give you the stink-eye when I see the saddle in your hands. I feel like you have tricked me. You brought me into the nice barn, spent a great deal of time grooming and pampering me, and NOW you want to ride? I will decide exactly how I feel about this when you are on my back.
4. I actually do love you, and don’t mind being affectionate with you. I love to bury my head in your chest and in your arms and the attention that you give me. I will be very sweet to you. But the minute someone is about to walk by our stall I will pull away and act very exasperated by all your doting. As long as they are around, I will keep nodding my head out of your reach. But when they leave and the coast is clear…I will come back into your arms. This way no one will ever believe the stories you tell about how sweet I am. I am a male after all.
5. I will nicker in greeting most of the time but not ALL the time. I can’t have you thinking that I’m happy to see you all the time…even though I probably am. Especially if I think you have a carrot stashed somewhere…
6. If you give me hay and I am eating while you are grooming me, when you start brushing my right side, I might possibly kick at you. How do I know you aren’t trying to get my hay? It tastes so good you might want a bite! Well it’s mine and I’m just letting you know it’s mine. If you brush my left side, that’s ok. It’s only the right side. Beware of the right side when I’m eating…brush at your own risk.
7. If I see or hear a camera, I’m ready for my closeup. I love the camera and will always pose for it. I should’ve been a model.

Hope you enjoyed them!

Book Review: War Horse

With all the hype and previews of the movie War Horse swirling around me, I was instantly curious about this story.  Any horse movie usually catches my attention, and I can’t wait to see it.  Judging from the movie previews I decided that I should read the book first…just in case there were any very sad scenes I would be ready!  Truthfully, I needed to know if the horse died.  I don’t tend to handle animals dying very well…ha.

This book written by Michael Morpurgo was a quick read, and I read it through in an evening.  I found it refreshing that he wrote the book from the horse’s perspective.  I haven’t read a book in this POV before and I actually really liked it.  This books follows the journey of Joey, who first came to live with his favorite owner Albert then was sold to the army for duty on the front lines during World War I.  Joey takes us on the adventures he encounters during the war before his triumphant reunion with Albert.  I am happy to report that Joey does not die in the book, and there is a happy ending.  My only complaint with the book is that I wish there was more detail.  I feel as though the details throughout the book were a little lacking and would have enhanced the story if there had been more. 

I would recommend the book as it was a good story and not your typical horse book.  I am looking forward to seeing the movie, especially since the star is an OTTB.  I have a soft spot for those!

Let me know what you thought about the book and/or movie.

Taylor-Made Christmas

I hope everyone had a wonderful and merry Christmas!  Taylor definitely was a good boy as Santa left him a stocking full of treats and not coal!  (I guess he forgave the couple of times he’s tried to kick me recently-ha!).  I have spent a lot of time bonding with Taylor…a LOT.  Before I started his training, I spent my time grooming him and sitting with him.  I still love it when we have the chance to just hang out together.  With that said, he can read me.  Somehow he just knows when I have something for him.  Even when I’m trying to eat a snack or drink some water, he thinks I need to share.  And he’s not shy about letting me know either!

So when he saw me hanging his stocking on his stall he knew I had something good.  He dug his nose in trying to get the treats and nickered when he caught a whiff of his favorite treat: carrots.  The biggest bag of carrots Santa could find were stuffed in that stocking!  There was also a bag of Nicker Treats.  Taylor kept looking at me and nosing the stocking, willing me to open the bag.  After snapping a few pics, I obliged.

This horse LOVES carrots.  As in can’t get enough and goes a little crazy.  He snorts, paces, paws, and nickers when he thinks I still have some that I’m not giving him.  I had already told him he wasn’t eating the whole bag in one sitting.  I hid one in my fleece vest and he was so cute trying to find it.  I have been working on loosening him up so I used the carrots as rewards for some stretching exercises.  Is he spoiled?  Maybe a little…  But he’s just so darn cute!

He made my Christmas this year.  He brings so much joy into my life and I am very blessed to have been able to adopt him.  He is definitely a treasure.

Saddling Up for a Horse-Saving Mission

Saddling Up for a Horse-Saving Mission

By Tanya Depner

Thursday, November 3, 2011

When Acxiom associate Jennifer Landers saddles up, she’s not racing horses; she’s racing to save horses. This volunteer at the Race Horse Reclaim Thoroughbred Rescue (Reclaim) is on a mission—along with the Hot Springs, Arkansas-based organization—to create a future for horses that otherwise would have no hope of secure, “forever” homes.

And there is no shortage of horses looking for homes. Thousands of Thoroughbreds come onto the scene each year based on their owners’ hopes of stardom at the racetrack. For example, in 2008, over 34,000 Thoroughbred foals were reported to the U.S. Jockey Club, with only 20 making the final cut at the Kentucky Derby. Reclaim specializes in the rehabilitation, retraining and retirement of the “throw-away” horses that don’t make it in the horseracing arena and provides them with an alternative and loving environment.

“I have always loved horses and enjoy supporting this cause in any way I can,” Landers said. “I’m happy if I’m working with the horses or helping the founder, Deb Adams, do barn chores or just whatever needs to be done,” she added.

One of the ways Landers supports Reclaim is through social media by ensuring she maintains her Facebook and Twitter accounts on behalf of the rescue efforts. She also plays a big role in fundraising and remarks that “educating others about the issue is just as important as working with the animals.”

For Landers, her most endearing tie to Reclaim comes through her relationship with Taylor Time, a Thoroughbred she adopted and is currently retraining for dressage, a sport she likens to horse ballet, noting it is showcased at the highest level during the Olympics.

“I believe adopting one of the horses is my biggest contribution to Reclaim,” Landers said. “It shows just how much I believe in what I’m doing and just how amazing and special these animals truly are to me. I hope others will consider adopting or sponsoring one of these remarkable horses.”

So if you go looking for Landers during her volunteer time, you will need to look no further than Reclaim. That’s where she’ll be, helping some beautiful and deserving animals reclaim something of their own—loving homes.

Race Horse Reclaim Thoroughbred Rescue

Landers working at one of the Reclaim barns with a Thoroughbred named Henry looking on.

Landers with her adopted Thoroughbred, Taylor Time.

Designs for your Favorite OTTB

Thanks to Natalie Keller Reinert and her wonderful blog Retired Racehorse I stumbled upon these wonderful saddle pads!  You can proudly display your horse is an OTTB every time you ride!  I ordered the white one and can’t wait to get it!  I am hoping that they do other colors and keep adding to the collection.  They also will donate $5 to an OTTB charity.  Be sure to check them out!

OTTB Designs

Transition

I brought Taylor to his new home at the end of June.  I am boarding him at a stable that has rolling hills, a nearby lake, and a pasture in a valley.  It’s a beautiful place! 

Let’s just say Taylor was not impressed in the beginning.  In fact, he was mad at me.  This summer has been brutally hot, and Taylor is not one that really enjoys the heat.  He is the horse you will always find in the shade, if he can find a patch.  Unfortunately, his transition pen at his new home didn’t have any shade.  I can understand why he was unhappy and mad at me. 

We went through some transition pains.  The sweet horse I had grown to love disappeared for a few weeks.  He ignored me, threw fits, and even took to nipping me.  I was starting to wonder what I had gotten myself into.  I became very unhappy because he was unhappy.  I knew what he was like when he was happy, and he was miserable.  I tried to do everything I could to make the transition better.  I talked to the boarding owner about trying to integrate him with the herd as soon as possible.  I knew making friends, grazing, and having spots of shade could make him happy again.  Finally, we tried him out in the small pasture with a few other horses.  Taylor perked back up.  I started seeing glimpses of the horse I knew. 

Taylor is now in with the main herd in the pasture in the valley.  He loves it!    His best friend is a small 3-year-old Quarter Horse named Blaze.  He is about half the size of Taylor, and they go everywhere together!  Taylor had a hard time transitioning at first, but who wouldn’t in a new unfamiliar place?  As his owner, I did my best to help him and get him where I knew he wanted to be.

The Chosen Human

Taylor had been at Race Horse Reclaim Thoroughbred Rescue for a little over six months when I decided he was the one.  I had been volunteering for a few months so I was getting to know the horses and like any normal horse lover I loved them all.  However, my heart belonged to Taylor for he picked me as much as I picked him.  The first day I was there volunteering I was standing next to his pen watching the mares and suddenly I felt this weight on my shoulder.  As I redirected my attention, here was this exracehorse with his head resting on my shoulder.  I began to pet him and thought what a sweet horse this was!  That was the beginning of our journey.

Every time I went out to the rescue after that Taylor demanded my attention and followed me around.  I refused to pick the first horse that was nice to me and I kept a fairly open mind…except I kept gravitating back to the same horse.  I began grooming him while I was there, and I’d watch him fall asleep as I brushed him.  He’d bury his face in my chest as I brushed his face (his favorite thing!).   So what do you do when a horse picks you?  You pick them right back!

I don’t know what made Taylor choose me as his human, but I am so thankful every day that he did.  He brings such joy into my life, and I think he is the most special horse in the world.  I am thrilled I am able to give him a new life away from the track and get to watch him flourish in his new career.