#WarriorsBlade

[thegreenhorseman]

Let's Talk About Unicorns!

Let’s Talk About Unicorns!

Unicorn: noun: something that is highly desirable but difficult to find or obtain Tomorrow is National Unicorn Day, so let’s have a little fun with it. (more…)

[thegreenhorseman]

Nahe's News: Happy Birthday in Heaven, Brother Blade

Nahe’s News: Happy Birthday in Heaven, Brother Blade

Aloha! I never met my brother, Blade, but he left an impression on Tiger and ma. (more…)

[thegreenhorseman]

Tiger was present for all of the events on December 11, 2019.  He and Blade were playing when it happened and he tried to comfort Blade the best he knew how.  When Blade was down he nudged him to get up.  He stayed close.  The concern on his face spoke volumes.

Once Blade was up Tiger continued to monitor the situation.  He gave us space when we needed it but didn’t stray far and checked in periodically.  He nipped at Blade’s broken leg.  I don’t know exactly his intention and I swatted him away but I imagine in a horse world it made sense to him and Blade.

When Blade grew restless Tiger came over and stood close.  He allowed Blade to lean on him.

Tiger participated in begging me for treats.  He definitely got some, but Blade got twice as many.

Once the vet arrived Ashley put Tiger into the round pen with some alfalfa.  From there he was able to see everything that was going on without getting in the way.  He was as much a part of the trauma as we were and had every right to know what was going on.

Being present and saying goodbye to your best friend is the best way to get closure.  I wanted him to be present.  I wanted him to have that closure.  He knew what happened and didn’t need to spend hours looking for Blade or wondering if he’d come back.

After everything was done and after I was able to wrench myself off of Blade’s neck, I took Tiger’s lead and all of us made our way down the hill to the barn paddock.  Tiger stopped halfway down and looked back towards Blade.  A sad half-hearted whinny came to cut the silence.  After giving him a few seconds to say his goodbye we got back to the barn.  He ate while I changed his blanket, kissed him goodnight, and returned to the house to warm up with mango ginger tea.

The next morning after Blade was buried we took some alfalfa to his grave.  Tiger and Blade “shared” a flake together.

Our friend had taken Blade’s sheet off and hung it over the round-pen fence.  I walked Tiger over and he took a long time taking it in.  In those moments Tiger’s expression changed.  He grew noticeably saddened.

All day long Tiger mourned his loss, standing in the same spot for hours on end.

Only when I came out to check on him (and I did often) would he half-heartedly eat his hay and take some treats.

He still ate his meals and devoured his alfalfa, but he had no interest in hay.

I went to the store and bought two bags of shavings.  I typically bed the run-in shed with wasted hay but for this occasion, I wanted to give him ANYTHING that could provide comfort.

I became worried Saturday when I came out to see him greet me with a stressed head bobbing motion.  He hadn’t touched any of his hay all day long.  Not even nibbled it.

While he ate his dinner I grabbed a book, flipped a muck bucket over, and read aloud to him.  I spent time with him and let him listen to my voice.

Non-horse people would think I’m crazy for it, but let me assure you….it made a difference.

Tiger ate a lot more that night.  In the morning he greeted me with a happy whinny.  He devoured his food.  While I began to clean up I noticed he was playful.  His expression had changed immensely since the night before.  He knew I was here for him.  Knew that I love him.  Knew that he wasn’t really truly alone.

Tiger may be healing faster than I am, but I still worry about his mental state living in solitude.  The whole reason he’s here is because I didn’t want Blade to be alone.  Now the tables have turned all too fast.

It didn’t take long for friends to reach out to offer up loaner horses to keep Tiger company.  I was offered horses to borrow and horses to keep.  I knew I needed to decide on something but I wasn’t ready for a permanent decision.

Knowing Tiger’s horsonality I wanted to figure out a solution that would be the best fit for HIM.  He’s a baby.  His mindset is still immature.  He’s sweet and impressionable but he’s also a brat and can be dominant.  He lacks manners.  I wanted to decide on a horse companion that would be suitable for his immaturity.

Do you remember any of the horses from my horse shopping in The Green Horseman’s Latest Quest?

Meet Nahe.

NAHE

Nahe is a sweet and incredible paint gelding of about 14 years.  He’s big, too.  He belongs to a friend who offered to let me borrow him to accompany Tiger.

Nahe is a big boy.  He’s sweet and has a very kind eye.  My friend told me that he is the top dog.  He asserts his authority but he is not mean. Just the boss.

This is precisely what I feel Tiger needs.  He needs the leader to keep him humble and teach him manners.  A leader that won’t put up with shenanigans but won’t be cruel, either.

Nahe arrived at our home Monday afternoon.  He stepped off the trailer quietly and we introduced the two.

Within 10-20 minutes Nahe and Tiger were new best friends.

I watched them for a while and they happily shared a hay pile despite my having laid out 2 or 3 piles.  My heart sang knowing that Tiger had a friend.  I knew then that he would heal just fine and that I can rest easier.  I’m still broken-hearted about my loss but my heart healed in a major way that day.

We don’t have a solid plan on how long Nahe will be with us, but we are both so happy and so grateful to his owner for trusting me to provide him with the same excellent care I’ve given my own horses.  So grateful that she was able to deliver him and offer Tiger and I some respite.

From the bottom of my heart…

THANK YOU

Tiger’s Tale Tiger was present for all of the events on December 11, 2019.  He and Blade were playing when it happened and he tried to comfort Blade the best he knew how. 

[thegreenhorseman]

Blade was never abused or neglected, but I don’t believe he ever truly had a person.  Until I met him he stayed in a nice pasture with two other geldings and a run-in shed.  He was given two meals a day and never bothered.  Some passing visitors would give him a peppermint or two but as far as I know he didn’t get much human contact beyond that for several years.

When I took him home he was a little underweight, had ulcers, and was very photo-bleached.  He had quite a bit of muscle atrophy.  With treatment and a personalized nutrition plan he has gained weight, filled out, and his coat glistens even when I don’t have time to groom him (seriously, I hadn’t groomed him in a week or so when I took the photos on the right).

All pictures were taken in July of different years.  Preventing photo-bleaching has it’s challenges with a dark horse but nutrition plays a key role in his coat health.

  I’m quite proud of the transformation I have achieved with Blade mentally, emotionally, and physically.

This is a contribution to the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Transformation.  See more at https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/

Blade’s Transformation Blade was never abused or neglected, but I don't believe he ever truly had a person.

[thegreenhorseman]

Wordless Wednesday – 12/11/2019

[thegreenhorseman]

Wordless Wednesday – 11/6/2019

[thegreenhorseman]

Wordless Wednesday – 10/23/2019

[thegreenhorseman]

This is my favorite time of year.  The bugs are going away.  My face doesn’t hurt me.  It’s not too hot.

This is the time of year when I really love to spend time with mom.  I don’t mind working.  I don’t mind getting smoozles and cuddles.  I love my massages, my scratches, and pretty much everything.  Life is good.

Mom had last week off for vacation.  She was super busy getting stuff done (Vacation Means Getting Stuff Done) but she also made lots of extra time to hang out with me and the boys.

We have had some really great rides lately.  The most recent wasn’t really wonderful but we made it through.  I really am not a fan of evening riding, at least for the latest work session.  The lighting during sunset can sometimes bother me; we managed through it.  It was also a couple weeks since our last ride so I was pretty excited about getting out and going.  I LOVE to work!

Despite some of our arguments mom and I shaped up and became a good team….at least enough to get some good photos and video.

  Mom’s also really been on my case about finishing breakfast.  She complains that I’m a slow eater.  Should I remind her that I choked a few times last year?  I take as long as I want now on my meals.  I like to savor my food.  There is so much to enjoy.  The hay stretcher, the beet pulp, the supplements, alfalfa, flax seed. Zeno Bay and VaiVia both eat pretty much the same stuff but they are done long before me so mom separates us. When they are finished they come over and wait like vultures.  I don’t mind though.  We call it breakfast club and we discuss the plans for the day.

Mom even wets it down so it’s like cereal. She and I sometimes enjoy cereal together.

Either way I don’t mind the fact that she stands with me and grooms me or gives me scratches while I eat.  Morning scratches and cuddles are the absolute best!

It’s also beginning to get chilly at night.  Mom had our barnyard done by a pro and now it’s super nice and stays dry.  The other day mom saw rain in the forecast and let us finally go use the barn for the first time since.  The mats felt so nice and we happily weathered the storm and stayed dry all night long.

I’ve got to admit it.  I’m a mama’s boy.

But there’s nothing wrong with that right?

  The Blade Chronicles: Mama’s Boy and Proud of It This is my favorite time of year.  The bugs are going away.  My face doesn't hurt me. 

[thegreenhorseman]

Wordless Wednesday – June 19 2019

[thegreenhorseman]

Wordless Wednesday – May 1 2019

[thegreenhorseman]

Wordless Wednesday – April 24 2019

[thegreenhorseman]

This week is National Pet ID Week so this is an excellent opportunity for us to cover horse identification!

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the need for identifying horses stems back many many years as a way to establish law and order.  People needed a way to prove their horse was in fact theirs when a horse got loose or was stolen.

Description

To get started, the first thing that can be done is to take and keep accurate descriptions of your horse with photographs.  These descriptions cover all the markings in detail.  For example, Blade’s star is not circular, so it is described as “irregular diagonal star at eye level, pointed to left on top.”  The descriptions will also describe the cowlicks the horse has as well as scars or brands.

Current photographs are always useful to have on hand as well.  Too bad we don’t all love our horses and take more pictures of them than our own family….

Many organizations, however, simply don’t go by these descriptions alone.  It is too easy for look-a-likes or doctored photos to raise questions.

DNA Registration

Some organizations prefer to have horses DNA-typed.  This helps to pinpoint genetic disparities as well as provide proof that this horse is in fact the one in question.  The Jockey club began enforcing a rule that a a foal’s parents must have been DNA-typed in order to be registered. DNA has benefits beyond identification, of course.  From preventing negative heritable conditions to development of effective medications or vaccines.

DNA testing can be quite foolproof and in fact has assisted Unbridled Thoroughbred Foundation in identifying several unknown kill-pen thoroughbreds like VaiVia and Zeno Bay.  There is one major caveat to this method of identification, however; TIME.  Getting a DNA test requires time to collect samples and send them to a lab.  Assuming the DNA on file hasn’t degraded and the sample provided adequate amounts with no contamination it will take time to sequence and compare the DNA.  Most people and many organizations prefer to have a more immediate identification method.

So now what?

This is the point where we dive into the various ways we “mark” horses in order to accurately identify “who’s who.”

Branding

One of the oldest methods of identification of livestock.  Branding reminds me of the Wild West,” with old salty cowboys.  Brands are still very present today, especially on ranches where the brands help provide proof of horse and cattle ownership.

Branding is done by heating an iron (in the desired pattern) to a high enough temperature and literally burning the horse.  It only takes 2-3 seconds and will cause 3rd degree burns.  Once the wounds heal the brand will be on the horse forever.

Photo courtesy of Adam Cohn (Flickr)

In branding typically you see a design that is related to a specific farm and does not vary between individual animals.  The brands can often develop it’s own reputation for generations.   In the links section at the bottom I’ve included some great sites to learn more about reading brands (like Bar A, flying P, or Lazy K<—WHAT?  Click the links below to learn more!).

For probably obvious reasons I am not the biggest fan of branding.  I would never want to cause pain to my animals especially when other options are becoming available.  Brands are not for me, but I don’t judge those who use them.  In fact there is no proof that other methods are less painful; one study revealed similar behavioral pain responses to micro-chipping (I didn’t look into the study to evaluate it’s methods).  In reality, these horses get branded and within two minutes they are grazing happily.

On the subject of branding I came across this video below.  The video demonstrates the process of branding but is also an eye-opening example of how branding can be overused and made downright abusive.  I had not known until very recently that Exmoor ponies could be branded up to five times in their life.  THIS is a branding practice I will eagerly condemn!  I cannot seem to find any articles indicating new policies since 2013, but this is certainly a subject that will be on my radar from now on.  That said, if you find or know more about this please contact me here!

Freeze-marking

Photo courtesy of Bureau of Land Management (Flickr)

Freeze branding or freeze-marking has become a very popular practice.  Many breeds use the freeze mark to identify their individual horses.  Mustangs and Standardbreds furnish their marks on the neck.  In New Zealand thoroughbreds also used to get a freeze brand but that is being replaced by the microchip.  This year (2019) Standardbreds will also be tossing the freeze brand for the more subtle microchip.

Though freeze brands can be anywhere on the body and incorporate various digits or logos, the breed specific brands often follow what is called the Alpha Angle System.  Below is a fantastic graphic demonstrating how to make sense of the brand.

Freeze branding is performed similarly to hot iron branding.  With this method however, more attention is given to site preparation.  The area to be branded is often shaved and washed with rubbing alcohol to remove oils and make for a neater brand.  The branding iron is chilled in liquid nitrogen or dry ice/alcohol, ideally to -300°F.  The brand is applied to the skin and held for 8-45 seconds.

The timing of these methods vary greatly based on the materials, the horse, and the goal.  Less time is needed for darker horses than lighter horses.  Less time is needed if liquid nitrogen is used.  Less time is needed if the goal is a brand with white hair.  The cold destroys the pigment of the hair follicle.  When the brand is held longer the hair growth follicle will also get destroyed resulting in a bald brand.

The video below demonstrates how a horse is branded using the freeze-marking methods.

Lip Tattoo: 

The Jockey Club began the use of Lip tattoos in the early 1900s.  Lip tattoos are checked before races to ensure the right horse is racing rather than a look alike.   The tattoo format follows a very simple method.  The first digit is a letter corresponding to the year the horse was born.  The letter is followed by 5 numbers that are unique to the horse.

As youngsters the thoroughbreds get their upper lip tattoo.  A handler sometimes backs the horse into the corner of it’s stall to prevent it from moving.  He then uses a device to hold the lip up and flat so the tattoo technician can apply the ink.  Each digit has a stamp, the stamp is dipped in ink and pressed firmly into the lip tissue.  When the full tattoo is complete the ink is wiped away, a photo is taken, and the horse continues it’s day.

The issue with these tattoos is they fade.  People also can and have adulterated the lip tattoos by gouging off the numbers before dumping their horses into the kill-pen.  This is another method of identification that is going to the wayside as 2019 rings in the era of microchipping.

There may be more administrative interventions now, but for a while Facebook’s OTTB Connect group site was riddled with people asking for help reading tattoos.  The tattoos can often be very difficult to read.  To start getting a CLEAR photo of under the horse’s lip can be a challenge on it’s own.  The next step is to alter the photo’s brightness and contrast levels to help highlight the shape of the digits.

THERE IS NO ONLINE METHOD TO GET A TATTOO NUMBER FROM THE NAME.

The best you can hope for is to start with the age (the letter) and decipher a few of the digits.  From there you can sort through the list of matching horse descriptions.

Blade is my first horse, and I have dreams someday of getting my first tattoo that includes his tattoo number.  It took me a long time but I managed to figure out his lip number.  He was born in 2008 so the letter is L…then 16950.  So L16950.

I was amazed when I was able to find the numbers for the older boys!  I know they are both 21 years old, born in 1998.  The letter that year was B (each consecutive year is the next letter in the alphabet).  I’ve included some of the photos I captured alongside the changes I made to read the tattoo.

BLADE: L16950

ZENO BAY: B07120

VAIVIA: B43918

  Micro-Chipping

Microchipping has taken the forefront of today’s animal identification.  Dogs, cats, and horses.

Microchips are placed two inches below the crest and centered between the horse’s poll and withers.  It is a straightforward implantation and allows the horse to be scanned quickly and easily without any permanent physical marks being made.

The issue with microchips, however, is the immediate read.  These work well if the horse is close and the reader is handy.  In some situations, however, a microchip reader may not be available or the horse may not be up close.

In my research I have also learned about the potential for iris scanning.  The iris in the eye is as unique as our fingerprints.  For this reason iris scanning has been developed and proven very accurate and effective.  The only thing that could potentially change the iris is an eye injury.

The biggest disadvantage here is the cost.  The technology required for this is much more expensive than the microchip, which is why we see the microchip rising to the spotlight.

I’ve included a list of links to sites and articles I found to be very useful and informative.  I hope you’ll take some time to take a look at a few.

TheHorse.com – Horse Identification Fact Sheet

United States Dept of Agriculture – Equine Identification

Dr. Katie Flynn – Horse Identification; Past, Present and Future

Branding:

Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association – How to Read a Brand

New Mexico Livestock Board – How to Read a Brand

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Freeze Branding

Lip Tattoos:

Thoroughbred Info on Lip Tattoo Identification

National Pet ID Week – Equine Style This week is National Pet ID Week so this is an excellent opportunity for us to cover horse identification!

[thegreenhorseman]

What gives?

Who does she think she is?

Mom has been cutting loose and tramping around doing other things besides DOTING ON ME.

I mean…SERIOUSLY MOM!

Look.  I may have a short back and my legs face different directions…the ground may be icy and too solid…but that doesn’t mean she can go ride other horses and do other fun stuffs.

Mom’s been quite busy lately.  She comes out to feed us and if the weather is good she even hangs out with us for a while.  I really enjoy it when she joins the herd with no strings attached.  I also enjoy being the center of attention.  That’s why I did a thing.

At our last farrier appointment I made her chase me.  Not for long but enough so that she had to trek across the field to get me.

Then…I pooped on the farrier.  Well, she caught me and warned him first but I almost made impact.

Last week mom took me for a bareback and bridle-less hack up the hill and around the yard.  After she took Vai Via; he’s still really nervous with her but she seems to be patient with it.  She let’s us know we’re good boys but I am always the number one “big sexy.”

That’s right.

This guy.

Last Sunday mom took off to do something called “cow sorting.”  I don’t really know about cows but she told us about it after.  She’s done it once before at Cowgirl Up Ranch last year (Cross Training On The Weekend).  This time her friends went to Peaceful Paradise Farm to do it.  Obviously since I’m perfect I didn’t have to do it so she borrowed a friend’s horse, Stormy.

I guess the day started out rough; her other friends tried to hook up two different trailers.  The first wouldn’t budge (ice) and the other was too short for the big truck’s hookup.  They all went anyways to meet ANOTHER friend who brought a few horses, including Stormy.  During warm-up all hell broke loose when one of the horses flipped out about the cows…sounds like a smart guy to me.  As a result the two other friends sat out and mom was the one of the only three people that was able to participate in the actual “sorting” thing.

I guess Stormy really enjoyed it.  He was excited at the start and by the end he was even lunging at the cows.  Mom had to make sure he didn’t actually bite them.  They didn’t win the jackpot but mom came home smiling so I guess things went well.

I don’t think I’d like those cows…

Mom did even more stuffs with her human friends last weekend.  As if Equine Affaire wasn’t enough they all went to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for the World Horse Expo.  Aaand what do you think she bought me there?

Freakin hoof clay.

Supposedly it’s supposed to be really good hoof clay with copper sulfate that helps me feel good.  It’s called Therazure.  One jar usually costs $30 but she bought it for $20.  I guess mom almost bought it at Equine Affaire but ran out of time.  Now I’m going to be subject to these shenanigans!

Vai Via is a lot smaller than most of us thoroughbreds.  He even wears a size 72″ blanket (compared to me and Zeno with 78″).  I guess that’s why mom has begun calling him “Little Man.”  He has a tiny pea-head so mom bought a halter that fit him better.  The size is called “cob.” I guess it looks good on him but what about MY cool new gear?  I get HOOF CLAY and he gets a halter?!

Mom also did a lot of shopping for herself. Last November at Equine Affaire in Massachusetts (The Green Horseman at the Affaire) mom met the good folks at Pure  Posture (https://www.pureposture.net/).  She was impressed with the product and ended up ordering it within a couple days.  The Pure Posture system was designed by two chiropractors and is a simple wooden board that humans lay on for a “slow adjustment.” She ran into the same people at the Horse Expo last weekend and had her friends try it out.  While the girls were getting adjusted mom was busy chatting.  The board comes with 2″ blocks but mom just bought 2.5″ blocks; she said she noticed a big difference and it helped open up her hip flexors.  I can only imagine what that will mean for her balance when we go riding in the spring.

It takes about 8 minutes to use the Pure Posture board the way it was intended.  When her friends got finished everyone was pleased by the results.  See for yourself, everyone is standing straighter and taller!  

That’s not all mom bought.  She brought home some beef jerky….carnivores…yuck. She also got her boots cleaned and added a few more slow feed hay nets to the collection.  She did get a new brush too so I’ll enjoy that…but that was free.  I think it’s a little unreasonable how cheap she’s being.  I mean where’s all my new gear?  She calls it being “frugal” but I know better.  She says I don’t need anything right now and that we need to save money; come on, lady!  Give me some cookies!

All in all I guess mom deserves to have some fun every now and then.  She really cares about us and makes sure we have plenty of fresh water and hay (even if we do get picky about it).  She feeds us delicious noms and my tummy has never felt better.

Here at home we’re all doing pretty darn well.  It’s still cold but it’s almost time for the fresh grass to come back.  We’ve begun shedding a bit here and there but we just got some more snow so we need to stay warm.

We really like playing in the snow but I think grass is even better.  Mud season here we come!

The Blade Chronicles: Mom’s Ignoring Me What gives? Who does she think she is? Mom has been cutting loose and tramping around doing other things besides…

[thegreenhorseman]

Mom’s letting me take the reins again! Something about the first Thursday of the month?  Who has time to pay attention to that anyway?

I was supposed to tell you about the torture she made me endure when I had an abscess recently but I’d rather tell you about some fun the boys and I have been having lately.  I also have some exciting things to share that mom did.

When Zeno Bay and Vai Via came to mom’s farm I didn’t know what to make of them.  I had my girl, Happy.  She wasn’t very Happy all the time but she was mine.  Then her people took her away and I was left with…”the guys.”  Zeno didn’t want me around at all.  He was downright mean to me.  But something about the day that Happy left changed his mind.  I galloped for hours whinnying and mourning the departure of my gal.  It was that day that Zeno took me in.

Mom calls us the three amigos.

We’ve now been together four months, we got through autumn and we’re almost out of winter.  Zeno’s been conditioning me to be a leader.  Every now and then he tells me what to do just to assure me he’s really the boss but he enjoys it when I take some of that responsibility.  I’ve never been top dog before.

Zeno Bay and Vai Via have been teaching me how to “horse.”

They wander in the woods!

We make our own paths.

When the ground freezes we don’t get out much but when it snows we stretch our legs. Mom recently sent us up to the hill and we got to really have a great time.  There was snow, it was -7°F, and the land was flatter than the barnyard.  Vai Via and I held our own match race and we all stretched out.  Then Vai and Zeno raced each other.  We all cooled out together.

When we were finished mom took me for a bareback ride.  I enjoy the alone time I get with her.  During the last four months I’ve put on a lot of weight and muscle; more than I’ve had in years!  I feel so big and strong now!

After our walk Zeno begged her for some attention too.  I’m not really a fan of sharing her but I really don’t have much say in the matter.  If anything I can monitor the situation so I followed along on their bareback ride.  All four of us took a walk around.

A little while ago mom gave us a big hay mound.  She calls it a round bale.

When I first saw it I darn near choked on breakfast.

Here it is, this big mass bigger than mom and she’s controlling it.  She has it coming closer to us and I’m like, “hey, this isn’t cool.”  Well it rolls into the paddock and stops moving.  I finish breakfast and then mom has the nerve to invite me over to meet this big moving giant.

Turns out it was food!  Vai Via used it as a bed sometimes too.

Mom said it should last a while.  Something about it being 500 pounds and “theoretically” should last about a week.

It made it five days until mom gave up and gave us new hay.  She shook her head and said “geldings.”  Does she really think we’re going to walk somewhere when we need to pee or poop?  She’s a little crazy if you ask me.  We go where we stand, ma!

Mom also likes to spend a lot of her mornings hanging out with us.  Vai Via ripped a belly strap on his blanket so he got to style his spare.

We also took turns getting scratches and kisses.

Mom takes care of all of us and it’s clear she loves the boys just as much as she loves me.  Although we are all retired and spoiled now we were once racehorses.  I never won a race but Zeno and Vai both did.

Because she loves them she spent time researching inside the big white heated barn she calls “the house.”  After all of her research most photographers told her they didn’t have photos from “that long ago.”  Time passed and she gave up until one photographer emailed her back with good news.

This photographer found a photo of a race they each won in Charles Town!  Mom bought the photos and was given permission to use the finish line photos to share with you.

Zeno Bay won his second race on May 2nd, 2001 on the turf at 4.5 furlongs.  He raced a total of 7 races of which he won twice, placed once, and showed twice.

Vai Via’s fourth win was on January 1st, 2004 at 1 1/16 miles.  In total he ran 47 races of which he won 4 times, placed 6 times, and showed 10 times.

I give her a hard time but I know she loves me, she loves the guys; and I love my mom!

The Blade Chronicles: Winter Frolic and the Glory Days Mom's letting me take the reins again! Something about the first Thursday of the month?  Who has time to pay attention to that anyway?

[thegreenhorseman]

I normally post at 6:30am every Thursday morning and dropped the ball yesterday; but it leads to the question…what works better for my readers? Are there times/days that you are more likely to read?  Let me know in the comments!

January has been quite brutal with weather.  We have been lucky most of the winter so far but the deep freeze has officially hit us here in upstate New York.

On Saturday the 19th we were hit with a good sized snowstorm.  I had just begun pet-sitting for a new family the day prior; a couple of wonderful horses and three sweet young goats.  After the sky dropped 12-16″ on us we were hit with brutal temperatures.  With the windchill we were down to -30°F!  Only three days later (Thursday) we were soaked in a heavy rain with temperatures of nearly 50°F.  The weather in upstate NY never fails to make one scratch their head.

The horses I was caring for have phenomenal coats, high quality hay, and adequate shelter.  They are the perfect examples of good winter coats in action.  The snow was completely unmelted from their backs while the horses were warm and cozy.  They both had the option to come and go from their shelter as they pleased.  Through the whole week they never showed any signs of discomfort from the weather.

Back home the amigos do not have such thick coats.  They were blanketed and supplied with ample hay as always.

What about the water?  Back at the beginning of December I wrote about my winter project The Green Horseman on Another Project: Winter Prep.

The photos below demonstrate what the water looks like at 20°F.  When I refill the water I use the ATV and haul 10 gallons of hot water from my bathtub in old 5 gallon covered buckets.  This brings the water temperature up just enough to prevent freezing.  The tank holds 100 gallons and is often filled to 50-60 gallons; even bringing out only 10 gallons adds 20% and significantly improves the water temperature.  The horses all appreciate it and drink well.

But the -30°F windchill?  How did my trick fare during these days?

This morning I had to put a little muscle into sledgehammering the ice, but it still was no thicker than 1/2″ on top.  I break the ice 2x/day and add at least 10 gallons hot water per day.  Three horses drink more that this but we are expecting rain in less than a week that will fill the tank (our last rainy day the tank overflowed).

If I add all the hot water at once it will freeze over time.  By adding 10 hot gallons every day I keep the temperature mostly above freezing for the long term.  I am quite satisfied with how this trick is working out.

Despite having a decent shelter the amigos love to be outside.  They enjoy running in the snow.  December was cold and the ground froze in ruts which hurt their feet.  With the snow they were able to run around and enjoy a little.

They also make their own decisions to seek shelter during storms.  Fortunately they have grown decent coats (though not nearly as thick as some).  They stayed warm and insulated while growing icicles along their necks.

Because of a friend who inspired me I have also decided to try out round bales.  They are cheaper but generate a lot more wasted hay.  The positive side is that they allow the horses to eat 24/7 at will without having to supply more every day.

I don’t have a tractor with adequate tools to move round bales, but after seeing what my friend was able to do I decided to give it a whirl.  On Monday night my hay guy “Carl” dropped off 2 round bales.  Tuesday morning after work I rolled one out to the paddock.  These bales are 500 pounds.  It was a little tough to roll up inclines but I managed to get it out there.  We are supposed to have a relatively clear (but brutally cold) week free of precipitation so now is the best time to try it.  Blade looked petrified when he saw the giant mass rolling to the paddock.  He stopped eating breakfast and gawked.  When I finally set it in it’s place (or gave up rolling it) he finished his meal and came to investigate.  He quickly learned what a wonderful buffet he received.

Before long the other two boys joined Blade and began to dig in.

I am writing this post Thursday afternoon, only two days after rolling the giant bale to the amigos.  I came home to see Vai Via enjoying it as a bed for an afternoon nap.  Only two days in and the bale looks almost destroyed!  I am still evaluating its longevity to see if it is a cost efficient option during winter months.

Winter In Upstate New York I normally post at 6:30am every Thursday morning and dropped the ball yesterday; but it leads to the question...what works better for my readers?

[thegreenhorseman]

This coming Saturday, May 2nd, will mark 2 years of having horses on the property.

I began working and cleaning stalls to ride when I was ten. Through middle and high school I was a “come and go” equestrian.  I was a devoted barn rat until drama of some kind ensued during which I vanished.  Horses being a forever love of mine, however, would never be out of my world for long.

I worked to ride through college.

After college, I helped out a friend for a couple years.

Horses fell to the wayside while I pursued my career and explored other hobbies.  I ran my first 5k and fell in love with obstacle course races.  I got into and even started teaching kickboxing…it’s how Zac and I met (He was an instructor).  It was during a women’s self-defense course that I was assistant teaching that led me to find Blade.

I was a horse owner.  Finally.  Twenty-six years and I was a horse owner.  A dream.

I also dreamt of owning a property with my horse onsite.  Boarding was amazing and I learned many things about being a good, responsible owner.  Zac and I saved up and in a few years we moved into the house we call home today.

September 2017

April 2018

  May/June 2018

September 2019

Another dream of mine.  Having horses right at home.  There was (and always is) a lot to learn while planning our horse property.  There was no fencing. No pastures. No barn. We did that.

I did research.  We busted our butts.  And on May 2nd, 2018 Blade came home with Happy.

I subscribe to the philosophy that horses are herd animals and NEED social interaction with other horses.  At the time affording two horses was out of the question.  I spent most of my savings on setting the property up and already work 12-hour overnight shits to earn more money.

That being said I do everything I can to provide my animals with a happy enriching life.

Something I find absolutely astounding is that in only TWO years there have been SEVEN horses on this property.  To celebrate two years I want to celebrate the horses that have called this place home.

WARRIORS BLADE: AKA “BLADE”

An obvious choice to begin our celebrations.  Blade was and always will be my heart horse.  When he came home he was a 10-year-old off-track thoroughbred. We did all of this for HIM.  I sacrificed novelty and restful sleep to make sure I was doing right by Blade. In the two years I had him home we developed a closer bond than ever before.  I had him trotting at liberty circles around me in my backyard with no fencing.

Blade was always happy to see me even when he played the “you can’t catch me game.”  We enjoyed bareback rides, grazing the backyard, and simply hanging out together.

PARAMOUNT’s HAPPY APPLAUSE: AKA “HAPPY”

Happy, a then 24 (I think) year old morgan mare just coming back from a suspensory tear.  Happy had spent fall on stall rest and during the winter I had begun helping my trainer begin hand walking which turned into 5 minutes walking bareback, 10 minute walking bareback, 15 minutes, then 20 minutes.  Then we added trotting the straights and soon after cantered the straights (Thank God she’s smooth and bareback riding was easy on her).  By May she was mostly recovered but still not ready to return to the lesson program.

As a way to help my trainer and also myself, I offered to have her at our home to keep Blade company while giving her more time off and exercise.

Happy thrived on the 24/7 turnout and the hill strengthened her throughout the summer.

By the end of summer my trainer missed Happy and wanted to bring her back into the lesson program for the flat riders.  It was a lovely summer having her as part of our family.

VIA VIA: AKA “LITTLE MAN”

I was given a month’s notice that Happy was going to be returning to the lesson barn.  I had a month to figure out how to give Blade a companion without putting myself in a financial hole.

I reached out to several rescues and eventually, my neighbor put me into contact with the rescue that saved Vai Via’s life from Moore’s kill pen in Pennsylvania.

Vai Via was a 20-year-old thoroughbred who found himself close o being shipped to slaughter in early 2018.  He was saved, quarantined, and spent time at a farm in Maryland.

When he arrived he was a nervous soul but very kind.  He had a smaller refined body that was solid and well built.  He loved to run and play…you couldn’t tell him he was in his twenties.

We were his home for a year and in that time I had the joy of learning who he was and earning his trust.   He was a bit nervous under saddle but on the ground, he’d do anything.  We did obstacle courses together and he even allowed me to try archery with him.

Due to the contentious ending between myself and the rescue I was cut off from contact and I am not sure as to what he is up to now. Not knowing that he is safe and happy is the most difficult part of the whole ordeal; as for the people, there is no love lost.

ZENO BAY: AKA “OLD MAN”

Zeno Bay came home with Vai Via as a package deal.  The two were inseparable best buds.  Zeno Bay was also a 20-year old thoroughbred.  They were rescued from Moore’s a week apart and spent their quarantine together.  Zeno Bay also lived with Vai Via in Maryland all summer until they were returned to NY to live with us.

Zeno Bay did not arrive looking as good as he did in photos.  In fact he looked better in the killpen.  While on the farm in Maryland he developed a quarter crack that extended to the coronet band and lost a lot of weight.

In only three months Zeno Bay was back on a healthy road.  He had more minor and easily remedied health issues.  Due to a large belly and ribby look, we opted to administer a Panacur PowerPac to address any worms.  During a wet week he stood in the run-in shed all day and stocked up…hand-walking and cold hosing took care of it.  I noticed he became aggressively itchy and upon investigation found he had lice (not transferrable between species but still gross).  I treated all three horses preventatively (and again two weeks later) and washed their blankets well.  During a frigid week in January, I came out to find Zeno had a swollen sheath (after talking to a few farms it seemed they all had similar issues with at least one or two of their geldings).  Since it seemed to me like edema (and with a phone call with the vet) I hand walked and exercised him daily and the swelling went away.

Aside from these minor issues, Zeno Bay was the most personable horse I have ever met.  He got along well with the other boys but was happy to leave the herd and wanted to be with you and in your pocket. I could do anything with this horse and as long as we were together he was happy.

One day while bareback riding I walked him over to our flagpost to fix the flag…the pole had retracted.  In trying to extend the pole back to normal height it instead came off in my hands.  I used this as an opportunity to train, but Zeno Bay was completely unphased by the waving flag.

Again, since things ended poorly with the rescue I have no contact with Zeno Bay any longer and it breaks my heart.  As far as I know, he has a very loving home and is enjoying his life.  If that home ever found me and reached out I’d be happy to send him my love and a bag of his favorite treats.

R TOMCAT: AKA “TIGER”

As things heated up with the rescue and stipend payments became later and later I knew the time was approaching to say goodbye to my sweet old boys.  I began my search for my second horse.  I made the decision to get a second horse to eliminate the drama of having anyone else’s on the property (I do not offer board).  I wanted a horse that was more sound than Blade the I could take to hunter paces and that I could jump.

A twist of fate connected me with R Tom Cat, a then 6-year old thoroughbred gelding.  His family was looking to place him in a good home.  He had raced a couple times and didn’t do well, so he was re-trained and brought to Kentucky for the Retired Racehorse Project.   He showed promise in the eventing world and his sire, Dance With Ravens, is among the desired sires for the sport.

Tiger came home in September just before Zeno Bay and Vai Via went back to the rescue.  He and Blade had about a week to establish a bond and get to know each other.  Tiger was smitten with Blade instantly.

Life with Tiger wasn’t easy at first.  I had flipped his world upside-down.  From a cushy stall life to 24/7 turnout.  From arena riding to the backyard hacks.  He took to pacing the fence and it drove me nuts.

Over time, however, Tiger has become accustomed to and satisfied with his new life.  He happily eats his hay, lays in the field, or in his bedded run-in shed.  He always comes to greet me and enjoyed being loved on.  He especially loves his face rubs.  He also still loves to work.  Recently we have been given permission to ide the neighbor’s cornfield and that’s his favorite since we have the room to gallop and stretch out.

NAHE

When Blade passed on suddenly in December a friend of mine reached out to me to offer Nahe on a free lease with the option to buy.  Nahe is a large paint (16.1/16.2hh?) gelding she acquired while she led trail rides in Hawaii.  That’s right. Nahe has come 5000 miles.   He’s been in New York for about five years now and grows a perfectly well-adapted winter coat.  He has a giant head and we THINK he’s about 15/16 years old.

Nahe and Tiger became best friends within 5 minutes.  They eat side by side and lay next to each other for their afternoon naptime.

Nahe is another in-your-pocket type and loves to visit with people.  He’s laid back in true Hawaiian fashion.  He makes his time getting around but on the trail is happy to kick it into a higher gear.  Like Tiger, I trust this horse and have many times ridden him in the cornfield bareback with a halter.

He also takes wonderful care of my neighbor who also enjoys spending time with him and giving him extra grooming sessions.  Right now he especially loves it because he is shedding white hairs everywhere!

SADIE

Sadie is our most recent and temporary resident but she is still part of the family regardless.

Sadie belongs to my trainer…another morgan mare.  She is the largest morgan I have ever met standing at 16/16.1 hands.  She has a thick cresty neck and her ribs are quite squishy but her whole presence is simply stunning.  Watching her move brings a sense of royalty.

Sadie went immediately into intense work.  I round penned her daily.  I also added in lunging on a line.  After that, I added in trot poles.  Sadie is a high energy girl and I have to be in the right frame of mind to help her find a sense of calmness and ease.  She carries a lot of tension so working with her requires me to be calm, quiet, and patient.  She thrives on praise and LOVES to hear she’s a good girl.  Sadie also loves to cuddle.  Being groomed and having her face rubbed is her favorite.

In only a few weeks she seems at ease but I am still working on getting on her.  To be honest I am quite nervous and I’m making it slow.  So far I have saddled and ridden her for I’ve minutes in a bitless bridle at a walk.  When she starts to get fussy I look for something she knows and does well, parties her, and get off.  I plan to build from there if the rain will ever let up.

 SEVEN HORSES in only two years.  Our property has seen a lot but we’ve done a lot of good.  All seven of these horses have thrived here and all enjoy people.  They enjoy being around people and they have had a good life here.  I am always working to improve our home and quality of care but I am satisfied with what we have done so far.

  Horses of The Green Horseman Family This coming Saturday, May 2nd, will mark 2 years of having horses on the property. I began working and cleaning stalls to ride when I was ten.