I was going to use a recent picture of "Sport" which would show him at his current age of 22. He is still an intelligent, handsome fellow; still curious and even a little rascally. But in this picture you see all of his strength and power. He is fit and focused, an athlete. It is how I will always think of him-in his prime doing what he loves more than anything: carrying my daughter on his glistening, muscled back. I was in the crowd that day, watching as many others in the crowd gasped at the beauty of the poetic flow of these two beings in perfect harmony attack the cross-country course.
He is a tall Thoroughbred, by any standards. He is 16:3 hands. A "hand" equals four inches, so he is 5-1/2 feet at the withers, or the place where his neck attaches to his body. I can't see over his back- not even close. His two white stockings add a delightful "chrome" to his breath-taking appearance. He has a white star and strip from his forehead down his nose. He has always been a horse that turns heads.
My daughter is 7 years older than he is. When she first got him, he was 4 years old. She was a small 11 year old. They grew together into a powerhouse of talent and ability. Many weekends we spent together on a farm, camping so that she could compete in a "3-day event." Oh, loading up the truck with all of the gear, food for people and the horse! I groan to think about all of that work. The pay-off was well worth it, though. I loved watching them negotiating the obstacles and showing off their talent together.
When we have a pet, their usefulness never ends. They are a companion until their last breath. When you have a horse, their usefulness does end long before their life is over. You want to ride, but they really can't perform any more. You can go out for a short, light ride, but not the kind of ride you might be used to. You wouldn't make your Grandpa play tackle football with you, right?
So, my daughter now has a career and a husband. She lives nearby but is too busy to come by too often. When she does come by, she will sometimes visit her old friend, but sometime skips it due to weather or, who knows? She has moved on. The trouble is, Sport hasn't. He still looks for her every day. I care for him lovingly, but the bonding they have is strong, very strong. He nickers to me at feeding time and takes good care of his little friend, Bergitta. But I think I see him longing for another trail ride, another carrot from his life-long best friend, my daughter. He craves the attention he used to get from her when she meticulously brushed his copper coat.
Sport is a lucky horse. He has been able to live at the same place, with the same excellent care every day. If I had to give up a horse, I would want it to be to someone who would love him as their own. And I do. Maybe one day, they will go on another ride together. Maybe...
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
The Secret Lives of Dogs
You have met this irresistible puppy before. He is my St. Eddy.
How did he become so perfect? I would love to take credit for being a great dog trainer, but I really can't. He learned basic behavior (going pee outside, not chewing stuff, staying off of furniture, etc.) from the other dogs that I had when we got him.
I read a great book once, called The Secret Lives of Dogs. The author was unknown and she just wanted to do research about dog behavior. The book ran the gamut, exploring roaming range, why dogs try to pee as high as possible on a tree, father dog participation in raising litters and adaptive behavior that dogs learn to live happily with their person.
She found that she never had to housebreak a dog once she housebroke the first one. She never had to train them not to bark or to stay near on a walk or any other basic behavior that makes living with your dog either pleasant or pure hell. They learn by observation and if they do something that is "out of bounds" the dominant dog will discipline them. Yep. All you have to do is stand back and watch.
So, now I always have at least 2 dogs, one older (the trainer) and one younger (the trainee). Dogs are pack animals and thrive in a multi-dog environment. They need the socialization and instruction that other dogs provide. If they are alone too long, they develop anti-social behaviors, such as aggression with other dogs. So, if you have a dog that doesn't have too many bad habits that you would prefer not propagating, get yourself a puppy. By the time the older dog goes to "puppy heaven" the younger one will be trained. Hopefully, the puppy will be a few years old at that time and ready to train a new puppy for you.
And so the "Circle of Life" goes on...Join in! It'll do you good!
How did he become so perfect? I would love to take credit for being a great dog trainer, but I really can't. He learned basic behavior (going pee outside, not chewing stuff, staying off of furniture, etc.) from the other dogs that I had when we got him.
I read a great book once, called The Secret Lives of Dogs. The author was unknown and she just wanted to do research about dog behavior. The book ran the gamut, exploring roaming range, why dogs try to pee as high as possible on a tree, father dog participation in raising litters and adaptive behavior that dogs learn to live happily with their person.
She found that she never had to housebreak a dog once she housebroke the first one. She never had to train them not to bark or to stay near on a walk or any other basic behavior that makes living with your dog either pleasant or pure hell. They learn by observation and if they do something that is "out of bounds" the dominant dog will discipline them. Yep. All you have to do is stand back and watch.
So, now I always have at least 2 dogs, one older (the trainer) and one younger (the trainee). Dogs are pack animals and thrive in a multi-dog environment. They need the socialization and instruction that other dogs provide. If they are alone too long, they develop anti-social behaviors, such as aggression with other dogs. So, if you have a dog that doesn't have too many bad habits that you would prefer not propagating, get yourself a puppy. By the time the older dog goes to "puppy heaven" the younger one will be trained. Hopefully, the puppy will be a few years old at that time and ready to train a new puppy for you.
And so the "Circle of Life" goes on...Join in! It'll do you good!
Friday, April 16, 2010
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BERGITTA!
Today is Bergitta's 3rd birthday. She is growing and learning all I can teach her-fast. Today we'll just do a little catch up on past stories...
Bubba has lost so much weight that he looks "normal" to me (though I think his vet might insist on another pound or so). But all in all, he is thriving on his new diet. Yesterday he even caught a mouse! He is so svelte that he is playing and running so much more than he was. I guess when he was carrying a little extra weight, he just wanted to lay around and "veg". Now Roscoe has his old playmate back!
Roscoe has "joined the family." He now spends most of his time in our family room, while he used to seclude himself in the bedroom, most of the time all alone. With my concerted effort to pet and love him, he has blossomed. He still doesn't really allow me to carry him around, but I can pick him up, and most of all, he loves hanging around and engaging in the relaxation of our whole family. He especially loves Augie, much to her chagrin.
Finally, the story of Firefly has a wonderful ending and I hope everyone clicks on the link and watches the short video about her and the others that were rescued from that breeder in Arkansas. Good work, Best Friends!
http://news.bestfriends.org/index.cfm?page=news&mode=entry&entry=43D4FEA1-AE66-EDCC-77293DFEAFDF3523
Bubba has lost so much weight that he looks "normal" to me (though I think his vet might insist on another pound or so). But all in all, he is thriving on his new diet. Yesterday he even caught a mouse! He is so svelte that he is playing and running so much more than he was. I guess when he was carrying a little extra weight, he just wanted to lay around and "veg". Now Roscoe has his old playmate back!
Roscoe has "joined the family." He now spends most of his time in our family room, while he used to seclude himself in the bedroom, most of the time all alone. With my concerted effort to pet and love him, he has blossomed. He still doesn't really allow me to carry him around, but I can pick him up, and most of all, he loves hanging around and engaging in the relaxation of our whole family. He especially loves Augie, much to her chagrin.
Finally, the story of Firefly has a wonderful ending and I hope everyone clicks on the link and watches the short video about her and the others that were rescued from that breeder in Arkansas. Good work, Best Friends!
http://news.bestfriends.org/index.cfm?page=news&mode=entry&entry=43D4FEA1-AE66-EDCC-77293DFEAFDF3523
Monday, April 12, 2010
BELLISSIMO!
I have always loved the smells of my animals so much. You know how aroma-therapy can bring you back to a happy place in your memory? That is what happens for me. Have you ever smelled a puppy? They have such a sweet smell. Horses have a sweet aroma for me, too. There is always that earthy, deep smell of their sweaty bodies after a good work, or the tantalizing smell of the hay they eat. At my house, the horses usually have carrots on their breath, too Lovely!
When I last visited the feed store (a plethora of great smells!) the wonderful woman who works there, well-seasoned with the practical day-in, day-out lives of real horses, gave me some great advice. I was fretting about the reports, or maybe they were rumors, about the up-coming fly season. Because of the nature of our last winter, the fly population will be ENORMOUS. I simply hate applying those toxic fly-repellents to my horses' skin. But the torture that flies and other bugs can inflict on horses is brutal. What to do?
As my eyes searched, almost pleadingly, over and over the shelves for something that wasn't lethal but got rid of those annoying flies, I spotted a container of...could it be? GARLIC??!! It was in the "fly repellent" section of the store, but really didn't make any promises about its effectiveness on the container. I needed some help.
I found Carol, an older woman that I have come to trust for her "hard boots" kind of advice. She has lived through most things with her animals (she has almost every kind of animal on her acreage) and provides real answers for real problems. Just who I was looking for! I shoved the container of "100% pure garlic" towards her and asked, "Does this really work?"
Now my feed room has an Italian kitchen kind of smell. I am brought back to the cobblestone side streets of Rome where we wandered between little store-front restaurants that offered the best pasta and sauce that I have ever tasted. The food really is a perfectly legitimate reason to visit Italy. Constantly cooking their tasty treats, the warm, welcoming smells were dominated by the pervasive smell of garlic. I swear they even put it in the gelatto!
Now, every morning and evening, I am not only reminded of my wonderful experiences with horses, but of the great memories of the friendly Italian people luring us into their restaurants with the welcoming aroma of all of the food they make. The horses were not so sure at first, but have now decided that they, too, are at least a little Italian. Bellissimo!
When I last visited the feed store (a plethora of great smells!) the wonderful woman who works there, well-seasoned with the practical day-in, day-out lives of real horses, gave me some great advice. I was fretting about the reports, or maybe they were rumors, about the up-coming fly season. Because of the nature of our last winter, the fly population will be ENORMOUS. I simply hate applying those toxic fly-repellents to my horses' skin. But the torture that flies and other bugs can inflict on horses is brutal. What to do?
As my eyes searched, almost pleadingly, over and over the shelves for something that wasn't lethal but got rid of those annoying flies, I spotted a container of...could it be? GARLIC??!! It was in the "fly repellent" section of the store, but really didn't make any promises about its effectiveness on the container. I needed some help.
I found Carol, an older woman that I have come to trust for her "hard boots" kind of advice. She has lived through most things with her animals (she has almost every kind of animal on her acreage) and provides real answers for real problems. Just who I was looking for! I shoved the container of "100% pure garlic" towards her and asked, "Does this really work?"
Now my feed room has an Italian kitchen kind of smell. I am brought back to the cobblestone side streets of Rome where we wandered between little store-front restaurants that offered the best pasta and sauce that I have ever tasted. The food really is a perfectly legitimate reason to visit Italy. Constantly cooking their tasty treats, the warm, welcoming smells were dominated by the pervasive smell of garlic. I swear they even put it in the gelatto!
Now, every morning and evening, I am not only reminded of my wonderful experiences with horses, but of the great memories of the friendly Italian people luring us into their restaurants with the welcoming aroma of all of the food they make. The horses were not so sure at first, but have now decided that they, too, are at least a little Italian. Bellissimo!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
THE MANIPULATOR
You might think, by the looks of this photo, that we keep our lovely (SLIMMER) Bubba cat in a cage. We do not. This picture is Bubba relaxing in Eddy's crate. He wandered in there to take a little cat nap while Eddy fretted that he couldn't go into his crate when he wanted to.
Eddy, you see, loves his crate. He goes into this retreat whenever Augie is bothering him, or when he needs a little "alone" time. We wanted to take it down to give our kitchen a little better look. While we were thinking about it, we put the crate outside on the deck. Eddy stood and stared out the window at it until we brought it inside. We never shut the gate on it. He has free choice to go in and out at will. It is just that now Bubba has decided to take it over. That is not a good thing for poor Eddy. As the kind, tolerant boy that he is, Eddy just whines a bit and plops down on a different dog bed that is available to him. Eddy does the "pouty face" very well. Bubba must know that it is his prized possession (I must say, this astounds me, too).
Recently, Bubba has decided that he is taking over the crate. I wondered, why? Most animals do not like being inside a cage. To top it off, this is a DOG crate. Usually cats do not participate in such things. But as Eddy was fretting and I was thinking of a quick way to lure Bubba out, it struck me- Bubba, who is on a diet (and losing weight very well) must have known what my reaction would be. My first reaction was to go to the fridge and get him his favorite food- liver.
This is the food that he has been restricted on to lose weight. AH HA! I shut the fridge and looked at his smug little face. He saw me reach for the jar of cut-up liver and he was now stretching and strolling out of the crate towards the table where we feed the cats. No wonder people who have a pet live an average of seven years longer- they have to keep their wits about them or the pets would constantly rip them off. In a loving way, of course.
So, it is a battle of wits. Sometimes Bubba lays on the stair and scratches the carpet so that I will hurry down the stairs and feed him. (it is all about food). It is hard not to just give in. It is so simple and easy to get him to stop doing whatever I don't want him to do. But, if I allow him to train me, he will never stop this I am certain.
So, I resist. We do our mind games every day. Sometimes, if I am not paying attention, he gets some extra food. But not too often, and not too much. I guess I enjoy the sport of it all. I find it fascinating that He is so creative and relentless. I am having fun, too!
Eddy, you see, loves his crate. He goes into this retreat whenever Augie is bothering him, or when he needs a little "alone" time. We wanted to take it down to give our kitchen a little better look. While we were thinking about it, we put the crate outside on the deck. Eddy stood and stared out the window at it until we brought it inside. We never shut the gate on it. He has free choice to go in and out at will. It is just that now Bubba has decided to take it over. That is not a good thing for poor Eddy. As the kind, tolerant boy that he is, Eddy just whines a bit and plops down on a different dog bed that is available to him. Eddy does the "pouty face" very well. Bubba must know that it is his prized possession (I must say, this astounds me, too).
Recently, Bubba has decided that he is taking over the crate. I wondered, why? Most animals do not like being inside a cage. To top it off, this is a DOG crate. Usually cats do not participate in such things. But as Eddy was fretting and I was thinking of a quick way to lure Bubba out, it struck me- Bubba, who is on a diet (and losing weight very well) must have known what my reaction would be. My first reaction was to go to the fridge and get him his favorite food- liver.
This is the food that he has been restricted on to lose weight. AH HA! I shut the fridge and looked at his smug little face. He saw me reach for the jar of cut-up liver and he was now stretching and strolling out of the crate towards the table where we feed the cats. No wonder people who have a pet live an average of seven years longer- they have to keep their wits about them or the pets would constantly rip them off. In a loving way, of course.
So, it is a battle of wits. Sometimes Bubba lays on the stair and scratches the carpet so that I will hurry down the stairs and feed him. (it is all about food). It is hard not to just give in. It is so simple and easy to get him to stop doing whatever I don't want him to do. But, if I allow him to train me, he will never stop this I am certain.
So, I resist. We do our mind games every day. Sometimes, if I am not paying attention, he gets some extra food. But not too often, and not too much. I guess I enjoy the sport of it all. I find it fascinating that He is so creative and relentless. I am having fun, too!
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