Horse Riding May Improve Your Intelligence
Hello fellow intelligent people! Why are you intelligent? Because you have horses in your lives (real or imagined—your mind creates your reality, so I say it doesn’t matter). Horseback riding may improve your child’s intelligence. So says a study reported in a Country Living Magazine. The study, done by the Tokyo University of Agriculture, claims that the vibrations created by the horse while riding benefit the brain. Does this means those of us who rode rough gaited horses as children have even more intelligence? Maybe. But, this was my favorite headline this week. Here’s a look at other news stories from the horse world.
Carriage Horses in Victoria, BC
The carriage horse debate grinds on in yet another city. Those against the use of horse-drawn carriages in the picturesque city of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada say horses should be kept and used in rural areas. One operator suggests that pulling carriages on city streets is actually good for the heavy draft horses used, suggesting it builds stronger bones and soft tissue. Also, horses get the best of veterinarian and farrier care. Where’s the “all horses should be barefoot” people in debates like these?
Arena Roofs Collapse
Recently I received a press release about the new approaches horse owners need to learn to deal with natural disaster related risk. Extreme weather is part of what scientists are calling climate change. Building codes, created in the last few decades, might not be keeping up with what Mother Nature is handing out. Near Calgary, Alberta, two riding arenas collapsed, and snow-load may be to blame. Buildings codes across Canada, and most other places, take into account possible snow load, but maybe it’s time for an upgrade as part of the new approach.
Indian Horse
You might have heard of the movie Indian Horse. It’s based on a book by Richard Wagamese. I read the book a few years ago and picked it up because of the title. But it’s not about horses. It was one of the most moving books I’ve read. Go see the movie.
If you want a horse story, check out the new released ‘Summer Horse’ by Donna Kane.
Equine Herpes Virus Strikes Again
EHV-1 is cropping up here and there. This air borne virus is making horses sick in California, New Jersey, Arizona and Pennsylvania. This is a very contagious viral disease and horses that get it are kept in quarantine. To find out what contagious diseases are cropping up check out: www.equinediseasecc.org/disease-information
Starving Horses
You would think after over eighty complaints that the horrible case of horse neglect revealed in Virginia, USA, could have been avoided. For years neighbors have been complaining about loose horses roaming the roadways, gardens and lawns, and the visible degradation of the horse farm from which the horses came. Now, authorities have finally taken action. According to several local news sources, previously, the owners of the 150 acre farm were charged with improper disposal of manure. Authorities did not enter the property to see how the horses were being kept. But, after the discovery of twenty-five dead horses, and about a hundred feral horses, many of which are in foal, police and the local humane society are putting together evidence that will lead to charges.
In the meantime, rescuers are trying to care for the remaining horses, while necroposies are being done on some of the dead horses to determine exact cause of death. Many of the horses are unhandled.
I wonder how things like this can happen. The owner has been charged before, the horses were visible from a roadway according to this report and one person claims to have witnessed things going down hill on the farm for the past fifteen years. And, twenty-five horses don’t just die in an instant. Why couldn’t authorities see what was going on? Sorry, but I have to put some blame for what went on to those who should have acted much sooner, before things got out of hand. What do you think?
3P *Starring Ruth* has captured two spots on the leaderboard joining * Queen Of Hearts. Starring Ruth is a 17.1 hand Friesian mare out of the PythonPonyPalaces stable and was foaled September 7, 2023. She not only was #1 ranked ho ...
DNA testing can tell you a number of things about a horse’s risk of developing a hereditary disease, coat color, genetic markers for speed, temperament and gait and can give some insight into a horse’s breed. In this video, The Cl ...
Here is a story of how a passion for horses led one woman to a life of secrecy and dishonesty. Over twenty years she built a life of glamor and competitive success. But many people asked how she funded her extravagant lifestyle th ...
One of the world’s rarest breeds is the Suffolk Punch. Native to Britain, these stocky draft horses once had pride of place in agricultural work, hauling artillery, pulling public transportation vehicles like busses and towing bar ...
*V For Victory* is entrenched on the leaderboard and still holds the Best Streak with an 18,792 run and a jumpoff record of 29,444 - 19. But two mares have taken over the Top Rank and Highest Jump records. At 16, the 17-hand Crown ...
Get your daily dose of nature with this 49-minute video of wild horses travelling to a water hole in Sand Wash Basin, a BLM managed area in Colorado. The small herd drinks, grazes and swish's flies in the semi-arid desert environm ...
Halloween is just around the corner and it's time to consider costumes for you and your four-legged friends. A recent viral trend is dressing your pet as a ghost. Some sheets and paint are the basis of this costume, and you can se ...
Good riders do what they can to make their horse’s job easier. Especially when jumping, your position can help or hinder your horse as it adjusts its strides and balance between and over obstacles. Here’s a video with good suggest ...