When it's too hot, What to do?

When it is too hot, we try to share shade and just hang out in the pasture with Oberon.

Maybe grab a halter and ride bareback a bit.  When it is 100 degrees, we are all a bit lazy.

The girls invited Oberon to jump and act crazy for the photo shoot.  He decided his time was better spent eating, I guess.

Help... I have a question about Ringbone

The Owner's photograph of this eleven year old half Arab/ half QH mare

UPDATE:  The offer fell through due to the owner selling her to someone else.  I guess it wasn't meant to be.  So, I'm still looking.  

I am considering purchasing this beautifully sweet eleven year old half Arabian, half QH mare.  She is a fantastic height for me (15 h) and is sensible and a wonderful trail horse.  I enjoyed my visit with her and she lives close enough that my vet (the one I trust explicitly) will be able to do the pre-purchase exam.  I detected no lameness in her and the owner said she has owned her for 2 -1/2 years and never has this horse been lame.  She does wear shoes on the front feet and did when she bought her.

The owner was up front with me and said she has ringbone, and did when she bought her.  I am sure she told me, but I can't remember if she told me it was "low" or "high".  "HERE" is a brief explanation of what this is from "Holistic Hoof and Horsecare".

HorseTrue.com has a great post about ringbone "HERE" which include three videos that do a great job explaining this condition.

I have yet to hear back from the owner with specifics to questions I had after getting home and reading about this.  I also will have my vet take a look at her as I know it depends where it is located and what is the cause (conformation, bad shoeing, wear and tear, an accident...)

I do not expect you to make my decision for me... I will do that upon advice from my vet and further looking into it myself.

My question to you reading this post is ... Do you have experience with ringbone and what would you do the same or differently?

If you have anything to add or say, please feel free to do so.  I appreciate your thoughts and input.

Secretariat, A Poem

Secretariat

Red roses -

Speak of a heart, large,

of a race run, not of consciousness

but of style, explosive.

Black-eyed Susans -

A ticket, cherished, preserved,

for Pegasus finally appeared

and God whispered "Go".

White Carnations -

Like a locomotive, no limits,

out front, Big Chestnut!

Circle the field...

Heroes live forever.

by Margaret Bednar, Art Happens 365, June 28, 2012

Secretariat as a baby in the fall of 1970 at the Meadow Stable
in Doswell, VA  - courtesy of Google Images

I'm not a huge race horse fan.  I remember as a little girl worrying about the horses falling and breaking a leg.  But this big boy's story amazes me and inspires me.  I loved the Hollywood movie, and perhaps it wasn't factual, but it was inspiringly beautiful.  I highly recommend it.

One of the last videos of Secretariat in the pasture:

 

My favorite photo to date is below.  It is of Secretariat with his groom, Eddie Sweat.   The website and article I got this photo from is HERE.

Amanda Lockhart - equine photographer

Here is photographer, Amanda Lockhart, (love her British accent) giving tips on how to photograph your horse.  I am going to try the action tips at the end.  She has a few books for sale - her website is Amanda Lockhart Photography

And putting her advice into action, here is a photo I like much better in B&W:

A Weekend to Enjoy the SHADE!

M.Bednar iPhone

The heat of summer is upon us.  Today 95, this weekend is to top out at 102! And then Monday 99...

I think we will be taking quite a few cool hose baths.  Good thing Oberon enjoys it.  Don't think we will be riding, just hanging out in the shade.  "

Oberon at Play

Oberon has really come a long way with ground play since we got him.  Actually, so have we!  It surprises me HOW MUCH I enjoy ground work.  I grew up just hopping on and riding - my girls are just the opposite.  There have been many times when I was willing to skip it, but they insisted upon it, and what do you know?  Oberon showed us his "mind wasn't in the game" of riding yet.  He was "bad" and challenged us, acting squirrelly - certainly not in the state of mind I wanted my daughters riding him (or myself) out on the trail.

Simple cues from my body, a hand motion, a step forward, backward, and others are noticed by my horse and he responds.  I watch many people lunge their horses, and the horse tunes them out.   The trick is the horse must be tuned in at all times for this to work.  And vice versa.   I must notice everything my horse is doing... and thinking.  It really is total communication and another positive element is I am establishing I am the boss.  I tell him when to move forward, backward, sideways, when to speed up, speed down, stop, go, and so-on.

It really does become a game, and when I watch those who really have done it for a long time, I would liken it to a dance.  It is magical when you see freedom work done... no halter, no rope is attached.  Just true communication, respect, and obedience.

My daughters and I are at different stages in our ability with Oberon on the ground, and he is a good boy to work with all of us.  Following is a 2 minute video showing my daughter working with him today.

And, we rode him today... two months of no riding as he was healing from a kicking injury to his back legs.  We didn't canter today, but I think his trot looks great.  All of the images and the video were taken with my iPhone.  

I see his saddle had moved up a bit here -we do ride with it in back of his shoulders.   I have a tendency to want to be "nice" and not tighten the saddle as much as I should.

We love our sweet boy!

Quarter Horses and Dressage?

Why can't quarter horses do dressage?  They can!  Read the linked blog post from "Behind the Bit" (November 16, 2008)   I just love this blog and encourage you to swing over and take a look at it.

My 14.2 QH Oberon is not really built for competitive dressage, but really, the cues of a well-trained western horse are very similar.

Sebastian, my Friesian Sport horse is now owned by James and Kate Cooler.  The "fit" is much more appropriate as he is very young and big and I am just getting back into horses after over 20 years of being away.  I will still follow Sebastian very closely on this blog as I board Oberon with James & Kate Cooler at Fiore Farms.

The above horse is a five year old gelding and is located in Williamsport, Maryland.  I travelled up there to see him and really liked his calm demeanor and what Catie, the trainer, has done with him.  His Dreamhorse ad is here:  Noah .  As I stated above, I have decided to wait on purchasing another horse for a variety of reasons, but I will keep my eye on Noah and Catie.

If you are interested in Quarter Horses and dressage, here is another article.

Intrigued by Dressage?   an article from "America's Horse Daily"

and excerpt from Lynn Palm "Dressage is a simple word that sounds complicated, but it’s not. It’s a French word that means ‘training.’ If you say natural horsemanship, natural training, that’s what it’s all about. It’s achievable, because it promotes correct horsemanship. Horsemanship means riding well, and your goal is that you’re always trying to bring out the best in your horse.”


and ... :The Quarter Horses’ typical easygoing temperament makes them a great breed for dressage. And while they may not have the natural suspension or the enormous strides of a warmblood, that makes them easier to ride."