Friday, October 27, 2006

Memphis Horses- Think Horses need Shoes; Think Again

Do you put shoes on your horse thinking that you are "helping" protect his/her feet. According to the concept of "natural balance" shoeing, you may actually be causing more harm to your horse's feet than aid. Think about horses in the wild for a moment. Ever wonder how they get by without having shoes, trims, pampering? Mustangs, have some of the strongest, toughest feet of any breed horse, and they've never met a farrier!

Welcome to the concept of Natural Balance. Natural Balance is a trimming and shoeing protocol developed by Gene Ovnicek. Most simply put, Natural Balance uses Mother Nature’s design as a model for what is correct in the equine foot.

Naturall Balance trimming helps to prevent and correct common "toe first landings." For optimum hoof and leg health, horses should land heel first. Preventing toe first landings can be the first key to preventing undsoundess issues in horses.

Click here to read more about Natural Balance concepts.

Source: http://www.hopeforsoundness.com

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Memphis Horses- 411 on leg and shoewear

Are you in a quandry about what if any protective legwear to use with your horse? So many choices: polo wraps, splint boots, ankle boots, wolf boots, sports medicine boots.

Did you know that many vets agree that using sports medicine boots on a dressage horse's hind legs may help improve or eliminate hock injuries?

Read this fantastic article about protective legwear

SOURCE:
Horse Illustrated.com by Jennifer Warner

Monday, October 16, 2006

Memphis Horses- Upcoming Fall events

Fall is here, the weather is cooler, take advantage of some of the upcoming Fall equestrian events in the Memphis area. Here are some to consider coming to:

Nashoba Carriage Club :"Halloween Hustle" on Saturday, October 28th starting at 2pm at Kimberlin Farms in Olive Branch, MS. All interested in learning more about the sport of carriage driving, regardless of currently having a horse to drive, are invited. Fun driving activities, costume classes, scavenger hunts, and great food and friends are all on the agenda.

Alderwood Schooling Shows: Germatown Charity Horse Show Grounds, Germantown, TN. Oct. 20-21, Nov. 3-4, Dec. 1-2. For info call 901-573-1065 or e-mail jblakealder@aol.com.


WEST TN JUMPER ASSOC: The Hospitality Circuit, USEF Shows. Nov. 9-12 Harvest Time. For info call 901-573-1065 or e-mail jblakealder@aol.com

West Tenn. Miniature Horse Assoc: 2ND SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH: Meeting. Must call for place and time. For info. (731) 787-6249.

Mid-South Quarter Horse Breeders Futurity & AQHA Show:OCTOBER 20-22, Agri-center Show Place, Cordova, TN, 8 a m daily. Visit www.midsouthqhbreeders.com"target="_blank" or e-mail:midsouthbreeders@bigriver.net

Birdsong Trail Ride, Camden, TN OCTOBER 23-28: - 731-584-9206, email: birdsong@cs.com"target="_blank" www.birdsongtrailride.com

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Memphis Horses- Help Slaughter Bound Horses injured in MO wreck

URGENT HELP NEEDED!

On Wednesday, Sept. 27, the Humane Society of Missouri’s Disaster Rescue Team aided the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Franklin County Sheriff's office in the aftermath of the semi-trailer accident on I-44 involving 42 horses headed for slaughter in DeKalb, IL. Twenty-five horses and one hinny survived the accident. Seventeen horses and the henny are currently in the care of several regional equine hospitals. The remaining eight horses are being cared for at Longmeadow Rescue Ranch.

The animals sustained numerous serious injuries including head trauma and neck, body and leg lacerations and bruises. Some are suffering from colic and many are stiff and sore. At least one horse may be partially paralyzed from lying beneath other horses after the accident and one mare is pregnant.

Make a donation or sponsor an individual horse injured in the accident online or call 314-951-1542

More information can be found at http://www.hsmo.org/

Monday, October 02, 2006

Memphis Horses- Looking for a New Horse? Why Not a Rescue Horse?








Considering a new horse? Having trouble finding one? Think that you need to spend big $$$ just to get a nice, safe, sound prospect? NO WAY! This is the horse buying "myth" that many horse trainers will feed you. I am sick and tired of horse ownership being considered an "elitist" sport, that ONLY the WEALTHY can afford! This is simply NOT true!

Pardon me, because I'm about to step on some Trainer toes. SHAME on you trainers and professionals in the equine industry for proliferating an "elitist" view about horse ownership! Shame on you for telling your clients that in order for them to get a nice, safe, horse, having show potential, they'll have to spend at least $25k. Get off your laurels, and help your mid-income clients "train" prospects! You and I both know, there are plenty out there.

Gone to a Hunter/Jumper A show lately? Take a good look at the number of entries and the prominent breed. Gone are the days of the 20+ entries at the rated shows with a variety of breeds like the appendix, quarter horse, and TB. In with the warmblood! Every freakin horse you see on the A circuit these days are warmbloods. Wonder why?
Because trainers make more commission off of these horses plain and simple! Does this mean they are better breed for Hunter/Jumper- No. So why are the warmbloods so popular. Think about it.... Sure trainers want to proliferate this breed. Where will they likely tell you to go for a good one? Overseas. And what do you think "import" means to a trainer's pocket book? I think you follow.. can we say Ca Ching!

Truth is, there are TONS of NICE Hunter/Jumper/Dressage/Event/Foxhunt/Pony Club/Pleasure horses available looking for nice, loving homes! Let me shed some light on a fantastic organization which is literally
SAVING LIVES. The TRF. Throughbred Retirement Foundation. This organization takes TBs many OTTBs and offers them available for adoption. Most of these horses have POTENTIAL stamped all over them!!! They are NOT CRAP horses. Some have minor injuries limiting there use, but many are FANTASTIC competition prospects. Sure, they will need some work invested in them, which will require time and patience. They aren't the "quick and easy" solution horses that you get one day and the next take to a rated show, but aren't life's most rewarding, and valuable experiences the ones we have to invest a little time and effort into anyway?Are parent's who go out and buy expensive ready-made show horses for their kids each show season really teaching their kids good life lessons? Seems to me like this is teaching kids a lesson in how to be greedy. That it's okay to be impatient, and that horses are disposable.

In my opinion, a little hard work never hurt anyone. Good work ethic is something necessary for success in the "real world." Consider the sense of self accomplishment you'll have knowing that you rescued and trained a horse in need. A horse that without the TRF and your help may meet a horrible end. I find it grotesquely ironic that while the latest craze is importing overseas warmbloods, over 90,000 of our own American TBs and Quarter Horses- yearly- end up overseas too, but on dinner plates!

Please Consider an OTTB! Check out the TRF!
The TRF promotes RESPONSIBLE horsemanship and focuses on permanant, good homes. This is not the place to go looking for potential money-making "resale" prospects.

Click here for more information about the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation "TRF"

Click here to see a list of GREAT horses available for adoption!