End Slaughter- Make the Call Dec. 5 for Horses!

HELP END HORSE SLAUGHTER!

Please support the Humane Society of the United States in an effort to end Horse Slaughter in our country. With the U.S. Senate back in session efforts are being made to ensure the Senate takes action on the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act before adjoining for the year.

The next National Call-In Day for horses is this Tuesday, Dec. 5th. Please make a call to your Senator and urge them cosponsor S. 1915 and get it to the senate floor for a vote! Please, Please make the call, and urge everyone you know to call their Senators on Dec. 5

If your not sure what to say here's a tip from the Humane Society:

"I am a constituent and I am calling to ask that the Senator immediately protect our horses from slaughter and cosponsor S. 1915, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. I am very concerned about American horses and I don't want them slaughtered."

Tennesseans, please call Bill Frist (202)224-3344 and Lamar Alexander at (202)224-4944 or call the congressional switchboard at (202)224-3121.


Click here to locate your Senator's contact information and make the call!

Click here for more information

SOURCE: Humane Society of the United States

Memphis Horses- Using Horse Shoe Studs

Could your horse use some extra traction? Horse shoe studs, when used correctly, can be very beneficial! Click here to learn more about how to effectively use shoe studs.


SOURCE: EquiSearch.com
Article by: Wash Bishop

Memphis Horses- What Can You Do About Horse Slaughter?

"So much that is good, that is decent has come out of Barbaro's tragic accident. Although the good will never place him back in the starting gate it will give rise to the awareness that we must be more responsible for our horses. Not only because veterinary medicine has progressed but also to stand up to cruelty towards them and to the untimely, brutal death awaiting them in slaughter houses."

- Gretchen Jackson, owner/breeder of BARBARO, winner of the 2006 Kentucky Derby

How can any true horse lover advocate the atrocoties of slaughter? Is it a humane end... ABSOLUTELY NOT! I'll spare the gory details (including transport horrors), but I refuse to believe that good-hearted, ethical, humane, animal-loving individuals believe horse slaughter is necessary. Regardless of opinion differences re: horse slaughter, I don't see how ANYONE can condone the way it occurs. CHANGE IS NEEDED! It continues because people don't know what happens; because people aren't educated about it. The best way to derail horse slaughter is to EDUCATE Horse and animal-lover's about this issue!

If the concept of Horse Slaughter makes your stomach churn, and gets you all fired up like me, there is a lot that YOU can do about it. You can make a difference! As I see it, this whole debate boils down to money and greed. Those who truly love horses, will be opposed to slaughter. Those who are greedy and place more value on Money than ideals and ethics will be pro-slaughter.

Please Take Action!

Please write, email, call or fax your Representative and Senators and urge her or him to cosponsor this important legislation. To find your member click here.

U.S. House of Representatives

• H.R. 503, The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (AHSPA)
  To amend the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption, and for other purposes.
• UPDATE: On September 7, 2006, the House of Representatives voted 263 to 146 in favor of H.R. 503, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, to end the slaughter of horses for human consumption.

U.S. Senate

• S. 1915, The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (AHSPA)
  To amend the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping,transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing,selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption, and for other purposes.

You can make a difference!

• Many of the horses sold into slaughter have been abused and neglected.Be sure to report all instances of cruelty and neglect to your local animal control office and law enforcement office.

• Please report stolen horses to local and state authorities. The Internet has numerous websites for reporting and looking for stolen horses. These sites allow individuals around the country to share information and photos.

• Do not sell your horse at an auction; many of the horses at auctions are bought by killer-buyers.

Consider the following options:

• Donate your horse to an equine rescue organization; making arrangements with a retirement farm- make sure you have proper references and an agreement that the horse will never be neglected, or sold to slaughter!

• Donate, sell or lease your horse to a therapeutic riding program!

• Sell the horse privately to an individual with proper references and a detailed agreement that the horse will never be sold to slaughter.

• As a last resort, even humane euthanasia by a licensed veterinarian is preferable to cruel transport and slaughter!
  

Please write the Secretary of Interior opposing the Bureau of Land Management’s overzealous wild horse round-up policy. Thousands of wild horses continue to be removed from their traditional range, and now many of them will be slated for slaughter. Write to:

Secretary of the Interior
US Department of Interior
1849 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20240

SOURCE: Society for Animal Protective Legislation

Memphis Horses- Urgent Help Needed for PMU babies

Winter has come early in Alberta—and that’s bad news for the mares and foals living on PMU ranches there. No longer needed for the production of hormone replacement therapy drugs, these equines need a place to go, and fast.
Because there is not enough grass to leave the animals on pasture, several of the PMU ranchers have decided to wean their foals at the end of the month. Any foals who have not been adopted by November 30, 2006, will be sent to auction—and an uncertain fate.

The California-based Animali Farm is working hard to find good adoptive homes for the more than 100 foals and mares facing the November 30 deadline. If you can give one of these equines a second chance, or if you would like additional information, please visit Animali Farm online or email animali@aol.com. You can also call them directly at (805) 938-0174.

If you cannot adopt a horse, please forward this email to all of your horse friends. The only way to get these babies adopted is to get the word out to enough people, and we need your help to do it.
Thank you so much for caring.
Forward this email to a friend

View the list of adoptable foals



SOURCE: ASPCA

Memphis Horses- Another Racing Tragedy- Tribute to Pine Island

Another highly publicized tragedy for Thoroughbred Racing occured this past Saturday. Pine Island broke down and had to be put down. To read more, click here.

Click here to watch a moving tribute to this great filly.

Memphis Horses- Tips for Escape Artists!

Have you ever dealt with a horse simply "too smart" for their own good? One that seems to always find their way out of the pasture? If so, you may enjoy reading this informative article with some useful advice for dealing with Equine Escape Artists!

Source: EquiSearch

Memphis Horses- Get Grounded!

It's the time of year I dread. The time has changed, which means less daylight to spend enjoying horse activities during the week, for those of us with the 9-5 routine. Now, I'm forced by mother nature to scale back my riding endeavors because of lack of daylight. You know what I mean, go to work in the dark, and come home when dark- blah! Does this mean it's time for a horse siesta for awhile until more daylight? Yeah Right!

Okay, so my riding will be scaled back, but now, I am have time to brush up on ground work- which can be done even in the barn aisle! My horse needs a ground manner "refresher" course, and this is the perfect time of year to "get back to basics." A better behaved, more attentive horse on the ground, usually means a better behaved riding horse. Does ground work mean simply longeing- no! There's a lot more to ground work than the around the ring longeing routine that many hunter/jumper folks are accustomed to. I'm talking about ground exercises used by many Western folks- such as Parelli, Clinton Anderson, John Lyons... Why not apply it to ALL disciplines hunter/jumper folks?

Well I will. Here's an interesting link I found with some creative groundwork exercises for helping teach balance. I'll definitely give it a go! I'd love to hear some groundwork suggestions and comments from you!

SOURCE: http://www.HorseShoes.com

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

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

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

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/

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!

Memphis Horses- Check out this cool horse!

Check out this "Cool" horse:

Memphis Horses- Latest Driving Show

Woohoo for my little buddy Domino!!! We competed last weekend at the Nashoba Carriage Classic in Germantown, TN. Had a great time and got some great ribbons. I can't help but boast about Dimo's Dressage skills... He won his training level dressage test, and got the highest score out of ponies, and horses! You go little mini!!!

He's getting quite full of himself... thinks he's an official "show pony" now :)

Click here and here for awards.

Memphis Horses- House passes HR. 503 to end Horse Slaughter!

A huge victory in the house of rep's yesterday that will hopefully help put an end to Horse Slaughter- for human consumption in the USA! H.R. 503 to end Horse Slaughter passed by vote of 263-146, this will now move on to the Senate. If you haven't been aware of this important issue, NOW is the time to educate yourself. Help Stop Inhumane Horse Slaughter in our country! Visit the ASPCA site for details or click here for more information on how you can help stop this autrocity!

Take action NOW!

Memphis Horses- My First Driving Show

by ashleep14


by ashleep14


by ashleep14

by ashleep14
Here are some pictures from my very first Carriage Driving Show, the Cannon Carriage Classic held at beautiful Valhalla Farms in Woodbury, TN. What great fun! The mini I drove, Domino was a good boy. We'll be competing next at the Nashoba Carriage Classic in Germantown, TN next weekend. Wish us luck!

Memphis Horses-Save a Nurse-Mare Baby!

Memphis Horses cont...
Have you heard of Nurse-Mare babies? They are primarily a product of the racing industry. Many end up orphan babies needing special care and loving homes. Read this article to learn more about them and what you can do to help!

I suspect that my sister's pony, Sketch was either an Orphan foal or Twin. At any rate, he may have been a nurse mare baby. He's been the best now for over 20 years for my family!



SOURCE: EZINEarticles.com article by Jackie Harris

Chico The Wonder Dog

I know this post is supposed to be about horses, but I can't resist showing off my dog Chico in his "pony blanket."

Doesn't he look emabarrased! :)

Improve your Life Skills with a little help from a Horse!

Memphis Horses cont....


Horses are A++ teachers of basic life lessons for people... especially kids. Horses can teach us so much, not to mention patience, respect, and discipline. It's a special gift to learn how to "listen" and communicate with a horse without the use of the spoken word. If we pay attention to their lessons, horses teach people to become "horse whisperer's." Horses not only teach us their "language" but they also teach us how to better communicate with people!

There is no better way to learn that hard work, determination, and patience can reap big rewards than to work with horses... and I mean get your hands dirty kind of work (no turning your horse over to a groom!) Horses and people develop special bonds over time, but the key here is that this takes time and varies with each horse and rider. Once a horse learns to respect you, they will learn to trust you, and once that is achieved, I truly believe a horse learns to LOVE you. Once they love you, they will try their heart out for you!!! (shhh... don't tell your trainer I gave away their secret...for FREE!)

Horses are great esteem builders. To read a great article about how horses are helping kids learn life skills here

SOURCE: Horsetalkhttp://www.horsetalk.co.nz

Finally, Rain for Memphis Horses

Memphis Horses cont....

Finally we see rain here in Memphis! Hope to see more soon! Our horses enjoyed rolling in the mud... a luxury they haven't had for months! Hay cuttings will be down , and I predict hard to come across locally later in the season. Time to pray to the rain gods and whip out some serious rain dancin!

Need some advice about choosing good quality hay? Read this article for some tips!

Source: Eclectic Horseman