I only caught part of the story on the TV news at 11am today, but I did hear that a woman admitted to taking Capone I, and she apparently has all the appropriate paperwork to have custody of him. Perhaps she's the rightful owner from Canada taking Capone home from the unscrupulous trainer in Washington. Let's hope so!
Here's the story I found online
http://lyndentribune.com/node/2926
Friday, May 30, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Thoughts on 2008 Triple Crown & Big Brown
I'd like to share my thoughts about this year's Triple Crown hopeful, Big Brown. I won't get into a lot of detail, but I'm not as excited about his possible victory, as I would have been if I didn't know about his genetically bad feet and how they've been put back together, glued to light shoes, and basically re-built. I also heard about his monthly steroid injections on the special round table discussion interview, that was televised prior to the running of the Preakness on May 17th. This really put things into perspective, for me.
Maybe I've been naive about what goes into the making of a race horse champion these days, but I feel "bionic" feet and monthly steroid injections are ways of cheating. Big Brown may or may not be a great race horse and champion. I don't know how we can really know for sure. The injections are legal if the horse is healing from an injury, but it's possible by next year that steroids will be illegal, altogether.
The Thoroughbred breeders need to stop breeding horses with flaws, such as soft feet & bones. Breeding for speed has not proved to be the solution for winning the crown, if that's the ultimate goal. I'd love to see some stronger-boned horses (Arabians) introduced to the weak Thoroughbred gene pool. My other issue is the fact that racing a 2-year old is pretty ridiculous, when you consider their bones have not matured. One solution would be to train at 2, start racing at 3, and the Triple Crown for ages 4 and up.
Here's a well-stated post on another blog at http://me-mira.blogspot.com/2008/05/triple-crown-races.html
If Big Brown wins the Triple Crown this year, time will tell whether that was an unfair win, especially if steroids get banned. I'll be watching the Belmont to see if we finally have another champion crowned after 30 years, but I won't be very thrilled about the way it came about (if it does). Perhaps all the modern "greats" were on steroids and we didn't know about it. I'd like to find out.
What do you think?
Maybe I've been naive about what goes into the making of a race horse champion these days, but I feel "bionic" feet and monthly steroid injections are ways of cheating. Big Brown may or may not be a great race horse and champion. I don't know how we can really know for sure. The injections are legal if the horse is healing from an injury, but it's possible by next year that steroids will be illegal, altogether.
The Thoroughbred breeders need to stop breeding horses with flaws, such as soft feet & bones. Breeding for speed has not proved to be the solution for winning the crown, if that's the ultimate goal. I'd love to see some stronger-boned horses (Arabians) introduced to the weak Thoroughbred gene pool. My other issue is the fact that racing a 2-year old is pretty ridiculous, when you consider their bones have not matured. One solution would be to train at 2, start racing at 3, and the Triple Crown for ages 4 and up.
Here's a well-stated post on another blog at http://me-mira.blogspot.com/2008/05/triple-crown-races.html
If Big Brown wins the Triple Crown this year, time will tell whether that was an unfair win, especially if steroids get banned. I'll be watching the Belmont to see if we finally have another champion crowned after 30 years, but I won't be very thrilled about the way it came about (if it does). Perhaps all the modern "greats" were on steroids and we didn't know about it. I'd like to find out.
What do you think?
Thursday, May 22, 2008
NEWS ALERT -- Show Stallion Stollen
I'd like to help get the word out about this. Here's the news information
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/256/story/415627.html
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/256/story/415627.html
Foaling Season!
Over the past couple of weeks, I've been watching live web cameras on MareStare.com. It's been fascinating and very educational. They have messege boards for discussion, and also to help keep watch on pregnant mares, before, during and after their foals' birth . It's a good community of people helping each other.
I will warn you that the live births can be graphic and stressful to watch, at times. (It might also keep you up late at night!) There have been some sad outcomes, but most are very happy and heart warming. Give it a try, if you're game. I'll leave the link on my permanent sidebar.
Happy viewing!
I will warn you that the live births can be graphic and stressful to watch, at times. (It might also keep you up late at night!) There have been some sad outcomes, but most are very happy and heart warming. Give it a try, if you're game. I'll leave the link on my permanent sidebar.
Happy viewing!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Murphy's Horse Laws
1. If you do a thorough check of your trailer before hauling, your truck will break down.
2. There is no such thing as a sterile barn cat.
3. No one ever notices how you ride until you fall off.
4. The least useful horse in your barn will eat the most, require shoes every four weeks and need the vet at least once a month.
5. A horse's misbehavior will be in direct proportion to the number of people who are watching.
6. Tack you hate never wears out; blankets you hate cannot be destroyed; horses you hate cannot be sold and will outlive you.
7. Clipper blades will become dull only when the horse is half finished. Clipper motors will quit only when you have the horse's head left to trim.
8. If you're wondering if you left the water on in the barn, you did. If you're wondering if you latched the pasture gate, you didn't.
9. One horse isn't enough; two is too many.
10. If you approach within 50 feet of the barn in your "street clothes," you will get dirty.
11. You can't push a horse on a lunge line.
12. If a horse is advertised "under $5,000," you can bet he isn't $2,500.
13. The number of horses you own increases according to the number of stalls in your barn.
14. An uncomplicated horse can be ruined with enough schooling.
15. You can't run a barn without baling twine.
16. Hoof picks migrate.
17. Wind velocity increases in direct proportion to how well your hat fits.
18. There is no such thing as the "right feed."
19. If you fall off, you will land on the site of your most recent injury.
20. If you're winning, quit.
~ author unknown
2. There is no such thing as a sterile barn cat.
3. No one ever notices how you ride until you fall off.
4. The least useful horse in your barn will eat the most, require shoes every four weeks and need the vet at least once a month.
5. A horse's misbehavior will be in direct proportion to the number of people who are watching.
6. Tack you hate never wears out; blankets you hate cannot be destroyed; horses you hate cannot be sold and will outlive you.
7. Clipper blades will become dull only when the horse is half finished. Clipper motors will quit only when you have the horse's head left to trim.
8. If you're wondering if you left the water on in the barn, you did. If you're wondering if you latched the pasture gate, you didn't.
9. One horse isn't enough; two is too many.
10. If you approach within 50 feet of the barn in your "street clothes," you will get dirty.
11. You can't push a horse on a lunge line.
12. If a horse is advertised "under $5,000," you can bet he isn't $2,500.
13. The number of horses you own increases according to the number of stalls in your barn.
14. An uncomplicated horse can be ruined with enough schooling.
15. You can't run a barn without baling twine.
16. Hoof picks migrate.
17. Wind velocity increases in direct proportion to how well your hat fits.
18. There is no such thing as the "right feed."
19. If you fall off, you will land on the site of your most recent injury.
20. If you're winning, quit.
~ author unknown
Thursday, May 8, 2008
I've Been Tagged....
by Pony Girl at http://ponygirlridesagain.blogspot.com/
Here goes:
1. What was I doing 10 years ago? I was still a volunteer band booster even though our son had graduated from HS in 1997. I was also still enjoying walks with our yellow Lab "Bogie" (RIP).
2. Five Things on my to-do list: Buy new blinds, get rid of junk in the house & garage, plant flowers, go on a vacation this year, replace our windows.
3. What is a snack you enjoy? My top 3 are cold cereal, buttered popcorn, ice cream or popcicles.
4. What would you do if you were a billionaire? Give lots to charity, put away for retirement spending, travel the world, attend the Arabian horse National & World Championships, buy a piece of land and build a nice ranch house with an indoor pool & spa, have a couple of horses and hire staff to help with the care. (I'm getting too old to do it all myself!)
5. Places I have lived. California and Washington.
6. Do you have any bad habits? Spending too much time on the internet!
7. Jobs I have had? Kitchen worker at an assisted living center, Keypunch Operator, Data Entry/Office Specialist, and being a wife & mom!
Here goes:
1. What was I doing 10 years ago? I was still a volunteer band booster even though our son had graduated from HS in 1997. I was also still enjoying walks with our yellow Lab "Bogie" (RIP).
2. Five Things on my to-do list: Buy new blinds, get rid of junk in the house & garage, plant flowers, go on a vacation this year, replace our windows.
3. What is a snack you enjoy? My top 3 are cold cereal, buttered popcorn, ice cream or popcicles.
4. What would you do if you were a billionaire? Give lots to charity, put away for retirement spending, travel the world, attend the Arabian horse National & World Championships, buy a piece of land and build a nice ranch house with an indoor pool & spa, have a couple of horses and hire staff to help with the care. (I'm getting too old to do it all myself!)
5. Places I have lived. California and Washington.
6. Do you have any bad habits? Spending too much time on the internet!
7. Jobs I have had? Kitchen worker at an assisted living center, Keypunch Operator, Data Entry/Office Specialist, and being a wife & mom!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Saw the Filly Being Born!
We were up until after 3am this morning watching the new filly at http://www.marestare.com/twins.php (You can right click the video screen after it loads, then click "size" to make it as large as you want.)
I watched the camera off and on yesterday and just happened to see the mare lay down at 11:25 to give birth last night. The filly was born at 11:45, after just a few pushes and the owner lady pulling on the front legs.
Then we watched as they dried her off, put the coat on her to keep her warm, helped her stand about an hour after birth, and spend a lot of time trying to get her to figure out where & how to get her "breakfast". They even put horse milk in a syringe and gave it to the filly. She was and still is pretty wobbly. I read that she's very constipated, so they gave her an enima and might still need to call the vet.
Birth photos are at http://risingrainbow.blogspot.com/2008/05/too-pooped-to-post-but-more-1000-word.html
I've watched web cams of pregnant mares before, but never tuned in at the exact time to see the birth live. It was pretty exciting! She's a lively, cutie pie!
I watched the camera off and on yesterday and just happened to see the mare lay down at 11:25 to give birth last night. The filly was born at 11:45, after just a few pushes and the owner lady pulling on the front legs.
Then we watched as they dried her off, put the coat on her to keep her warm, helped her stand about an hour after birth, and spend a lot of time trying to get her to figure out where & how to get her "breakfast". They even put horse milk in a syringe and gave it to the filly. She was and still is pretty wobbly. I read that she's very constipated, so they gave her an enima and might still need to call the vet.
Birth photos are at http://risingrainbow.blogspot.com/2008/05/too-pooped-to-post-but-more-1000-word.html
I've watched web cams of pregnant mares before, but never tuned in at the exact time to see the birth live. It was pretty exciting! She's a lively, cutie pie!
Friday, May 2, 2008
Watching a Foaling Camera
Since yesterday afternoon, I found out and have been keeping watch on a mare at Rising Rainbow Arabians. She's the only mare who was bred this year, and has all the signs of being ready, even though she's not due until May 18th. This is her 4th foal, but it's her first by Scandalous Legacy ("Legs"), the bay stallion from the show I attended last Saturday (click here to see my video and photos of "Legs"). Bint Gamaay Rose ("Lucy") has had 3 fillies. Here's the link to the foal cam http://www.marestare.com/twins.php .
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