My farrier came yesterday and we got to talking about what horses can get into. He came home the other night and went to bring his mares in for dinner. They were waiting at the gate, but the wrong gate, the gate in the boys pasture. Of course like us he asked them how they got there? And like ours, they didn’t answer. So he took them out, latched the gate, and went to bring them in. As he’s going into the barn with the two girls he hears the pitter-patter of thundering hooves. We’ve all probably been there too. Here comes the rest of the herd who took down their gate also. They were, after all, just trying to help him after a hard days work. You know what happens next – chaos. Horses running all around in and out of stalls, up and down the barn isle. The “Mayhem” commercials on TV have nothing on a bunch of loose horses.

People often ask me how the horses are? My reply is simple – “they were fine when I left but who knows what I’ll find when I get back.” We are all familiar with that thought too. Own a barn and it’s F.O.R.D., Fix Or Repair Daily.

Now when I go into the house after feeding at night I pray “please keep all the animals safe tonight.” This horse slaughtering has got everyone nervous. Between the Corona Virus and the Slaughtering I’m on edge. I give it to God every night and just go on.

I was reading an article in Horse and Pony, which I am going to quote, about the people in South Carolina, they wanted answers as to what was going on in their area. They wanted to know “just who or what vicious animal was killing their horses?” “Five or six horses were victims of either a very sick individual with a sharp instrument (like a sword or machete), or of animals so vicious their likes have never been seen before. The wounds were not ragged but deep, and became infected immediately. They ranged from slashed leg wounds to deep chest and gut punctures. Some were so severe that intestines and bones were visible. Some had to be euthanized, and some the vets were able to treat.”

“After weeks of investigation and forensic tests, the consensus was that savage attacks on the horses were caused by wild boars. South Carolina’s growing feral hog population where some weigh in at 400 to 500 pounds with tusks up to a foot long and razor sharp, enabling them to come up underneath and gut the horses.” Now I’ve run into some wild pigs here in Florida while Fox Hunting, they were just like large pot bellied pigs that people turned loose in the park. They crossed the trail in front of me and never gave us a second look. They make a mess when they root, but never bothered any of us. We recently had one here in the neighborhood who would come and hang with the horses. He liked to stand under them for shade with his head between their front legs. They played with him and he was a sweet boy, that is until my great white hunter neighbor decided that he would look better on his dinner plate. Bob and I are still very angry with him. Hamlet didn’t harm anybody. Okay he may have rooted a little, but my neighbor is………

So once again, just when you think you’ve seen everything, you haven’t. Surprises are new every morning, and even sometimes in the evening. It’s just how it is when you have horses.

You know sometimes you think of things that you need to remember. You know them, you’ve updated them, but time just gets away from you, and you forget. Actually I forget a lot of things lately. But this one is important and we need to remember and revisit it again.

Loved the movie Karate Kid. For some reason that line comes to me often. It came to me this morning when I was deciding whether to leave the halters on or to take them off in their stalls.

Normally they are off, especially now with the horses being removed from pastures and being slaughtered. I know I’ve talked about that in the last couple of weeks, but this morning there was a different spin on it.

I came in from the barn the other night and Bob was watching the Black Stallion series of movies on TV. Actually they were running all horse racing movies until 6:30 a.m. on TCM. It was the second in the series where the barn was set on fire. Now Alec had heard The Black carrying on before the fire and he went to put the halter on. He had no problem, but we’ve all stood there and and fumbled to turn it right to get it on (especially when you drop it on the floor or ground). That goes back to my post on always hanging and folding a blanket the same way all the time so you know, when you pick it up in the dark, how it’s hanging. The same goes for a halter. Always hang it the same way so you don’t have to figure out which end is up (or in this case front or back).

Just a quick word on halter safety. Nylon doesn’t break, but necks do. Saw a picture on Facebook about a week ago with a back shoe caught on a halter from when the horse went to scratch his face. Neck was broken. Shoe and halter were still connected.

So lets combine two thoughts here. Halters and Fire. Have you given much thought to what would happen if your horses were in the barn and it was on fire. Do you and your family have a clear plan on how things should go? (I’ve touched on this before) Does everyone know their jobs? You all will panic. Yes we know that we should have an extinguisher at the front, back, and side doors. How about halters? How about lead lines? Do you keep halters on the horses when they are in a stall? I don’t. I’ve seen horses with halters on get them caught on the strangest of things. Yes, hopefully they have break-a-way halters and they break when they are supposed to. So you grab the lead line that is hanging on their doors and lead them out. Now remember that your horse is going to feed off your anxiety, not to mention that they are usually afraid of fire.

I’ve seen, in movies, people placing rags over a horses eyes so they can’t see the fire. Well they can still smell and hear the fire. Don’t know if it really works in this case. You have to build that trust with your horse before you get into a situation. I used to do that with all my babies. I’d blind fold them and ask them to let me lead them through and over obstacles. It paid off many times in the trust issue. With fire, I think it will depend on the horse. My mare was terrified of fire. Back then I never even thought of working her through that. She hated gun fire and trains also. We just avoided those things. That was back in the 60’s before I got to focus on making my horses the best they could be. I just loved them and enjoyed them.

Do Not just turn them loose when you get outside the door, they may run back in. Lock them in a pasture or tie them somewhere away from the fire. If you have someone you can hand them off to that’s even better. If you don’t keep a halter on, and your halter and lead are hung properly you can just grab the crown piece and slip it on your horse. Now some horses don’t like fire much and may not be all that quiet to get this job done. Leave longer lead lines by each outside door so you can just slip it around the horses neck (or make a quick halter out of one) and get out of Dodge. If you have a long barn you may not have time to get them all out, depending on where the fire is and where the exit doors are. Grab the horses closer to the fire first. Now every fire department agency is going to tell you not to go in the barn. These are our beloved animals and we are not going to even think about not trying to save them, we will just do it, but do it as safely as possible. Your instinct is going tell you to grab the horse closest to the door, and you will save that one, but a lot of things will factor in when it comes to getting the others.

You must think about what else is in the barn that is flammable and possibly explosive. Hay and bedding burn real fast. Old wood buildings burn real fast. What above you is burning that is going to fall on both you and the horse. So much to think about, so little time. Let’s try thinking about this stuff before we have to. And here is a thought, changing what you can.

I know you may have halters and leads on each stall, but sometimes there just isn’t enough time. Extra halters and lead lines left at the entrance can be a blessing. Sometimes it’s a negative thing too if someone comes in trying to steal a horse. You may have to weigh your options.

You could leave a spare halter and/or lead line by the back door of your house to grab on your way out. After all – loose horses can happen at anytime, and if you have to run to the barn and get a halter and lead line first, they may be half way to the next county before you get to the barn.

Come to think of it, I used to always carry a lead line in my car. I was forever finding loose horses running down the roads in Staten Island. I was never one to wear a belt but I always had my trusty lead line in my car. Now I carry several dog leashes. They take up less space in the door or glove compartment.

Silly things pop up in my brain. I just pass them on. Food for thought, but could come in handy some day. Wax on, wax off. Halter on, halter off.

I think we need to check and recheck things often. I know I do.

Sometimes we see things differently than other people. My Uncle and I argued about the color of my mothers flowers. I saw white with a hint of yellow and he saw a hint of purple. There are people that are color blind. When my brother-in-law went to take his drivers test, and they asked him what color the light in the middle of the stop light was, he said yellow because he knew that’s what his brother told him it was at home. He couldn’t tell Red from Yellow except by the location of the brightness. We always tell our Pastor what a great color that is on him, and it compliments his wife’s outfit. He has no idea what color he is wearing, his wife picks his clothes out, he’s color blind.

I saw someone post a picture of a very skinny horse. She commented on how bad a certain barn was at caring for the horses. Another person posted a picture of the same horse, who was no longer thin, and commented on how wrong the person was.

Things are not always what you think. You can’t just make snap decisions and ruin the reputation of someone or their facilities. You really have to inquire as to the circumstance.

Perhaps the horse just came in from another barn. Perhaps the horse was a rescue. Perhaps the horse was old or had health issues. You can’t always assume. I’ve had many horses who were in their mid 30’s. You’re just not going to put weight or muscle on an old horse. They may be just fine physically, and mentally, but just old.

When I lived in New Jersey, we did rescues. If it were a backyard horse, we’d stop and talk to the people. If no one was home, we’d leave a hand print on a piece of construction paper in their mailbox asking if they possibly need a helping hand with their horse. We’d leave a name and a phone number and hope that they would call us. If they didn’t we’d try catching up with them at some point. Many people had no idea how to take care of a horse and really appreciated any information we could give them. In some cases we’d offer them food for their horses, or help them re-home them.

Now if you pass a farm and there is no hay or grass, the horses are bones, it’s a different approach. We had people sneak in and check for water, hay and grain in the barn (yes it was trespassing), we’d speak to neighbors, and then we’d turn them in. Different states have different views on how this should be handled, check the laws before you proceed.

I know I’ve told you before that my vet told me it was my responsibility to turn in my neighbor for starvation. I did and my neighbor was grateful for the help with regards to the knowledge of how to take care of the animals and the help in re-homing them. They were his wife’s and she walked out leaving the kids, the dogs, and the horses.

You just never know what the circumstances are. Don’t assume that someone is intentionally starving an animal. Don’t spread false rumors about a person or a barn until you know the truth and try to help. Someday you may have an old horse, or rescue a starving animal. You may be the one people whisper about behind your back.

Things aren’t always what they seem.

Sorry, got nailed by lightening two weeks ago and it took over a week to get a new modem. Lost the TV and sprinkler panel too. The good thing about living in the lightening capital of the world is that you get to buy new stuff regularly. The bad thing is the lightening. Horses were in the barn, we weren’t home.

A friend sent me an ad for her hunt horse that is For Sale. She’s a Palomino Belgium/Quarter Horse. Really built, and quite a looker. A good age, mid teens, which is not young and stupid, but not old and arthritic. The mare gets strong when she’s in First Flight (first group on the Hunt Field) and wants to be up with the Master. Now the biggest sin in Fox Hunting is stepping on a Hound. The second sin is riding up, or flying by, the Master when not invited.

I’m not sure how old this friend of mine is, but I do know she’s not as old as me. I’d say somewhere in her late 50’s or early 60’s. She’s been hunting for many years and is a good rider. She shows this mare Hunter and Dressage. The horse is used for lessons and tends to be a bit lazy. However, as I’ve always told everyone, you can dig a horse up that’s been dead for years, you put him on the Hunt Field, and he’s going to be more horse than you ever needed. So she tells me that she wants a horse that she can Hunt for a few more seasons and then “Ride Off Into The Sunset” on. Well don’t we all?

People used to say – “As a horse gets older they’ll quiet down.” Ahhh, No. What I have found is that what they are at middle age is what they will stay, even when they are crippled. Once a Barrel Horse, always a Barrel Horse. If the horse was quiet to begin with you have a nice horse to teach younger or inexperienced people on. If they were a Hot Tamale, they will still remain the same. You got a strong Hunt Horse, he/she will go to their grave like that.

When are you too old? When sanity catches up in your brain.

People always ask – “Do you still ride?” Yes when I get the chance. My friend who rode with me the last time said – “How does it feel to be back on your horse?” My answer “Like I was never off.”

The only thing I can say is that I find myself being more careful. Not carefree and a little crazy like when I was young. The last couple of years have opened my eyes. When Bob’s back got real bad and I was doing all the mowing plus, there wasn’t time. Then last year when he had the operation, there wasn’t time. Now I realize that me not getting hurt is very important. There is no Cavalry coming to back me up. I’m it. He’s doing really great and able to pitch in pretty much like before, but I know he can’t do everything like he did, and if he gets body slammed by one of the horses, he’s done. I mean really done.

Would I like to still break babies? Oh my yes! Would I like to be out there in First Flight? You bet. But sometimes you just have to deal with what really matters when you have no back up and the “Cast of Thousands” to care for. You must be wise in your decisions. It’s not how I thought my life would go. I thought I’d be out Hunting into my 90’s on a big old Hunt Horse that I knew so well. Surprise!!!! my Old Lady’s horse died when she was 17. That was not supposed to happen. My 20 yr. old QH Hunt Horse is still a Bottle Rocket ready to go off at any given moment. I’m not even sure of my 27 yr. old Warmblood. Since her leg healed she’s ready to make up for lost time.

So bottom line is that we all want that horse to “Ride off into the sunset” on, but the hard part is finding it. Guess I’ll just have to keep riding them and working the bugs out “into the sunset” just with a measure of care.

When you first meet a horse, how do you start a simple conversation? Did you ever think about it? I never did. It was just something that came naturally. I guess I usually start with a compliment like – “Hi handsome, or beautiful” as I gently extend my hand to let them smell me, and I touch them lightly.

Have you ever noticed that most people will go to touch a horses face? That is somewhat threatening to a horse. I usually just touch their shoulder or neck. Same thing when you walk up to a horse; never come head on, come from the shoulder area. They can very well see you.

How about when you see your horse during the day? When I see them in the morning I will always say Good Morning, how are you today? Your demeanor, voice, and energy will reassure them, and give them an idea of what you have in mind. Of course they are hoping it’s breakfast.

When walking up to them to do anything, clean, tack, apply meds, I always let them see, and smell what I have in my hands. No surprises. That is unless I have a horse that doesn’t like to be wormed. Then I’ll come up, show them my empty hand, come along side of them, stroke their muzzle and zap it in their mouths. Then I pet them, tell them how wonderful they are and move on to the next victim, I mean horse.

Did you ever think about how you greet people, or people greet you? Same difference. Do you like it when someone strides up, with intention, right up to your face and starts a conversation? Or do you like a casual walk up with a smile and a pleasant greeting? A strong aggressive person can put you on the defensive, like what does he want or what is she up to? Remember a horse is more in tune to that scenario than a human is. Their heads will come up, and their necks will tense up.

Once a fight or flight animal, always a fight or flight animal. They can become more comfortable with us over time, but we can always make a good first impression. We also need plenty of options in our bag of tricks.

One of my boarders, who I released back into the wild, called me the other day. She told me she had moved her horse again. Now I sent her out of here because her horse was sound and ready to live his life again as planned. Now what? Her trainer, whom she liked, was only renting stalls at the barn I delivered her to, so the trainer moved and she followed. She liked this trainer because she was taking her time getting this horse going over fences again, and was patient with the horses attitude because of his previous injuries. Horses remember what caused them pain, and he would kick out when he thought it was going to hurt. He’s adjusted and given acupuncture regularly to maintain his alignment until his body gets stronger and takes over.

Okay, so how does trauma like this happen to this extent? Airplane transport from Europe to the U.S. I’ve know a lot of horses brought over from Europe with no signs of this kind of damage, but speaking to various vets, it’s quite common. We’re talking major problems from his head to tail, inside and out. The main problem being, the extent of the damage is not detected right away. The school of thought is let him rest and he’ll be fine. Not! When things are not in alignment and left that way it opens up a whole can of worms.

But that’s not what this post is about.

How do you decide what barn you want to board at? What is most important to you and your horse?

Here are some of the thoughts I’ve come across.

Price – what can you afford?

Location – is it convenient to your home or work,? Distance would also fall into that category along with traffic conditions. Is it near trails or show grounds. Can you park your trailer there? Do they trailer to shows or vet clinics if necessary?

Facilities – do they have what you need in the way of jumps, barrels, dressage ring. Bathrooms, wash stalls, turn out, round pen? How are the ground conditions? Do they have grazing pastures and what condition are they in? Are the watering troughs clean? Do you need a lighted arena or maybe an indoor or covered?

The care of your horse – how much care does your horse require? How much are you allowed to give? How much will they give and at what cost to you?

Feeding – Are the horses there well fed and healthy? Do they have vets that regularly come in and perform the necessary care and will they come in an emergency. Is there a barn farrier or do you have to have your own vet and farrier come? Will they hold the horse if necessary or do you have to be there?

Trainers/Instructors – are there trainers there to help with your specialty? Are they knowledgeable with kind attitudes?

Participation and social events – do they go to clinics, shows, trail rides, and do they have various social events or outings for their clients.

Friends – do you just go where your friends are going? Is that most important to you?

When we were moving to Florida we asked a friend, who had a house down here, “what should we look for?” He said “you have to decide what is most important to you. Things like hospitals, restaurants, schools, beaches, boating areas are not all in the same place, so you need to figure out what means more to you and buy near that area.” It’s the same with a barn. You have to decide what means most to you and go from there.

My friend has moved her horse further away from her home. She can not stop at the barn on her way to work or on the way home anymore. Her daughter now has her license so she doesn’t have to run her over to the barn for lessons, which makes it easier on her. But she followed her trainer. Keeping her horse safe is worth the trip. To come to me she traveled an hour. The barn I brought her to was ten minutes from her house. It’s a half hour from her house in one direction to work and a half hour from her house in the opposite direction to the barn.

What is most important to you? Perhaps it’s a combination of things. Something to think about. Nothing is cast in stone, you can always move again.