You’ve heard the old saying, “One mans junk is another mans treasure.” Well God doesn’t make junk.

Every horse owner thinks that they have the best horse in the world, and they do.

We love our horses. We believe they can do anything, and do it perfectly (most of the time). So many breeds, so little time.

Each breed was bred for a reason. Each of them have their own specialty, but in this day and age, with love behind it, we ask our horses to step out of their comfort zone.

Quarter Horses were bred for ranch work. Thoroughbreds were bred for racing. Tennessee Walkers were bred to get around the plantations quickly with a comfortable gate. But our love for each breed has caused us to prove that our beloved horse can do it all, and in many instances, they do.

Mary Mairs Chapot rode her Quarter Horse Mare Tomboy in the 1960’s and took the world by storm. Quarter horses in the jumping arena, let alone the USET was unheard of back then, that was Thoroughbred country.

These days we not only have Quarter Horses doing Dressage, but tons of other breeds accomplishing the same movements.

We’re crossing English/Western lines. Jumper/Dressage lines. The challenges are unending. If you’ve got a horse, love that horse, and want to prove that it can do anything – the sky’s the limit.

We don’t put our horses, or ourselves, in a box anymore. If we can dream it, we can do it. Of course they still excel at what they were bred for, but “May The Best Horse Win” or at least have fun trying.

It is one of my favorite Garth Brooks songs. I heard him speaking about it the other day, and he agrees that the song is special to him too. The music behind it just adds to the alluring thoughts and feelings that touch your whole body and soul.

Several years ago a friend lost her daughter in a car accident. The girl left behind a four year old son, and two older children. My friend was devastated. At the wake a friend of her daughters played “The Dance” on a guitar and sang the words. It was very touching and everyone cried.

Before the funeral, I would hear the words of that song and think of all the beloved animals I had lost. Horses, cats, and especially my dogs. The pain of losing our animals is real. Really real. I guess it’s more so when they are taken suddenly at a young age.

I think I cry more for my animals, who have crossed the Rainbow Bridge, than for some of my family. They touch our hearts and almost become a part of our own self. The pain runs deep. More so if you’ve raised them from babies. They are your babies. They are your heart, and going on without them seems impossible.

That’s where “The Dance” comes into play. “Our lives are better left to chance, I could have missed the pain, but I’d of had to miss The Dance.” Yes we could all do without the horrible pain that even takes the breath out of our bodies, but I’d have missed all the laughs, companionship, learning experiences, and mostly the love and connection they gave us. Not to mention that we gave them.

Thinking back over the time spent with each animal, I would never trade it for anything. If you don’t feel pain, you have never felt the love. The more love you felt for each one, the more pain you will go through. It’s just how it works.

So enjoy the love and good times while they are with you. The pain will come, but the “Dance” is so worth it.

This subject is really getting to me lately.

I saw a picture on Facebook last week showing two women. They were both supposed to be 74 years old. Well I’m not sure about that. I’m not really good at telling a persons age, but this seemed a little far fetched. One picture showed a woman who worked out at a gym, she could have been 74. Obviously she used plenty of weights in her training. The other woman looked to be a lot older than 74. She was sitting in a rocking chair. I would guess her to be well into her 80’s or 90. But remember, they were both supposed to be 74.

Okay they got their point across. A body in motion stays in motion. A body at rest self destructs.

As horse people, there really isn’t a chance of us sitting around and falling apart. Well falling apart from our own falls maybe. Between barn chores, riding, moving grain and hay, grounds to take care of, and of course repairs, there is no chance of us sitting idle.

I know the insurance companies all figure us to be coasting to the finish line, we are not! I hate when they figure I sit and watch TV and eat Bon Bons. Just makes me crazy. (Not that I need any help.)

We are strong men and women who do more than a days work. We’re athletic, and usually very healthy. Except for the scars, arthritis, healed broken bones and such.

Have you ever seen a bunch of old horsemen or women. They may be weathered, but don’t mess with them. They are definitely strong as an ox, with an attitude to match. I always say, “If I can take on a thousand pound animal, I am certainly not afraid of you.”

So don’t buy into “You’re too old.” If you can swing a leg over the top of a horse, keep doing it. I know women who ride into their 90’s. Age is just a number and I kind of like the number 50, so I’ll keep thinking I’m 50. I certainly don’t want to be young and stupid, or old and senile.

We see so much on TV and the Internet. They tell us we should be old and falling apart. With all those drug adds they brain wash us into believing that we have all those symptoms, diseases, and we need these drugs. Hog wash. (Now where did that saying ever come from?)

Ride on horsemen and women. Fly like an eagle, don’t even mess with the turkeys. Thanksgiving is coming anyway.

No not Christmas.

Fall is upon us. Bugs are going wherever bugs go when winter is on it’s way (except in Florida). The cooler days are here and the horses are feeling frisky. We can’t wait to feel that cool air blowing through the horses mane and against our face.

These are the glorious days that I used to spend Fox Hunting (Chasing). The Fox always enjoyed it as much as the Hounds. It was always fun to watch the Fox lay his scent and lead the Hounds on a merry chase. Whenever the Fox got tired of playing they just went down a hole or, in Florida, up a tree.

The sight of the beautifully colored leaves and the simple smells of top soil, and dying leaves still draw me in. Not that we have colored leaves or top soil here in Florida, but the memory is still in my mind and my nostrils.

The horses are ready and willing to play when the temps start to drop. It’s like everyone comes alive from their summer rest. A summer rest is a lot nicer than the winter ones. It doesn’t include mud as a rule.

This is that time in between. The time between summer heat, sweat, and bugs, and winter freeze, ice, snow, frozen hoses, buckets and toes.

So break out the pumpkins (I used to love galloping through a pumpkin field, remember Nancy?) the hot apple cider, mulled wine, and enjoy the beauty of fall.

I’m not even going ahead to think about what comes next. Hope your sheets and blankets are cleaned and fixed for what awaits beyond. I didn’t say that and you didn’t hear that.

Look out I’m on my soap box again.

Well I had another post in mind, but then it all came flooding back. What does this have to do with horses? I’ll get to that.

I was just bringing Bob’s horse into the barn to ride when I got a call from my neighbor, who was also born in Brooklyn. He told me that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. We both figured it was a small plane that would have been landing at the small executive airport near the Ferry at the tip of Manhattan. I used to work right there on the sixteenth floor and often saw sea planes go past the window.

I turned the horse back out and went in to check out the TV. I had just come out to ride and had been watching the news before I did, and nothing was going on. At that point the second plane came in and hit the other tower. The realization hit that we were under attack. They just attacked my home. I grew up in Brooklyn, Staten Island, and New Jersey, Manhattan was my backyard. They attacked my home!!! I ran out to tell Bob who was mowing, as Bob always does. Bob was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Staten Island, worked there all his life. We ran back into the house and watched as the events unfolded. What gets me still is that Bob said to me those towers are going to come down. I said no, they must have safety measures to protect in a situation like this. He, being in demolition for years said, Jet fuel burns so hot that the steel will melt, those towers are coming down. He was right. The whole world was in shock, all except Bob. I sat there and tried to think of who I knew that was working in the WTC. Several came to mind and I put out calls. The WTC was just a few blocks from where I used to work, but I remember them starting to clear the land for them when I stopped working in N.Y. I found out that everyone I knew there was either at a different office that day, or had gotten out.

Bob said to me yesterday “Enough, let them leave 9/11 alone.” I yelled No!, we can’t leave it alone. Yes it still hurts, but we must never forget what happened that day. We must remember that these wacko people are still out there and it will happen again. People are trying to say that the Holocaust never happened. Really? Then where do we get all these horrific pictures from? Why do I know people whose families died there? Why do I know people whose arms were tattooed with their numbers on them. People, now-a-days want to rewrite history leaving out all the bad things that they don’t want to remember, or refuse to believe, but these things happened, and will happen again if we don’t remember and do something about them.

So what does this have to do with horses? Simply that Budweiser put out a Tribute, a few months later, at the Super Bowl that horse people will never forget. The infamous Clydesdales coming across the Brooklyn Bridge and stopping at the foot of the bridge with the New York Skyline in the background. The Skyline where the WTC should have been, and was no longer, then all the horses bowed down. I still cry when I think of that commercial. They didn’t run it again. They didn’t want to make money off what they did, but they did want to honor those lost. If you get a chance go on line and watch it either for the first time, or again. Spoiler alert! bring tissues.

I know exactly where those horses stopped in Brooklyn. I remember that spot from my childhood. I think they now have made a park out of that area. The Clydesdales are so much apart of my life. I miss my two girls very much. That commercial honors my home, the people who died, and the horses I love and miss.

Never forget.

Dodged the bullet on that storm. Good thing.

You’ve heard of the Land of Oz, the Land of Milk and Honey, well we live in the Land of F.O.R.D.

Now I’m not talking about the car/truck company, I’m talking about the Land of Fix Or Repair Daily.

As horse people we know all about that life style.

I know I’ve told you about when Bob and I bought our first farm together. Now I grew up with horses and knew the deal. He believed that once he finished the barn that he would never have to go back there again. (This was before he got involved with horses.) I, of course, laughed at him and said “You don’t know horses.” The next day he came home from work and I showed him the half dutch door that one of the little beauties removed from the hinges. Well to this day he can’t believe what they can destroy in a matter of minutes.

He has not sat idle since his back surgery. The doctor said at last weeks visit “I have a feeling you are doing more than you should.” Ya think??!!! We have a horse farm, enough said. He still (there’s that word again) comes home and says “Well what’s new around the farm?” Translation – What did the little angels destroy now?

As horse people we can all appreciate this. If you don’t keep after it, the repairs can really pile up. With everything getting so expensive, boards, wire, even nails, it takes it’s toll on the bottom line, and that’s not to mention hay, grain, medications, and all the other necessities.

You’ve just got to think about it as just part of the job. It goes along with the damage they do to their bodies. You just accept it and go on.

So in that Fairy Tale Land of F.O.R.D. there is no way around it, just smile and nod, and see what they can get into tomorrow. After all, they will never stop amazing us.

I didn’t get to post this morning, so now I’m going to go with something different.

When they start talking about a Hurricane it’s like the boy who cried wolf. Just like the news media, they get all excited, run around like a chicken with their heads cut off, and then the darn thing goes someplace else. BUT there is always the chance that this time it will come here.

Now I remember when Charlie was set to hit Tampa Bay. People threw their horses in their trailers and went to Orlando and Georgia, and where did the Hurricane end up going? Orlando and Georgia. We stayed put, but that time I left the horses out. The problem with loading your horses to get out of Florida is that everyone else has the same idea, with or without horse trailers. There are only two major highways out, I 95 and I 75. These very quickly become long parking lots. Horses are stuck in traffic in sweat boxes, unless you are blessed to have air conditioning for your horses. If the trailers aren’t moving, neither is the air inside. Then there’s the added thought of we’re out of gas and so are all the gas stations. Personally I’d rather ride out the storm at home than be stuck on the highway with horses in the trailer.

So this morning, as I’m doing my chores, one of my boarders text me and asked if I need help getting ready. For a split second I had to think, ready for what? Then it registered that the 11:00 a.m. update had come out. So right now it looks like it’s a possibility. I thanked her and told her we were under control.

The biggest thing is to remember what you did last time to prepare. First of all leaving town is not an option. I’m not doing that to my horses. If you don’t know anyone in one of the other states, you get there and what do you do? There is an option to go to the State Fair Grounds, but people make reservations in advance.

So here we stay. I’m very comfortable that we will fair well. We have in past years. Barn is well built, I just got grain, have hay, generator for the well, it’s just remembering what has to be secured.

The one boarder that was here this morning asked if the horses stay inside or out. She said there are various opinions about that. Well you have to take a lot of things into consideration. How strong is your barn? Is it going to collapse on top of your horses? How safe is your pasture. What are the chances that debris will fly in from the neighbors. Are your pastures large enough that the horses can run out of the way of UFO’s? Will your fences become UFO’s? Will your barn or other outbuildings become UFO’s? Your house, the dog house, your jumps, all can become flying debris. How strong are the trees in your pastures. These oaks in Florida fall for no good reason, so when you have a good reason are they going to stand?

I have dog tags that attach to the horses halters and tails. I guess I should pull them out, but chances are 1. The hurricane will change course, and 2. The horses will remain in the barn. I know this barn, it will stand. I have first aid supplies for any injuries and medications for everything else. Chances are that getting a vet here will not be an option. If trees come down on the road, they just are not getting through.

This, of course, is not just a Florida problem. This storm, or others, can run up the East Coast. I’d rather deal with something I know may hit us as opposed to a Tornado that just shouts “Surprise!” as it takes everything in it’s path. I don’t even want to think about what people went through this year with the fires in California, or floods.

So for now, it’s a wait and see. We’ll start securing on Friday, until then it’s business as usual. No thought of building an Ark, we’re high. The rest of Florida would have to be submerged for us to have water front property. If that happens, would the name Florida be changed to Atlantis?

There is always more to learn about horses. You think you’ve seen it all – heard it all – done it all…… and then, Wham!!! there’s something new.

Of course there are always new findings, new products, new ways of doing the same old things, but sometimes you just hear of things that you’ve never heard of before.

Between my neighbor and I we’ve covered too many problems. We check in with each other to see if either of us have come up against any particular thing. If the answer is no, we spread the knowledge between us so we’re covered the next time.

I’ve had laser done on horses before, I could only assume it worked. I had it done on me last week and you know what? It really did work. Who would have known. Went through the same thing with acupuncture. I used it on the horses, but not until it really worked for me did I believe it. Now chiropractic I had first.

Millions of horses are flown all over the world, in airplanes of course, all the time. I hate to fly, but I never gave it much thought when it came to horses. I’ve seen how it’s done. Don’t like it much, but it works. Do they get peanuts and a complimentary drink? But lately I’ve encountered many horses that have been flown over and I can’t believe the amount of them that have physical problems from the flight. When speaking with an equine chiropractor, I can’t believe the percentages that have injuries (unseen) from the journey.

Now lets just look at the facts. If you are purchasing a horse in Europe and flying it over to the United States I’m sure they are not flying Economy. You’ve paid a great deal of money for this whole adventure. Why are so many horses injured in the process? Why aren’t people more aware of the injuries these poor animals are left with? Why isn’t something more being done to protect their safety?

The next thing I’ve come up against lately is head/neck trauma in horses.

Now I know my old TB was not right in the brain, and Bob’s Appendix would get weird. We always said that when God was passing out brains, Toy thought he said trains, and Toy said I’m a horse and don’t need trains. It was a standing joke, but now I’m thinking maybe there is more to it. We’d just say he was seeing “Red Rats” let it go. He’d lose focus, start violently backing up, his eyes kind of go blank, he’d slip into the abyss, and we’d wait for him to return. He would back into trees, barbed wire, walls, other horses, whatever was behind him. You could beat him on the butt, but nothing would get his focus back. I had a TB mare that would just freeze, lock up, you’d wait it out and then she would just blow up, and it wasn’t pretty when she would land on a horse in front of her. When these episodes were done, you had a normal??? horse again. It was just something you learned to ride out. It was like her brain went on overload and shut down. Toy’s was more like a panic attack. My first TB I just chalked up to temper tantrums.

But now I’m finding different explanations. More scientific explanations.

My one friends has a horse, and she would say, his brain has checked out. Okay, I hear you, I’ve been there, but she wasn’t just going to work around it. She found people who believed her and offered real explanations. Vertebrates that are out of alignment either pinching nerves or blocking blood to the brain. She’s going to have a specialist look at him and see if there is anyway of correcting the problem. She would always tell me that he just wasn’t there (mentally). I guess she was right.

It’s funny. Years ago we figured there was really something wrong with these horses, but we didn’t know any better. We didn’t know we could look further into the situation. That perhaps something really was wrong that could have been corrected, but then 20 – 40 years ago, I don’t believe there were people out there that could have helped them. Medical and psychological advances in equine medicine have come so far, and nothing is out of bounds anymore. The old saying of “they’re just horses” doesn’t hold water anymore. Owners want answers and are willing to pay for it, and vets are more open to all this weird stuff. People all over the world are investigating all the strange issues that horses and horse people are facing.

I wish I knew then what I know now. I could have helped so many of the horses I loved. I gave them good retirements, but I could have given them many more years of wonderful rides. But from here we go forward.

Okay, it’s one of those things I read, and it touched my heart. Perhaps it will touch yours too. With the way my brain works lately, I may have already shared it with you. Humor me.

“Sit with animals Quietly and they will show you their Hearts…..Sit with them Kindly, and they will help you locate Yours.” Ramblings of the Claury.

It is so true. We gain so much peace from our animals, but only if we allow ourselves the quiet time to be with them.

We have so much to do that we just rush through our chores. Off to work, off to school, off to somewhere. But as the old saying goes “We need to stop and smell the roses.” We need to take time to just be still with our horses. We need quiet times in our lives to keep our sanity.

I know I’ve spoken about the times, on a cold winters night, that I would just sit in a 20 degree barn and listen to the horses munching their hay. My friend said that to me several weeks ago. Of course it being Florida it wasn’t on a cold winters night, it was probably on a warm summers night. But the point was that it is so relaxing just listening to them munch hay. Why? I have no clue, but horse people all know it to be true.

The quietness is peaceful, but the callings can be just as enjoyable, when your horse sees you and calls to you. Or perhaps just nickers to you. There are seven in the barn now and I know each one of their voices. I knew each one of my horses voices over all the 57 years. Some are base, some baritone, some tenors, some altos, and a few sopranos (mostly ponies). All pleasing to the ears when it’s aimed at your attention.

They are like your children. Have you been with a parent who has more than one child? When one of their children cries, they know which one it is. Your ears are tuned

How about with your dogs? I know what each growl, whimper, or whine means.

They are in our hearts and in our souls. Never be mistaken about this.

(Sometimes you just don’t know what day it is.)

Didn’t like that program much when I was young. Just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Two weeks ago was was a lead-in for this week. Now I don’t expect you to believe it, because I’m still having difficulty with it, but I’ll throw it out to you for entertainment, more or less.

The owner of the TB has a very special bond with that horse. I’ve had special bonds with mine, but this one is different. Can’t really explain it. She knows what he is thinking and communicating. I mean I knew what Desert was going to do at any given moment, and he knew what I wanted before I asked, but this is different. I’ve gotten strange feelings from this horse. Like he was smarter and more knowledgeable, just couldn’t put it into human words. Not a good explanation, but like I said, can’t explain any of this.

So the last couple of days I’ve been bringing them in the barn because of afternoon storms. When it’s time to go out I would get the old dude and walk him to the next stall to get the TB. Old dude hasn’t wanted to come out onto the concrete because he’s had sore feet from all the wet. I usually treat them for a few days and they are fine, but my back has been out and bending was not an option. So he would get onto the concrete, walk the couple of steps to the TB’s stall and stop. I’d get the TB out and he’d start walking for the back door which is only about eight feet from his stall door. TB would be walking and the old dude has planted his feet and was not going anywhere. I’ve got one horse ahead, one horse planted and me in the middle being stretched like Gumbie. So the TB stops and waits while I play tug-of-war. Well two nights ago the TB stopped and looked back like “what’s the deal?” So talking to him like he understood me I said “his feet hurt and he doesn’t want to move. Do something, talk to him.” Well the TB turns around and walks back, licks the old dudes neck by his mane, then nudges him and he (old dude) walks out beside us. Okay that was weird, but I’ll take it because now I can get on with turning everyone out and feeding.

Okay, comes the next night and we’re back to the same situation. This time I didn’t say anything. TB stops, turns around, comes back to the old dude, (now remember I didn’t say anything) nudges him behind the elbow three times. No movement on the old dudes part. TB then grabs the cheek piece of the halter and drags him out the back door by the halter. I started laughing and just walked along with them. As soon as they were out the back door the TB let go and we proceeded to the pasture.

Of course I thanked him for his help, but was in total shock as to what I had just witnessed. I’m still in shock. Today my back was better and I treated the feet, but I can’t wait to see what tonight brings. Once again I’m not giving any direction, just being a bystander in this whole scene.

Well I didn’t play that game the next night. When I took the old dude out of the stall I kept him walking out the door. I did that for two nights in a row. Left him outside the door on the grass, went back in and got the TB. That worked well for two nights. The third night I put the old dude on the cross tie to do his feet (it’s right by the TB’s door). When I was done I put the halter on the TB, unclipped the old dude and went to walk out. (Now let me say that I didn’t clip the throat latch on the halter because I was just turning them out, and taking the halter off. I also know that the old dude isn’t going to do anything stupid. So once again, without me saying anything, the TB turns around and comes back for his friend, who isn’t moving. Without the throat latch being closed the cheek piece was closer to the eye, so the TB grabs the back of the nose band and starts to pull. Old dude said “I’m not moving.” After several tries the TB lets go and then proceeds to take the skin on the old dudes jowl between his teeth and gently pulls him. He was so delicate on how he did this I was amazed. At this point I just yelled at the both of them and out the door we went. Old dude got the message.

You can believe it or not. I still don’t.