It was true! It was true!
The school kids came.... and came.... and came to the NHS Educational area. At least 1000, maybe more (how to count them all?) Middle school age - think Malcolm in at the Middle - girls all in one cluster, giggling..boys looking lost wandering around in twos and threes.
They loved the water testing stand! I'm shocked! Our KHC volunteers proved to be natural teachers,explaining it without talking down to the students. By the time they left our booth, they knew why Kentucky horses have such good bones.
Then there was the kid that thought that you should lick the water test strip as part of the experiment. Hope it didn't contain any carcinogens. I'm not sure our liability covers giving a life-threatening disease to 13-year old.
Oh, did I mention that that there were some horses jumping in the Allrech arena while this was all going on? At least that is what I was told...no,actually I did watch a few rounds. They all looked perfect to me.
At the end of the day, when the kids had left and it was really quiet, I scouted out the vendors that line the concourse. One place I encourage you to go when you are at the show is "Clear Rounds for Clear Water". this is the brainchild of JoJo White, an equestrian who wanted to give back, formed a partnership with Rotary International, and trades cool products for donations--- and all the donations go to provide clean drinking water around the globe.
So if you are in the giving mood - please stop and make a small donation (or large!) They've got a great T-shirt design, wine glasses, wine,jewelry...all for a wonderful cause.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Day 1, National Horse Show
Wednesday, first day of the Alltech National Horse Show. And the Kentucky Horse Council (along with a bunch of other equine associations with educational goals) moved into the Exhibit Wing (Educational Area) of the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park.
I think someone cleverly named it "Horse Play" area.
If you've never had the pleasure of setting up an exhibit, let me know and TRUST ME I'll give you a call next time. Setting up is a royal pain in the derriere... packing, copying handouts, making signs, ordering brochures, digging out the tables and covers, gathering boxes of publications.... WHEW.
But I found a way to make sure someone else did all of the work... a good friend and colleague died suddenly over the weekend, and his funeral was at noon today. So I left Dawn and three dependable volunteers to drag all that stuff to the Horse Park.
It's not very nice to use a funeral to get out of work.. Sorry David. The funeral was very touching and seriously, we will miss you tremendously.
So I arrived on site at 4:00, just in time to drag boxes around and re-arrange our area. I must say it looks pretty good considering we aren't trade show specialists. Although I can thank Dawn for that. She worries about all these details like colors and balance and... you know, all that stuff.
Now the scary part, as if Halloween was not enough: in the next two days, rumor has it that 2,000 school kids are being bused in to tour the National Horse Show (remember going on a field trip? A time to get wild...)
So I had to get up some defenses against the hordes..and I thought of the perfect answer: At the KY Horse Council booth the kids have to do a SCIENCE EXPERIMENT. Now who's scared? HA! SCIENCE!
OK, so here's what we have them do: You all know (of course, having earned A's in your High School chemistry class) that calcium builds strong bones for people AND horses. We've got four bowls of liquids: Creek water, milk, tap water, and distilled water. Which has the highest calcium levels?
(The creek water is from East Hickman creek that runs behind my house and the tap water is out of my kitchen sink. Milk is compliments of Kroger, and the distilled water is from Highbridge Springs. No product endorsements intended.)
I'm not telling the calcium answer. You have to stop by our exhibit area to find out. We've got hardness testers and a color chart; you can pretend you are back in Chemistry again. But don't blow up the lab.
Oh and one more thing.. if you come, you also may be able to play horse shoes. We've got the posts & the horse shoes, now all we need is a place to toss them. Workin' on that.
Did I mention there are some horses jumping fences somewhere here too? I keep forgetting that part. Actually sometimes they don't jump, they walk and trot and canter..but they are VERY VERY good.
Til tomorrow.
I think someone cleverly named it "Horse Play" area.
If you've never had the pleasure of setting up an exhibit, let me know and TRUST ME I'll give you a call next time. Setting up is a royal pain in the derriere... packing, copying handouts, making signs, ordering brochures, digging out the tables and covers, gathering boxes of publications.... WHEW.
But I found a way to make sure someone else did all of the work... a good friend and colleague died suddenly over the weekend, and his funeral was at noon today. So I left Dawn and three dependable volunteers to drag all that stuff to the Horse Park.
It's not very nice to use a funeral to get out of work.. Sorry David. The funeral was very touching and seriously, we will miss you tremendously.
So I arrived on site at 4:00, just in time to drag boxes around and re-arrange our area. I must say it looks pretty good considering we aren't trade show specialists. Although I can thank Dawn for that. She worries about all these details like colors and balance and... you know, all that stuff.
Now the scary part, as if Halloween was not enough: in the next two days, rumor has it that 2,000 school kids are being bused in to tour the National Horse Show (remember going on a field trip? A time to get wild...)
So I had to get up some defenses against the hordes..and I thought of the perfect answer: At the KY Horse Council booth the kids have to do a SCIENCE EXPERIMENT. Now who's scared? HA! SCIENCE!
OK, so here's what we have them do: You all know (of course, having earned A's in your High School chemistry class) that calcium builds strong bones for people AND horses. We've got four bowls of liquids: Creek water, milk, tap water, and distilled water. Which has the highest calcium levels?
(The creek water is from East Hickman creek that runs behind my house and the tap water is out of my kitchen sink. Milk is compliments of Kroger, and the distilled water is from Highbridge Springs. No product endorsements intended.)
I'm not telling the calcium answer. You have to stop by our exhibit area to find out. We've got hardness testers and a color chart; you can pretend you are back in Chemistry again. But don't blow up the lab.
Oh and one more thing.. if you come, you also may be able to play horse shoes. We've got the posts & the horse shoes, now all we need is a place to toss them. Workin' on that.
Did I mention there are some horses jumping fences somewhere here too? I keep forgetting that part. Actually sometimes they don't jump, they walk and trot and canter..but they are VERY VERY good.
Til tomorrow.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Morning Dew and other Natural Disasters
Hallelujah! That's all I could think of as I kicked off my soaking barn boots and peeled off my wet socks. The water on my feet was just heavy morning dew that comes after a hot day... rather than water that is a result of a never-ending rain that seems to have hit Kentucky this spring.
This holiday weekend was blessed in weather terms. Yes, too hot! Yes, dry. But hallelujah, no rain! I hope the hay farmers got their crop cut and baled. I wonder if it is too late for corn, or if corn farmers were able to mud in their seeds earlier this spring.
I actually saw puffs of dust in my paddock as the horses played around. Rather than potholes of mud and slippery tracks where one slid trying to come to a stop.
I worry about what we have seen in the U.S. this spring, because according to the climatologists, global warming will gradually cause more of the unusual weather patterns.
If you live in a suburb and go to an office or school to work, the strange patterns of weather may depress your spirits, but it does not stop your income or your activities.
If, however, you are involved in an agricultural enterprise, whether raising crops, cattle or horses, the weather effects are much more devastating, more income-disruptive, more lifestyle changing.
When farmers had diverse farms with animals, row crops, fruit, vegetable gardens... they had much more of a chance of survival. Each of the farm products on a diverse farm are timed so that a wet spring may affect one but not so much the others. But now that we are all so specialized - if you raise JUST livestock (including horses), or JUST corn.. the weather can make you or break you at any time of year.
I'm not an agricultural specialist,but when you live on a small farm, you learn these lessons in miniature. The lettuce in the garden loved the rain but needed more sun to really grow. When it went from 50 degrees to 90 degrees overnight, from constant rain to sunny and hot, the lettuce growth exploded, but we have a limited window to harvest and eat it before it turns bitter from the sudden heat. (Salads every meal at the Grulke house).
What is the future for agriculture if weather patterns continue to be strange? Floods, droughts, hurricanes and tornadoes, ice storms, bitter winters, blistering summers.
If it happens occasionally, it's inconvenient, just Mother Nature showing us that we don't control the world (like Americans seem to think we do...).
If it happens routinely...gosh, I don't know what we will do. Hay will become very expensive because the supply will become unpredictable. Similarly for grain and sweet feed. At the same time, if pastures are soaked or flooded, the horse owner will need MORE hay and grain. It will become a challenge to get a horse ready for showing without an all-weather arena.
But for now, the sun is shining and summer has come to Kentucky. I watch my horses slowly swish their tails in the shade, and meander over to the water trough. A slight summer haze covers the distant ridge, and the grass in the shadows is deep emerald green. Birds flit overhead and a squirrel balances on a fence board.
It is hard to think of natural disasters, or temperamental weather when this beautiful and lazy Kentucky scene is laid out before your eyes. Pray for a good summer, crisp fall, and good times with our animals.
This holiday weekend was blessed in weather terms. Yes, too hot! Yes, dry. But hallelujah, no rain! I hope the hay farmers got their crop cut and baled. I wonder if it is too late for corn, or if corn farmers were able to mud in their seeds earlier this spring.
I actually saw puffs of dust in my paddock as the horses played around. Rather than potholes of mud and slippery tracks where one slid trying to come to a stop.
I worry about what we have seen in the U.S. this spring, because according to the climatologists, global warming will gradually cause more of the unusual weather patterns.
If you live in a suburb and go to an office or school to work, the strange patterns of weather may depress your spirits, but it does not stop your income or your activities.
If, however, you are involved in an agricultural enterprise, whether raising crops, cattle or horses, the weather effects are much more devastating, more income-disruptive, more lifestyle changing.
When farmers had diverse farms with animals, row crops, fruit, vegetable gardens... they had much more of a chance of survival. Each of the farm products on a diverse farm are timed so that a wet spring may affect one but not so much the others. But now that we are all so specialized - if you raise JUST livestock (including horses), or JUST corn.. the weather can make you or break you at any time of year.
I'm not an agricultural specialist,but when you live on a small farm, you learn these lessons in miniature. The lettuce in the garden loved the rain but needed more sun to really grow. When it went from 50 degrees to 90 degrees overnight, from constant rain to sunny and hot, the lettuce growth exploded, but we have a limited window to harvest and eat it before it turns bitter from the sudden heat. (Salads every meal at the Grulke house).
What is the future for agriculture if weather patterns continue to be strange? Floods, droughts, hurricanes and tornadoes, ice storms, bitter winters, blistering summers.
If it happens occasionally, it's inconvenient, just Mother Nature showing us that we don't control the world (like Americans seem to think we do...).
If it happens routinely...gosh, I don't know what we will do. Hay will become very expensive because the supply will become unpredictable. Similarly for grain and sweet feed. At the same time, if pastures are soaked or flooded, the horse owner will need MORE hay and grain. It will become a challenge to get a horse ready for showing without an all-weather arena.
But for now, the sun is shining and summer has come to Kentucky. I watch my horses slowly swish their tails in the shade, and meander over to the water trough. A slight summer haze covers the distant ridge, and the grass in the shadows is deep emerald green. Birds flit overhead and a squirrel balances on a fence board.
It is hard to think of natural disasters, or temperamental weather when this beautiful and lazy Kentucky scene is laid out before your eyes. Pray for a good summer, crisp fall, and good times with our animals.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Ride #2 on the new gaited mare
I still don't know what to expect when I get on my new gaited mare. For those who don't know, a few weeks ago I bought my first gaited horse, after a lifetime of riding those "trotters" (and I still have three Morgans in my barn so I am not giving up trotting)
But to keep up with the Jones, who are "gaiting out" down the trail and look like they could be holding a glass of wine (beer?) without spilling a drop.... well, I thought I'd give it a try. I mean the gaiting, not the wine.
So Callie and I rode in Mt. Sterling last weekend on an 800 acre farm belonging to friend Edith. Callie was totally nervous for the first 10 minutes, showing me some side passes and complicated dressage moves I didn't know she had. HA! As nervous as she was, she was happier out front than in back. "DON'T LEAVE ME BEHIND" was what her body language was saying. The other horses pretty much ignored her.
The first challenge was a creek crossing. I found out on ride #1 that she doesn't like crossing running water (puddles are OK). This creek crossing required a drop down a small bank and into the water. Her brakes went on. Edith came back (on her trusty mule) and Callie followed his butt down the bank and across the water.
Next, I learned lesson #1 about gaiting. It's smooth for a while then gets bumpy. I understand these gaited horses have a sweet spot where they are smooth as silk, but just as quickly they can fall into a rough spot, if they are going too fast, or if you don't have enough handle on their mouth. It's a touch you have to learn - hold back while putting on the leg.
Callie didn't need much leg on this ride. She was out ahead, gaiting when I'd let her, and seemed to be looking for something ahead. Was she just trying to find the way back ot the trailer, so the old lady could get off her back? Or was she just curious about what was over the next hill?
We had about four creek crossings on that ride, and the good news is that by the end of the ride, she was just a bit hesitant but not resisting badly. A little encouragement and she was stepping into the water like a pro. My pasture at home has a big creek in it (REALLY BIG with the rain we just had..) so Callie will get lots of chances to get her feet wet.
It was a gorgeous day, we watched two herds of deer bound away across the fields, a gaggle of wild turkeys, a few squirrels, and birds swooping overhead. Sun overhead, wildlife around, good friends and their horses... and my new gaited mare. What could be better?
But to keep up with the Jones, who are "gaiting out" down the trail and look like they could be holding a glass of wine (beer?) without spilling a drop.... well, I thought I'd give it a try. I mean the gaiting, not the wine.
So Callie and I rode in Mt. Sterling last weekend on an 800 acre farm belonging to friend Edith. Callie was totally nervous for the first 10 minutes, showing me some side passes and complicated dressage moves I didn't know she had. HA! As nervous as she was, she was happier out front than in back. "DON'T LEAVE ME BEHIND" was what her body language was saying. The other horses pretty much ignored her.
The first challenge was a creek crossing. I found out on ride #1 that she doesn't like crossing running water (puddles are OK). This creek crossing required a drop down a small bank and into the water. Her brakes went on. Edith came back (on her trusty mule) and Callie followed his butt down the bank and across the water.
Next, I learned lesson #1 about gaiting. It's smooth for a while then gets bumpy. I understand these gaited horses have a sweet spot where they are smooth as silk, but just as quickly they can fall into a rough spot, if they are going too fast, or if you don't have enough handle on their mouth. It's a touch you have to learn - hold back while putting on the leg.
Callie didn't need much leg on this ride. She was out ahead, gaiting when I'd let her, and seemed to be looking for something ahead. Was she just trying to find the way back ot the trailer, so the old lady could get off her back? Or was she just curious about what was over the next hill?
We had about four creek crossings on that ride, and the good news is that by the end of the ride, she was just a bit hesitant but not resisting badly. A little encouragement and she was stepping into the water like a pro. My pasture at home has a big creek in it (REALLY BIG with the rain we just had..) so Callie will get lots of chances to get her feet wet.
It was a gorgeous day, we watched two herds of deer bound away across the fields, a gaggle of wild turkeys, a few squirrels, and birds swooping overhead. Sun overhead, wildlife around, good friends and their horses... and my new gaited mare. What could be better?
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Is It Just the Economy, Stupid?
There has been an on-going discussion among all of the equine experts (ie all of us, all horse people are experts, right?) whether or not the dismal state of the horse economy is just a matter of the national economy rub-off.
Those in racing know it is more than that, with the lack of competitiveness with other states due to no gaming in Kentucky.
But putting the gaming issue aside, the question is: When the economy recovers in the U.S. (and abroad), will the horse industry bounce back to former levels?
Two schools of thought:
1. YES. Horses take money (as do all forms of recreation), therefore more jobs = more money = more horse buyers and riders= more customers for equine professionals (and increased prices for horses)
2. NO. Horses have been on a slow downward slide as a recreational pursuit even prior to the recession, and will continue that downward slide unless something is done.
Honestly, I would prefer the first answer. If it was just a matter of the economy, that would take some of the responsibility off of all of our shoulders, wouldn't it. It would require just a "grin and bear it" attitude, waiting out the economy, and hoping someone somewhere (Washington DC? Frankfort KY? Hong Kong?) would solve the fiscal problems on behalf of all of the world's citizens, and then - bingo - we are back in business with horses.
But honestly, I am afraid the answer might be #2. I'm not a pessimist but a realist. So the question is: What can we do to ensure that "horses as recreation and business opportunities" bounce back when the economy comes back? Whatever it is we do, we need to work on it now, so we are ready to hit the road running.
I have always liked that phrase "Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps." Where are our bootstraps, and can we work together on getting them pulled?
What does the horse community need to do for itself....to capitalize on the fact that most people are attracted to the beauty and power of a horse?
Those in racing know it is more than that, with the lack of competitiveness with other states due to no gaming in Kentucky.
But putting the gaming issue aside, the question is: When the economy recovers in the U.S. (and abroad), will the horse industry bounce back to former levels?
Two schools of thought:
1. YES. Horses take money (as do all forms of recreation), therefore more jobs = more money = more horse buyers and riders= more customers for equine professionals (and increased prices for horses)
2. NO. Horses have been on a slow downward slide as a recreational pursuit even prior to the recession, and will continue that downward slide unless something is done.
Honestly, I would prefer the first answer. If it was just a matter of the economy, that would take some of the responsibility off of all of our shoulders, wouldn't it. It would require just a "grin and bear it" attitude, waiting out the economy, and hoping someone somewhere (Washington DC? Frankfort KY? Hong Kong?) would solve the fiscal problems on behalf of all of the world's citizens, and then - bingo - we are back in business with horses.
But honestly, I am afraid the answer might be #2. I'm not a pessimist but a realist. So the question is: What can we do to ensure that "horses as recreation and business opportunities" bounce back when the economy comes back? Whatever it is we do, we need to work on it now, so we are ready to hit the road running.
I have always liked that phrase "Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps." Where are our bootstraps, and can we work together on getting them pulled?
What does the horse community need to do for itself....to capitalize on the fact that most people are attracted to the beauty and power of a horse?
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Appalachian Spring
I spent last weekend in Appalachia. Appalachia is beautiful all year round, but in the spring, there is nothing to compare to it. I found out that this time of year is called Service (pronouced Sarviss) Winter, which is when the Redbud trees burst into splashes of bright pink among the grey-brown forests in the mountains. Next will be Dogwood Winter (you can guess what is happening then in the forests), and the Blackberry Winter.
If you ride horses, Appalachia is a goldmine in our backyard. It has inspired poets and musicians, theologians and philosophers.
Ironically, when I returned home the Sunday Lexington Herald-Leader had a review of the Lexington Philharmonic's performance of Copland's "Appalachian Spring". The reviewer was saying the pictures of horses grazing in pasture should have been of horses frolicking in pastures. And I am thinking, "Those pictures were probably horses in the BLUEGRASS, not in APPALACHIA." Ah, how we in the Bluegrass seem to think we are the center of the world....
As we rode in SE Kentucky, my new horse struggled up the steep hillsides, and I was sure to give her lots of resting time between climbs. But when we got to the top, the scenery was spectacular, viewing mountain top after mountaintop, most of which have a name known only to the locals.
Coal mining was a source of long discussions. The challenge of coal as a single source of industry. The necessity of strip mining. The coal property owners who live in other states and make decisions about Kentucky's Appalachian hills while flying 30,000 feet over the area in a plane. The viability of alternative energy sources. The future of the region if coal jobs went away.
(Well, OK, and then there was the UK Final Four Game wedged in there between the discussions... OMG, a nail biter!!)
But back to the SE KY economy. Here is where trail riding comes in. It can be the basis for a healthy adventure tourism economy for Appalachia in Kentucky. There are many counties working on new trails right now... not just in Appalachia but across the state. Horsemen are coming together to do the work necessary to get this effort going. We plan to make "Horse Capital of the World" mean something beyond the Bluegrass. Man, it is so rewarding to see this happen! Racing may be struggling but trail people keep on going... and keep working despite the economics of 2011. It will happen.
If you ride horses, Appalachia is a goldmine in our backyard. It has inspired poets and musicians, theologians and philosophers.
Ironically, when I returned home the Sunday Lexington Herald-Leader had a review of the Lexington Philharmonic's performance of Copland's "Appalachian Spring". The reviewer was saying the pictures of horses grazing in pasture should have been of horses frolicking in pastures. And I am thinking, "Those pictures were probably horses in the BLUEGRASS, not in APPALACHIA." Ah, how we in the Bluegrass seem to think we are the center of the world....
As we rode in SE Kentucky, my new horse struggled up the steep hillsides, and I was sure to give her lots of resting time between climbs. But when we got to the top, the scenery was spectacular, viewing mountain top after mountaintop, most of which have a name known only to the locals.
Coal mining was a source of long discussions. The challenge of coal as a single source of industry. The necessity of strip mining. The coal property owners who live in other states and make decisions about Kentucky's Appalachian hills while flying 30,000 feet over the area in a plane. The viability of alternative energy sources. The future of the region if coal jobs went away.
(Well, OK, and then there was the UK Final Four Game wedged in there between the discussions... OMG, a nail biter!!)
But back to the SE KY economy. Here is where trail riding comes in. It can be the basis for a healthy adventure tourism economy for Appalachia in Kentucky. There are many counties working on new trails right now... not just in Appalachia but across the state. Horsemen are coming together to do the work necessary to get this effort going. We plan to make "Horse Capital of the World" mean something beyond the Bluegrass. Man, it is so rewarding to see this happen! Racing may be struggling but trail people keep on going... and keep working despite the economics of 2011. It will happen.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
We Are Fam-i-ly...
Sister Sledge. Anyone out there remember them? (If you are under 50, you probably have no clue...) It was the anthem of the 70's (well, plus Y-M-C-A..)
We are family...
I got all my sisters with me...
I have three sisters and two brothers. Six of us in total plus Mom and Dad. Which I thought was a large family until I moved to Kentucky and kept meeting people with 10 and 11 siblings. Lordy, poor Mom!
I don't get along with all of my sisters and brothers all of the time. One or two I could meet at a bar after work and talk with into the wee hours. Some of the others I can't comprehend, wouldn't live their lives they way they do. Some are very religious (part of the family up-bringing, trust me! Church three times a week without fail) and some not so. Some spend money over their heads, others are frugal. Some love to venture to places unknown, others don't like any food other than plain meat and potatoes.
But we are family. We see each other at Christmas, exchange stories, admire each others' kids, and sit at the table together. Underlying all of the differences, we have the same basic values. And we want each other to do well in life and be happy and healthy.
I think that deep down, horse people are the same way. We don't like each other all the time. We think our way of owning or riding or keeping horses is the right way, and can't comprehend another's choices about their horses.
Some ride, some just own and watch. Some like high stepping, some like low down and quiet. Some strive for the perfect tempo and gait in a riding ring, others go straight down the path on a trail. Others drive like hell in a carriage across a field, through water obstacles. And then there are those crazy few who careen around a course of 5 foot jumps at breakneck speed. (Oops, did I say crazy?)
There are other ways we often don't agree. Our politics. Our stories to legislators that focus on our issue to the detriment of others who own horses. Our ideas that if my breed "wins", yours has to "lose". Our idea about funding the horse business which means funding MY part of the horse business, but not yours. Our arrogance that what our association does is more informed, more sophisticated, more valuable than what your association does.
But we are all part of the family. And like me and my siblings, we can put aside our differences and focus on our similar goals. Making Kentucky "horse-friendly" for all - business and pleasure - regardless of economy, politics and personalities.
We are family...
I got all my sisters with me...
I have three sisters and two brothers. Six of us in total plus Mom and Dad. Which I thought was a large family until I moved to Kentucky and kept meeting people with 10 and 11 siblings. Lordy, poor Mom!
I don't get along with all of my sisters and brothers all of the time. One or two I could meet at a bar after work and talk with into the wee hours. Some of the others I can't comprehend, wouldn't live their lives they way they do. Some are very religious (part of the family up-bringing, trust me! Church three times a week without fail) and some not so. Some spend money over their heads, others are frugal. Some love to venture to places unknown, others don't like any food other than plain meat and potatoes.
But we are family. We see each other at Christmas, exchange stories, admire each others' kids, and sit at the table together. Underlying all of the differences, we have the same basic values. And we want each other to do well in life and be happy and healthy.
I think that deep down, horse people are the same way. We don't like each other all the time. We think our way of owning or riding or keeping horses is the right way, and can't comprehend another's choices about their horses.
Some ride, some just own and watch. Some like high stepping, some like low down and quiet. Some strive for the perfect tempo and gait in a riding ring, others go straight down the path on a trail. Others drive like hell in a carriage across a field, through water obstacles. And then there are those crazy few who careen around a course of 5 foot jumps at breakneck speed. (Oops, did I say crazy?)
There are other ways we often don't agree. Our politics. Our stories to legislators that focus on our issue to the detriment of others who own horses. Our ideas that if my breed "wins", yours has to "lose". Our idea about funding the horse business which means funding MY part of the horse business, but not yours. Our arrogance that what our association does is more informed, more sophisticated, more valuable than what your association does.
But we are all part of the family. And like me and my siblings, we can put aside our differences and focus on our similar goals. Making Kentucky "horse-friendly" for all - business and pleasure - regardless of economy, politics and personalities.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
GET THE HECK OUT OF DODGE
OK, first of all, a confession. This is going to sound like a sermon. Don't want to do that routinely in a blog, right? I mean, if you need a sermon, you go to church.
And furthermore, I am not the priestess of wisdom. (Ah, wouldn't I like to be.. wouldn't we all like to be?)
I just report what I see and think. Take it or leave it.... so yes, here is a sermon. And a sense of frustration being expressed. It's directed at those who live in Lexington.. my neighbors... some of my colleagues....and at myself as well.
Get the heck out of Dodge.
Like, LEAVE LEXINGTON for a change.
Like, see the rest of the state.
Like, drive a little bit further to talk to other horsemen, ride on a trail ride, participate in a show.
This year the KHC president is from Northern Kentucky. YAHOO! She knows what it is to constantly drive south. Other board members are from Louisville and Shelbyville and Bowling Green and know what it is to constantly drive east. Go to Lexington, the "MECCA" of the horse world. Hmmm...
This needs to be changed.
Yes, Lexington was the site of the World Equestrian Games.
Yes, the Kentucky Horse Park is the best in the country.
Yes, there are a lot of beautiful Thoroughbred farms in Lexington (declining in number now, but still there are a lot in Lexington and surrounding counties)
But really -- where do Kentucky's horsemen live?
The answer: All over the state. Everyone knows that. We know about the concentration of Saddlebreds in Shelby County. The cluster of Eventing and Dressage in Oldham County. The collection of Quarter Horses in western KY counties and Bowling Green area. And trail riders in every nook and cranny of every county.
Being a horsemen is about owning your own horse, caring for it every day (or paying someone to care for it, if you are so lucky to be able to afford that)...riding despite the weather, riding sometimes because of the weather, living through Kentucky winter/spring mud. Fixing your trailer, buying a new bit, scheduling the farrier.
It's also about the horse business. Training horses, instructing riders, breeding horses... and trying to make enough to survive. Watching the feed and bedding bills to figure out the most affordable but healthy choices. Being tied to your cell phone when you leave the barn. Getting calls night and day with concerns or questions, or God forbid, emergencies. Trying to keep up with the latest news in vaccinations, deworming, diseases. Trying to keep connected with your breed organization, your local 4-H horse club, your community.
People all over this Commonwealth are horsemen and horse professionals. Muhlenberg County, Lewis County, Harlan County, Marion County, Campbell County, Boyd County, Warren County...
Get the heck out of Dodge.
It's time to drive west, east, north and south AWAY from Mecca. It's time to meet up with the rest of the world of Kentucky's horses.
And furthermore, I am not the priestess of wisdom. (Ah, wouldn't I like to be.. wouldn't we all like to be?)
I just report what I see and think. Take it or leave it.... so yes, here is a sermon. And a sense of frustration being expressed. It's directed at those who live in Lexington.. my neighbors... some of my colleagues....and at myself as well.
Get the heck out of Dodge.
Like, LEAVE LEXINGTON for a change.
Like, see the rest of the state.
Like, drive a little bit further to talk to other horsemen, ride on a trail ride, participate in a show.
This year the KHC president is from Northern Kentucky. YAHOO! She knows what it is to constantly drive south. Other board members are from Louisville and Shelbyville and Bowling Green and know what it is to constantly drive east. Go to Lexington, the "MECCA" of the horse world. Hmmm...
This needs to be changed.
Yes, Lexington was the site of the World Equestrian Games.
Yes, the Kentucky Horse Park is the best in the country.
Yes, there are a lot of beautiful Thoroughbred farms in Lexington (declining in number now, but still there are a lot in Lexington and surrounding counties)
But really -- where do Kentucky's horsemen live?
The answer: All over the state. Everyone knows that. We know about the concentration of Saddlebreds in Shelby County. The cluster of Eventing and Dressage in Oldham County. The collection of Quarter Horses in western KY counties and Bowling Green area. And trail riders in every nook and cranny of every county.
Being a horsemen is about owning your own horse, caring for it every day (or paying someone to care for it, if you are so lucky to be able to afford that)...riding despite the weather, riding sometimes because of the weather, living through Kentucky winter/spring mud. Fixing your trailer, buying a new bit, scheduling the farrier.
It's also about the horse business. Training horses, instructing riders, breeding horses... and trying to make enough to survive. Watching the feed and bedding bills to figure out the most affordable but healthy choices. Being tied to your cell phone when you leave the barn. Getting calls night and day with concerns or questions, or God forbid, emergencies. Trying to keep up with the latest news in vaccinations, deworming, diseases. Trying to keep connected with your breed organization, your local 4-H horse club, your community.
People all over this Commonwealth are horsemen and horse professionals. Muhlenberg County, Lewis County, Harlan County, Marion County, Campbell County, Boyd County, Warren County...
Get the heck out of Dodge.
It's time to drive west, east, north and south AWAY from Mecca. It's time to meet up with the rest of the world of Kentucky's horses.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
New Horse in the Household
I just bought a new horse.
How easily that slips off the tongue.
But my question to you is: Does everyone go through the same gut-wrenching experience that I do when I commit to a new horse?
The search for the horse first takes over my life. Hours on the internet. watching videos on YouTube, first of the horse you were looking at and then of the other interesting videos that pop up right after that video finishes.
Doing searches with all combinations and permutations of the right words.
Running across interesting horse books on the way, or a trailer for sale that looks like a possibility -- only to remind myself that I'm not buying books or trailers.
Then there's the visits. Setting up the time and day. Watching the weather. Finding the place. Trying not to be affected by how the barn looks, but focusing on how the horse looks. Trying to judge if the owners are telling the truth. Looking into the horse's eye to see into it's real character. Looking at its legs. Picking up its feet. Trying to spook it to see its reaction. Stepping back 20 feet to look at topline, overall conformation. Watching its reaction to being led and saddled.
Then there's the ride. Is there a place to really test the horse's capabilities? Is going around the barn aisle going to tell you anything? Or circling around a small roundpen (NO.) Does the fact that he goes slow away from the barn and fast coming back mean he's going to be barn sour or just acting like every other horse trying to get back to his buddies. Does he feel rough or is that just the saddle you are using?
And if everything is right... There's that final decision, should I make an offer? Do I like the horse enough to live with it for the next few years, or maybe a lifetime? Will she become my best friend or "the mistake I made"? Will he turn out to be Mr. Manners on the trail or "Hell Bent for Leather"? (Where DID that saying come from?)
Finally, if I can answer Yes, this one is a keeper, there's the offer and the negotiation. I hate that part. Wish I were rich and could just say "Yeah, asking price is good, load 'er up." But the asking price is never good. Always too high and everybody knows it.
And finally the getting home. Is her one foot a little clubby, didn't notice that before. Gosh she makes a mess of her stall. But, oh, she's as sweet as she was before I bought her, her coat is just as shiny...
Gut wrenching, that's what it is for me. Exciting but nerve wracking. Do all horse owners feel this way?
How easily that slips off the tongue.
But my question to you is: Does everyone go through the same gut-wrenching experience that I do when I commit to a new horse?
The search for the horse first takes over my life. Hours on the internet. watching videos on YouTube, first of the horse you were looking at and then of the other interesting videos that pop up right after that video finishes.
Doing searches with all combinations and permutations of the right words.
Running across interesting horse books on the way, or a trailer for sale that looks like a possibility -- only to remind myself that I'm not buying books or trailers.
Then there's the visits. Setting up the time and day. Watching the weather. Finding the place. Trying not to be affected by how the barn looks, but focusing on how the horse looks. Trying to judge if the owners are telling the truth. Looking into the horse's eye to see into it's real character. Looking at its legs. Picking up its feet. Trying to spook it to see its reaction. Stepping back 20 feet to look at topline, overall conformation. Watching its reaction to being led and saddled.
Then there's the ride. Is there a place to really test the horse's capabilities? Is going around the barn aisle going to tell you anything? Or circling around a small roundpen (NO.) Does the fact that he goes slow away from the barn and fast coming back mean he's going to be barn sour or just acting like every other horse trying to get back to his buddies. Does he feel rough or is that just the saddle you are using?
And if everything is right... There's that final decision, should I make an offer? Do I like the horse enough to live with it for the next few years, or maybe a lifetime? Will she become my best friend or "the mistake I made"? Will he turn out to be Mr. Manners on the trail or "Hell Bent for Leather"? (Where DID that saying come from?)
Finally, if I can answer Yes, this one is a keeper, there's the offer and the negotiation. I hate that part. Wish I were rich and could just say "Yeah, asking price is good, load 'er up." But the asking price is never good. Always too high and everybody knows it.
And finally the getting home. Is her one foot a little clubby, didn't notice that before. Gosh she makes a mess of her stall. But, oh, she's as sweet as she was before I bought her, her coat is just as shiny...
Gut wrenching, that's what it is for me. Exciting but nerve wracking. Do all horse owners feel this way?
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Paradise is Not Found.
Paradise is not found. It is created.
I am constantly searching for Paradise. The perfect trail. The perfect horse. The perfect (yes, even this..) committee member.
I'd better stop searching and start doing. How to create paradise? It's in our own hands. Where do we start?
We all know about the perfect horse. He is not born. He is created when someone takes time, attention and lots of patience to constantly and consistently ride and teach him what they want and how to respond to aids, and listen to the rider's body language, weight shifts, verbal commands...
And that is why I have not found the perfect horse. The perfect horse is in me. (struggling to get out). Nothing for me to do but invest the time. Stop searching. Start working. (Gosh, that's a hard thing to admit.)
Maybe that's also the reason horses are becoming less attractive to Americans as a hobby. They are not "fast". We want fast food (waiting more than 2 minutes in a McDonald's line??? Oh, pul-ease, you call this fast food?..!), we want ready made meals (pop in the microwave and in 5 minutes..), we want clothes to fit off the rack (small, medium, large, (XL and XXL and XXXL), petite, long, short, wide calf, wide foot...)... We want to order off the internet and have it appear at our doorstep in three days (or preferably less). We don't want to go to the bank for paper money, we want to use a code anywhere we go that represents money.
We don't have time to create our paradise. We want paradise delivered on a platter, cellophane wrapped, available at CVS and Walmart 24/7. MBA degrees in 8 weeks.
Horses haven't figured out this demographic yet. They are stuck in pre-history... "Teach me - over and over - and I will learn. I'd rather run free, but if you feed me repeatedly, I'll come back. I'd rather go left when you want to go right, but if that bit pulls on my mouth enough times (or weight shifts right, so I feel so unbalanced)..I'll go right. Well, OK--- I got the point!"
And voila! After enough of this repetitive human behavior, we have the perfect horse.
AH HA! So there's the real problem. Horses don't understand the new way of human life.
Perhaps we need a new class for them. "Marketing to the New Demographic".If horses want their version of paradise to stick around, they need to change their marketing techniques.
They need to be on Aisle 6 at Walmart. They need to have auto saddlers built in, activated by an electronic code. They need radio frequency GPS-based steering systems (with that nice Mr. Ed voice telling the rider where he's going). They need to plug in at night to recharge (enough of this hay and grain mess). They need a built-in flat screen with USB ports. Their neighs need to be downloadable in forty different choices of sound.
Nah. Forget the class. That wouldn't be any fun at all. I say we stick with pre-history, our one escape from the fast life.
I am constantly searching for Paradise. The perfect trail. The perfect horse. The perfect (yes, even this..) committee member.
I'd better stop searching and start doing. How to create paradise? It's in our own hands. Where do we start?
We all know about the perfect horse. He is not born. He is created when someone takes time, attention and lots of patience to constantly and consistently ride and teach him what they want and how to respond to aids, and listen to the rider's body language, weight shifts, verbal commands...
And that is why I have not found the perfect horse. The perfect horse is in me. (struggling to get out). Nothing for me to do but invest the time. Stop searching. Start working. (Gosh, that's a hard thing to admit.)
Maybe that's also the reason horses are becoming less attractive to Americans as a hobby. They are not "fast". We want fast food (waiting more than 2 minutes in a McDonald's line??? Oh, pul-ease, you call this fast food?..!), we want ready made meals (pop in the microwave and in 5 minutes..), we want clothes to fit off the rack (small, medium, large, (XL and XXL and XXXL), petite, long, short, wide calf, wide foot...)... We want to order off the internet and have it appear at our doorstep in three days (or preferably less). We don't want to go to the bank for paper money, we want to use a code anywhere we go that represents money.
We don't have time to create our paradise. We want paradise delivered on a platter, cellophane wrapped, available at CVS and Walmart 24/7. MBA degrees in 8 weeks.
Horses haven't figured out this demographic yet. They are stuck in pre-history... "Teach me - over and over - and I will learn. I'd rather run free, but if you feed me repeatedly, I'll come back. I'd rather go left when you want to go right, but if that bit pulls on my mouth enough times (or weight shifts right, so I feel so unbalanced)..I'll go right. Well, OK--- I got the point!"
And voila! After enough of this repetitive human behavior, we have the perfect horse.
AH HA! So there's the real problem. Horses don't understand the new way of human life.
Perhaps we need a new class for them. "Marketing to the New Demographic".If horses want their version of paradise to stick around, they need to change their marketing techniques.
They need to be on Aisle 6 at Walmart. They need to have auto saddlers built in, activated by an electronic code. They need radio frequency GPS-based steering systems (with that nice Mr. Ed voice telling the rider where he's going). They need to plug in at night to recharge (enough of this hay and grain mess). They need a built-in flat screen with USB ports. Their neighs need to be downloadable in forty different choices of sound.
Nah. Forget the class. That wouldn't be any fun at all. I say we stick with pre-history, our one escape from the fast life.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Green Makes Me Scream
OK, I admit it.
If I hear one more activity, product, service, company, hobby or process say it is "green", I am going to SCREAM.
Love green. Love things that care for the environment. Love the creation of products and services that save the earth from further destruction.
BUT being green has become a "ME TOO" concept. Somehow the thought is if you say your idea/product/service is "green" -- You have risen above the crowd and joined the angels.
How does this relate to horses?
Horses have ALWAYS been green to some extent. Manure composts into soil. When they eat hay and grass, it is converting energy into energy with no chemicals added. They don't need air conditioning and heating in their barns and sheds. They transport US without putting carbon in the air.
We still have a problem - when we transport THEM. To take our horses to shows, trails, races and auctions, we need these great big carbon spewing trucks, which quite frankly don't make the grade in gas mileage and DO put carbon into the air.
I'm waiting for the "green" truck. Electric? (experts say no, can't get enough power out of electric). But technology charges ahead and I still hope that someday, our trucks and trailers can be "green".
UGH, there is that word again.
If I hear one more activity, product, service, company, hobby or process say it is "green", I am going to SCREAM.
Love green. Love things that care for the environment. Love the creation of products and services that save the earth from further destruction.
BUT being green has become a "ME TOO" concept. Somehow the thought is if you say your idea/product/service is "green" -- You have risen above the crowd and joined the angels.
How does this relate to horses?
Horses have ALWAYS been green to some extent. Manure composts into soil. When they eat hay and grass, it is converting energy into energy with no chemicals added. They don't need air conditioning and heating in their barns and sheds. They transport US without putting carbon in the air.
We still have a problem - when we transport THEM. To take our horses to shows, trails, races and auctions, we need these great big carbon spewing trucks, which quite frankly don't make the grade in gas mileage and DO put carbon into the air.
I'm waiting for the "green" truck. Electric? (experts say no, can't get enough power out of electric). But technology charges ahead and I still hope that someday, our trucks and trailers can be "green".
UGH, there is that word again.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Who buys the horse license plate?
You may know that much of the Horse Council's income comes from the horse license plate. That little, thin, bendable rectangle... good for cars AND farm trucks.
Sure would like to know who is buying them. I know people who don't own horses who get it. I know horse people who don't get the horse plate. [The 4-H/FFA plate is too tempting..]
We are trying to find out who and where those horse plate owners are. We've petitioned the state transportation to give us a one-time use of the 2010-2011 purchasers so we can send them a survey to find out why they get it..
Is it because they own horses and that's part of their identity? Is it because they live in KY and are proud to be in 'the horse capital of the world'? Do they just think it's a pretty picture?
And do they know who gets the proceeds and what is done with them?
All good questions, and we'd sure like to know.
Why do you have the plate on your car/truck? Or why not?
Sure would like to know who is buying them. I know people who don't own horses who get it. I know horse people who don't get the horse plate. [The 4-H/FFA plate is too tempting..]
We are trying to find out who and where those horse plate owners are. We've petitioned the state transportation to give us a one-time use of the 2010-2011 purchasers so we can send them a survey to find out why they get it..
Is it because they own horses and that's part of their identity? Is it because they live in KY and are proud to be in 'the horse capital of the world'? Do they just think it's a pretty picture?
And do they know who gets the proceeds and what is done with them?
All good questions, and we'd sure like to know.
Why do you have the plate on your car/truck? Or why not?
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Secretariat versus the Woman
I got caught in the middle of a Secretariat the movie argument yesterday. In one corner of the ring, a 60-something woman, smart, works in the office of a horse farm. In the other corner of the ring, a 70-something, vibrant UK faculty member in the arts who bets on horse races in every state of the union, knows more about jockeys, specific horses and tracks than I ever will.
The woman (let's call her Lil) loved the Secretariat movie for how it portrayed Penny Chenery and her courage to stand up in the man's world of racing and do what needed to be done for Secretariat to have a chance.
The man (let's call him Stan) refuses to go see the movie because he says that Secretariat was the greatest horse that ever was, and this movie (from what he's read) is more about Penny C. than about the horse. And furthermore, it got some facts wrong. And if that wasn't enough, it was made by Disney for god's sake and you know what Disney will do to animal movies.
Lil and Stan sparred back and forth. Lil held her ground, saying it sounded like Stan was chauvinist and just didn't like the fact that the story had a strong woman in it. Stan shot back that Penny didn't really make all those decisions - like about the syndication of Secretariat - that it was Seth Hancock and other major horse farm owners (men), and she just went along. And furthermore that she was the daughter of one of the richest farm family in Virginia, so enough of this "poor little Penny" stuff.
Lil kept going, not willing to give an inch, especially to a man who had not even seen the movie. Stan said, that's right and I WON'T see any horse movie made by Disney.
To which Lil replied, well I won't go to the races and bet because these horse owners have an addiction to breeding horses and they turn out all these animals that don't make it big on the track, then discard them.
It occurred to me that Lil represents as close as we get to what the general public perceives of the racing industry. Even though she works on a horse farm, she is not "into" the business, does not have hands on experience in the barns or tracks, and is perfectly happy to watch a movie by Disney about a great horse, because she loves the story that surrounds that horse as much as the story of the horse itself.
The big question out of this argument between the "general public" and someone who is immersed in the betting part of racing, and therefore knows his facts and cares mostly about how THE HORSE was portrayed, that they got the facts right -- Is: "Are movies like Secretariat good for racing?"
What if Secretariat the movie DID get the facts wrong on who did what? What if there is more screen time focusing on the people and not much on the horse? What if the main player is from the well-heeled Virginia horse crowd which reinforces the public's image that all horse owners are rich? What if the movie is produced by Disney, which is famous for the personification of animals, which has contributed to the public's unrealistic view of how livestock is treated, how much time and effort goes into caring for them, and the false impression that animals have the same type of feelings as humans do?
My opinion is YES, let's support these types of movies. The success of the movie shows once again that the public has a love affair with horses, even though they may contain a somewhat unrealistic view about how the animals think and act. Is it important to the industry whether or not Penny Chenery did a particular thing, or had a particular idea? These are movies, not documentaries. If you want facts true down to the detail, go watch the History Channel.
We need the images of horses, of all shapes and sizes, and all jobs and sports, in front of the public. And we don't need just the famous stars, we need the backyard horse stories too. This is good for ALL of the horse owners in this country. American is beginning to forget how horses have impacted our history and our lives. We need it all, and if it has to be Disney that does it successfully, we just do our best to make the story show the realism of horses, good and bad.
The woman (let's call her Lil) loved the Secretariat movie for how it portrayed Penny Chenery and her courage to stand up in the man's world of racing and do what needed to be done for Secretariat to have a chance.
The man (let's call him Stan) refuses to go see the movie because he says that Secretariat was the greatest horse that ever was, and this movie (from what he's read) is more about Penny C. than about the horse. And furthermore, it got some facts wrong. And if that wasn't enough, it was made by Disney for god's sake and you know what Disney will do to animal movies.
Lil and Stan sparred back and forth. Lil held her ground, saying it sounded like Stan was chauvinist and just didn't like the fact that the story had a strong woman in it. Stan shot back that Penny didn't really make all those decisions - like about the syndication of Secretariat - that it was Seth Hancock and other major horse farm owners (men), and she just went along. And furthermore that she was the daughter of one of the richest farm family in Virginia, so enough of this "poor little Penny" stuff.
Lil kept going, not willing to give an inch, especially to a man who had not even seen the movie. Stan said, that's right and I WON'T see any horse movie made by Disney.
To which Lil replied, well I won't go to the races and bet because these horse owners have an addiction to breeding horses and they turn out all these animals that don't make it big on the track, then discard them.
It occurred to me that Lil represents as close as we get to what the general public perceives of the racing industry. Even though she works on a horse farm, she is not "into" the business, does not have hands on experience in the barns or tracks, and is perfectly happy to watch a movie by Disney about a great horse, because she loves the story that surrounds that horse as much as the story of the horse itself.
The big question out of this argument between the "general public" and someone who is immersed in the betting part of racing, and therefore knows his facts and cares mostly about how THE HORSE was portrayed, that they got the facts right -- Is: "Are movies like Secretariat good for racing?"
What if Secretariat the movie DID get the facts wrong on who did what? What if there is more screen time focusing on the people and not much on the horse? What if the main player is from the well-heeled Virginia horse crowd which reinforces the public's image that all horse owners are rich? What if the movie is produced by Disney, which is famous for the personification of animals, which has contributed to the public's unrealistic view of how livestock is treated, how much time and effort goes into caring for them, and the false impression that animals have the same type of feelings as humans do?
My opinion is YES, let's support these types of movies. The success of the movie shows once again that the public has a love affair with horses, even though they may contain a somewhat unrealistic view about how the animals think and act. Is it important to the industry whether or not Penny Chenery did a particular thing, or had a particular idea? These are movies, not documentaries. If you want facts true down to the detail, go watch the History Channel.
We need the images of horses, of all shapes and sizes, and all jobs and sports, in front of the public. And we don't need just the famous stars, we need the backyard horse stories too. This is good for ALL of the horse owners in this country. American is beginning to forget how horses have impacted our history and our lives. We need it all, and if it has to be Disney that does it successfully, we just do our best to make the story show the realism of horses, good and bad.
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