Top posts, 2007-01-31

Top posts for the past 30 days, based on WordPress stats.

1. World’s smallest horse
2. Dutch rescuers try to save trapped horses
3. World’s largest horses
4. Barbaro immortalized by Breyer
5. Lorenzo and his Camargue horses
6. Barbaro update, and a challenge to those who say they love horses
7. And then there was one
8. Apassionata with Andalusian stallion
9. 16 reasons to date a horseback rider
10. Why we care…or not
11. Be careful what you StumbleWish for
12. When Canadians compete
13. Sable Island horse photos at Dutesco Art
14. Mysterious photo
15. Horse Lovers Blog Carnival
16. Apocalypse Ponies
17. Hoof Hearted
18. Barbaro roundup
19. Spettaculary
20. No more horse slaughter in Texas

Award-winning documentary on life with Egyptian Arab horses

The documentary “Life with Passion”, the story of Egyptian Arabs and two women who raise them, has won 2007 Best Biography Documentary Award. More info

Auctioned mini given back to owner

A 10-year-old Chandler boy who offered to donate his miniature horse
for a charity auction will get to keep his pet, thanks to two generous
bidders.

Last week Andrew Jentlie, who has diabetes, made one of the toughest
choices in his life. He offered to give up Zig-Zag, his miniature
horse for the past four years, to be auctioned in a benefit for the
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Link (thanks raincoaster!)

Horse Lovers Blog Carnival

Here are the posts, and they all look good!

The next one will be hosted here on February 7, 2007. We will be including a theme for this next carnival which is dedicated to Barbaro. If possible we would like you to submit posts related to Barbaro and/or Horse Health. If you don’t have posts with these topics go ahead and submit under the general category. The link for submissions is here.

Barbaro roundup

PREAKNESS 131, originally uploaded by Banamine.

Barbaro may be laid to rest at Churchill Downs…

Wingspan Expressions reports that over 18,000 candles from 41 countries are alight in Barbaro’s honour on a virtual candle website…

The Breyer Barbaro was retired on January 1, 2007, so your best bet is probably eBay, where it’s going for ridiculous prices…

The LAist reminds us that he was “just a horse“…

Gulfstream Park and the University of Florida will honour his memory by establishing a veterinary scholarship in his name…

Philadelphia Weekly offers a hilariously cynical field guide to Barbaro messageboard factions…

Here’s the official statement from Churchill Downs…

Here’s a story about Barbaro’s vet (use BugMeNot if it asks you to register)…

 

Foal roundup

bassgirl1970

Last year, MiKael at Rising Rainbow had a unique experience: her Arab mare Scandalous Love gave birth to twins! You can read more about them here; MiKael goes into even more detail on her blog. Both foals, a filly named Scandalous Surprise and a colt named Scandalous Trouble, are doing well now and more than living up to their names. Coppertop’s Belgian mare Rowan is expecting any minute now.  IT’S A GIRL! Those of you who hope to catch a foaling online can refer to an earlier post on Bridlepath, Horse Cams, for some links; also check out Mare Stare and FoalNet. Anyone else out there expecting any blessed events in the barn?

How to rewire a model horse’s leg

stablemate Morgan, originally uploaded by appaIoosa.

According to my stats, someone keeps coming to Bridlepath with that search string: “how to rewire a model horses leg“. Anyone out there actually know how to do it, so we can help this anonymous person? I was able to find this at Mane Connection:

Breyer models are made of Cellulose Acetate. The composition of cellulose acetate will not allow it to be glued with everyday adhesives like Elmers, model cement, or even Crazy Glue. For best results, you should use acetone, or an adhesive high in acetone to repair breaks. Nail polish remover, which is a dilute mixture of acetone and water, is usually too dilute to work well and should not be attempted if it contains skin softeners or moisturizers such as aloe or lanolin.Acetone can be found at hardware stores. Acetone is flammable slightly toxic and reactive to other chemicals that you may have around the house (for example hydrogen peroxide or bleach). It should be only used in a well-ventilated area and skin contact should be avoided.The following will make your broken model almost as good as new. The break point will have almost the same strength as it did before the break if the following steps are performed properly. If one of your favorite models needs surgery, it might be wise to first practice on a less favorite model to gain experience and confidence. Follow these steps to insure a good bond:

1. Make sure that the surface of the break is clean.
2. Put a small drop of acetone on each part and allow it to stand 10-30 seconds. Do not over apply the solvent or you risk over-softening (melting) the pieces and destroy the paint.
3. Carefully put the two pieces together and hold for at least one minute.
4. Let the bond set for at least an hour. Make certain that there is no pressure or strain on the broken area.

The break in a leg can be strengthen by putting a small pin in it. Drill a small hole (slightly smaller than the diameter of the pin) in one face of the break and insert the pin. Align the two pieces and press them together so that the pin makes a indentation where you should drill the hole in the in the second piece then drill the second hole.

OK, anonymous person, does that help?

Kennebec Count

Riding as exercise II

Found at Suisan’s blog:

At this time of year, after the holidays, ads for weight-loss programs saturate print media and the airwaves. Even TV talk shows devote time to the battle of the bulge. I caught part of a Dr. Phil episode in which the prominent self-help guru was evaluating the situation of one overweight guest. The woman commented that she’d like to buy a horse so she could get exercise via riding. “That’s great for the horse,” responded Dr. Phil drolly, “but what good is it for you?”

Obviously, Dr. Phil has missed out on the cardiovascular workout we women get attempting to get into a sports bra and riding pants….

Clearly, the good doctor doesn’t own a horse. At least, not the right horse. A quiet, well-broke, agreeable mount may indeed not offer much in the way of fitness training. But, the right horse (and most of us have owned 1 or 2, haven’t we?) will provide a body-building, cardiovascular- enhancing workout that would make Richard Simmons envious.

Allow me to explain….

Don’t forget!

Horse Approved will be hosting a Horse Lovers Blog Carnival on January 31. If you’d like to be part of it too, submissions are due by January 30, 5 pm Pacific Time.

In Memoriam: Barbaro

In Memoriam: Barbaro, originally uploaded by Shoshin Seishu.

“Certainly, grief is the price we all pay for love.”
– co-owner Gretchen Jackson.

Barbaro euthanized

Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro was euthanized this morning, according to one of the horse’s co-owners. Over the weekend, Barbaro needed new surgery on the leg he broke in last year’s Preakness. Surgeons inserted two steel pins in one of the three shattered bones, to eliminate all weight on his right rear foot.

The leg had been on the mend until an abscess began causing discomfort last week. Until then, the major concern was the other hind leg, not the broken one. Barbaro had developed laminitis in his left rear hoof in July, and 80 percent of the hoof was removed. Link

Godspeed, big guy. You’ll never be forgotten.

Braids for the bereaved

Compassionate vet tech Jane Ebben creates beautiful horsehair and ribbon mementoes to give to the owners of horses who pass away at the University of Missouri’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Link

(NB: I posted this a couple of hours before I heard about Barbaro; I’m not being a ghoul. Honest)

But is it art?

The Sundance Film Festival has been abuzz lately with talk of Zoo (safe link), a documentary about people who are sexually attracted to animals, and in particular a man who died after getting intimate with a stallion. Good.

Bridlepath word cloud

 

Is cool, yes? Get your own here (link via raincoaster).

Another riding simulator

The fourth-generation EU-6441 from Matsushita/National features adjustable stirrups, realistic motion, and a selection of preprogrammed training courses. Ain’t nothing like the real thing, though, baby. Link