The experience of raising a horse from when it is a baby is quite an interesting journey!

I have documented Star's birth and training on this website.  Now I have experienced something that I didn't expect!

On Saturday morning, I went out to feed the horses and when I gave them their treats, I was horrified to see Star's front teeth broken off and hanging on!  Yikes!  How could she have gotten kicked in the mouth when she was in her stall?  A nasty odor of rotten teeth came out of her mouth as well.  I thought, "poor horse!  She must be in terrible pain!"

But, she wasn't sweaty, or distressed, all she wanted was her food.  I fed the  horses, and Star voraciously ate like she always does.  I could hear the teeth grinding as she ate.

I called the vet and she was out for the weekend, so I left a message to call me back Monday and I rushed inside to surf the computer to see if there was hope after horse's loose their front teeth!

What I learned is that horses loose their baby teeth "caps" at around 2 and a half years old.  Star just turned 3 two weeks ago and I did have the equine dentist out in January.  She told me that Star would loose her baby teeth caps... I guess I just forgot!

Well, 3 days later, the teeth fell out and the new ones are coming up.  They look nice, and the odor is gone.  The sweet horse breath is back!!!

There was one sign that I missed before this happened. The week before, she was not happy to be bridled.  Normally she loved grabbing the bit and getting to work.  Her teeth must have been sore.  

My vet called me back the other day and we had a good laugh about it and she said that it is Ok to bridle her up and start work once again.  The equine dentist had removed her wolf teeth and now that she has lost some caps should be comfortable in the bit.

You can never stop learning about horses!

Tags: Baby Teeth

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With all of the rain we have gotten in Arizona, washes that have been dry for years are now flowing with water.

Don't be tempted to ride your horses into those washes even though you have ridden many times through those washes.  Some riders made a bad choice last Friday in the Gila River  in Arizona.

What was supposed to be a nice spring ride turned into a 4 day nightmare for a family and their horses.  They had ridden the Gila River wash many years, and they were supposedly "experienced" riders.

Apparently they hadn't had experience with river washes.  They decided to cross the Gila River which was swollen with running water.  This river is normally dry, but with recent rain and snow runoff, the currents were swift.  They ran into immediate trouble with the dad getting washed off his horse Colorado.  Another family horse got washed away in the strong currents as well.  Colorado, a mustang, fought the currents and struggled to keep afloat.  The other horse was not so lucky as it was swept under with other debris down the river  when it was pulled out, it broke its leg and had to be put down.  Colorado made it to a sandbar in the middle of the river and crawled safely to shore.

Colorado was not out of danger yet.  The currents were too strong to swim off of the sandbar.  For four days he waited for help.  People dropped hay off to him,  but he could not be removed from the sandbar.  Soon it was decided that he would be rescued with a helicopter.

Good samaritans donated money for the expensive rescue.  A helicopter and trained rescue crew were flew in from California to the Gila River.  They landed the helicopter on the sandbar with the mustang calmly waiting for help.  Perhaps he knew the people were there to help.  A vet tranquilized Colorado and the rescue crew fitted him with a special harness that would support his weight.  They put a hood on him and when he was relaxed, they lifted him up with the helicopter and flew him to safety.  He was in good condition and happy to see his owner when they landed.

Here's the news video on a local tv station:

http://www.fox11az.com/news/local/Group-riding-horses-becomes-stranded-in-waist-high-water-875 08892.html

Here is the video of the rescue!

http://www.fox11az.com/news/local/Group-riding-horses-becomes-stranded-in-waist-high-water-875 08892.html

Tags: Horse Rescue With A Helicopter

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 I saddled up my old friend for a New Year's Day ride.  It was nice to get away from the football and get some fresh air on a beautiful Phoenix 70 degree day.  The rest of the country seems to be covered in a shroud of cold, snowy, weather.

Since I have been working to train Star, Maverick has taken the back seat for attention, but he knew that we were getting ready to partner up again.  I would have loved to find others to ride with, but I think that the rest of the world was either watching football or recovering from the parties of the night before.

We rode right from the house across the south part of town into the South Mountain Mountain Preserve Park ( which by the way is the largest municipal park in the United States).

I didn't see any other horses or evidence of other horses, just folks out hiking, and an occasional mountain biker.  Maverick felt good and we cantered down the trail and then climbed up to the first ridge over looking the Phoenix valley.  Here you can see the whole city.  Maverick likes to look over the city and listen to the vibration of noises that work their way up to this lookout point.  We can see probably 200 miles or so to the mountains to the east ( including  the Four Peaks).  I couldn't believe how clear it was.  The news said it would be smoggy and inverted, but not so!

We headed down the backside passing the petroglyphs that get over looked by most visiting the park.  These were created by the Hohokam Indians that lived in the area long in the past.  The washes are dry most of the year and are fun to gallop down.  Maverick anticipates going fast in the sand since I can't resist galloping there.  Once out of the washes, we have to go  a bit slower since the area is so rocky and rugged.  

Halfway through the ride is the main eastern entrance to the park at Pima Canyon.  This area is very busy with lots of people trying to get in.  There is a horse water tank here and we decided to stop for water.  There are lots of tourists here enjoying the weather and the rugged desert terrain.  Once large group we encountered were Chinese Tourists.  They were amazed by the sight of a cowgirl on a horse!  The funny thing though, was in very broken English, they told me that they liked my "Black Dog!"  Some were frightened at the sight of such a big animal ( Maverick is rather small for a horse though at only 15 hands and about 900 pounds).

When we were all watered up, we rode on to Awatuki which is on the south side of the park.  Lots of mountain bikers there, but no sight of any other horses.  Not even rental horses.  What is the matter with people?  

A cool breeze kicked up as the sun started to go down and we had to head home. We crossed two more ridges and valleys before we descended back to the edge of the city and back to our home.

Another uneventful ride on my big black dog!

Tags: Black Dog

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It is hard to believe that just 2 years ago a "Star" was born.  My husband took the latest photo of me last weekend riding Star under saddle and bridle(see my photos).  I have introduced her to a rubber coated D ring snaffle and we have really been communicating!

Today (Fri 9-25-09), my riding buddy picked me up, but this time instead of Maverick, I took Star.  She loaded right up in her trailer and we rode South Mountain Mountain Preserve Park (Phoenix, AZ).  It was Star's first trailer ride out  to ride her first "trail ride."

She unloaded very nicely and I tied her up to the side of the trailer to get ready to saddle.  I hung her feed bag up and Star made herself at home.  I brushed her, cleaned her feet and then saddled her right up.  Other than moving around a couple of times, she stood very nice.  There was distractions by the way.  The first one was an old cowboy loading his old gelding into his trailer on the other side of the parking area.  The next distraction was the sound of rapid fire gunshots from the police shooting range on the next ridge over.  Nothing seemed to bother her.  

We went into the small round pen to do groundwork.  She shied slightly from a tree next to the round pet which had spooked her 4 months ago.  I worked her in that corner until she was quiet and relaxed by that tree.

Next we bridled up, tightened up the cinch and headed to the big riding arena where my friend Suzanne was warming up on her fox trotter.  Star wanted to watch "Shamrock", but I worked on bringing her attention back to me.  Once we established that, she kept her eyes on me only.  I mounted and she stood very still.  We walked around the arena, doing circles in the corners and stopping, turn on haunches and reverse directions.  After about 30 minutes, we were bored so off to the trails we went.  We rode on flat trails that were very rocky.  We crossed roads and stepped over rocks and branches.  Cars went by, bicycles went by, and park ranger trucks went by.  NO SPOOK!.

Star was VERY calm, nothing phased her and she was even rather pokey.  When my friend rode off, Star didn't seem to care one bit.  I was pleased about that, because nobody needs a herd bound trail horse!  Sometimes over the rocky parts, I sensed that it was hard to get used to where her feet were.  She wanted to go faster down the small hills and very slow up them.

All in All, We had an amazing ride and we decided to end on a good note.  She was actually pretty tired.  (Remember, she is not even 3 yet!)  It took 2 attempts at loading for the ride home, and I think that it was because of the high step up to the trailer with how the truck was parked in the lot.

She unloaded very nicely once we got home and I brushed her  and put her into her stall.  Maverick was thoroughly irritated that I took Star instead of him!  But after I gave him a treat he forgave me!

I hope next trail time goes as well as this experience.  She seems like she will be a great horse.

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I can't believe that I am writing a blog about a sneaky bite on the rump, but here goes!

Most of you at Tackwagon know that I am working with my 2 year old filly.  We have our good days and we have our challenging days.  Actually she has been really easy to work with which is a good thing because I am way too old to be beat up by a mouthy young filly.

The funny thing about this blog is that it isn't about my silly little filly.  It is about my very loyal, beautiful and obedient gelding Maverick!  You see, in the summer in Phoenix, we do not get in many long rides since the heat is extreme.  This makes Maverick very cranky because it is hot and despite that he wants to GO .  He is bored with the neighborhood rides and I need to trailer him up to the mountains for an epic adventure that we both long for...this time of the year.

Well, as I was cleaning his stall, I bent over to scrub out his water barrel and He just couldn't resist my big rump sticking up in the air as a perfect target!  He snuck right up behind me and boom!A sneaky bite on MY rump!!!

Needless to say I disciplined him right at that second and he realized his mistake as he cowered in the corner of his stall.  Star was very scared too at my anger even though it was not directed at her. ( Maybe that was why she behaved so well when I worked with her later on in the day!)

I couldn't stay mad for very long.  His large sad Arabian eyes let me know that he was sorry.  It had been 13 years since he had last bitten me.  He came to me and put his head down for a "hug".  They are certainly like little kids when they get in trouble.  Also, it was not a bad bite.  I just felt his teeth snag my pocket.  No bruise or anything like that, but you still have to give them a reminder when they forget who is boss!

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Did you know they really can cook eggs here on the sidewalk in Phoenix, AZ?

Well, I mustered enough energy to ride Star yesterday in the neighbor's arena.  I have been riding her with a bareback pad and a halter, but yesterday, I actually bitted her up with a bridle and threw the Big Western Saddle on her.  She was great.  I just have to get her to quit chewing on the saddle strings!  

The only problem I am having is mounting.  The saddle slips when I try to get up.  Star stands fine, but I don't think I can get the saddle on tighter.  I have just been using the fence.  Perhaps my mounting technique need to be worked out.

I rode her for about 40 minutes before I started to melt.  She also had lots of sweat rolling down from under the saddle pad despite just  easy walking and turning in large circles.

When I was done, I pulled all of her tack off and hosed her off..Oh and me too!  Then, I headed back into the comfort of my air conditioned shelter dreaming of cooler months to come!

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Life these days often seems "oxymoronic" for me, but over the couple of  weekends, I think I saw it all!.

Two weeks ago, I went on a date with "Mr. KellyHB1" (woo hoo!) and we went to a classic western bar in Scottsdale called Handlebar J's.  It is a fun place to go if you like beef, drinks, and people dressed up as "cowboys".  I think I was one of the few that actually had manure on my boots!  Which leads me to the first "oxymoron" I encountered that weekend.  With all the folks dressed up to western dance, I became aware of a guy dressed in a T-shirt and shorts and Birkenstock sandals approaching our table.  People at the bar seemed to know him and he visited many customers as he made his way to our table.  Now, this guy looked like he should be sitting on a beach somewhere in the Caribbean drinking out of a coconut!  When he finally got to our table, he took a good look at our cowboy boots, and told us that we needed a shine! ( I guess he saw the manure all the way from the other side of the establishment.)He handed us his card and it turned out that he had a shoe shine business inside of the bar!  I told him thanks and that maybe another time...

When he left, I thought to myself I don't know if I wanted a guy in sandals to be shining my boots! "Oxymoronic"  I would have preferred if he had a coconut drink to offer me instead!

Next Oxymoron:

My filly Star popped a shoe off last week messing around in the pasture!  I guess that it is hard to keep shoes on such a young horse since they run and buck, etc...

Now I had just gotten her shoes the week before so it wasn't something that I was willing to wait for to get fixed and I called my farrier to see if he could put it back on.  He told me he would be out on Sunday morning to put the shoe back on.  (My farrier loves me!)

So, I got up early and fed the ponies, opened the front gate, and went inside for a cup  of coffee.  I thought I'd hear his big Ford diesel truck so that I would be ready to meet him outside by the barn.  I got through half of my cup, when I heard a tapping on the front door and there was the farrier!  Strange, I didn't hear the truck and he was so quiet!

I went outside with him to get Star and I realized why I hadn't heard the truck!  There sitting by the barn was a very Hot and Sexy brand new red Corvette!  I turned to him and said, "You really have been charging me too much!"

He laughed and opened up the trunk, pulled out the anvil and other equipment and 5 minutes later, Star's shoe was back on.   Apparently he didn't have any clients that day and thought he'd enjoy a nice Sunday drive after he put the shoe back on.

As he drove away, I laughed to myself and thought, "Why not!"

"Oxymoronic!"

Later that night, I enjoyed a delicious Cheesy, pepperoni pizza with my Diet Coke!

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Each month I look forward to getting my new issue of Arabian Horse World magazine.  I do have to say that this publication provides lots and lots of "eye candy" for us Arabian horse fanatics.  

Now last year I started to notice how long the "well bred" Arab's necks were getting as well as very strange, huge, bulbous foreheads, unusually large googly eyes, and tiny, tiny, teacup noses. In one issue, the babies looked particularly strange and my non - arab enthusiast friend said they looked more like llamas than horses!  Sadly, I had to agree with her. I thought to myself,"I am glad I have an older bred Arab!"  They're breeding little freaky monsters!

But the December Issue(s) definitely cleared up some of my confusion!  In that issue, there was an article on how people are "photo shopping" their horses so they represent what they think the Arabian horses should look like.  To illustrate that point, they took a few photos of  beautiful (but very normal looking Arabian horses) and "morphed" them into the freaky ones that seem to cover the pages in Arabian Horse World magazine! They started by "flattening" the croup, removing the shoulder to give the appearance of a longer neck, and changing the angle of attachment of the horse's head to the body.  Then they made the eye bigger, stretched the muzzle out and broadened the fore head.  "Voila!" the new freaky Arabians!  In one of the photos, they even removed manure stains.  The author of the article even said that most photos in the publication were altered in some way.

Now I can hardly look at any of these photos and see the beautiful Arabians without thinking of photoshop.

Does the Quarter Horse Journal allow this kind of "trickery" by making the horse's rear ends look bigger?

Does the Appaloosa Horse Journal allow people to photoshop wild coat patterns to represent Appaloosas?

We know this definitely happens in fashion magazines with models.

I do not know what to believe anymore.

I guess I will hop up on my ordinary Arabian and just be thankful that all four legs reach the ground soundly!  After all, isn't that the basis for all horse breeding?

Please go to the polls and see my new poll on photoshopping horses.  Let me know what you think.

(I think it is OK for fun, but shouldn't showcase breeds of horses for certain attributes!)

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Well, by now, most people have heard about or have been following the New President's schedule of city visits and this Wednesday was Phoenix's Turn.  Usually when the president comes to Phoenix (as with most big cities) roads are shut down, people gather to cheer or protest, and for a good lot of us, we just want to stay away from all of the hoopla!

This takes me to Tuesday afternoon in Tempe, Arizona.  My daughter sails with the sailing club at Tempe Town Lake and I take my horse Maverick and ride during her 2 hour sail.  Papago Park is an older park with easy "inner-city" trails that take you around the Phoenix Zoo, Botanical Gardens, and along the Tempe Town Lake Marina.  It is also VERY close to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.  Jet aircraft land every 2 minutes on 2 runways here and consequently Papago park is anything but quiet during the week.

As I was working my way up the trail to get to the highest ridge overlooking the city to the southwest.  I became aware of all of the little baby bunnies hopping around and how beautiful the spring desert plants looked.  Just then I was over come by a strange feeling and realized that it was very quiet and there were no airplanes coming in.  I had reached the top by this point and the valley was so clear and beautiful.  The puffy clouds were getting ready to frame the sunset that was coming soon.  

It then got noisy again when a very low flying helicopter zoomed by.  Even Maverick looked up at this one!  As I was trying to figure out all of these strange events, I heard the sound of a HUGE jet.  It was Air Force One on final approach to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport!  The distinctive 747 flew right over Maverick and I and we watched it land.  What an interesting experience!  

Today, to avoid security closures, my friend and I drove out to McDowell Mountain Park east of Phoenix and had a relaxing ride away from all of the political excitement.  By the time we returned to the city, the president had left town and it was business as usual.  

One thing's for sure, I don't thing that my horse and I will ever be that close to the president again!  I guess we had a presidential ride!

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