Some days just got you like:
Last week, I finally sat on this little four-year-old Arabian mare at my work, after four months of ground work. Four months sounds like a long time, but when she came into the program where I work, she was feral and you couldn’t even get a halter on her. So, along with her flighty nature, she had to learn about EVERYTHING. I mean, she’d never even been in a barn before! So after I taught her to groom, bathe, pick her feet, lunge, wear tack, and let me lean on her, I got on her and she was completely OK with it, which made it so incredibly satisfying, and I knew all my hard work was worth it. I love starting babies!
U.S. Weekend Preview:
Stable View Winter I H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Poplar Place Farm February H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]
Sporting Days H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]
Galway Downs H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]
News From Around the Globe:
New horse entering your barn? Don’t skip the quarantine. It doesn’t matter if your horse came from a high end sales barn, a competition barn, or the feedlot, it’s not worth the risk. A lack of quarantine can really come back and bite you in the butt, and can have serious consequences. Kristen Pierce explains on HN why you should never skip the quarantine. [Hot on HN]
The deadline to apply for the Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover has closed. Almost 500 trainers applied to participate, with a pool of nearly 750 horses. Most of the applicants are professionals, but many amateurs and juniors applied as well. The applicants cover almost all of the states and several Canadian territories and eventers, show jumpers, and show hunters dominated the discipline selections. Final participants will be announced on February 15. [RRP Makeover Application Closes]
El Nino has caused serious draught across Africa, with Ethiopia affected worst of all. There are over nine million working equines in Ethiopia, which is the second largest population in the world, and they support over 85% of the people in rural areas. The Brooke, an international organization dedicated to improving welfare for horses, donkeys and mules in third world countries, is launching a massive emergency response to help give them food and water as the draught continues. [The Brooke Feeds 600 Horses a Day]
Aaaand it’s officially mud season on the East Coast. Here in Virginia, we had two feet or more of snow, and now that all melted, topped off by a full 24 hours of pouring rain. You can imagine what our fields look like right now. If you’re frustrated with the amount of mud that you find on your horse every day, maybe these pictures of grey horses in Britain will make you feel better. [Here Comes the Mud]
Allie Sacksen and super hony Sparrow’s Nio are heading back to Rolex this spring. They made their Rolex debut last year, and had a great run, so they’re back at it for 2016, with the goal of being competitive! If you’d like to help Allie and Nio in their goals, she’s set up a donation site you can access here. [Road To Rolex 2016]
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