Echo

I want to tell you about Echo, I don't have a picture of her, but she was a fairly typical backyard Arab mare. About 13.2 hands, fleabitten gray, no withers to speak of and a cute face. She was purchased by some friends for their kids to do 4-H on. Echo was a basket case. She was a sweet mare, not mean, just scared and green. Apparently the previous owner had left her in a stall or small pen with her foal until said foal was 2 or 3 years old, so she was fairly unsocialized. They fed and watered them but little else. She was "broke" but not trained, she would not canter, only trot-trot-trot, faster and faster. You could NOT touch her head or ears, I was informed that she had at one time been beaten in the head with a water hose when she did not behave. She had never been bitted, they were given a big ol' mechanical hack to use on her. She went everywhere with her head in the air. She bucked when she did not get her way, she fidgeted constantly when tied. She hated to have her feet messed with.
They tried several times to show her, but in 4-H, unless you are doing speed events, they require you to use a bit. They also like the horse to canter. The kids were taking lessons with me, and when the parents saw what I had been able to accomplish with Darlin, they asked if I would be interested in working with Echo. I said, sure, bring her over and I will see what I can do. I also cautioned them that it may take awhile.
Echo arrived, I put her in one of our runs with an open shed so she would not feel too confined. I gave her a couple of days to settle in and get used to things before we started working. The first thing we had to overcome was the head-shyness. I marched out to her pen with a bucket and a smiple headstall with a loose ring snaffle. I sat the bucket on the ground and myself on the bucket. Echo watched this production from the corner of the pen. After about 10 minutes she inched her way over to me and started nosing around. I grasped her halter and slowly stood up. She snorted and pulled back but stopped when she realized I was not going to hurt her. I talked gently to her as I slid my hand up her neck, placing my hand on her poll between her ears. She exploded, dragging me around the pen like a ragdoll, but my hand never moved. After a few laps around the pen, she stopped, panting and shaking. Huh, someone was touching her head and it didn't hurt! I stood with her and rubbed her head and ears for a good half hour, getting her used to the sensation. I then introduced the headstall, after a prefunctionary sniff, she allowed me to slip it over her head and the bit in her mouth. She chomped madly on it for hours. I let her wear it for a little while each day, spending a lot of time practicing taking it off and on to get her used to the whole process. As time went on, she objected less and less to the bit. I got the impression that rather than trying to overcome this issue, the people who had "trained" her just avoided it by using a mechanical hackamore and disassembling the headstall and putting it back together on her head while she thrashed around, thereby allowing the behavior to continue.
The first few rides were interesting, it involved taking her out on the trails and learining to GO. She was at first very resisitant to the idea of cantering, but after a few rides began to enjoy cantering down the trails. She had boundless endurance and was very non-reactive when it came to "scary things" like trash cans and paper bags. We did a lot of work in the arena on bending and giving to pressure. I taught her the basics she would need in order to compete in the local 4-H shows in both English and Western events. She learned very quickly and seemed to enjoy the work. I got her started over some low jumps and was pleased with her willingness to try new things. We also worked on ground manners like picking up our feet and standing for the farrier. She also had issues with water hoses (gosh, I wonder why) and had to learn that a bath was a pleasant thing, especially after a long workout. It took a great deal of patience to bring her back, but she went home a usable, showable animal. Her people were delighted with the results and I was happy to have had the chance to work with her. A great deal of her issues, like with so many abused horses, seemed to stem from a lack of trust in humans.

Model Horse Customizing Tip #1 - Choosing an Airbrush

For painting model horses, one of the most important tools you can aquire is an airbrush. The difference a good airbrush will make to your painting is amazing. You really need a dual-action airbrush, not a single action, go to your local art supply store and ask a knowledgeable salesperson to show you what you need. DO NOT let them try to sell you a cheapie, this is a big investment, and the quality of the supplies you use will be reflected in your work. I suggest that you buy an artist quality airbrush, there are several great brands out there. A very popular brand is Iwata, I know of many professionals that swear by them, and while fairly pricey are reported to be real little workhorses. I personally use a Paasche dual action. It is a plain little creature and kind of heavy, but it is super easy to use and to clean. When I replace mine eventually I will probably stick with a Paasche and just upgrade to a better model. I strongly suggest learning how the airbrush is put together and how to do regular maintenence on it. Keeping it cleaned and the mechanism well lubricated will save you a lot of headache. As for a compressor, bite the bullet and buy one, don't bother with canned air, it doesn't have the power to get the job done. I have a little portable job, fairly quiet (as far as compressors go) with more than enough power to get the job done. You can find small compressors specifically for airbrushes at Micheal's or Hobby Lobby or you can look at hardware stores like Harbor Freight. They frequently have non-name brand tools for good prices, and as long as you aren't going to use and abuse it it should last a long time.

Colorblind

One of my biggest peeves is the large number of people who are trying to market a horse and have NO IDEA WHAT COLOR IT IS!! Geesh folks, it's not rocket science. Learn the difference in the colors of horses. You would not believe the mistakes people make. Just go have a look at DreamHorse any day of the week. I see dapple grays advertised as "silver dapples", bays as "sorrel", sorrels (flaxen chestnuts for those across the pond) as "palomino", grays as "white", and on and on. There are a large number of websites out there on horse color, look it up people. And for Pete's sake, palomino is a COLOR not a BREED!!! I don't care if they have a registry, they will accept ANYTHING that remotely resembles a "yaller horse"! Also, Haflingers and Belgians are NOT palominos, the creme gene is not found in those breeds, they are CHESTNUT.

There really is no excuse, there are TONS of references out there for equine color genetics. There are several good websites and also a couple of books that are very useful. Here are a couple of each...

Horse Color Explained: A Breeder's Perspective by Jeanette Gower

Equine Color Genetics by Dan Phillip Sponenberg

http://www.equinecolor.com/color.html

http://www.geocities.com/baja/outback/2936/

http://www.angelfire.com/wi/foreverfarms/project.html

HOLY SHIT $13,500 FOR A PLASTIC HORSE!!

Yes, you heard right, when the real horse market is in the crapper, leave it to an individual from the nutso model horse crowd (of which I am proudly a member) to spend almost as much as a person will pay for a CAR on a plastic horse. Apparently this year at the annual convention, Breyerfest, one of the auction models (a smutty palomino Alborozo) sold for $13,500. It was a one of a kind model from a mold that has been destroyed. The celebration model Alborozo was a true limited run this year, they broke the mold after the celebration horses were created. No word yet on just exactly how many were made, but there will be no more. If I can find a pic of him I will post it. Here is one of the celebration model...

On another note, here is a lovely specimen from DreamHorse for your perusal today...

STOP RIDING BABIES PEOPLE!! This horse is WAY too small and way too underdeveloped to be hauling your ass around!! He looks like a yearling in this pic. If the ad is correct and he is indeed two and also if the pic is a recent one (which I doubt) this horse is very underdeveloped for his age, he looks like he has a LOT of growing to do still. There is NO WAY he should be being ridden. He needs another year at least to mature. And good grief, downhill much? I realize the camera is tilted a a weird angle, but if you look, his feet are on the same plane. His shoulder appears fairly upright and he seems to toe out some in the back. Throw this one back for a year and let him grow up. Here is the ad link ... http://www.dreamhorse.com/show_horse.php?form_horse_id=1241663

What the hell is a Quipy?

Found this on Dreamhorse, it is advertised as a "Quipy" horse. Apparently that is a cross between a QH and an Overpriced Cob (aka Gypsy Vanner). What I want to know is WHY? I guess because he has SPOTS and HAIR squeeeeee!! As if we need more "exotic crossbreeds" and "sporthorses". What do you DO with it? With that upright shoulder it is going to be hella uncomfortable to ride. WHY of all things to cross an Overpriced Cob with, did they choose a QH? Why not, gosh I don't know, something with similar conformation? Like a Shire or Clydesdale?

Sigh, another canditate for the slaughter truck headed to Mexico or Canada.

The Gift Horse - The Beginning

Welcome, to start things off, I will tell you a story. You know the old saying, "Never look a gift horse in the mouth."? This tale is about the horse to which this blog is dedicated and for which it is named.

I have been riding all my life, even before I could walk my father would put me on his horse with him and hold me on while she walked around the yard. By the time I was old enough to start showing in 4-H, I was a very confident rider, able to handle just about any horse I was given. I was taught in the typical Southern (Western style) riding traditions, and had taken a few years of lessons at a Dressage barn to help refine my balance and give me a more secure seat and better hands. The horse I will tell you about tested everything I knew and taught me so much more.

I received Darlin', a small gaited mare, as a gift about thirteen years ago. She belonged to some friends of my Dad's who own a large dairy on the state line. Part of their land is in Texas, and the rest is in Louisiana. Darlin' came from the barn that was on the Louisiana side. Because she was not stabled near where her owners lived, they seldom saw her and were unaware that she was being ridden and abused by the hired workers. As a result, I did not know about her problems until I got her home. One of the first things I discovered about Darlin', was her extreme mistrust of people, especially men. The person she feared most was our farrier. Unfortunately, she had a problem with one front hoof. It had been neglected for so long, a rock that had become lodged in the bottom of the hoof had worked its way up and out of the top of the hoof, leaving a gaping hole. This needed the immediate attention of a farrier, but Darlin' was so afraid of him it took us nearly an hour to calm her down enough for him to repair the hoof. She would tremble violently every time he approached her, and if she did something wrong, like pull her foot away, she retreated to the end of the rope, expecting punishment. Also, in those first few weeks, I learned that Darlin' was almost impossible to catch. This was especially true if she was in a large pasture. When she saw me coming, she would immediately take off at a full gallop in the opposite direction. I decided to try luring her in with grain, but when I tried to approach her while she was eating, she would become alarmed and take off. She had obviously learned to associate this with being ridden and abused. After so many years of mistreatment, she no longer trusted humans. The only way I could get near her was to herd her into a small corral and corner her.

Not only was Darlin' difficult to catch, she was also hard to ride. The people who had been riding her rode hard and fast, and they used severe equipment. They ruined her mouth making it was very difficult to stop her, and she frequently became a runaway. I had to resort to more and more severe equipment and restraints to be able to control her. This frustrated me. I do not like to see any animal unnaturally restricted, and it hurt me to do this to her. But at the time, I really didn't know what else to do. All of the "trainers" I asked would simply tell me to go to a stronger bit, or a tighter tie-down. I could also tell from the many scars on her legs and body that she had once been tangled in a barbed-wire fence. There were scars on her face too, probably caused by a too-tight halter. Darlin' was also very “head-shy”, a sign that she had probably been beaten on the head. She expected to be punished for everything. She was absolutely nuts, it was a fight every time I tried to ride her. We would go everywhere at top speed with her head in the air and me pulling as hard as I could. Cripes she was FAST. She was a fabulous barrel horse, but you couldn't STOP her. The more frustrated I got, the more difficult she became. She was a danger to everyone around her. The trainer and 4-H agent told me to get rid of her, that she was crazy and I shouldn't try to do anything with her and that it wasn't worth it. They told me that since she was a gaited horse and not a QH or a Paint that she was hopeless because "everyone knows that those saddle horses are stupid and crazy". We came up against so much breed prejudice, everyone else rode Quarter Horses, and I was told it was a waste of time to try to compete against them. She had so much "GO" and so much heart, it seemed such a waste that she was really unrideable. After a year of fighting her, I was ready to give up, but I couldn't bear the thought of sending her back. For all her faults, I still liked her. There was something special there, I just had to find a way to get her to let it out. After thinking for a long time, and doing a lot of reading, I finally decided to throw out all of the "hardware" and start "reprogramming" Darlin' as if she were a green horse. I began retraining her using far less severe equipment, and since her mouth was ruined, teaching her to respond to voice and leg aids. This took many months, and a great deal of patience.

As the training went on, with rewards and positive reinforcement, she began to slowly respond. She began to trust again. She stopped expecting punishment. With this breakthrough, training suddenly became easier. Darlin' learned quickly and enjoyed every new thing I taught her. Darlin' was turning into a wonderful horse. However, all of the positive steps Darlin' made were at home under controlled circumstances. When she was around other horses and crowds, she reverted to her old behavior. She seemed to feed off of the excitement and tension. This discouraged me, because I wanted to compete in horse shows with her. I had tried entering some speed events with her and she placed well, but she would still become dangerously excited when we entered the ring. This resulted in a major knee injury for me, and another setback for Darlin'. We went back to just riding at home and on trails, doing a lot of schooling on transitions, stopping and turning and remaining calm. She was still progressing, becoming easier to handle and had become an extremely sensitive horse. She would respond to the slightest touch, and faced each new challenge with amazing intelligence. She was fearless, nothing bothered her. We started schooling over small jumps and learning some Dressage principles. She was developing into an amazing horse.

That being said, I had pretty much given up on ever being able to take her anywhere when something happened to change everything. Every year our town has a festival, and I was planning to ride my other, calmer horse in the parade, but a minor injury sidelined him. So, against my better judgement, I decided to take Darlin' instead. To my surprise she made it through the entire parade without mishap. Nothing seemed to bother her, not the other horses, the crowds, the sirens or the floats. She did it because she trusted me when I patted her neck and told her it was all right. After that, I discovered that I could take her anywhere; as long as I remained calm and told her it was O.K. As a result, I was encouraged to enter her in our local horse show. I did this for two reasons: first, there is a great deal of prejudice against Darlin's breed among the horse show crowd; second, I wanted to prove to everyone that it does not take a bunch of hardware to control a horse. I refused to put a curb bit on her for the show, telling the 4-H agent and the judges that she was a rehab case and if they didn't like my loose ring snaffle they could just place me last, but I had a right to compete. Apparently the judge thought it was just fine. Darlin' and I did very well that day, and although we did not win every class we entered we were in the top three every time. Against the people with their professionally trained QH's and their expensive tack. There we were with the same people who said we could not do it, and we did it together with trust and understanding.

Darlin' remains a wonderful, loving, and trusting friend. Though she can be somewhat distant at times, she is very expressive and, at times, seems almost human. I can now ride her completely without a bridle and control her using only voice commands and light touches with my legs. She will never again know the brutality of a severe bit or be beaten for being afraid.

Darlin' is now 27 years old, and is still full of life. She suffered a minor fracture in her right hock a few years ago, and is now fully recovered. Though she is not as young as she used to be, she never shows it, she still gets upset with me if I come home and don’t take her out for a ride. She nearly tore down the fence when I tried to ride her three year old in front of her. She and I have such a deep connection; we have learned so much from one another. Three years ago, she gave me a filly that is her made over. I have great hopes for her, she is as I think Darlin’ might have been if she had been given the chance. Sensitive and full of life, but intelligent and gentle, willing to please. Darlin' has come a long way since those first trying times, we both have. As a result of my working with her, I have developed a deeper understanding of the equine psyche and have learned some useful horse training skills. These skills have allowed me to help other horses with many of the same problems that Darlin' had. Rehabilitating her taught me that nothing is hopeless, and that perseverance and patience pay off in the end.