Downward Dog
Someone wrote that this must have been photoshopped. I beg to disagree. I had a TB mare that stretched like this every morning. I just wasn’t savvy enough to take her photo.
How Come They Call this Downward Dog?
Monthly Archives: February 2009
French & Saunders bring their own brand of comedy to equestrian pursuits
Let’s face it, we’ve all known horses like Jigsaw and Peter Pan. And many of us can see glimmers of our own equestrian past in this very funny sketch from the British comedy team of Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders.
Enjoy!
How to check your horse’s pulse rate, respiration rate and temperature
One of the most common places to check a horse's pulse is at its jaw line.
A horse’s pulse and temperature are two barometers of health. As a horse owner, it’s important that you know your horse’s “normal” temperature and its normal resting pulse rate/respiration rate as then you have a baseline for recognizing possible illness or distress. Certainly one of the first things my vet asks me when I call to say my horse seems “off” is whether or not he has a temperature.
There are a range of “normal” readings so you should plan on checking your horse over a period of several days to determine his baseline readings.
- Normal pulse range: 28 to 45 beats (count the double ‘lub dub’ as one full beat) per minute. Note that on the second video they show four different ways to check your horse’s pulse.
- Normal respiration range: 12 to 20 breaths per minute
- Normal temperature range for a horse: 98.5F to 101F (36.9C to 38.3C). A horse has a 3-degree range in temperature which is influenced by warm weather, stress or exercise. A higher temperature than this can indicate an infection. If your horse has a temperature higher than 102F, you should call your vet. Horses’ temperatures are taken rectally. To avoid losing the thermometer (yes, it happens), tie a string to the end. You can use digital thermometers but keep in mind that when using the newer ones, which show a temperature in 15-30 seconds, you will get a more accurate reading if you cycle the thermometer two or three times. When my horse was sick last fall I used a digital thermometer and incorrectly thought his temperature was lower than it actually was.
Here are three excellent videos that show you how to check your horse’s vital signs.
A Quadrille with a Twist: Unicycles and Ponies!
The Quadrille today is a choreographed dressage ride that’s usually performed to music. As a ridden demonstration it became popular in the 17th century with four riders performing movements in a square. In fact, it was so popular that it became a popular dance.
Riding in a quadrille is very challenging. I’ve tried it and it takes an enormous amount of practice and control to stay in formation. What makes the video below so impressive is that the girls have added an additional element of difficulty — they are riding on unicycles while driving their ponies. While I wish the girls were wearing helmets, this is quite amazing!
So, where did the quadrille originate? It was part of the military training for cavalry squadrons that allowed squadrons of nearly 200 riders to move in formation. Up until World War I battles were fought in linear formations and it was necessary for the cavalry to be able to present a unified front.
According to a recent article on Equisearch.com by Ron Smith, The History of the Dressage Quadrille:
An oblique line was used for a directional change of march, to avoid obstacles or to realign with the enemy’s front on the battlefield, usually done by file, twos, or fours. A simple turn, if executed improperly, could destroy a column’s integrity instantaneously. When turning, each trooper had to turn at the same spot in order to maintain the line or column. If the turn was called for by files, twos, threes or fours, each group was required to perform a left turn simultaneously.
Consider that a column could be as much as six to seven miles in length, and you can see the need for precision in executing each maneuver. On many battlefields in Europe and the Middle East, up to and including Waterloo, the front of a cavalry corps could contain as many as 10,000 horses. That meant a front up to eight miles wide, which explains why so many battles were on the plains of Europe and Asia Minor.
When aligning all of these troops so they could charge or receive the enemy, it was paramount that the groups moved as one. Lateral movements such as the half pass take on new meaning when there are 60 horses moving left or right at the same time. If the squadron is in double ranks (two deep but act as one), the levels of precision are even more demanding.
Himalayan Salt Blocks – Are They Worth the Fuss and $$?
Himalayan Salt Blocks: Good or Just Pretty?
Compared to the standard salt block the Himalayan salt licks sure do look better. And they sound healthier, too. It seems a simple way to do something that’s just better for your horse without breaking the bank. But are they worth the additional cost?
How can you resist a sales pitch like this:
A 550 million year old source of minerals and trace elements for your horse or pony. Mined from the vast and ancient Himalayan mountains, transported down steep passes on the backs of Yaks, and providing the mountain people with one of their main sources of income, these salt licks must be the purest form of salt available. The distinctive rose pink colour comes from the salts’ high mineral content, such as iron, potassium and magnesium, which are all vital for maintaining health. Mass produced salt licks are produced using salt with minerals added in the manufacturing process. Himalayan rock salt licks are literally ‘rock hard’, this means that horses and ponies are unable to bite chunks off the block, a problem that can occur with the softer ’pressed’ salt licks. These licks are also much more weather resistant, which means they can be safely left outside in the field for horse to ‘self dose’. Our experience has show that horses do prefer these to other salt licks.
The problem is, it really is just a sales pitch. Take a look at the handy mineral comparison chart published by SmartPak and you’ll see that while these attractive pink salt blocks come with a rope, they do not contain many of the microminerals that are recommended for your horse (such as zinc, selenium, iodine, cobalt, other than the ones typically abundant in a horse’s diet. With an estimated cost per day of 46 cents, you can do better for your money. For example, your standard 50 lb trace mineral salt block costs only $6.50!
As to its origins, the salt marketed under the name Himalayan is actually mined in Pakistan, at the Khewra Salt mines, the second largest salt mine in the world. A group called Tourist Watch did research on the Himalayan salt and found that it was no healthier than normal table salt.
Bottom line: while it looks nice, you are better off feeding a good vitamin/mineral supplement and table salt or buying a trace mineral salt block.
Tim Flach in Action: The Making of Equus
One of the most viewed posts on my blog highlights the photography of Tim Flach. I recently came across several YouTube videos that show the behind the scenes set up for several of the photographs in his new work, Equus.
I really enjoyed hearing him interviewed and watching the set up of the photographs.
Key requirement for becoming an equine photographer? Fast reflexes!
This photographer at the Winter Equine Festival in Wellington, Fla., learned that the most dangerous place to be during a jumper class was not on the horse, but rather on the ground! Luckily it appears that horse, rider and photographer all escaped unscathed.
French Police Horse Covers 5 km in High Speed Chase
There was some unusual excitement on the streets of Paris yesterday when Garibaldi, 15 year old Stallion, unceremoniously dumped his Republican Guard rider and high tailed it for home. The 10-year veteran of the force spooked while on patrol.
Despite a gallop of nearly 5 kilometers (a bit over 3 miles), dodging traffic and police cars, the horse is reported to have suffered only minor scrapes from at least one fall. He successfully crossed the Place de la Concorde (one of the busiest squares in Europe) and then galloped along the river Seine.
The dramatic rescue — caught on video — occurred when a police woman leaned out of a cruiser to bring the horse to a halt.
