Monthly Archives: July 2009

How much corn does it take to make 2.5 gallons of corn oil?

Posted by Liz Goldsmith in equine nutrition, Horse care, horse health and tagged with , , ,
2.5 gallons of corn oil started out as

2.5 gallons of corn oil started out as 780 pounds of corn!

To help keep his weight up, I feed Freedom corn oil. He doesn’t need more energy, just more calories. Corn oil, bought at Costco is about the least expensive way to meet this need.

So how much corn goes into this 2.5 gallon container of corn oil? Quite a lot!

  • 2.5 gallons of oil weighs about 21 pounds
  • One bushel of corn yields approximately 1 1/2 pounds of oil (source: Wikipedia)
  • So, this container contains about 14 bushels of corn!
  • Since each bushel of corn weighs 56 pounds, that oil came from 780 pounds of corn.

What was it like to ride a diving horse?

Posted by Liz Goldsmith in Commentary, equine, historical horses, horse training, horses, Trick Riding and tagged with , , , ,
Riders of the Diving Horses were always glamorous young women

The riders of the diving horse were always glamorous young women, clad in bathing suits.

Some time ago I wrote about the diving horses of Atlantic City — Don’t Try this at Home — a story that has captured the imagination of many readers.

Yesterday, I received a comment from Louise Lamoureux who has first hand experience. Rather than leave this as a comment, I thought it deserved its own post. In her own words, here she is!

I was so surprised to read that some people would think that the horses were mistreated!

The horses were not forced they did what they were taught to do…just like us humans.

Let me tell you about the story of a young girl of 15, who was told to get on the horse as soon as he got near her and hang on tight and keep her head on the side of the horse when he hits the water. She had no idea how dangerous that could be but she wanted to please her caretaker so she did it!
Was she unhappy? No, because that is what she had to do? Was she scared? Yes, but that is what she had to do. Was it bad for her? No, because she didn’t know otherwise and didn’t not know the possible consequences. Did it make her life miserable? No, it was nice to get applause and to be granted some benefices because she did what was asked of her. Did some people took advantage of her? Probably, but it was not her perception at the time.

The horse and her shared the same reality: they both were not conscious. They did what was expected of them and were gratified for it, what else do you need when you are helpless and not conscious?

I know, because I was that girl. I dove at Atlantic Steel Pier so my manager could decide if I were the right girl to do the same show in a pool inside a stadium for Hamid and Morton circus.

I was a trapeze artist, but since I was not scared easily, they thought I could make this act also. I did. ..for a year. Two shows after I left, the tank split open when the horse dove, the horse came out of it safe…the girl…..

By the way, Mrs Carver cared a lot about her horses. She was the one who enticed them to jump when I was doing the dives. I dove with Phantom (he was white and very poised; he liked to look around, would not stand any noise or anything thing floating in the water. He could take up to 5 minutes before he decided to jump.

And there was Gamel, (he was brown and very quick; he got out of the elevator and went straight on to jump). I would go and talk to them between shows. They did not seem unhappy horses to me, no more different than the horses I’ve seen in different stales since. I am under the impression that a horse does not do what they do not want to do. Mrs Carver told me that it took one hundred horse to find one that would jump in the water. I felt that her horses and the act were her reason to live.

The lesson I got from that experience is that what doesn’t kill makes you stronger. That little girl grew up and was blessed with a heart with no fear and that nothing is impossible if we don’t let fear interfere. That is is not what happens to you that makes it good or bad but the perception of it.
The horse do not know what is good or bad, it just what is.

Newborn Przewalski’s horse charms at the Smithsonian

Posted by Liz Goldsmith in Commentary, equine, Horse breeds, horses and tagged with , ,

On July 9th the breeding program for the endangered Przewalski‘s Horse at the Smithsonian Zoo celebrated a resounding success: a healthy foal. Last year two Przewalski foals were born at the Smithsonian.

No news as to whether the foal is a filly or a colt, but proud mom Brandy looks proud as punch.

Przewalski Horse Brandy and her foal at the Smithsonian National Zoo. Photo from www.zooborns.com

Przewalski Horse Brandy and her foal at the Smithsonian National Zoo. Photo from www.zooborns.com

The Przewalskis Horse was once considered extinct in the wild. Zoo breeding programs and the reintroduction of breeding stock in the wild has helped reinvigorate the breed.

The Przewalski's Horse was once considered extinct in the wild. Zoo breeding programs and the reintroduction of breeding stock in the wild has helped reinvigorate the breed.

Mare and foal are bonding and doing well. Photo: www.zooborns.com

Mare and foal are bonding and doing well. Photo: www.zooborns.com

More on the Przewalski’s Horse:

Zoo Breeding Programs Save Przewalski’s Horse

http://equineink.wordpress.com/2008/08/05/zoo-breeding-programs-save-przewalkskis-horse/

Equine Ink is hosting the August Carnival of Horses

Posted by Liz Goldsmith in carousel, Commentary, equestrian blogs and tagged with , ,
Dont forget to submit your blog entry to the August Carnival of Horses.

Don't forget to submit your blog entry to the August Carnival of Horses.

Don’t miss the chance to submit your blog entry to the Horse Carnival. I’ve already received quite a few but the more the merrier. If you’ve never submitted an entry, please do! It’s a great way to bring new readers to your blog.

In addition to posting the articles here on Equine Ink, I will also feature them on the newly redesigned www.equineproductsreview.com, which will be launched any day now!

Here’s the form to submit your entry.

Ever wonder what your pony was thinking?

Posted by Liz Goldsmith in Commentary, equestrian, Equestrian video, equine, equine humor, horse back riding, horses, humor, Rider Safety and tagged with , , , ,

You’ve got to give this young rider a lot of credit for his sheer stick-to-it-ness. Or, is the velcro on his breeches?

Anyhow, the commentary is an amusing take on the inside of a pony’s brain. It reminds me of Penelope and Kipper, Thelwell’s memorable creations.

Warning signs to pay attention to when horse shopping

Posted by Liz Goldsmith in Commentary, equestrian, equine humor and tagged with ,

There is an old truism: It’s just as hard to buy a horse as it is to sell one. Unfortunately, in my experience that often holds true. I don’t buy horses all that often but when I have been in the market it seems like I’ve had to kiss a lot of frogs before finding that prince.

Based on my own experiences, here are some sure signs that you probably don’t want the horse.

  1. Horse is tacked up and ready to go when you arrive = this horse is a witch on the ground and needed two handlers and a twitch to get the saddle on. I once bought a mare that I’d seen taken out of the field and tacked up. She was fine. It didn’t occur to me that they had not groomed her until I took her home and discovered her aversion to being touched. Eventually she got over this, but she had a wicked cow kick that they neglected to mention.
  2. Horse was lunged before I arrived and is still breathing hard and is damp = this horse is a maniac if it’s not ridden seven days a week or the owner is scared of the horse and needs to take the edge off. I went to look at a horse like this was stupid enough to ride it. Even after being lunged this horse had a gigantic spook in him that was no fun to sit. After this experience I decided that I wasn’t giving away any more free training rides.
  3. Owner won’t ride the horse = this horse is a complete maniac who has already put me in the hospital. I’m too old and the ground is too hard. I want horses that basically want to play the game.
  4. Horse is slightly off and owner has too many excuses = owner knows there’s a big problem and wants you to do a PPE so she can find out what it is. I have a good eye for lameness. I once looked at a horse that I just knew was NQR. The owner swore it was caused by a mild case of thrush. I really liked the horse but before I could make a deal we bought a house and it turned out I didn’t have as much money in my horse budget as I originally thought. Someone I knew later vetted the horse and it turned out that 1) the mare had a problem with her sesamoid and 2) the owner knew about it.
  5. Owner tries to get you to buy the horse without a PPE or puts pressure on you that someone else is interested = they don’t want you to look under the hood. I try hard to avoid a competitive buying situation. I’m not ever in the market for something so specific that I have to have “that” horse.
  6. Horse is terrible for owner/rider = horse has not training or has no sense of humor. I’ve seen a few “demo” rides that scared the crap out of me. I don’t need to ride those horses even if I think I could do a better job.

When I go to see a horse I expect to see it taken from its stall (or pasture), groomed, tacked up, lunged and ridden. By that point I have a pretty good sense of it’s attitude, it’s aptitude and its suitablility for me.

When your retired horse goes missing

Posted by Liz Goldsmith in equine, Equine Law and tagged with , , ,

I’ve written before on retirement options for senior horses (Rehoming the Senior Equine). It’s not easy to find a place where you can be assured that your horse will be well cared for while living out its senior years, especially when the retirement facility is far away from where you live.

But what about when your horse goes missing? Just last week this happened to a friend of mine. She had a horse that was suffering from mild but persistent lameness (long story, but it was probably caused after a vet misdiagnosed a rear suspensory injury and the mare ended up with permanent soreness on the diagnol right front).

After several weeks of advertising her mare for a light riding situation and interviewing the interested parties, she entered into a formal adoption agreement with a woman who has a facility in Maine. Alison, my friend, used an adoption agreement that stipulated yearly updates on the mare’s health (including photos) and stated that the horse could only be given or sold to an approved home, specifically excluding sending the horse to auction. The problem is that she has no idea where her mare ended up.

In her words:

What Happened to my Mare?

In June of 2006 I gave my mare up for adoption to a woman named Anne Kozloff who runs Whistlin Willows Farm in Gorham, Maine. She signed an adoption agreement which bound her to several conditions, which included that she keep me informed of the horse’s progress and condition at least once per year. In addition, the horse could not be sold at auction or to a dealer under any circumstances. If she sold or gave away the horse I was to be given the name and address of the new owner. I was also given the right of first refusal if she could no longer keep the horse.

Right from the start Ms. Kozloff failed to contact me. It was always I who had to contact her.  But she did respond to my inquiries, at least at first.  I have tried to contact her repeatedly in the last two months. I became very concerned with her lack of response and “Googled” her only to find out that she is under suspicion of fraud. (Ripoff Report: Beck and Anne Kozloff, Whistlin Willows Farm). When I contacted the Gorham police Department they told me that Anne Kozloff has been accused of selling horses that did not belong to her. They were only free leased to her. The police officer that I spoke with was familiar with Ms. Kozloff. He went over to see her at her farm, and she told him that the mare had died of a heart attack “a while back”, and that she had “never heard from me”, which is a lie. The officer then left her my phone number.

I have tried to contact Anne Kozloff both by phone and email with no result. I have contacted the attorney Generals office in Maine, but they told me there was nothing they could do and recommended that I hire a lawyer.

But what I really would like to know is what happened to my mare? I have reason to doubt her story that she died, and if that is true why didn’t she contact me about prescribed by the contract?  It’s possible she sold the mare at auction or to a dealer but I have no proof of this. I am looking for any information about this mare. She is a plain bay, with only a few white hairs on her forehead. She is 15.3 hh and 19 years old. Her registered name is Who Wit, but I called her True. Her registration number is 9033196. She is by Ankara out of Flying Wit by Halo.

Please contact me if you have any information about her.
Thank you

Alison Leary Mooradian
617-821-5619
ali_baba62@hotmail.com

Please, everyone who wants to retire their horses, remember that there are unscrupulous and unethical people out there who only see the profit involved in getting a “free” horse and know that there is little that an owner can do when the situation goes bad. Mostly it is too late for my friend to do much and very little way for her to track down the horse.