More on the Sulphur Springs Mustangs

The colonial Spanish horse comes from old Iberian breeds, and horse of the Sulphur Springs herd are one of the types that retain many of the the traits of the endangered Sorraia.

The Sulphur Springs Registry, while not the greatest website (too many broken links), does have some good background information on the herd.

These twelve Sulphur Springs mares that arrived in Southern California two weeks ago, will be part of a foundation herd to be re-introduced into their natural habitat. Four stallions removed from Coyote Canyon will be part of the efforts (sorry boys, these gals are already all pregnant!) spearhead by Kathleen Hayden of the nonprofit Coyote Canyon Caballos d' Anza.

The group has had many benefits and fundraisers to support the herd growth and objectives.

Tail Chasin' Horse

This evening, while feeding the herd, my 9 yr Morgan/Haflinger gelding (Tango) was in his paddock chasing his tail! He looked just like a dog! He did this for the first time last night...and then again tonight. It was so strange to see, I couldn't let it go without making a remark about it! He'd chase his tail, then stop to give a small buck or two, then continued on chasing his tail!

I thought maybe he was pissed because he's always the last to be fed and his sick and tired of it! Once I feed him he's fine. He's never displayed this behavior before last night.

Anyone have a clue to what's up with this?

Sulphur Springs BLM Mustang Mares

Today we went to Borrego Springs to film a documentary on the American BLM Mustangs. Here are some photos of the newly arrived (from Utah) Sulphur Springs rounded up mares. They will be part of a foundation herd here in Southern California. Aren't they BEAUTIFUL?? They are all pregnant.

I will write more (there's lot's to write) but my family is after me to go out with them to see "Monsters & Aliens", so gotta go now!

BLM Mustang Benefit this Sunday, March 29, 2009

As you know, (or may not), Kids Horsin' Around has the one of the best lesson horses around in our Mustang mare, Star. Most likely, this 28 year old mare was taken out of a wild herd as a young filly. She's spent her life in southern California and gone through the ranks of the Pony Club. she's taught alot of kids how to ride. We love her.

This Sunday, March 29, 2009, I am heading out to the Anza Borrego Desert with members of the Fallbrook Film Factory to shot a documentary on the BLM Mustangs. The Coyote Canyon Caballos de Anza, a nonprofit group that cares for four stallions that once lived in the canyon, has purchased a dozen mares that were recently rounded up form federal land in Utah. These Sulfur Spring Mares are the very best match in DNA that they could get to restore the herd. They will become the foundation mares. The goal of this organization is to return this herd to a natural habitat. This Sunday is a fundraiser towards that goal.

Dharlin Productions 's ("Ele, My Friend", "White Rainbow") Linda Mandrayer and Devon Camilleri, both Fallbrook equestrians with a passion for horses that extends well beyond the barn, will be co-producing the film, which is being sponsored by the Fallbrook Film Factory.

My son, Devin (DLawProductions) will be involved in the shooting of the film. Look for lot's of cool photos on Sunday night. Anyone care to join us, here's the info:

Max Tries His Turn at Free Jumping

For whatever reason (certainly not because of age!!), I kind of move along a slow and steady path of more classical training, like the kind you find in books. And then, along comes Jessika and throws in a creative twist that gives me pause for thought. Like today! She calls me down to the arena and tells me to bring my camera. And there she has the jumping standards up and Max in the arena free jumping!! Old, hollow-back, high-head Saddlebred, Max! Now I had a dressage diva once try to lunge Max over a small cavaletti and he refused. She said, "he would never be able to jump! He just wasn't built for it"! So I never gave it another thought.

But there he was, jumping and lovin' it! (or the treats he received after each jump!) Max was clearly enjoying this new challenge. And honestly, it's not something I would have ever thought to do with him, having already been told he couldn't do it!

That may sound like a major character flaw, not being gutsy enough to try new things like that, but in my defence, I didn't grow up with horses. I learned late in life, from books by Jane Savoie and Betsy Steiner; and the occasional lesson (from the dressage diva), and I would not want to push my old horse to do something an "expert" told me he couldn't do. I am cautious

In general, I'd have to say I am more conservative, by-the-book when it comes to training horses. So it's really nice to have (young!) Jessika come in and throw me these curve balls - the horses sure seem to have fun with it! (Although I draw the line when she gets out the scissors and wants to get creative with their hair!!)

Jack's First Day in Side Reins

After lounging Jack, we put on side reins, ever-so-lightly. He registered them, but didn't make too much of a fuss. They are attached to side rings of a cavesson, and low on the surcingle. He moves slow and steady. Right now, we really want him to be calm and comfortable around humans and the funny equipment we place on him - he seems obliging. Nothing too exciting here.

Tango, on the other hand, was not so accepting. First, he hates to lunge, so when Jessika had him out for an under saddle workout in the arena, we put the side reins on him and worked him on the lunge line. He evaded the bit by tucking his chin under, which he does all the time anyway. But he was so focused on the side reins and evading the bit that he barely realized he was working a circle on the lunge line. So that was a baby step in the right direction. Tango does love to jump. Here he is today, jumping a small cavaletti with Jessika...

Will they ever out grow their skittishness??

Skittishness - now, that's some odd looking word, but you get the meaning. (Look it up, it refers specifically to horses!)

Flash and Zim, the up-'til-now inseparable Welsh bros are skittish ponies. And we've all worked hard, long and diligently to "cure" them of this for two years! I'm hoping it may be just their age - they are 5 years old, and maybe, like teenagers, one day they will wake-up and be well adjusted, responsive, obedient; older, wiser...mature and settled. And all the hard work you put into "raising them right" will pay off!



One thing I like to do, is take them for walks in the neighborhood, like a dog, exposing them to all sorts of stimuli. At one time, my kids rode skateboards with me on these walks - now that was special! Nothing quite like a skateboarder coming up on your starboard side at full throttle!! Today, it was with my daughter and roller blades, and Zim, having lived through the skateboard years, was quite calm and obedient; staying by my side at every turn, stop, back-up, trot! A real dream pony.






He definitely is getting less skittish, although he still has his moments. He's come a long way!

I think he'll make a great hunter/jumper pony!


Here he is free jumping and lovin' it!!

....and RIDER!

Saturday, Jessika and I were in the arena working with Max, trying to get him to lift his back and step under, and as usual, we were taking lot's of pictures. Now, usually the pictures don't include me...I'm the one taking them. But today, I hopped on Max and Jessiak started shooting frames. Like I said, I rarely see myself on horseback, so I was shocked to see how heavy (i.e. FAT) I looked on poor Max. Well, no wonder he has a hollow back! The words that cross my mind are "portly matron!"

This is Backyard Horse and Rider...so, if I am expecting my horses to become athletes, how could I slide by with anything less for myself? I am always encouraging my riders to get in shape to become better riders. Well...now it's my turn! I hit the gym with a vengance today. I won't tell you how much I weigh, but my goal is to loose 20 pounds by summer! Here I go...wish me good luck. (Bye-bye evening ice-cream...)

...Sort of Kinky...

Essential if you own a horse. Sort of kinky if you don't. It's all relative. I love this advertisement for horse tack. It gives you a whack upside the head. If you walked into someone's house and they had polished leather tack hanging around the bedroom, (and no horses anywhere!) you might quickly find a good excuse to beat a hasty retreat out of there.

...Pretty innocuous stuff hanging around a barn full of horses...

See? It's all relative! Anyhow, kudos to Tractor Supply Co. for such a clever advertisement!

Star's Thrush Treatment - Begins!

Star is a 28 year old Mustang mare. We've had her for about 8 years, but she's been around Fallbrook all her life, and even did her time in the Fallbrook Pony Club (before we got her). Here she is today! She looks really great for an old mare...but she's got really bad feet. The problem is she pees a lot!! Doctor says she may be a....psychogenic drinker!!! Because of all these factors, she has always had mild to severe thrush. This winter it got really bad.

Here she is this winter, standing in her cesspool of muck and pee! This horse is pretty well cared for - again, not show horse pampered - but well cared for: she is turned out into a large sand arena daily (with her two buddies, the mini-mares Emmy and Sugar), she is groomed (hoof picked) once to twice a day by young adoring riders, and she has a mat that she can stand on to get out of the mud. But she chooses to stand in the mud and pee next to her two buddies (see them in the photo) and her thrush was the worst it has ever been. So, we decided some drastic steps had to be taken. And, of course, we'll be chronicling every step of the way.

Connor - Right Foot Forward

Dr. Bender, Creekside Veterinary Services, was out bright and early this morning to have a look at Connor, the old grey TB gelding. We've been nursing an abscessed hoof on left front, and now, he appears to have pain in the right hoof, i.e. not bearing any weight on it. Truthfully, Jessika and I lamented over the thought that it might be Connor's time to cross the rainbow bridge.

But Dr. Bender located another abscess in his right hoof, again, in an unusual spot at the point of the frog. He did a hoof block, released and cleaned the abscess, packed in ichthammol, then wrapped the hoof with bandages and duct tape. With Connor able to bear weight on his right hoof, he could examine the progress on his left hoof. Still thrushy; he rinsed with 7% Iodine solution; then gave him a shot of bute. I'll give him 1.5 grams bute twice a day, Iodine rinse on left hoof once a day, increase Creekside Life Stages (supplemental feed) and mix in corn oil. Throw in some generic biotin for hooves. Connor is loosing weight, although he does eat well.

Wet winters, old age (30+) and Thoroughbred feet all contibute to Connor's hoof problems. We'll need to be extra vigilant to pull him through this.

Took Jack out today. We are still working on the first element of the (dressage) training tree as identified by Kurd Albrecht Von Ziegner in "The Elements of Dressage" - relaxation. Von Ziegner's training tree differs slightly from the tradition German Training Scale in that it places relaxation before regularity. I tend to agree with his theory that in order for a horse to be regular, he must first be relaxed.

"A good horse and a good rider are only so in mutual trust." (H.M.E.)

Relaxation - the fundamental basis of the form, relaxation is the absence of tension in the horse's body and mind.

Although we are way ahead of the game with Jack since he is so laid back for a young (3 yr OTTB gelding) horse.

Here's Jack doing "self-carriage free jumping" (haha, you go, Jack!) - he loves people and is following us over the cavaletti and ground poles. We're working on getting him to realize he has feet that he needs to pick up!! Very obliging horse.

Good picture showing Jack leaning on the forehand, poorly developed topline, and trailing hindquarters. Such a nice (young, under developed) horse.

I figure we got at least two years to go before we get down to some serious work!!

Someone once said, watching horse training is like watching paint dry. How very true!