Practical Horse

Finding Nemo. Really

2010-12-05T16:11:00.000-08:00

Here in the Hudson Valley, the temperatures are finally dropping. We've started to light the wood stove and my winter-long soup obsession has started. Looking out the window at my horses, I felt a momentary twinge: boy the couch looked comfy. But I pulled on my boots, my jacket and my overlarge bomber hat.

I walked into the barn, I heard the usual snorts from my impatient boys but there was another, higher-pitched sound. My bomber hat reduced my hearing quite a bit, so I pulled it off and listened. I followed the sound to my hay storage area, turned on the lights and there he was. A tiny, pitifully thin cat. I knelled down to look more closely and he launched into my arms. Cold, lonely and hungry, he was so happy to be held. I promised him I would help him find his way home.

He spent a warm and contented night in our bathroom, his belly full for the first time in weeks. The next day, he stationed his self on my husband Michael's lap as he combed the Internet for clues. Several hours into his fruitless search, he needed a coffee to fortify his efforts.

The best coffee in town is a 5-mile car ride away. Reluctant to leave the cat behind, he loaded him into a cat carrier and headed out. Schmoozing with the regulars around the coffee urn, Michael mentions his co-pilot. Surely a coincidence, a customer says that her cat went missing several weeks ago…can she take a look? Michael brings her out to the truck and introduces her to his charge. "That's my cat!" she says, astonished and grateful. Michael offers to follow her back to her house with the carrier but before he leaves, he asks her the cat's name. "Nemo," she said. "Thank you for finding Nemo."

Sometimes you have to go sideways to go forward

2010-02-18T16:27:00.000-08:00

One of my OTTBs (off-track thoroughbred) was just not getting with the program. I wanted to ride him, he wanted me to NOT ride him. He just did not want anyone on his back--no way, no how. Sure, he had thrown one of the top jockeys in the country but me? He wanted to throw me? I'm filled with good intentions! Compassion! Happy thoughts! Still no go.

I knew that physically, this horse was in great shape. But mentally? I wasn't so sure. He did seem to have a few…issues. Frustrated, I was pouring my heart out to a friend (and wonderful trainer) who made the simple but deeply zen observation: "Why don't you try going sideways to move forward." I stared at her. I'm a pretty spiritual person, but I was kind of like…uh…WTH?

"Try a different approach," she said, "Something he has no experience with. Do it gently and calmly…make it enjoyable for him.This horse has a wonderful work ethic but you need to find what work he wants to do."

And so under my friend's instruction, we started off on the path of driving. Yes, my 17.2 hand TB from Ireland was going to be a driving horse. I had my doubts.

But guess what. My 17.2 hand TB from Ireland is a driving horse. And a pretty good one, at that.

So yeah, sometimes you have to go sideways to go forward. Thanks Val!

Thought I was going to be a millionaire!

2010-01-20T11:03:00.000-08:00

This is my first post--I'm excited to get started!

I made a short video on keeping rubber horse stall mats from shifting and lifting. You watch the video directly on my site or you can watch it on youtube.com. If you like it, please rate it!

My rubber stall mats lift and shift. This has been an on-going headache of mine for some time now. I thought if I could solve this problem I will be rich! I knew lots of other people curse these mats on a daily basis as they scrape urine-soaked bedding from under them. Yuk.

I was determined to conquer this problem and make my fortune…build an indoor ring…climate controlled…you know the dream. I spent hours devising various solutions…but"the solution" remained elusive. Finally, I gave up. My millions were not going to come from my Brilliant, Foolproof, Rubber Stall Mat Anti-Lifting Device. Oh well.

Then suddenly, out of nowhere, it hit me. A simple solution--but one that uses tools and supplies that you probably have in your junk drawer, so I won't be building my dream barn with the profits from its sale.

Good luck and thanks for reading!