Stick-in-the-muds
Why oh why do people – well educated supposedly open-minded people – get so stuck in their ways? Ten to fifteen years ago, if you had built a bright airy riding arena with stalls, 3x3m opening onto a wide gangway, reactions would have been “Wow! Fantastic.” Today, we realize that this is no longer acceptable. […]
Laminitis Research
Sadly, all too often, research goes off the rails. What starts out as good intention, collaboration and free exchange of ideas, turns into a race – not for the ultimate cure, but for the most funding to insure “successful” continuation of the project. Sometimes, research gets “found out”: the recent revelation that the various omega […]
Barefoot is Not Negotiable…
All horses’ hooves are healthier without shoes, and barefoot horses are healthier than shod horses. They live longer, happier, less painful lives. Barefoot is a requirement for health and should be accepted as a condition for keeping a horse. Humane management is not just preferable, it is nonnegotiable. The foot evolved to function unshod. Nature […]
Give me a reason to shoe…
…and I’ll give you two reasons not to. There are so many arguments why a horse should be shod – but really they are all excuses. And there is no excuse for this continuing mediæval practice. In most western countries there are laws protecting animals against cruelty, unnatural and unnecessary practices – and yet none […]
When is it time?
I have already made mention in the social media of a horse that is cared for by one of my customers. A beautiful mare that actually belongs to a farmer but that has been tended to by my customer for some 16 years. Like so many people, my customer was convinced that – certainly after […]
Vaccination Routines…
An interesting article by a vet about routine vaccination of horses (and other animals) and the likely lack of necessity for such a rigorous and frequent routine DePaolo Equine Concepts.
Lotje Schoots Reprimanded by FEI Steward at 2012 CDIO Aachen | eurodressage
Yet another example of abuse – albeit on a “minor” scale in this case – within the honourable world of dressage (and competition riding in general) Lotje Schoots Reprimanded by FEI Steward at 2012 CDIO Aachen | eurodressage.
Race to the Death
So, the verdict is out on the 2012 Grand National at Aintree. Everything possible had been done to insure a safe race. A result no doubt welcomed by organisers, authorities, owners and trainers alike. Sadly, it does not help Synchronized nor According to Pete, the two horses that died in the race; nor does it […]
Rhinopneumonia: no longer a problem
The Royal Dutch Horse Sport Federation (K.N.H.S.) has withdrawn all negative advice regarding travel and show events involving horses. In the past few days there have been no new reports of virus outbreaks and the potential of an epidemic seems to have passed. Of course there are now voices shouting about the excessive precaution that […]
BBC News – Dustin Hoffman drama Luck halts filming with horses
The day after three horses have to be put down at the Cheltenham Festival, the BBC comes with this report about the HBO channel racing drama Luck: BBC News – Dustin Hoffman drama Luck halts filming with horses.