From turning barrels to jumping them

Kirsten. Bench Squad. 24. Currently residing in the Pacific Northwest. I'm a long time barrel racer that is trading rodeos for horse trials. With my 13 year old paint mare Kali, we are learning about the new world of eventing. This blog is a mix of both western and englsih with a focus on barrels and eventing.

[neuropoodle]

are poodles super high energy, or is it more based on lines/breeders? i love them a lot and i'm looking to get a service dog that i'll be training myself soon, but i have learned through a whole lot of experience that i can't handle high energy dogs :(

it rlly depends! standard poodles Can be high energy depending on lines, personality, and on/off switch, but as a general rule spoos are high energy. minis and toys tend to be medium-high energy as well, and all three sizes are medium-high drive. however, their energy doesn’t have to be managed through exercise alone and can be managed through mental games and challenges too! anubis loves to train and will throw himself into it wholeheartedly. he loves to train for hours if i let him.

as a general rule poodles mellow and mature as they age, and they tend to have pretty good off switches as long as you foster that in them. we’re still working on settling, but if i need him to anubis can and will sleep all day, but he can also run around all day with me too!

if you don’t feel like you can handle a high energy dog but wanna give poodles a shot, try asking around and see if any friends or other handlers at clubs or local events will let you handle their poodles! and if you don’t need a standard for their size, then a mini or toy is completely respectable too!

[switching-reins]

My poodles have a great off switch. They have energy to go all day. Like I’ll take one on a day trip to LA or the beach and they never want to lay down and rest. But they also don’t eat my apartment if I can only muster up the energy for a 15 minute walk after a long day at work. 

Some lines are crazy and hyper. I’ll never understand why they keep breeding that. But it’s out there. I haven't met true sporting bred standards yet but I imagine they have much more drive than my show bred dogs. 

[switching-reins]

Hey! I saw vadenspoo's post about the SDIT wash and the shady breeder. Could you tell me the breeder? I'm in central OR and have been looking as far south as CA, east as Idaho, and north as Seattle for a spoo in the coming years

Hey. I'm the same person. This is just my main blog so all my responses come from it. I messaged you with my dog blog though. :)

[sdequus2]

Honestly, I am concerned but slightly amused by the fact that there’s a real live adult who put me in their bio, telling me not to interact but chooses to routinely post about me and/or reply to my things.

[switching-reins]

Never change horsblr, never change.

[switching-reins]

Fair Hill Part 3: The Thing We’re All Talking About

And then of course, there was this: I was standing by fence 21 on XC day with some friends when ML went by with RF Scandalous. Even though I was several strides back on the landing side of the fenc…

It’s really cool that the FEI is so great at ignoring their own rules and allowing a horse with a bloody mouth to win a trial. Shout out to Marilyn Little for continuing to be a heavy handed piece of shit. This is her 4th bloody mouth in one year. 

[horsesarecreatures]

4th in one year? Seriously?

[captain-asexual]

What the fuck?

[equinefeather]

Booooooo

[eventingarab]

Also there was an article somewhere where someone said that we shouldn’t judge and call out Little because we don’t ride at her level, and because no one else that does ride at her level is.

Which is complete and utter bullshit.

Michael Jung, William Fox-Pitt, Andrew Nicholson, Denny Emerson, and many, many other have not only ridden at the level Little has, but they’ve done it without bloodying a horse’s mouth multiple times in a year. I’m not saying they’ve never bloodied a mouth, because things happen, but four times in one year is not a coincidence of a horse biting their tongue. This is straight up abuse, harsh hands, and cruel riding.

[sdequus2]

What a gross person. Four times in one year is unacceptable.

[brideoftheatom]

This really saddens me. I attend Fair Hill every year and I can not believe that the GJ let this happen. The horse had visible blood on her mouth around jump 10! Jump judges began to report it and we’re told to stop reporting it. She should have been held up so a vet could check her while she was still on course but she was allowed to continue…again. At the vet box before a vet could check her they had wiped her mouth with a black towel and had taken the bridle away. If it was just a bite of the tongue why all the sneakiness? Accidents can happen especially in a sport like eventing but the welfare of the horse should always be the top priority. Riding is a partnership and a true equestrian always put the welfare of their horse before anything else.

[natshorses]

All the sneakiness means something is up. And 4 times in only a year that isn’t even half way over? Obviously girl is being too rough with her giant bit.

[switching-reins]

It's been at least a year since I wrote this post, but it's relevant again. Nothing has changed. Little is still making her horse's mouth bleed.

[reckless-angel1988]

[veganerudition]

My hope is that one day equestrians will actually act on how much they love and care for horses by not riding them, especially if they’re participating in disciplines such as dressage, show-jumping, reining, cutting, racing, and eventing. Riding, especially moderate to intense riding that involves high joint stress, is responsible for the majority of musculo-skeletal disorders and causes of lameness seen in horses. Working horses before they’re mature and breeding horses of poor or unbalanced conformation (halter and hand-held competitors are notorious for this) can exacerbate the effect that riding has on these horses yet it is still commonly done.

So please, if you care for horses consider riding them less, if not at all. They may be larger than you and physically capable of holding you without collapsing, but they are not naturally designed to carry your weight on their back while also performing activities that could cause musculo-skeletal strain even without you on them. If you care for horses, please consider what would be best for their optimal health without including what you want from them.

[idreaminbayandgrey]

Honey, no. 

While most of the injuries seen by veterinarians are from horses that are used in performance (aka showing), that’s because people who use their horses for showing have to treat their injuries faster. Purely pasture horses do not get treated as often or as quickly. Majority of the injuries I have seen have come from horses in the field but the difference in getting them treated depends on if the owner is using them or not. The sports aren’t to blame for the injuries. 

In fact, look at the horses running at Land Rover Kentucky. You’ll see tons of horses in their teens still running at the hardest competition. Many of them keep going until they are almost 20 and that’s simply due to them being used correctly and properly maintained. 

Lots of care and work goes into keeping these horses sound and in peak physical condition. Riding them can be seen like going to the gym yourself. No it’s not always comfortable, yeah when you’re doing hard work there is always the risk of injury, and yeah sometimes someone else has to drag you to the gym even if it’s for your own good. But all of this is better for you at the end of the day.

So yeah, I love my horses. I ride them, I feed them, I treat them, I train them, and I make sure they are as happy as they can be while in work with me. But they are also given some expectations and it’s fine. Hasn’t stopped them from coming to me when called and wanting cuddles whenever they can

[veganerudition]

Honey, yes.

There is a very big difference between pastured injuries and sporting injuries, and the majority of musculoskeletal (not traumatic!) lameness is caused by or during ridden work. A pastured horse may step in a hole, kick a fence, or step on a nail and develop a sole abscess but horses that is ridden and worked intensively (especially sporting horses) are prone to fractures, joint instability, and osteoarthritis just from having those unnatural loads and forces placed on their bodies. A horse that is jumping metre-high fences is most certainly going to be at a higher risk of injury than a horse cantering free in a field. The sports are most definitely to be blamed for the injuries that are directly acquired from participating in the sport.

You are absolutely right that lots of care and work goes into keeping these horses sound (and they are also often horses of excellent conformation to be able to compete at that level), because the activity is that strenuous that if you don’t, they’d be lame within a few months. Statistics are literally in favour of the fact that sporting horses experience the highest percentages of lameness and it has been directly linked to the fact that they are sporting horses. Hell, even during veterinary education we are told about diseases that are highly specific for sporting horses just because of the nature of their work. Just because not every horse competing isn’t clinically lame doesn’t mean the sport is not at fault for increasing the incidence of lameness and injury.

Correlating riding and going to the gym is the funniest thing though, because neither of them are necessary for good health. Humans don’t have to lift heavy weights and run miles to be healthy, and horses don’t need to have weight on their back and be put through highly strenuous activities to be healthy. It’s not necessary, nor is it the better option for their overall health considering it comes with so many risks.

Horses do not understand expectations. Those expectations are your own problem and shouldn’t be forced onto other animals that do not understand them. Just because they love you doesn’t quite justify you using them and putting them at higher risk of injury in accordance with your own expectations of them. You say you love your horses, and I’m just asking you to consider loving them in a way that doesn’t involve exploitation and a higher risk of injury and disease.

[idreaminbayandgrey]

Bruh. I have 2 horses that are actively ridden. I can list all of their worst injuries and they all came from in the field. One has been jumped regularly since she was 8 and competed in dressage. Last year she severely pulled her hock bucking in the field. In the 14 years I’ve been riding, every severe injury I’ve seen has come from the field, not ridden work. You’re not actually saying facts or acknowledging how the correlation of sport horses and injury might not actually be causation but actually more due to closer attention being paid. Correct work increases their lifespan.

And my horses would be obese without work. Literally one would have her feet rot off her body without consistent work and feeding schedules. Pretty much anyone in the health field would tell you that exercise is good for living creatures.

And yeah, I know my horses don’t know my expectations. That’s why I train them. Part of the process. Fortunately, training also creates value for them so if I died, they would be more likely to end up in good homes. One of mine literally came out of a rescue.

If you wanna know why the equestrians are so annoyed, it’s cause your level of bullshit comes up in our tags all the time then shows up on our dashes. We honest to god don’t care what you think or how you feel about us riding but fuck it’s tiring to have show up when you’re just wanting to enjoy your creature. Try to guilt someone else and leave the horses to people who actually know the creatures.

[switching-reins]

I can't think of a single horse I know that has been injured during a ride. The worst thing that has happened to my horse during a ride was pulling a shoe. Something she will happily do alone too. But she has lacerated her leg while in her stall and nearly killed herself in a trailer. Yes horses do get hurt in high speed sports from time to time. But they're often the same type of injures seen in horses who as running around in a field. They're horses. They like to try to kill themselves.

Any long term wear on the body can be redused and easily managed by proper riding, tack, and starting horses at the right age. I doubt my horse's need for hock injections are due to barrel racing but likely are due to being ridden at two and raced too young.

You mentioned that people don't need to go to the gym to be healthy. Wow. No. Working out and eating right are the two most important things you can do for yourself. Any doctor will tell you that. Being fat and sitting around eating isn't good for any animal.

[switching-reins]

That blind horse that Clinton Anderson beat is now doing positive reinforcement with his owner. That makes me happy. Not that I’m all about +R training, but it’s great to know the owner didn’t stick with CA’s methods.

[fausthound-deactivated20191026]

This is cool! Where did you find this? :) If there are videos I’d love to see!

[switching-reins]

I just follow her on Instagram

[switching-reins]

That blind horse that Clinton Anderson beat is now doing positive reinforcement with his owner. That makes me happy. Not that I'm all about +R training, but it's great to know the owner didn't stick with CA's methods.

[switching-reins]

I just bought a blinker with a half cut on her right eye to help protect it a little. When I went to see her yesterday the left side of her face was swollen and she has a cut under her eye. I don't think she is doing to seriously damage herself. But I don't want to have to remove the eye because she poked it. So now she will just be a race horse 24/7. They make masks for blind horses. They're like clear visors. But they're expensive and look stupid.

[switching-reins]

Fucking barn dogs

One of these days I'm going to mule kick my spur into my barn owner's dog's chest. If that fucker runs up behind be again I'm done. I shouldn't have to worry about getting bit every time I go to the barn. I've been bit by barn's dogs before. If your dog can't ignore strangers coming and going it shouldn't be loose. They shouldn't even bark. Fucking stupid.

[sdequus2]

Dexter is athletic

[switching-reins]

Every bird sighting on Safari Live: (whistering excited) WELCOME BAck everybody. Here we have a rare southern red ba- oh it flew off. Did you get that camera man? Well here is a picture on my bird app. Let me try to make it's call.(make burdush noise) I suck at bird calls. . . Well let's had back to the other host to see what the lions are doing.

Other host: hey. They're still alseep. Anyone got any questions?

[corgievie]

she’s truly a majestic creature

[switching-reins]

HI. WHAT THE FUCK? CAN Y'ALL EXPLAIN?

[tattooedequestrian]

Rocco feeling threatened by the new bachelor, establishes his dominance in a wild fight to the death

[hadesblood-deactivated20180818]

[horsesarecreatures]

Things Aren’t As Bad As You Think…They’re Much Worse

This is going to be a bit of a drive-by post today. I know many people are busy over on Facebook indulging their inner internet warrior and getting their crazy on, but work behind the scenes has c…

The more I’m following what’s going on with HiCaliber Horse Rescue, the more disturbed I’m becoming. At first I thought the main problem with the place is that horses are being bought from horse flippers and then being euthanized by gunshot because Michelle doesn’t want to spend the money to rehab them. This is true and without a doubt unethical, but there is so much more….I’ll just list a few.

1. There is currently a strangles outbreak on the property, which is not being disclosed to volunteers and adopters who may have horses of their own. What’s even worse is that despite this Michelle is currently pushing for more adoptions than usual because of her permit violation (there are 191 horses on a property less than 10 acres). As you can see from this still shot, their dirty, overcrowded property is the perfect breeding ground for disease. 

2. The horses are being euthanized inhumanely. There’s nothing wrong with gunshot euthanasia when its done properly in an emergency situation, but Michelle uses a .22 on the horses. That’s not a high enough caliber to guarantee that they will die with one shot. This is a picture that an undercover volunteer took after a horse named Max was shot for ambiguous reason. A horse would not bleed out this much from a single bullet wound.

3. The horses there are starving to death. By the time they leave, dead or alive, they are usually in even worse condition than when they were brought in. 

4. I’m not sure exactly what is going on here, but the fact that flies appear to be eating this mare alive suggests she has a large, untreated wound. 

5. Michelle is hacking up the bodies of the animals she shoots. She claims they’re being donated to research, but so far there is no proof. I’m obviously not an expert in amputating horse limbs but from the picture that does not look like a limb that has been cleaned and prepared for research. From the article: 

“There has been a lot of talk about Manson chopping up bodies.  I think the latest `official’ line is that the legs were chopped off once for her farrier because it was an extreme case.  She has stated that he did the cutting while Dr. Spini told him where to cut. My question about that is, if that’s the case, then why are the legs still in the freezer at the ranch where the Fireball and volunteer food is?  Why wouldn’t he take the legs with him?  Also, what the actual FUCK? I should probably mention that I was told that Manson and Dr. Talbot performed Umbra’s necropsy themselves. They cut her up right outside near Eclipse’s stall”. 

So what can you do?

1. Keep up what is going on. Read the Shedrow Confessions blog and follow HiCaliber Horror Story on Facebook. Share their posts.

2. Sign this petition demanding a county/state investigation into HiCaliber: x

3. Don’t donate to them. Even though they often use the tactic “if you guys will just donate x amount of money, then we can afford so-and-so’s surgery and avoid euthanasia” most of the horses still wind up being killed even when their fundraising goals have been met. 

4. If you’re in their area (Valley Center, CA), offer to volunteer for them and take pictures of all the suspicious things that are going on. If you message one of the admins of HiCaliber Horror Story they can give you more guidance on this. 

[switching-reins]

The horses are better off staying in their feedlots and getting shipped to slaughter than going to Hical. 

How many horses are allowed to be the according to the permit?

I’m willing to donate a diagram of a horse’s head and a higher caliber gun.

I mean if they're called “hicaliber” they should at least use something higher than a .22. It’s misleading.