Recently, my friend Linda Houston and I went to the Michigan Stallion Expo in Lansing. We decided to interview one another and post it on our blog sites. Linda is an extremely talented photographer and one of her areas of expertise is equine photography. I love listening to her vividly descriptive way she explains how to capture the beauty of the horse and rider in a photograph.
Linda is an extremely generous person, in business and friendship. I met her when I was looking for someone to photograph me for my website and business card. We hit it off right away as we started talking about our many similar experiences supporting our children’s horse sport involvement.
The next thing I knew, she was right there with me filming my short video describing LaRaedo and how it can assist farm owners. She never asked for a dime and we spent many hours fine tuning the film to make it just right.
Check out her website where she displays numerous equine related photos and a variety of other fine art displays at Houston Photography.
Here is a short clip of our easy going interview with Linda as she describes her passion. Enjoy!
We live in a time of great abundance. I know that to some people this does not appear to be the case. I have found recently for me that abundance can be more of a feeling than anything tangible. Don’t get me wrong, it is great to see and touch the tangible effects of abundance but I have come to realize that some times I have to believe in the having of it before I ever get even a glimpse of it.
Especially now, in the business world we tend to look at the economy as going down hill where in fact it is really doing quite well. I did a some research on the horse industry and obtained some very uplifting information that I want to share with you. This data was obtained from the American Horse Council. It is extremely encouraging information as it indicates that the horse industry has a very large effect on the economy as a whole. Far more than I suspect many have realized. Here are a few statistics:
There are 9.2 million horses in the United States
4.6 million Americans are involved in the horse industry as owners, employees or service providers
2 million people own horses
The horse industry has a direct economic effect on the U.S. of $39 billion annually and a total impact of $101.5 billion on the U.S. GDP (gross domestic product)
This industry pays $1.9 billion in taxes
It supports over 1.4 million full-time employment jobs throughout the U.S. which includes racing, showing, recreation and other types
When it comes to horse economics, which end of the stick are you on? Is it the end that shouts great abundance or something less than that?
Here are a few quotes that I found which I especially resonate with:
There’s nothing so good for the inside of a man as the outside of a horse.
- Ronald Reagan
A horse doesn’t care how much you know until he knows how much you care.
- Pat Parelli
Horse sense is the thing a horse has, which keeps it from betting on people.
- W. C. Fields
If the horse does not enjoy his work, his rider will have no joy.
- H. H. Isenbart
A pony is a childhood dream; a horse is an adulthood treasure.
- Rebecca Carroll
God forbid that I should go to any Heaven in which there are no horses.
- R. B. Cunningham Graham
It is not enough for a man to know how to ride; he must know how to fall.
- Mexican Proverb
Many people have sighed for the “good old days” and regretted the “passing of the horse,” but today, when only those who like horses own them, it is a far better time for horses.
- C.W. Anderson
The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit, and fire.
- Sharon Ralls Lemon
If your horse says no, you either asked the wrong question, or asked the question wrong.
- Pat Parelli
Horses – if God made anything more beautiful, he kept it for himself.
- Author Unknown
Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of Solitaire. It is a grand passion.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Horses are predictably unpredictable.
- Loretta Gage
I found these off of a horse supplies forum and really got a chuckle – hope you do too!
Ten Ways To Get In Shape To Own A Horse
Drop a heavy steel object on your foot. Don’t pick it up right away. Shout, “Get off, stupid! Get off!”
Leap out of a moving vehicle and practice “Relaxing into the fall”. Roll lithely into a ball, and spring to your feet!
Learn to grab your checkbook out of your purse/pocket and write out a $200 check without even looking down.
Jog long distances carrying a halter and holding out a carrot. Go ahead and tell the neighbors what you’re doing. They might as well know now.
Affix a pair of reins to a moving freight train and practice pulling it to a halt. And smile as if you are really having fun.
Hone your fibbing skills. “See hon, moving hay bales is fun!” and ” I’m glad your lucky performance and multi-million dollar horse won you first place – I’m just thankful that my hard work and actual ability won me second place”.
Practice dialing your chiropractor’s number with both arms paralyzed to the shoulder, and one foot anchoring the lead rope of a frisky horse.
Borrow the US Army slogan; “Be all that you can be…(add) bitten, thrown, kicked, slimed, trampled.”
Lie face down in the mud in your most expensive riding clothes and repeat to yourself: “This is a learning experience, this is a learning experience…”
Yesterday I had my first booth at a horse expo – Great Lakes Equine Classic. I brought my table with computer and handouts and set up my little corner on the horse expo floor along with all the other vendors. I know, I know – from the photo it looks like this picture could have been taken anywhere. I can attest to it that Teresa from Amberado jewelry (very nice amber jewelry by the way) took the photo on Saturday morning.
Many of the more experienced vendors had glamorous and visually enticing booths for their bountiful products. I enjoyed a few moments to take my own tour around the area and viewed the various horse breeds for the clinics as well as a multitude of equine products available for everyone.
And I might mention, the glorious smells of freshly roasted pecans with cinnamon and brown sugar, hot dogs, popcorn and pulled pork sandwiches filled the air.
I thoroughly enjoyed talking with everyone that stopped by even if they were just curious about my display. Let’s face it, a web-based horse farm management and invoicing software isn’t the most common vendor attraction. I was delighted to see how farm owners’ eyes would light up as I described how easy this software product is to use and how it will enhance their horse boarder’s experience.
I especially liked observing all the activity. So many horse loving people coming out to watch the very informative clinicians speak about their craft. Everyone dressed from warm winter jackets to glamorous western attire were enjoying the plentiful products for sale. It appeared from all the bags and boxes being toted by the attendees, that horse expos are the one-stop shopping place for everything equine.
I look forward to attending and participating in many, many more events of this type. What about you, what horse expos do you plan to attend this year?
Did you know that a horse’s teeth up until the age of 9 years could accurately determine its age? Then the horse becomes ‘smooth mouthed’ and it is a bit harder to determine. A horse gets all its teeth by five years old and after that they just get longer.
Here are a few horse records –
The tallest horse was a Shire at 21.2 hands. His name was ‘Samson’ and was born in England in 1846.
The oldest horse was an English barge horse named ‘Old Billy’ and lived to the ripe age of 62 years, from 1760 to 1822.
A horse named ‘Huaso’ who jumped 8 feet, 1 and ¼ inches on February 5, 1949 in Chile made the highest jump on record.
The record for the longest jump over water is 27 feet, 6 3/4 inches, by ‘Something’, ridden by Andre Ferreira in South Africa on April 25, 1975.
A mule is a cross between a male donkey and a female horse. Mules are usually sterile.
Horses can only breathe through their noses, not from their mouths.
Most foals are born late at night when the herd is most likely at rest.
Horses cannot vomit.
Horses have the ability to lock the muscles in their legs so they can sleep while standing up.
The hoof of a horse, like human fingernails, grows continually and must be trimmed.
Horses produce around 10 gallons of saliva each day and drink approximately ten gallons of water. What goes in; must come out.
Appaloosas come in many patterns and are often born spotless. The spots develop over the first year of life.
Horses are not colorblind but have a limited range of color vision, seeing mostly the warm colors of brown, yellow and green.
Camargue horses are completely white as adults. Their foals are pure black when born.
Appaloosas come in many patterns and are often born spotless. The spots develop over the first year of life.
Horses need about an ounce of salt per day and most will voluntarily consume between one and two ounces from salt blocks.
Draught Horses are the world’s strongest animals apart from elephants.
These are just a few little tidbits that I was able to gather. Do you have more to add?
Horse Expos are always exciting for the young and young at heart horse lovers. Whether you come to learn something new at the various clinics or just to browse around the vendor displays, having fun is the name of the game.
Michigan is preparing for another horse expos from February 12 through 14 at the Great Lakes Equine Classic formerly known as Mid-Michigan Horse Expo in Birch Run, Michigan.
There is a tremendous list of talented clinicians starting with Ryan Gingerich who has developed a training program called Connective Horsemanship. Dorothy Mueller who specializes in training young riders up through Grand Prix will also be presenting. Check out the clinicians list to read more about the vast array of horse professionals.
And for those that want to shop and peruse the latest in horse related merchandise, here is the link to the vendors. I spoke to one vendor in particular – Brian from AmberWay Equine Solutions. He is prepared and ready to display a variety of equestrian products for every horse farm owner. This year’s show is under new management and he is looking forward to a great turn out.
I plan to attend quite a few horse expos this year and will be selling my horse farm software product, LaRaedo, at a few of them.
What horse expos are you planning to attend this year?
Yep, I’ve decided to get things moving here on the LaRaedo blog. In this post, I’d love to hear from the all those dedicated horse boarders who board their horse with a farm owner that is truly outstanding!
The contest will run for one week, and I will let everyone know in a future post the first name of the lucky winner and the honored farm.
The winner will receive one $25 salt block from www.horsesalt.com. Himalayan Salt Licks! These are mined from eons-old deposits in the Ancient Himalayan Mountains. Your horse will love you for it. And it will definitely brighten your farm owner’s day knowing you care and really appreciate what they do everyday for your horse.
Anyone that owns a horse-boarding farm works tremendously hard for the money. When dealing with live animals particularly those that you have committed to taking care of, day in and day out, sick days are pretty much non-existent. There are lessons, training, cleaning, mucking and on and on. The days are long and arduous even with the best of help.
We all know that there are the basic necessary requirements that must be met in order to board your horse on a farm. Most farms are quite attentive when it comes to properly maintaining the barn, paddocks and arenas. It’s pretty much agreed from the first day of board what the barn rules are and what to expect as far as feed, exercise and stall cleaning.
That is why I have decided to use this post as a contest for all horse boarders to honor those farm owners that have gone above the call of duty. Just leave your comments below and tell us what you have observed that makes you feel that the farm has given your horse the very best of care.
Many times we see things that occur which really strike us as exceptional but get busy with our daily lives and forget to mention our appreciation about any number of notable actions.
And the action doesn’t even have to be anything super big. Some times it’s those little things that farm owners do that really make a huge difference in the lives of the boarders and the service to the horses.
Maybe you’ve noticed them talking gently to the horses or even singing while they muck the stalls. Or perhaps they watched your horse make friends with another horse on the farm and vividly described to you some cute antics.
How about a time that your yearling got loose in the barn and the farm owner gently assisted in rounding him up and back to his stall. It’s these little gems that never seem to get the acknowledgement that they deserve.
There are really so many, many things that the farm owner does everyday that deserves a loud and hearty acknowledgement and here is your chance. Be sure to list the farm name and website so the credit can be recognized.
The next contest will be the other way around – what do horse boarders do on the farm that really makes the farm owner’s day brighter. Stay tuned!
Be sure to leave your comments below for the best farm owner ever!
Did you ever wonder about the history behind the ‘lucky’ horseshoe? I have often visited farms that had a horseshoe nailed above the entranceway into the barn and was curious of its history. So I decided to do some research and find a little bit about the background of this custom.
In many places throughout the world, the horseshoe is supposed to bring luck only if its heels are pointed upwards so that ‘the luck will not run out’. And there are those places that believe just the opposite, that the shoe should be hung downward so that ‘the luck can pour onto you’.
There is some argument as to whether pouring out is a good thing or a bad thing. Some believe that the luck is lost and others that it is released to work its good in the near proximity.
There is the belief, too that if a horse throws a shoe, the luck is lost with it. So for it to be lucky, a horse must wear a horseshoe until it is removed.
Some are of the opinion that the horseshoe must have been worn by a horse at some point in order for it to be lucky. And that the more miles it has travelled, the more luck it can hold. Horses are considered lucky too, and to dream of a horse or to see a horse is particularly fortunate. But, we already knew that, right?
Another interesting theory is that in the old days, horseshoes were usually made of iron and that iron repelled witches and demons. In fact, since horseshoes are associated with blacksmiths, Smithing was considered a lucky profession.
In part of Europe, the location that the horseshoe is nailed, either to the side of a door or above it, is not as important as that the shoe was actually worn and discarded by the horse and that the person who enters the room should be able to touch it.
Long ago it was believed that a horse moving over cobblestones could throw off sparks from it horseshoes, thus being viewed as objects of power.
For a horseshoe to be lucky, it should never be purchased by their owners but always given as a gift by someone wishing them good luck and good health.
In summary, historical views seem to vary about the apparent luck of a horseshoe. Ultimately when it comes down to it, does it really matter what is depicted as the object that possesses luck? What really matters is whether you believe it’s lucky or not.
What do you think? Is there any real luck in a horseshoe?
Printer Friendly Version
