Letter to My Horses

(L to R: Angel, Dino, & Sancho. Taken Nov 10, 2009)

Dear Angel, Sancho, and Dino,

Happy New Year! I wish to take a few minutes to get something off my chest. I love you all very much, and I truly cherish your presence in my life. I would never wish to criticize you in any way. However, there are a few trivial details regarding our relationship that I think might bear your consideration.

First of all, I am already aware that horses can run faster than I can. I do not need you to demonstrate that fact each time I come to get you in the pasture. Please remember that I work long and hard to earn the money to keep you in the style to which you have become accustomed. In return, Dino, I think you should at least pretend to be glad to see me, even when I'm carrying a bridle instead of treats.

It should be fairly obvious to you that I am a human being who walks on only two legs. I do not resemble a scratching post, Angel. Do not think that, when you rub your head against me with 1,000+ pounds of force behind it, I believe that it wasn't your intention to send me flying. I am also aware that stomping on my toes while you are pushing me around is nothing but adding injury to insult.

I understand I cannot expect any of you to cover your nose when you sneeze, but it would be appreciated if you did not inhale large amounts of dirt and manure prior to aiming your sneezes at my face and shirt. Also, if you have recently filled your mouth's with water you do not intend to drink, please let it all dribble from your mouth BEFORE you put your head on my shoulder or over my head. In addition, while I know you despise your deworming medication, Angel, my intentions in giving it to you are good, and I really do not think I should be rewarded by having you spit half of it back out onto my shirt.

Sometimes, I get the feeling that Sancho you are confused about the appropriate roles you should play in various situations. One small bit of advice: Your stone-wall imitation, Sancho, should be used when I am mounting and your speed-walker imitation when I suggest that we proceed on our way, not vice-versa. Please also understand that jumping is meant to be a mutual endeavor. By "mutual", I mean that we are supposed to go over the jump together. You were purchased to be a mount, not a catapult.

I know the world is a scary place when your eyes are on the sides of your head, but I did spend a significant amount of money to buy the three of you, and I have every intention of protecting my investment. Therefore, please consider the following when you are choosing the appropriate behavior for a particular situation:

When I put your halter on you, attach one end of a lead rope to the halter, and tie the other end of the lead rope to a post or rail or whatever, I am indicating a desire for you to remain in that locale, Angel. I would also like the halter, lead rope, post, etc., to remain intact. While I admit that things like sudden loud noises can be startling, I do not consider them to be acceptable excuses for repeatedly snapping expensive new lead ropes (or halters or posts) so that you can run madly around the barn area creating havoc in your wake. Such behavior is not conducive to achieving that important goal that I know we both share --- decreasing the number of times the vet comes out to visit you.

By the same token, the barn aisle was not designed for the running of the Kentucky Derby, Dino, and is not meant to serve as a racetrack. Dragging me down the aisle, or across a field for that matter, by leaps and bounds is not how "leading" is supposed to work. Pulling loose and running off is also discouraged (although I admit it does allow you to run faster).

My Dear Sancho, I assure you that blowing pieces of paper do not eat horses. While I realize you are very athletic, I do not need a demonstration of your ability to jump 25 feet sideways from a standing start while swapping ends in midair, nor am I interested in your ability to emulate both a racehorse and a bucking bronco while escaping said piece of paper. Also, if the paper were truly a danger, it would be the height of unkindness to dump me on the ground in front of it as a sacrificial offering to expedite your escape.

Also, when I ask you to cross a small stream, you may safely assume that said stream does not contain crocodiles, sharks, or piranhas, nor will it be likely to drown you. (I have actually seen horses swimming, so I know it can be done.) I expect you to be prepared to comply with the occasional request to wade across some small body of water. Since I would like to be dry when we reach the other side of the stream, deciding to roll when we're halfway across is not encouraged behavior.

I give you my solemn oath, Angel, that the trailer is nothing but an alternate means of transportation for distances too long for walking. It is not a lion's den or a dragon's maw, nor will it magically transform into such. It is made for horses, and I promise you that you will indeed fit into your assigned space. Please also bear in mind that I generally operate on a schedule, and wherever we're going, I would really like to get there today.

For the last time, I do not intend to abandon any of you to a barren, friendless existence. If I put you in a turn-out pen, I promise that no predators will eat you, and I will come back in due time to return you to your stall. It is not necessary to run in circles, whinny pathetically, threaten to jump the fence, or paw at the gate. Neither your stable mates nor I will have left the premises. The other horses standing peacefully in adjacent pens amply demonstrate that it is possible to enjoy being turned out for exercise.

In order to reassure you, my dear horses, I have posted the following message on your stall doors:

"Notice to People Who Complain About My Horses"

1. I like my horses a lot better than I like people who complain about them.
2. To you, they're an animal; to me, they are a big, hairy, four-legged child --- and you know what they say about coming between a mother and her children.
3. Their stalls are their castle, and you are expected to treat them as the royalty they think they are.
4. If you don't want them to steal your carrots, don't walk by them with the carrots sticking out of your pockets.
5. Horses are better than husbands or kids. They eat grass, don't smoke or drink, don't expect an allowance, don't voluntarily get their body parts pierced, don't hog the remote, don't waste the whole weekend watching football with their friends, don't talk back to you, don't compare you unfavorably with their friends' owners, don't keep you awake with their snoring --- and no horse ever left the toilet seat up after going to the bathroom.
   

Finally, in closing, my strong and gentle companions, I would like to point out that, whatever might happen between horses and their people, we humans will always love you. In fact, our bonds with you help create new bonds among ourselves, even with total strangers. Wherever there are horses, there will be "horse people," and for the blessings you bestow upon us, I thank you.

Sincerely,
Your "Human"

(Footnote: this is a modified version of an email that was passed around a year or two ago. I am unaware of who the original author is, but who ever did, Thank You.)

Front page on CNN!!

Racehorse's plight shines light on illegal slaughter farms.

This past year Miami-Dade County in Florida has been under a microscope when it comes to the slaughter of horses. It all started last February when a Paint gelding went missing from his pasture, only to be found six days later tied to a tree across the road from his home butchered for his meat. From there it escalated to more stolen horses being found within walking distances of their homes, all butchered for their meat. At first people assumed it was a satanic ritual because they were all Paints, but then two Paso Pinos were discovered by their owner dead in their pasture. From there it just became more and more frequent that horses were turning up missing only to be found butchered.

In the end it turned out what horse owners were fearing: a blackmarket for horse meat, and when arrests were finally made, it was two teenagers that were responsible. Of course those teenage boys are not solely responsible, it's beginning to look like a whole industry is right under noses.

...and to think, Dino nearly became another statistic.

Related Articles:
Florida Poachers Target Horses mar 31
Florida Horse Poaching Continues may 14
More Slaughtered Horses Discovered in Florida july 4
Horse Poaching: Miami-Dade Police Investigate New Report july 20
Florida Horse Killing Investigation Expands Again july 28
Florida Horse Poaching Tip Reward Rises aug 12
Tips to Stop Horse Poachers Offer by Police aug 13
Horse Poachers Target of Community Watch Project aug 24
Miami Gardens Horse Reported Butchered sept 10
Tampa Police Investigate Horse Theft sept 14
Florida Horse Poaching Information Rewards Rise to $20K sept 15
Arrest Made in Miami Horse Poaching Investigation sept 17
Miami Horse Poaching: Arrest, Criminal Charges Made sept 17
Gulfstream Donates to Slaughter Reward Fund sept 19
Miami Horse Poaching: Another Arrest Made sept 22
Illegal Horse Meat Sales Results in Two Arrested in Florida oct 8
Another Butchered Horse Found in Florida dec 23

Courtesy of Youtube: Noproblemfor Dino - the racehorse

I find it interesting to see Dino racing. Like he wore blinkers, I find that interesting. Did he wear them because he couldn't focus or to make him more competitive? At some point, I would also like to find a winner's circle photo of him.

All in all, Dino is doing great

(Dino's new halter and stall-plate arrived this week.)

Dino had a rough spell last week. After tying-up on Monday he was turned out a few days later and took a corner too fast. He ended up going down, but it was like slow motion where he grunted the whole way down. He got up, looked around, and came trotting over to me sheepishly. A little like he was embarrassed. He hasn't done anything stupid outside since.

Dino likes his turnout time, but enough is enough after 20 minutes and he likes to be returned to the comforts of his stall and his nice warm Amigo blanket. Who can blame him?

Dino has not been started back to work since the tying-up episode. Rationally, I know it was just a fluke. My paranoia is a direct link to Angel and her constant need for vet care. Mainly Dino has remained off work because of the holidays, with my free time I've been shopping and baking. I may just keep him out of work until the holidays have passed, or maybe not, I really haven't decided yet. Jim did come and reset Dino's shoes this past Sunday, so he is ready to start back to work.

I have started Dino on his Ration Plus, taken him off his grain, gave him a new Selenium and Vitamin E enriched salt block (which he hasn't touched), got him a second water bucket, and wormed him.

All in all, Dino is doing great.

Our vet drives a porsche. See horse for details.

(This little ditty is available from Back in the Saddle.)

I feel like I should own this (or own up to it) and display it proudly on my front door step.

Angel is quite frankly the most accident prone animal that has ever lived...and lived to tell about it, too! I've had her nearly 13 years and this is just a sampling of what she's done:

1. She tore her left front tendon.
2. She had a reaction to a bad rhino flu shot.
3. Said reaction^^ caused her to founder so badly she seedy toed.
4. She fell through an ice covered pond.
5. She fell into a ditch, with me on her!
6. She got loose once and caught in a rope - major rope burn.
7. She slipped on ice and broke her knees open.
8. She jumped the pasture fence, landed on asphalt and re-broke open her knees.
9. She got her foot stuck under the manger (the wall at the front of a horse trailer), on the way to a horse show.
10. She's colicked twice.
11. Been cast once in her stall.
12. At one point while rehabbing took her swimming, she reared up and cracked her head on the ceiling.
13. Another time while backing out the horse trailer she slipped and cracked her head again.
14. Got stung in the eye and nearly lost said eye.
15. Last March she suffered a sacroiliac injury to her back, which has promptly put her into full retirement.

Who does these things? I've had Sancho for 10+ years and I can only think of the one time when he needed the vet.

Angel's most recent vet emergency occurred on July 14, 2009. I had gone down to the barn to feed at 7:30AM and who meets me at the barn door? Angel. Let me say, my heart went straight to my stomach. Apparently she had been out all night and ate a 60# bale of hay and 25#'s of grain. Immediately I called the vet and of course they don't start answering their phones until 8am, and I knew I couldn't waste a second so I called Lee, my neighbor.

"Hi, quick question, if a horse is possibly foundering, you want to hose their feet with cold water, right?" (I honestly couldn't remember if that was true or a myth. I had started to prior to calling Lee and got to thinking if it was a myth, I could be doing permanent damage.)

"Well they say the best thing to do is stand them in a stream or in deep wet mud that covers their hooves. Why?"
.
.
.
Before I could do anything, my vet called me back and told me to have Angel stand in a tub of water and add ice if I could. Dr H made it out around 11:30, checked her feet (cool), checked for a digital pulse (none), checked her heart rate (normal if not below normal), and checked her hind gut (good). He then had me put her back in her stall while he put her under so that he could pass a 5' hose through her nose and into her stomach where he then pumped her full of mineral oil. And putting her under did nothing to stop her from throwing a full on hissy fit. Typical, just let me say, TYPICAL. Even Dr H had to look at me and say, "Are you serious?" I just apologized - profusely. Nothing liked being slammed into walls and dragged around a stall by a drugged up, pissed off Thoroughbred mare. You would even think that acting out so strongly would take energy away from her and make her more relaxed and sleepy. Nope.

Since July Angel's been good (*knock on wood*). She doesn't kick her stall walls nearly as much as she used to, actually I think her arthritis makes it too difficult and painful for her. While I hate to see her stiff and sore, I am grateful for the peace and quiet that has fallen over my barn.

My only problem lies in her sacroiliac injury (SI). There are days that she gets around great and appears to be 100% sound, and there are other days that she hurts so bad she won't come out of her stall. I worry that the day will come where she'll lie down and won't be able to get up...I have visions of putting her down in her stall and then wrapping chains around her legs so the tractor can drag her to her grave. I fear one day she'll have another bout of ataxia, and this time she'll get hurt or maybe hurt someone else. And I worry that I'm being selfish in keeping her around, that it would be best - kinder - too just put her down and be done with it. I then find myself looking for signs from her that it has all become too much, she doesn't have any more fight in her and she's ready. Yet when I look in her eyes, they are bright and inquisitive, full of life. At feedings she eats everything up and she always looks for more. But I still wonder, who am I keeping her around for?

I had made a promise to myself originally: that if Angel was not better by the end of October, then I would put her down before winter and the ground froze. But I reneged, telling myself she was getting better, putting on weight even. I then made myself a new promise: I'll put her down when we move next year, at the new farm. This way she won't be left behind and I'll plant a Honeycrisp apple tree over her - my favorite type of apple for my favorite horse. Knowing myself, I'll probably find another reason on why she shouldn't be put down then, too.

To be perfectly honest, I want the easy way out: for her to go to sleep, under a beautiful tree, and feel no pain or fear. The reality is much harsher.

Putting a horse down is not like putting a dog, cat or any other animal down. There is no stainless steel table they lie on while getting the injection, held tightly by their owners. There is no slowing of respiration and heartbeat, no general ceasing of life. Instead its violent. The first shot is of phenytoin, to help control seizures. The second is a lethal dose of pentobarbital. Death is quick, within 30seconds, and again violent. The horse doesn't lie down and quietly go to sleep. No. Instead they drop to your feet, sometimes rearing up before collapsing, and convulsing before going rigid. One moment your standing at your horse's head, holding their lead rope while lovingly stroking their face as you tell them how much you love them. The next thing you know is they've dropped with enough force to shake the ground and the only thing you've still got is that lousy lead rope in your hands.

I don't care what anyone says, if you've never owned a horse you don't know what this is like. And I've owned dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and fish; it's not the same pain as losing a horse. I don't want to go through this with Angel, but I know I have to be there for her, in her last moments, as she has always been for me.

The quicker you want to get things done, the longer it'll take.

Dino had his first emergency vet call on Monday. It all started simple enough. I got him out and wanted to quickly freestyle lunge him, no more than 10-15minutes and be done with it. No biggie, right? But its like a Murphy's Horse Law - the quicker you want to get things done, the longer it'll take.

After walking for three minutes, I asked Dino to trot. He took one look at me and took off in a full gallop. At first I thought, "He'll simply wear himself out in 30 seconds and we'll get down to work." Nope. Dino kept right on going, a couple of times covering 60 feet in two strides! I was trying to get him to stop by putting myself in his path and extending my lunge whip. Nope, he'd pivot in one smooth movement and go in the other direction. I'd do it again and get the same response. I kept talking to him, telling him whoa and to trot. Finally, after nearly three minutes, he came down to a trot, but I noticed he was short in the left hind. His shortness became a visible lameness and then he stopped all together, reluctant to move and was favoring his left hind. Dread filled me.

In my hast I did not put on his boots and at one point he slipped going around the corner at mock speed. He caught himself and gave a buck, but he still slipped. Now I'm thinking, "Did he break something? Dislocated something? Strain something?" I tried to get him to move and lead him off, but I couldn't. At this point he's dripping with sweat and trembling. I finally got him moved to the cross ties in the aisle and clipped him in, the steam was billowing off him in a fog. I grabbed my cooler and covered him before going over him in search of the problem. There's no swelling or heat, but his muscles are concrete. I'm quickly coming to the conclusion that he's starting to tie-up and he needed immediate medical care.

Tying-up is known medically as Equine Exertional Rhabdomyolysis (commonly known as Monday Morning Disease) and is defined as a syndrome that damages the muscle tissue in horses. What happens is the horse will usually begin showing signs right after the beginning of exercise, sometimes signs do not show up until after the horse is cooled out. Signs include reluctance to move, stiffness or shortened gait when the animal is forced to move, and muscle spasms or cramps, with hard, painful muscles (especially the hindquarters) when palpated. It looks like a lameness if you've never seen it before, but it's very serious.

Inside the body there is an inadequate flow of blood and oxygen to the muscles of an exercising horse. This inadequacy causes the muscle cells to begin functioning anaerobically to produce the needed adenosine triphosphate, a nucleotide used in energy transfer, causing a buildup of waste, acid, and heat. This keeps the cell's enzymes from functioning properly and causes damages to the cell membranes when the horse is forced to continue working, allowing muscle enzymes and myoglobin, the primary oxygen-carrier for muscles tissues, to leak into the bloodstream. The lack of oxygen to the cells causes them to die, and the pain and muscles spasms that occur are caused by the lack of blood flow to the muscle tissue.

No one really understands the causes, but it is thought to have a connection to horses who are fed a high-grain diet and could also have a genetic link. One thing is for sure: it always occurs during exercise. Other probable reasons include:

• Poor conditioning or fitness
• A sudden increase in workload
• Hard work after a period of rest
• Electrolyte or mineral imbalances, especially with potassium
• A deficiency in selenium or vitamin E
• A hormonal imbalance, especially in nervous fillies and mares
• Horses diagnosed with hypothyroidism
  
• Wet, cold, or windy weather conditions
  

Dino does still have a poor fitness level, his taking off in a full gallop was a sudden increase in work - especially since we only walk and trot, due to the weather he'd been off for five days, he's always out of water, and it was a cold day.

After covering Dino with a cooler and realizing he could be tying-up, I kept offering him small amounts of water to drink. This keeps the kidneys working and helps flush out the potentially damaging myoglobin, which can cause kidney damage. Thankfully, Dino drank each and everytime that I offered him water. I then called everyone I could and the only person I could get a hold of was my Dad who immediately came out. While my vet was unreachable the neighbor vet, Doc Adams, was and he gave Dino a shot of banamine for the pain and a shot of vitamin B1 (thiamine) to help flush out his system. Within minutes Dino felt better and quietly walked back to his stall.

What was suppose to take less than 30 minutes took three hours.

Currently Dino has been taken off his grain, remains on his fat supplement with a small amount of bute (bute until Friday), is on turnout, and now has two water buckets in his stall. Dino does have a white salt block, but I'm thinking of switching him to a red salt block that contains selenium. Hopefully this was a fluke, but if not, tests will be run to determine what deficiencies Dino has and what can be done to correct them.

In other Dino news, he has another new blanket. A 75" 1200D Heavy Amigo blanket, Angel has gained so much weight that she ripped her other blanket lying down. So Dino's 78" Landa went to Angel and Dino got a new Amigo. This is the fifth and LAST blanket/sheet for Dino. This year alone, for three horses I have gone through eight blankets/sheets for my horses. Lord help me if I have to go back into a tack shop for another one!

Also, while hand walking Dino yesterday he kindly dragged me 25 feet across a field. In five weeks I had assumed that he had seen Mr B's little white mini next door...apparently not.

A month has passed

Dino on November 11, 2009

Dino on December 9, 2009

Amazing what four weeks of good food, exercise and grooming can do, huh?

I've learned a lot about Dino in this first month of ownership. For one he's a moody boy. I don't know if it's due to the weather change, as winter has finally arrived here, if he's cold, or my changing his 'routine' has caused this. I know he's usually always in a better mood after we work. But I have tried to change some things, I bought him a new Amigo sheet to place under his blanket on cold days and on top of his usual alfalfa hay, I'm adding two flakes of timothy hay in the afternoon. I've also come up with a more permanent schedule:

• Saturday & Sunday: ride
• Monday: lunge
• Tuesday & Wednesday: ride
• Thursday: groom
• Friday: lunge

Unfortunately with the arrival of winter, things will become complicated and we'll just have to work around super cold days or winter storms. I don't plan on doing any riding when it is in the low 20's and below that will probably lead to absolutely nothing outside of short grooming sessions, turnout (if possible), and cleaning stalls. The weather will break in three months and it'll get better.

Dino's poor attitude has also led me to consider ulcers. Studies have shown that more than 90% of all racehorses have ulcers and with all the moving around Dino has done in the last year, I can't help but think he could have gastric ulcers. I'm going to have to call my vet and discuss this with the benefits of a treatment of Succeed or Ulcer Guard.

I have also learned that Dino is locked at the poll. He very well could use another adjustment from the chiropractor, but until then I will try to get him to loosen up with exercises.

First, at a halt on the rail, while keeping my fingers softly closed on the reins and keeping my hands side by side, I turn my wrist (like I would unlocking a door). If I'm suppling the poll to the right my thumb will point to the right, my fingernails upwards and my baby finger diagonally to my opposite shoulder. I hold for three seconds and return to my original hand position.

My hand should never cross Dino's withers, only come close to them. I also need to support Dino with the opposite rein so he doesn’t just bend his neck. That is keep the rein still with contact.

A good check is to pick a position and put my hand forward toward Dino's mouth with a little slack in the reins. If I've suppled Dino properly, he’ll stay flexed in that direction and not go back with the slack in the rein. (Example: flex him left, give the left rein, and see if he stays flexed left without my hand.)

After success at the halt, we'll move on to the walk and so on.

Dino is also learning to relax his trot and a little bit of give and take.

For his trot, Dino needs to learn to step up under himself with his hind legs, letting the energy travels up over his back, creating a round back with a lifted belly, then over the top of his neck, creating a relaxed softly rounded neck, relaxed flexion at the poll, and down to the bit.

To do this I lightly close both legs to send him forward, when I feel the surge of energy coming from behind, I close my outside hand in a fist to capture the energy and recycle it back to the hind legs. I do this for three seconds, release for a few strides, and repeat. This is connecting his back end to his front end.

Once Dino has learned to round his back, we will move on to more giving and taking. The term "give and take" means to create bend or flexion. This is never a pull on the reins, always an invitation. If the horse resists, a more persistent invitation is given. It is also never a see-sawing action on his mouth, which only accomplishes a resentful horse.

By learning to give and take, Dino is ultimately learning about the indirect rein. If Dino gives (or flexes) his head to the right or left, he's also flexing at the poll. I know he's doing it correctly when I can see his inside (or outside - counter flexion) eye and nostril. His head should come in (or out) by no more than one inch. (The same technique for supplying or unlocking Dino's poll mentioned above.) Right now, we are working on flexing in.

When Dino flexes in, he should also flex at the jaw and close the angle of his throatlatch. To accomplish this, I first close my legs and send him forward through my outside hand to get his back round. AFTER his back is round, I ask him to flex his jaw by moving the bit in his mouth - with only one rein.

It is only after Dino has learned to flex at the poll and the jaw that he will truly be on the bit. The trick lies in Dino must be connected over his back, if not he's just turning his head inward. So I need to be sure that I support him with my outside rein to catch him from drifting out, rather than just bend his entire neck.

When Dino is correctly on the bit, he will feel soft in my hands and light on his feet. The message I need to remember when asking Dino to flex (or give) is to ride him from back to front.

Until Dino is moving consistently through or if we have a break in communication, I need to keep good contact and encourage relaxation and impulsion. Every training session has the primary goals of setting Dino up for success with a good experience. I then build on that to take us to the next level.

December 1 - we ride!

Dino has now been here a whole three weeks. I had set a simple goal of riding him on December 1 and I am proud to say I met my goal.

I started Dino out in side-reins and upped it a bit. We walked five minutes, trotted five minutes straight, walked five minutes, reversed directions and repeated. It was the best session to date! He held himself out, had a marching walk and a forward trot. He looked so good that I knew it was time to ride.

I hadn't been on Dino since Kentucky and waited with the idea that we needed to work on the basics. In Kentucky, Dino was extremely bad to the right and did not have the balance or the strength to hold himself out. By lunging him, especially freestyle lunging, and then adding the side reins I believe really helped. The benefit of side-reins is that they show you if your horse is balanced or not, as well as encourage flexion and softness in the mouth. With Dino the side reins, which are the elastic variety, were attached to the lowest ring and started out on the first hole before graduating to the current second hole. By leaving the side reins so loose, Dino is not constricted in his movements and was not going to feel trapped - potentially causing an accident. It will be several months before Dino is ready to graduate to the classical "donut" style side reins, which are heavier and have much less give. In the end, Dino gained the strength and the balance he needed. Also by lunging we were able to work on voice commands, staying relax, and encourage use of the back. A major setback, engaging the inside hind leg. The term is part of form, function and connection from the back-end to the bridle, which is how you ride the horse - from back to front. It also simply means: the horse cannot bend without engaging the inside hind leg. This will come with time.

After our lunging session, Dino was untacked and turned out for 15 minutes to relax and roll if he pleased - which he did. He was then brought back into the barn and tacked up. Back into the arena Dino stood quietly as the girth was tightened and hand walked for few minutes before I mounted up. Once astride, Dino walked calmly around the arena. At one point he did start to jig into a trot which I did allow him to do, I felt if he wanted to work we'd work. We made two turns around the arena and came back down to a walk. The next time Dino started to jig, I verbally told him to walk - which he immediately did.

I learned two important things by riding Dino:

1. Dino's trot is better than what it was in Kentucky, but it will take several weeks before his trot will smooth out. Time that lunging won't really help as much as being on his back will.
2. Dino is extremely sensitive. When I wanted to change direction, I did not pick up the reins but instead asked with my legs and seat. Dino immediately came off the wall, across the diagonal and back to the rail. This bit of knowledge has me looking forward to when we start adding lateral exercises to our sessions - hopefully next summer.

After our short ride, Dino stood quietly while I spoke to my Dad and friends who had gathered to watch the "great second-first ride".

From here, we will continue with riding three - four days a week, lunge one day a week, and be a happy healthy horse the other days. Riding/lunging times will remain in the 20 minute bracket as will grooming in the 30-45 minute bracket.

Next week, at the four week mark, a picture to show a comparison from when he arrived to now.

Week 1 & 2

Still playing catch-up.

Since Dino arrived home on the night of November 10, he was allowed to settle in and we didn't start work until November 12. Up until that point, I had noticed that Dino did fidget - all the time. He was referred to as Mr Wiggle's while in Kentucky and was truly living up to his name. Though I knew with time and patience he would settle. I am working with the following training thought: "Walk for muscle. Trot for balance. Canter for wind. In that order."

November 12
Dino was lunged in a padded dressage bridle with a double jointed loose ring (happy mouth) bit. We worked only 20 minutes with 10 minutes in each direction. Dino had to walk solidly for the first 2 minutes before moving up to a trot for 3 minutes. Downward transition to a walk for another 2 minutes before moving back into a trot for another 2 minutes. Walk 1 minute, reverse directions with the same time constraints. Goal was to keep Dino out on the lunge line, while working on voice commands. After 10 minutes, Dino is brought in off the lunge line and hand walked for 5 minutes to cool out.

November 13
A repeat of the previous day.

November 14 & 15
Were quiet days used for grooming and working on standing in the the cross ties and ground tying. In the end, no more Mr Wiggles!! We stand quietly and patiently.

November 16
Quiet day. Purchased a 78" Landa blanket. Too big.

November 17
Exchanged 78" blanket for a 75" blanket. Too small.
Dino free-style lunged for the usual 20 minutes, 10 minutes in each direction. Keeping his attention on me. Working on voice commands and downward transitions.

November 18
Exchanged the 76" blanket for the original 78" plus purchased a medium sized shoulder guard. Have high hopes that the blanket will fit as Dino adds weight and muscle. Freestyle lunged, 20 minutes.

November 19
Freestyle lunged, added canter. Still only 20 minutes.

November 20
Not happy today, sour look on his face. Freestyle lunged, 20 minutes. Start: 2 minutes walking, 3 minutes trotting, 2 minutes walking, 1 minute canter, 2 minutes walking. Reverse directions. Repeat. 5 minute hand walking to cool out.

November 21
Freestyle lunged. Difficult today, more interested in activities outside the arena. Instead of the usual 20 minutes, took 30 minutes. Goal was to get and keep Dino's attention. Was sweaty and required the cooler to keep from getting chilled.

November 22
Quiet day.

November 23
Freestyle lunged. Back to the normal 20 minutes, was happy-to-please self.

November 24
Freestyle lunged. See above.

November 25
Dino has returned to the lunge line and is lunged in the dressage bridle with the double jointed loose ring. I have added a surcingle with double elastic side reins, the side reins are on the very first hole to remain as loose as possible. He's lunged 10 minutes in each direction; 3 minutes walking, 5 minutes trotting, 2 minutes walking. Hand walked 5 minutes to cool out.

November 26
Happy Thanksgiving!

November 27
Grooming day.

November 28
Bad weather, off.

November 29
Dino lunged in side-reins, moved from the first hole to the second. Worked on engage the inside hind leg and asking for more forward momentum.

November 30
Lunged again in side-reins, has a harder staying out on the circle compared to no side-reins. Much better keeping the forward momentum, though, and went into the bridle towards the end. Having the side-reins on the second hole reveals just how tight he still in his back, but he does loosen up.


Dino will not be rushed, and we will return to basics at any time he seems to be getting frazzled. He needs to learn to relax and walk under saddle for as long as I want, if he jigs into a trot, fine. There will be no fight. As his balance improves he will be expected to hold himself out and on the rail. As time passes, he will relax and drop into the bridle using his back. He is green and does not know anything other than being a racehorse. As his balance and tempo improve, we will add canter work and eventually circles to keep his back loose and swinging.

Need to remember: A marching walk leads to a quality trot which leads to an even better canter.

Dino is currently on the following feed:
McCauley's Original 14 at 6-lbs per day, McCauley's All-Natural Rice Bran Oil with 4-ounces a day as well as 1-lb of Buckeye's Ultimate Finish. Dino is also getting 15-lbs of alfalfa hay a day. I would really like to see 200-lbs, or more, of fat and muscle on him and I'm considering putting him on Ration Plus or another type of weight supplement. I'm also considering adding alfalfa/timothy hay cubes or some alfalfa hay pellets. I'm so paranoid because of how thin he is and we're going into winter, I don't need for him to loose more weight.

We Meet

On October 27, I made a last minute decision to head down to Kentucky to look at some real estate. We had talked about putting our home on the market come spring and go south. I'm all for Kentucky and had started to look in the Lexington area. It was a two day trip with the first day staying around Lexington and ultimately going to Keeneland Racetrack. Day two was going to be split between visiting the Kentucky Horse Park, looking at land further out from Lexington and then heading home. In the end, the entire trip was a bust. It rained on the first day making it miserable and the second day...well, the trip to the Kentucky Horse Park happened.

As we were leaving the Horse Park, I made the suggestion that we stop and visit the Maker's Mark Secretariat Center which is part of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. I had heard of them before and I was curious, and what perfect opportunity to see what they do first hand than to just stop. I had no idea that I was going to find a horse. Let alone come away with one.

After we arrived, I walked through the barn and gone back to the office to speak with the secretary about what they do. Brittney asked if I wanted to see a list of their available horses and one particular horse stood out. He was a flashy chestnut and I had this strong desire to see him. So out we walked past the arena, around pens, and down a little hill to a large pasture. Dino immediately came up to me and shoved his nose in my chest.

I was smitten.

When we arrived back at the office I spoke some more with Brittney and then with Melissa, the adoption coordinator, about Dino. In the end, I left a deposit check for him and it felt right.

Before I left, I was told by the staff that if I went to their website and looked up Dino I would find a link to Dino's story. As I started to read the story I had a strong sense of deja vu. It all seemed very familiar to me, so I scrolled down and saw the name Foxey Nokea and knew I had read the story before, the year before when it got passed around on various horse blogs. As I re-read the story I saw Dino's name and then I saw his picture...it gave me chills.

Originally, I was suppose to return on November 4 to pick Dino up, however on November 3 I was in a car accident that did serious damage to the front end of my truck. So Dino would have to sit tight until the following week.

-----

After Dino's experience at Sugarcreek he wound up at one or two other 'homes' before finally finding his way to the TRF. Neither home treated him fairly with the lack of feed and care to the very possible abuse. It's hard to say what all happened to Dino between October 18, 2008 to August 23, 2009, he's just one very lucky horse.

On August 24, 2009, Dino entered the Blackburn Correctional Facility in Kentucky. The program, apart of the TRF, gives inmates the opportunity to learn vocational and life skills through their care of the horses. Up to 70 horse at a time are at Blackburn rehabbing before they are put up for adoption.

Dino left Blackburn for the Secretariat Center on October 7, 2009. And on November 10, 2009, Dino came home.

Noproblemfor Dino

Noproblemfor Dino was foaled on February 13, 2002 in Texas, sired by Pancho Villa out of Wilma Patricia by Explosive Bid. His sire, Pancho Villa, was sired by the great Secretariat. Besides Secretariat, the sire line also contains Nasrullah, Nearco, Discovery, and Princequillo. On his dam's side his family tree contains greats such as War Admiral, Count Fleet, and Man o' War.

Racing stats for Noproblemfor Dino:

• starts @ 2: 3
• starts @ 3: 6
• starts @ 4: 8
• starts @ 5: 11
• starts @ 6: 8

Finishes:

• 1st: 5
• 2nd: 4
• 3rd: 3
• unplaced: 24 times
• earnings: $55,266

Race history:

• Louisiana Downs, September 9, 2004 - unplaced
• Louisiana Downs, September 26,2004 - third place
• Louisiana Downs, October 10, 2004 - unplaced
• Louisiana Downs, May, 22, 2005 - unplaced
• Louisiana Downs, June 12, 2005 - third place
• Louisiana Downs, July 4, 2005 - first place
• Louisiana Downs, July 29, 2005 - unplaced
• Louisiana Downs, August 14, 2005 - unplaced
  
• Louisiana Downs, September 2, 2005- second place
• Evangeline Downs, March 30, 2006 - unplaced
• Evangeline Downs, May 5, 2006 - unplaced
  
• Louisiana Downs, May 27, 2006 - second place
  
• Louisiana Downs, July 3, 2006 - first place
• Louisiana Downs, July 28, 2006 - unplaced
  
• Louisiana Downs, August 27,2006 - unplaced
• Louisiana Downs, October 8, 2006 - third place
• Fair Grounds, November 25, 2006 - unplaced
• Fair Grounds, January 11, 2007 - unplaced
• Mountaineer, March 6, 2007 - first place
• Mountaineer, April 14, 2007 - unplaced
• Mountaineer, May 5, 2007 - unplaced
  
• Mountaineer, May 12, 2007 - unplaced
  
• Mountaineer, May 27, 2007 - second place
  
• Mountaineer, June 18, 2007 - first place
  
• Mountaineer, July 16, 2007 - unplaced
  
• Mountaineer, August 12, 2007 - unplaced
  
• Mountaineer, November 24, 2007 - unplaced
  
• Mountaineer, December 4, 2007 - unplaced
• Mountaineer, February 17, 2008 - unplaced
  
• Mountaineer, March 10, 2008 - unplaced
  
• Mountaineer, March 25, 2008 -unplaced
  
• Beulah Park, April 7, 2008 - first place
  
• Thistledowns, May 22, 2008 - unplaced
  
• Pinnacle, August 22, 2008 - second place
  
• Pinnacle, September 15, 2008 - unplaced
  
• Pinnacle, September 27, 2008 - unplaced

On October 10, 2008, Noproblemfor Dino was run through the Sugarcreek Auction House, minus his Jockey Club papers, and sold for slaughter. On October 17, 2008, as he was waiting for his final trailer ride to Canada, Noproblemfor Dino received an eleventh hour reprieve.

My Story

I started riding in 1980, my Uncle John had a pony for my cousins and I was always hoisted up onto Star's back. The story is that I was literally bitten by the horse bug, as in one day Star bit me and I giggled.












Fast-forward four years and I'm watching the 1984 Summer Olympics from Los Angles. After watching Abdullah and Conrad Homfeld help the United States capture our first gold in showjumping, I turned to my Dad and said, "THAT'S what I want to do..." It had simply amazed me that horses and people could work together and defy the odds and obtain such gratification. Within a month my Dad signed me up for professional riding lessons at Fox Meadow Farm in Temperance, Michigan. I remained there for nearly 15-years riding and showing Hunter/Jumpers. (As a side note, from March 1991 to June 1991 I did take additional lessons in Classical Dressage with John Kneeper. In August 2007, I returned to Dressage and it has remained my discipline of choice.)

Sometime around 1987 I got my first Thoroughbred, Ears, whom my parents leased him for me as a Children's Hunter mount. I loved Ears, absolutely LOVED him and every memory I have of him is precious to me, and I firmly believe it is because of my connection with Ears that has led me to my life long love of Thoroughbreds. After Ears there were plenty of other Thoroughbreds: Mickey, Odie, Dusty, Brownie, Romero, Lyndie, Phantom, Mocha, etc. Every single one of them had been an off the track Thoroughbred (OTTB).

Now this is not to say I never rode any other breed of horse, I rode my fair share of Quarter Horses, Paints, various crosses and some European Warmbloods. It is my opinion that there is nothing nicer than a well-bred and well-trained Hanoverian, a true powerhouse over fences. Next to Thoroughbreds, I absolutely love Paso Fino horses. Talk about a fun and versatile breed!

After Fox Meadow Farm, I worked for more than a year on a Paso Fino breeding farm handling stallions and riding. I then moved on to a Standardbred racing stable where I cared for 13 actively racing horses, I was there less than a year before returning to my roots and working for another Hunter/Jumper barn.













Currently I own a 19-year-old Thoroughbred mare named Angel. I got her in April of 1997 while at Fox Meadow Farm from Grand Prix rider Aaron Vale. If Angel were a cat she would have exceeded her nine lives years ago...but that's a totally different entry. So I'll just add that in March of this year, she had a freak accident that led to a sacroiliac injury (where her spine and pelvis meet) which resulted in severe ataxia (she couldn't stand up unassisted). Eight months have now passed and she has good days and bad days, and I am in a constant battle of whether or not I should just put her down. In good conscious I cannot. She maintains (has gained even) weight, is bright eyed and shows a great deal of interest in her surroundings. Until those things change, I will keep her around.













I also own a 22-year-old Paso Fino gelding, Sancho - or Señor Sancho. He's my boi. I got him in June of 1999 from a lady in Texas, actually he survived a trailer accident and wasn't really thought to heal beyond being a pasture ornament so I got him for next to nothing. His life before me had him as a show horse, a breeding stallion, and a trail mount. With me he has continued to be a show and trail horse, a parade mount, and he has also dabbled in dressage - he schools 2nd and 3rd level movements. For the last two years, we have been selected to Ride with the Best at Equine Affaire in Columbus, Ohio.

Given the advanced ages of my horses, I started to casually look for a new mount two years ago. After Angel's accident in March I started to take my search more serious. By October I had looked at five or so horses as prospects, but each time I had dragged my feet and lost out. I just didn't feel any spark that made me think, "THIS is the one...", and knew in my heart that when I found the one I would instinctively know.

And then I made a casual trip to Kentucky that would change everything.

The Purpose

I really should have started this blog on November 11, the day after Dino came home and not nearly two weeks later. I guess time got away. From here on out, I want to document my ups and downs of retraining a thoroughbred racehorse for a second career. This won't be easy, I know, but hopefully I can learn from my mistakes, laugh at them and enjoy the experience.

Sit back and enjoy the ride.