Horse and Man

Archive for the ‘Horse Stories’ Category

Why Riding Horses is much better than Kart Racing.

Monday, March 19th, 2012

Have you ever been kart racing?

Yeah, me neither, until today…

You see, Hubby had purchased a beauty treatment Groupon (another story…) for my Xmas present. Well, that Groupon went defunct and he had to pick another one to replace the previous beauty treatment Xmas present Groupon.

He chose Kart Racing.

OK, now most of you may wonder why he chose Kart Racing to replace my Xmas present beauty treatment. I wondered the same thing… Actually, I asked him how Kart Racing was anywhere related to beauty treatments and he said that he figured it would put a smile on my face – and that was a beauty treatment in itself.

Hmmmm.

Me thinks he just wanted to go Kart Racing but … whatever… it did put a smile on my face.

Except, not at first.

This killed me... what kind of conference would be held here in this noisy, gassy place...??

AT FIRST…

So, Hubby wouldn’t tell me what we were going to do. He said it was a ‘surprise’.

(Yup, it was.)

All he told me was to wear closed-toed shoes and a jacket. Of course, I asked if I had to dress warmly or if I had to look pretty or if I should wear heels… He wouldn’t tell me anything.

So, I played it safe and wore low heels, a good shirt and did my hair/makeup enough but not total. You know… good enough in case you run into anyone you know, but not enough to work at Nordstrom.

Anyway, we left and drove, and drove and drove… oy. It took forever to get there. It took so long, I forgot what we were doing and just figured we were on a roadtrip. I started playing the license plate game and counting cows.

Eventually, we arrived! I was so excited… until I saw the huge sign. TRACK SMAK KART RACING. (They obviously like the letter “K”.)

Hubby was smiling from ear to ear. He was so proud of his choice of adventure for the day.

Looking at his face, I decided to just go with it. Why not… how hard could this be?

After all, I ride a horse at top speeds and horses are much more dangerous than karts, right? Horses are alive, unpredictable and prone to sudden movements. At least a Kart has a steering wheel and pedals. I could absolutely control the Kart. Easy. Riding a horse had to be a lot harder than this…

OMG. I was so wrong.

This is me modeling my fire retardant hat - while I'm still in my nice outfit with my fashion scarf.

SUITING UP

OK, so they take this kart racing very seriously at Track Smak. You have to sign in and give your driver’s license as well as sign away any recourse you may have had should you crack your head open here. Hmmm. Was this a sign? OK. Check. Done.

Then, they give you a fire retardant suit.

Huh? I have to wear a fire retardant suit? Why? Does something catch fire?

Immediately I knew we weren’t in Kansas anymore. Something about my mind’s eye picture of Kart racing was definitely different than the reality before me.

Then they handed me my free fire retardant stretchy skull cap.

“Why do I need this?”

I was starting to rethink this thing… Why do I need all this gear. Isn’t it like bumper cars?

Hubby (still smiling broadly): I don’t know! C’mon, let’s get in there!

Clearly, I was not allowed any scardy-pants moments with Hubby today. I had to buck up and do this thing…

“BUT WHY DO I HAVE A FIRE RETARDANT SUIT AND SKULL CAP???” was screaming in my head as I walked behind Hubby to the Ladies Locker Room to suit up.

Here I am in my suit - I'm holding my glasses trying to figure out if I should wear them.

THE LOCKER ROOM

So, I figured that if there was an entire Ladies Locker Room, it couldn’t be that bad. Women must do this often enough for the company to build an entire room for them.

However, at this moment, I was the only one in there.

So, I took off my low heeled shoes (thank gawd I wore them) and put on my fire retardant suit. I thought better of wearing my neck scarf. I had visions of it strangling me by getting caught in the wheel – or better yet, after my Kart caught on fire, they’d have to cut me out of my suit only to find my airway blocked by my fashion statement.

Nope, no scarf for me. I wrapped it around my waist so I looked like a girl in a Kart racing Santa Outfit. Oh well, more padding should I crash I figured.

I then wondered if I should wear my driving glasses… I noted that the Kart racing helmets had visors and my glasses probably wouldn’t fit under that. However, I clung to them just in case I might need them to see around the tight curves or read some board that was telling me to STOP or SLOW DOWN or GET THE HELLOUTOFTHEWAY!

I was ready but not, if you know what I mean.

They have this dummy set up in the waiting area... he looked lifeless and ill which didn't help my fear.

THE LINEUP

So, I met back up with Hubby who was now standing in line for our race. He had bought one race on each track. There were two tracks. So, I knew I had to do this two times. (gulp)

Along this gauntlet line were helmets. I chose a size Small. It was too big. I wondered if this would effect my life in any way… I put it on and immediately went bonkers with claustrophobia.

GET IT OFF GET IT OFF GET IT OFF ME!!

(GASP!)

OMG. I H-A-T-E-D that thing. Besides, how many other people had worn it with all kinds of germs, I wondered. The place didn’t look super hygienic, if you know what I mean.

Anyway, I had a little panic attack and then decided to wear it but with the chin strap barely tied. It was then that I put on my glassed and flipped down the visor. AAAH. Bad idea. I flipped up the incredibly scratched visor and removed my glasses. Everything was much too tight for my comfort.

I hoped it would be over soon…

This is an overview of the easier track.

THE FIRST RACE

As with anything the first time you do it, I watched everyone else get into their cars before I got into mine. Of course, everyone sat in and strapped up like Mario Andretti.

My feet wouldn’t reach the pedals. I felt like a little kid. The big attendant had to come over and adjust my seat and belts. I was strapped in. Too tight. I loosened all the belts.

I noted that the pedals were either GO (the go pedal was green and under your right foot) or STOP (this pedal was red and under your left foot). The steering wheel was made of whatever material makes it almost impossible to turn. It felt like I was shutting off the steam valve on a cruiseliner. I swear to gawd. Power steering has not come into the Kart racing world.

OK, so I was as ready as I was ever going to be for something I had no idea how to do…

It looks like this but... much faster.

THE GUY WAVED THE ‘GO’ FLAG!

First off, I have to say that the flag waving here at the Track Smack Kart Racing place was phenomenal! Those guys would put any Olympic Ceremony to shame. It was awesome! I guess the flag waver guys have not much else to do but learn what each flag means (probably takes about 10 minutes) and then spend the rest of their tenure perfecting their wave moves.

Awesome.

I almost wanted to spin out just to have them do their flag moves next to me… but not really.

OK, back to the race.

We were all lined up, ready to go onto the track. There were 9 of us in this race. All 9 of us were going to speed around this tiny, tiny hairpinned track. Tiny.

Huh? Really?

We are all going to go around this thing at top speed, not bumping anyone or anything? All 9 of us?

(No Bumping was a rule we saw on the introductory video…)

That isn’t possible…

And I was right.

This is the straightaway. Most areas are not this wide.

THE RACE WAS ON!

OK, well, first off, there was a kid in our group who was probably 11 but looked like he was about 6. Hubby afterwards called him “the little _sshole” so you can figure out how he ran his race… To be fair, the little kid was a fearless competitor. It was just that he had a booster chair and looked like an Oompa Loompa – yet he was kicking our butts. However, he didn’t play fair and I wondered why the track guys didn’t eject him. I figured the kid must go there a lot to have gotten that good so maybe they cut him some slack. Or his Dad owned the place, whatever. His rules were not the same as the ones posted on the walls.

I wanted to trip him when I saw him afterwards…

Anyway, he zoomed around at a rate of speed not conducive to any indoor activity, totally out of control, and bumped all of us several times during the first lap. I think he was on his third lap while the rest of us were still figuring out how the pedals worked… But, after getting smacked from behind a few times by the little demon, I decided to drive defensively.

Driving defensively is not how you are supposed to do it.

But, that’s how I did it.

What is funny about this is that when we first arrived, I was watching the kids on the other track. I saw this one little girl who was hugging the outside of the track as she sped around. This position allowed all the other cars to pass her on the tighter lines. But, she continued to do this the entire race. Hmmm. I wondered why.

Now I knew.

She was tired of getting hit from behind, too.

Hubby took this one...

MY RACE

I decided to drive my race. If I was going to have to do this, I was going to make it as enjoyable as I could. So, I kept to the outside and just went around. Most of them passed me comfortably. Some bumped me a bit but not enough to rattle me.

On the straightaways, I floored it! I even giggled! The turns made me crazy because it seemed that everyone wanted to pass me when there was the least amount of room. But, I also learned to go around the turns on the outside which was counter intuitive but kept me safe.

At one point, a car nicked me and then spun out right in front of me. I slowed down and stopped before slamming into him – another good thing about going at less than warp speed… I could stop. Anyway, that driver waved at me and then sped off.

I found out later that it was Hubby.

RACE OVER!

Yayyyyyy! I was so happy to drive into the car barn with my little blue steed. I was actually a bit chagrin because I knew I was Grandma Moses out there. I figured all the audience members were shocked to see that when I offloaded I didn’t require in a walker.

I met up with Hubby and he was all sweaty and ebullient. OMG! He looooved it! He couldn’t stop regaling me with his Kart successes and battle stories. I smiled and nodded. Clearly, he hadn’t noticed or didn’t care that I was lollygagging on the track.

I asked him if I had embarrassed him and he looked at me as if I was insane and then kept on skipping through his memory, telling me all about it.

This is the scorecard from my first race.

RACE #2

Oy. I had to do it again.

This time, I got a red car and we were on a different track.

The new track was easier and since this wasn’t my first clambake, I was a bit more aggressive. A bit.

I still hugged the outside of the track. But, the ‘little you know who’, wasn’t in this race with us, so that made everything much better.

I ran my race.

At the end, as we all exited our cars, one fellow racer pointed right at me and said with a huge smile, “I love how you race!!” and then gave me a high 5. I have no idea what he meant. I was the slowest and I hugged the outside. I still have no idea what he meant except that maybe if I was going to be that slow, at least I knew it and let him pass. Dunno. Mystery to me.

UNSUITING AND RESULTS

I skipped back into the Ladies Locker Room to get out of my fire retardant suit and skull cap.

All the gear fell off me easily as if it knew it didn’t belong.

As I emerged, I remembered that our scores were posted on sheets at the front desk. So, I went up there to find our cards. I had chosen the moniker Devil Dawn when we signed up. Ha. I should have chosen Dottering Dawn. Or Dillydally Dawn.

Whatever.

So, I got my scorecard.

WE LAUGHED FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES

On the card, it clearly says that I was just about the slowest driver to ever cross their threshold.

Out of 370,720 racers, I was ranked 369,998. That means that I was faster than only 722 people. I’m sure those people include grandmas and kindergarteners. Hubby and I laughed until we cried. The best part is that I actually improved on my second race. I went from the .19% percentile of gawdawful racers way up to .69%.

I totally sucked at this!

But I’m alive to tell the story…

My pitiful results... I'm just about the slowest racer they've ever has cross their threshold. I should have chosen the moniker Dawdle Dawn instead of Devil Dawn.

WHY RIDING HORSES ARE MUCH BETTER THAN KART RACING.

–you ride horses outside most of the time

–the air doesn’t smell like gasoline

–riding horses is much more quiet

–you don’t have punk kids crashing into you without your horse getting in a good kick

–you don’t have to wear claustrophobic, fire retardant gear

–you can see better on a horse

–horses steer much more easily

–riding a horse is much more predictable than a kart with no rear view mirrors

–horses give you more control at high speeds

–any saddle is more comfortable than a kart seat

–horses carry saddlebags with supplies

–you can eat on a horse

–horses give you warning if something is coming up fast

–horses don’t let other horses crash into them – more than once…

–karts just sit there when you aren’t riding them

–I would have felt safer on my horse

–my horse would have defended my line or at least known when we were in danger and would have kept me safe

–my horse would have been a partner in this race

–my horse would have bitten the ‘little you know who’ as he walked past…

But most of all, these two races lasted 10 minutes each and cost $50 per racer. It took us 90 minutes to get there (one way) and several gallons of gas for 20 minutes of fun.

Horse may be expensive, but nothing like Kart racing…

I like my horse better. (This is me and Aladdin - when he was still with me.)

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!

Click here for the Bucket Fund!

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Zenyatta had herself a COLT!! And some other tidbits about Adella and Jewel…

Sunday, March 11th, 2012

Happy Sunday!

Just in case some of you haven’t heard, Zenyatta had her foal and he is a be-u-tiful 130lb colt!

Hmmm, think he’s gonna grow up a winner like his famous Mama?!… We shall see. He’s got golden blood coursing through his veins.

I’ve pasted her story below…

BUT FIRST…

I wanted to pass on a note I received from Louisiana Horse Rescue Association, our February Bucket Fund sponsor for THE MANY:

Dear Horse and Man,
THANK YOU for bringing together all of the people who donated to the Bucket Fund for LHRA. As I write this we are looking at a $5000.00 vet bill for the care of the critical yearlings and two year olds. During the first few weeks of care they were on IV fluids, antibiotics and round the clock monitoring. Donations are the lifeblood of our organization and we could never have helped the horses without the help of caring individuals such as those who donated to your Bucket Fund.

While we’ve adopted a number of the Many horses, the ones we are left with are the ’unplacables’ – those with medical issues, a blind mare, the oldest and the weakest. Keep them in your thoughts.

You run an amazing fundraiser. The unfortunate part of horse rescue for all of us is that we have to spend so much time on fundraising when we really need to spend the time on rescue and rehab. Organizations like yours make it easier for us to do the job we really want to do, which is rescue and care. I can’t say THANK YOU enough.

Best Regards,
SUNNY

This is the most recent pic of little Jewel! She was the only foal to be born out of the 16 pregnant and starving mares. Only 40lbs at birth, she is a whippersnapper now!

NEW PHOTOS OF ADELLA!

We have two new photos of Adella, our March Bucket Funder. She is the mare who was tied (by her owner) with wire that became caught on her leg and almost severed her foot. (Click here to read her story.)

She is doing very well!

The master farriers and vets are considering all kinds of options and orthotics to help her in the future. Just like every other horse who has had an injury that humans have never fixed before, this will be an adventure and a history for any other horse with the same injury.

She has no pain. She moves well but she is still restricted to a smaller paddock.

I will report on whatever device they try during this month… but I think she may be in a support shoe for a while until the mechanics of her device can be perfected.

On that note, I have to reflect back on Molly, the pony with the artificial leg. She is practically a celebrity… yet, she is a horse with three legs. So, I’m willing to see what happens with Adella. As long as she is in no physical pain and she has her ears pricked and a healthy appetite, I am happy to see her move into her new career with this injury.

Here are photos taken last week of Adella. As you can see, her wound in healing very nicely. No swelling. No pain anymore. However, there needs to be an orthotic to replace the tendons she lost. In the meantime, this shoe supports the motion that the tendons can no longer hold. We and the Bucket Fund are helping in her vet care and in their “think tank” experiments to figure out the best way to help her moving forward.

Here she is... looking at the ranch manager's new puppy.

This is the temporary shoe she is wearing while she recovers. They are working on an orthotic.

ZENNY’S BABY!!!

Did you know that Zenyatta wrote her own diary?

Well, she does. You can find it here…

She also has a FB page which you will find here. If you’d like to follow the progress of the colt, I’m sure both sites will keep you updated!

Anyway, here is what Zenny wrote today and yesterday… pretty good for a mare who just foaled…

Look at her poking her head up over theirs!

Great shot!

Love these moments...

Day One in the life of a TB Prince...

Lovely

Another amazing photo.

You know what amazes me… in all of these photos, you see Zenyatta as a broodmare. AMAZING. Because for every other living moment of her life, she has been one of the most famous racing fillies in the WORLD. But today, she looks like a beautiful broodmare.

Blessed are the broodmares.

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!

Click here to help Adella!

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Tags: zenyatta's colt
Posted in Horse Stories | 2 Comments »

William S. Hart’s Red Pinto Movie Horse: FRITZ

Sunday, February 19th, 2012

I have this wonderful coffee table book called HOLLYWOOD HOOFBEATS.

It is all about movie horses and was written by Robert Mitchum’s daughter, Petrine Day Mitchum.

Often, I’ll flip through it and look at all the photos and read whatever stories catch my attention. The other day, I read about William S. Hart who was one of the very first movie cowboy stunt riders (this was back in the early 1900s). Hart and his famous red pinto, Fritz, are credited with being the first heralded fan-based cowboy/horse duos and therefore set the trend of future cowboys and horse teams.

While I was reading the story about Hart, the article mentions a book Hart wrote to honor his horse. In that book, TOLD UNDER A WHITE OAK TREE, Hart uses the voice of his horse to narrate all the amazing stories of their incredible stunts. Fritz’s audience (his barn buddies) are enthralled by the wise horse’s tales.

Of course, I purchased the book!

I love this coffee table book!

TOLD UNDER A WHITE OAK TREE

OK, well, Hart’s book was written in 1922 and it is not politically correct for the current reader. So, if any of you feel like you might be offended by the vernacular of a cowboy in the early 1900s, then best not read this.

However, if you can get beyond that, the stories in TOLD UNDER A WHITE OAK TREE are really charming. In fact, I read the whole thing straight through – it isn’t long but I wish it was!

For me, what I loved about this little book was that the reader feels the emotion as Hart writes about his pure love and respect for this horse. Hart speaks of Fritz’s love for him but in reality, it must be the other way around since Hart actually wrote the words.

I think, if you worked your way around the politically incorrect verbiage, it would be a great storybook for kids to learn about horses, cowboys and their partnership.

Politically incorrect for our times but a charming book written in the voice of Fritz, the famous stunt horse.

STUNTS

Being from the movie world myself, I was especially interested to read first hand accounts about how they performed their incredible stunts!

Ai chi wowa! There is no way in the world ANY of those stunts could be done today – as they did them then. Oy. It is a miracle that no one was hurt. But, I guess that is why Hart loved his little Fritz so much… the horse never, ever let him down.

In the book, Fritz speaks about never having jumped through a window before and how the window was barely wide enough and tall enough for both he and Hart. Somehow, Fritz figures out what he is supposed to do and in one take, they not only jump through the window, but Hart ropes a few of the bar attendees and carries them through the window after them.

OMG.

That was just one stunt… there are many more told with great love, respect and humility.

Hart and Fritz: the first duo

ILLUSTRATIONS

TOLD UNDER THE WHITE OAK TREE is illustrated (very detailed) by J. Montgomery Flagg who was known to be the highest paid illustrator of his time. I wonder if Hart and Flagg were friends. I mean… how do you get such a famous illustrator to draw fabulous works for your little book about your little horse?

If you are not familiar with the works of Flagg, I bet you are but just don’t know it… You all have seen his famous UNCLE SAM poster.

Famous illustrator, James Montgomery Flagg...

Anyway, I quite enjoyed the illustrations and only wished they were more legible. I’m guessing that the originals were not kept very well or damaged during the process… too bad.

Here is one of James Montgomery Flagg’s illustrations within the book. It depicts the stunt I mentioned above about the jump through the window while roping a few guys.

I took this bad photo of Montgomery's illustration from TOLD UNDER A WHITE OAK TREE

EXCERPT FROM HOLLYWOOD HOOFBEATS

Here is most of the story, that initially grabbed me, written in Hollywood Hoofbeats about William S. Hart and his famous red horse, Fritz.

PS: In the little book, TOLD UNDER A WHITE OAK TREE, Fritz speaks about his coloring and how he became red and that his forelock is a shock of red but that most audience members wouldn’t know that since the movies were in black and white…

FROM HOLLYWOOD HOOFBEATS

I love this coffeetable book!

Click to see book on Amazon

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!

CLICK to help THE MANY!

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Tags: Fritz the horse, James Montgomery Flagg, William S Hart
Posted in Horse Stories, People and Places | 3 Comments »

On Valentine’s Day, Let’s talk about the X-Factor… THE LARGE HEART of the successful racehorse.

Tuesday, February 14th, 2012

I don’t know that much about the TB breed. For me, since I was little, the muscular and smaller horses (Morgans, Mustangs) caught my eye.

As I’ve grown, my penchant didn’t change. I own smaller, muscular horses. But I have joined the fan clubs (literally) of TBs such as Zenyatta, Secretariat, Seabiscuit and Rachel Alexander. Why? Well, I think it is because I admire their racing ‘heart’.

Now, I always thought I admired the ‘heart’ that one could describe as the will or the drive inside the horse. But, now I’m coming to understand that the actual physical heart muscle of some of these TBs are the reason they were so successful – (plus their will and drive, I’m sure…).

What do I mean?

Well, for you TB fans, the X-Factor is old news. But, for the rest of us, let me bring to you the X-FACTOR.

Secretariat

FIRST, THE LORE OF SECRETARIAT

Many of you, including me, heard that the legendary Secretariat had a huge heart, literally. His heart, although not actually measured during his autopsy for some reason, is now thought to have weighed approximately 22 lbs.

The normal horse heart weighs 8.5 lbs.

Since the heart is the muscle that pumps oxygen around the body, having an extra large one would be quite an advantage when running long distances.

So, was he an anomaly?

Yes and no.

Yes, he had an exceptionally large heart. But, was/is he the only one? Probably not.

In fact, writer Marianna Haun thinks she has discovered the gene for the ‘great equine heart’. She named it the X-Factor.

Large heart

MARIANNA HAUN

Marianna Haun is a member of the National Turf Writers Association and has covered the racing industry since 1992, first as a staff writer for the Thoroughbred Times for two years, and now as a free-lance writer for the Associated Press.

But, Marianna has that ‘x-factor’ of another kind… the inquisitive kind. The huge hearts of Secretariat and his arch rival, Sham (18 lbs), led her on a personal quest… Could these large hearts contribute to racing wins? Is it no coincidence that these two horses, and Phar Lap (14 lbs), had huge careers that paralleled their heart muscles? Marianna was determined to find the gene.

And, she did.

Amazing. She didn’t do it in a lab, she did it on paper. Hours and hours and hours of poring through pedigrees to find the lineage. She found the trail to the great heart without the smoking gun, so to speak.

The large heart traced back to a sire named, Eclipse and his daughter, Everlasting. They lived 200+ years ago in England. You can read the details here.

Wow.

Marianna

LESSON IN X AND Y: WHY THE STUD ISN’T THE ONE

You’d think the stud would be important in passing on the great heart. And, he is… but not as important as the dam.

You see, the large heart genetic market lives on the X chromosome.

Males have only one X chromosome. Females have 2.

So, if you have a male who has the large heart marker on his one X chromosome, he cannot pass it onto his son since the son gets his Y chromosome. The sire can only pass this great heart marker onto his daughter.

But, if you have a female who has the large heart marker on BOTH of her X chromosomes, you have 100% rate of passing it on to either her filly or colt.

So, the dam is very important in this trait. Breeders ‘in the know’ try to match their double marked mare with a single marked stud.

Here is an excerpt written by Marianna Haun:

The heart scores on certain lines have been so consistent that we were able to determine which X chromosome was expressed and to identify the four largest “superhearts” found in today’s pedigrees. As mentioned earlier, these four heart lines come from Princequillo, the largest, and from War Admiral, Blue Larkspur and Mahmoud.
While all large hearts track to Eclipse, some lines, whether from genetic modifiers, natural selection or pattern of breeding, have even larger expressions of the large heart found in Eclipse.

The X-Factor

STUDS GIVEN A BAD NAME

What is interesting and eye-opening about this is that for years I had heard that Secretariat wasn’t that great of a stud. But, really what they meant is that he couldn’t produce himself in a colt. If ‘himself’ meant his large heart, well, he couldn’t reproduce that…

It is impossible for a sire to pass on the great heart gene since he cannot pass on his heart gene (on the X chromosome) to a male offspring. His male offspring can only receive his Y chromosome.

But, he could help create great-hearted daughters through his X chromosome. Which he did.

After the great-heart marker was discovered, sires like Secretariat became known as ‘great broodmare sires’. They could pass on their great-heart gene to their fillies. And, if crossed with a double marked, large hearted mare, the progeny would be guaranteed a large heart.

Another excerpt from Marianna Haun:

Because the large heart characteristic passes via the female line and the racing industry for centuries has judged a sire by his sons. Large-hearted stallions that accomplished amazing feats on the track often have been panned because they were unable to duplicate themselves in their sons. Extraordinary Thoroughbreds such as Secretariat, Omaha, Citation and Whirlaway are examples.
Man o’ War was an exception because he was lucky enough to be bred to a mare that had a larger heart than he did. That mare, Brushup (TB), was by Sweep, which also gave his high-performance heart to Dustwhirl, dam of Whirlaway.
Brushup produced Man o’ War’s greatest son, Triple Crown winner War Admiral, which has become one of the four largest heart lines in today’s pedigrees (joining the Thoroughbreds Princequillo, Blue Larkspur and Mahmoud). War Admiral’s heart is in Seattle Slew, broodmare sire of champion Cigar, and also fuels 1997 Kentucky Derby winner Silver Charm.

broodmare sire

TONS OF RESEARCH FOR TB BREEDERS…

OK, so Marianna Haun has written several articles. Here is a link to one that will link to others. And, she wrote two books, “The X Factor: What it is and how to find it: The relationship between inherited heart size and racing performance” – and – “Understanding the Power of the X Factor”.

I thought those would be very interesting reads so I tried to buy them.

Uh oh. No can do…

I wonder why they are out of print? I have no idea except that the few that are floating around are very, very, very expensive. So, perhaps Marianna is using these copies to pay her way through life – and so it should be. I mean, she did all this research, she may as well get paid. Why should she give it away for $5.99 on Amazon which could eventually be discounted to $.99 a few years down the road, eh?

So, if you want one of these books, here is what I’ve found:

yup...

Uh huh.

QUARTER HORSES…

Another interesting tidbit for you QH breeders…

Because Quarter Horses have been crossed with TBs for a while now to create appendix or running quarterhorses, the great-heart now runs through their blood as well.

So, I think it is a great idea to rummage around horsey garage sales and see if you can pick up either of Marianna’s books from an unsuspecting owner. I’m sure they are around… Wouldn’t that be a find?!

For me, I WOULD LOVE to read her book. Totally. I’m so into genetics, I would find it fascinating. But, I expect I’ll just have to resort to her few articles. And, to be honest, those articles are fairly heady so I think Marianna gave away much of her studies in those reviews. I’m sure she wants the breed she loves to prosper. So, I’m sure one can find out the information if they dig into her writings.

And, she’s on Facebook…. Maybe drop her a line, eh?

Studs

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THE CAROLINA MARSH TACKY HORSE. Will he become extinct in our lifetime? Hope not.

Monday, February 13th, 2012

(I was asked to run this article again. This is a re-post… originally viewed 1/28/11.)

I had never heard of this horse: The Carolina Marsh Tacky Horse. Have you?

Today, through a series of interesting emails, the Marsh Tacky Horse – out of nowhere - appeared on my radar. What did I just read out of the corner of my eye on my computer screen? A what kind of horse? A Marsh what? Marsh Tacky horse? ?

So I did some research and let me tell you…

Of all the breeds I’d like to own, rescue, house, care for, feed, ride, race, jump, love and bury my face in their mane, THIS BREED is now at the top of my list. Why? Why indeed…

WHY I LIKE THEM

They seem like my kinda horse. Sturdy, Small, Durable, Smart, Sure-Footed, Strong Feet and they come in a variety of colors that I particularly prefer. Grulla, Dun, Creme, Roan and all those mixed up genetic colors that fascinate me.

They are described as having unique abilities to navigate in marshy, wet and mucky conditions. I’m told they are “forest wise” with the sense to consider situations and not just flee. Oh, and they can go and go and go and go… They aren’t super fast like an Arab endurance horse, but they have stamina enough to work in the hot, humid, sloppy Carolina marshes and swamps all day long.

And, all of the owners absolutely LOVE THEM. You can go to the extensive website and read story after story – pure joy.

Wow. Kinda perfect for a person (like me) who wants a small, sensible, solid trail horse who can maneuver in tough terrain. Too bad they are almost extinct… Unbelievable that such a cherished breed for its owners – is barely sustained.

Carolina Marsh Tacky Horse

EXTINCTION IS LOOMING

OK, ready…? There are less than 300 of these horses alive. And, right now, there are only 2 available for sale in the entire US. Can any other breed say that? When most breeds are in surplus here, there are not enough Carolina Marsh Tacky Horses.

One of the last herds...

HISTORY

There are pages of lengthy history on these horses which I will link here. But, in my own words the history goes something like this.

Carolina Marsh Tacky horses are descendants of the Colonial Spanish horse which settled in the South Carolina swamp marshes. They ate swamp grasses and roamed in that wet, sloppy terrain which helped develop their sure footed and unusual, comfortable gait.

How can we not save this breed?!

During the American Revolution, some were gathered and used to mount the soldiers. Quickly these horses became a favorite because of their agility and size. During the Civil War, these horses were again front and center. Because the Marsh Tacky was such a quality worker, he was seen in every yard in those days. They delivered the mail, plowed fields, brought people to visit and functioned in every way required of a horse in a community. During WWll, the Tacky horse patrolled the beaches of South Carolina looking for U-boats.

Such an interesting color on this vital foal

“Tackies were largely managed on islands in the lowland or “lowcountry” region and on coastal
islands including Hilton Head. These herds were occasionally rounded up by local inhabitants
whenever there was a need for horses.”

Then came technology. And, this specialized horse who lived in a small area was squeezed out of its natural habitat. People stopped owning and breeding them. So, the small colony became smaller and smaller and…

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) estimates through
extensive field investigation that there are fewer than 300 pure Marsh Tackies left.

Easy to ride...

LUCKILY, THE AMERICAN LIVESTOCK BREEDS CONSERVANCY (ALBC) STEPS UP TO SAVE THE DAY

I took this excerpt from the website:

“Today, a majority of the Marsh Tacky horses lie in the hands of hunters and long time fanciers who have had these horses in
their families for generations. The remaining horses retain their ability to thrive in the challenging environments of coastal
South Carolina and have stamina in the field that is second to none. Owners often comment on the built-in “woods sense” of
the breed and how the horses have a natural way of traversing water obstacles and swamps without panicking or getting stuck
in the mud. “If a horse panics in the water, then it is not a Marsh Tacky,” boasts one breeder. Another claims that these
horses “know how to wear their feet,” attesting to their sure footedness, smooth ride and almost thoughtful approach to
traveling in the field.

Can the new generation continue?

It’s been nearly fifteen years since ALBC first found out about the breed and two years since we succeeded in finding and
working with the breeders, and in that time the future has begun to look brighter for these rare horses. All the efforts of
documenting and networking are now serving to support the breed’s recovery. In October of 2006, Marsh Tacky breeder David
Grant, with the assistance of Equus Survival Trust, held an open house at his farm to introduce the public to Marsh Tackies.
Following the event, ALBC conducted an informational workshop on Hilton Head in February 2007 to discuss the formation of a
breed association. ALBC met once again with Marsh Tacky owners and supporters in June 2007 at the Mullet Hall Equestrian
Center on Johns Island, S.C., to discuss the formalization of a Marsh Tacky Horse Association. During the meeting the owners
formed a Board of Governance that will pave the way for the creation of a Carolina Marsh Tacky Association (CMTA) whose
mission will be to support and promote the Marsh Tacky horse.

I don't recommend this but they say this horse is very comfy in water...

Following the formation of the breed association, ALBC received a grant from the Thorne Foundation to continue fieldwork and
create a studbook for the Marsh Tacky. The studbook was completed in 2009 and is managed using the Breeders Assistant
studbook program. This software was chosen for its versatility and for its proven record in management of other rare breeds. It
also gives ALBC the ability to make the studbook available to owners through the ALBC website.

Look at the colors of this mane!

As part of the recovery project, DNA samples were collected for analysis by Dr. Gus Cothran of Texas A&M University. Results
of this information are being used to enhance the strategy for population management and help maintain the remaining genetic
diversity within the population.

Patooteys

Additional scientific study on the Marsh Tacky has been undertaken through the Gaited Locomotive Research Program at
Mississippi State University. This program studied the gait of the breed to get a better understanding as to why these horses
can work or be ridden all day without the horse or its rider tiring. Video for the study was compiled by ALBC staff of a collection
of Tackies from several bloodlines within the breed. The study found that every horse in the videos did gait, and that the Marsh
Tacky breed can be considered a gaited horse that has very unique movement specific to the breed. The breed having the
most similar gait to the Marsh Tacky is another horse with Spanish roots – the Mangalarga Marchador, the National horse of
Brazil. Because there is enough difference between the two gaits, the breed association was given the honor to give the Marsh
Tacky’s gait a name of its own. The name “Swamp Fox Trot” was voted on and accepted as the name of the gait by the CMTA
membership at their 2010 annual meeting.

Ahhhhh

The Marsh Tacky remains a living piece of history in its native region and in 2010 was honored by being named the official
State Heritage Horse of South Carolina. The Marsh Tacky has endured for over 400 years and has the potential to survive far
beyond that, as long as enthusiasts and conservationist work together to preserve what remains of this historic treasure.”

I want to be with them!

BREED STANDARDS & MEMBERSHIP

First of all, why are they called “Tacky”? Because they were so common long ago… imagine that.

There are breed standards, characteristics and traits. You can read about them here and here. Also, there is an official website here where you can read all about them as well as join the group and help preserve the breed.

Quick facts

BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS AND STORIES!

I have to mention this website because the photos were spectacular and the stories/blogs even better. I think this person is the biggest breeder of the Marsh Tacky, but I’m not sure. He has a very nice stallion and several horses to drool over…

OMGosh I love these horses!

ONLY 2 FOR SALE RIGHT NOW IN THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES!

I looked everywhere and there are only 2 for sale – anywhere on earth. I contacted the person who owns one and I spoke to a woman who knows the other personally, too. Here is what they said:

MOSES – one of the only 2 for sale in the USA (no affiliation)

Moses - One of the two for sale... He is gorgeous and got great reviews!!

Moses (registered name Marsh Mellow) is a 9 year old sorrel gelding. Over 100 miles in AERC endurance races with excellent heart and respiration rates. Extensively trail ridden from the mountains to the beach. UTD on shots. Point to the trailer and he loads. Big trot, wonderful canter, no vices. Suitable for an intermediate rider.

He’s not like any horse I have ever had and he lots of fun – honest.

Moses

I realize now how incredible the chances are that I even got him. There aren’t many Marsh Tackies on the planet and of those not many broke to ride and even fewer for sale. Mr. Lowther had sold one that had been broken and had done one endurance race – maybe the only Marsh Tacky to have ever attempted the sport. Due to the tough economy, the horse had been returned to him the week before I called. What are the chances of that?

Sadly, however, I have been diagnosed with degenerative disks. One doctor said quit riding. Another said ride, but not far, don’t bounce and don’t fall off. Well it was fun while it lasted!

Moses. Wow! Whatta cool, trained, rare horse for such a fine price!

A few funny things about him – he has almost no “chestnuts” on the inside of his front legs, but he gets hairier than a caterpillar in winter. I think they have a double mane – his mane and tail are really thick. He didn’t like grain when I first got him – imagine a horse that turned his nose up at grain! He wouldn’t eat treats like apples or carrots. They are very gentle but very alert and lightening quick.

His feet are wonderful and very tough but he’s funny and he never took a bad step. I couldn’t believe it.

They’re tough. I call them the SC mustang. I am happy they are getting recognition – hope its not too late.

If you’d like to speak to Moses’ owner, here is the info: Asking $4,000.
Contact Ellison Robinson at ellisonrob@sc.rr.com or 803-319-2329.

HERE IS THE OTHER HORSE FOR SALE IN THE ENTIRE USA…

TACKY BLUE – the only other CMT horse available for sale in the US (no affiliation)

A Stud but I'm told he is wonderful and easy to ride

(This horse is described as a great riding horse…)

12-year-old blue roan stud out of Hacksaw and Lowther mare MT-24 Blue Roan Mare.

A very willing and personable horse that can be ridden with a saddle or bareback. Great around other horses. Good for intermediate or advanced riders.
Price: $7,500 (offers accepted)

Contact: Ed Ravenel 843-670-6431, pattyravenel@aol.com

IF YOU JOIN THE SOCIETY, YOU CAN HELP PRESERVE THE BREED!

I hate the idea that this versatile and ‘so much loved by their owners’ breed is almost extinct. I want to help in any way I can. So, I joined the Society. You can too. (link here) Why not? Just knowing about them helps spread the word. You can help by signing their guestbook and letting them know you are available for cheerleading services.

Bareback

I’m sure they need dedicated, knowledgeable, ethical, honest and true breeder options across the country that are willing to adhere to the standards, not vary and persevere to maintain and grow the breed.

Too Cute

With so many unwanted and abandoned horses in the US, I am surprising myself that I want to create more horses. But, for me, this is history and a lovely reminder of Mother Nature and Nurture at work. I would love to see them stay with us.