More Blog Tips

Jess,
This is just my personal opinion, but I think that some people don't give kids enough credit. If a kid writes poorly, then adults complain about the bad writing. ("Elizabeth, can't you write better than that?") They say that the kid didn't work hard enough. But if a kid does work hard and writes well, they think the kid had too much help from someone else. ("Elizabeth, did you or your brother write that?") Sometimes a kid just can't win!

My Mom got our main homeschool writing course from The Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW). Mr. Pudewa told us that even Benjamin Franklin learned to write by copying the writing styles of others. He also told us how painters do the same thing. I enjoy Mr. Pudewa's courses. He has excellent methods for writing, and some funny jokes and stories. Mr. Pudewa's writing checklist is fantastic!

Check out Mr.Pudewa's IEW website, if you want to improve your writing. I highly recommend it. We have his Student Intensive Writing Workshops on DVD. BEWARE though! Mr. Pudewa will help you to improve your writing so much that you'll get tired of hearing, "Jess, did you really write that?" : )

Blogging Tips

Jess asked me for tips about blogging. Jess, I am NOT the best person to ask since I just started blogging this month myself! People seem to have all different ways of blogging. Just have fun!

I enjoy reading other people's blogs because I usually find new ideas. It isn't easy finding blogs that are rated G or PG as you probably know. I first saw a tickertape countdown icon on another blog. The blogger was counting down the days to her birthday, but I was able to click on the link to find my own counter. I chose a Christmas theme for the holiday season. There are many others ticker icons available. Click on my tickertape, if you want one of your own.

I started a blog because I don't like to write. I wanted to improve my writing, connect with other horse lovers, and keep a log of my life with my new horse. I never know what to say when someone gives me a topic that I am not interested in. Have you ever had to write "How I Spent My Summer Vacation?" Yuck. I have so much fun in the summer. I can't summarize it all in three paragraphs! One time I had to describe an object. I spent a couple of days (maybe more) just deciding on the object!

I am homeschooled, so my Mom is my writing teacher. She teaches my brother and me to write about our passions. I know you have figured out by now that horses are my passion! Since I read many horse books and spend a lot of time around horses I always seem to have something to say. My Mom tells us to write just like we talk. That is basically what I try to do in my blog. It is much, much, much easier for me to type than to write with a pen, too.

Some blogs are informal. The writers don't worry about punctuation, capitalization, and organization. Mine is more formal because my Mom allows me to count my blog entries for daily writing. She isn't going to let me get by with messy draft copies. She still makes me write other papers, too.

I spend more time on some entries than on others in order to get a blog entry written well enough to post. That is why sometimes I don't post for a few days, or why I post more than one entry in a day. It all depends on when the draft is good enough. You wouldn't have to fuss as much as I do since it isn't part of your school work.

More thoughts on blogging later on in the week!

Only His Hairdresser Knows for Sure

I love horses that have long, thick tails! My horse Sailor has a beautiful long, thick tail. I want him to keep it that way, so I am going to follow Cherry Hill's three-step program.

According to Cherry Hill, there are three steps to a beautiful tail. First, I should feed Sailor good quality hay. Ms. Hill also recommends that I give Sailor a daily dose of "Farrier's Formula." This is a broad-spectrum nutritional supplement. It is designed to increase hoof growth and improve the quality of the hoof horn. Hoof and hair are made of similar substances, so it makes sense that horse people often recommend a supplement.

Grooming is the second step in maintaining Sailor's thick tail, or getting one if your horse doesn't have one yet. As all horse owners know, grooming is a good way to bond with your horse, but bathing, brushing, and combing manes and tails should only be done when necessary. I use brushes on long manes and tails! Please don't use combs any more than necessary! Combs tend to break hair, and they aren't the easiest grooming tool to use.

Cherry Hill recommends that I keep Sailor's tail cut blunt. It should be cut at a level no lower than the point of the fetlock when the horse's tail is relaxed, flat, and hanging the longest. Some people prefer a tapered tail. But when a horse's tail is longer than the fetlocks, a horse usually ends up stepping on his tail! This happens the most when he is getting up from rolling. You will notice that large long hunks of hair are pulled out. It is also common for large sections of hair to come out when a horse is unloading from a trailer or backing up in a performance class. All these examples show you how a tail can get thin very quickly!

Lastly, Ms. Hill believes I should "put up" Sailor's tail for the winter. She recommends that I put up the tail "as soon as the last fly is gone in the fall." She also thinks that I should braid Sailor's tail and keep it braided until "the first fly appears in the spring." The only problem with her advice is that I live in the Carolinas. We have flies all year 'round!

In the early spring, Ms, Hill advises horse owners to cut 4-6 inches off their horse's tail. Because of the high level of nutrition all winter and the protection of the braid, the tail is probably going to meet her fetlock test. You probably will have to cut off an additional 4 inches in July or August.

Well, you see, you can learn all kinds of things from owning a horse. But I never thought hairdressing would be one of them!

Rally Day

What did you do this past weekend? My Mom and I spent Saturday at the Greater Columbia Obedience Dog Club's dog show at the SC State Fair Grounds. The Club is affiliated with the American Kennel Club. Mom's friend Laura has a beautiful papillon named Skipper that competed in rally trials. He did great! He got 96 out of 100 points for a third place finish. Skipper and his handler got a ribbon, and Skipper got a toy lobster.

There were a variety of dogs competing. I enjoyed seeing all the different types--Chesapeake Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Bernese Mountain, Bouvier des Flandres, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Shelties, and Papillons, to name a few.

Horse Anatomy

Every rider needs to learn the parts of a horse. My riding teacher, Ms. Amber, taught me the parts of the horse in my first riding lesson. She still likes to quiz me just to make sure I remember.

A great website called "Mr. Horse" can teach you all the parts quite easily. Just click on a part of the horse's body on the photo at the website! You can even learn the parts in Italian, French, Spanish, and German.

Horse Genetics 101--Lesson 1

I am studying genetics, so I can be more knowledgeable about horse breeding. Here are some basic vocabulary words that I learned.

Homozygous -- When a horse carries 2 of the same gene. He or she always passes this gene to all of its offspring.

Breed True -- This refers to color. Horses are said to breed true when breeding two of the same color will always result in a foal of that color.

Dilute/Dilution Genes -- Genes that dilute the horses base color to a lighter color. This includes the cream, silver dapple, champagne and dun genes.

Heterozygous -- When a horse carries only 1 of a gene. Therefore, it only has a 50/50 chance of passing that gene to his/her offspring.

Dominant -- A gene that is expressed IF it is present in the horses genotype

Recessive -- A gene that is only expressed IF the horse has both genes the same at a given gene pair.

Phenotype -- How a horse looks visually.

Genotype -- What genes a horse actually has.

Stretch Your Brain!

Do you like to do puzzles? I do! Cherry Hill has quite a few free puzzles about horses at her website. So, turn off the TV and get working!

Marion duPont Scott Colonial Cup-- Camden, SC

The Marion duPont Scott Colonial Cup is going to be held tomorrow, November 26, 2005 in Camden, SC at the historic Springdale Race Course. Beautiful Thoroughbred horses will race along the track at 35 mph and jump hurdles nearly five feet high! The Marion duPont Scott Colonial Cup is the grand finale of the steeplechase circuit. This race will decide all of the national titles, including Horse of the Year.

Want to learn more more steeplechasing? Check out the National Steeplechase Association. This site has great information about the history of steeplechasing, facts about horses, and even a section entitled, Steeplechase 101.

Thanks Be to Horses

10. Free fertilizer for the garden.

9. You don't have to buy gas to go for a ride.

8. You never have to change the oil!

7. A sugar cube and a carrot makes them happy.

6. You can ride like the wind.

5. They are extremely intelligent.

4. They are beautiful to look at.

3. They look pretty in your backyard.

2. They don't pollute the air like cars and trucks.

1. They are wonderful companions.

The Equine Chef

Today I made my horse Sailor scrumptious horse treats. Why not make some for your horse? He'll love them!

Here is my recipe:

Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup water
a pinch of honey
a pinch of smooth peanut butter
1/4 horses favorite grain
1 small carrot cut into small pieces

Directions:
First, put the rolled oats in a medium-sized bowl. Add the water, a pinch of honey, and a pinch of smooth peanut butter. Stir in your horse's favorite grain. If the mixture is not sticking together, add a little more honey. Stir in the small baby carrot pieces. Roll the mixture into 1 1/2 to 2 inch balls and place on a cookie tray. Put the tray with the horse treats in the refrigerator to harden, then off to the barn to serve them to your horse!

Somebody's Got to Clean the Stall!

I spent my Sunday afternoon mucking out stalls at the barn where I board Sailor. "Mucking Out" means picking out soiled bedding and manure from a horse stall or paddock. Then, you usually go into the stall and spread the sawdust, straw, etc.How often you have to "muck out" depends on how much time your horse spends in its stall.

Mucking out stalls is the least glamorous part of owning a horse. But if you are going to have horses, you're gonna have horse manure! Mucking out stalls is something that just has to be done. A clean stall makes for a happy horse!

What types of bedding are best for horses? Here in the South, straw seems to be readily available and the least expensive. Some horse barn managers prefer straw because it is lighter and easier to dispose of than wood shavings. But straw decomposes more quickly, so that means it molds more quickly, too. Foals and horses with respiratory problems need wood shavings.

Another reason to be careful with straw as bedding is that horses like to eat straw. If they eat too much of it, they can colic. The term "colic" means "pain in the abdomen." The pain can be mild and inconsequential to the life-threatening or fatal. One of the problems with colic is that it can be very difficult in the early stages to tell the difference between the mild and potentially fatal colic. This is why all cases of abdominal pain should be taken seriously right away.

Daily cleaning of horse stalls is best. Besides "mucking out," it is also important to strip the stall down to the bare floor once a week. You need to let it air dry for the day before adding new bedding.

What should you do with all the stuff you muck out? You can spread the muck on fields or garden areas that aren't being used. This not only helps fertilize the soil, but also cuts down on your trips to the dump! Gardeners like to get manure for their gardens, so ask around if you find yourself with too much manure.

Another good choice is to compost the manure. To compost manure, you need to pile it up for least six weeks. You need to turn it frequently to produce heat and kill parasites. You have to add water in dry weather because if the pile doesn't get enough moisture, bacteria cannot decompose your pile. Make sure you pick a site at least 75 feet from any water sources to avoid contamination. You also want to make sure you keep your piles away from your barn and house so you don't have problems with flies and odor.

Another important thing to know is that you you should never add fresh manure to home gardens. You have to make sure all manure is well-composted for at least 120 days before adding it to soil where vegetables or fruits are growing. Otherwise, you could ingest E.coli, which can be quite serious and even fatal. Children and senior citizens are most vulnerable.

So, grab your pitchfork and start mucking out those stalls!

Clemson vs. Carolina

Today is the day of the most important football game of the year in South Carolina--Clemson vs. Carolina. I always root for Clemson, but the rest of my family are Carolina fans. My lucky Clemson shirt is in storage since we are not living in our house yet. (We are remodeling it.) I'll have to wear my Clemson hat instead!

My main interest at Clemson and Carolina isn't football. It is horses! How do the two school compare when it comes to Equestrian and Equine studies? Clemson wins!

Clemson has 2 options for someone like me who is interested in equine science. I can major in "Preveterinary and Science" or "Equine Business." Clemson also has a good equestrian team.

I couldn't find anything about Equine Business at USC, but they do have a Women's Equestrian Team. They won the 2005 National Championship title! (Why don't we ever read about this Gamecock team in The State newspaper?) I found an article about the team in the Carolinian. USC has a preveterinary science program, but no specifics were on their website.

GO CLEMSON TIGERS!!

Graceful, Glorious Creatures

I like to read the UK newspapers online. Here is a good article by Lucy Cavendish from the Observer about why women and girls love horses. I enjoyed it, and hope you will, too.

Why we love horses....

Flying Through the Air with the Greatest of Ease

Everyone knows that if you are going to be around horses that there is a chance that you will get bucked off. Yes, today was my day to get bucked!

There were many reasons why Sailor bucked:
1) I had borrowed a new saddle. Sailor wasn't used to it.
2) The weather turned cold and rainy yesterday. Sailor was a bit frisky.
3) The owner of the barn hadn't turned out the horses this morning, so Sailor probably had excess energy.
4)I worked Sailor on the lunge line, but the girth must have slipped.
5) Sailor probably felt a pinch when I put my weight on the saddle.

You will be glad to know that I got right back up! I fixed the saddle, and then rode Sailor again! He was a sweet boy!

The good part is that I fell on the sandy part of the round pen! It could have been worse! I am very sore, but no broken bones. Now I get to be pampered by my family!

School Work

Someone told me that she wouldn't buy a horse because it would take too much time away from her daughter's school work. I will admit that horses require a lot of my time, but they have also helped me to become more interested in my school work.

I always liked science, but I never read science books during my free time. But once I developed an interest in horses, the equine science section of the library soon became my favorite place to hang out! If you want your horse to be healthy, you have to know a lot about science!

Many equine science books and magazines aren't easy to read. They can really stretch my brain! One of my favorite magazines is The Horse: Your Guide to Equine Health Care. There is plenty of science in this magazine to satisfy even the most concerned parent!

Math has never been my favorite subject. If you want to know, it has been the subject I like the least! But now that I have a horse, I have to be good with numbers. I have to make a budget, order horse supplies, figure out how much food and medicine my horse needs, etc. I also need to keep a calendar, so I can keep track of important dates. Farrier appointments, immunization schedules, and vet checks can't be missed!

You wouldn't think horses would have anything to do with social studies, but they do. I like reading about horse breeds around the world and famous horses in history. I also like to read websites written by horse trainers around the world.Check out John Lyons, Sally Swift, Pat Parelli, and Cherry Hill's websites.

It is easy to connect horses and reading. There are zillions of horse stories! Some books are very good literature, such as Marguerite Henry and Walter Farley's books. Other books are just plain fun, like Bonnie Bryant's Saddle Club or Joanna Campbell's Thoroughbred series.

Horses can help students learn about art. The other day I got a new book on how to draw horses. I am sure you can find many art books about horses in the library. You can go to museums and look for paintings that have horses in them. Or you can make horse arts and crafts projects and display them in your house.

Horses and music? Why, of course! There are many songs about horses. American cowboys have always sung songs about horses. You probably know some of these songs--Back in the Saddle Again, Happy Trails, and Get On Your High Horse.

There are holiday songs that we sing that have horses in them, such as Jingle Bells (Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh)and Over the River and Through the Woods (...the horse knows the way, to carry the sleigh). Don't forget the opening song of the old TV show, Mr. Ed! For those classical music lovers, there is even the William Tell Overture that was the theme song of the Lone Ranger!

Lastly, there is writing. I have never liked to write before. Writing a blog has been fun, even though it is really hard work. I like to write to authors of my favorite horse books. Sometimes I write to horse organizations for information. The more I write, the easier it becomes. Thank goodness for spellcheckers though!

I hope you have learned a little about how horses have help me to become a better student. I am sure horses can encourage the student in your house, too!

Angela Dorsey

Angela Dorsey is one of my favorite authors who writes about horses. She lives in British Columbia on the west coast of Canada. If you go to her website, you can learn more about her and her books. She has very interesting photos and articles on her website, too! Sometimes Ms. Dorsey sponsors contests on her website. Winners often get a signed copy of one of her books!

Ms. Dorsey's Horse Angels series is my favorite and is loved by young horse lovers all over the world. Her books have been translated into German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Hungarian, and Czech! I collect her books, and check her site frequently to find out about any new books that might be coming out soon.

Ms.Dorsey is a very kind person, too. She takes the time to answer mail from her young fans. I have written to her about her books and to ask her horse questions in general. I always get back the nicest responses. Not many authors take the time to write back to their readers. I hope you'll buy some of her books and checkout her website!

If you are already a fan of Ms. Dorsey, please post which books you like best and why!

Horse Sense

Sailor knows he has a new friend. As soon as he sees me walking down the hill from the barn, he starts making his way toward the fence to greet me. How does he know that I have come to pay attention to him and not any of the other horses in the pasture? Horses are very intelligent. They just know.

I spent two afternoons this weekend with Sailor. I spent some time lunging him. He and I are doing better with the lunge line. Then, I rode him in the round pen. Sailor enjoyed being groomed afterward.

I did feel a little sad for another horse, Glimmer. She is Sailor's paddock mate. I can tell she is missing her owner. She looked up at me with hopeful eyes, but the barn rules say I cannot feed or groom someone else’s horse.

A Horse's Life

Have you ever wondered where the time goes in your day or week? Try keeping a log! Jot down what you do every hour during the day. You might be very surprised at the end of the day (and especially at the end of the week) to learn how much time you spend doing ordinary things like eating, brushing your teeth, and sleeping!

Dr. Sue M. McDonnell at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine wrote an interesting book about horse behavior called, "Normal and Abnormal Behavior of Stabled Horses." Dr. McDonnell observed horses in stalls over a 24-hour period and recorded her data in a log book. Here are some of her more interesting observations of how horses spend their day.

Eating hay - 4 - 12 hours

Resting while standing up 8 - 12 hours

Resting while lying down 0 - 6 hours

Drinking 1 -3 minutes

Urinating 4 - 15 times

Defecating 4 - 15 times*

*No wonder we have to clean out our horses' stalls so much!

Horse Babel

What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet.
--Shakespeare
From Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)

Horse lovers are found all around the world. Learn how to translate horse in other languages...just in case you ever find yourself in another part of the world! (Thanks to AltaVista Babel for help with the translations.)

Language /Translation

French Cheval
German Pferd
Dutch paard
Greek άλογο
Italian cavallo
Portuguese cavalo
Russian лошадь
Spanish caballo

Straight Talk about Horses

A very cold morning here in the Carolinas. Can you hear my teeth chattering? I hope to work on the plans for my new horse barn today. Maybe even do some riding, too! I can't wait to see Sailor this morning!


Here are some of my favorite quotes about horses. What are your favorites?

Quotes...
No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle. ~Winston Churchill


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


In riding a horse, we borrow freedom. ~Helen Thomson


A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse! -Shakespeare, Richard III, Act 5, Sc. 4


Let us ride together, blowing mane and hair, careless of the weather, miles ahead of care, ring of hoof and snaffle, swing of waist and hip, trotting down the twisted road with the world let slip -- Anonymous, Riding Song

Horse Humor

Do you like jokes and riddles? I do! Here are a few that hopefully will make you smile! Please post your favorite horse jokes and riddles.

Q) What animal has more "hands" than feet?

A) Why, a horse, of course!

*****

Q) What is the best type of story to tell a runaway horse?

A) A tale of WHOA!

*****

Q) How long should a horse's legs be?

A) Long enough to reach the ground.

*****

Q) When do vampires like horse racing?

A) When it's neck and neck.

*****

Q) Where do horses stay in a hotel?

A) In the bridle suite.

*****

Q) What did the waiter say to the horse?

A) I can't take your order. That's not my stable.

*****
Q) How come horses can't dance?

A) Because they have two left feet!

LAST, but not least...

Then there was the horse trainer who told riders that the hardest part about learning to ride was the ground.

*****

Happy Trails to you!

American Paint Horse Association

Do you want to learn more about the American Paint? Check out this
link for The American Paint Horse Association.

Sometimes this site is very slow. Please be patient! Also, be sure to wait a few extra seconds for the photos on the home page to change. They have some great photos of American Paints!

What's in a Name?

Help me name my horse! Smooth Sailor Boy is my horse's registered name. But I would like to choose another name because Sailor doesn't seem to suit him. Any suggestions?

Let's have a contest! Please post names that you like for horses!

A Dream Come True

Today was the BEST day of my life! A beautiful registered Paint gelding came into my life. His name is Smooth Sailor Boy. He is a bay tobiano. I can't believe he is really mine.

I have two very nice friends who helped me get my dream horse, Ms. Amber and Mr. Steve. Ms. Amber has a horse addiction, too, and understands girls and their love of horses. She has been addicted herself since before she could even walk! Her grandfather would set her down in the front of the saddle and off they would go!

Ms. Amber knew the woman who was selling Sailor. She called to tell me that she had found the perfect horse just for me. She thought Sailor and I would be a good match. Sailor and I work very well together!

The second person who helped my dream come true was Mr. Steve. He has known me since I was born. Mr. Steve also knows about my horse addiction. He made it possible for me to go to horse camp last summer. (Valley View Ranch horse camp was a blast, but more on that later. I have photos that I will post.) Mr. Steve helped me to purchase Sailor, too. I want Mr. Steve to ride Sailor when he comes to visit, but he said, "Maybe." But I think when he sees Sailor he won't be able to resist!

The Wait

My mother doesn't like begging, so I had to be very creative. I would leave horse books on her desk and on the coffee table. Sometimes even next to the commode! She finally got the hint and said she would look for a riding teacher. She found a good riding teacher, and so began my life as a horsewoman.

For three years, I took horseback riding lessons from Ms. Amber at her small farm not too far from my house. I learned how to ride English on her twenty-five-year-old Arabian named Kassabella. We call her "Kass" for short. Kass is a flea-bit gray Arabian that is 14.3 hands high.

Riding Kass was fun, but I wanted a horse of my own. What girl doesn't?! "No way," said my mother. "Maybe," said my Dad. My Dad lived in Texas on a ranch when he was a teenager, so he loves horses, too. He even did a little rodeo. My mother grew up in Boston. I figured she had never even been on a horse before. But she said I was dead wrong. She had been trail riding in the Grand Tetons and had been on a couple of other horses.

I knew I probably had a long wait until I got my own horse, so I decided I might as well do something useful with my time. I read every horse book I could get my hands on. I have read every Saddle Club book, every Thoroughbred book, and every Pony Pals book in three library systems. I got the rest of them from Interlibrary loan. I also read many horse care books, horse breed books, and magazines. You get the picture--- anything and EVERYTHING.

An Addiction

I have a confession to make. I have an addiction. A very serious addiction. (Don't keep reading unless you really want to know!)

I LOVE HORSES!! I LOVE HORSES!! I LOVE HORSES!!

It all started when I was five years old. I was sick in bed and a little whiney. My mother entertained me by reading a story about ponies. I made her read it again and again. She promised me when I got better that she would let me ride a pony. Yes, the promise of a pony ride was the best medicine ever. I couldn't wait! In fact, I was counting the days. Un, deux, trois! (My mother is teaching me French.)

Before I continue with my tale, let me introduce my mother. A petite woman (that's a good French word I learned this week for SHORT) who has been my caring mom for my eleven LONG years. She always gives my brother and me books to read. LOTS of books. (I also have an addiction to books, but I'll save that for another blog post.) My mother says books can take you any place in the world. But she doesn't stop there. She takes us to places all over the world. It is really true! She does!

One day my mother announced it was time for the pony ride. She took me to her friend's barn out in the country. The barn seemed very big to me, but I was excited. The first time I set eyes on "Lady" I knew I was destined to be a horsewoman. Lady was a beautiful sorrel Shetland pony that didn't mind taking me 'round and 'round the round pen. We must have gone around at least 50 times, but my mother says NO WAY was it that many. (What can you expect? I was only five years old.) It seemed like 50 times to me.

From that day on, I was hooked. My mother says I have never met a horse I didn't like, and she is mostly right. There is one horse, Peaches, that I don't particularly care for. Or should I say SHE doesn't particularly care for ME!