Horses – World’s Unique Horses
There are many different breeds of horses and every breed has its own set of strengths unique to its own. Let’s take a look at some of the world’s unique horses and admire its grace and beauty.
Paso Fino
Known as among the world’s finest riding horses, the Los Caballos de Paso Fino, or “the horse with the fine step” is of Spanish heritage and used since the era of the Conquistadors. Its lateral four-beat gait is the main distinguishing factor from other breeds which allows the riders a pleasant yet thrilling ride.
American?Saddlebred
This is none other than Kentucky’s very first native horse breed. Needless to say, the American Saddlebred is unique as it features prominently in America’s history both in golden and modern times.
Appaloosa
The Appaloosa, originated from North America, is best known for its unusual and unique coloring. Generally, they have thin mane and tails with spotted skin around their eyes and on their muzzle. Mostly used in Rodeos.
Knabstrub
The Knabstrub is mostly known for its “leopard” coloring and often used in the circus. It is also a breed that is full of versatility and will excel in any English discipline such as (but not limited) to Jumping and Dressing.
Miniature Horse
As the name suggests, this breed is exceptionally small-sized. The best thing about this is that they are real horses and not ponies (even if they are sometimes even smaller than ponies in itself!) They are ideal as pets and also used as a form of therapy in hospitals. They have also been known to have been used as guides for the visually impaired as well as cart-pullers. Having mentioned this, the horses, especially the smaller ones, should not be ridden (even by children).
The above are among some of the world’s unique horses that you might have the chance to catch in person one day. Needless to say, the experience would be exhilarating.
January 14 2011 | Pets | Comments Off
The American Quarter Horse
It is thought, by some, that the foundation American Quarter Horse stock has at its roots Arabian, Turk, and Barb breeds. Others believe that the breed began with the acquisition of Chickasaw horses which were likely of Spanish extraction. Their history seems to begin around 1690, when horses exported from England were bred with native horses in America. The result of this cross was a small, stocky horse which was extremely fast in the quarter-mile sprint which the colonists loved to participate in during their off-time. Even when pitted against Thoroughbreds, this little horse came in first more often than not. Thus, the horse became known as the Quarter Horse.
In the 1800s, when the pioneers began to move west, they wanted a horse that could endure the rigors and was always willing to work. Their horse of choice was the Quarter Horse. They quickly found that the breed was excellent to use when working with cattle. Cattlemen soon preferred this animal because it seemed to know ahead of time what the cattle would do, and naturally moved to direct the herd where the cowboys wanted them to go. Even after the automobile was invented, Quarter Horses were still used almost exclusively on many ranches.
In 1940, the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) was formed. From that year until the present, Quarter Horse breeders have worked diligently to perfect the bloodlines. The Association has set forth strict guidelines with regard to registration of American Quarter Horses. AQHs are allowed to have limited white markings on their faces, and below their knees. If there are white patches or spots anywhere else on the horse, it is considered to not be a true Quarter Horse.
The AQHA recognizes 13 colors as acceptable for the breed. The most dominant color is sorrel, which is a reddish-brown. The other colors are bay, black, brown, buckskin, dun, gray, grullo, palomino, red roan, and blue roan. What is called a gray is what most of us perceive as white. But, there are no “white” Quarter Horses.
There are two main body types which are acceptable for registration as Quarter Horses. The “stock” type, which is shorter, more compact, stockier, and well-muscled, yet agile. The “running” type is lighter and is bred and trained for sprinting.
Because this breed is very versatile, bloodlines are built with specific tasks in mind when producing the offspring. For AQH’s shown “at halter”, the line is bred to have a heavier body appearance, because these horses are incredibly muscled. For horses used as “reiners” and “cutters”, the build is usually smaller and the horses possess cat-like, quicker movement and powerful hindquarters. Those bred for Western pleasure riding have a level “topline” and smoother gaits. Those which will be used for racing have longer legs and a leaner body build and those bred as show hunters have a similar build to the runners, but their bloodlines will include traits which are suited to horses used for hunting purposes. The whole Quarter Horse breed possesses speed, stamina, power, and an inherent willingness to please.
This horse is usually 14 to 16 hands (56 to 64 inches, or 142.24 to 162.56 centimeters) at the shoulder. The weight can vary drastically, depending on the purpose for which the horse was bred.
The American Quarter Horse is the most popular breed in the United States. And there are approximately 3.7 million registered American Quarter Horses worldwide, making it one of the most populous breeds in modern history.
January 14 2011 | Pets | Comments Off
How to Stop a Horse From Biting
Your horse has just tried to bite you! You can’t understand why this animal that you love and care for would behave in such a way. Horses that bite people are displaying an aggressive, unsafe behaviour that needs to be changed.
The first step in changing any behaviour is to understand the underlying cause of it. Horses are prey animals that live in herds and run from danger.? Their first instinct is to run away when they feel their safety is threatened. If they are unable to run away, they will fight to defend themselves by aggressively biting, kicking or striking.
What causes a domestic horse that is being cared for and loved by humans to become aggressive and bite his or her caregiver? There are 2 reasons for this undesirable behaviour.
1) The human is inadvertently causing stress to the horse by their own behaviour and body language and the horse is unable to leave. Usually this is caused by the human sending forward, impulsive energy towards the horse’s head and neck area while working around the horse that is tied up or confined in a small space such as a stall. Horses feel most vulnerable around their head and neck because this is where predators attack to kill.
2) Young colts tend to bite because this is stallion behaviour. In the wild, stallions must compete with each other to win a band of mares and the right to breed them. This is why young colts and even some older geldings play fights can look quite aggressive. The play is practice for potential future fights.
The traditional method of breaking the behaviour of biting people is to smack the horse in the mouth or face. Some people even go so far as biting the horse back. Neither of these tactics is particularly effective in stopping the biting. Hitting the horse in the face, from the horse’s perspective, is a very aggressive behaviour. It either makes the horse head-shy and/or escalates the behaviour as the horse becomes more aggressive. In both cases, the human is being reactive after the horse has bitten them.
A better way to stop this behaviour involves working with the horse’s psychology and being proactive to prevent the bite.? In the herd, a horse that misbehaves or shows disrespect to higher ranking horses is pushed out of the herd. This is the absolutely worst punishment for any horse as isolation from the herd increases the vulnerability to predators. The exiled horse is only allowed back into the herd once he or she has shown signs of respect and submission.
Prevent your horse from biting by following these steps:
1) Be respectful of your horse’s personal space (head and neck area) by not sending forward energy from your body into that area. If you are standing beside your horse, stand with your weight even on both legs or resting on the leg farthest from your horse’s head so that your hip is not aimed into your horse’s head.
2) Ask your horse to be respectful of your personal space. Picture your personal space as a bubble around you.? Block your horse? from coming into your bubble unless you invite him or her in and he or she is respectful – low head, not pushing, etc.
3) Be aware of signs that your horse is threatening to bite or be pushy to you and proactively send him or her away from you with a push or a tap on the shoulder. Even if your horse manages to get in a nip or a bite do not hit him or her in the face. Only ever hit you horse on the body and send him or her away from you. Do not let your horse come back into your space until he or she is completely calm, non-threatening and showing signs of respect.
Working with an understanding of horse psychology as well as diagnosing the cause behind behaviours is a much more effective way of working with and training horses than simply focusing on the symptom (in this case, biting). You will develop a stronger bond with your horse built on mutual trust and respect. Your horse will no longer see you as a potential threat, but as a benevolent leader and trusted herd mate.
January 14 2011 | Pets | Comments Off
Quarter Horses Of The USA
Quarter Horses are a breed of horses that run extremely fast for short distances. Some horses have been clocked at the speed of 55 miles per hour. The horse is very popular in the United States today.
The horses are very valuable as working ranch horse, they are also known for racing, horse shows and rodeos. The horse is well known for speedy maneuvers required for barrel racing, calf roping and other rodeo events.
In the early years these horses were used for work during the week and a race horse on weekends. The main duty of the ranch horse in the west was working cattle. Even after automobiles were invented, horses were still used for handling livestock. Large ranches in the Texas area had a large role in the development of the modern Quarter Horse. The foundation of the rodeo came by the skills of the ranch hands and their horses.
The rodeo was a contest with completion between cowboys and expanded to major events through the world. Today the horse dominates the sport in speed and in competition.
Today the horses are known best for show horse, ranch horse, race horse, rodeo completion and all around family horse. Quarter Horses also compete well in rodeo events like team roping, calf roping and barrel racing.
The modern Quarter Horse has a small, short, head with a straight profile, and a well muscled body, featuring a broad chest and rounded hindquarters. They normally stand between 14 and 16 hands high (56 to 64 in/140 to 160 cm).
The horses come in a variety of colors. The most common is the sorrel, a brownish red.
January 14 2011 | Pets | Comments Off
Reasons That Make Horses Great Pets
Unlike before when everyone thought that to have a pet horse you have to be rich, most people now are turning to keeping horses as their pets. The elegance that comes with the horse has been one of the main things that have led to people turning to horses as a type of pet. Just like all other types of pet, the pet horse also helps in improving ones health. By just stroking the horse one get to not only improve his or her mood but also helps ensure that your health in general is kept okay by providing relaxation and lowering your blood pressure.
Given a sufficient room to walk about, a pet horse does not require you to always have to take it for a walk. This helps a lot in that one does not have to daily spend his or her time having to take the pet for long distance walks. The fact that horses love to run around ensures that they can exercise by themselves. Provided with the most basic health attention, a pet horse can help one save a lot on medical fees. They can stay alive for a long time without having to be given medical attention as long as it is kept healthy and feed well. A clean stable that the horses stay at really helps with the health of the pet. Pet horses will sleep at night and as a result are active during the day. This being the case, one can be able to spend time with this pet.
January 14 2011 | Pets | Comments Off
The Types of Sports Injuries in Horses
When a horse has an injury the pain they feel can fall into three categories:
Inflammatory pain – inflammatory mediators increase pain sensitivity and can make to pain feel worse within 6 hours. Anti inflammatory medications can reduce pain due to this; however, the inflammatory response does play its part in assisting with recovery of some injuries.
Neuropathic pain – From a major trauma i.e. spinal column.
Somatic Pain – Pain associated with the skin, joints tissues etc. The tissues are packed with pain receptors (nociceptors).
Pain can cause muscles to spasm preventing movement of the area. This is not a good thing as muscles in spasm have a reduced blood supply (ischaemia) causing more pain. This cycle needs to be broken in order for pain to be relieved. Unfortunately it can be difficult to assess pain in newly injured horses as the adrenaline released can mask pain and can sometimes cause the horse to do more damage to itself as a result of not realizing its injuries.
Assessment, diagnosis and stabilization of an injured horse needs to be done quickly and thoroughly in order for the correct decisions relating to treatment, safety and care to be undertaken. Can you determine exactly what the injury is?
Is it tendon / ligament / bone injury? – Take care not to worsen any injury. Correct application of a splint or suitable bandage to stabilize the area can prevent further injury and assist in a speedy recovery.
Has the horse ‘tied up’ (Exertional Rhabdomyolysis)? – The horse should not be make to walk and should be kept warm.
Is there a bleeding wound? – Every effort should be taken to stem the bleeding.
Is the horse in a dangerous situation? – Horses when trapped or caught in e.g. a fence are unpredictable and extra help should be sought.
Is the horse recumbent? – Why? Is he physically stuck? Exhausted? Neurological Trauma? Collapse? Winded itself? The reason for being recumbent will determine the cause of action to take. The horse should have its breathing and heart rate monitored if possible throughout the time it is down to closely watch stress levels etc.
Common sense is vital in situations when panic, whether horse or rider can occur.
Simple things can often get overlooked; like deciding on which way to travel your horse dependent on which leg they have injured can make a big difference to the comfort of the horse. Scared horses can often influence the way we care for them as we want to help as soon as we can. We still need to ensure the surrounding situation is safe before restraint of the horse and treatment can begin, to ensure that the horse does not injure themselves further or we ourselves get into difficulty.
January 14 2011 | Pets | Comments Off
Jobs That Dogs Do
Milos Pesic asked:
Dogs are amazing creatures. They are our wonderfully loving and nonjudgmental friends, but they also work. Many dogs have regular jobs, and all of us depend on these working dogs to do those jobs and do them well.
Dogs would likely survive without humans, but humans probably wouldn’t fare as well without dogs. Do they get paid? Well, not in cash. What would they do with cash? No, they get paid in love and gratitude which is the only pay that they expect or need. That’s cheap labor. Try finding a human being who would rush into a burning building to save life or run around rounding up cows until their tongues hung out for nothing more than a pat on the head, a scratch on the head, and a bowl of kibble.
Dogs do many jobs. They pull sleds, herd farm animals, hunt for game, find clues of crimes, inspect luggage for illegal drugs or food items, and hunt for missing persons. They serve as service dogs for those with disabilities. There are seeing-eye dogs and hearing-ear dogs. Dogs pull wheelchairs, turn lights off and on, pick up dropped items, and even call for help when it is needed. Dogs act as our guards and protectors without even being asked.
There are hundreds of breeds of dogs, and dogs come in all shapes and sizes, but there is one thing that all dogs have in common. Dogs have the ability to love unconditionally. There is another thing that all dogs have in common. All dogs want a job to do. A dog might be a search-and-rescue dog that saves lives every day, or he might just bark at the postman to keep him from stealing your stuff. But ALL dogs want to be employed!
Caffeinated Content
December 09 2010 | Pets | Comments Off
Dogs – Part Of The Family
Michael Russell asked:
How many people own dogs? Crazy question really, isn’t it? I bet the answer though would be staggering. The dog has become such a major part of family life that it is almost taken for granted. We see it either sitting in the window waiting for its master to come home, lying on a carpet on a winter’s evening, in the warmth of a living room, or running after a ball, thrown by one of its owners.
Why is the dog so popular? Don’t know the answer to that. But I guess folk more knowledgeable than I could answer better. I feel it is because they give loyalty without question. They “invade” our homes and almost take over. Correction, they do take over. Like most people, my family had a dog when our kids were younger. We follow the theory that if kids are kind to animals, they in turn will be kind to people. Don’t know if that’s strictly true, but I like to think so.
There are many ways to keep a dog and buy a dog. Pet shops thrive in most countries and do particularly well around Christmas time. Who can resist an eight-week-old puppy with doleful eyes, head tilted, looking at you and your youngsters. Battle half lost already. On getting him/her home, we have to decide what to do with him. Where will he sleep? What do we feed him? Who takes him a walk?
The answer to the first question realistically is it will sleep inside for as long as you let it. Kids play a part in this. Novelty plays its part as well. It soon sorts itself out though when our new little friend, starts to leave messages all over the house. Then usually, shouting is heard and the animal has its first experience of life on the outside.
As for who takes him for a walk. The kids do naturally for the first three days while they are showing the new house pet to their friends. Then guess who has the job after that? I am sure those of you who have been through this, creep around the house, morning or evening, trying to avoid stirring the dog who is expecting the daily exercise. How do they manage to tell the time?
It is certainly easy to see why the animal aid organisations are pretty well full up after Christmas time, once the novelty of pet ownership wears off. Perhaps I am being a bit harsh. Dogs are such fun and they give so much. Most are very good with kids and I have always found they fit in quite neatly to normal way of life. That is until they decide to rearrange your garden. Don’t let anyone tell you that certain breeds don’t dig. They all do!!
After all the humour and sometimes after all the shouting, dogs are wonderful company and if our household was anything to go by, when our 14-year-old dog became ill and the awful decision was made about her future, we lost a family member on that fateful day.
Haven’t had a dog since – perhaps think about it during retirement, but memories remain and seeing other folk enjoying life and being happy with their pets, gives me a warm glow and quite a bit of nostalgia.
dogs
December 09 2010 | Pets | Comments Off
Cool Facts About Dog Pajamas
Dog pajamas are among the cutest kind of pet clothing that you can buy for your pet dog. This kind of clothing is not only cute, but is also very useful especially if your pet comes from a small breed and when the climate is cold like what is being experienced during winter time.
So if you have a small breed of dog that still does not have any fleece dog pajamas or any pajamas for that matter, then you should go and get one for your pet. But before you browse online or shop in many pet stores for these pajamas, it is best if you know some cool facts about it. This way, you will have a good idea as to what kind of pajamas you need to buy.
What are these cool facts about dog pj’s? Well, number one in the list is that these pajamas actually can come from different brands. There are a lot of companies out there who are into making pajamas for dogs. Two of the most famous ones are Fashion Pet and Paw Appeal.
Then the second cool fact about dog pajamas is that it comes in different colors. The colors are actually the ones that make the pajama wonderful to look at while worn by your pet. Among the most commonly used colors for pajamas are the colors blue, pink, purple, red and yellow. Some pajamas have different or multicolored designs.
The third cool fact about pajamas for dogs is that it is made of different kinds of materials. There are pajamas that are made of cotton and there are also some that are made of wool. But one of the most common kinds is the fleece dog pajamas.
Then another cool fact about these pajamas is that it also can come in several sizes. So this actually means that small dogs are not the only breeds that can wear this cute kind of pet clothing. Most pajamas that are available for sale have small sizes up to extra large ones that would fit the bigger dog breeds.
Then last but not the least is that these dog pj’s come in different price range. Those that have thick materials cost more than the cotton ones. There are pajamas that cost less than 10 dollars and then there are also expensive ones that cost more than 25 dollars per piece.
November 13 2010 | Pets | Comments Off
Features That You Should Look Out For When Buying Dog Pajamas
Dog Pajamas should be on your market list when you have a pet and still does not have one or a couple of pairs. This is especially true nowadays that the winds are getting cooler and cooler each day. Getting two or more pajamas for your adorable pet will make you feel secured that your pet will not get cold at night.
But before you go pick up the first pajama that you will see in pet store stands, you need to know some of the features of dog PJ’s that will really benefit your dog. When you have this knowledge, then you will be able to easily pick the best pajama that your dog will love to wear.
So what are these features that you should look out for when you buy pajamas for your beloved pet? The first one is the kind of fabric material that the pajamas are made of. Make sure that the pajamas that you will be buying have materials that are breathable and will keep your pet warm. Fleece dog pajamas are good examples that you should try.
Then the second feature that you should look into is the fit of the pajamas. You should make sure that the pajamas that you buy have a comfortable fit and can let your dog move freely.
The third feature on the other hand that you should look into is the design of the dog PJ’s that you will buy. Make sure that the pajamas have an easy on/easy off design so that you will not have any difficulties in slipping them into your dog. This will also ensure that you will not strangle your pet while putting these pajamas on because if you do, then there is a big possibility that your pet will not wear it anymore.
It is also good if you can see to it that the dog pajamas that you will buy have a Velcro closure. Having this feature will not allow the pajamas to fall off.
Then lastly, see to it that the design and the fabric material you like is machine washable. This will make it very convenient for you to clean and wash your pet’s pajamas. Fleece dog pajamas are one example of pajamas that can be machine washed.
Now that you are aware of the features that you should look into when buying pajamas, you are now ready to buy the perfect one that your dog will really like.
November 13 2010 | Pets | Comments Off