Lucky Orphans

Young Nitro

2007-07-01T19:48:00.000-05:00

Thursday I loaded Nitro and Cody, and trailered to where we do gymkhana; to warm up for Saturday's competition. Nitro did a few laps in the ring, then we stopped by Halls Corners on the way home and went on a wonderful trail ride. The sky was stormy with sun rays piercing through, touching the new cut hay in spots, as we enjoyed the longest day of the year together, high in the mountain. Nitro was feeling great and opened up into a nice canter. The wind blowing through his mane conflicted with the bouncing of it and it reminded me of a July 4th sparkler as the sun rays peppered it. Back into the trailer, I hoped he would have energy left for 's event; but even if not, the longest day ride was worth it.
Friday Nitro got his bath and was kept in with a robe to stay warm and clean for Saturday morning. The gymkhana went well, Theresa did poles on him. Nitro likes going and watching all the horses run and stands still with me on him for hours. All in all, another nice day together.
I had promised a boarder to go for an early Sunday morning trail ride with him but thought Nitro might be a little tired. We tacked up and went up the meadow through the high uncut hay at a nice clip. Then, into the woods where Nitro did his regular jumps over the logs. My friend was impressed, and commented what a great horse Nitro was. We weaved through the trees and brush and then headed down the dry river bed. Nitro jogged down the river stones at a rapid clip jumping over some and sliding and side stepping over others, leaving my friend, and his younger horse, far behind in amazement. Nitro, at 20 years young, tip toed over the rocks faster and faster using athletic skills that boggled my mind; all after two days of work. A wise old man once told me, "when the trail is rough drop the reins and let your horse pick the coarse". Nitro played the river bed like Fred Astaire. Before finishing our ride Nitro went up the river and pawed and splashed like a kid in a pool. "Yep," I told my friend, "Nitro is the most expensive horse in the barn". "Really?" "Yep," I said, "If you were to offer a million bucks I wouldn't sell him".

Summer Dinner

2007-05-30T07:21:00.000-05:00

Tonight, as I sometimes do, I held Nitro's grain bucket for him as he ate. He has issues at feeding time but if I hold his bucket and turn it for him so he can get out all the grain he tolerates me. I think he even rather I hold it cause he gets all the grain without spilling any on the ground. As he ate, the sun was setting this warm summer day and its rays glistened off his golden mane with all the brilliance of a rainbow. I saw white hair, gold, silver and red all glistening in the sun set. I looked beyond to his flat muscular back and massive hindquarters. I felt his jaws chew the grain and watched the muscles of his jowls pulverize and grind. I looked into his massive brown eye and big gold eyelash. I let his ear rub my face and scratched his head. Finally the warmth of summer, the joy of time with my horse in the simple task of holding his bucket. Last week he took fifth place in a gymkhana pole bending event. Not bad, it was only the second time we ever did it. On the trail ride the other day he was perfect, almost anticipating my every wish. He even went up the river and bobbed his head and cooled his feet, standing in the cool water. I closed my eyes and just let him be, then after a few minuets he turned and we headed back to the barn doing bends. We ended up in the ring and did two sets of barrels. Who would ever imagine we would be so good together; me, a rider without a clue and him a horse, who could throw a bull rider. Yes, as I watched the sun set through his mane, I wished for another twenty years of NITRO and warm days. Oh, after his grain he went to his hay, but not before charging me to get me out of his paddock. Seems he doesn't like anyone to feed him his hay.

April 16

2007-04-16T13:37:00.000-05:00

I brought Two Step back to the rescue barn today form the boarding barn. Nitro and he were good friends at home and this was the first time they've seen each other in a few years. Nitro was in his solitary confinement paddock because he's been so bad to the other horses lately. I opened the gate to let Two Step in an adjoining paddock and be with Page and the pony. Well, as soon as Two Step saw Nitro he ran to the gate and he and Nitro changed breaths. Two Step immediately began nuzzling and biting Nitro on the ribs and back. Nitro enjoyed every minute. I decided to open Nitro's gate and let the two old friends be together. Nitro, anxious to see Two Step, tried to get out before Two Step got in. I had to chase him back and try to coax Two Step in. Every time I opened the gate to let Two Step in Nitro came over to the gate. I threw mud at him he just pinned his ears. Then I picked up a stick and threatened him and he reared to knock it and my arm off. I finally got him back and opened the gate again and Nitro tried to ram through the opening. I quickly closed it and Nitro went into it locking his two front legs and falling onto his knees bending the gate. There he was kneeling, tangled in the gate. I was standing helpless, holding Two step's lead, evaluating the situation waiting for him to panic and run off with the gate stuck in his legs. Nitro realized his fate and simply got up gate and all then slowly unlocked his legs and walked away. I told him that's what happens when he doesn't listen and opened the gate and Two Step walked in and he and Nitro walked off together, probably discussing the lost time, and recent episode of the gate. Nitro could have easily broke his legs or ran off with the gate cutting his tendons and skin but he some how got himself up from his knees. I have never seen a horse get up without extending his legs and jerking his weight. It was likely the most athletic feat I have ever witnessed a horse do. He used brute force straightening the bent gate and raised his weight all without the use of his front legs or the slightest bit of panic. It was as if the entire scene was being played back in reverse. I will never cease to be amazed by him.

April 12

2007-04-12T13:37:00.000-05:00

With the cold weather back can't do much with Nitro. We were working on his breathing by going up and down hills. He's not very motivated, so rather then getting after him to run, I graze him on the top hill of three meadows. Once he realizing were heading up, he gallops at full speed cause his appetite overcomes his laziness. This method also works on a barn sour horse, like Nitro was once upon a time. I would lead him from his stall right to grass and let him graze. Before long as soon as my car pulled into the parking lot at the barn he would whinney, knowing he'd soon be grazing with me. It wasn't long before I could get him from his stall jump on and go for a nice ride without hesitation the only thing I did was stop and graze at some point during the trip. Then the problem became that Nitro thought the world was his salad bar, so I started cueing him by putting my hand on his withers if he was allowed to stop and graze. That works so well that it is now one of our brakes. We can be running flat out and if I place my hand on his withers he stops and grazes. We do one rein stops too, but they're more dangerous from a run and we spilled once or twice, so I only use that in a dire need to stop. Any way, to the point, the cold. I've been wanting to get Nitro in shape for gymkhana season, but can't stand the cold so we have been working on our way to the paddock every day. Nitro doesn't have a clue when it comes to leg so I've been walking him along the fence and pushing on his side with my thumb so he feels pressure before I ride him with spurs. He knows exactly what to do and will side pass for three or so steps, then tries to bite me. Now I have to devise a method to make him enjoy a spur in his side, cause if he thinks he's being trained he'll balk just as he's done his entire life. Nitro only learns if he thinks he is doing it because he really wants to. Deanna first thought him to turn by riding him into a fence and whichever way he went to pull that rein. Sometimes I guess, as we all do, who is the real student?

Birthday Party

2007-03-31T10:32:00.000-05:00

This past Sunday there was a pony party at the barn. The parents brought their youngsters to have pony rides and celebrate Brett's birthday. There were balloons, pizzas, and cake. I was doing my chores at the rescue barn and decided to take a break to how the pony party was going.
Tiny Secrets, our shetland pony was circling the ring with the little kids one by one. Stoney the sheep had his little circle of kids petting him and feeding him hay.

Then the parents of Brett introduced themselves and Brett. My eyes went right to the fringed western chaps; then, to my surprise, I noticed he was wearing a Nitro sweet shirt. WOW! His mother told me all the kids got Nitro shirts, even the birthday cake was made to look like Nitro, and the invitations had Nitro pictures.
I was so impressed with all the effort this family went through, just from Nitro being on the web site. When the kids went into the barn to eat their cake I went back to the rescue barn to get Nitro. He had so much mud on him, that he looked like a bay horse. I curried him and hosed the mud from his legs and hooked up the trailer and loaded him without even telling him why. We sped back and I tried to sneak him out to better clean him up but got caught.

Some kids shouted NITRO!!! Before you knew it more kids came out, seems Nitro really has a fan club. We stood there and I felt so grateful that everyone had liked Nitro, and were happy to meet him. I wish Nitro was better behaved so that the kids could have pet him or have sat on him, but I couldn't take the chance. After awhile, Nitro and I went back and I hoped he had made the kids happy and that they would remember the paint horse for many years to come. Nitro made my day again.

Unwanted Horses

2007-03-15T10:57:00.000-05:00

Kentucky Swamped With Unwanted Horses
Wednesday, March 14, 2007

By JEFFREY McMURRAY, Associated Press Writer

STAFFORDSVILLE, Ky. — The bidding for the black pony started at $500, then took a nosedive.

There were no takers at $300, $200, even $100. With a high bid of just $75, the auctioneer gave the seller the choice of taking the animal off the auction block. But the seller said no.

"I can't feed a horse," the man said. "I can't even feed myself."

Kentucky, the horse capital of the world, famous for its sleek thoroughbreds, is being overrun with thousands of horses no one wants _ some of them perfectly healthy, but many of them starving, broken-down nags. Other parts of the country are overwhelmed, too.

The reason: growing opposition in the U.S. to the slaughter of horses for human consumption overseas.

Public backlash _ and state bans or the threat of them _ have led to the closure of several slaughterhouses that used to take in horses no longer suitable for racing or work. Auction houses are glutted with horses, and many rescue organizations have run out of room.

There have been reports of horses chained up in eastern Kentucky and left for days without food or water. Others have been turned loose in the countryside.

Some people who live near the strip mines in the mountains of impoverished eastern Kentucky say that while horses have long been left to roam free there, the number now may be in the thousands, and they are seeing herds three times bigger than they did just five years ago.

"There's horses over there that's lame, that's blind," said Doug Kidd, who owns 30 horses in Lackey, Ky. "They're taking them over there for a graveyard because they have nowhere to move them."

It is legal in all states for owners to shoot their unwanted horses, and some Web sites offer instructions on doing it with little pain. But some horse owners do not have the stomach for that.

At the same time, it can cost as much as $150 for a veterinarian to put a horse down. And disposing of the carcass can be costly, too. Some counties in Kentucky, relying on a mix of private and public funding, will pick up and dispose of a dead horse for a nominal fee.

The cost is much higher other places, and many places ban the burying of horses altogether because of pollution fears.

Sending horses off to the glue factory is not an option anymore. Adhesives are mostly synthetic formulations nowadays, according to Lawrence Sloan, president of the Adhesive and Sealant Council. And because of public opposition, horse meat is no longer turned into dog food either, said Chris Heyde of the Society for Animal Protective Legislation.

Eventually, anti-slaughter groups insist, the market will sort itself out, and owners will breed their horses less often, meaning fewer unwanted horses. When California imposed its slaughter ban in 1989, they point out, the number of stolen horses dropped while there was no significant change in the number reported abused or neglected.

"Once you remove slaughter, you remove a release valve for irresponsibility," Heyde said. "These are animals. They're not a pair of shoes."

Nelson Francis, who raises gaited horses, a rare, brawny breed found in the Appalachian Mountains, said the prices they command are getting so low, he might have to turn some loose. He houses about 57 of them, double his typical number.

"I can't absorb the price," Francis said. "You try to hang on until the price changes, but it looks like it's not going to change. ... What do I do? I've got good quality horses I can't market because of the has-been horse."

"Kill buyers" used to pay pennies a pound for unwanted horses, then pack them into crowded trucks bound for slaughterhouses that would ship the horse meat to Europe and Asia.

However, public opposition to the eating of horse meat has caused the number of horses slaughtered each year by American companies to drop from more than 300,000 in 1990 to around 90,000 in 2005, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Only one U.S. slaughterhouse _ in Illinois _ still butchers horses for human consumption.

"What do you do with them all?" said Lori Neagle, executive director of the new Kentucky Equine Humane Center in Lexington. "What do you do with 90,000 head of horses? That's something that has to be addressed. It'll be interesting to see if people financially can do the right thing or if they will leave their horses to starve."

Federal law prohibits the use of double-decker trucks for transporting horses to slaughter. Many members of Congress have also been pushing a national ban on the butchering of horses for human consumption.

While California is the only state that has expressly banned horse slaughter, in a 1989 ballot initiative, similar measures are under consideration elsewhere, including Kentucky, Maryland, New York and Illinois. Connecticut has made it illegal to sell horse meat in public places, and many states have tightened up the labeling and transportation requirements governing horses bound for slaughter.

A federal court ruled recently that Texas must start to enforce its long-ignored 1949 ban on the transportation and possession of horse meat. That put a stop to horse slaughter for human consumption at the two slaughterhouses in Texas that engaged in the practice.

While the market price for horses has plummeted, the cost of food, lodging and veterinary care has not.

Kathy Schwartz, director of Lisbon, Md.-based Days End Farm Horse Rescue, which adopts abused and neglected horses, said that rescue operations that choose not to euthanize horses are generally full.

"We had one horse we brought in that was a rack of bones _ in pain both from starvation and parasite infestation and injury," Schwartz said. "His owner thought life was better than going to slaughter. Well, life is _ if you're going to feed it and take care of it."

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

New rescue horses

2007-03-15T09:44:00.000-05:00

Last week we took in 7 Saddlebreds. They are all geldings of various ages. They were very timid and hard to load. It took us two days to move them in; 3 the first day and 4 the next. Since Saturday they have shared the back barn and the same paddock. I have watched them interrelate with each other and am amazed how they all get along. They frolic, run, rear up and are generally having a great time together. They just seem so happy and full of themselves. I have never handled a more polite group of horses. When I get them to bring them in one at a time comes to the gate as the others wait their turn, no pushing, or barging through like I'm use to. In a way I hope no one adopts them and breaks them up.Today as I was walking them in I looked over at Nitro. He has to be alone in his paddock because he's such a bully. How sad that his greed prevents him from friends. Yet, I wonder would the seven new horses would survive in the wild? They don't fight over the hay or gate Would one lead the others? Do horses need a Nitro to take charge and be the alpha or has our mingling and domestication mooted their instincts for self preservation? Casanova, who lives in the adjoining paddock isn't allowed too close to the saddlebreds. Snickers, his 40 year old paddock mate puts himself between Casanova and the fence and keeps the new horses from reaching over to great them. What would happen if I were to put all fifty horses together in a big meadow. It wouldn't be as observing the Wild Mustangs I'm sure. In the end though, I guess only the horses with Nitro's will would survive. But for now, I take care of them so they don't have to worry about surviving. For now they can all just be.

From top left to bottom right: Alfie, Bolero, Ceasar, Fred, Hoss, Reese, and Splashdown. For adoption info please contact Horses Forever

What's happening at Equine Escape?

2007-03-03T16:46:00.000-05:00

Show season is quickly approaching - come to a supervised schooling session and fine tune your horse with ARIA certified instructor Beth Cross.

English Thursdays - An hour and a half supervised schooling, indoors by ARIA certified instructor Beth Cross. $10 Jump courses, equitation, flat work...

Western Fridays - An hour and a half supervised schooling by Deanna Mancuso. $10 Leads and Changes, Flexibility, Speed Events, Pleasure

March 10 - Jumping Clinic - BRING YOUR HORSE

April 28 - Horsemanship Clinic - BRING YOUR HORSE - round penning, confidence, respect, manners with Jodi Riccobono

April 29 - Barn/Sponsor Dinner - Live music!! Line dancing, dinner, awards.

May 16 - Dressage Clinicw/ Susanne Handler - BRING YOUR HORSE

May 26 - Horsemanship Clinic - BRING YOUR HORSE - round penning, confidence, respect, manners with Jodi Riccobono

Reserve your trail rides and pony parties now.

Summer Camp is filling up. Register Now

A portion of all proceeds benefit Horse Savers!

Visit Us at Equine Escape Stable and Escape Awhile!

March 3, 2007

2007-03-03T15:19:00.000-05:00

Today, as I was taking Gus, a big draft horse, from the paddock Sunny and Romeo came busting out with him. Maybe Nitro's tactic of keeping the other horses fifty feet away wasn't such a bad idea after all. Had a nice talk with Nitro today about it. When walking, I place my hand on his head between his ears he drops his head and communicates as we walk. He tells me much of his behavior is based on pure instinct and some horses, like humans, are smarter then others, and can rely more on training. He tells me it's a lot like he sees going on in the ring. "People chase horses with whips and plastic bags to get them to respect the human, but the horse is acting out of instinct as the human represents a predicator,or alpha." "You're right," I said, "I remember people trying to chase you with a whip and you turned and reared and tried to kill them. Was that instinct?"

"Funny man, you know I can't tolerate pushy people." Nitro said, "people should learn to act more like, horses. Horses respect communication more then anything and if we think our human is smart enough to do what's right for us we give in once we know what thing they want us to do. Our mares guide us through all our endeavors and discipline us by rejection. We fear that more then anything. We would rather be with someone mean then alone and rejected. That is why after a lesson we always want to bond for fear of rejection. We soon learn to do what the mare or human wishes. Once we respect, we learn, but learning out of fear is based more on instinct and can vary. The horses barging from the gate are acting instinctively. If I trained them that would never happen they would respect my wishes more then their own; that's learning. You need to immediately discipline them for rushing the gate. They must respect your space. It's basic. Get it, dumb dumb?"

February 26, 2007

2007-02-26T19:23:00.000-05:00

What to do? Nitro has seemed to revert back to his old mean self. Last week he put Bill through the fence because he challenged Nitro's space. Today when I got back to the barn Nitro was chasing Bill from two paddocks from where they were. He chased Bill through two fences and was going flat out after him over the frozen snow. Bill is no slouch and can run and turn after all he is a Wild Mustang. Had Bill learned from the wild to run away? No, God himself would run away from Nitro when he's in that state. I studied the situation and found the reason for Nitro's aggression this time. It wasn't over hay, or being first out of the gate, it was Page. Somehow Page had gotten in with Nitro either from Bill breaking the fence or by her wanting to be with Nitro. Whatever the reason they were together and Nitro thought she was his just as he did with Zoe. My plan was to gather them all in without getting them or me hurt. I got some hay and gave it to Nitro and Zoe while Bill was out of reach. I got Nitro's halter and knew he would challenge me, he did, swinging his rump to intimidate me. After 12 of his antics, I knew he would give in to kindness and I ignored his rump and slowly soothed him with a little whistling. Once I got close enough I laid a hand on him and hugged his head. He then accepted the halter. Once I got him in Bill and Page were easy. All in and safe I gave everyone hay. Nitro kicked the wall and showed his teeth to Page, his neighbor, as always during feed time. Ten minutes ago he would have killed Bill for her. Now he'd kill her for hay. I entered his stall knowing his butt would be turned towards me, and whistled as I hugged his head again to soothe him. Part of him was pure dominant Alfph male that could have his own harem. Part was needing human care to take care of him. He knew he was a horse tormented by his need for a human because of his captivity. Yet Bill had no problem even though he knew freedom. Could it be security trumps freedom?

Six degrees with Kevin Bacon

2007-02-15T21:08:00.000-05:00

February 12, 2007

2007-02-12T12:45:00.000-05:00

Cold, cold, cold. Seems it's pay back for the warm holiday season. Nitro and I haven't spent much time together these dark, cold winter days. He has caked on mud all over. I generally don't groom him seems he likes a good mud on so I wait till we ride, which has been a few weeks now. I give him his food and water and play with him a bit but he's miserable too from winter. Today though as he was eating I entered his stall something no other human or animal can do. He as usual gave me his but and I as usual scolded him and he moved it over. I picked up his feet and picked out the frozen clumps of compressed snow then rubbed my gloved hand over his face to loosen the mud from his eyes. Thank god for small favors. In my glove were hundreds of little needles. Nitro was shedding. How is it nature knows even during this brutal cold snap that it's time for him to shed hair. Is it the longer days? Those hollow tubes that so insulated him from snow and Arctic wind were beginning to shed. Spring and our favorite time of year is about to happen. Soon the hoses will flow, the water buckets will have liquid, the trough's will be un-surrounded by icebergs. Soon Nitro and I will be rounding barrels, threading poles, running the meadows. Can't wait for the days before the flies.

February 9, 2007

2007-02-09T12:45:00.000-05:00

It’s been so cold these past two weeks that Nitro and the others are just going from their stalls late in the morning to their pastures until early afternoon and then back in. Mucking frozen poop and busting ice I also have been just doing the hated winter routine. Nitro and Bill have taken to each other except when it’s time to come in. Bill must keep his hula hoop circle about fifty feet from the gate; Nitro always must be first out. Since the cold snap, after Nitro tosses me his halter I’ve been getting Bill and bringing them both in together. Bill always leery of Nitro makes me walk to him. Today just as I was haltering Nitro, Bill took a step into the fifty foot circle and Nitro pulled his head from the halter and chased Bill to the far end of the paddock. Bill turned and ran for his life. Nitro bit onto his withers and drove poor Bill right through three fence rails and a post. Did Bill call Nitro’s hand or was he just careless? I guess it really doesn’t matter. Clinton Anderson is a big proponent of keeping ones circle from horses; it’s a respect thing he always says. Well after today Bill will have respect he never knew he had. Nitro cut him no slack and wasn’t going to play games. Bill knew his place and didn’t heed it. Nitro always comes out first, and you better be fifty feet away. He’s done the same thing with Snickers, ramming into him, like a blitz on a quarterback, knocking snickers completely over. As horse people trying to learn the ways of horses we all can take a lesson from Nitro. His reprimand was fast and effective. There was no second chance or bluff. In ten seconds Bill learned a life threatening lesson. Now I have to ask Nitro to teach Bill how to trailer load.

January 20, 2007

2007-01-20T12:45:00.000-05:00

It's blowing about 20 making the wind chill about -25. Nitro and the others were left in today so that they would have liquid water all day and not be exposed to the cold wind. Nitro doesn't where a winter coat he says it makes him feel like a sissy. Every now and then he takes his army blanket just draped over his back just to take the chill off. Nights he's cold it's still on in the morning. Nights its not as cold it's on the floor. Nitro grows nice long hair in the winter and warms me up when I ride in the cold. I reminded him of the night at Halls Corners. We had just got the barn and the coldest weather I ever remember set in. The temp. gauge in my truck read -7% and the wind was blowing. I wondered just how tough I was and thought that Nitro and I should go out that blustery cold night just for goofs. The barn was like the frozen house in Dr. Zhivago. There was ice from the frozen buckets four feet high on the wash stall drain. The pipes were frozen as were my hands and feet. BUT Nitro seemed bored and so I tacked him put on all the clothes that fit and rode up the snow drifts into the black night. Nitro, game as always hoped and plowed through everything sending up a blizzard of snow powder into the blowing cold air. We made the top of the hill and my forehead felt like it was hit by a bat being it was the only piece of skin exposed. I had no choice but to head to the wind shed and seek cover. We stayed up there alone in the bitter cold with the howling wind and drifting snow in the dark and it was surreal. Nitro ears up, ice forming on his whiskers knee deep in snow and I alone. Alone, I knew that I could never make it back to the barn in the blowing cold. I knew I was totally dependant on Nitro carrying me back. I could not feel the reins, or stirrups, or see the path back, yet I was warm. Warm in the gratitude I felt for this creature who could endure all this for my whim. I collected my thoughts and Nitro went back out into the squall and down the hill through the drifts forcing the snow to part to his will. I felt, heard, and saw the steam bellowing back at the cold from his nostrils as his determination bullied through the snow. We made it. Good night old friend, I'll bring coffee tomorrow.

January 6, 2007

2007-01-06T12:45:00.000-05:00

Nitro and I did a few barrels today, he didn't seem to have his heart in it so we went out for some grass. We went up two meadows and met Jodi riding Bill. Just a lazy ride back Nitro wanted to stop at the river and paw and bob in the cold fresh water. a far contrast to the river I left in New Rochelle full with oil, blood vials, needles, and raw sewage. Nitro and I were grateful to have a clean river and we wondered how long before it to would be polluted, but for now Nitro could wash the grass off his bit and enjoy a drink. We walked back and I began to un-tack, when I heard Linda our resident long trail rider calling out to me. "Frank, I got bucked off Jane, she spooked at some sheep and ran." "Can you and Nitro head her off at the meadow before she dashes across Rt. 44 and gets hit by a car"? I quickly re-tightened Nitro's cinch and put his bit back in and ran up the driveway with him. I walked him across Rt. 44 and made a run across the meadow to wait for Jane to come running home. We waited in the setting sun this unusually warm January day hoping Jane would see us and stop before sunset. After about an hour Nitro picked up his ears, Jane was running. She decided to diagonally cut the meadow so I jumped back on Nitro and headed to cut her off. Thankfully he had a full head of steam left from not running the barrels. We flew over mud and ditches but it wasn't enough to cut her off. Jane was flying home. Realizing that if I continued to chase after her Nitro to could fly across Rt. 44 so I pulled him up. He always had good brakes and stopped as I watched Jane go on to Rt. 44 just being missed by two cars. Nitro did all he could, fate and alert drivers saved her. Nitro and I returned back to the barn glad all went well. Linda was fit to be tied at Jane spooking at a lamb so she wanted to go back out and asked Nitro and I to join her so that Jane would not get soured . Again Nitro went out the third time in a row. "Hay Frank are you making me a hack horse?" "Na just one of those days." I told him. "At least you got to graze." "Yeah, but I had to run in this heat with ling hair on." "Sorry, I'll make it up to you later." When we finally got back I put him into his stall, put his brown army blanket on and left him a half bale of hay. I rubbed him and patted him as he ate with his blanket to absorb the sweet. He felt better. so did I. "See you tomorrow Frank." "OK pal."

January 1, 2007

2007-01-01T12:45:00.000-05:00

Nitro doesn't know when his birthday is, nor that it's New Years Eve. How I envy the fact that the passing of time is insignificant to horses. It's not that they can't tell time because if I'm late for lunch or supper they are pacing the rails. They all want to be the first to eat too. Nitro will wait by the gate for me keeping Snickers exactly fifty feet away as I arrive. If Snickers dares take one step or make any motion, Nitro will first turn ears pinned and if Snickers doesn't step back Nitro will charge into him. However as soon as Nitro's halter is on Snickers comes forward to the gate as if to say "Loser". All the while, Little Man "Pagan Thunder" is doing 40 mile per hour laps around his paddock. The big eaters, easy keepers always want to be first. Tonight is the first time that I'm noticing the days are getting a bit longer. Do horses know we've gained a few minutes more daylight? All in and fed, I close the lights and suddenly I hear a pack of coyotes charging from across the meadow. Can't imagine being an animal fleeing the screeching calls. Dusk has fallen. Good night Nitro, see you next year. Stay young forever.

December 25, 2006

2006-12-25T12:45:00.000-05:00

Such a warm, clear Christmas eve this 2006. The crescent moon above as bright as I've ever seen. Walking Nitro into the barn I felt the gift of Christmas all around me. Joe greeted us by the office door with an apple Jodi pushed the whole box of apples over Dee laughed at the little pleasure Nitro gave us as he bobbed his head in for another. How sad to put him away into his stall on Christmas Eve. What in the world can I say or relate to him about this night? Is it just another night for him. I close the barn and look out into the paddock at the silhouettes of Bill, Zoe, Shadow, and Maverick as Joe brings the lamb in too. Dee shuts off the lights it's truly a silent night. Good night Nitro, Thanks.

December 17, 2006

2006-12-17T12:45:00.000-05:00

I'm beginning to like global warming, for December to be so warm means Nitro and I can have nice comfortable rides together. We started today in the ring, Can't believe Nitro is doing anything in the ring but since we've been doing gymkhana he's liking it. We walked around the ring once or twice but I could sense Nitro was anxious to get started so I aimed him at the first of four barrels set up in a large square and he took off down the line to the second where he had to make a sharp turn to the next then a dash back to the start. He loves it especially the last dash to the gate. I never have to do anything but sit him as he charges to the gate and stops on a dime just before blowing through it. I turned him and he did another set even faster, and a third faster yet. Nitro seems to know he is in some form of competition. I remember when Deanna would ride to the house with those big fox hunter horses and we'd take off for the woods me on Nitro and how he would flank the big charging horse with Deanna galloping until I'd let loose the last bit of rein and how Nitro would breeze by to Deanna's surprise. Or how at the end of a hunter pace Nitro would always gallop past the finish line no matter how grueling the pace was. His little legs could move like lightning bolts nostrils flaring and sounding like a steam engine. I always like to reward Nitro at some point during a ride so after the ring we ran up the grass hill flat out, then I place my hand on his withers and he stopped to eat some. That's his favorite cue. I was so happy with him today that I dismounted loosened his girth and let him indulge in comfort. after a while we walked back to the barn together, it was a 10 day as far our time together goes. most of all our time together is a 10. Walking back I wished that I was strong enough to carry him just once, to lift his weight and run with him. What a goof it would be. Nitro had a good laugh and thought he would get a kick out of it too.

2006-12-03T12:45:00.000-05:00

We all celebrated thanksgiving last week the horses stayed in their stalls that rainy day. I had wanted to ride Nitro for a thanksgiving ride but the food and weather put an end to that idea. I went to the barn to check on the horses and offer them a little extra hay which they enjoyed to help pass their time in. I wondered if they had anything to be thankful for. They were all taken care of but are so like prisoners in a jail, yet none of us would enjoy jail. In a way I guess we're all prisoners. What should we be celebrating this Thanksgiving, freedom? No.. we're all committed to our toil to earn enough to pay our bills, yet horses have no bills. Maybe they are freer then we. Nitro surely had the answer so I went into his stall and mind-melded with him. He basically wanted all the food and snacks he could beg, steal, or con me out of, searching my hands and pockets for a morsel. I patted his head and spoke to him yet he was uninterested. He tolerates me just as when we are tacking up and riding. He comes to me from the paddock and accepts his chore. I think he even looks forward to our rides because we always stop for fresh grass, but he'd just as well rather go it alone I'm sure. I'm just the means for him to get there but if I leave his gate open he could do it alone. I think I shall be thankful for horses for it's really about us. It's us who get to ride them, relieve our souls to them, spank them, pet them, run the hell out of them. Yes they tolerate all we do to them. Nitro tells me it's OK, he's a horse and he understands. I'm thankful for horses.

November 16, 2006

2006-11-16T13:00:00.000-05:00

Nitro has finally forgotten Zoe. Seems he realized what a flirt she is. She prances past the other geldings working them all up. Nitro watches from his stall door sometimes as if to say what a two timer. She breezes past his door defying him to ignore her. He looks but with out neighing or sniffing. He seems to know the brief affair is over. This week we went on a ride up our old trail to the place he liked to run just before the turn around where he was allowed to stop for fresh grass before heading back. The old run was gone, replaced by paved drives and clear cut trees. He knew he lost another love as did I. The trails and farms are fast disappearing and this one stretch of his run was especially depressing. The trail use to lead up the mountain woods into a up hill clearing. Nitro loves running up hill and we would always run it flat out. He knew, he saw the work of the loggers, and road builders. He knew his run was gone. We both walked back down the mountain never again to run the top. Sad; little by little the trails and horses must give way to growth and development.
Nitro still had wanted to have a run though, so when we got back to the barn we went into the ring and ran some barrels. He did it with a vengeance. I guess he had to get it out of his system. Oh yeah, Zoe was watching.

October 24, 2006

2006-10-24T12:45:00.000-05:00

This week we had to end the love affair between Nitro and Zoe. Nitro a gelding doesn't seem to know it and wore out Zoe by chasing her around the paddock; Besides that Nitro was becoming a pain to handle. He was getting too attached and would not even stand in his stall without walking in circles and trying to reach Zoe through the bars. I've been treating some blisters in his feet and he was so unruly that he wouldn't have any part of it. In fact he kicked me for the first time in ten years. He was blinded by his feelings for Zoe and was upsetting the whole barn. What to do? Sad in a way he was only acting out a millions of year old ritual that has perfected horses to one of natures greatest survivors. They seem totally adaptable to any environment, they even work the big cities. Yet what to do? Shall I deprive him of his natural instinct or separate them and bring some order back to the barn? I only wish it were possible to let them loose together forever but neither would survive yet how do I keep them from the pain of separating.
Nitro has cried for Zoe the past two nights and most of the day since they parted. I only hope he forgives me and becomes my horse again. How selfish I feel.

October 15, 2006

2006-10-15T12:45:00.000-05:00

Nitro was pals with Shadow who shared a paddock with him. This
week Zoe, a mare joined them. Well it was love at first sight. Nitro chased his friend Shadow through the fence into the swamp to the point where we had to separate Shadow from the 2 lovebirds. Nitro has become a real lover boy sharing his hay and never wanting to leave Zoe's side. Even when they go out in the morning Nitro whinnies and whinnies until Zoe comes out to join him.
Nitro is so jealous that he chases Snapp, a 30 year old swayback from the adjoining fence to keep him from getting too friendly with his girl. Now we were thinking, Zoe who needs to practice trailer loading might be more willing if Nitro shows her there is nothing to be afraid of.

We'll let you know.

October 1, 2006

2006-10-01T12:45:00.000-05:00

Easy going Shadow was not going to hold a grudge against Nitro for pushing him through the fence over Zoe. Last Saturday Shadow and Nitro were loaded into the trailer and went to their gymkhana together as they have all summer. They really like it there away from the barn with all the other horses. They only do a couple of classes but do like to stand near the ring for most of the day and watch all the competition. Nitro would never do anything in the ring. When we first got him and Deanna tried to ride him he would stand in one spot in the ring and couldn't be made to move. All the so called cowboys and good riders thought they could get him to go but it was they who went generally right to the ground as Nitro had a bag of tricks to get people off. One day last year after I all but gave up on ever riding Nitro in a ring we went to a barrel racing clinic in our indoor ring. Nitro was at least patient enough to stand without too much objection. By the end of the clinic he was walking in small circles and trotting. Big progress. Maybe he liked competition. He would never let another horse out run him on the trail so he seemed to understand that he was competing in some way. After that clinic Theresa tried the dash on him at the next gymkhana and lo and behold he did it, not flat out but he didn't put her off. Since then we've been practicing one or two days a week and he's getting better and better. He likes pole bending, and flags the best because he bends so well. Funny at 19 Nitro is becoming quite the athlete. He couldn't wait to tell Zoe how well he did that day.