Thursday, January 15, 2009
Thumbelina : World's Smallest Horse
Many of you may have already seen her, but this itty bitty pony scares the pants off of me! I remember stumbling across her page a couple of years ago, but I recently saw some new pictures of the world's smallest horse. She is only 17 inches tall. [Thumbelina's Website]
Meet the Herd
It is now time to meet the herd. I currently own four horses, but my equine situation changes somewhat frequently. Even in this market I am having some luck picking up some nice prospects and turning them for a profit (This DOES NOT mean I am a fucking horse trader! Excuse my French, but I do not like being accused of such things. I love my horses, and take very good care of them. I keep many horses for years at a time. I DO like to have a project now and then that I later re-sell, but I am not trying to make a QUICK BUCK on ANY of my animals!) As of now, I have no plans to pick up more horses, or sell any that I currently own. So, here is a run down of my current beasties. :)
Dezperado (Soon to be registered half-arab) By Zhane Gray (x Eminant)
This is Desperado. His picture does him more justice than viewing him in real life. There is an interesting story behind this sweet boy. My trainer called me up one day and told me she had two horses who needed new homes. She had just scored two huge clients, and they were filling her barn to the brim with their horses. She had to make the difficult decision to let some of her own stock go. It was the middle of the winter and the economy was already diving into the downturn. She needed room fast, and did not have the time to market two unbroke horses. The first was a towering National Show Horse gelding bred to the hilt. He was already registered and had the flashiest markings possible. I didn't plan on taking two horses home, but when I saw this guy something drew me to him. He was tiny (still is), and nowhere near a stunning show horse. His mother was a grade mare, but his father was my trainer's recently gelded arabian stud, whom I had attempted to breed my mare to a couple of years back, and lost the foal. My boyfriend loved him and his face, and that sealed the deal. Into the trailer went two sets of hooves and tails.
Des is 4 this spring, and still a midget. He still isn't registered, but the fee remains the same after two years old, so he will be when I have the extra cash floating about. He may not be perfect in the looks department, but he is one of those horses who behaved like he was broke the very first time I got on. He can go forever on a trail ride and he climbs mountains like a billy goat. Nothing seems to phase him, and he is about as bomb proof as they come. His heart and soul make him a keeper.
The next horse in line is my APHA mare, No Clear Concept. My mother was a waitress at a local restaurant, and one of the regulars kept telling her she had a mare she was willing to sell to the right home. My mom talked me into going and seeing the horse, and it was love at first sight. We haltered the bald faced mare and led her into a nearby round pen. The woman went on the tell us that she hadn't been ridden in a year, and that she had purchased her some time ago for almost three grand. I lunged her and saddled her up. Though a bit stiff (in terms of vertical/horizontal flexion, not in her legs), she was a smooth ride. When asked for a lope she grumpily crow-hopped. I adored her. The woman stated that she was terrified of horses in general and had never loped on her, but that she had been leased by a teenage girl about a year ago and had done very well with her. The woman was very strange. I took her home, got her transferred into my name, and discovered she had been shown HUS on the APHA circuit. I also discovered she had two wonderful foals that sold for high dollar. I am breeding her this spring to a homozygous red dun tobiano. She is a splash overo with one blue eye.
Dezperado (Soon to be registered half-arab) By Zhane Gray (x Eminant)
This is Desperado. His picture does him more justice than viewing him in real life. There is an interesting story behind this sweet boy. My trainer called me up one day and told me she had two horses who needed new homes. She had just scored two huge clients, and they were filling her barn to the brim with their horses. She had to make the difficult decision to let some of her own stock go. It was the middle of the winter and the economy was already diving into the downturn. She needed room fast, and did not have the time to market two unbroke horses. The first was a towering National Show Horse gelding bred to the hilt. He was already registered and had the flashiest markings possible. I didn't plan on taking two horses home, but when I saw this guy something drew me to him. He was tiny (still is), and nowhere near a stunning show horse. His mother was a grade mare, but his father was my trainer's recently gelded arabian stud, whom I had attempted to breed my mare to a couple of years back, and lost the foal. My boyfriend loved him and his face, and that sealed the deal. Into the trailer went two sets of hooves and tails.
Des is 4 this spring, and still a midget. He still isn't registered, but the fee remains the same after two years old, so he will be when I have the extra cash floating about. He may not be perfect in the looks department, but he is one of those horses who behaved like he was broke the very first time I got on. He can go forever on a trail ride and he climbs mountains like a billy goat. Nothing seems to phase him, and he is about as bomb proof as they come. His heart and soul make him a keeper.
The next horse in line is my APHA mare, No Clear Concept. My mother was a waitress at a local restaurant, and one of the regulars kept telling her she had a mare she was willing to sell to the right home. My mom talked me into going and seeing the horse, and it was love at first sight. We haltered the bald faced mare and led her into a nearby round pen. The woman went on the tell us that she hadn't been ridden in a year, and that she had purchased her some time ago for almost three grand. I lunged her and saddled her up. Though a bit stiff (in terms of vertical/horizontal flexion, not in her legs), she was a smooth ride. When asked for a lope she grumpily crow-hopped. I adored her. The woman stated that she was terrified of horses in general and had never loped on her, but that she had been leased by a teenage girl about a year ago and had done very well with her. The woman was very strange. I took her home, got her transferred into my name, and discovered she had been shown HUS on the APHA circuit. I also discovered she had two wonderful foals that sold for high dollar. I am breeding her this spring to a homozygous red dun tobiano. She is a splash overo with one blue eye.
(Aww, look at the itty bitty belly spot! Lol)
No Clear Concept (Mr. Three Devils AQHA x HC Wild Irish Rose)
Her dam is Sir Quincy Keno, Far Ute Keno, etc. on top side, and Mr. Robin Boy on bottom! I love her lines.
No Clear Concept (Mr. Three Devils AQHA x HC Wild Irish Rose)
Her dam is Sir Quincy Keno, Far Ute Keno, etc. on top side, and Mr. Robin Boy on bottom! I love her lines.
The next two are an even more interesting story. I purchased this pair from a woman with about ten horses in an oversized paddock. In the corner, was a small pen with low, splintered fencing. Inside was an AQHA red roan stallion. She explained to me that the pair of weanlings I was looking at were both "accidents". "My stallion gets out every year! All my mares get bred, I just don't understand it." At this I buttoned my mouth, rolled my eyes, and decided that keeping my opinion to myself about her idiocy was a good idea.
And so, I ended up trailering home two weanlings in desperate need of a new home, one bay roan filly out of an appy mare, and one red roan out of a thoroughbred. Meet Calypso and Thor:
There are two Half Quarter registries, as well as an appendix registry which is unaffiliated with the AQHA. I plan to register him in all three. I also may have a shot with a hardship registration in the AQHA, but I am not all too sure on how that would work. I am not sure on a registered name, and I do not like the name Thor for this elegant guy. Alas, my fiance picked it and it stuck. Expect that to change! (I KNOW these registries are ridiculous and in no way "REAL" registries. However, should I ever have to sell him, I would like him to be the most marketable he can be, and allot of people like the thought of a registered horse, regardless of the registry. Besides that, the NHQHA has a point system where you earn points at ANY show, and it'll be nice to have an on-file record for show wins for him in SOME association. You can also earn ROMS, etc.)
This girl is Calypso's Odyssey, and she shall be registered as such in both half-quarter registries. It bothers me that they aren't purebred because I would LOVE to have them registered with the AQHA, but alas.
And so, I ended up trailering home two weanlings in desperate need of a new home, one bay roan filly out of an appy mare, and one red roan out of a thoroughbred. Meet Calypso and Thor:
There are two Half Quarter registries, as well as an appendix registry which is unaffiliated with the AQHA. I plan to register him in all three. I also may have a shot with a hardship registration in the AQHA, but I am not all too sure on how that would work. I am not sure on a registered name, and I do not like the name Thor for this elegant guy. Alas, my fiance picked it and it stuck. Expect that to change! (I KNOW these registries are ridiculous and in no way "REAL" registries. However, should I ever have to sell him, I would like him to be the most marketable he can be, and allot of people like the thought of a registered horse, regardless of the registry. Besides that, the NHQHA has a point system where you earn points at ANY show, and it'll be nice to have an on-file record for show wins for him in SOME association. You can also earn ROMS, etc.)
This girl is Calypso's Odyssey, and she shall be registered as such in both half-quarter registries. It bothers me that they aren't purebred because I would LOVE to have them registered with the AQHA, but alas. I plan on using Calypso for reining. I adore roans, especially blue and bay roans. She is a bay roan because she is ... well, a bay horse who is roaned out. Notice the brown coloring on her face. To be correct, a blue roan shows no red. A blue roan is a black horse who has the roan gene expressed on their bodies. Thor looks VERY comfortable and fluid. I believe he would make a great HUS horse, and I'd love to try him over fences.
To Breed or Not to Breed : That is the Question
I am about to broach a sensitive topic with many horsemen. The debate over whether or not to breed your horse, or your horses. Opinions range far and wide on this subject, and you are about to read just one of them.
I do not believe it is anyone's place to tell another person whether or not they should breed. I am not talking about breeding a particular horse, I am talking about breeding in general. If someone mentions that they are going to breed their horse, and did NOT ask for an opinion, I do not believe in other people jumping down their throats with their "OMG, don't breed! If you breed any horse anywhere you are a HORRIBLE person! There are too many horses in the US! You will BURN IN HELL!!!!" Obviously I am exaggerating the normal responsive of the bleeding hearts of the world. BUT, they are implying that by breeding you have moral problems. They may not say it out loud, but they tend to give people that "shame on you" attitude, shake their head, and attempt to make said person feel as guilty as if they had just stolen food from a starving child in New Guinea.
It is ridiculous. Now some might say that by telling a bunch of people that they are going to breed opens them up to public opinion. You are correct. However, if you tell just one person who happens to have a 'leaning towards joining PETA' mindset, you can bet they will say something to someone else. Soon, these other people who feel it is their duty to stop your destruction of the natural world are somehow getting a hold of your contact information and sending you emails urging you to rethink your horrible mistakes. All this time, they either A. Are being rude and telling you what a smudge of evil on the planet you are, or B. Trying to act like they are just a caring soul attempting to save you from yourself and your wayward actions.
Stop. Just stop. I get even more pissed off at the people who try and treat you like a child who made a boo-boo. You are belittling those people and treating them like morons, all the while telling yourself it is your moral obligation to stand up to these horse torturers. What really pisses me off is when people who have never owned a horse, who know nothing about the horse industry, or who own one or two horses they do nothing with decide they are experts in the equine world. These morons who do not know anything about the market or how anything in horsedom works decide to join the throng of people who seem to look like they care for mother earth and all her creatures, and follow their lead. If you do not know what you are talking about, you have no right to tell someone else what they should or should not do concerning said topic.
If Betty down the road has a mediocre mare and wants to breed her to the pretty stallion down the street, then it is her right. Back off. If Jack in the next town is breeding quarter horses with no show records *gasp* for ranch work, back off! I believe that to a point, horse owners should be able to breed whatever they want.
On the other hand, if these people are breeding horses and do not have the facility to properly care for horses in the first place, they should be slapped in the face. If they do not have the funds or knowledge to take care of a pregnant mare or a foal, they should be slapped in the face. If they do not have back-up plans for the foal/s should they suddenly be unable to care for them, the should be slapped in the face. If they are breeding horses to SELL that are so fugly their parents rejected them on sight, they should be slapped in the face. I am talking about horses so badly put together they are not serviceably sound or are useful for nothing more than ingesting hay and creating poop.
I'm sorry, but do not tell me you can actually RIDE this horse! There is a point where short is too short, and can you say roached? You can claim this is photoshopped all you want. I have no idea, but my point is that this is the result of poor breeding decisions. If you are creating horses with conformational flaws as severe as this, you are cruel. Your home bred babies legs snapped off when you finally were able to ride it? Oh gosh, could it be those calf-knees that are so horrible they look like hocks? Your horse has serious back pain? Could it be you bred a specimen of equine with a back so long you could fit five people on that limo? Don't breed horses with conformations that limit their ability to function as horses, limit their ability to be ridden let alone be athletic, or are certain to eventually lead to painful and possibly debilitating issues.
All of that being said, if people want to breed so-so horses that aren't going to shine in the show ring or be a five-star champion over fences, then it is their choice. If they are responsible about caring for their horses and ensure they have good homes then leave them be!
I am sick and tired of hearing people preach that in this market, horses MUST have a proven show record to be bred, that their immediate family must have a show record, and on and on, etc. What about working ranches that rely on good horses to do their jobs? Some of their broodmares have never been used, but they still produce good foals that work well for that ranch. So what if their stallions have no titles or championships? If they prove themselves as a good ranch horse, that is all that matters to those people. And they shouldn't be criticized for it.
Here is another common situation : You see a horse, believe that horse is ugly and decide it is more or less a sin to breed it. Another person looks at the same horse and thinks it is the most gorgeous beast on the planet. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and if they like that particular type, the more power to them. For instance, this does not appeal to me in the least:
This horse scares the shit out of me. It is an Akhal Teke. In my opinion, a freakish specimen of an equine. The neck ties in much too high, and is upside down (ewe necked). His hocks are MUCH higher than his knees, and his rear cannons are a mile long. I hate his hip, and he looks so freakishly thin I am reminded of a skeleton I once saw on display at the Denver Stock Show at a veterinary booth. Believe it or not, some people LOVE this breed to death. And this is a typical look. I have seen some that look so long I get confused as to whether they are a horse or a sausage with legs. That is MY opinion, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with this breed and they have their place in horsedom. Could they perform well in a reining class? Probably not. But they have their uses, just as any horse does, even if it is simply being a trail mount, or a buddy for a show horse.
This post has drug on for quite a long time, but I think you get my point. I am not going to change the minds of many people, and I'm sure responses are going to be things like, "I believe it is wrong to continue the over population. So many horses are suffering. You can never have a foolproof plan B should you die, etc. You can not let people breed so-so horses or the problem will never end. If I don't say something and stand up for these horses, who will?" And on, and on and so forth.
The problem is that you only see a small portion of the picture when you see someone planning to breed. You do not know their depth of knowledge, their skills, what sort of facility they have, what the market is doing in their area, and half the time you do not know what their plans are, etc. So rather than dive in with hackles raised ready to condemn backyard breeders, etc. to the fiery pits of hell for their sins, remember that you do not know any of these people and you can not presume to know the first thing about them, their actions, or their circumstances.
I do not believe it is anyone's place to tell another person whether or not they should breed. I am not talking about breeding a particular horse, I am talking about breeding in general. If someone mentions that they are going to breed their horse, and did NOT ask for an opinion, I do not believe in other people jumping down their throats with their "OMG, don't breed! If you breed any horse anywhere you are a HORRIBLE person! There are too many horses in the US! You will BURN IN HELL!!!!" Obviously I am exaggerating the normal responsive of the bleeding hearts of the world. BUT, they are implying that by breeding you have moral problems. They may not say it out loud, but they tend to give people that "shame on you" attitude, shake their head, and attempt to make said person feel as guilty as if they had just stolen food from a starving child in New Guinea.
It is ridiculous. Now some might say that by telling a bunch of people that they are going to breed opens them up to public opinion. You are correct. However, if you tell just one person who happens to have a 'leaning towards joining PETA' mindset, you can bet they will say something to someone else. Soon, these other people who feel it is their duty to stop your destruction of the natural world are somehow getting a hold of your contact information and sending you emails urging you to rethink your horrible mistakes. All this time, they either A. Are being rude and telling you what a smudge of evil on the planet you are, or B. Trying to act like they are just a caring soul attempting to save you from yourself and your wayward actions.
Stop. Just stop. I get even more pissed off at the people who try and treat you like a child who made a boo-boo. You are belittling those people and treating them like morons, all the while telling yourself it is your moral obligation to stand up to these horse torturers. What really pisses me off is when people who have never owned a horse, who know nothing about the horse industry, or who own one or two horses they do nothing with decide they are experts in the equine world. These morons who do not know anything about the market or how anything in horsedom works decide to join the throng of people who seem to look like they care for mother earth and all her creatures, and follow their lead. If you do not know what you are talking about, you have no right to tell someone else what they should or should not do concerning said topic.
If Betty down the road has a mediocre mare and wants to breed her to the pretty stallion down the street, then it is her right. Back off. If Jack in the next town is breeding quarter horses with no show records *gasp* for ranch work, back off! I believe that to a point, horse owners should be able to breed whatever they want.
On the other hand, if these people are breeding horses and do not have the facility to properly care for horses in the first place, they should be slapped in the face. If they do not have the funds or knowledge to take care of a pregnant mare or a foal, they should be slapped in the face. If they do not have back-up plans for the foal/s should they suddenly be unable to care for them, the should be slapped in the face. If they are breeding horses to SELL that are so fugly their parents rejected them on sight, they should be slapped in the face. I am talking about horses so badly put together they are not serviceably sound or are useful for nothing more than ingesting hay and creating poop.
I'm sorry, but do not tell me you can actually RIDE this horse! There is a point where short is too short, and can you say roached? You can claim this is photoshopped all you want. I have no idea, but my point is that this is the result of poor breeding decisions. If you are creating horses with conformational flaws as severe as this, you are cruel. Your home bred babies legs snapped off when you finally were able to ride it? Oh gosh, could it be those calf-knees that are so horrible they look like hocks? Your horse has serious back pain? Could it be you bred a specimen of equine with a back so long you could fit five people on that limo? Don't breed horses with conformations that limit their ability to function as horses, limit their ability to be ridden let alone be athletic, or are certain to eventually lead to painful and possibly debilitating issues.
All of that being said, if people want to breed so-so horses that aren't going to shine in the show ring or be a five-star champion over fences, then it is their choice. If they are responsible about caring for their horses and ensure they have good homes then leave them be!
I am sick and tired of hearing people preach that in this market, horses MUST have a proven show record to be bred, that their immediate family must have a show record, and on and on, etc. What about working ranches that rely on good horses to do their jobs? Some of their broodmares have never been used, but they still produce good foals that work well for that ranch. So what if their stallions have no titles or championships? If they prove themselves as a good ranch horse, that is all that matters to those people. And they shouldn't be criticized for it.
Here is another common situation : You see a horse, believe that horse is ugly and decide it is more or less a sin to breed it. Another person looks at the same horse and thinks it is the most gorgeous beast on the planet. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and if they like that particular type, the more power to them. For instance, this does not appeal to me in the least:
This horse scares the shit out of me. It is an Akhal Teke. In my opinion, a freakish specimen of an equine. The neck ties in much too high, and is upside down (ewe necked). His hocks are MUCH higher than his knees, and his rear cannons are a mile long. I hate his hip, and he looks so freakishly thin I am reminded of a skeleton I once saw on display at the Denver Stock Show at a veterinary booth. Believe it or not, some people LOVE this breed to death. And this is a typical look. I have seen some that look so long I get confused as to whether they are a horse or a sausage with legs. That is MY opinion, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with this breed and they have their place in horsedom. Could they perform well in a reining class? Probably not. But they have their uses, just as any horse does, even if it is simply being a trail mount, or a buddy for a show horse.
This post has drug on for quite a long time, but I think you get my point. I am not going to change the minds of many people, and I'm sure responses are going to be things like, "I believe it is wrong to continue the over population. So many horses are suffering. You can never have a foolproof plan B should you die, etc. You can not let people breed so-so horses or the problem will never end. If I don't say something and stand up for these horses, who will?" And on, and on and so forth.
The problem is that you only see a small portion of the picture when you see someone planning to breed. You do not know their depth of knowledge, their skills, what sort of facility they have, what the market is doing in their area, and half the time you do not know what their plans are, etc. So rather than dive in with hackles raised ready to condemn backyard breeders, etc. to the fiery pits of hell for their sins, remember that you do not know any of these people and you can not presume to know the first thing about them, their actions, or their circumstances.
Intro
As my first entry, I feel the need to introduce myself and explain why I have created this outlet for my opinions. I have owned and worked with horses for over ten years. I by no means claim to be any sort of expert, and I certainly do not "know it all." By the same token, I seriously doubt half of the self proclaimed "horsemen" out there today know what the hell they are doing. :)
I did not create this blog for people to judge my knowledge or ability with horses. I am positive I am opening doors to negative comments (as anyone sharing their opinions publicly is doing), but I am sick and tired of my thoughts being censored by numerous forums filled with moderators and members too afraid to step on toes to say what they really think. I am tired of people pretending that they are caring, kind individuals who wouldn't hurt the feelings of a mouse eating all the food in their cupboards and leaving tiny mouse terds all over the kitchen.
"You are SO rude for saying negative things about the appearance of this horse! I do not care if the owner does not use this forum, they COULD accidentally stumble upon it and they could possibly get angry, or they could possibly cry themselves to sleep because you said their horse has a jug for a head, or legs so straight you could use them as t-posts!"
More likely that they will find the thread because you run to find them, send them an email with the link, and then run back to the board to watch the drama that you hoped would ensue, whilst hiding behind the facade that "I think you are so mean and rude for posting this!" All the while, you do not mention you are an immature tattle-tale, and if caught you spout BS that sounds something like, "If it was my horse, I would want to know it was being bad mouthed so I could scream at you." If you put a picture of your horse on the internet, you opened it up to critique. Grow up and deal with it like an adult. Don't let it bother you. It is one person's opinion! If you like your horse and think it is beautiful, then that is all that matters. Let it roll off your back instead of getting upset. This is the real world, not make believe land.
I am also tired of people jumping down my throat every time I express my views on breeding, slaughter, and half a dozen other "big" horse industry issues. I do not mean arguing with me and expressing opposite views. I mean jumping on the "report thread" button and whining to the moderators about how this nasty person is being rude, etc. Blah blah blah. Excuse me for expressing an opinion in a debate. I can say what I want here, and that makes me happy. I love debate, and I welcome comments but I do not like being censored.
For this reason, I have created this blog. If you think I am rude, stupid, ignorant, cruel, etc. etc. then it is your opinion. If you do not like what you read, just leave the webpage and continue on with your life. Simple as that.
With that being said, I hope at least some of you enjoy my posts.
I did not create this blog for people to judge my knowledge or ability with horses. I am positive I am opening doors to negative comments (as anyone sharing their opinions publicly is doing), but I am sick and tired of my thoughts being censored by numerous forums filled with moderators and members too afraid to step on toes to say what they really think. I am tired of people pretending that they are caring, kind individuals who wouldn't hurt the feelings of a mouse eating all the food in their cupboards and leaving tiny mouse terds all over the kitchen.
"You are SO rude for saying negative things about the appearance of this horse! I do not care if the owner does not use this forum, they COULD accidentally stumble upon it and they could possibly get angry, or they could possibly cry themselves to sleep because you said their horse has a jug for a head, or legs so straight you could use them as t-posts!"
More likely that they will find the thread because you run to find them, send them an email with the link, and then run back to the board to watch the drama that you hoped would ensue, whilst hiding behind the facade that "I think you are so mean and rude for posting this!" All the while, you do not mention you are an immature tattle-tale, and if caught you spout BS that sounds something like, "If it was my horse, I would want to know it was being bad mouthed so I could scream at you." If you put a picture of your horse on the internet, you opened it up to critique. Grow up and deal with it like an adult. Don't let it bother you. It is one person's opinion! If you like your horse and think it is beautiful, then that is all that matters. Let it roll off your back instead of getting upset. This is the real world, not make believe land.
I am also tired of people jumping down my throat every time I express my views on breeding, slaughter, and half a dozen other "big" horse industry issues. I do not mean arguing with me and expressing opposite views. I mean jumping on the "report thread" button and whining to the moderators about how this nasty person is being rude, etc. Blah blah blah. Excuse me for expressing an opinion in a debate. I can say what I want here, and that makes me happy. I love debate, and I welcome comments but I do not like being censored.
For this reason, I have created this blog. If you think I am rude, stupid, ignorant, cruel, etc. etc. then it is your opinion. If you do not like what you read, just leave the webpage and continue on with your life. Simple as that.
With that being said, I hope at least some of you enjoy my posts.
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