Economy causing horse crisis: People ‘giving up their animals’ – CNN.com

Economy causing horse crisis: People ‘giving up their animals’ – CNN.com.

This is a perfect example of what the economy had done to the horse industry.  I was in a similar situation not too long ago when I was trying to sell my gelding that was worth at least $2,000 and I ended up selling him for $900.  Although gas prices were soaring at the time, the main reason I was selling was because I just didn’t have the time to give him the proper amount of attention that he needed.  Regardless, the cost of owning horses has increased dramatically when you consider the cost of gas (especially if you’re boarding and have to drive to feed your horse), the cost of hay (especially if you live in West Texas where it never rains) and the cost of feed.

Is there a Demand in the Equine Industry for Website Search Engine Optimization Services?

Too Cute

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Mosquitoes: Bad before and after Hurricane Ike

A few weeks ago I arrived home in West Texas from Dallas. Anyhow, I have a small garden in the backyard and was checking for the two foot, baseball sized zucchinis I’ve been getting after being gone just a few days. I was outside literally just a few minutes when I looked down and saw about five mosquitoes on my shirt and legs. Needless to say, I immediately ran inside! I’ve always been one that attracts mosquitoes, but apparently Amarillo had an influx of mosquitoes lately. We’d been getting quite a bit of rain, but we didn’t have any standing water in our yard so the source of the mosquitoes was somewhat peculiar. However, after talking to a few friends, it turns out that the entire city was under the attack of mosquitoes the entire time we were out of town, which was only about three days.

So it’s no surprise that the Texas AgriLife Extension department in College Station is really concerned about mosquitoes after Hurricane Ike. As there are more than 105 flood affected counties due to the hurricane. The storm surge of rains from the hurricane has also significantly increased mosquitoes in other parts of the state as well. The flood lands are an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes. However, the Texas AgriLife Extension office reports that the first wave is usually just an annoyance. These mosquitoes come from salt marshes and pasturelands being flooded. The mosquitoes we really need to be concerned about are those from the second wave of mosquitoes which are the ones breeding in the stagnant flood waters, as they carry most of the diseases. The main diseases they are concerned about are West Nile and St. Louis encephalitis. So, just about anybody in the state of Texas needs to make sure their horses are vaccinated and boosted, especially their young horses.

Additionally, it’s always smart to cover yourself and follow the Four D’s:

• Drain bottles, cups, tires, plant pots and anything that might breed mosquitoes. It’s also a good idea to go ahead and dump stock tanks and buckets and sanitize them. They recommend you do this every three days, as that’s how long it takes to breed and hatch mosquitoes.
• Use DEET picardin products, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535.
• Restrict activities during dusk and dawn. You might want to bring the horses in during these times of the day and turn them out after the mosquito attack time has passed.
• Dress in light colored, long sleeve shirts and pants. If you have fly sheets, it probably wouldn’t hurt to put those on your horses after you give them a good dousing in repellent.

For more information on mosquito management, you can download free info on the AgriLife Extension websites at http://www-aes.tamu.edu.

Clone of Superior Jumping Horse, Gem Twist, Born

My favorite Breyer model horse as a kid was Gem Twist, so I just had to share this article:

Clone of Superior Jumping Horse, Gem Twist, Born

Cryozootech and the Chapot family have announced the birth of the clone of Gem Twist, the grey Thoroughbred gelding three times awarded “Horse of the Year”, double silver medal at Seoul Olympic games, and “world’s Best Horse” at the 1990 World Equestrian Games.

 

The Thoroughbred Gem Twist was born in 1979. His dam was Coldly Noble, a Thoroughbred racehorse given to the Chapot family by Mrs. Miles Valentine. His sire, Good Twist, had won 21 international classes with Frank Chapot in the United States and Europe during the 1960’s. Good Twist is from the American “Bonne Nuit” line which produced many horses on the US Team, including Olympians Miss Budweiser (Circus Rose) and Riviera Wonder.

In late 1984, Greg Best, then a relatively unknown 19-year-old kid, began to ride the five-year-old and together they entered the grand-prix ranks in early 1987. Six months later they helped the United States Equestrian Team bring home a team silver medal at the Pan American Games. In 1988 they won the team and individual silver medals at the Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea. Gem earned the title “World’s Best Horse” in 1990 at the World Equestrian Games where he had the fewest faults out of 78 horses in the event’s five preliminary rounds, and the fewest in the final four rounds with four different riders. In 1992 an unlucky slip during the approach to an oxer at the American Gold Cup caused Gem to crash through the jump. While Gem was unharmed, the injury put Greg out of commission for several months. Leslie Howard took over and had instant success with Gem, winning the 1993 Horse of the Year. Gem Twist is the only horse who earned the Horse of the Year honor three times.

While at The Hague for the World Equestrian Games in 1994, Gem developed an infection in his suspensory that put him out of competition for almost a year; during which Laura Chapot spent hours each day massaging his muscles and soaking his legs in a whirlpool. Laura became his partner in 1995 and she won her second grand prix with Gem, the $100,000 Autumn Classic in Port Jervis, which, along with several other placings, awarded Laura the 1995 AGA Rookie of the Year title. Gem won the AGA Championship three times, each time with a different rider. Gem retired during a ceremony in New York’s Madison Square Garden on November 1, 1997.

In 2006, Eric Palmer, founder of CRYOZOOTECH was looking for exceptional champion horses for his cloning project when he learned that Gem was still alive. The horse was exactly what he was looking for: an outstanding horse but without progeny because of early castration – the best candidate for cloning. He contacted Frank and Mary Chapot who immediately approved the project.

Two years later arrives the clone Gem Twist who will certainly not be castrated. Breeders are looking for Thoroughbred stallions to bring more bloodlines to their genetic pool, but they have very little choice among Thoroughbred jumping performers. There are very few of them competing at a high level and almost all of them are geldings. Cryozootech brings a new tool for modern breeding with this innovative approach.

Source: www.cryozootech.com

 

Link to more info on Gem Twist http://www.chadofarm.net/Gemtwist/NewMainPage.asp

Valerie Mellema to be Published in NTRHA Magazine “The Score”

August 15^th, 2008 will mark the day that the National Team Roping Horse Association’s magazine The Score will be published for the second time. The magazine is the membership publication for the National Team Roping Horse Association and will include two articles written by Valerie Mellema. Valerie is the President of Words You Want and regularly writes a variety of web content, articles and eBooks, but her passion has always been horses and writing about them. When the NTRHA approached her in July about writing for their publication, she could have not been more excited. The September publication of The Score will also include another article written by Valerie Mellema.

Valerie has a BS in Agribusiness/Equine Business and a Minor in Animal Science from West Texas A&M University. She has been in the horse industry in one form or another for over 21 years. Valerie has a self-published book on horse care called Horses 101: The Complete Guide to Buying and Caring for Your Horse. She is also the author of The Professional Bartender’s Handbook: A Recipe for Every Drink Known – Including Tricks and Games to Impress Your Guest published by Atlantic Publishing.

Justin Wells, Cowboy Artist, Dies at his Home in Amarillo, Texas

On Sunday, June 15th, Justin Wells, famous cowboy artist died at his home from a fatal heart attack.  Justin was well known in Amarillo, Texas and around the country for his artwork and has been featured in several national equine publications.  He also played an active role in the Amarillo community through his services with Meals on Wheels.  He was a great friend to many and will be greatly missed. 

Services will be held Saturday, June 21st at 11 am.

Martin Funeral Home

600 W. Country Club

Elk City, Oklahoma 73648

(580) 225-1111

Justin will be buried at the Red Hills Cemetary at the family plot.  There will be no services at the gravesite, but all are welcome to gather there following the services at the funeral home.

Justin Wells Benefit Horsemanship Clinic

Justin Wells Benefit Horsemanship Clinic May 17-18th, 2008 in Amarillo, TX. 

 

Jack Brainard (www.jackbrainard.com) will be teaching the Advanced Horsemanship class in the afternoons

 

Brent Graef (www.BrentGraef.com) will be teaching the Horsemanship class in the mornings.

 

Each class will be limited to a max of 20 riders and cost is $150 per rider.

 

For more information or to reserve your rider spot, contact clinics@BrentGraef.com 

All proceeds from this benefit will go to Justin Wells who recently lost his home and studio in a tragic fire. 

Justin Well’s Cowboy Art Gallery Burns Down

Today, I saw decades worth of art literally burn into oblivion today.  I am very good friends with Cowboy Artist Justin Wells, who is located here in Amarillo, Texas.  Today at 12:20pm his studio, home and gallery burned to oblivion from a fire that mysteriously started while he was out shopping.  All that remains of much of the art that he created is located on his website at www.justinwellscowboyart.com.  I designed Justin’s site and will keep it updated of any current information that I receive.  Don’t be surprised if you can’t log on to it though because it recieved so many hits today that it crashed.  You can see photos and a video of the fire at www.amarillo.com.  The story is on the home page for now.  At one point one of his paintings falls out of the window.  You can see the lariat ropes and saddles sitting in the windows.  It’s a sad sight to see.

Palo Duro Canyon Featured in Western Horseman

Needless to say, I was rather excited when I saw this little spread on the Palo Duro Canyon, “The Grand Canyon of Texas” and the second largest canyon next to the Grand Canyon, in the latest issue of the Western Horseman today.  I live in Amarillo, Texas, a whole 30 minutes from the Canyon and I was rather please to see the big two page photo of the Canyon’s red dirt.

The great thing about the Palo Duro Canyon is that you can get deeper into it on horseback than you can in your car.  However, do be aware if you visit that the road into the canyon is rather steep.  It’s paved very well, but trucks and trailers will want to take it easy. 

There are tons of trails that cut through the Canyon as well as various established campgrounds.  There are six very primitive campgrounds for horses in the Canyon and in the summer these slots fill up fast.  They feature corrals and water as well.  People will appreciate the fact that there are showers not far away in the bathrooms, but they do leave something to be desired.  This is something you want to check into if you plan on staying over.  If you do plan on staying in Amarillo and you can’t stay the night in the Canyon, then you will want to check out the Big Texan’s Horse Barn.  They have stalls and a round pen for people spending the night in town and who need accomodations.  I’ve heard it’s a pretty nice place and they’re not typically booked, but reservations are a good idea.  It’s only about 30 minutes away from the Canyon as well.

 So, if you’re heading my way, you’ve got to check out the Canyon.  I’m planning a little camping trip there myself soon.  Oh hey, while you’re in the town of Canyon, you’ll want to see the West Texas A&M Equestrian Center, you’re kids will want to go to college there after they see it, which I highly recommend as well.