The term “family” means different things to different people. The nuclear family, which consists of a pair of adults and their biological offspring, is no longer the social norm in our society. In the horse world, it’s no different. This new type of family, the “blended” family, brings together people from different backgrounds and bloodlines to form an entirely unique family unit. Their paths might cross later in life, in some cases, but their love for one another is strong, despite lacking a biological connection. For families in the horse industry, taking care of horses and traveling to horse shows helps develop a sense of unity. Through these activities, families are united by their mutual love of horses.
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If you were to see Cathy Corrigan Frank’s stallion, Living Large, aka “Shaq,” at an American Quarter Horse Association show, you might be surprised. After all, the horse is a loud-colored overo, and he’s not just double-registered with the AQHA and the American Paint Horse Association, he’s also registered with the Pinto Horse Association of America.
Continue reading …Our State Has No Equine Activity Liability Act
July 5, 2015 Comments Off on Our State Has No Equine Activity Liability Act
46 states across the country have some form of an Equine Activity Liability Act. Are people in the four states without such a law – California, Maryland, Nevada and New York – worse off? If two recent California cases are any indication, courts have shown a willingness to dismiss lawsuits involving people who died in horse-related activities, even without an equine activity liability act.
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Most horsemen define a club foot as hoof and pastern angle of more than 60 degrees, making the foot more upright than normal. The affected hoof is usually stumpy with a short toe and long, upright heel. Contracture of the flexor muscles and deep digital flexor back tendon (which attaches to the coffin bone inside the hoof) results in the horse walking on the toe—and the heel area doesn’t get much wear. The hoof may have a steeper angle than the pastern; the hoof/pastern axis is often broken forward rather than straight.
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After more than 15 years out of the show pen, I can’t tell you how nervous I was. It was one of my first Showmanship classes at a big show, Sun & Surf. My knees were shaking so visibly that I’m sure all the judges could tell, reminisces Larisa Affeldt, an AQHA amateur from Spokane, Washington.
Continue reading …The Inside Scoop on Microchipping Your Horse
July 2, 2015 Comments Off on The Inside Scoop on Microchipping Your Horse
On September 26, 1997, Debi Metcalfe made the shocking discovery that her horse, Idaho, had been stolen from her North Carolina home. The event rocked her family to the core. She recalls, “People think this can’t happen to them. The truth is, it can happen to anyone. Idaho’s theft affected every member of my family. I realized just how deeply it impacted our whole life when I was riding in the car with my nine-year-old son and he asked if people who steal horses steal children, too.”
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A new Tax Court case involved several million dollars of losses from 2004-2009 in an Arabian horse farm owned by Henry and Christie Metz. [Metz v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2015-54.]
Continue reading …EC Spotlight on Youth – Ansley Pritchett
June 30, 2015 Comments Off on EC Spotlight on Youth – Ansley Pritchett
“I am attending Abraham Balwin Agriculture College as a freshman in the fall. I am interested in studying Animal Science and possibly livestock production. Next summer I will be looking to assist one of the top trainers and maybe have my own training business one day.”
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The AQHA has spoken, and on January 1, 2016, the organization will be instituting a ban on the use of lip chains in the Halter pen. This is just one of a number of changes made to the AQHA rulebook at the 2015 meeting of the Executive Committee. Others include the institution of more stringent penalties for violations regarding animal welfare. While many of the changes, especially those holding people accountable for violations of animal welfare regulations, have been met with support, the ban on the use of lip chains has sparked debate. Many people are cautious about sharing their opinions on this topic, but those who have spoken out have widely different viewpoints.
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The human eye is slow and, on top of that, it often conveys only the data the brain thinks it wants to see. It can’t resolve the details of fast motion, like the motion of a horse and rider.
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