What’s a horse mom? We are the owners, care givers, leasers, partners and team mates of large, grass eating quadrupeds who own our hearts and minds. I’ve titled this blog after a moment that stands out in recent memory. I was telling my trainer Lauren about something my much loved, quirky, backyard bred Holsteiner did and she responded: “I don’t think that’s real. I think that’s more of a horse mom thought.” I see my horse through a human lens. And that's okay. She was referring to our happy tendency to anthropomorphize freely when it comes to our obsession. I see my big, hairy, emotional, drama queen through a human lens that insists on translating his actions through my own...
When my dragon was less than 24 hours old, I discovered that his loving mother had licked the hair off of his elbows, forehead and hips in an excess of motherly affection. Horses...it's always something. He was (and still is) everything to me. I called the vet and frantically reported the problem. He told me to put a popular brand of diaper rash cream on the spots. My baby horse smelled like a human baby for a couple of weeks. It was delightful. And thus began my appreciation of diaper rash cream for a variety of horse issues. Here are the benefits: 40% Zinc cream is an excellent sunscreen that stays on through sweat and rain. Especially useful for white...
This is such a controversial issue, I'm almost afraid to talk about it. It seems strange to say, but bringing up helmets sparks all kinds of emotions among experienced riders. One issue is tradition. Many of the most dearly held images in equestrian life include our hair flowing in the breeze while we ride like the wind across the beach. I get it. Heck, I lived it. But if age and experience doesn't teach us anything, what's the point? And the more risk we can reduce in our beloved sport, the longer we can ride. I want to be like the Queen of England still riding into my nineties. But that wont happen if I ignore the simplest safety measures. . And...
