Rarest Ponies in the World N-W
Thursday, August 21st, 2008
The final installment of the rarest ponies in the world series, this post is dedicated to the New Forest pony all the way to the Welsh pony.
Archive for ‘Horse basics’
Horse Term Glossary
Monday, August 18th, 2008
Image from Stuck in Customs
A
Above the bit
When a horse stretches forward and raises his head to get the bit above the rider’s hand.
Acre
A unit of land measurement - equals 4840 sq yards or 43560 sq feet.
Action
A general term used to describe the way a horse travels and the movement of their legs. Includes the degree of animation and flexion of the leg joints as well as the head, neck and tail carriage. The desired action for a horse varies by breed and discipline.
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Horse Show Terminology and Lingo
Sunday, July 20th, 2008
Everyone can use a brush up on show ring lingo. Things are easier when you understand them, so learning a little of the terminology before stepping into the show ring can help you win points.
The Basics
Green
A young horse, green hunters are in their first or second year of showing.
Hand
Unit of measurement for a horse which is equivalent to 4 inches. Horse and pony measurement is taken in hands from the ground to the withers.
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Rarest Ponies in the World F - K
Wednesday, July 16th, 2008
The second installment of the rarest ponies in the world series, this post is dedicated to the Fell pony all the way to the Kerry Bog ponies.
Breeds You Don’t See Everyday
Fell Pony
The Rarest Ponies in the World A-E
Saturday, July 5th, 2008
Ponies have long been a big part of agricultural communities because they don’t eat too much and they tend to be hardy and strong.
Over the years our need for animals has changed considerably. Now we breed them for specific traits, many of which are more suited for the show ring than they are for the family farm.
The first in a series, this installment is dedicated to the Chincoteague Ponies all the way to the Exmoor pony.
Breeds You Don’t See Everyday
Chincoteague Pony
Rare Horses of the World P - W
Wednesday, June 25th, 2008
The fourth installment of rare equine breeds, this addition is dedicated to Przewalski’s Horse all the way to the Welsh Cob.
Breeds You Don’t See Everyday
Przewalski’s Horse
Anatomy of A Horse
Friday, June 20th, 2008
Image from Roundpenmagic.com
In order to be a true horse lover you must fully understand all of their working parts. Anatomy is closely linked to horse health and understanding the basic lingo is a must.
Understanding these definitions will make speaking with your vet easier than ever before.
Horse Anatomy Defined
You see the picture, now learn what they all mean.
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Rare Horses of the World K - O
Sunday, June 15th, 2008
The third installment of rare equine breeds, this addition is dedicated to the Kaimanawa Wild Horse all the way to the Orlov Trotter.
Breeds You Don’t See Everyday
Kaimanawa Wild Horse
Rare Horses of the World F - K
Thursday, June 5th, 2008
The second installment of rare equine breeds, this addition is dedicated to Florida Cracker Horses all the way to the Irish Draught.
Breeds You Don’t See Everyday
Florida Cracker Horse
Rare Horses of the World A - D
Sunday, May 25th, 2008
There are hundreds of horse breeds across the globe, some we see every day and some are far more elusive. In fact, some of them are rare enough to be considered endangered.
Take a look at a selection of the rarest horses in the world, there might even be one or two in here you’ve never seen before.
Breeds You Don’t See Everyday
Akhal-teke
Learn Your Horse Colors
Tuesday, May 20th, 2008
Horse coloring is confusing and often misunderstood. In my research I found many color charts that offer misleading information.
Essentially horse color boils down to genetics, whether horses are specifically bred for certain colors or they have been left to naturally reproduce.
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Horse Color Modifiers - Flaxen
Thursday, May 15th, 2008
The flaxen modifier only affects mane and tail color in chestnut based horses. This gene displays in a white to cream colored mane and tail with a reddish body coat, and does not always affect the mane and tail to the same degree.
Not much is understood about this modifier, although it is thought to be a recessive gene, and it is often mistaken for a silver dapple.
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99 Plants that can Damage the Health of Your Horse
Thursday, May 15th, 2008
Did you know that oats can be poisionous to horses?
or that…
Apple Trees and St John’s Wort can cause hyperventilation, depression, colic, convulsions, coma and even be FATAL.
Beautiful and Dangerous
I just finished the first 99 plants that are toxic to horses which includes a whole load of deadly beauties like:
Castor Bean, Charlock, Cherry Tree, Coast Fiddleneck, Common Cocklebur, Creeping Buttercup, Curly Leafed Dock Sorrel - and that’s just the letter C
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Horse Color Modifiers - Mealy / Pangare
Saturday, May 10th, 2008
This color modifier is common in all breeds is expressed by a lightening of the animals soft spots, generally the muzzle, belly, flank, elbow and eyes.
This gene is also often found in mules and burrows, identified by a characteristic lightened muzzle.
The picture below is a fine comparison of two similar colored horses, one with the Pangare gene and one without.
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Horse Color Modifiers - Sooty / Smutty
Sunday, May 4th, 2008
This color modifier is often mistaken for other color variations and is found in many breeds. Sooty coloring can be found on both black and chestnut base coats and is most often mistaken for a dun.
Sooty / Smutty Modifier
- Darkens color in specific areas
- Can cause dapples
- Can cause individual black hairs
- Generally causes a darker shade on the topline
- Can darken uniformly
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