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SEPTEMBER IS BUSY August 31, 2009 September is looking to be a busy month for horse-related events in this region, as the "Upcoming Events" listings in the column on the left indicates. I'll have more information on several of the events taking place in September during the coming days and weeks. But, whether you're a dressage aficianado, rodeo fan or a trail rider, be aware that there are activites for you in September.
DODGING THE CALIFORNIA FIRE August 31, 2009 According to a brief story
in the Los Angeles Times, one sanctuary for horses threatened by the huge Station Fire was filled up by Saturday night. The
Los Angeles Equestrian Center became too crowded to accept any more animals. Horse owners were being urged Sunday and today
to bring their animals to Los Angeles Pierce College in Woodland Hills. The fire has burned more than 71,000 acres and destroyed thousands of home. Two firefighters were killed Sunday when the blaze over took the vehicle they were in.
ROMAN HORSES IN GERMANY August 29, 2009 An interesting discovery in Germany recently. A bronze horse head statue dating from 2,000 years ago. It's believed to have been left by the Romans. To read
more, click on the link below Reuter's Web story on bronze horse head
A DRESSAGE STAR DISCOVERS THE BACKCOUNTRY August 28, 2009 This is a funny
story -- written cowboy-poetry style -- about what happens when you take a top dressage horse that has rarely been out of
the arena onto a backcountry trail in the Flat Tops. The author swears it is mostly true. Here are a few lines of a much longer
poem: She planted her feet. She could not be convinced.
To read the whole poem, click on the link below. The author has added some new files on this blog, so you'll need to scroll down to the part titled: "A Show Horse in the Coloraod Mountains — A Mostly True Story."
THEY SHOOT HORSES, DON'T THEY? Aug. 27, 2009 This is a strange story from Weld County, about a man who sent out a flier asking for help to shoot 24 horses on the property he manages. It's not clear whether he owns any or all of the horses, but the request apparently stems from a zoning dispute he's been having wih county officials. Fortunately, the fliers were discovered by others, including county officials and horse rescue groups, and it doesn't appear anyone is going to be gunning down the horses. To read more, click on the link below. 9News Web story on Weld County dispute
MESA COUNTY RODEO LEGACY Aug. 25, 2009 There have been rodeos in and around Grand Junction since shortly after the first white settlers arrived and ranch hands began competing with each other. But the largest of them all have been the rodeos sponsored by the Mesa County Sheriff's Posse. It began as the Colorado Stampede in the mid-1950s, and by 1959 the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association sanctioned event was large enough to attract rodeo legends such as nine-time world champion Casey Tibbs, pictured here. In 2002, the Mesa County Sheriff's Posse switched from hosting a PRCA rodeo to hosting the Colorado Professional Rode Association's Finals Rodeo, which has done each year since. This year the rodeo is September 18, 19 and 20 at the Mesa County Fairgrounds. Come out and see the best rodeo participants in the state. I'll provide
some more historical tidbits in coming weeks, thanks to George Decker, Mesa County Sheriff's Department member.
WHAT HAPPENS TO RETIRED RACE HORSES Aug. 24, 2009 A very interesting piece in The New York Times Sunday about the fate of old racehorses. Even some of those that were among the elite as youngsters can end up in very dire circumstances, as the story shows. Like many horse folks out there, I have owned a retired race horse (mine was off the Quarter Horse tracks) and he was a wonderful horse. Great in the jumping arena or on the trail. But the numbers don't add up. There are simply more potential race horses foaled each year than are likely to find homes later in life, even if they have had successful careers. “They breed 36,000 of them every year, and three years later only one of them is going to win the Kentucky Derby. The question is, What happens to the rest of them?” said Michael Blowen, founder and president of Old Friends Farm. And at least 3,000 racehorses come off the track each year in need of homes To read more, click on the link below. New York Times Web story on retired race horses
SADDLE WINNER Aug. 22, 2009 Jessie Hibl was the winner of a saddle presented last week by the Grand Junction Pony Club. The saddle was awarded to the rider who obtained the most combined points during three shows sponsored by the Pony Club over the summer. Points were totaled for each category, so riders in each age group or riding category were equally eligible to win the saddle. The saddle was presented to Jessie by Julie Ellis with the Pony Club following the final competition Aug. 15 at Lynn Ranch Equestrian Facility in Loma. Congratulations Jessie. A WILD (HORSE) CELEBRATION Aug. 21, 2009 De Beque Wild Horse Days gets underway this evening, beginning with a street dance and music provided by Exit 42 (Palisade's homegrown country rock band). I'm not aware of any other community festivals that celebrate our wild horses. There are plenty of typical community festival activities, including a parade Saturday, raffles and more. There are poker runs for both ATV riders and horse riders. But there are also opportunities to learn more about the Little Bookcliffs Wild Horse herd. The De Beque Wild Horse Council and Friends of the Mustangs priovide information about how the herd is managed and how you can help. Check out the schedule by clicking the link
on the left, or head up to De Beque this weekend to experience it in person.
RELAXING RIDE ON GRAND MESA Aug. 16, 2009 Alan and I had a great ride on the mesa today. The weather was gorgeous, bugs were minimal and the horses were having a good time, especially splashing in the water.
Moose wasn't sure he wanted to wade out into the lake, even though he has had no problem crossing small streams. But he followed Rita in, and found he could paw and splash and make a big commotion. Lila, of course, wasn't at all happy to be in the mountains and wading in the water, even with her pack on. All in all, it was a most relaxing day after a very busy week. We're truly fortunate to have these sorts of trail options so close by, and we don't have to do all our riding in arenas.
NINE-YEAR-OLD RAISES MONEY FOR POLICE HORSES Aug. 21, 2009 This is just a wonderful story. A 9-year-old Baltimore girl, worried about the future of Baltimore's mounted police force after reading news stories that the force might be disbanded, set up a lemonade stand this week to raise money for the mounties. Sophia Litrenta sold lemonade and cookies, and on Thursday she donated $2,300 she had raised to the mounted police force. For more information, click the link below. THE EYES OF TEXAS ARE UPON QUARTER HORSES Aug. 20, 2009 Texas Gov. Rick
Perry is scheduled to sign a document today declaring the Quarter Horse the official horse of Texas. It makes sense because,
although Quarter Horses developed throughout the United States, their official registry began in Texas in 1940. For more on
the Texas action, click on the link below. HorseChannel.com story on Texas proclamation I'm not sure what the appropriate breed would be if Colorado were to designate an official horse, but I do know it ought to have a lot of blood from Spanish horses and Ute horses. And I do know this region can lay claim to some of the earliest horses in the West. Based on
a number of books, especially "The Indian and the Horse," by Frank Roe, it's clear the Utes were one of the earliest
groups of Native Americans north of Mexico to acquire horse. They bought or stole them from the Spaniards in Santa Fe by the
early 1600s, and quickly became accomplished riders, breeders and traders. Horses spread to tribes in the north, west and
even east through Ute traders.
PIGEON FEVER ON FRONT RANGE Aug. 18, 2009 There's been a spike in the number of reported cases of pigeon fever in the northern Front Range, according to the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. The highly contagious disease is often marked sores and abscesses, lameness, lethargy and weight loss. The disease is often fatal. To read more about the outbreak in The Greeley Tribune, click on the link below.
PRESIDENTS AND PONIES August 13, 2009 It's true that President Barack Obama will be in Grand Junction Saturday, but there is nothing on his official schedule that indicates he will engage in any horse-related activiities. However, that won't put a damper on what is shaping up to be a busy weekend for horse-related activities in this corner of Colorado. The activities get underway Friday evening with a fun show at Lynn Ranch Equestrian Facility in Loma. That's followed Saturday by a hunter jumper show to benefit the Grand Junction Pony Club, also at Lynn Ranch. Check the listing under Upcoming Activities on the left for the show bills. The Mesa County Sheriff's Posse Gymkhana is set for Saturday at the Sheriff's Posse grounds on 25 Road. There is a Quarter Horse Association show Saturday at the Mesa County Fairgrounds. And the Colorado West Hunter Jumper Association is hosting one of its regular shows Saturday and Sunday in Aspen. For the record, many of our presidents have been excellent equestrians, beginning with George Washington, whom Thomas
Jefferson called the best horseman of his time. The last enthusiastic horse lover to serve in the White House was Ronald Reagan.
SEARCHING FOR A SLING August 12, 2009 An Olathe horse rescue group is raising money to get an Anderson Sling — a lifesaving device for horses in certain circumstances. Here is the announcement from End of the Trail Horse Rescue. "Each year, horses in western Colorado die needlessly due to the lack of one piece of equipment—an Anderson Sling. The Anderson Sling is a device that is used to lift horses that have fallen due to injury or disease. The End of the Trail Horse Rescue/Sanctuary, of Olathe, is working to raise $5, 000 to buy one. End of the Trail will make the sling available to any horse owner who needs it. You can donate at the End of the Trail website at dctc.org. For more information, please call 323-5400." I'll have some more information on this later, because I have a personal interest
in seeing an Anderson Sling on the Western Slope. In the meantime, click on the link below to learn about the demise of Dan,
pictured here, and how an Anderson Sling might have helped.
RACING GETS TOUGH ON STEROIDS August 11, 2009 The Breeders' Cup — the top event in Thoroughbred racing — is adopting tough new sanctions on the use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs in race horses. The new rules will put U.S. racing more in line with the regulations already adopted in much of Europe. This is a good decision, and it needs to be strictly enforced. Readers may recall that Big Brown, the 2008 winner of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, lost his drive in the Belmont Stakes. Some people thought it was because his trainer in April had taken him off steroids that were legal at the time, and the effects were just showing up in June. To read more, click on the link below.
New York Times story on Breeders' Cup
VAULTING TO THE TOP August 10, 2009 A team of vaulters from Saratoga, Calif., won top honors last weekend in the Kentucy Cup Vaulting competition at the Kentucky Horse Park. Members of the team won first place in the men's and women's divsion, and the Mount Eden Vaulters won the team competition.The Kentucky Cup is the vaulting test event for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, on Sept. 25-Oct. 10, 2010. The World Championships for vaulting and reining will be held in the new, 5,600-seat indoor arena used for the vaulting competition over the weekend. For more on the story, click the link below. HorseChannel.com story on vaulting championships
FRONT RANGE RESCUE HORSES Aug. 7, 2009 Ready for adoption Foxy, a six-year-old mare pictured here, is one of 16 horses and one burro rescued from a Jefferson County ranch in May that are now available for adoption. When deputies responded to reports of abuse and neglect at the ranch, they found one horse that had been dragged behind a pickup by its head and neck. Former owner John McCulley has been charged with 38 counts of animal neglect and one felony count of animal cruelty, according to The Denver Post. A court order gave the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department legal ownership of the animals. To
read more about the case, and to find out how to apply to adopt one of the horses, click on the link below. Denver Post Web story on rescued horses
MYSTERY HORSES NO MORE August 5, 2009 While we were traveling, I received an e-mail regarding the two photos below, which I took during Grand Junction's Fourth of July parade. I was unable to identify the horses at the time. Tanya Baber wrote: "The first picture shows our carriage horse
with Jeff Baber. Our horse is an English Shire draft horse named Bocephus. (Ceph for short) He usually pulls a white wedding
carriage, but we wanted to just let him walk Main Street this time. Tanya said
her family's firm is Black Ridge Carriage Company, Inc. of Glade Park. 970-985-9096. She also said she and her family enjoy
trail riding on horses other than Ceph. Thanks, Tanya
HORSES GIVE HER A HAND August 4, 2009 Here's an inspiring story about an 11-year-old horse lover who does nearly everything other equestrians do, despite the fact she is missing her left hand. To read more about Lizzie Traband, click
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