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"THE HIGH POINT"
Rockin' Riders 4-H Horse Club
August 26, 2008 Issue #1
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Welcome 4-Hers,
We hope you will enjoy this first edition of the Rockin' Riders 4-H Horse Club
Newsletter, "The High Point". We need your input! What kind of things would you like to see included in the newsletter? Do you have a particular horse you would like us to feature? Do you have a training issue that needs to be addressed? It can be about anything relating to 4-H. Please call or email with your ideas. We appreciate your input!!
The Staff
FEATURE - "Molly"
WHAT'S NEW
HORSE SENSE - "The Correct Bit"
BREED OF THE MONTH - "The Spanish Mustang"
TASTY TREATS - "Apple Explosion"
QUESTION CORNER - "Saddle Safety"
MOLLY
This is really touching! It is an amazing story of an animal's understanding, it's will to live and go forward even in a most difficult time.
Meet Molly. She's a gray speckled pony who was abandoned by her owners when Katrina hit southern Louisiana. She spent weeks on her own before finally being rescued and taken to a farm where abandoned animals were stockpiled. While there, she was attacked by a pit bull terrier, and almost died. Her gnawed right front leg became infected and her vet went to LSU for help. But LSU was overwhelmed, and this pony was a welfare case. You know how that goes.
But after surgeon Rustin Moore met Molly, he changed his mind. He saw how the pony was careful to lie down on different sides so she didn't seem to get sores, and how she allowed people to handle her. She protected her injured leg. She constantly shifted her weight, and didn't overload her good leg. She was a smart pony with a serious survival ethic.
Moore agreed to remove her leg below the knee and a temporary artificial limb was built. Molly walked out of the clinic and her story really begins there.
'This was the right horse and the right owner,' Moore insists.
Molly happened to be a one-in-a-million patient. She's tough as nails, but sweet, and she was willing to cope with pain. She made it obvious she understood (that) she was in trouble. The other important factor, according to Moore , is having a truly committed and compliant owner who is dedicated to providing the daily care required over the lifetime of the horse.
Molly's story turns into a parable for life in post-Katrina Louisiana . The little pony gained weight, her mane felt a comb . A human prosthesis designer built her a leg.
The prosthetic has given Molly a whole new life, Allison Barca DVM, Molly's regular vet, reports.
And she asks for it! She will put her little limb out, and come to you and let you know that she wants you to put it on. Sometimes she wants you to take it off too.' And sometimes, Molly gets away from Barca. 'It can be pretty bad when you can't catch a three-legged horse', she laughs.
Most important of all, Molly has a job now. Kay, the rescue farm owner, started taking Molly to shelters, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers. Anywhere she thought that people needed hope. Wherever Molly went, she showed people her pluck. She inspired people. And she had a good time doing it.
'It's obvious to me that Molly had a bigger role to play in life', Moore said, 'She survived the hurricane, she survived a horrible injury, and now she is giving hope to others.'
'She's not back to normal,' Barca concluded, 'but she's going to be better. To me, she could be a symbol for New Orleans itself.'
This is Molly's most recent prosthesis. This shows the ground surface that she stands on, which has a smiley face embossed in it. Wherever Molly goes, she leaves a smiley hoof print behind!
We Are!! Please check the website for meeting dates, times and upcoming events.
DOES YOUR HORSE HAVE THE RIGHT BIT?
How do you know if your horse has the right bit? If your horse does the following, his/her bit is comfortable:
He travels in a round balanced frame.
His mouth is quiet and remains closed when he feels pressure.
He carries his head at a 90 degree angle to the ground.
He remains relaxed and is willing to obey when you make contact with the rein.
Then Your Horse likes his
bit!
How to tell if she/he doesn’t:
He keeps his neck elevated.
Opens his mouth or sticks his tongue over the bit when pressure is applied.
Carries his head above or below the vertical.
He is tense or frightened when you apply rein pressure.
If you answered yes to these questions, your horse is not happy with his bit or it is
uncomfortable and needs a different one.
BEST BIT FITTING
How do you know if your horse's bit fits properly? Here are some pointers on making sure it does.
Snaffle Bit: the bit should rest against the corners of the mouth
without creating a full wrinkle. This allows the horse to pick up the bit
and hold it comfortably. It also prevents the bit from having constant
pressure on his lips. The horse can feel a distinct release when the reins
are loosened.
Curb Bit: is heavier and can move around in the horses mouth if it is too
low. The curb bit should be set with one full wrinkle at the side of the mouth. The width of the bit is correct when the rings or shanks come in contact with the corners of the lips without pressing inward. A bit that is too narrow will uncomfortably press against your horse's teeth. If the bit is too wide it will
slide around, irritating the horse.
The wrong bit in your horse's mouth can damage his mouth. If your
horse fights the bit that you are using, don’t try using a harsher bit. A harsher
bit will only intimidate your horse into being submissive. It could also create
pain and fear which will cause more problems.
So having the bit fit properly not only helps you to have a happy and comfortable horse, it also betters the communication between the horse and rider giving you more enjoyable rides. No one likes an irritable horse. So make your horse
happy by insuring that his bit is comfortable for him.
THE SPANISH MUSTANG

The Spanish Mustang dates back to
the time of the Conquistadors. Today, however, they are a rare
breed. When Christopher Columbus sailed to the new world, a large
number of Spanish horses were
brought. In years to come, the
Spaniards would bring large numbers of horses as well. The Spanish
Mustangs are small, athletic and
very intelligent horses. Numbers of
Spanish Mustangs escaped or were
freed and formed small herds in
remote areas of North America,
primarily in the Northwest and
West. There are still herds of Mustangs that are protected legally by the Wild Horse Act: the Sulphur in southwest Utah, the Kiger in Oregon, and the Pryor in Wyoming and Montana. By the late 1800’s, many of the original bloodlines had been destroyed. The U.S. government forced Native Americans onto reservations, destroying many more horses in the process. The once pure Spanish feral herds were now improved with the addition of draft and European horses. Because of their small height, they
were considered too small for Calvary use and they were replaced
slowly by taller and heavier breeds. Only a handful of horses remained. Through the Native Americans concern, the Spanish Mustang was preserved. In the early 1900’s, Robert Brislawn noted the strengths of the mustangs and by the mid 1920’s efforts were underway to preserve them on a national level. In 1957, he
had enough quality horses that he began the Spanish Mustang Registry (SMR), which is now the oldest registry in the United States. The feral horse herds today have few pure Spanish horses left in them. There are about 4,000 Spanish Mustangs registered today. They continue to increase in number. The Colors include black, bay, chestnut, and varieties of dun. There are also buckskin, palomino, cream, roan and white, gray, overo
and calico. They range in height from 13.2 to 14.2 hands, and weigh about 700 to 800 pounds. They are used for dressage, speed events, ranch work, cutting, team penning, endurance riding and more.
The Spanish Mustang Registry
In this section of the newsletter we will feature a horse treat each
month. This month's treat is:
Apple Explosion
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
2 spoonfuls molasses
1/2 cup water
1/4 diced apple
Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients in order listed excluding the apple.
Grab some batter and stick a piece of the apple into the batter so it cannot be
seen from the outside. Do this to every piece of apple, and place them on a
greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
*Tell us if your horse enjoys this treat!
In this section we will have questions asked by readers. They
can range from having to do with horses and ponies, to tack & feed,
or barns & equipment. Anything that relates to the 4-H Horse Club
can be asked. This month we are answering a question asked by
Sarah. She asked: "How do you know if your saddle is secure?” Your saddle should be placed slightly behind the horses withers and the girth should be placed underneath the horses’ stomach and fastened tightly. When mounting, if the
saddle slides under the horse, it is not properly secured. The girth should be
tight. You should not be able to put your fist under it. Some horses will
inflate their stomachs while you are tightening the girth so it is always a
good idea to check the girth after you have walked the horse for a few minutes.
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2008 - 2009 Rockin' Riders 4-H Horse Club, Rockwall County, TX |
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