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Horses
Sgt. Reckless awarded the Dickin Medal
The Dicken Medal, animal equivalent to the UK’s Victoria Cross (the highest decoration for valor), has been awarded to the horse Sgt. Reckless for her service in 1952 and 1953 during the Korean War. Reckless carried ammunition for the 5th Marine Anti-tank division. During her service she carried countless wounded to help, untold amounts of ammunition to the guns, and was wounded twice.
Congratulations Reckless! You deserved this recognition while you were alive, but at least the bureaucracy caught up with things and honored you as they should have.
Totilas Retires
If you’ve read this blog for awhile you’ll know I have a thing for horses. And that I love Dressage. Hence you will understand where this particular post is coming from.
The lovely and talented Totilas has been retired due to an injury. It means that we will not get to see Totilas and Valegro face off at least somewhat properly for the first time. I still wish we had gotten to see the two greatest Dressage pairs (Valegro and Dujardin; Totilas and Gal) ride, but Alexander-Rath is finally hitting a point where he and Totilas had made the much needed connection to truly be a team, unlike the last time they faced Valegro and Dujardin.
AQHA backed by other associations in Cloning Lawsuit
Breed Groups Support AQHA on Cloning Issue
- By Pat Raia on Jan 22, 2014
Seven breed associations and two non-equine associations have joined in a legal brief supporting the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) in its bid to overturn a court decision regarding cloned horse registrations. Still, one scientist believes that the time register cloned animals has come.
Some owners have used the cloning process to preserve their animals’ bloodlines, particularly those of high-performance equines. In response to cloning as a way to preserve bloodlines, some breed associations ruled on whether or not cloned horses can be included in their breed registries. In 2004 the AQHA board of directors approved Rule 227(a), which prohibits cloned horses or their offspring from being included in the organization’s breed registry.
Last year Jason Abraham and two of his related companies, Abraham & Veneklasen Joint Venture and Abraham Equine Inc., filed suit against the AQHA. The complaint asks the court to order the AQHA to remove Rule 227(a) on grounds that the ban on registering cloned horses and their offspring violates antitrust laws.
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Equine Problem Solving Skills
Can Horses Think Through Problems?
By Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB Jan 09, 2014 Topics:
Q. I am writing a paper in my agricultural ethics class on the treatment of horses, and one of my discussions deals with the equality of horses to humans. My roommate and I were debating whether horses have the capability to think through a problem–something like unlatching a gate. I’m having trouble finding research on this specific problem. Do you know of any research that has been done in this area?
Hobby Farms November/December 2012
I decided that another Magazine Review was due after I found the November/December 2012 Issue of Hobby Farms on the shelf at my local library. I had to read it not because of the lovely beats on the cover, but because of the “Small stock with a huge return” article.
In the end, that did end up my favorite article of the issue, featuring creatures such as the Miniature Zebu, which is a tiny cow akin to a miniature horse in addition to the minis themselves and a number of other small stock options.
All in all, however, the entire magazine was enjoyable. it featured a lot of information on what amounts to my dream way of living. If I had more disposable income for magazines, I’d even consider a subscription, and I think once I get to realize my dream it will become an invaluable resource… But until then, I think I’m going to continue perusing my library’s collection and continue to enjoy the magazine!
Oh! Don’t miss the wonderful question about spring fed ponds on page 20, or the beautiful editorial by Hayden Hainsworth about her life choices that led her to the Hobby Farming lifestyle. There’s a ton of great stuff in this issue, and it’s really worth a read!
Horses
I haven’t been a horse in years.
The person who taught me to ride them, Marge, passed away of late. Horses have been on my mind since. Even worse since I went to the auction at her place on Saturday.
I wish I had an opportunity to ride. Really ride. Not get up on a trail ride horse whose so sick of the incompetents who have no business on a motorbike (let alone something with a pulse and a brain) who flop around like dying fish and flap about like clothes drying on a line. I want to get on a horse with a clever mind and dancing hooves and have it keen to rise to what I ask of it.
I want to finish learning to do a flying change.
I wand to finish what Marge and I started.