The Top Twelve Things That Only Haflinger Horses Can Do

One day when I had nothing to do.....LOL
Maybe that should read, 'One day when I had tons to do, but didn't want to do anything on my long and growing list of things that gotta get done', I found myself procrastinating and poking around on the computer, link chasing - going from one blog to another. I landed on the Nayborly Farms Horse Training blog and stumbled on the following entry, which was a winning article in a 2003 haflingerhorses.com essay contest. The list was created by Chesna Klimek of Nayborly Farms.

I couldn't help but laugh at Chesna's list of Haffie feats and skills, many of which I have witnessed and blogged about in the past!

Thank you, Chesna, for letting me share your list on my blog!

The Top Twelve Things That Only Haflinger Horses 
Can Do

12.   Only a Haflinger can gain weight by breathing.

11.   Only a Haflinger can keep their golden coats clean, while at the same time transforming their white manes and tails to black. 

10.   Only a Haflinger will climb over, under, through or between any type of fencing simply to get to the other side.

9.     Only a Haflinger can be measured in as a pony but wear horse-sized halters, blankets, shoes, and saddles.

8.     Only a Haflinger will learn to perform a trick in a matter of seconds for a cookie, and then a month later ask for a treat by bowing.

7.     Only a Haflinger can be dirty, fuzzy, and wet while also being completely adorable.

6.     Only a Haflinger is smart enough to learn all the wrong things we accidentally teach them as well as all the right.

5.     Only a Haflinger would believe that they are ten times bigger, faster, and better than a Belgian.

4.     Only a Haflinger will come cantering over to see you after you have been gone for a week.

3.     Only a Haflinger can get their riders to laugh so hard that they fall off from at the halt. 

2.     Only a Haflinger can bring about their owner's need of another and another and just one more?

And the number one thing that only Haflinger horses can do?

1.     Only a Haflinger can be so cute, so smart, eat so well, perform so well, have so much personality, and be such a Haflinger that it makes their owners happy every time they see them.

Do you know of other things that Haflingers are especially good at doing? How about your particular breed of horse?

Two Bits, Four Bits, Six Bits, a Dollar (or a whole lot more)!

I am at a crossroads and I'm not sure which way to turn! Maybe you, or someone you know, might have some advice for me. I sure would appreciate some input!

Pippin is not comfortable in all of the bits I've tried so far. He constantly mouths the bit and often gets his tongue over it. When I bought him they had been using a half spoon snaffle. I had this bit already, but he mouthed it all of the time. So, I bought a Boucher snaffle, having heard that mouthy horses tend to quiet down with the bit. Not so. His driving bridle came with a fixed cheek Liverpool bit with a straight bar. I attached the reins on the large ring, thus having little or no curb action, and the bar was on the smooth side. He was very busy with the bit. One of my trainers suggested a Kimberwick. I bought one the right size (despite having 2 that were too small) and he continued to mouth the bit excessively. Another trainer has now suggested a Glory bit, which relieves tongue pressure. I tried a friend's Glory bit and the mouthing may have decreased a little, but he still got his tongue over the bit at least 4 times in a 60-minute lesson. I could try some sort of noseband to force him to keep his mouth closed. His driving bridle's cavesson is rather tight as Pippin's face is a bit larger than the average horse, so he may tend to be less busy in that than when I ride in a bridle that doesn't even have a noseband. It goes against my nature to 'quiet' Pippin's mouth by tying it shut!

When I got Pippin he had an abscessed tooth. He has had that tooth removed. He had to have several fillings. He has no wolf teeth. His teeth have been floated and at some point in his life he had another molar removed. Obviously, his mouth has not always been in the best of health and probably has caused him a great deal of pain. Little wonder that he dislikes having a hunk of metal in there.

Yesterday I noticed that he has a small sore at the corner of his mouth. We had an especially trying day on Sunday and evidently in some of our maneuvering, the bit pinched him. Another reason to consider bitless!


So, it seems that going bitless is the obvious answer. And....I'm really, really close to picking up the phone to order either a Nurtural bitless driving bridle or the bitless bridle by Dr. Cook. Both of these bridles operate on the same principle, working by by putting pressure on the opposite cheek and poll when you pull on the rein, causing the horse to move away from the pressure. There may be slight differences in other functions of the bridles. (Maybe Sydney at Bitless horse: Science VS Tradition can further enlighten me! Hint...hint...hint!) Other bitless systems that I am aware of include sidepulls, hackamores and bosals. Are there others that I don't know about?

So, why haven't I called to order the solution for my dear Pippin? When I start looking at bitless driving I find very few positive comments. Most people seem to think that more control is needed in driving and that control comes from the bit. What are your reactions? What are your thoughts? Help!

Vege Garden

I have been working in my vegetable garden recently, despite the white 'rain' we've experienced. I actually prepared two raised beds on an especially nice day in early April. It was wonderful to augment our sandy soil with lovely, composted Haffie poop!

 Garden Preparation - My Method for Turning the Garden

First Step: add 1-2" of compost evenly over the garden:

Second Step: dig soil from one end of the garden and reserve for later:

Third Step: dig the soil adjacent to the rench, turn it and use it to fill the trench, breaking up clumps and mixing compost and soil. Work down the garden or bed filling the new trench you create:

Fourth Step: use soil held in reserve, mixed with compost, to fill in at the end of the bed:

We constructed four raised beds a few years ago. We used 2" X 12" lumber with hardware cloth stapled across the bottom. This has helped keep the ground dwelling pests away from our vegetables. However, we want more! So, we are slowing expanding our garden beyond the raised beds. The lattice which is visible in the last picture was used to create a wind break as well as to support pole beans that I planted on the other side. Sadly, our weather was so cool last year that the beans didn't grow more than 12"! Maybe this year!

I've already planted some cool weather veges, such as beets, spinach, onions and peas. Most of our planting won't happen until after Memorial Day, our traditional 'last frost' date - ha! Don't believe it! We have to be prepared to cover young vege's well into June.

Happy Mother's Day

There is a wonderful bond between mother and child.

A tie that spans time and distance

defying the laws of physics.

Images: Sara Bales Lyda

Pippin's POV: Predator

My Mrs. Owner took me out with the 'Amish tractor' yesterday. She was going to have me drag harrow my pasture, but it seems that the receiver hitch wasn't put back on and she didn't want to take the time to do it. Humans can be so lazy! Anyway, she had me do a few circuits of the pasture and then took me out into the wild world behind my pasture. That can be a scary place, ask Doc, he knows all about it! It's even scarier when you are the only horse out there! At least when you have another horse with you, one can relax every once in a while. You don't have to watch out for everything in every possible direction all of the time!  The humans, even my Mrs. Owner, can be so lackadaisical about it. They just don't realize what all is out there and what harm could come to me or to them. 

Case in point, we start over the crest of a small hill and BAM! Watch out! It's a predator. I jumped up and down. I had to scare the predator away, ya know. It was a wimpy Wile E. Coyote. He jumped up and down. We both jumped up and down. Then he ran away. My Mrs. Owner said I was a good boy as I walked calmly on, albeit with a jaunty step to my stride because I was so proud to have been so brave in protecting her from that predator. If it weren't for me my Mrs. Owner could be coyote fodder right now! And then, who would feed me my hay?

My Mrs. Owner apologized for not getting a picture. She was holding onto my reins with both hands and was afraid to let go cause that predator might have gotten her then.  Silly. She should have known that I'd take care of her! Anyway, the wimpy Wile E. Coyote looked like this:

 

Photo by Josh Moore

He had really big ears. The way he jumped, he looked like a jack rabbit!

One Word Wednesday

Chilly

By The Numbers: The Kentucky Derby

•  1,480,000: top earnings held by Lookin At Lucky.
• 150,000: the number spectators at the Kentucky Derby.
• 554: the number of roses (not including the 'Crown Rose') that make up the Derby blanket, according to one source. 
• 136: the number of years the Kentucky Derby has been run.
• 126: the weight assigned to the jockey and his equipment for the Kentucky Derby.(Yeah, right. In my dreams! Just how much does that saddle weigh? How much would I need to lose?!)
• 60: the number of long stem roses, tied in 10 yards of ribbon, presented to the winning jockey.
• 40: the cost for general admission to Churchill Downs on Derby Day.
• 22: number of horses in the field (but scratches may occur).
• 6 1/2: the number of lengths Barbaro won the derby by - greatest amount in 60 years!
• 2: the number of minutes the horses run for the roses.
• 1.25: the number of miles the horses race.
• 0: the number of Haflingers who have entered the Kentucky Derby.

Maybe next year we can get a Haflinger into the Derby field. It could look like this. Whadda ya think?!