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Liverystable.net Horse BlogWednesday, March 3, 2010 Great Horse GiftsSo...we've all had to shop for that "hard-to-buy-for" person in our lives. I'm sure that most of you who are reading this blog have horsey friends and loved-ones to shop for who fall into this "hard-to-shop-for" category. You'd think that the way horses seem to dominate our lives, it would be a slam dunk to shop for a horse person, but as evidenced by this thread in our forum, it's sometimes harder to shop for horse people. Take me for example, if you bought me a new bridle, I'd sincerely thank you for your thoughtfulness and then not use it because - like most of us do - I have THE bridle I want to use. It's not that we're ungrateful or anything, it's just that so many of us develop such a comfort level with our horses and equipment, we just know what works for us and it's sometimes hard to get a horse gift for a horsey person.I have recently stumbled on a great horse gifts website that I thought I'd share with you. It's called horseandwildlifegifts.com, they have a great selection of horse gifts and decor. So, instead of buying a perfectly great set of reins that your favorite horse person will just let hang there because the set that they patched with a shoestring is finally just getting broke in the way they want them, check out our friends at Horse and Wildlife Gifts, it might make your quest for the perfect horse gift a lot easier! Liverystable blog post by Liverystable.net at 7:04 AM
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 Some Closure on 3 Strikes Ranch fiascoAs you can see if you follow this link, the Jason Meduna, 3 Strikes Ranch Horse Neglect trial has ended. Although sentencing isn't until February 23rd, Mr. Meduna has been found "guilty" on 145 of 149 counts of animal abuse.I think that Medunas' lawyer summed it up best when he said... "He may have been arrogant, he may have been stupid. He may not have been a ‘true cowboy.’... He may not have made the right decisions. In fact, he made some pretty stupid decisions.” I don't have a lot of legal expertise, but I'd say it's pretty bad when this is the best your defense lawyer can come up with. If you are a Jason Meduna "type", you won't heed my advice anyways, but I'm still compelled to say - If you aren't a capable, professional trainer, don't pass yourself off as one. If you can't properly take care of an animal (ANY animal), don't take possession. Labels: 3 Strikes Ranch, Jason Meduna, neglected horses Liverystable blog post by Liverystable.net at 11:57 AM
Wednesday, February 10, 2010 Horses at their best - without even trying My last post about the National Western Stock Show's Rodeo (for this year anyways!) concerns the last event of the evening. After the last bullrider had been bucked (the bulls really had the advantage over the cowboys that night) they killed the lights in the event center and when the lights came up a large box wrapped in Christmas paper and a big red bow was placed in the center of the arena. A cowboy, probably about 5 years old, ran out to the center and began tearing the paper off of the box. As the announcer was talking about the blessings God has provided for all of us and our Country, he mentioned what a great gift God gave humanity in the horse, and at that moment a colt bolted out of the package. The announcer let us know that the little filly had been born on Christmas day. With that, the filly's mom (one of the bucking horses) was turned loose in the arena, the two horses quickly joined up and then ran out of the arena with the filly kicking up her heels all the way! Kind of hokey? Yeah, probably. Kind of neat? Yes. Accurate? Without a doubt. Search any of the horse forums you frequent, or read any of the horse blogs that you know of and compare the passion evident on these outlets to hobbies that your non-horsey friends might have. You would be hard pressed to find any other type of enthusiast who is as grateful for their "hobby" as horse people. In a night full of promoting action, loud music and Coors beer, I applaud the National Western for helping provide some perspective and reminding us all to count our blessings from God, including the fact that we are fortunate enough to have experienced what only a horse can provide. The horse is at it's best, simply by being what it is, ANOTHER lesson we could learn from it! Labels: horse blogs, horse forums, National Western Stock Show Liverystable blog post by Liverystable.net at 5:58 AM
Thursday, February 4, 2010 More Horses at their best - The Westernaires Well last week got away from me, but as promised, I wanted to tell you a little more about the National Western Stock Show's rodeo. There is a kids riding club from Colorado that appears every year at the Stock Show rodeo. On their website, they describe themselves as a "mounted precision drill organization" and the word "precision" doesn't do enough to describe the amazing maneuvers these teenagers and their horses perform! It amazes me every time I see the show at how good the horses and riders are. You can join the drill team as early as age nine and ride until you are 19, and it boggles my mind to think of the amount of work and dedication these kids put into their horses and drills. While there are horses running full steam in all directions, you easily forget that it's young kids doing the riding - which is a testimony to the trainers, riders and of course horses. Their opening act was all in the dark, and the first rider came flying into the arena with glow-in-the-dark bridle, tack, saddle, chaps, and beautiful American flag. Then the rest of the group joined in, and the arena was filled with flying flashes of red, white, and blue lights, swirling and crossing paths. It was really breath-taking, especially when you realize the speeds these horses are moving at, and knowing just when to race, when to turn, when to slow down, and stand still. If you ever have a chance to check out the Westernaires, don't hesitate, you won't find very many shows like it - whether you are a horse lover or not! A real tribute to the precision and discipline it takes to be a part of this group was when one of the riders fell off of their horse, the entire troupe immediately came to a halt, it was very impressive (and scary) to think about how dangerous of a situation that could have been, but the discipline of horses and riders saved a girl from getting badly hurt - and of course, she got right back on and continued in the drills! One more blog coming on the National Western Stock Show Rodeo and it's amazing horses.. Labels: National Western Stock Show, rodeo horses, The Westernaires Liverystable blog post by Liverystable.net at 8:04 AM
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 Horses At Their Best - Part One I just returned from a trip to the National Western Stock Show in Denver, CO. The highlight of the trip once again was the rodeo we attended Saturday night. I don't know if you're a rodeo fan or not, if you are, you'll know what I'm talking about, if you aren't, but you love horses, then you owe it to yourself to attend a good, all-around rodeo. Not just a bulls-n-broncs event that has gotten so popular, but one where roping, steer wrestling and barrel racing are also featured. To be honest, I usually miss most of the action while at the rodeo because I am more focused on what the horses are doing, whether they were ridden by the contestants or the "pick-up" men, these are some of the most amazing horses you'll ever see. Whether it's assisting a steer wrestler by crowding the running calf just right, or a horse that "turns and burns" for it's barrel racing rider, these are horses many of us can only dream of having. It is no exaggeration to say that at the rodeo we saw, one bareback rider owes his life to the good horses the pick-up men were riding. His hand was stuck and he couldn't dismount so as he was being drug around the arena, the horses the pick-up riders had were the only chance to save this man. These horses (and of course the amazing cowboys on those horses), quickly cut off this bronc that wanted to run, and the riders and rodeo clowns were able to get the cowboy loose. If it weren't for a couple good horse and rider teams, who knows what may have happened. As the scene unfolded, you could almost see the horses knowing their job and wanting to help. I've always had the opinion that probably the best and most accurate compliment you can give a horse is that it knows it's job, these rodeo horses are the perfect definition of that. More on these amazing horses coming soon... Labels: National Western Stock Show, rodeo horses Liverystable blog post by Liverystable.net at 1:50 PM
Tuesday, January 19, 2010 The Horse"...when it greets you with a nicker,nuzzles your chest, and regards you with a large liquid eye, the question of where you want to be and what you want to do has been answered." -- A. Borgmann  See our Horse Articles page for more Horse Quotes and beautiful horse photos. Labels: horse articles, horse photos, horse quotes Liverystable blog post by Liverystable.net at 8:32 AM
Monday, January 11, 2010 3 Strikes Ranch Horse Neglect Trial UnderwayApparently when I did my last blog, my psychic powers were at their peak, because I mention Jason Meduna and now he again pops up in the news of the horse world. Since I've now mentioned this twice, I should clarify for those of you who aren't aware of the 3-Strikes Ranch fiasco, if you're curious, you can find alot of info about the story, but long story short - he bought a ranch in Nebraska and began to adopt wild horses with the idea of training them and selling broke horses later. He overstocked the ranch and horses starved to death before he was finally shut down. The saddest thing about his complete mis-management of the ranch was that until the end, he accused neighbors of poisoning the horses! Stories now abound about his abilities as a horse trainer and ranch manager, most are very unflattering.I never wish harm or bad on anyone, but I do hope that justice is in some way served with this trial. In small part it already has been served in that he has lost his ranch and chance to live the lifestyle he wanted, and as a horseman/cowboy type, that certainly has to be a kick in the gut for him. Click here to see the article about the Jason Meduna, 3 Strikes Ranch Horse Neglect trial. Labels: 3 Strikes Ranch, abused horses, Jason Meduna, neglected horses Liverystable blog post by Liverystable.net at 1:47 PM
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