Horse Lover's Quotes

"One of the earliest religious disappointments in a young girl's
life devolves around her unanswered prayers for a horse." - Phyllis Theroux

I don't know about you but I adore reading inspirational or heart-warming horsey quotes that are usually found inserted into sections of that 'Backing Horses' or 'Showing ring craft' book we just had to add to our collection.

Here are some words for thought for even the most no-nonsense horseman to take into consideration. I shall lead with perhaps one of my more favored of quotes from Winston Churchill;

"There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man." - Winston  Churchill  

"A horse is a thing of such beauty...None will tire of looking at him as long as he displays himself in his splendor" - Xenophon

"Riding - The art of keeping a horse between you and the ground. - Unknown"

"Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of solitaire. It is a grand passion. It seizes a person whole and, once it has done so, he will have to accept that his life will be radically changed." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"A Horsey person may say they love you, they may even marry you, but if you ask them to choose between you or their horse, you're sure gonna miss them!" 

"In riding a horse we borrow freedom." - Helen Thomson

"When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes." - William Shakespeare, Henry V  

"No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle." - Winston Churchill 

"All I pay my psychiatrist is the cost of feed and hay, and he'll listen to me any day." - Author unknown  

"The daughter who won't lift a finger in the house is the same child who cycles madly off in the pouring rain to spend all morning mucking out a stable." - Samantha Armstrong 

"Many people have signed for the 'good old days' and regretted the 'passing of the horse', but today, when only those who like horses own them, it is a far better time for horses." - C.W. Anderson 

 "A canter is a cure for every evil." - Benjamin Disraeli

"The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears." - Arabian Proverb

"The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit, and fire." - Sharon Ralls Lemon

"A horse is worth more than riches." - Spanish Proverb 

"But as long as you know you're nobody special, you'll be a very decent sort of Horse, on the whole, and taking one thing with another." - C.S. Lewis, The Horse and His Boy 

“”

Showers Essential Guide: Show Day Checklist!

Welsh Section C, Pantydwr Ronaldo. 

Show morning is here, your horse or pony is preened to perfection and you may have just enough time to make yourself look somewhat presentable too after getting all of the dirt off your horse and onto yourself. But you don't want to be wasting time making yourself look picture-perfect if you skip on the essentials that you need for the day ahead!

Below you will find a checklist of the necessities you may need. - You can thank me later!

For your equine partner: 

• Ridden Bridle/inhand bridle or halter 
• Bit/Reins (you'd be surprised how many people polish off their bridles last minute only to find that they left the bit back home!)
• Martingale/breastplate/crouper (if needed)
• Saddle cloth if used 
• Girth
• Saddle
• Stirrup Irons and leathers
• Boots if applicable 
• Studs - if applicable
• Passport
• Papers such as Breed Registry, organisation registry, qualification and vaccination certificates 
• Grooming kit including fly spray, hoof pick, shine spray, hoof oil, baby oil, vaseline, chalk if needed, dandy brush, body brush, flick brush and mane/tail comb. 

• Plaiting bands/needle and thread
• Wicker basket if showing (to keep your grooming equipment in for the ring) 
• Wash kit - to include bucket, shampoo, sponges, water brush and sweat scraper for any last minute stain removal
•  Equine first aid kit - include things such as poultice,  hibiscrub,  bandages, vet wrap, cotton wool, sterile bowl for washing cuts off ect. 
• Rain Sheet
• Spare travel rug - just incase
• Water supply from home (for those tricky horses that refuse to drink at shows a good tip is to give them sugar beet water, this also includes inexpensive electrolytes) 
• Water Bucket
• Bag for mucking out the trailer into

For yourself:

• Show jacket and shirt
• Jodhpurs and trousers (if inhand) 
• Waterproofs
• Tie/stock/stock pin
• Gloves
• Hair net
• Scrunchie or ribbons if used
• Boots, Joddie clips or gaiters if needed
• Show cane or crop 
• Riding Hat or inhand show hat (if you wear one) 
• Numbers, parking permits ect unless you collect on the day of the show 
• Schedule
• Map and written directions
• Rider first aid kit
• Camera/Video Camera
• Mobile phone
•  Money for any entry fees/food, drinks and any bits and bobs you might pick up
• Packed Lunch and Drinks if you don't wish to fork out for food at the show



Welsh Section C - Pantydwr Ronaldo Relaxing in the field after a successful outing.




• Pony!

Above all relax  don't flap about looking for things last minute. Find everything out the night before and anything you might forget you can usually pick up at the show.

- Enjoy!  

How to tell a Dun from a Buckskin - Equine Dliute Coat Colour's Explained

Cefncerrig Alfie, three year old, buckskin welsh mountain pony (welsh section A) colt.

What is the difference between the Dun and Bucksin Coat Colours?

A few days ago I wrote my first blog post of the year, I have been slacking with post's lately due to the arrival of my now one year old daughter. The post was only a brief one due to my phone being useless and freezing after typing every letter, so I will now finish what I started that sleepless night in bed.

We recently added a new addition to my small but ever growing herd. This is the three year old welsh section A or Welsh mountain pony colt Cefncerrig Alfie. Alfie, as he is known at home, is a beautiful cream colour with black points and a black mane and tail. This colour is known as 'buckskin' but is commonly mistaken as the colour 'Dun' in the UK. The two colour's are similar to the untrained eye however they are both the result of completely different dilution genes modifying the bay gene (Agouti gene). There are a few distinguishing features to tell the two apart, but first allow me to explain the difference between the two genes. 

A buckskin pony

I won't go into all of the science and genetics behind the coat colours, I will simply convey the knowledge that I have come to learn over the years of the two genes and their effects on the bay coat colour along with hopefully teaching you how to tell the two colours apart. 

Buckskin

The term "Buckskin" refers to a horse or pony that carries one copy of the dilute cream gene which we also see in the likes of Palominos and smokey blacks. It acts on the bay coat colour and dilutes the colour to a yellowy shade. This could be described very simply as bleaching the coat.

You can only get a buckskin foal by one or two of the parents having at least one copy of the cream gene. In other words you won't get a buckskin by breeding your chestnut mare to a bay stallion!

This Welsh Section A Pony (Cefncerrig Alfie) is a buckskin in colour .
Note the pale creamy yellow colour of his body and his black mane, tail
and legs. You will also notice a lack of primitive markings such as an
eel stripe.

A Buckskin horse has the black base gene along with the Agouti (Bay) gene (The bay gene modifies the black base coat to restrict the black colouring to just the points and the mane and tail of the horse, thus we get a bay horse.) along with one copy of the dilute cream gene.

Dun

The Dun gene is also a dilution gene that can affect the appearance of  black, bay and chestnut coat colours by diluting (lightening) the base coat colour and restricting the original colour (black, bay or chestnut) to the main, tail and legs. The Dun gene is known for also leaving "primitive markings" such as eel stripes (a dark stripe running down  the full length of the spine to the tail), shoulder stripe's and horizontal leg stripes which can be described as tiger-like stripes on the back of the legs (these can be very faint and difficult to spot on some dun horses).

A classic Dun horse, please note the richness in colour along
with the dark stripes at the top of the horses fore legs (hopefully
the picture quality will allow you to see this) Image from
http://www.dungenes.org please follow the link for a much more
in depth description of the dun gene.

Other points for consideration 

• It is also possible for a horse to carry both copies of the dun dilution gene and the cream dilution gene resulting in a 'buckskin dun'.
• It is also known for buckskins to have eel stripes so this can lead to confusion. 



A Red Dun Horse, this is the result of
the Dun gene modifting
the chestnut coat colour.
Image from; http://www.dungenes.org

• The dun coat gene can act upon not only the bay base colour but also black and chestnut resulting in varying shades of dun such as 'red dun', 'Grulla' also known as a 'blue dun' and the 'classic dun'. 

A 'Grulla' or Blue Dun horse which is the result of
the dun gene acting on a black base colour.
Image extracted from; http://www.dungenes.org/grulla.htm
Please follow the link for a more in
depth description of the dun gene.

Introducing Cefncerrig Alfie

Cefncerrig Alfie

Just a quick post tonight in order to introduce the newest member our gradually (and admittedly unintentionally) growing herd. It is now my absolute pleasure to introduce the youngest member of our bunch, three year old Welsh section A colt Cefncerrig Alfie.

Cefncerrig Alfie as a three year old colt in July 2013

Alfie, as he is known at home, is a buckskin. This coat colour is commonly mistaken in the UK as 'Dun'. However there are tell tail signs to decide whether or not your equine partner is a buckskin or a dun. More on that later though as now it is time to rest my weary eyes. -  So for photos of Alfie and an explanation of how tell a dun from a buckskin stay tuned folks!

Updated to add Photos 

Cefncerrig Alfie, three year old Welsh section A colt

Renvarg Crusader, five year old Welsh section D
gelding with Cefncerrig Alfie, three year old
Welsh section A colt.

Below and Left are photographs taken in July 2013 when my chestnut, five year old Welsh Section D Gelding Renvarg Crusader met the three year old Alfie.

Renvarg Crusader, five year old Welsh section D
gelding with Cefncerrig Alfie, three year old Welsh section A colt.

Renvarg Crusader, five year old Welsh section D
gelding with Cefncerrig Alfie, three year old Welsh section A colt.