Blue Hors Matine, the wonderful Warmblood mare best known for the widely circulated YouTube video featuring a musical freestyle dressage competition, has died.
According to a report in Horse and Hound, the beloved 13-year-old mare broke her right front leg in a paddock accident and had to be euthanized.
Foaled in 1997, Blue Hors Matine was sired by Silvermoon, a 1991 Trakehner stallion – out of 1983 Danish Warmblood Matadie.
Blue Hors Matine was retired permanently last year and kept for breeding by Blue Hors Stud, of Randbol, Denmark.
Here’s the popular video, showing Blue Hors Matinee and Danish equestrian Andreas Helgstrand at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany.
I must admit that I have seen this before, although I am sorry to say I do not know the original source of this information. Let’s just suppose it came right from the proverbial horse’s mouth.
Whatever the source, human or horse, these pointers are worth sharing.
12 Tips for Horse Owners
Q: How can you teach a horse to wash his own hooves?
A: Scrub out his water trough, and fill it with fresh water.
Q: What is the best remedy for a constipated horse?
A: Load him into a spotlessly clean horse trailer.
Q: How can equine insomnia be cured on the spot?
A: Enter the horse in a halter class.
Q: How do you set up a show horse in perfect form?
A: Try this after hours when no one else is around.
Q: What’s the easiest way to cause a mare to come into season?
A: Take the mare to a horse show.
Q: How can you ensure a mare will be in-foal after her first live cover?
A: Allow the wrong stallion to escape from his stall.
Q: How do you induce labor in a brood mare?
A: Try to get a good night’s sleep.
Q: What must a horse breeder with a broodmare to ensure perfect offspring?
A: Sell the mare in-foal.
Q: How can a horse owner bring on a rainstorm?
A: Mow a full field of hay.
Q: How can you bring on a cold spell outdoors?
A: Give your horse a full body clip.
Q: What’s the secret to falling in love with a horse?
A: List him for sale.
Q: How can anyone make a small fortune with horses?
The classic heavy-duty horse blanket manufacturer also offers durable apparel for equestrians.
Recently, while attending a horse fair, I was pleased to pick up a tremendous bargain on a sturdy and warm winter parka for horseback riding and barn chores.
The Horseware Kildare Jacket (now discontinued and marketed widely as a close-out item) actually offers three-in-one capabilities for various sorts of weather. This practical parka includes an outer layer, constructed of the same breathable and waterproof textiles as the Rambo horse turnout blankets (pictured at right). This outer layer may be worn alone as a wind shell in transition seasons.
In addition, the Horseware Kildare Jacket has a quilted zip-out inner layer, which may be worn separately.
The Horseware Kildare Jacket is styled for the saddle, with a longer back, two-way front zipper, front snaps, adjustable wrist cuffs, a pair of zipped front pockets, two snapped rear vents and a hidden hood (concealed in a zipped neck pouch).
Sold in smoked pearl grey (with a blue quilted lining layer) and denim blue (with a pink quilted lining layer) and sized from ladies extra-small to extra-large, the Horseware Kildare Jacket retails for $138.00. (But I paid less than $35.00 for mine.)
I have just one complaint about the Horseware Kildare Jacket.
For some reason, the manufacturer opted to use plastic-covered snaps for this jacket. Within the first couple of wearings, I was dismayed to discover that one of the rear-vent snaps had already fallen off my Horseware Kildare Jacket.
I wonder if Rambo would be willing to replace the missing snap. . . .
UPDATE:
Just heard from the folks at HorseWare. They will not replace the missing snap. Aaaargh! I can add plain snaps (from the sewing store), but they will not match the other snaps on the coat.) Just think of the goodwill - and good publicity - HorseWare might obtain by sending a simple snap or two. (Most new garments even come with extra fasteners, but this jacket did not.)
In contrast, my previous winter riding jacket was a sturdy Land's End Squall Parka. I wore that winter coat through 15 seasons of winter sports - including horseback riding. Land's End replaced the entire zipper (for free) three times. I finally donated the jacket this year, after purchasing the HorseWare coat.
Gee, I wonder if I could stop at Goodwill and buy back my old coat.
And I was just thinking about replacing a horse blanket or two . . . or five . . . for my herd.
Photo copyrighted by Nickers and Ink. Buckling up the facts on horse blankets Are horse blankets really necessary in cold weather? When does a horse...
Horse blanketing is an individual choice, depending upon stabling circumstances, equine breeds, equestrian preferences and other factors. Horses... Keep Reading »
Enduring the winter months can be a weighty proposition, even for equestrians. How many chilly days might we choose not to ride, while we wait for warmer weather?
Would you like to know exactly how many calories you can burn by horseback riding?
FitDay.com offers a free online calorie calculator. Equestrian applications include the following:
I'm not sure who actually took this photo, but I received it from a friend. (Based on the link, I believe it originally appeared in in a newspaper in the U.K. a few years ago.)
Still, the image intrigued me.
If you could caption this photograph, what would you say?
Protests Held Nationwide Against BLM Wild Horse Roundups
Wild Horses Photo by U.S. Government/BLM - public domain
The Calico Roundup is underway. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is in the process of rounding up more than 2,500 wild horses in northern Nevada.
Removing these horses from their natural habitat has already been a dangerous process, with many frightened wild horses becoming hurt (or even killed). The fates of the relocated herds is also in jeopardy, with several reports of possible extermination of wild horses.
Wild horse advocates, led by groups like The Cloud Foundation, are holding public demonstrations in many locations.
These articles offer additional information. CTRL-click the title links to read these items in new internet windows.
Wild horse lovers across the United States are gathering in various locations nationwide to protest the U.S. government wild horse roundups. In... Keep Reading »
Individuals protesting the U.S. Bureau of Land Management roundups of scores of wild horses in the American West are planning to gather for a peaceful... Keep Reading »
Individuals protesting the U.S. Bureau of Land Management roundups of scores of wild horses in the American West will gather on Sunday, January 10th,... Keep Reading »
Wild horse lovers will congregate in Boston, Massachusetts, on Friday, January 8th, to protest the U.S. Bureau of Land Management roundups of... Keep Reading »
Wild horse advocates will assemble for peaceful protests in Denver, Colorado, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Albany, New York, on Thursday, January 7th. These... Keep Reading »
Peaceful protesters are assembling in Los Angeles, California, and Lexington, Kentucky, on Wednesday, January 6th, to protest the U.S.... Keep Reading »
* * * *
Here's a message from The Cloud Foundation, urging horse lovers to contact federal legislators, calling for a stop to the wild horse roundups.
This blog entry is dedicated to my friend Lisa, who rescued two very senior white horses a few years ago, after their initial owner died.(Look at the cool bracelets she makes to support these horses. They're sold on Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville website.)
One of those old fellows, a Cremello Quarter Horse originally named White Cloud (but also known as Edgar Winter and Cloud) passed away today.
(Scroll down to see a slideshow of Cloud and his friend Albert.)
These two elderly gentlemen have long been tagged "The Dirty White Boys" of their pasture, perhaps for their penchant for finding the smallest speck of mud in which to roll.
Love poetry? Check out Simply Snickers, a brand-new weekly poetry prompt. Try your hand with weekly prompts! Or, look into The Meme Express for daily blogging prompts.
Product Review: Horseware Kildare Jacket
The classic heavy-duty horse blanket manufacturer also offers durable apparel for equestrians.
The Horseware Kildare Jacket is styled for the saddle, with a longer back, two-way front zipper, front snaps, adjustable wrist cuffs, a pair of zipped front pockets, two snapped rear vents and a hidden hood (concealed in a zipped neck pouch).
Sold in smoked pearl grey (with a blue quilted lining layer) and denim blue (with a pink quilted lining layer) and sized from ladies extra-small to extra-large, the Horseware Kildare Jacket retails for $138.00. (But I paid less than $35.00 for mine.)
