Earthly Equine Evolution

[labelwench]

Still thinking about how you captured that maverick horse with the horse psychology of 'I'm not after you, I'm maintaining possession of this bucket'.
Fascinating.

Best regards,
- RP

I have had opportunity to study horses in their own social order and from such have evolved an understanding of their psychology. Though I have no human given certification as an instructor beyond some correspondence courses I took during a time when others were determined to make me feel inadequate (not born to the world of the silver spoon), I have nonetheless taken the battle to them and proven the merit of my horses and methods. Excuse the brag, but I took a 4 year old QH mare to Alaska, we being the only Canadians to venture there in the 25 year history of the event, and won high-point all-around in all three shows held over the weekend. One of the shows was 'Double Judged' which means that two judges each gave an accounting of their interpretation of performance. Very interesting as, the placings were variable in some of the events where subjectivity could be applied and performance between competitors was close, halter class and trail class as examples. In timed events, pole-bending and barrel racing, there was no disputing the clock.

Back to the oat bucket and the horse. Were it summer, the old fellow may not have participated in the dance, as not all horses will give up their freedom for a meal. Oats, are also not a natural foodstuff for the horse, when fed in the manner as humans do. In the wild, horses do not eat just one plant, and monoculture is not the norm, as plants and grasses grow in mixed patterns.

The horse had a need.

I arrived with a palatable food that required no further investment of energy to enjoy.

Horses are also a social or herd species. I was offering to share.

I triggered a second need.

That he had known oats before provided memory and that reinforced the second need.

Once we began the exchange and sharing, the chemical interaction of the carbohydrate of the oats in the system of the hungry horse reinforced both the physical and psychological needs, much in the manner that sugar satisfies our cravings, albeit for a shorter time.

In my years of capturing horses, I also learned that a box of wooden matches, or the candy Smarties, when rattled, would trigger the same interest in the horse, as it sounds like oats being rattled. The horse would come close to investigate and offer to allow capture in exchange for a reward, which curiously, I seemed able to hide. On those occasions, when I had no oats to give, I would pet the horse and speak kindly to it, scratching and rubbing those points of the horse that promote endorphin release, so that the horse would not feel that I had broken trust by a false promise. There were one or two old broodmares who would literally cock an equine eyebrow and decline the game, almost to say, 'Show me the money, Honey." LOL.

From horses, I have learned much that is applicable to other species, including our own.

[labelwench]

Free horse pictures:

www.copyright-free-photos.org.uk/horses/

Horses that offer video chat?

That's a new one to me, LOL......

Unfortunate that some otherwise good sites are in need of such advertisement revenue.

[labelwench]

The following history of the Australian Stock Horse is taken from Wiki. As with many other breeds recognized by breed registries today, the origins of this one are considerably mixed, so one might better regard it as 'pedigreed', meaning only that the family tree is known and documented, rather than 'purebred' meaning that genetics and bloodlines have been exclusive to one type. A versatile and hardy breed, this, as one would expect, in order to thrive and perform in the diverse, and often extreme conditions that may be found throughout Australia.

There are now persons importing this particular breed of horse into North America, as per the links shown. LW

http://www.australianstockhorsesusa....our-horses.php

http://www.australianstockhorse.ca/progeny.php#2010

History

The roots of the Australian Stock Horse date back to the earliest importation of nine horses to Australia, with the arrival of the First Fleet in Botany Bay in January, 1788.[1] Some of the original horse breeds in these early imports included the Thoroughbred, Cape of Good Hope Horse (largely descended from the Barb and Spanish horse), Arabian, Timor Pony and Welsh Mountain pony.[2]

Horses in Australia were bred for their stamina and strength, with weaker animals culled and only the strongest allowed to breed on. In the 1830s, additional Thoroughbreds were imported into Australia to improve the local strains, and the mid-20th century saw infusions from the American Quarter Horse.

The Australian Stock Horse and the Waler horse come from similar roots, though today they are separate breeds. The "station horse" that was an ancestor of both breeds was used by the Australian Army in the First World War and was renowned for its toughness and endurance.[3]

However, the modern Australian Stock Horse differs from the Waler horse in that it is not as big. The horses shipped abroad to fight in war and kept at home to be bred on as Walers were the larger animals, as they were required to carry a rider with the considerable extra weight of weapons and a full pack. Some of the heaviest animals were also required pull water carts and carriages. However, the characteristics of toughness and endurance remain with the Australian Stock Horse of today.

Formal recognition of Australian Stock Horses as a distinct breed began in June 1971 when over 100 campdrafters and horse breeders met in Tamworth, New South Wales, to form the Australian Stock Horse Society. Many of these people bred stock horses using bloodlines tracing back to native stock, along with some Arabians, Thoroughbreds, and a few ponies of outstanding merit. Most of the early ASH registrations were of horses bred with bloodlines that excelled at both campdrafting and cattle work in the rugged Great Dividing Range.

Initially, horses were inspected for registraton by three classifiers who assessed them for conformation, breeding and athletic ability. The best were accepted for inclusion in the Stud Book, some were approved for the registry appendix, and those not meeting the criteria for registration were rejected.

Fourteen specific foundation sires are responsible for most of the bloodlines accepted into the Society Australia-wide and most well-bred Australian Stock Horses trace to one of these foundation sires. These included horses bred from colonial stock: Saladin, Cecil and his son Radium, Medlow and Bobbie Bruce. The others were Thoroughbreds: Rivoli, Commandant, Panzer, Midstream, Young Valais, Gibbergunyah, Bushfire, Silvius and Deo Juvante also exerted considerable influence.[2] Since then Rivoli Ray, Blue Moon Mystic, Eliotts Creek Cadet, Warrenbri Romeo and some American Quarter Horses have also had a large influence on the breed.

[labelwench]

I have heard others refer to you as 'Lorraine', is that your first name?

My apologies for this oversight, Kai.

I have been called by my middle name of 'Lorrina' since I can recall, although my first name is Anna,which it seems to please Graham to call me by, lol. As a child, I read a lot to escape reality, and when my Mother had to call me more than once, it was "Anna Lorrina!!!!" I am named for both of my grandmothers, Anna for the German and Lorrina for the English.

Apparently 'Lorrina' was the name of the heroine in a romance novel near the turn of the century, so I come from bloodlines where the women were not completely banned from formal education.

[labelwench]

Preceding the quietly parked spoke wheeled apparition are the stout legged, hoof stamping bodies of six huge, white gray dappled, snorting equestrian engines. Three matching pairs of team harnessed Sicilian mares and geldings side by side. The entire and especially forward quarters of which massive dapple gray tandem bodies, continuously emit enormous, semi-sweet hay scented wafts of vertically curl spinning, upright sweltering vapor. Quiescently gentle, velvet cushion nostriled beasts at ease; generating steam into the chill winter afternoon, from a half dozen equine furnaces - projecting rising columns of horizontally wind swept, opaquely sun-lighted and white capped aerial engravings sailing over a background of cobble stones, awash in near and distant ripe grass and clover.

http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/4390964

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6DenzLzeW8

I have been reading but must now attend my darlings and soon adjourn, flipping my schedule back to nights. Your indulgence for the havoc that such schedule impacts upon my intellectual capacity is herewith requested.

Anon....

[RascalPuff]

http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/4390964

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6DenzLzeW8

I have been reading but must now attend my darlings and soon adjourn, flipping my schedule back to nights. Your indulgence for the havoc that such schedule impacts upon my intellectual capacity is herewith requested.

Anon....

Yes indeed you have been reading... : ) HeeHaw.

I just lost an entire page of talking about how 'Anna Lorraine' (!) in sequence may have been one of those signals of impatience that we learn in childhood along with the early ability to 'escape reality' (by reading).... Hmmm. Also different perspectives of plunging toward or away from and in and out of this and that real and imagined looking glass. Probly keep calling you LW, but is it ok if I call you Anna or Lorraine?

I had that and a buncha other corroborating stuff written prior to receiving your last two missives. Then this infernal machine had the crust to imperatively inform me that I didn't qualify for 'permission' to send my message because I had run out of time, as it were... And it didn't save the message and I don't know how long it's gonna take me to get in the habit of copying messages before I send them so that failures to communicate like this can be avoided...

Truly yours also did a lot of reading as a child. Mom taught me to read and write before starting kindergarten. Among my ensemble of first memories is when I segued from having been singing the alphabetical ABC's to the moment when you realize the alphabetical soundings corroborate with the written word. 'Martta' - Mom's first name - was the first word I ever actually 'read' aloud. Hadda learn that the 'a' - and several other letters - can be pronounced several different ways, but dawn finally rose over marblehead in that moment of philologically personal history (or something like that?)

Am presently reading a book, 'Battle Cry of Freedom' (Pulitzer Prize '8, by McPherson, which provides an excellent introduction to the sociopolitical events which culminated into the Civil War, and, which contains a lot of unexpected detail about the role of women in society - what they did and did not participate in, including the fact that in the early mid 1800's they weren't often educated, and that with relative abruptness they went from being illiterate and uneducated to becoming students and teachers... Some of the settings remind me of Simone De Beauvoir's 'Second Sex'.

Due to my genetic father's extreme abuse of Mother and two elder brothers I was a feminist long before I was introduced to the word.

Sure is nice to click on the provided urls you keep forwarding and seeing all the lovely animals and people.

Best regards,
- Kai

[labelwench]

Ah, yes, the 'lost post syndrome'. Dreadfully frustrating.

On this computer, I can find my post again by hitting the back arrow.

At that point, I select all, copy, come back to the page by a circular route, hit reply and paste my work. A bit of a bother, yet saves a lot of time and the original wording.

Pray tell, Kai, where have you ever seen me post my name as 'Lorraine' anywhere on the forum? My name is a rather uncommon one, although many read it as the more common variant, lol....

You may call me by any of the names I have posted on the forum, as it pleases you, save Lorraine, as I am not she....although I once worked with a fellow who never did learn my name. Funny thing, that....

Glad that you enjoy the information. It is fun to share.

[RascalPuff]

Please excuse me, Lorrina, somehow my Keyboard got to spelling your name Lorraine. My mistake.
Anyway, Anna is also a beautiful name.

If you haven't already, you might have a look at what's up when you enter 'Domestication of the horse' in Google. There seems to be several schools of thought - still working on the issue.

'Horse art' is also a rewarding Google avenue.


Which reminds me to ask, have you ever read, 'A Horse's Tale', by Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)?
Same guy also wrote an essay entitled 'A Dog's Tale'.
I don't always agree with the guy but then on the other hand he is a bonafide wit IMO.

Best Regards,
- Kai

[labelwench]

Please excuse me, Lorrina, somehow my Keyboard got to spelling your name Lorraine. My mistake.
Anyway, Anna is also a beautiful name.

If you haven't already, you might have a look at what's up when you enter 'Domestication of the horse' in Google.
There seems to be several schools of thought - still working on the issue.

Which reminds me to ask, have you ever read, 'A Horse's Tale', by Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)?
Same guy also wrote an essay entitled 'A Dog's Tale'.
I don't always agree with the guy but then on the other hand he is a bonafide wit IMO.

Best Regards,
- Kai

I have not entered that specific configuration into my search engine, and I shall in the near future. Neither have I read the other works you mention.

Tell me, Kai, is this an attempt to keep me sufficiently occupied that you shall have a rest from my postings, lol.....?

In the world of the horse, the matter of domination is determined by which horse can make the other move their feet........

[RascalPuff]

Dear Anon : )

Word is out that it's possible to get this tune transferred to the ring tone on yer cell phone, but I have yet to learn how...

Oh Stewball was a racehorse, and I wish he were mine.
He never drank water, he always drank wine.
His bridle was silver, his main it was gold.
And the worth of his saddle has never been told.

Oh the fairgrounds were crowded, and Stewball was there
But the betting was heavy on the bay and the mare.
And a-way up yonder, ahead of them all,
Came a-prancin' and a-dancin' my noble Stewball.

I bet on the grey mare, I bet on the bay
If I'd have bet on ol' Stewball, I'd be a free man today.
Oh the hoot owl, she hollers, and the turtle dove moans.
I'm a poor boy in trouble, I'm a long way from home.

Oh Stewball was a racehorse, and I wish he were mine.
He never drank water, he always drank wine.

There's a coupla different renditions of this lyric.
Anyway, I've always liked it.
Word is that there really was a champion English horse named 'Stewball'.

- Kai