#horsenation ‘Grams of the Week

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Another week of horse life, captured in your images!

‘Gram of the Day from @sph108: Heartbreaker from the very start #horsenation #babyhorses #horselove

A photo posted by Horse Nation (@go_riding) on

‘Gram of the Day from @megemilia: First blanketless day of 2016 #springfever #ottb #horsenation A photo posted by Horse Nation (@go_riding) on

Join the conversation! Follow us on Instagram at @go_riding and tag your public photos with #horsenation. We’ll share our favorites daily. Go riding!

Daily Dose of Adorable: Feline & Foal Besties

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There’s nothing sweeter than when two needy souls find each other.

Reader Karen Macleod sent this video our way with the following story:

“The foal is a 3 week old Standardbred colt who had a pretty tough start to life but is doing very well now. Because he pulled through, we named him Rocky. The kitten is a rescue who just loves everyone and everything! We call him New Kitty — he follows me around while I am cleaning stalls, which is how the love in this video happened.”

Well, we’re full of warm snugglies now — how about you?

If you have a story or video to share with us, don’t hesitate to reach out — we love reader submissions! Email the editor at [email protected]. Go riding!

Your Turn: Sometimes, the Horse Chooses You

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Sigourney Jellins describes how she selected her off-the-track Thoroughbred for the 2016 Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover. (Spoiler: it’s not as scientific as you might think.)
Photo by Sigourney Jellins.

Photo by Sigourney Jellins.

Just yesterday, I was asked to point out why I thought one young OTTB would be a better competition prospect than another. Confirmation, bloodlines, race history, and temperament can all play a role in choosing a horse off the track with the ability to be successful in a second career. In a completely objective world, only these things would matter. But sometimes it’s the look in the horse’s eye as you meet them, that special feeling you get when they give you that first nuzzle or whiskery kiss that makes the decision for you …

I met Oso for the first time in a shaded barn aisle at Eclipse Equine Sports Therapy Center in Paso Robles. I walked down the aisle, searching for his name on the stall door, excited to see him for the first time. I found his stall, and he looked at me and came to say hello. Now, I can try to say it was the rhythm and fluidity in his walk down the barn aisle, or the suspension in his trot as he jogged down the driveway that made me conclude he would be an excellent prospect for eventing or dressage. But in truth, it was the friendliness in his gaze, and the gentle way he reached his nose out to nuzzle my hand that told me Oso was a special horse.

Time will tell if he will be a future dressage or eventing star (I think he has all the tools to be!). For now, I’m going to savor our first few rides, and enjoy seeing his lovely face over the stall door every morning.

Photo by Madison Jellins.

Photo by Madison Jellins.

Sigourney Jellins is a professional eventing and dressage rider in Northern California, and a 2016 RRP Thoroughbred Makeover trainer. Oso Smart is a 2011 gelding by Curlin. Oso is sponsored by Neigh Savers Rescue; click here to check them out on Facebook.  “Like” Oso’s page on Facebook to get updates on his progress!

Is it “Your Turn”? We love sharing reader submissions — email yours to [email protected].

Daily Dose of Hilarious: Draft Horse Sled Rescue

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The draft horse rescuing the broken-down snowmobile is pretty cool … but watch all the way to the end, because then it gets hilarious.

While there are many uses for draft horses — farm work, carriage livery, riding, maximum snuggliness and more — perhaps one of their greatest applications is their ability to aid stranded motorists in the winter. This video is a variation on that theme, when this draft horse is hitched up to a broken-down snowmobile in the woods to haul it home.

That in and of itself would be reason enough for a fun video, but watch all the way to the end, because boys will be boys and can’t resist an opportunity to goof off. Good thing karma has a way of getting in the last laugh.

(Note: must be logged in to Facebook to view.)

When the sled breaks down… Frank to the rescue… with some unexpected entertainment.

Posted by Mark Leslie Hamilton on Saturday, February 20, 2016

Oops. I’m sure it will come out in the wash.

Go draft horses! Go riding!

SpectraVET Perf. of the Week: Bareback/Bridleless Cutting

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Zach Combs turned heads at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in late February when he demonstrated the art of cutting … without a saddle or bridle.

Cutting is one of those disciplines that showcases a horse’s raw talent, the innate ability of a stock horse to read cattle and move with them. It’s an intense feat of athleticism, both for the horse, who is rolling low over his hocks and crouching to give a cow “the eye,” and for the rider, whose job is to make it look like he or she is not doing anything at all while he or she literally hangs on for dear life. Yes, cutting — where you will see the biggest most manly-looking cowboy with a death grip on the saddle horn.

So when a horse and rider amble up to the herd with naught but a lead rope around the horse’s neck, naturally it gets our attention. Watch Zach Combs ride bareback and bridleless to the herd! (Note: must be logged in to Facebook to view.)

Ride ‘Em Cowboy . . . . . Zach Combs put on quite a show at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo during the World Series. This man not only rode to the herd Bridleless, he was bareback. What a show!

Posted by National Cutting Horse Association on Sunday, March 6, 2016

 

Well done, Zach! Our hats are off to you and your impressive performance.

Go cutting!

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