What hapend???

I just posted about Akahal- Tekes and now I can't find the post!!! I have no clue what happened, it's not like I went in and deleted it! The only explanation I can come up with is that I'm going crazy, Yeah maybe that's it. Maybe I never posted at all and it's just a figment of my imagination??? Nah! It's really weird though...

Macbeth, Act 3, Scene 1

I wish your horses swift and sure of foot; and So I do command you to their backs.

Breed of the Week: The Falabella!!!!

AWWWH!!!!! I WANT ONE!!!! I think I love these pony's a little too much!
These are the smallest horses in the world, the breed was developed during the 19th century in Argentina by the Falabella family. The Falabella spent years breeding the ponys at their outside Buenos Aires. The idea of producing a whole herd of miniature "horses" came from a Irish man living in Argentina, Named Patrick Newtall. He then past his knowledge onto his son-in-law, Juan Falabella, in 1879. He then produced the breed by crossing the Shetland with Newtall, later on there were infusions by a very, very small English Thoroughbred and a small Criollo. The smallest and best of the progeny were repeatedly inbred to keep the breed at a size that was below 30 inches. The selective breeding has produced a tendency of having a over-large head, among other problems. Most defects being in the legs and hind quarters. Another interesting fact is that falabellas tend to have 1 to 2 less ribs than other breeds. They come in a large variety of coat patterns and colors, the most popular being spotted or pinto, a throwback from their Spanish heritage. These little horses live a surprising long time, up to 40 years! They are great little pasture buddys and I have even heard storys of them being used as therapy horses, going to hospitals to visit sick children and the elderly. I love these guys, and all I know is that if I had one I would definitely have to sneak him into my room!!!

Hey fellow blogers, so, so, so sorry about the HUGE gap in posts. things have just been so crazy lately, with a new house, birthdays, and everything else in between. It's just been so hectic

these days. But I hope to get back to posting on a regular basis again. I'm thinking of staring a little "book club" here at Wild Hearts so comment and let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions;o).

Breed of the Week: The Shire!

Ahhh, don't you just love these gentle- giants? So beautiful and so HUGE! I just love'em! This breed is so gigantic that they have held the world record for the world's largest horse more than once. They range in height from 17 to 19hh, and a average Shire weighs over 1 ton, but they can pull up to 5 tons by their selves! Once at the Wembley Exhibition in 1924 a pair pulling against a dynamometer (a machine used for measuring mechanical power) exceeded the maximum reading and were estimated to have exerted a pull equal to a load of 45 tons! Thats just amazing to me. These horses are thought to be descendants of a horse of medieval horse, called 'The Great Horse', that were used to carry knights in full armor. We know for sure that this horse, the Friesian, and the Flemish or Flanders horse have been influences on the Shire. They come in bay, brown, black, and gray.

In the late 19th and early 20th century Shires were exported in large numbers to America. But later in the 20th century, when machinery began to take the place of humans and horses alike, the breed hit an all-time low. Fortunately, in the 70s people began to take notice of this humble breed and Shires have been popping up in show rings every since. Even so, population numbers are still considered to be at critical levels by Both the UK-based Rare Breeds Survival Trust and the US-based American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

Today the breed is still used by farmers as plow horses, they are also used for pulling brewery wagons that deliver ale to cosomers. They can be seen in show rings everywhere, and make all-around good horses. I just love these guys!

;o)

Cracking Up! 5 quirky and effective tips for restoring your old leather tack.

Ok! I know we have all run into this problem at some point in time. You don't keep your tack up like you should and after a while it starts getting dry and cracked. You don't want to have to throw it away, but you can't use it in the condition it's in. What do you do? I've looked through a bunch of books and on the web and These are the ones I like best. A few are a little out there but people seem to stand behind them so here you go!

No.1 Clean the leather really well with luke-warm (hot water can cause more harm than good) then simply apply your favorite saddle soap.

No.2 First wipe with a damp cloth, then apply a good wood-oil.

Ok, this is where it gets a little weird.

No.3 For a quick fix with things you already have around the house use olive or peanut oil to condition then seal with butter or salad dressing!

(I don't know about that one.)

No.4 Clean the leather really well with a damp cloth, then dry completely. Next Heat a good animal based oil and rub into leather, then poor excess oil into plastic bag with the leather and sit in direct sunlight for a few hours. Repeat if necessary.

No.5 This one is my favorite because it has worked for me in the past. Wipe the leather clean with a dry cloth, then apply a generous amount of Vaseline. Allow to soak in then repeat until leather is soft.

Well I hope one of these is the answer to your problem! Please comment and leave your home-remidy for restoring old leather. ;o)

Breed of the Week: The Andalusian

Let me begin by asking: What little girl did not dream about this horse?

I know I say this about almost every breed I write about, but truly, this is one of my favorite breeds. With long sloping shoulders, short but sturdy body, thick neck, and a wide forehead to host those beautiful large eyes. And that mane and tail... Oh, That mane and tail! It made them one of the most popular horses used in paintings by European monarchs, that and their beautiful symmetry. Andalusians have always been considered noble horses, being mounts of kings and other royal horsemen. The famed William Cavend, Duke of Newcastle wrote: "... the Spanish horse is the noblest animal in the world..."

Everyone knows that they have been used as war horses for thousands of years but do you know how the breed was established? They are from Southern Spain, in the 15th century Cartusian monks (who were excellent breeders and trainers) bred them in monasteries in Seville and Jerez.

The monks kept the breed pure until around 1492 when Napoleon invaded Spain, he stole or killed almost all of of them. All but one herd that had been hidden by the monks, that herd was used to renew the breed. Then in 1832 an epidemic devastated Spain's horse population. Only one small herd of Andalusians at the Monastery of Cartuja survived. All of the 20,000 Andalusians we have in the world today come from that one small herd.

It's thought that that the Andalusian breed is most heavily influenced by three breeds: the Barb, native stock, and the Arabian. Some people argue about the influence of the Arabian, but as for myself I can see a resemblance, and I know that the Arabian has been used all over the world for centuries to better breeds. So I don't have much doubt.

The Andalusian it's self has influenced many breeds, including the mustange.

Today they are bred for Calvary horses, and for high-school riding. They are growing more and more popular in America where they are being used for every thing from western events and trail riding to dressage and show jumping. In spain they are still used in the bullrings! These horses are all-around amazing horses, they are so gentel and even-tempered. They're fast learners and have an amazing abitily to retain what they have learned. They can be used for almost anything. But put all of that aside and they are still one of God's most beautiful creations.