The Feathered Horse Farm

Meet Doc...our first boarder!

2008-03-30T10:50:00.006-04:00

This is Doc. Doc is a 1999 Buckskin Tobiano Gelding, out of Body Talk x Docs Easter Blanton.

"Doc" has over 150 APHA points in Halter, Western Pleasure, Western Horsemanship, Hunter Under Saddle and Hunt Seat Equitation. He is extremely willing and gentle. Doc is a big mover who is competitive at the big shows.

Doc can be seen in area shows, ridden in Western Pleasure by his owner, Mary Johnson.

As you can see from theses photos, Doc and Best get along great!

Sorry for the long lapse!

2008-03-06T20:19:00.003-05:00

So sorry to have dropped off the face of the Earth!!! Things have gotten a bit busy around here!

We have our first boarder, he has been with us since November 2007! He is a delight, and well mannered! I will try to be more current with events!

New Horse Hunting

2007-09-03T20:15:00.000-04:00

Well a lesson to be learned for all: when your are new horse hunting be VERY specific for what you are looking for. I saw an ad for a Draft-cross, not started, 3 years old, reasonable priced. Her picture looked exactly what I was looking for, a potential dressage- hunter/jumper type, nicely colored.

What I found was a 7/8 pure draft, nothing that could ever go over a jump, very short strides, never being able to do any type of dressage, nice enough mare, very kind eye and easy to handle. but to be a potentials dressage mount???...NEVER! Any I was very clear in what I was looking for.

Thankfully I only spent 5 hours driving round trip to see this mare. Lesson learned, be very clear what you want the horse for and ask for more than one picture, from different angles, to be sure to save yourself a journey which never needs to be taken.

Soon We will Be Ready for Boarders!

2007-08-30T19:09:00.000-04:00

The building of new fences and turnouts continues. Soon we will be able to share our beautiful facility with others who are looking for a premium barn to board their horse. The small pasture will be ready soon. The second driveway will be gated providing a secure, escape proof area for others to join our small herd. Their is much to be said for small private barns, especially those who offer premium services. Look no more, you are here!

She is Foot Loose and Fancy Free!

2007-08-16T22:50:00.000-04:00

Well the big day arrived and Brooke was released from a confinement period of 14 months. Since she foundered on all fours last June, she has lived in a 12 x 14 stall. No sun on her face, no sand in her hair, no running and plying, no nuzzling the horse in the next turn out. She has existed alone in her stall, watching the goings on in the barn. Last Sunday that all changed! She was given the OK to have a small in and out.

When she was moved to her new stall in the back of the barn, she walked out so calmly I thought, "this is not my horse, she is taking this too calmly". We walked her around the new stall and paddock twice in both directions, then let her go.

Soon she was running and turning like the best of the barrel racers! Rolling in the sand, bucking, kicking, rearing, and pretty much being a "girl gone wild". Then it hit, the pain, the exhaustion, the aches set in. WHOA! Let's just walk around for a while.

After just 5 days she acts like she has been there all the time! This Sunday we will increase her turn out by another 7 feet, more freedom. I can only wonder what that will bring! Happy Trails!

This Past Week...very busy!

2007-08-05T16:55:00.001-04:00

This past week flew by! The kittens have been here for just over a week, and they have already had a "Great Escape". I am trying to keep them in the barn until they get a bit bigger, right now they could easily become hawk food, or coyote food, so I have kept them in a "playpen" with a top. Well, creative little creatures they are, they did get out. Thankfully they remained in the barn and I was able to recapture them. They also have new names. The little calico is now "Cleo", and the black is "Devlin". Those names certainly fit better them better than Patches and Garfield. They seem to be adjusting well, getting friendlier and they have gotten used to the horses.

The addition to the back of our barn is almost finished. Brooke has been on stall rest for just over a year. She foundered on all four feet last year secondary to a tooth infection. After she recovered she was put on stall rest. She has made a dramatic recovery and is ready for her own in and out paddock. The vet suggests it start out small, so we have designed it so it can expand. It is 24 feet wide, not very wide, but two round pen panels can easily be moved to increase the length as she continues to improve. Yesterday was a huge step forward for her. She has been wearing heart bar shoes on her rears for 1 year, and glue on hospital shoes on her fronts. She had a 14 degree rotation in both fronts and her coffin bone sunk through her right sole. Her rears were not as bad, they were at about an 8 degree rotation, with the right slightly worse than the left. We did X-rays back in February after several acupuncture treatments. She has improved to a 8 degree rotation in her right front, 6 degree in her left front and her rears were about 4 degree in both.

We were hoping to change from a heart bar shoe in the rear to an egg butt. The most recent X-rays show her rears look like a normal horse and her fronts are slightly improved since February! The vet felt she could skip the egg butt and go directly into a regular shoe! We will re-x-ray the rears in 6 weeks, before the next shoeing to be sure there is not change. If not, well it is regular shoes for her in the rears! The goals is to change out of the glue-on shoes once she has a good enough hoof wall to nail to. This little mare came so close to dying 3 times I was given the option to let her go, I did not as she was fighting so hard to live! And soon she will see her in-and-out! The plan is to put her in her new stall next Sunday morning. I'm sure she will do a lot of jumping for joy when she is first released, but I expect she will soon exhaust herself and the novelty of freedom will wear off. When it does, we will move the panels out another 12 feet. This will be the plan until they are out of the paddock all together! I'll keep you posted !

The Kittens Are Here and They Need Names!

2007-07-28T21:29:00.000-04:00

This morning after my ride I went to pick out my new barn kittens. There were five to choose from, 4 blacks and 1 calico. I really wanted females as from what I have researched about cats; both big and small, the better hunters are the females. Well I knew the chances of the calico being a female were pretty good as only 1 in 3000 calico's are male and then he is usually sterile. So that choice was easy. The next was a bit harder. The four black kittens were pretty identical except for some minor white spots on their bellies. These kittens were also raised on a farm with 2 cows, 4 pigs, assorted chickens and goats. They were born outside and raised outside, yet handled daily as there is also a preschool on the property where the kittens have been handled by people and children daily. The kittens also had names, they were named by the children who attended the school. The female calico kitten was "Patches", and then I asked the son of the owner of the property about the rest of the black kittens. He told me we had "The Twins", "M&M," and "Garfield". The twins were solid black and not as friendly as the other two blacks, Garfield was almost solid black with a small white spot on his belly, and M&M had 2 small white marks on his belly. I took home "Garfield" and "Patches". Patches is very friendly, purrs like crazy when held or petted. Garfield is not as friendly as her, but I think he will come around. Neither looks like their names, so I think we need to come up with new names for them! Any ideas???

Every Barn Needs Kittens!

2007-07-26T16:25:00.000-04:00

No matter how clean you keep your barn, how often you sweep, it always seems sooner or later you will see the tell tale signs of....MICE! Some are very bold, running from stall to stall in search of spilled grain. Others do not show themselves but the signs are there....chew marks in saddles or saddle covers/bags, droppings on counter tops. You see less signs during the late spring and summer as they are happy and fat in the fields. Once fall and winter arrives, well they come back in for a warm nights rest. Well what is the best way to handle them? Barn cats, that's how. Happy, well fed barn cats. when I first started looking around for kittens, I could find none. And when I found some and said I was looking for barn cats, I got a look like I was a vile person who was going to condemn this innocent kitten to death! People have the wrong idea about the life of a barn cat. These cats are not left to fend for them self. If they had to hunt for their food they would not stay in the barn! Why spend hours stalking the mouse who is hiding when a few minutes in the field will yield them a big, fat dinner! The best barn cats are cared for, well fed, and want to stay in the barn for a reason, to "play catch a mouse". I certainly plan to have these kittens receive their inoculations, be spayed/neutered, and provide them with feed and water, and love all in my barn! I want them to stay there; their mere presence will keep the mice away! As we all know animals like company so in fairness to the cats, well......I had to get two kittens, not just one! So I finally did find someone who was happy to let me have a couple of kittens to become my barn cats. Guess what..their cats live in their barn, so naturally they knew exactly what I was looking for, good mousers. This Saturday I go to pick up my new kittens to join the members of "The Feather Horse Farm" and they will take their place among the ranks of the latest members to our animal brood. After I have spent a few days getting to know them, well then they will need names. I surely will not call them "Barn Cat Number 1 or 2!

Where are the Horse Lovers?

2007-07-25T21:58:00.000-04:00

Well I have a couple of blogs going and I find one has 4 visits per day, and my other had 200+. I realize horses are not of interest to the general population, but no one has posted a comment to this blog. Am I totally boring the horse world, or the want-to-be-horse -world? My goal was to educate people the best I could about various aspects of owning horses, and Frisians especially. I wish I had the knowledge of such a site when I was researching Friesians. I know I prefer to talk to real people about their real time experiences when ever possible. I have not been actively involved in "the horse world" for a long period of time, however I do know much about the training and raising of dogs, and much of the principles which apply to dogs flows easily to the caring and keeping, and understanding of horses.

I plan to breed my mares down the road and I would like to expand my facility to accept boarders. This would be my retirement goal. I love caring for these animals and seeing their needs met. I know I have an excellent facility and I have the knowledge to recognize healthy from not. I have learned from my research classes how to obtain information, so I am a bit confused why I have no comments. I wish to only help others with their equestrian quests.

Does everyone know everything already?? I know I don't as learning is an on going process.

Thinking about owning a horse..have you done the math???

2007-07-24T17:49:00.000-04:00

So you are thinking about bringing a horse into your life. Have you done the math? I'm not talking about the actual cost of the horse, though that is also a consideration. I am referring to the actual upkeep of the horse. Whether you pay $100,000 and up, or get the horse for free, they all eat, use shavings, need foot care, vet checks, teeth floated, and that all costs money.

I have raised and shown dogs for years, and I always tell my puppy buyers, "you have just made a $10,000.00 investment." Then they gasp, 'I thought the price was....." That is what it costs to raise the average dog to 10 years. There is no such thing as a "free puppy", or in this case a free horse.

Depending on where you live, the cost associated with horse ownership varies. In my area, the Northeast, hay typically goes $6-8 dollars per bale depending on the time of year, shavings are $4.25-5.50 per bag, grain on average is $10.00-12.00 per 50 lbs, teeth floating $65.00-$80.00 every 6 months and the cost of yearly spring and fall shots, plus shoeing or trims every 6 weeks.

There are ways to reduce costs and still provide you horse with quality care. Buying in bulk is an option if you have many horses or board. You can also use sawdust from local mills instead of shavings. If you have a reliable sawmill near by, this can be a better option. If they do not mill kiln dried wood it can actually be more beneficial to both your horses feet and you wallet. I can bed my three horses for 3 weeks with sawdust from a local mill, for the same price I can spend for 1 weeks worth of bagged, kiln dried shavings. I can provide the basic care for my three horses at my own farm for what I paid to board just one horse locally. However, I do all the work.

If your horses have good feet, you can get along nicely with just trims, no shoes as I can do for 2 of my three horses. If they have "issues" with their feet, well that is an entirely different problem. I have one horse who foundered, all four feet, which is resulting in her needing corrective shoeing for a very long time. She is not the norm, but you need to make provisions for all the possible things which can go wrong.

If you do not have proper facilities at your home, then you need to board and the costs associated with that also need to be considered. I could own a vacation home, or a fancy new car for what it costs me on a monthly basis to care for my three horses. The fact that they are Friesians have nothing to do with the cost of maintaining them in a healthy manner. If
I had 3 adopted horses, or rescue horses they would need the same care. This is the important thing to keep in mind before you assume responsibility for taking an animal into your family. Can you provide for them in the worst of situations? If not, do some more thinking. You may be better off leasing, and not assuming full responsibility for a horse on your own.

More on Dressage from Wikipedia.com

2007-07-22T16:18:00.000-04:00

Dressage horses:An Andalusian at the collected trot

Any riding horse can benefit from use of dressage principles and training techniques. However, horse breeds most often seen at the Olympics and other international FEI competitions are in the warmblood horse breeds category. Dressage is an egalitarian sport in which all breeds are given an opportunity to successfully compete. Therefore, many other breeds are seen at various levels of competition.
In non-competitive performances of classical dressage that involve the "Airs above the ground" described below, the "Baroque" breeds of horses, most notably the Lipizzaner, are most often seen.

The Arena

There are two sizes of arenas: small and standard. Each has letters assigned to positions around the arena for dressage tests to specify where movements are to be performed.
The small arena is 20 m by 40 m, and is used for the lower levels of dressage and three-day eventing dressage. Its letters around the outside edge, starting from the point of entry and moving clockwise, are A-K-E-H-C-M-B-F. Letters also mark locations in the middle of the arena: Moving down the center line, they are D-X-G, with X in the center. Since the combination of Equine Canada (EC) and United States Dressage Federation (USDF) tests in 2003, the small size arena is no longer utilized in rated shows in North America.
The standard arena is 20 m by 60 m, and is used for tests in both dressage and eventing. The standard dressage arena letters are A-K-V-E-S-H-C-M-R-B-P-F. (There is speculation as to why these letters were chosen. Most commonly it is believed because the German cavalry had a 20 x 60 meter area in between the barracks which had the letters posted above the doors) The letters on the long sides of the arena nearest the corners are 6 m in from the corners, and are 12 m apart from each other. The letters in the middle of the arena are D-L-X-I-G, with X marking the center.
At the start of the test, the horse enters at A. There is always a judge sitting at C (although for upper-level competition, there are up to five judges at different places around the arena).
The dressage arena also has a centerline (from A to C, going through X in the middle), as well as two quarter-lines (halfway between the centerline and long sides of each arena).

It was a nice morning for a Lesson

2007-07-21T16:59:00.000-04:00

This is "Fenna", my latest addition from Holland. She came to us this past February. She just turned 6 years old. She took some time getting used to her new home, but she is settled in now. Due to our winters, and my lack of an indoor, we did not do much over the winter and early spring. I just let her hang out, get used to the barn, the noises of the street, and the cars going by and me. She started to work mid-May and she is truly amazing! What a nice mare; easy going, very forward and so willing to work. She likes having a job. This morning it was a bit cooler than it has been, about 70 degrees with a slight wind. She was a bit "full of herself",looking for reasons to spook. Every Saturday my trainer comes over to work one of the horses and me for one hour. She works the horse first, then she works me! Today we had many "imaginary friends" along for the ride, at least in Fenna's mind we did! I don't mind when she gets like this, to me it only tests my ability to get her mind back, get her body back in correct frame, and my ability to so it without a battle. This breed doesn't even have a big spook, at least my Friesian's don't. They do not spin and jump like I've seen so many other horses do, they just move their front feet a bit and then it's over. Again, I can't speak for all Friesians, only my three. All three of mine are different, all three have different temperaments, but all of them are truly nice animals! Fenna is my newest but I do have to say, she is the one I enjoy the most! I got Fenna and Best, my first Friesian from the same person in Holland. I got my second one from people here in the states. If I am to buy again, it will only be from the person I bought from in Holland. My USA experience was terrible. I will not recommend those people to anyone, and they are well known in the Friesian world. I thought I was dealing with people who were reputable and cared about the breed. I couldn't have been more wrong! Enjoy the rest of the day, Happy Trails!

What is Dressage?

2007-07-20T20:09:00.001-04:00

Dressage
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

An upper-level dressage competitor performing an extended trot
Dressage (a French term meaning "training") is a path and destination of competitive horse training, with competitions held at all levels from amateur to the Olympics. Its fundamental purpose is to develop, through standardized progressive training methods, a horse's natural athletic ability and willingness to perform, thereby maximizing its potential as a riding horse. At the peak of a dressage horse's gymnastic development, it can smoothly respond to a skilled rider's minimal aids by performing the requested movement while remaining relaxed and appearing effortless. For this reason, dressage is occasionally referred to as "Horse Ballet." Although the discipline has its roots in classical Greek horsemanship, mainly through the influence of Xenophon, dressage was first recognized as an important equestrian pursuit during the Renaissance in Western Europe. The great European riding masters of that period developed a sequential training system that has changed little since then and classical dressage is still considered the basis of trained modern dressage.
Early European aristocrats displayed their horses' training in equestrian pageants, but in modern dressage competition, successful training at the various levels is demonstrated through the performance of "tests," or prescribed series of movements within a standard arena. Judges evaluate each movement on the basis of an objective standard appropriate to the level of the test and assign each movement a score from zero to ten - zero being "not executed" and 10 being "excellent." A score of 9 (or "very good") is considered a particularly high mark, while a competitor achieving all 6s (or 60% overall) should be considering moving on to the next level.

More on Where to Board

2007-07-20T15:04:00.000-04:00

Where to board is a huge topic and varies with each person. What services are covered as a part of the basic board varies with every barn, and the price of the board should reflects the quality and level of service provided. The area of the county you reside in will also influence where you board your horse. If you are in a Northern climate with lots of rain or snow, a facility with an indoor may be a requirement high on your priority list. The best thing to do is make a list of the pros and con's of each barn. The make a list of what services you absolutely need, what you would like to have and the services offered at each barn. If you can only get to the barn once or twice a week, and the temperature varies a lot in your area, a barn which does blankets, on and off as needed my be important to you. Some barns either leave them on, off, or have nothing to do with blanketing as it is time consuming. If you want blankets on and off, you need to do it. Fencing is an area I think many boarders over look it's importance. Fences must be safe and strong and have proper upkeep. Horses will rub against them or kick them hard enough to dislodge them, but they need to be replaced as soon as that happens to prevent injury to your horse. Trying to patch fences back together is not the best option. The more the barn does the more you should expect to pay. If they offer indoor and outdoor arenas, wash areas, tack areas, feed supplements (you provide) clean/pick stalls 3-4 times per day, hay and grain 2-4 times per time, and possibly a light grooming with feet picked out, sand turns outs and pasture, you best expect to pay top dollar. Choose your boarding barn based on the experience of the owner, the services offered, the condition and safety features of the barn, your basic needs and what you pocketbook can afford. You may even find a co-op barn in your area. That is a barn where all basic costs (hay, grain and bedding) and work is shared by those who keep their horses at it. This type of arrangement is easier on your pocketbook, but much more labor intensive. But it works for many, look around to see what will work best for you.

Another day on the Farm

2007-07-18T21:36:00.000-04:00

Well I am sorry I do not have much time today to share much of anything special or educational. I got home late, (train troubles) need to be to work early tomorrow and if you have horses you know they still have their needs despite your lack of time. So off to the barn I go for a last cleaning and late night check and snack. More tomorrow on boarding and where to get your special horse companion! Until then, as Roy and Dale used to say "Happy Trails to You, until we meet again"!

Andalusian stallion, Apassionatta

2007-07-17T01:49:00.001-04:00

Excellent preformance! Very moving, enjoy!

Where to Board?

2007-07-17T00:22:00.000-04:00

When you first think about getting a horse, the second thing which should come to mind is "Where am I going to keep this animal?" Horses are typically herd animals, meaning they do not like being alone. I can't say I blame them, I don't like being alone! For many people the option of having more than one horse is simply not an option. To have two, simply to keep each other company is a costly endeavor, especially if you do not have a proper facility on your property. Depending on where you live boarding your horse can range from $200.00 rough board to well over $1,000.00 per horse. When I bought my first horse I knew I would be boarding, for a short while. We had a barn, but the stalls were not built, the land for turn out was not cleared, and I did not have money for a second Friesian, and Friesians are my passion. So the search was on for a facility close to my home where I could board my horse. I did not want to be more than 20 minutes from my house, as my time to spend away from home, after working was very limited. Living in a rural agricultural area, where the joke is "More horses live there than people" I looked at several barns easily within 15-20 minutes of my home or less. I spoke to the owners, looked at the type of horses kept on the facility, was there a ring to work in, what type of fencing, the ages of the other boarders, etc. When I think back now and ask myself why I picked the first barn I did, I realize I would not do it again. At the time I was looking for trails, and the barn had plenty of them. Horse do not live on trails, they live on the stalls and in the turnouts. I later learned, fences and stalls were much more important. Safe fencing should be the number one concern, and right behind that a safe stall. Soon I began to realize the fences were not nearly what my horse needed; they were too low, unsecured in some areas and the stalls were not designed to keep neighboring horses from sticking their noses, and sometimes their entire heads, into my horse's stall! I also soon found out the true meaning behind the saying "My barn, my rules, my farrier, my trainer, etc". Needless to say I was only at that barn for 4 months. I was on the lookout for another place to board my horse. When searching for a boarding barn talk to the other boarders as much as possible, before moving to the barn.Ask what they like about the barn and what they would change if they could. Those answers reveal so much. More later! Happy Trails.

Did You Know??

2007-07-15T14:21:00.001-04:00

Did you know that hay is the number 4 crop grown in the United States today?? Did you know the Mid-west is currently experiencing a drought which could drastically impact the hay produced in that area? This is not good news for those of us who own horses. The decrease in open land, and decrease in farming over the past generations will soon had a dramatic impact on those of us who care for/own horses. What can we do now to help lessen this impact? I know I have cleared more of my own land and planted two pastures. Theses pastures can produce between 200-225 bales of hay each year if we can get 2 good cuttings. I know that does not solve the growing problem, but it lessens things a bit. If everyone could use the land they currently have to its utmost potential, it will have an impact. Daily I pass fields which are mowed for "looks", not used as forage for horses which reside in the back sand lots. These are working farms, which have the acreage, but choose not to let the horses eat the grass. Why??? Is it too much work to acclimate the horses to fresh grass? Is it the poor fencing surrounding the grassed area? Why? If you are going to own or care for horses you need to accept the responsibility which goes with that task. Proper feed, care, and constant diligence goes along with caring for any animal not living in the wild. If you cannot accept these conditions, then do not take in horses.

A Tribute to Approved Stallion Goffert 369

2007-07-14T16:05:00.001-04:00

A nicely done tribute! Thank you.

Approved FPS Stallion Goffert 369

2007-07-14T16:03:00.001-04:00

Goffert passed away February 13,2007. He was the only Friesian competing at Grand Prix Level Dressage. He was the 2006 Breyer Friesian Horse of the Year. He was a truly amazing horse and will be missed! He resided at Iron Springs Farm in PA.

ANDREAS HELGSTRAND - WEG2006 Freestyle Final

2007-07-14T14:25:00.001-04:00

I told you this site was not just about Friesians, just that Friesians are my favorite horse. This is an EXCELLENT preformance, if you have seen it before, you will not mind watching again. If you have not, sit back and enjoy the ride! This is a real joy to watch, one of the BEST!

Where do you buy a Friesian?

2007-07-12T18:30:00.000-04:00

Well, getting an answer to that question will give you as many answers as people you asked! I have found everyone in the "Horse World" has their own right and wrong way to do pretty much everything. When I first started looking for a Friesian I Googled "Friesians" and looked at what popped up. There were several sites, and I visited them all. I even called a few to talk with them about the horses they had listed for sale. Some had videos of their horses which made things a little better. But buying horses over the Internet??? What would they think of next? You can't test ride over the Internet, see their personality over the Internet, but to fly to all the locations across the country to see the horses would cost almost as much as the horse.

I think people need to do what is comfortable for them when choosing how and who they want to buy their horse from. I found that some of the people I spoke with were very knowledgeable regarding Friesians.They truly wanted to see me with a Friesian which was suitable for me. Others were out to just sell a horse, whether I was able to handle it or not. I knew my skill level, and I let all sellers knowwhat my skill level was, and when I was being pushed toward a horse which was beyond my skill level I backed right away from that seller! They only wanted to make a sale, not make the correct fit between me and the right horse. Trust your instincts, if it doesn't feel right...walk away, there are plenty of other horses out there! Friesians are not a dime a dozen in the United States, however there are plenty enough to choose from here, and you can also imported your own! (This Friesian is Best Fan D'ald Loop)

2007-07-10T16:13:00.000-04:00

My love for horses began years ago as a child, growing up with a pony farm directly behind our back yard. The girl next door had a horse, and I always wanted one as a youngster. I did not own my own horse for many years after. I briefly had a Morgan which I had leased. After a particularly bad ride, which I refer to as my "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride", I strayed from horses for some time. I busied myself with my other passion; raising and showing dogs. As I got a bit older, my desire to have another horse was stronger. However, I did not want another wild ride! I started researching breeds and it came down to Friesians or Gypsy Vanners, both breeds know for their kindly, gentle temperaments. I ended up with the Friesians and bought my first one three years ago. Here the story really begins! This is Best, my first Friesian. He is a gelding and the sweetest boy. He thinks he is a big dog!