Wings Of Desire (Pink Wings)

It is the hearts and the desires of all the world to find a cure for cancer. Slowly, ever so slowly, mankind is making progress. Through the generous donations and volunteer work, cancer is being slowly pushed back, hopefully into oblivion within my time.

The Wings of Desire were a part of the Provincial Old Home Week Equestrian Competitions of Prince Edward Island. The competition, “Dare To Wear Pink” category, is run on several different levels. All the proceeds, entry costs for both the competitor and spectator go to breast cancer research.

The western novice category last summer was won by my niece. She worked hard to find pink items to use and she wasn’t shy about wearing them either. Her horse, Casper’s Haunting You, is a grey Newfoundland pony and is not a stranger to th show ring, but my niece decided to enter him in the western pleasure, whereas he had always been shown in the English pleasure category. These are some pictures from the competition.

My mother, my niece’s grandmother, succumb to breast cancer turned lung cancer, on October 30th, 1982. This “Dare To Wear Pink” is for her memory. My dad died with liver cancer, on January 6th, 1991. Both were young people.

Winter Rose Trust - Trust in Phil Planet - Cancer Survivor

Trouble In LaLa Land!!

I haven't been on in a while because I've been very busy playing police to a bunch of horse. At first Dream's nerves gave out. He can't handle change or anything new because his nerves turn inward and make him sick. For days he suffered colic which can be deadly to a horse, particularly one the size of a barn. He had diarrhea and suffered from dehydration. He is still only working his way back. He went off all four legs and couldn't walk, hardly at all. Finally I became alarmed and isolated him into a small paddock with only Sammy for company on the other side of the fence. He grew to dislike Sammy.

Willow immediately took a dreadful hatred to dear little Sammy, who was geared up to run and couldn't stop moving for days. The poor baby was grained so high and given so many hormones to make her aggressive that she had withdrawal symptoms. Willow kept attacking her even through the fence.

Willow and Frilly got along to some extent, enough that I didn't worry about letting them be in the same field. They both suffered each others kicks and bites but not so much. It turns out Frilly has an attitude of princess and believes the world should bow to her and give her first choice of everything. This didn't sit well for Willow but it was something that Willow didn't understand. It is like she was humbled by Frilly's stunningly good looks.

Today the horses were all together and I wasn't doing to much guarding. I had things to do. This morning Willow ripped a slice out of Sammy's neck and the baby was bleeding. I was so mad that I took my boot off and through it at her..., but I missed and hit Dream. It skipped off his rump and got Frilly, smack..., right in the withers. I thought she would freak and I suppose she did in some sense, since she didn't know where it came from. I could have stripped the hide right off WitchWillow's rump, I was so mad. Poor Frilly! Poor Sammy!

Sammy has taken to getting as close to me as possible, when I'm in the area. She knows that she can go anywhere she wants, if I'm near and she knows that the other horses can't touch her, if they know I'm looking. Dream is also picking on Sammy and won't allow her near him, even to eat. Since Dream is always eating, it is difficult for Sammy to get a safe morsel of food. Yet Frilly takes whatever she wants. Frilly treats Sammy like a younger sister. She sometimes used to protect her from Willow, but not anymore.

All-in-all, I will never again bring two horses into the fray at the same time again. Dream will be isolated the minute there is a change and re-introduced very slowly. A new horse will be isolated for at least two weeks and introduced to the herd slowly also. And there are a few other things I'll do to make the process easier for all of us. Things are better then they were, but there still is a long way to go.

An Eye To The Future

Here I'm playing with the camera. I'm testing out my photography skills.

I find it absolutely amazing what can be done with an artists eye! Not that I'm saying I'm an artist, but I think I would like Dreams eye blown up poster size, because it is so expressive for a horse's eye.

I decided this is my eye to the future. My Dream, my Willow, my future, reflected in his big beautiful eye. Of course, I could also put up the blooper shots I took of the eyes - the closed eyes, the out of focus eyes, the get out of my way or I'll stomp you eyes.

The upper eye is Gimme A Dream's eye as he looks way down at me trying to get a good shot. The eye to the right belongs to Willow Breeze. She is more at my eye level.

How Many Ways Can I Find To Waste My Time?

Just one more way! Hand made macramé items.

The purse is one of two saddle bags that holds two bottles of water, very easily in one bag and a nice picnic lunch in the other, for the long trail rides into the East Point Wildlife Reserve. However the purses are convertible, as the strap is easily removed and becomes a spare for a broken rein. These purses also become a day-to-day handbag for the fashion conscious lady, with a nice shoulder strap that doesn't cut into the shoulder.

The bridle and reins were Copper's day-to-day hack-a-more, but more recently, like two days ago, I had to convert it to a western head stall for Willow Breeze, because she wasn't as acceptable to the hack-a-more, as I would have liked. Yesterday, she had her first novice rider on her back. A twelve-year-old, who has so far had only six - one hour, riding lessons. Willow treated the little girl like she was a princess and behaved exceptionally to the new bridle. Perhaps the bridle isn't so much a waste of my time.

Both of these items were created with brown, nylon, twisted trap twine. Using the technique of macramé, they were handmade, using only two types of knots, the square knot and the half-hitch. With the repetition of these knots a useful, versatile and extremely durable objects can be made. I have rarely used leather on my horses in many years, even though I have bought beautiful leather handmade bridles, I just don’t get the same feel for the horse as I get using a macramé rein that is made to ‘fit’ my hands. I’ve also noticed less agitation with the horse that I’m riding when using a bridle, specifically tailored to that particular horse's head. Overall, I have no intention of going back to the regular leather head stall that is normally used on a horse, unless it is required in the show ring.

I have another bridle made and it will be featured here at this web log as soon as the hardware, ie bit and buckles, arrive. It is made of black, nylon, braided trap twine and is distinctly created in the English fashion. It has a removable beaded hand worked design, on the brow strap and nose band. All the hardware will be stainless steel.

Macramé has been one of me earliest hobbies and has given me many hours of pleasure over the years. When I was 15-years-old, I made belts and necklaces during the hippie hey-day. I progressed to gazebos and birdcages in my late teens and gave them as wedding gifts. After that I moved on to purses, rings, bracelets and various wearable accessories. Other than sewing, it is probably the only hobby which as proven the most useful in my own life story.

Gimme A Dream

This is photo is Dream as a yearling. I found this picture on the internet with his registration and linage. This was the picture upon which he was sold the first time. His poor conformation is well shown here, nevertheless he sold for $6,000, in spite of the problem, on the hopes that he would out grow it. If anything, the problem is worse now.

It is my belief that Dream is too heavy and I should try to reduce his weight while keeping the look of weight. How do I do that? He has such a naturally skinny-looking bum. If I reduce his weight, my sister will do nothing but criticize me for not feeding him enough. As it is he ate nearly the equivalent of three bales of hay a day, last week. Perhaps it was jealousy though having to share his food with Willow Breeze.

He is a difficult horse to get a good picture of because even here when the sun is high, he shadows himself.

My Lastest and Greatest Picture of Willow Breeze

This is my latest mare to my small herd, Willow Breeze. She is a French Canadian Horse with a few special qualities. She has been trained for western riding, apparently has no toe commands but she does one-handed neck reining to an acceptable degree for trail riding at the very least, however I suspect she is better than she showed me. She is high spirited when under saddle and is not fond of being used. She is extremely intelligent though and is interested in learning different activities that she has never come across before.

I rode her yesterday and will do so again today. I found her to be far too energetic for a novice rider as she wants her own way constantly. In this respect, I found that her western training does not come through. She spent a lot of the time on two legs, trying to move out, instead of resting quietly in one spot. Now she wasn't vicious or mean, but I wanted her to stand at rest and she wanted to move out, so I kept bringing her to a halt. The problem could have been because I was using Coppers hack-a-more, which I don't believe she understood and also she is in heat, so she wanted to spend all her time with Dream. Her head is even smaller than Coppers because I needed to readjust the head stall for her by about two inches.

Today I intend to longe (lunge) her with the saddle on and side reins. See if that helps improve her. She is a good animal to sit on, comfortable to ride and sweet-natured, even if she is stubborn. She saddles and bridles well, even though she put her ears in the flat-back position when I cinched her. Gentle talking and the occasional patting of her neck, got her through the ordeal without incident.

Over all, I’m pleased with little Willow, I think she will make an exceptional ride once the kinks have been worked out. When she comes to the realization that I'm not going to use her hard, as what has been tried in her past, I think she will be very pleasurable.

I have the feeling that she would make a good equestrian mount in the English forum. Her natural inquisitiveness leads me to believe that there is not much that she wouldn't like to learn. She likes to bow her neck and have her muzzle near her chest when being ridden, which is quite not like western trained horses, but I'm certain she has had no English training. There again, it might have been her reaction to the hack-a-more.

The French Canadian Willow Breeze - Min

Jayne, I just got your message that you don't see Arabian in Willow. She doesn't have the classic look of anything, but it is just when I look at her and she is interested in moving out, she has this Arabian look in her eye. Extreme intelligence for horses, maybe. Her head is very well defined but not classic at all, just small and refined. She has a straight face which is not Arabian of course, but even still there is something finely chiseled about her head. Her attitude is classic Arab, which is strange for a French Canadian. I haven't found papers for her yet, which makes me think she isn't registered. I don't even know her name. She was brought to the islands as a pure French Canadian, with the high price tag to go with her. But as far as I know, papers never came with her. She is 8-years-old. Judes, the man I buy my bales of hay from was apparently her first islands owner. He is on vacation off islands presently. I will be speaking with him about her.
I value your input and can certainly understand your confusion on this one. All I have to go on, are my impressions. I bought her because I wanted an experienced horse for the beach because Dream was out of his element and I expect Frilly to be worse. I find that her legs are very tiny, small around. The neglect is showing in her hay-belly shape. I'm hoping that she will improve her look with time. Her head does look like the French Canadian above but her neck is thin, shoulders and chest are small. She is about 14.2hh maybe a little taller but she has no weight compared to the breed. This little animal looks frail when comparing her to the Canadian breed.

She has gone through some serious training in the western class but I don't yet know the extent of her training. She is at this point a throw-away horse, one that was destined for the meat market in Montreal. I find this mare to be extremely intelligent. She picks up new instruction in English at a phenomenal rate. This mare has only been amongst French speaking people. And yet it only took three turns before she lunged like she had done it all her life and learn the instruction walk and whoa just as quickly. This activity is not something that is known in the communities around here. She has never had this training. There is more to this mare then I first thought! I'm not saying she will be a favourite, but she has some very special qualities. This picture was taken a couple minutes after she arrived.

LOL an unusual fence - yes! And all those traps were pushed into the paddock by about three feet. I still won't leave them in it because the electricity will not stop a truck from doing damage.