The Equibloom Method

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How a horsewoman knows she is rich:

I am rich. I have $15 in my checking account and a golden mare in the barn.

I am rich. I have a car that mostly works and enough gas to get to the barn every day this week.

I am rich. I have boxes of pasta and generic sauce in my pantry and enough hay to feed my horse through the winter.

I am rich. I have enough old coats and sweaters to layer up and stay warm while I do barn chores.

I am rich. I vacation by camping with my horses and going to cheer on my horse riding friends at horse shows. Sometimes I even play too, and spend $1000 to bring home a fifty cent ribbon that I will treasure more than a photo in front of the Eiffel Tower.

I am rich. I have tools: duct tape and baling twine and the know how to fix just about anything with these tools.

I am rich. I find joy in making my own things, making do, and making right. I have a 20 year old saddle, a 35 year old body, and the wonder and joy of a 6 year old child learning that a horse can give her wings.

I am rich.

My wealth is not measured in dollar signs but in horsey snorts and nickers. My riches aren't spent on electronics and fancy clothes but are shared with my human and four footed friends.

Next time someone finds out that I have a horse and says, " You must be rich to afford that" I will smile, and agree.

-Suzanne Waldrop

📸 Photos by Furey

Join us here at the Texas Rose Horse Park for a Special Eventing and Dressage Masterclass - Texas Rose Horse Park - December 7-8, 2024

Five time Olympian, Ingrid Klimke is coming to Texas Rose Horse Park in December to give a two day masterclass in Dressage and Eventing working with young horses through to the higher levels.

Ingrid needs little introduction to the high Performance equestrian world. She has competed in five Olympics and six World Equestrian Games, winning in the Summer Olympics of 2008, 2012, and 2016.

She is the daughter of equestrian Reiner Klimke, and like her father, she rides in both Eventing and Dressage at the international level. In January 2012,she was appointed to the position of "Reitmeister" (Riding Master at special title of the German Equestrian Federation). Klimke is the second woman ever to be appointed as "Reitmeister". Well-known and respected worldwide for her success in both Eventing and Dressage, Ingrid brings a wealth of knowledge and training philosophy to these events.

Horse and rider combinations chosen by Ingrid, will receive a training session in front of the audience, giving attendees the opportunity to learn all about how Ingrid approaches training for all types of dressage and eventing horses.
This is a unique and rare opportunity to learn from one of the best riders in the world, and we are delighted that she has chosen Texas Rose Horse Park for her next symposium. For our community, we have a discount code for one week only which you can use at check out if you'd like to join us for this special weekend. Code is Texas73

Let's show Ingrid a true Texas welcome, in what is set to be a super fun educational weekend!

BUY TICKETS - Ingrid Klimke - Eventing and Dressage Masterclass - Texas Rose Horse Park - Buy Tickets - https://www.tickettailor.com/events/equestrianevents/1263296?

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1938 70-year-old Elizabeth Arnold
Even though she was only a reported 5ft tall, Elizabeth was a darn good blacksmith who was thought to be the only female blacksmith in England in the early 20th century. Shoeing a horse outside of a 400 year-old forge in Kent. She was still working when she was 70 years old and was said to have been able to swing a 10lb sledgehammer like no one’s business.
McGee Equine & Livestock Farrier Service, Rescue, and Rehabilitation

This is the horrible truth. That’s why mine, who were all at the end of their “marketability” when they came to me will stay in my care.

*** PLEASE DO NOT GIVE AWAY/SELL YOUR OLD and/or UNRIDEABLE HORSES ***

Today I did one of the saddest euthanasias I have done in a long time. This wasn’t a client of mine, and to be fair, it actually wasn’t this person’s fault. I don’t normally go out to non-clients, but I wasn’t going to say no when I was told the horse had collapsed and couldn’t get up.

I arrived to find an emaciated 20+ year old, riddled with lice. The client had been sold the mare 7 weeks ago, and told she was a 7 year old. The old mare was gobbling away at feed, so she genuinely was just too weak and emaciated to stand. With some really good, strong help, we tried twice to get her up, but she just didn’t want to. So I made the quick decision to let her go.

No horse should end his or her life like that. She was scared, and whickered at me when I came back with the catheter and Somulose. She went with no dignity, in a place she had been for just a couple of months.

I want to cry when I see these awful posts on social media, offering a 20 year old horse for sale “as a companion”, for £50, or “free to good home”. I want to cry even more when I see posts on social media, with people in complete and utter shock and disbelief that the “beloved/much loved etc” horse, that they gave away just two months ago, was now being sold as a ridden horse.

I’m sorry, but wake up. Not many people really want to take on an old horse and the associated vet bills. I do appreciate there are exceptions, but if you are going to give your old or unrideable horse away, do NOT expect to then be able to take the moral high ground when he’s advertised two weeks later. He’s not your property at that point, and, unless your circumstances drastically changed, you didn’t care enough about him to now be “devastated” and “appalled” that he’s being moved on again. I do understand that circumstances can change, but the kindest thing in most (not all) cases at this point, is to let your horse be put to sleep with you, at the home he has known for many years.

A horse is as expensive to keep as a companion as it is a riding horse, so not many people want to take on old or unrideable horses. Or if they do, they don’t have the money to be able to look after the horse properly.

It is obviously completely different if you have known that person for many years, and know the home the horse will be going to, and I know several old horses who have been successfully rehomed to friends, or at least acquaintances.

You could also try a reputable rescue centre, if your financial circumstances changed, but many of these are full to bursting. Rescue centres normally ensure that if the home doesn’t work out, the horse is returned to them again, and therefore won’t be passed around.

If you can’t look after your old and/or unrideable horse, then do the responsible thing, and if you can’t rehome to a person you know extremely well, have them put to sleep at home, with you by their side. Don’t let someone you don’t know, have the horse for free, and sell him two weeks later as a lot younger, or ‘buted up as a ridden horse. Your horse deserves better.

Photo of my old man, Harold, who is rising 22 this year! He hasn’t been ridden for a few years now, and is just an expensive field/stable ornament….as is Molly….as is Mojo….as is William 🤦‍♀️😂

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Mares are brilliant. 🐴🩷🐴

Mares aren’t always well liked and for the same reasons strong women aren’t.

Opinionated? Those opinions are not without good cause and maybe you can't figure them out or maybe you just don’t like her opinion of you. Change it and she will always be on your side.

Stubborn? She just won’t let you bulldoze her. Treat her with respect and her resilience will be an asset to you.

Difficult? You just can’t handle her. You don’t have what it takes.

Stick with geldings then, and leave the mare for someone who understands her and appreciates the same qualities society has subtlety taught you not to like.

Here’s to mares, to strong women, and to those who CAN and DO appreciate them!

~ The Evolving Equestrian

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'Horses' New Year Treat.
At Cricklewood Home of Rest for Horses, London, the horses are given a specially prepared menu of favorite dishes on New Year's Day - two old inmates receiving their New Year's feed.'

The Week (Brisbane) 15th February 1933.

The New Year's Dinner for Horses was held every year at Friar Place Farm, Cricklewood, London. After WW1 they were very full - there were some Australian horses there too.

Although in the city surrounded by buildings, the horses had ponds, trees and fields, as well as a stable each, it was indeed a sanctuary. There was a weekly vet inspection of every animal. It was started in 1886 by Miss Ann Lindo, distressed at the poor condition of old city horses. Soon she got Royal help, and others chipped in.

Over the years urban sprawl saw the Home moved, The Horse Trust now on a big farm in the Chilterns.

The animals saw out their days at these sanctuaries beautifully looked after. Many cabbies paid for their old horse's retirement for years. Lots of people, especially families, turned up on New Year's Day!

Each year a bell was rung to announce dinner was served - always rung by the oldest horse or donkey in the sanctuary.

In 1896 an old gelding named Max rang the bell; there were 60 horses, one donkey and 3 goats for the dinner paid for by Mrs Gore - she paid for every year's dinner for many years until she died. One horse, Bones, an old cavalry horse, was 42, another, a retired lady's sidesaddle horse named Bully, was 40.

It was 26 pounds a year to retire your horse there - about half of the inmates were thus paid for by owners, the rest being old rescues.

In the year 1900 at Acton there were 43 inmates - a horse named Old Man, 37 years old, rang the bell.

In 1906, a big old chestnut gelding named Mac rang the bell, he'd been there 10 years. His lady owner died of old age and Mac was saved from being put down by her friends. The bell was placed over his stable door. When Mac finished his first course, he rang the bell for the next! He'd been there long enough to know how to order New Year's Day dinner! There were 72 horses there, 40 being "Old Favorites" which meant their owners paid their full keep until they died. Ni**od was another saved by a group of people when his lady owner died, they paid for his keep.

In 1908 Mac again rang the bell at Acton - there were 73 inmates for that dinner. A costermonger's beloved donkey, Neddy, which had arrived with a huge tumour, operated on successfully 13 years previously, still working, was invited back for the dinner each year, his owner delighted at how popular the velvety little chap was with children. Bones was there, possibly a different horse to the Bones of an earlier dinner - he'd served at the Battle of Tel-el-Kebir, an artist named Miss Hardy used him as a model and when enquiring after him, found he was on the Horse Guards hit list, being too aged for work. Miss Hardy bought him and the sanctuary took him in.

In 1929 an old horse named Roger, 25 years old, rang the bell at Acton - he'd been found riderless on the Somme. That year were 80 horses and 6 donkeys; including Kitty, a black mare, Polly a roan pony, and Bill a costermonger's pony, which had all been injured in a street explosion.

The menu was the same for each horse and slightly less for donkeys due to size: 40 carrots, 27 biscuits, 34 lumps of sugar, 29 pieces of bread (brown and white) and 12 apples. The rest of the year they got hay. Of course now we know sugar is bad, and excess apples, but hey, history says shhh. Some very cold years a hot bran mash and a little corn (grain) was added.

Visitors loved to see how the old ponies, horses and donkeys delighted in seeing their old owners. The sad part was when an owner died, and the animal looked in vain for their friend on the special day, but was consoled by many.

What a lovely tradition! Importantly, a major fund raiser - perhaps a tradition to be taken up by our incredible brumby sanctuaries, thank you for all your work.

Celebrate them. They are all a year older tomorrow. Happy New Year 💚🐴

Happy New Year! 🐴❤️🥂

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