Learning about Horses and Ponies

Yesterday I wrote about how shopping for a birthday present for a friend’s daughter made me realize how many types of horses there are. Growing up, our family had a horse for all of about five minutes. His name was Saberjolt and I was over the moon for him. But, thanks to my allergies, we had to give Saberjolt up. (At least that’s how family legend tells it. More than likely it was because we couldn’t afford him. I don’t remember ever coughing, sneezing or wheezing either during or after any Saberjolt outings.) However, I couldn’t tell you what kind … Continue reading

The Basics of Horse Care, Pt. 1

With the Christmas season approaching many of us might be considering giving pets as gifts. I’ve always been clear on my stance: don’t give any animal as a surprise present. Make sure the giftee knows what he or she is receiving and is ready and willing for the responsibilities which come with that particular animal. Maybe some of you are actually thinking about purchasing a particular pet that was always my special holidays dream: a horse. Sure I wanted a dog, but I always thought that might be within the realm of possibility. A horse is what I always wanted … Continue reading

Horsing Around With Animal Genealogy

Those of us that have pets know that they are an important part of our families. The genealogically inclined among us may wish to explore the family history of their furry friends as part of their genealogical research. Unfortunately, I am at a brick wall when it comes to my cat, Patrick. Almost exactly four years ago, I found a young black cat wandering around the yard of the country inn where I was working. I called around to see if he belonged to any of the neighbors, and he did not. He was a skittish little fellow, but one … Continue reading

Pony in My Pockets Teach Horse Breeds

When I was growing up, I knew girls who were into horses. They literally had stables full of different breeds, but in the form of toy representations. Still, they knew what type each horse was and could tell you all kinds of interesting facts about the different breeds. I was reminded of this because the other day I was in Target looking for a birthday gift to send to my friend’s daughter. When we all lived in Jacksonville, I was around Brenda’s oldest daughter all the time. We moved when her youngest was just shy of two, so I haven’t … Continue reading