Category Archives: Music

Seasons Greetings 2016

Happy Holidays

Poem by

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the stable,
the hay in the loft was stacked from floor to gable,
the aisle way was swept and AM grain measured,
as prompt feeding in the morning for the four-leggeds is treasured.

The horses all dozed peacefully in their stalls,
while in their dreams they ran with new Jolly Balls,
Even the barn cats had curled up to sleep,
And the barn mice scurried to find crumb without even a peep.

When out in the drive there arose such a roar,
that several drowsy heads popped over their stall doors,
The diesel pickup truck slowed down and came to a stop,
When what should happen, but the door opened with a pop.

A small girl hopped down onto the ground
And her boots started moving–clearly barn bound
All bundled up in a scarf, coat and mittens,
She paused to leave some toy mice for the big barn kittens.

The heads started bobbing, and eyes shone bright,
because the girl’s special visit was such a delight,
stopping at each door with a carrot in hand,
the girl gave each horse one treat as planned.

When all of the sudden came a soft nicker,
and the girl gasped and hurried all the quicker,
She moved towards the stall at the end of the row
Where a small pair of ears were pricked & eyes were aglow.

The girl’s face broke into a smile
and her best friend, her pony snuffed her face all the while,
She dug out a special apple from her coat
and another nicker broke out from the pony’s throat.

He took the special treat, crunching and munching
While the girl looked on with a shiver, fingers in her mittens bunching
She pulled off the mittens, sticking one hand inside her pony’s rug,
And wrapped her other arm round his neck to give him a hug.

The pony stopped crunching and bowed his head,
to hug the girl back, to make up for words that couldn’t be said,
For he was her pony, and she was his girl,
and they had a bond like none other in the world.

The girl and the pony together were froze,
until the girl gave her pony a kiss on the nose,
To the girl, her pony was the most wondrous sight,
and she whispered to him, Merry Christmas to you and have a good night!

http://eventingnation.com/the-night-before-christmas-a-girl-and-her-pony-edition/

Comments Off on Seasons Greetings 2016

Filed under Music, Nature

Olympic Three Day Eventing Cross Country

If you are like me, then you are missing most of the Olympics. We can still enjoy this music video of Olympic Three Day Eventing Cross Country competition. I recommend, if your computer can handle it, maximizing the quality to HD and playing on full screen.

“A collection of horses and their riders who made it to the 2012 Olympics from recent competitions in the US. It includes a few internationals and the entire US and Canadian Three-Day Event teams. Crank it up!”

Ginny Howe and Cavort at the Sunken Lane during the cross-country phase of Badminton Horse Trials 2009.

Ginny Howe and Cavort at the Sunken Lane during the cross-country phase of Badminton Horse Trials 2009.
Photo by sffubs on Flickr (Creative Commons License)

FEI Eventing

2. Cross-Country Test The focus of the entire event is on the Cross-Country test, the objective of which is to test the ability of athletes and horses to adpat to different and variable conditions (weather, terrain, obstacles, footing etc…) and jumping ability of the horse, while at the same time demonstrating the rider’s knowledge of pace and the use of his horse. Exceeding the time allowed and refusals result in penalties. All penalties are added together and recorded for inclusion in the final classification. Fall of a horse and/or of a rider entails immediate elimination.

Video length: 13 minutes 33 seconds (can enjoy any small section)
Published on Jul 28, 2012 by 
Buzzterbrown is Lance. He films upper level eventing and jumper shows in USEA Area II with a Lumix GH1 camera. The camera can do lovely clear slo-mo. Lance has a great eye and steady hand for filming.

London 2012 Equestrian

Horses & riders in order of appearance in the video. They are amazing athletes. The horses really seem to be enjoying their runs.

The good horses love it! When you take them up to the lorry or dress them up [to go to an event], it’s like they’re off going to a party. – British equestrian, Mary King (interview)

Britain:
Opposition Buzz + Nicola Wilson (WEG 2010)
Miners Frolic + Kristina Cook (WEG 2010)
Imperial Cavalier + Mary King (WEG 2010)

Australia:
HP Leilani + Chris Burton (WEG 2010)
Rutherglen + Andrew Hoy (Rolex 2012)

Netherlands:
Oncarlos + Tim Lipps (WEG 2010)

New Zealand:
Nereo + Andrew Nicholson (WEG 2010)
Clifton Promise + Jonathan Paget (WEG 2010)

Germany:
Sam + Michael Jung (WEG 2010)
Butts Abraxxas + Ingrid Klimke (WEG 2010)

France:
Hidalgo de L’ile + Nicolas Touzaint (Rolex 2009, WEG 2010)

Belgium:
Gazelle de la Brasserie + Karin Donckers (WEG 2010)

Sweden:
Mister Pooh + Niklas Lindback (WEG 2010)

Brazil:
Tom Bombadill Too + Ruy Fonseca (WEG 2010)

Canada: (5:40)
Riddle Master + Rebecca Howard (Rolex 2011, WEG 2010)
Gin & Juice + Hawley Bennet-Awad (The Fork 2012, WEG 2010)
Exponential + Jessica Phoenix (WEG 2010, Rolex 2011)
Kilrodan Abbott + Peter Barry (Rolex 2011, Rolex 2012)
Amistad + Michelle Mueller (Fairhill 2008)

USA: (9:18)
Twizzel + Will Coleman (Fairhill 2008, Redhills 2011, Rolex 2011, Rolex 2012) Mr. MedicottKaren O’Connor (The Fork 2012, Rolex 2012)
Ringwood Magister + Tiana Coudray (Rolex 2011)
Mystery Whisper + Phillip Dutton (The Fork 2012)
Otis Barbotiere + Boyd Martin ( Fairhill Spring 2011, Fairhill Spring 2012, Rolex 2012)

FÉDÉRATION EQUESTRE INTERNATIONALE
“The primary mission of the FEI is to advance the orderly growth of equestrian sport worldwide by promoting, regulating and administering humane and sportsmanlike international competition in the traditional equestrian disciplines” – FEI Mission Statement.

Comments Off on Olympic Three Day Eventing Cross Country

Filed under Music, Riding

Bonding with your horse

“Somewhere Only We Know” is universal feelings of the special moments bonding with your horse. Natalie and her 16.2h TB gelding were together for 2 years before she had to sell him. Indy is missed, but has a good home.

“He’s finally ‘let me in’. Although he’s always difficult to understand, I think I’ve finally come to trust him. Even if it’s taken this long… sometimes that’s how long it takes. If I could keep him, believe me I would…” – Natalie

I find Natalie’s videos quite poetic. The thoughts Natalie expresses in some of her videos and descriptions reminds me of the feelings that I had with my horses as a teenager. She speaks of nostalgia, as well as accepting loss and change. Life is definitely full of loss and change and memories.

My parents got me my first horses when I was just 13 years old. Those horses kept me busy and out of trouble as a teenager and young adult. I thank my parents for supporting my dream of having horses in my life. Both my parents are now gone and I’m having to accept that I will never see them again. This video touched my heart and brought up a lot of feelings and memories. Those days of youth with my horses and family were some of the best. I make new memories with my horses spending time each day bonding with them and find peace.

Video length: 1 minute 58 seconds
Music:  “Somewhere Only We Know” by the band Keane. They are are an English alternative rock band from Battle, East Sussex, formed in 1997.
Uploaded by  on Sep 10, 2010

(Note: This was originally intended to be published on 07/25/12 for my Wednesday music video, but seems I goofed getting it properly scheduled making a skipped week.)

“Somewhere Only We Know”

I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
I felt the earth beneath my feet
Sat by the river and it made me complete
Oh simple thing where have you gone?
I’m getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you’re gonna let me in
I’m getting tired and I need somewhere to begin

I came across a fallen tree
I felt the branches of it looking at me
Is this the place we used to love?
Is this the place that I’ve been dreaming of?

Oh simple thing where have you gone?
I’m getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you’re gonna let me in
I’m getting tired and I need somewhere to begin

And if you have a minute why don’t we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don’t we go
Somewhere only we know?

Oh simple thing where have you gone?
I’m getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you’re gonna let me in
I’m getting tired and I need somewhere to begin

And if you have a minute why don’t we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don’t we go
So why don’t we go

This could be the end of everything
So why don’t we go
Somewhere only we know?
Somewhere only we know

This could be the end of everything,
So why don’t we go,
Somewhere only we know,
Somewhere only we know,
Somewhere only we know.

Comments Off on Bonding with your horse

Filed under Music

Szilvásvárad Lipizzaner Stud Farm

Lipizzaner stallion in Szilvásvárad, Hungari

Hungarian National Lipizzaner Stud Farm Szilvásvárad

This is a video clip from “A Bükk fehér sziklái” (“The White Cliffs of Beech”) about the Hungarian National Lipizzaner Stud Farm at Szilvásvárad. The stud’s mission is to maintain the Hungarian Lippizaners.

Four hundred years of selective breeding have made the Lipizzan horse one of Europe’s oldest breeds. They were developed to be a strategic asset by the Habsburg nobility. The breed was created to be a sensible and strong war horse, as well as a royal coach horse, and is noted for a sturdy body, brilliant action and proud carriage. The breed has an intelligent and docile disposition.

Two hundred years ago there were blacks, browns, chestnuts, duns and even piebalds and skewbalds, but a white coat was preferred by the nobility. A grey is born black and has dark skin and eyes. Their coat color slowly changes to grey and then becomes pure white over a period of six to ten years. Most Lipizzaners today are grey with only a very few non-grey bay or black.

The breeding of Lipizzaner horses in Hungary began in the early 1800s. In 1953 the State Stud of Szilvásvárad was established in the Bükk mountains. This area is similar to Lipica where the breed originated.  The limestone soil of both areas gives the Lipizzaners sturdy bones, toughness and excellent feet.

There is beautiful cinematography of the Lipizzaners in the Bükk mountains. The director of photography is Pintér András.

Video length: 2 minutes 55 seconds
Music: Excerpt from “Bombay Theme” by AR Rahman
Uploaded by  on Dec 30, 2009

History of the Breed

Learn more about the Lipizzaner

 

Comments Off on Szilvásvárad Lipizzaner Stud Farm

Filed under Music

Amusing a bored horse

The intelligent Maari, an Icelandic mare, can get a bit bored when her friendly human can’t come out to play. A large cardboard box taped closed with a few hay cubes inside makes a great puzzle for a bored horse. The other little horse is Toseland, who has a nice roll.

Maari, the Icelandic mare, peers into the window.

Come out and play with me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krU5cCHPByQ

Video length: 3 minutes 2 seconds
Music: “If I Had a Boat” sung by Lyle Lovett, an American singer-songwriter and actor.
Uploaded by  on Sep 26, 2010

The window Maari is peering in is an artist studio. Aud Fischer of Creek Valley Critters is a wonderful artist and sculptor. Her Youtube channel is delightful. She uses clicker training methods and hand rears baby mice.

Have a great Wednesday!

Lyrics

If I had a boat
I’d go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I’d ride him on my boat
And we could all together
Go out on the ocean
Me upon my pony on my boat

If I were Roy Rogers
I’d sure enough be single
I couldn’t bring myself to marrying old Dale
It’d just be me and trigger
We’d go riding through them movies
Then we’d buy a boat and on the sea we’d sail

And if I had a boat
I’d go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I’d ride him on my boat
And we could all together
Go out on the ocean
Me upon my pony on my boat

The mystery masked man was smart
He got himself a Tonto
‘Cause Tonto did the dirty work for free
But Tonto he was smarter
And one day said kemo sabe
Kiss my ass I bought a boat
I’m going out to sea

And if I had a boat
I’d go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I’d ride him on my boat
And we could all together
Go out on the ocean
Me upon my pony on my boat

And if I were like lightning
I wouldn’t need no sneakers
I’d come and go wherever I would please
And I’d scare ’em by the shade tree
And I’d scare ’em by the light pole
But I would not scare my pony on my boat out on the sea

And if I had a boat
I’d go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I’d ride him on my boat
And we could all together
Go out on the ocean
Me upon my pony on my boat

1 Comment

Filed under Music

America’s wild horse bridleless – Happy July 4th

 An Act Of Congress
“Congress finds and declares that wild free-roaming horses and burros are living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West; (and) that they contribute to the diversity of life forms within the Nation and enrich the lives of the American people …”
(Public Law 92-195, December 15, 1971)

The Fourth of July, or Independence Day, is a USA federal holiday that celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of the Independence on July 4th, 1776. What better way than celebrating with America’s wild horse, the Mustang, a symbol of freedom, the American flag and the American anthem combined.

Sadie, the BLM Mustang, ridden in just a cordero (bridleless).

Sadie, BLM Mustang

The rider is Marietta Roby. The horse is Sadie, a BLM Mustang. Sadie was rescued after being abused by a prior adopter. She was angry and aggressive. She and Marietta have been partners since 2004, since Sadie was about 4.

Home of Marietta Roby and Sadi: Bentwire Ranch
Event held at Pony Pros.

Uploaded by  on Feb 7, 2010
Music: “Star Spangled Banner” – United States of America national anthem – by Francis Scott Key.  Singer is LeAnn Rimeswebsite.
Video length: 2 minutes 10 seconds

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management protects, manages, and controls wild horses and burros under the authority of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971. The BLM rounds up horses and burros periodically to manage land resources, then offers them for adoption under strict rules to qualified individuals. After properly caring for an animal for one year, the adopter is eligible to receive title, or ownership, from the Federal government.  The BLM has placed more than 225,000 wild horses and burros into private ownership since 1971.

There is  still a great need to get the word out that Mustangs can make excellent companion riding horses. Even older Mustangs can be trained, if given a chance through adoption. In 2007 the Extreme Mustang Makeover events began. The Mustang Heritage Foundation has facilitated the adoptions of more than 3,300 gentled American Mustangs.

Learn how to adopt a wild Mustang.

1 Comment

Filed under Citizenship, Music

Liberty & bridleless (Alegria)

Delphine Boonkens with PRE gelding, Contigo

Delphine Boonkens with PRE gelding, Contigo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad3SunpHYCs
PRE Spanish gelding, Contigo, working at liberty and bridleless with Delphine Boonkens. She does clinics and shows (spectacles équestres) in Europe with her horses and little dog.

Video length: 4 minutes 42 seconds
Music: “Alegria” by Cirque de Soleil
Uploaded by  on Oct 28, 2007

French language website: http://www.delphineboonkens.com/

Her former website with good photos of her horses:
http://spectacle-equestre.skynetblogs.be/

Delphine Boonkens with PRE gelding, Contigo

Delphine Boonkens with PRE gelding, Contigo

Comments Off on Liberty & bridleless (Alegria)

Filed under Music

Polocrosse – Wednesday Music video

Wednesday Music video featuring 2011 USA World Cup Polocrosse Squad | Me And My Gang

Video length: 3 minutes 38 seconds
Polocrosse Exhibition match at the Las Colinas Polo and International Sports Club in Irving, TX.

Music: “Me and My Gang” by Rascal Flatts
Uploaded by  on May 12, 2010

Polocrosse by Kenski1970 on Flickr - child playing

Polocrosse by Kenski1970 on Flickr (Creative Commons)

Polocrosse is played on horseback and is a combination of polo, lacrosse and netball.  A team consists of six players, divided into two sections of three who play alternate chukkas of eight minutes each, usually 4 chukkas comprise a full match.  Each rider uses a cane stick made up of a polo stick shaft with a squash racquet type head with a loose twisted-thread net. The ball is carried in the stick’s net. The ball is made of thick- skinned sponge rubber and is approximately four inches across. Unlike polo, players are allowed only to play one horse, except in the case of injury.  Players can pick up the ball from the ground, catch it in their racquet, and ride with it, and toss it to other players.

Polocrosse looks like a blast. I like that in Australia it is a family sport and played by young and old.

 Polocrosse on Flickr by Kenski1970

Polocrosse by Kenski1970 on Flickr (Creative Commons)

Wikipedia – Polocrosse

Polocrosse Worldwide

The Polocrosse Association of Australia, Inc.

The American Polocrosse Association

Watching some polocrosse on Youtube convinced me that Australian saddles were very good for helping hold you in the saddle, which is one of the reasons that I bought one.

Comments Off on Polocrosse – Wednesday Music video

Filed under Music

“Boten Anna”: Hanging out with Jarpur, the young Icelandic horse

“Are you ready?” It’s time for another Wednesday music video.

A young lady in Denmark spends time hanging out with her Icelandic horse, Jarpur.

Video length: 4 minutes 48 seconds
Uploaded by  on Jul 17, 2006

Music: “Boten Anna” (“Anna the Bot”) is a song by Swedish eurodance musician Jonas Erik Altberg. He is better known by his stage name ” Basshunter “.

The Swedish lyrics of Boten Anna tell the story of a female IRC chat user mistaken for an IRC bot by the vocalist who later finds out the truth; subsequently, however, he states that she will always remain a bot in his eyes. The song is based on an actual experience of Jonas Erik Altberg.

An IRC bot is a set of scripts or an independent program that connects to Internet Relay Chat as a client, and so appears to other IRC users as another user.

His friend said he would create a bot with administrative capabilities to keep order in his channel, #BassHunter.se; when this happened Jonas saw a new user with administrative capabilities named Anna enter the channel, and naturally thought this was the bot. Months later, he learned that Anna was actually not a bot, but was his friend’s girlfriend; the embarrassment, he says, inspired him to create the song.

– http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boten_Anna

Comments Off on “Boten Anna”: Hanging out with Jarpur, the young Icelandic horse

Filed under Music

Blind horse dances – Music

Cash, from last Wednesday’s ‘Just for Grins’ post, showed that a blind horse can have a good life. This music video is of Filur Horsdal, a 22 year old blind Knabstrupper stallion, trained by Bent Branderup at “The Art of Academic Riding” school in Denmark.

Filur Horsdal, a 22 year old blind Knabstrupper stallion, ridden by Bent Branderup at "The Art of Academic Riding" school in Denmark.

Filur was born in 1990.


Video length: 3 minutes 40 seconds
Music: Classical piano
Uploaded by  on Sep 21, 2011

Filur has a companion named Hugin, who is also a blind Knabstrupper stallion. Hugin was treated to some tasty flowers for his 25th birthday. He is blind, but knows his treat is coming.

Hugin, the blind Knabstrupper stallion, is treated to some tasty flowers for his birthday by Bent Branderup.

Hugin, the blind Knabstrupper stallion, is treated to some tasty flowers for his birthday by Bent Branderup.

 


Video length: 4 minutes 1 second
Music: Classical piano

Hugin, the blind Knabstrupper stallion, rolls with enthusiasm on his 25th birthday.

Hugin enjoys a roll and a shake on his 25th birthday.

The Knabstrupper breed registry was established in 1812 starting with a single chestnut blanketed mare purchased by a Danish butcher from a Spanish cavalry officer. The mare was bred to a Fredricksborg stallion and produced a wildly colored stallion son. These two horses became the foundation of the Danish breed. American Appaloosas were introduced in the 1970s to add genetic diversity.

1 Comment

Filed under Horse health, Music, Riding