October 2020 Issue

Page 30 October 2020 EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN Print subscribers get FREE classifieds! FREE Print subscribers get FREE non-commercial classified ads! Just email your non-commercial (events, horses/trailers/tack for sale, boarding/lessons/training etc.) classified, 35 words or less to steph@eastcoaste- questrian.net . Be sure to include your name and mailing address as it appears on your subscription label. (Not a print subscriber? Sign up online at eastcoastequestrian.net .) Classifieds can run in more than one issue but must be resubmitted each month. Deadline is the 12th of the month before publication. By Malorie de la Mare Dear Mal… My 29 year-old gelding seems healthy, but I’ve noticed some changes in his behavior. Granted, I am sort of a wor- ry-wort, and some might say I obsess about his health. So, trying to keep things in perspective, here are some things I’ve noticed. He used to let me feed him little carrots, one by one. Now, when I give him a carrot, he drops it. When I dump several small carrots in his food bucket, he will eat them without any apparent problems. Until recently I would bring him out of his stall most days and let him eat grass while I brushed him. Now he resists coming out of his stall. Once I get him out to the grass, he’s fine. But still, it seems there’s some- thing else going on. Do you think he’s depressed? Or sick? What do you think I should do? -Worried Dear Worried… Let’s get one thing off the table right away. There is no such thing as “obsessing” about your horse’s health. The use of that word implies some sort of mental problem on your part. It is your job to be concerned about your horse. Since he cannot scream at passersby “Hey! Someone get me a doctor! I think I’m sick!”, it is up to you to monitor his health and his behavior and know when he is behaving abnormally. You are ultimately responsible for his health and well-being and the more you care about him (which you obviously do), the heavier that burden becomes. Now that we’ve cleared away all the irrele- vancies, let us take a look at what is happening with your horse. At 29, he’s vulnerable to some age-related health issues, and these can manifest themselves in many ways, from behavior changes to difficulty in eating. The first thing you should do is ask your vet to take a look at him, and don’t neglect to tell your vet about your observations. It’s pos- sible your horse’s teeth are both- ering him and that’s why he has trouble taking carrots from your hand. But you won’t know until you have him examined thor- oughly. Your horse’s age is not a death sentence, though. There are plenty of conditions that affect older horses that can be man- aged effectively. You’re doing a great job by recognizing what is normal and not normal in your horse’s behavior and attitude, and that is the first step to getting him the care he needs. Take care of You Won’t Eat My Carrots Anymore yourself and love every moment with your horse. He’s a lucky guy to have you in his life. Dear Mal… This may seem like a silly question, but it’s been vexing me for several months. We recently moved to a pretty rural area with a lot of farms. I drive by a big (it looks big to me, anyway) horse farm almost every day. There are about 10 or 15 horses in the pasture, and they all look like they’re in the peaceable kingdom. They don’t seem to be doing much more than eating grass and occasionally sniffing each other. It’s all very lovely, and I wonder whether horses just naturally get along with each other? There are some small groups and some “loners,” but none of them seems to be aggressive. What’s up with that? Do they know something we humans don’t? -Curious Dear Curious… Some of us believe that horses have achieved that higher level of awareness, a sort of Zen state in which they see the world and each other differently. Ha! Just kidding. Horses that are introduced to each other care- fully form relatively peaceful groups and can enjoy each other’s company without much fussing. But there are some horses that simply cannot figure out how to get along with each other. In that regard, they are very much like humans. Horses go at each oth- er—not in playful ways—for rea- sons that are hard to understand. Sometimes a dominant horse will decide that other horses need to be reminded of their status, and they will do something to demonstrate their superior posi- tion in the herd. There are horses that—by virtue of age or possible infirmities—should be kept only with horses that seem to have little or no dominance issues. And mares are not turned out with geldings. Good horsekeeping is both an art and a science. Horses need to have plenty of forage, plenty of space and access to plenty of water. And they need to be monitored to ensure that everyone is getting along. The peaceable kingdom you see on your drive is obviously managed by thoughtful, careful people who understand that horses are sentient creatures with their own ideas about whom they want to hang around with. Have a question for Mal? Email her at PAEquest@aol. com. Go ahead... Ask da Mare FARMS HORSES MISC. Horse Lay Ups: 20 minute drive to New Bolton Center/ University Of Pennsylvania Vet School. (No self care avail- able). Owner owned and run. Over 30 years experience. Two references requested. Rates upon request. 610-721-5902. Foaling Stalls: Limited space available for mares that want to foal in Pennsylvania. 20 minute drive to New Bolton Center/University Of Penn- sylvania Vet School. Over 30 years experience. Reasonable rates. 610-721-5902. TRAINING: Westfield Farm LLC, Tailored for horse and owner. ALL Breeds and disci- plines. We will make your trail horse safe or a winning show horse More info at Westfield- farmllc.com or CALL 717-432-2828. Travel Possible. Great Care at Barn in Southern Chester County, PA. Indoor and Outdoor rings, round pen and trails. Stall board $450/month, Field $325. Vet references available, 20+ years experience, nice people. Judy 610-368-3822 Quiet, no stress 40-acre facility 10 min. to DE Memorial & Commodore Barry bridges, adjacent to 38 mi. of marked/ GPS trails. Lit round pen/are- na, ¼ mi. track, wooded jump & competitive trail courses. $300 pasture/$500 stall board. 609-617-2118. HORSES 4 Year Old TB Gelding: Very reasonably priced. 16 and 1 hands. Dark bay. Very quiet. Sound. Trail rides. Paper chase. Green in the ring. Lovely ground manners. Ships/clips. Good home only. 610-721-5902. Large Chestnut Colt: Full brother to Devon/Upperville Winner. Unregistered TB. PA Bred. Will win on the line. Very athletic. Good mover. 610-721-5902 Beautiful, big, Black 6 yo WB mare free to best home w/refer- ences. NOT RIDEABLE due to injury. Sweet, healthy, well man- nered. Pasture companion, natural horsemanship, embryo transfer recipient. Current negative coggins, UTD on all vaccines. Roberteefford@gmail.com . Omega Horse Rescue located in Airville, PA has a variety of horses and ponies ready for their forever homes! Please visit our website to see pictures, videos and how you can help! www.omegahorserescue.com Better than right off the track! The PTHA's Turning for Home, Inc. always has OTTBs that are properly rehabbed, retrained and ready for their new careers. Find your next horse at www.turningforhome.org or call 215-808-7562. TB broodmare-multiple winner/ producer. 16h, Sound, correct, beautiful mover, no vices. Sells open or with 2021 season to MD 5K sire. Family also excels in show ring. Reasonably priced. 410-207-6830 8 yr OTTB mare - 15h2, sound, athletic, easy keeper, let down, some retraining, no vices. Pleasant and kind, will excel in any discipline. Reasonably priced. 410-207-6830 Two PA bred yearling race prospects out of proven mares. Filly by Weigelia and gelding by Red Vine, 1/2 brother to a winner of $300,000. Call 610- 384-5540 or text 610-914-5317 For Sale: skito endurance/ western saddle pads; mesh fly sheets; good condition kerrits & never worn irideon all full seat breeches; Tory leather complete western bridle; Bobby's English tack headstall; can email pics; millerjw2@verizon.net CATS: Barn homes in Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery Counties, PA. are needed to give rescued strays a chance at life. Cats are neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated; delivered and acclimated. Fill out an application to adopt at StrayCatBlues.org or call 215-631-1851 Massey Ferguson 3006 Rotary Mower for sale. Like new, garage kept, galvanized fit- tings, pick up bed liner sprayed under deck for protection. Photo’s available, located in Oxford PA. 610-608-6393 Very nice red pony cart with 3 seated wooden front seat, open back. Children and I decorat- ed and won many Christmas Parades. Made in the Amish Country. Garage kept. Asking $600.00. 724-562-8677 TRAILERS 2003 Adam gooseneck all aluminum trailer. 24 ft. with 44” short wall dressing room. Insulated, paneled. $10,000 negotiable. Call 607-794-7232. Exiss 6 Horse slant aluminum gooseneck 2001. Stainless nose. Lighted, carpeted dress- ing room. Extra rear com- partment. Many saddle/bridle racks. Everything removable to enlarge stalls or fit carts. 7'6"ht. Extremely nice condition. $17,800. OBO 717-432-2828 Plantation Field Loses its Lease loss to the eventing community. There is no question for me that having more racial diversity in our sport should be one of the sport’s goals. It is something that Evie and I have worked on and felt strongly about for some time. Our everyday actions are more important than names, and I am confident that Plantation has proven its good intentions by its actions in the past.” The Future USEA CEO Rob Burk and USEA President Max Corcoran provided this statement: "Having this historic com- petition close isn't the right result for the sport, and the USEA is working hard to find a solution. The organizer and landowners operate exceptional events on a beautiful piece of land. We are deeply sensitive to the history of the word ‘plantation’ and its connection to slavery; howev- er, this property has no known connections to slavery and was instead named after 'plantings' on the property. We understand that neither the organizer nor the landowners have ever intended to cause any discomfort related to the name of the event and to imply otherwise is a disservice to our organizers, landowners, and our sport. The USEA does not have the ability to require an event to change its name as we are required to carry the USEF licensed name of the competi- tion on our calendar of events. However, we are hopeful that an acceptable solution to this issue can be reached." Weilminster stated, “We are working with the USEA to ad- dress the implications of the loss of this event and will collaborate together on potential solutions as we look at the upcoming 2021 competition calendar.” (Continued from page 7)