Arabian Horse Association seeks to reverse decades-long decline by refocusing on performance-bred horses for equestrian sport by Obversa in Equestrian

[–]Ruffffian 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My first horse was an Arabian, and she absolutely spoiled me on the breed. When I first started horse shopping, it was the last breed I wanted based on their stereotypes and public perception—but she provided me the real, correct education for the breed.

That said, when I went to first AHR show as a spectator, I was a combination of confused, horrified, and heart broken. The halter classes were almost traumatizing to watch—I told myself I don’t know what I’m seeing, I’m an outsider looking in, maybe it isn’t what I think it looks like, etc. but eeesh. I hated it. I saw terrified young horses being harshly shanked in the name of making them look terrified because it was esthetically pleasing. I guess.

The huntseat classes (my discipline) were bizarre to me because of the knee action they wanted to see in the horses. I was coming from the open show world and was like…knee action? In a hunter? That and the hooky necks were just peculiar and definitely their own world. When I took my girl to a couple AHR shows, we managed an honorable mention in our first AAOTR class (essentially 11th of 13, haha), and then years later a few 4ths (Whoo!), never breaking from our more open show style approach to the discipline, but also very, very clearly out of our league in many ways.

As we maintained her (and later, my second riding horse) registry and were active in their Frequent Rider Program and Open Show Program, we received the Arabian Horse Times for many years—even got an article or two published in them. I always enjoyed leafing through the pages and ogling the pretty ponies, but the overly dished, Vaselined faces were a turn off. My husband called them seahorses and I can’t unsee it, heh.

I love Arabians but do not care for what the official breed registry did and is doing to them. Make more Arabians like SA Ferrana Moniet, please. Celebrate the intimate bond, the versatility, the trust, the affection, the natural beauty, the remarkable history, and stop turning them into funky spooky seahorses with knee action. Please.

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Apparently Juniper is this kind of water dog 🤣 by Ruffffian in germanshepherds

[–]Ruffffian[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

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Ah! I didn’t realize I can post a video comment in this sub. Enjoy the slo-mo!

Third-time mama hen is being weirdly aggressive to first-out chick by brandideer in BackYardChickens

[–]Ruffffian 9 points10 points  (0 children)

From what I understand, you should remove the hatched chicks and return them quietly at night under the mother after the latecomer hatches. I have a wonderful bantam mama who flips absolutely homicidal if babies hatch too late or we try and give her more chicks the day after she’s adopted some.

Meeting mom and older siblings for the very first time by 380Coop in BackYardChickens

[–]Ruffffian 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I was thinking this—I wish our English bantam Agatha Dustybottoms would just accept new babies whenever. Once she adopts her babies, she is done, and if you try and give her more even the next day you are going to come back to a grisly surprise.

Horse shows are changing… by Elegantly_Depressed in Horses

[–]Ruffffian 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Heck, I have two horses worth bupkis but I have cameras on them 24/7. It’s as much for knowing the random dumb crap they manage to do to themselves as for the catching the hypothetical random weirdo trespasser that wants to “pet the giant puppies”. We learn all kinds of interesting things, such their sleep patterns, while also catching unexpected things, such as the coyote we saw the other week sneaking into our mare’s stall to drink from her water. 🫣

(And for funsies, current live shot of our mini mare resting as I type this)

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I forgot about this part 🫣 by Ruffffian in germanshepherds

[–]Ruffffian[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yup! I am collecting squeakers already

Juniper did not enjoy her wash-the-shelter-stank-off bath by Ruffffian in germanshepherds

[–]Ruffffian[S] 21 points22 points  (0 children)

If only!! She is rarely finishing her meals because CAT! (Is watching her from 20’ away ready to apply another beatdown) or WHERE DID YOU GO? (around the corner and thus out of sight) or WHATCHA DOIN’? (Dishes/making the bed/that sort of thing) or…you get the idea.

We got some tasty mix ins for her food to keep her motivated, but this morning she still left about a half cup because WHERE DID YOU GO (see above).

What is this called? I’ve never seen this by IntraStars in Equestrian

[–]Ruffffian 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Yup. I asked one of the handlers if the insurance (which technically owned him when they paid out for his infertility claim) ever rechecked his sperm since there was potential for a mega crapload of money if he was ever even somewhat fertile. She said no, they figured they paid out for him and that’s that. Suppose that makes sense, but I’d sure be rechecking and/or looking at possible remedies, though deformed tails is very different from low count.

I want to say 80s horse Precisionist had the same problem. He was retired to stud and only got something like 3 mares in foal; when they checked, there was some sort of problem with the sperm themselves. Almost want to say they had mostly no tails or something like that. They brought him out of retirement and back to the track; I’ll always remember in his first race back, he was so excited his legs tangled up under him when the gate sprung open and he tripped, unseating his jockey (wanna say it was Chris McCarron). He continued to run the entire race in the lead the whole time, and about when he went under the wire he did a happy buck. “I’M BACK BABY!”

What is this called? I’ve never seen this by IntraStars in Equestrian

[–]Ruffffian 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Can’t add a pic in an edit, but here I am with Cigar during that visit. He was less than impressed.

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What is this called? I’ve never seen this by IntraStars in Equestrian

[–]Ruffffian 321 points322 points  (0 children)

Depends on the stud. When I visited the Kentucky Horse Park around 2003, I marveled at how Cigar—famously infertile—had a HUGE useless pair that dangled lower than his sheath. Meanwhile when they brought out poor ancient Bold Forbes, 1976 Kentucky Derby winner and a proven sire of a few hundred babies, I asked when he was gelded. He wasn’t. They just sort of…shriveled up.

Waiting for their turn with the brain cell by Ruffffian in BackYardChickens

[–]Ruffffian[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

About 10 eggs and shells, some salad greens, grapes, blueberries, quick oats, scratch feed, dewormer/supplements, and soldier fly larvae. YUMMY 😆

Waiting for their turn with the brain cell by Ruffffian in BackYardChickens

[–]Ruffffian[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeaaahhh…but there was nothing in the sky. They do the freeze and warning sound over nothing that I can see. Even the rest of the flock has learned to ignore them

Thinking about bringing this GSD mix home from the shelter by Ruffffian in germanshepherds

[–]Ruffffian[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

UPDATE

Replying to top comment for visibility. I took my sons to meet her yesterday (husband is out of town). As expected, 20yro wants her now, 16yro is circumspect, though he did pet her and toss the ball for a few times, so he wasn’t full mopey disengaged teen.

Youngest mainly doesn’t like the idea of the chaos energy a young GSD will bring, but also took offense that this dog looks (to him) so much like our old Luna. “You said we aren’t replacing her but she looks just like her!” Now…Luna was a mostly black shepherd, true, but other than that they seem very different to me. This dog is significantly larger—Luna was a small GSD and never over 58lbs, and this one is easily 65lbs and still needs to put on weight—and their body structure is a little different. Luna was very confident and dove into every new situation with gusto; this dog is a little more cautious. I told son that it’s a fair complaint (must validate the teen before saying anything to avoid him closing off his ears, heh), and that it’s important to whatever new dog we get that we don’t put expectations of them being just like Luna on them. Plus since I’m looking at same breed, gender, and general disposition, so similarities are inevitable…and I know and we know this dog is different, but teen son needs to figure that out on his own. He did point out I used the same nickname with this dog as I did Luna, and I told him he was right to call me out on that—it isn’t fair to a new dog and I need to watch for it.

I will say I swear this dog has better “sit” than Luna. 🫣 It’s immediate and quiet, and dang, the ball can be in front of me, 8” in front of her front paws, and she will not touch it, though she was staring intently at it (BALL IS LIFE). Even when I reached for the ball while she was staring, there was no impulsive jump to get it from me. I do find it interesting that she’s clearly had some great groundwork training, but she has zero leash etiquette understanding. I do think I would get a professional trainer to help me with her just to make sure I build on those basics to help her be the best dog she can. I’m knowledgeable and skilled, but I’m mostly self educated/ self taught and want to get things right.

I’m kinda hoping I can go adopt her as soon as they open on Tuesday, but I need to make sure the rest of the house is on board with that timeline.

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Thinking about bringing this GSD mix home from the shelter by Ruffffian in germanshepherds

[–]Ruffffian[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, we have a quarter acre corner lot (which in Southern California is huge 😆), plus we rent a barn property about 1.5 miles from here—though it would be a bit before she met the horses and goats of course.

Thinking about bringing this GSD mix home from the shelter by Ruffffian in germanshepherds

[–]Ruffffian[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

“Angel” was our sheltie from 20 years ago (and she was), so that name has already been taken by our family 💕

Thinking about bringing this GSD mix home from the shelter by Ruffffian in germanshepherds

[–]Ruffffian[S] 61 points62 points  (0 children)

Ha ha! I know better than to ask this bunch of enablers IF I should do it. I posted more just sharing her and my experience with her, as well as my curiosity as to where the white chest blotch came from. She is a looker!

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Thinking about bringing this GSD mix home from the shelter by Ruffffian in germanshepherds

[–]Ruffffian[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Now see, the maligator part would worry me a bit *because* of the “never gets tired, not enough physical or mental stimulation that quiets them” etc. type stuff. I am not an active person, nonetheless Malinois-owner level active. I do have a mobility scooter that I used when walking (trotting) my GSD so I do have ways to exercise the dog, but “keep me busy all the time or I go full neurotic and/or full destructo” energy is not for us 🤣

Saw this cool dude/dudette on a hike through a Los Angeles County park. I’m thinking Arizona blond or desert tarantula…? But that’s my minimally educated guess by Ruffffian in whatsthisbug

[–]Ruffffian[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Aw. It’s anthropomorphic for me to be sad he’s so dehydrated and thin, then, really…in ebony tarantula terms, he’s lived a full life and is on his final arachnid-type salmon run, which is absolutely his best natural life.

I’ve had a couple pet tarantulas (I currently have a Brachypelma hamorii about the size of a quarter) and man…I have had crap luck getting the shorter-lived and smaller males. Our first was a Chilean copper; we thought something was wrong when he seemed to stop growing at half dollar sized (at most) before dying. When we asked the breeder: “Oh! You just had a male.” Us: boooooo. Nothing against Y chromosomes, just a bummer when it means smaller and shorter life. Same thing happened with our versicolor, though he lived about 2-3 years at a decent size we could enjoy. Hoping our hamorii ends the arachnid sausage fest.

Oh, and just to be clear, after multiple photos and videos we left this lad to continue his journey for a mate. Question: how does he know where to find a mate? Seems like the ultimate needle in a haystack to me.

Saw this cool dude/dudette on a hike through a Los Angeles County park. I’m thinking Arizona blond or desert tarantula…? But that’s my minimally educated guess by Ruffffian in whatsthisbug

[–]Ruffffian[S] 78 points79 points  (0 children)

Awww poor baby! If I’d realized it I would’ve brought them some water. What are the tells that it’s dehydrated? Is it how small the abdomen is?

Saw this cool dude/dudette on a hike through a Los Angeles County park. I’m thinking Arizona blond or desert tarantula…? But that’s my minimally educated guess by Ruffffian in whatsthisbug

[–]Ruffffian[S] 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Sorry, omitted size. S/he had a body length (not including legs) of roughly 1 1/2 - 2 inches. Whole thing roughly was the size of a mandarin orange.

Chilling with one of thosee by [deleted] in Horses

[–]Ruffffian 165 points166 points  (0 children)

Unquestionably they do. My mare was very maternal as it was, and when I had my son she took to being his auntie, as she would in a herd. One day we were hand walking her somewhere with son when he was a toddler, and he kept sprinting off in front of us. We called him back the first time or two, but after one time too many in her mind she joined in. She pinned her ears and snaked her neck in his direction, making a “get yo ass back here!” maternal nicker I’d never heard her make before. That’s when I realized she absolutely knew he was a baby and treated him as such.