What's on your mind today?

[Firebird]

Sorry to hear that Budhorse. Nothing serious, I hope?

I got almost no sleep again last night. Got called from work around 2:30 am (unnecessarily so) and couldn't fall back asleep after that. Think I'll have to take a hit of Ativan or Ambien tonight.

[Buddy]

Benadryl helps me when I can't sleep.

[The Magic Pudding]

Filet Mignon

This simple French classic serves 4.

4 four-ounce filets of horse
4 slices bacon
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare exactly as for a filet mignon. Wrap outside of filet with uncooked bacon slice and secure with toothpicks. Broil to taste.




Sauerbraten (Sour Roast)

Practically a German sacrament

2-1/2 lbs. horse meat roast
4 strips bacon (optional)
soup vegetables: carrot, celery, leek (optional), parsley root (optional), onion (optional)
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 pint red wine (optional)
1 garlic clove
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. juniper berries
3 allspice corns and/or cloves
3 peppercorns
1 thyme branch
1/4 cup pork lard
1 Tbsp. flour (optional)
1/2 cup raisins
salt
pepper
maple syrup (to taste)

Vigorously rub the roast with the bacon. Clean and wash the vegetables and cut them into pieces. Bring the vinegar to boil with some water or stock, then let it cool down a bit and add the meat, garlic, spices, and the vegetables. Let it marinade in a closed bowl for several days (but at least 24 hours) in a cool place.

Remove the horse meat from the marinade and roast it in the lard. Then slowly add the marinade, together with the vegetables and the spices. Braise it in the oven for 2 to 21/2 hours at 350 degrees. Remove the bay leaves, the cloves and the juniper berries from the gravy. Strain the gravy, and perhaps thicken it with some flour. Add the raisins and season it with salt, pepper, and maple syrup. Serves 4.

Sale:$449.89

[xSilverPhinx]

I am at my wits end with Vinnie. His behavior has just gotten worse and worse over the last few weeks. Now he is rearing, bucking and bolting out of nowhere. His attitude on the ground isn't much better. I keep telling my mother that I can't sell this horse in good conscience knowing his history and that he is going to hurt someone. He bolted with me out in the field today and I fell and messed up my shoulder pretty bad.

Out of curiosity, what changed between when he left and came back? How was he treated, do you know? ???

[Buddy]

I am at my wits end with Vinnie. His behavior has just gotten worse and worse over the last few weeks. Now he is rearing, bucking and bolting out of nowhere. His attitude on the ground isn't much better. I keep telling my mother that I can't sell this horse in good conscience knowing his history and that he is going to hurt someone. He bolted with me out in the field today and I fell and messed up my shoulder pretty bad.

Out of curiosity, what changed between when he left and came back? How was he treated, do you know? ???

He never left me. He was boarded at a local barn then he was taken to my house. Nothing changed with how he was treated. That's what worries me. His behavior was getting worse at the old barn, so I decided to give him time off over winter, but it seems to have made him worse.

Filet Mignon

This simple French classic serves 4.

4 four-ounce filets of horse
4 slices bacon
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare exactly as for a filet mignon. Wrap outside of filet with uncooked bacon slice and secure with toothpicks. Broil to taste.




Sauerbraten (Sour Roast)

Practically a German sacrament

2-1/2 lbs. horse meat roast
4 strips bacon (optional)
soup vegetables: carrot, celery, leek (optional), parsley root (optional), onion (optional)
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 pint red wine (optional)
1 garlic clove
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. juniper berries
3 allspice corns and/or cloves
3 peppercorns
1 thyme branch
1/4 cup pork lard
1 Tbsp. flour (optional)
1/2 cup raisins
salt
pepper
maple syrup (to taste)

Vigorously rub the roast with the bacon. Clean and wash the vegetables and cut them into pieces. Bring the vinegar to boil with some water or stock, then let it cool down a bit and add the meat, garlic, spices, and the vegetables. Let it marinade in a closed bowl for several days (but at least 24 hours) in a cool place.

Remove the horse meat from the marinade and roast it in the lard. Then slowly add the marinade, together with the vegetables and the spices. Braise it in the oven for 2 to 21/2 hours at 350 degrees. Remove the bay leaves, the cloves and the juniper berries from the gravy. Strain the gravy, and perhaps thicken it with some flour. Add the raisins and season it with salt, pepper, and maple syrup. Serves 4.

Sale:$449.89

I laughed so hard at this.

[Amicale]

How long have you been without her?

Just over two weeks. I'm visiting DJ's city, looking for work. Due to upcoming interviews/meetings, I may be here another two weeks. I feel horrible being away from her, even though she's with her dad and grandparents on both sides. I've been using Skype to talk with her nearly every day. I can't wait to see her. I know you'll understand this when I say there's nothing in the world quite like hugging your child.

[xSilverPhinx]

It could help to notice exactly when an in what circumstances he gets aggressive. Is there something in particular that could be spooking him that didn't previously? Could it be that he's feeling some sort of physical pain somewhere that would make him want to avoid any rider? Does his interaction with other horses (male and female) provide any clues?

[Buddy]

It could help to notice exactly when an in what circumstances he gets aggressive. Is there something in particular that could be spooking him that didn't previously? Could it be that he's feeling some sort of physical pain somewhere that would make him want to avoid any rider? Does his interaction with other horses (male and female) provide any clues?

I've checked for pain, had a chiropractor out in May, he had his yearly vet examination and teeth done in March. His feet were done two weeks ago. This is not a recent problem. It started around September, when it was just a few bucks here and there.

[xSilverPhinx]

Would you say that he is more of a high-strung horse (does he get spooked a lot) or the alpha male type (fighting to control his space and yours)?

I think maybe you should consult an animal behaviorist to find out exactly what it is that's causing him to act that way before thinking of a way to solve it. There isn't really a way to know where to begin without knowing   And depending on the cause, some sorts of behavioral corrections can make the problem worse by making him more stressed or frustrated.

[xSilverPhinx]

There is one thing you could try that probably wouldn't stress him, based on a horse trainer Monty Roberts' observations. He grew up around horses and tries to treat them as close as possible to how other horses would treat them, non violently.

Turns out in a herd the alpha female is mostly responsible for disciplining horses, and when they become unbearably irritating she drives them out, keeping them on the fringes of the herd till they start showing a sign that they will yield to her authority, by lowering their head repeatably. Horses are social animals who crave a hierarchy, not necessarily with them as the alpha. It gives them a sense of security and stability. So all the horses the alpha female would drive out of the herd soon found out that they wanted to be accepted back in.

Monty used this technique to break in wild or unridable horses (on the long leash, going around him in a circle or in a small circular cage), by invading their space and controlling their movements - whether they ran faster or changed direction until they start trying to communicate to him that they yield as they would to another horse controlling their space. He gets them to accept him and follow as their natural leader once he stopped controlling their movements after they yielded and allowed them back into his personal space.

Edited to add: Link to a video demonstration with Monty himself explaining what he does and how he arrived at his method

[Tank]

I am at my wits end with Vinnie. His behavior has just gotten worse and worse over the last few weeks. Now he is rearing, bucking and bolting out of nowhere. His attitude on the ground isn't much better. I keep telling my mother that I can't sell this horse in good conscience knowing his history and that he is going to hurt someone. He bolted with me out in the field today and I fell and messed up my shoulder pretty bad.

I think a barbecue is in order in the mode that pudding suggested.

[Ali]

Amicale - Oh yes, being away from A for 2 weeks must be rough.  My max length of time away from T is about 3 days before I start crying all the time and having nightmares (literally!  The past two times I was away for a couple of days I had horrible dreams about leaving T somewhere and not being able to find him!)  I know that getting a hug from her after being away will be the best thing ever!

Buddy - Oh no, sorry that Vinnie is getting worse.  Is there any job that he could do where he wouldn't be dangerous? (I'm thinking like, even if he can't be ridden, could he pull a cart or something?  Of course, I don't know how many people need a cart horse in this day and age....)

As for me - Not much going on.  Trying to rearrange my schedule to make time for an hour work out, but other than that, pretty quiet here. 

[xSilverPhinx]

I just sat through the debate to elect a new dean for the local university, interesting stuff They had to remove some people because the situation got a bit dangerous, they said. A lot of unsatisfied people, which quite frankly were more fun to watch than the debate per se.

Got me thinking, people run their mouths and talk about my hometown (and stereotype everyone from there) just because it's the Capitol and being that, the seat of politics and disgustingly cowardly corruption. I know better - if this place that I'm living now were, it wouldn't be any different.

[/rant]

[Crow]

Getting annoyed at the stupid European laws on lighting. I want some exterior globe lights like so

but because those bulbs are illegal I cant buy them. Stupid law, the other types of exterior lights do not create enough light so would be a waste of money.

[Buddy]

What kind of bulbs are they? They are really pretty.