British veterans retrace epic Lawrence trek in ‘living tribute to history’

ArabNews.com - Full Story

Nada Hameed
15 February 2025

Team of 5 covered more than 1,000 km across ‘stunning’ Saudi Arabia, Jordan

JEDDAH: In a journey that followed the path of one of history’s most legendary desert crossings, a British team of four endurance riders has retraced the famous route of T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia, across Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

Their remarkable expedition, inspired by the historic trek that helped change the course of the First World War, was a feat of endurance, history and adventure.

“A few of us last year were sitting around a table and mulling what was probably the most historic camel ride in recent history, and we came up with the one from Lawrence of Arabia,” Howard Leedham, one of the riders, told Arab News. “Nobody has ever done it since Lawrence, Auda Abu Tayi, Nasib Al-Bakri and Sherif Nasir did this ride.”

Their journey mirrored the original path taken by Lawrence and his Arab allies in 1917, beginning in Al-Wajh, Saudi Arabia, and traversing the vast desert landscapes toward Aqaba, Jordan. Along the way, the riders passed through key historical sites mentioned in Lawrence’s book, “Seven Pillars of Wisdom.”

Leedham said: “We stayed as faithful to the route as possible..."

Read more here:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2590353/amp

Meet 'Polo Super Ponies': World’s first genetically modified horses bred for 'explosive speed' in Argentina

MoneyControl.com - Full Article

Scientists in Argentina have made history by creating the world's first genetically modified horses, designed to be faster and more agile.

Curated by : Sheetal Kumari February 12, 2025

Scientists in Argentina have made history with a new achievement. They have produced the world's first genetically modified horses. These animals were designed to be faster than Polo Pureza, an award-winning polo mare.

Using Genetics to Boost Speed

The horses were born in October and November last year. Experts at the Argentine biotech firm Kheiron used CRISPR-Cas9 technology. This tool allows precise changes in the genes of living organisms.

Gabriel Vichera, Kheiron’s co-founder and scientific director, explained the process. "We design their genome before birth using genetic scissors," he said. This method enables scientists to cut and modify specific DNA regions...

Read more here:
https://www.moneycontrol.com/science/meet-polo-super-ponies-world-s-first-genetically-modified-horses-bred-for-explosive-speed-in-argentina-article-12938022.html

Gastric Ulcers as a Cause of Poor Performance in Horses

Thehorse.com - Full Article

March 4, 2022
Posted by Alexandra Beckstett

Learn how gastric ulcers affect equine performance and the best ways for treating them in actively competing horses.

Poor performance in horses can result from a single cause or a combination of factors, ranging from injury to illness. When trying to diagnose a medical reason for poor performance, veterinarians should always consider gastric ulcers as a potential problem. This is because these painful lesions are incredibly common in athletic horses. Fortunately, treatment and management methods are quite effective.

Frank M. Andrews, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM (LAIM), LVMA department head, equine committee professor, and director of the Equine Health Studies Program at Louisiana State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine, in Baton Rouge, described the association between gastric ulcers and equine performance and how to treat the condition during the 2021 American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention, held Dec. 4-8 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Why Equine Athletes Develop Ulcers

How we manage performance horses, which is contrary to their physiological needs, sets them up to get gastric ulcers...

Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/1109363/gastric-ulcers-as-a-cause-of-poor-performance-in-horses/?lid=h29yvl06a6dw&uuid=019221faf031005d65535fac4bd40006f009a06700bd0

The Pros and Cons of Alfalfa: Could Your Horse Benefit?

HorseSport.com - Full Article

This forage plant is an excellent high-quality protein source for many types of horses ‒ but there are some that should not be consuming it.

By: Madeline Boast, MSc. Equine Nutrition | January 16, 2025

Alfalfa is a popular feed ingredient for horses, and for good reason! There are many positive nutritional features of this forage plant. However, not all horses benefit from alfalfa, and there are situations in which to exercise caution when feeding. Understanding the nutritional content of this plant can assist horse owners in making educated feeding decisions.

What is Alfalfa?

There are two main categories of forage plants fed to horses: grasses and legumes. Alfalfa is a legume. The nutritional difference between these two plant types depends on a variety of factors such as soil type, maturity at harvest, and weather conditions. The general nutritional differences are that grasses tend to be more fibrous and legumes have more leaf matter, resulting in higher protein and energy content.

Alfalfa can be added to the diet in a multitude of different ways. There is alfalfa hay, and processed forage options such as cubes and pellets. Additionally, this feed ingredient is incorporated into many pelleted equine products such as ration balancers and performance feeds...

Read the rest here:
https://horsesport.com/magazine/nutrition/pros-cons-alfalfa-could-your-horse-benefit/

Travel First Aid Essentials For Horses

Horsesport.com - Full Article

What your vet wants you to pack in your travel equine first-aid kit to deal with three common emergency situations: colic, choke, and cuts.

By: Charlie Fiset | July 21, 2023

Whether you’re travelling to a show, a clinic, going camping with your horse, or just going on a day trip, it’s important to be as prepared for emergencies as possible. According to large-animal veterinarian Dr. Amy Gaw, choosing the right items for your travel first-aid kit is one of the best ways to be ready for any situation you can encounter on the road.

Dr. Gaw has been handling emergency calls in northern Ontario for over a decade. She currently practices out of Temiskaming Veterinary Services in Temiskaming Shores, Ontario. She kindly took time out between power floating horses to talk about a few essentials she wishes her clients would include in their travel first-aid kits.

For a comprehensive, itemized, and printable list of all items that should be included in your first-aid kit, check out Equine Guelph’s First-Aid Infosheet...

Read more or listen here:
https://horsesport.com/magazine/equine-ownership/best-horse-favourite-horse/

The Bold and the Beautiful’s Katherine Kelly Lang Rides Into the New Year

SoapHub.com - Full Article

Here’s how Lang rang in 2025!

By Roger Froilan
Jan 03, 2025

Katherine Kelly Lang’s The Bold and the Beautiful character Brooke must feel like a yo-yo. She’s with Ridge, and then she’s not with Ridge in an endless, repeating cycle. That must be dizzying, to say the least. Thankfully in real life, Lang likes to relax in various ways and shed the drama of the show. She recently shared with her fans how she not only got away from it all but also ushered in the new year in style.

Lang wrote to her followers on Instagram: “Happy 2025! January 1st was a beautiful day! Tiffany and I just felt like running into the new year😆🌟🎉 Hope you started your year off with some good energy! 💪 #almarahtiffany #2025.” In a video that was part of her post, Lang blasted the iconic, fast-paced last portion of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s iconic and classic song Free Bird while riding her Arabian horse, Al-Marah Tiffany...

Read more here:
https://soaphub.com/the-bold-and-the-beautiful/the-bold-and-the-beautiful-news/katherine-kelly-lang-rides-new-year/#flyout-close

Wyoming History: That Famous 1908 Horse Race From Evanston To Denver

CowboyStateDaily.com - Full Story

A $1,250 prize purse lured more than two dozen men to race on horseback 534 miles from Evanston, Wyoming, to Denver. The famous 1908 race was big news across the country, with a controversial finish for a Cody man who won.

Dale Killingbeck
December 29, 2024

It was billed as the race of bronco versus thoroughbred, and it ended with a wiry 33-year-old rider and former laundry wagon horse making Wyoming proud.

Across 534 miles of challenging terrain between Evanston, Wyoming, and Denver, 27 horses vied for Denver Post sponsored prizes worth $1,250 — with the winner promised $500.

In May 1908, Henry Ford was getting ready to release his Model T and former Rough Rider Teddy Roosevelt was still president.

The West remained a place for tests of endurance, and horse and riders looked to cross the Cowboy State and make it down to the Mile High City in the shortest time possible. The catch was the riders had to maintain a healthy horse.

“It is up to the men who are entered in this race to show the men of the East that when it comes to knowing a horse, when it comes to understanding man’s best friend, the Westerner does not take off his sombrero to a man from any country,” stated the Post’s rules, which were republished in Evanston’s The Wyoming Press on May 9, 1908.

There were 16 entrants from Colorado, three from Utah, six from Wyoming and one each from Nebraska and New Mexico...

Read the rest here:
https://cowboystatedaily.com/2024/12/29/wyoming-history-that-famous-1908-horse-race-from-evanston-to-denver/

Utah horseman concludes 6,000-mile ride through 25 states to spotlight the wild horse crisis

Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch

UtahNewsDispatch.com - Full Article

Jake Harvath returns home from his ‘Year of the Mustang’ ride. He and his 3 horses may set a new record — all to help mustangs find their place in a human world

By: Katie McKellar - Monday December 16, 2024

Slow and steady, 25-year-old Jake Harvath rode his trusty white mare, Bella, down Highway 189 toward Charleston, Utah with his other two mustangs, Denver and Eddy, in tow.

Motorists roared by in the comfort of their modern modes of transport, but the trio clip-clopped along unphased, not even by the loudest semitrailers. They were on their last leg of what’s been a 14-month, 6,000-mile journey across the country. Just three more miles along a highway was nothing compared to what they’d already overcome.

They dipped down side streets and neighborhoods wherever they could along their route to avoid the busy highway, but got help from a police escort along Main Street in Heber City, where traffic was most hectic for three horses and one cowboy.

After passing through 25 states — from Utah to the coastline in New Jersey and back — braving busy roads, navigating remote backcountry trails, trudging through blizzards, even taking a harrowing swim across the Delaware River, and at times knocking on doors to ask for safe places to sleep and eat, Jake and his horses’ ride was almost at an end...

Read the rest here:
https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2024/12/16/utah-horseman-jake-harvath-6000-mile-ride-25-states-spotlight-wild-horse-crisis/

Australia: Two sets of horseback riders head south on epic adventures in the name of charity and awareness

AboutRegional.com.au - Full Story

10 December 2024 | Edwina Mason

There are a million reasons to head off the beaten track and go bush and right now two sets of horse riders are coursing their way through southern NSW in the name of charity.

It was a slightly sticky welcome to the Southern Tablelands for one couple, Steph Toms and Daniel Grubb, who with their two ex-racehorses are walking the National Trail – 5330 kilometres of Australia’s eastern seaboard – for youth mental health awareness, under the banner Freedom off the Track.

Staying overnight at Roslyn, near Crookwell, the simple task of leading one of the horses, Future, to water became a lesson learned and a story the whole district will talk about over the Christmas table...

Read more here:
https://aboutregional.com.au/two-sets-of-horseback-riders-head-south-on-epic-adventures-in-the-name-of-charity-and-awareness/466854/

On horseback journey from Oklahoma-Kansas line, 'America's Amputee' stops in East Texas

News-Journal.com - Full Story

'What more can you do than start moving and moving your feet?'

Jordan Green
Dec 4, 2024 Updated Dec 7, 2024

MINEOLA — Most horsepower along the highways these days is created in a steel engine block, where fuel and fire fuse and combust to let drivers race from one place to another.

But in his months-long trek along the highways and byways of Oklahoma and East Texas, Sean Herren has relied on the kind of horse power that needs alfalfa, sweet feed, a saddle and some tender, loving care. Since leaving his home in northern Oklahoma in October, he’s ridden his trusty steed, Odyssey, with the horse’s sister, Storm, carrying supplies at his side.

The two Tennessee Walker horses are fittingly named. An odyssey is a long, arduous journey. And while a storm could refer to the weather, it better represents any number of painful challenges a human must endure.

Herren knows what it’s like to be on a long journey somewhere, and he’s spent his life fighting an uncommon battle: the results of a childhood electrocution that left him with half an arm...

Read more here:
https://www.news-journal.com/news/local/on-horseback-journey-from-oklahoma-kansas-line-americas-amputee-stops-in-east-texas/article_842f0816-b1ea-11ef-9dcb-fb1f0cf8b975.html

How to Prevent Gastric Ulcers in Horses

Thehorse.com - Full Article

November 22, 2024
Posted by Stacey Oke, DVM, MSc

One expert describes the best way to manage horses with a history of squamous and glandular ulcers and how to prevent recurrence.

Rather than repeatedly treating horses for equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) and spending a lot of money on medication, veterinarians and horse owners should focus on preventing the condition using better management practices. This was a key message from Ben Sykes, BVMS, MS, MBA, Dipl. ACVIM, PhD, FHEA, a veterinarian and gastrointestinal disease researcher based in New South Wales, Australia, during his presentation at the 2024 National Alliance of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Sept. 25-28 in Saratoga, New York.

“Anytime we discuss EGUS it’s important to appreciate that squamous and glandular disease are two completely different diseases,” said Sykes. A horse may have only one type of ulcer, or if they’re particularly unlucky, they can have both simultaneously.” Squamous ulcers occur in the upper third of the stomach while glandular ulcers form in the lower region.

Sykes highlighted three factors that remain crucial when preventing squamous disease:...

Read the rest here:
https://thehorse.com/1132826/how-to-prevent-gastric-ulcers-in-horses/?lid=c2loouo8ynld&uuid=01920a90ee67001521f7ea3361540507d009a0750086e

Can a human overtake a horse in a long-distance race? Here’s the theory.

TheManual.com - Full Article

The Man Vs. Horse Marathon has continued since the 1980's — Have there been any winners?

By Steph Green
November 1, 2024 12:48PM

Horses can sprint fast with their powerful leg muscles. Picture a wild horse galloping through an open field with the wind in their mane. You might wonder, can a human overtake a horse? The answer is yes. A paleoanthropologist has a theory to explain the evolutionary adaptations that allow humans to build endurance and run long distances without stopping.

Man Vs. Horse Marathon

The race began following a debate over a few pints in a British pub in 1980. The first person to overtake a horse on foot and win the race was Welsh marathoner Huw Lobb, who took the title in 2004. The course is a little shorter than a traditional marathon at 22 miles over rougher terrain, and Huw Lobb completed the race in 2 hours, 5 minutes, and 19 seconds, leaving the riders on horseback behind him. He won the prize fund of £25,000. Three years later, German participant Florian Holginger crossed the finish line 11 minutes before the first horse. John Parkinson from the UK was just one minute behind him. Those who had bet on the horses were surprised and less enthused by these human victories...

Read the rest here:
https://www.themanual.com/fitness/can-a-human-overtake-a-horse-in-a-long-distance-race/

Managing Gastric Ulcers: What the Research Says

HorseSport.com - Full Article

A look at some of the causes and management strategies, including omeprazole (Gastroguard, Ulcerguard) and esomeprazole (Nexium).

By: Shannon Pratt-Phillips, PhD. | August 21, 2024

Research into drugs, therapies and nutritional management of equine ulcers is ongoing, and new information is being published monthly. One of the biggest changes to the area of ulcer management is the distinction of Equine Squamous Gastric ulcers (ESGD) that occur in the upper, less protected region of the stomach, and Equine Glandular Gastric ulcers (EGGD), those that occur in the glandular region. By recognizing the types, and causative factors, we can be more accurate in management.

Squamous ulcers occur in the squamous area, that is above the margo plicatus, where there is little to no mucous or protection against stomach acids. Ulcers occur here generally when there is a “splashing” of acid from the lower part of the stomach, which can happen with exercise (when the abdominal muscles constrict on the stomach) or when there is less of a physical barrier between the acidic liquid and the squamous mucosa, both of which can be made worse by an exaggerated acidic environment.

Glandular ulcers occur in the areas of the lower stomach, where glands secrete acids, but where there is normally extensive mucous protection. With these ulcers, both increased acidity and reduced mucous production may contribute to ulcer development...

Read more here:
https://horsesport.com/magazine/health/managing-gastric-ulcers-what-the-research-says/?vgo_ee=tBUEFg6jEYfCa5KTKAmExtuupbxa1tcg3eiP9TX2uzBrKauLjRjX%3ARx%2FSl%2BvGEq%2Fyqla5%2BHfbzGL0x4rknYEa

Why Endurance ‘Truly is a Horsemanship Sport’

Heather Davis photo

USEF.org - Full Article

“In many ways, endurance is the purest thing we can ask of a horse,” U.S. Endurance Chef d’Equipe Lisanne Dorion says.

by Debbie Elliot | Sep 3, 2024

Endurance is not as well known as other equestrian disciplines such as jumping, eventing, or dressage, but it is becoming increasingly popular both in the U.S. and around the world. Among the many positive aspects of endurance are the deep bond that it creates between horse and rider and the sense of camaraderie between the athlete and their support crew. Endurance is known as one of the friendliest equestrian sports, and it encourages a true sense of sportsmanship at all levels of competition.

For those not familiar with endurance, it is a long-distance sport covering variations in altitude, terrain, and weather that tests both the horse’s fitness and stamina. It also tests the athlete’s discipline and horsemanship skills. Periodic checkpoints occur throughout the competition to ensure the health and fitness of the horse and rider. In fact, endurance horses undergo more vet exams during competition than any other equestrian sport, U.S. Endurance team vet Olivia Rudolphi stated.

Rudolphi said that because of the long distances that endurance entails – top riders do 100 miles in a day - the sport is often misunderstood. Endurance athlete Heather Davis agreed that there are a lot of misconceptions about horse welfare when it comes to competitive endurance.

“You cannot be successful in this sport unless you're a horseman, because you're constantly with your horse ... knowing what it takes to keep them sound, healthy and happy and loving their job for hours upon hours makes endurance unique vs. other sports,” Davis said. Davis explained that the top-level riders are very in tune with everything about their horse’s welfare, from feeding and shoeing to saddle fit.

“In many ways, endurance is the purest thing we can ask of a horse,” U.S. Endurance Chef d’Equipe Lisanne Dorion said. “Endurance can actually be an amazing foundation for other disciplines because of the thoughtfulness that goes into the training and conditioning...”

Read the rest here:
https://www.usef.org/media/equestrian-weekly/why-endurance-truly-is-horsemanship-sport

Woman, 82, rides pony 600-miles with her beloved dog in saddlebag beside her

Mirror.co.uk - Article and video

Jane Dotchin makes the journey from her home in Hexham, Northumberland, to the north of Scotland every year and has even won awards for her long-distance exploits

By Bradley Jolly 3 Oct 2024

A pensioner with impaired vision travels 600 miles every year on her horse with her beloved dog in her saddlebag.

Jane Dotchin, now believed to be 82, has completed the long-distance exploits with Dinky the dog and Diamond the pony since 1972. She's so familiar with the route from her home in Hexham, Northumberland, to the north of Scotland that she is now friendly with business owners and community leaders...

See the rest here:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/woman-82-rides-pony-600-33796548

Endurance personified

Jeanetta Sturgeon and Phoenix covered thousands of miles in endurance competitions. (Photo by Cowboy Quinn)

EquusMagazine.com - Full Story

Although she still lives with the physical consequences of injuries sustained decades ago, Jeanetta Sturgeon has never lost her sense of adventure or her passion for horses.

September 27, 2024
Bobbie Lieberman

Nearly 50 years ago, Jeanetta Sturgeon’s life changed in an instant. When a fire erupted in her home, the then-28-year-old mother of two sustained burns over 80 percent of her body. For the next two years she was in and out of the hospital, enduring multiple surgeries and painful skin grafts. Most of her fingers were so badly burned that they could not be saved. Surgeons did manage to graft a thumb back onto her dominant hand, but the rest of her fingers ended at the top end of the metacarpals.

Jeanetta’s recovery was long and painful, but she refused to stop riding. The daughter of a trick rider, she had been raised with horses, and she was determined to keep them in her life. Jeanetta learned how to care for her horses with the partial hands she had left. In fact, she managed to do every-thing for herself except fasten the chinstrap of her helmet.

Read more here:
https://equusmagazine.com/horse-world/jeanetta-endurance

Ten Reasons to love sticky ichthammol ointment

EquusMagazine.com - Full Article

It may be smelly, sticky and sort of gross, but the drawing salve ichthammol can't be beat in terms of versatility and affordability.

September 17, 2024
The Editors of EQUUS Magazine

Messy, smelly and downright gross, the drawing salve called ichthammol may not be your first choice for treating your horse, but you can’t beat its versatility and affordability. The sticky ointment, a derivative of coal tar, reduces inflammation, draws out infection, kills germs and soothes pain.

Sticky and smelly, ichtammol is one of the most versatile items you can have in a barn medicine chest.

Here are 10 uses for ichthammol:

1. Pack it around and over draining hoof punctures to draw out pus.

2. Use it to coax “gravels” (subsolar abscesses) to burst at the coronary band and then speed healing...

Read more here:
https://equusmagazine.com/diseases/ten-reasons-to-love-sticky-ichthammol-ointment-8477?lid=mwf47gdze5p5&uuid=__equine_main__5481_merritraveler@gmail.com__

'Crazy journey' reunites a missing horse with its family

Flex the horse went missing on Tuesday, prompting a community search effort that lasted days. (Submitted by Rosalynn Peschl - image credit)

CA.news.yahoo.com - Full Story

CBC
Sat, July 27, 2024

After a days long search spanning kilometres around the hamlet of Bragg Creek, Alta., a championship endurance horse was reunited with its family.

Flex the horse was found southwest of the town Friday morning, lingering in a clearing near a trail in the Station Flats area.

Owner Rosalynn Peschl said she and her husband, Houston Peschl, felt "tremendous relief" upon seeing Flex standing in a forest clearing.

"By the time I had the halter on him and knew that he was secure, we both just started crying with relief and joy and all of the emotions that have been bubbling under the surface for the last couple of days," she said.

Peschl said her husband headed out for a ride near the West Bragg Creek Day Use Area on Tuesday. While he was saddling Flex, a bee sting spooked the horse, causing him to break his halter and run off...

Read more here:
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/crazy-journey-reunites-missing-horse-100000026.html

The Making of a Tevis Horse: An Exclusive Interview with Layne and Atlas

TheSweatyEquestrian.com - Full Article

July 11 2024
by Tamara Baysinger

As the clock to Tevis 2024 ticks down, anticipation in the endurance world is ticking up. Around the globe, bucket-listers and veterans alike are caught up in the dream.

Here at Sweaty Equestrian headquarters, my days are abuzz with preparations, from getting chili in the freezer, to sunscreen in my saddlebags, to my nerves under control. Amid the hustle, I set aside time to focus on the epicenter of it all: the horse.

What does it take to get a good prospect to the starting line of the famous (infamous?) Western States 100 Mile Trail Ride?

I sat down with Atlas and his owner, Layne Lewis, to ask...

Read more here:
https://thesweatyequestrian.com/the-making-of-a-tevis-horse-an-interview-with-layne-and-atlas/

The Pony Express (Re)Rides Again!

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

This annual event follows the famous trail between Missouri and California on the same 10-day schedule as navigated by the original riders.

By: Kim Izzo | June 26, 2024

The Pony Express is entrenched in the lore of the American West, yet it only existed for 18 months between 1860-1861. The horses and riders who travelled the mail route from Missouri to California – some 1,800 miles in ten days or less – remain the stuff of legends. But the Pony Express was cut short by the arrival of the telegram machine which connected the states more efficiently in order to spread news, especially during the Civil War era.

Today, there is a group of passionate horsemen and women, called re-riders, who mount up and reenact the same route through the original eight states...

Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/horse-news/the-pony-express-rerides-again/

Confessions of a Tevis Volunteer (Or: Why I Keep Coming Back)

MostlyBeautifulThings.com Blog - Full Story

August 9, 2014
By Elizabeth Speth

The annual Western States Trail Ride, popularly called the Tevis Cup, is a grueling 24-hour horseback ride over 100 miles of exceptionally beautiful and punishing terrain. Sanctioned by the American Endurance Ride Conference, it is a horse-centric event, designed around the safety and well-being of the animal.

It’s an amateur race against the clock, no cash prizes, only a coveted buckle. Started in 1955, it is considered the founding event in endurance racing, and is still known as the most difficult. Over the years, it has evolved into something that requires nearly a thousand people to make sure up to 200 riders and their horses make the journey safely.

The psychology of the riders — why would they do such a thing? — is the subject of another blog. They are a breed apart. The training of their magnificent steeds for such a trial is also another discussion entirely.

All I’m qualified to address is the volunteerism aspect of this. For a large handful of years — I’m fuzzy on the exact number out of sheer fatigue — my husband and I have braved miles of rocky, narrow roads to report for duty in the early afternoon at the rugged Francisco’s outpost, at Mile 86. We remain there until the pre-dawn hours of the morning, sometimes pulling out as the sky begins to lighten. This is where we put the exhausted horses and riders back together, hydrate, refresh and encourage them, and send them on to the last part of their journey. This is where we marvel at the freshness of the front-runners, who breeze in and out and look as though they are in the middle of a leisurely ten-mile trail ride. All of them have come from the high peaks near Lake Tahoe, and will end their journey in Auburn, CA, if they make it that far...

Read more here:
https://mostlybeautifulthings.com/2014/08/09/confessions-of-a-tevis-volunteer-or-why-i-keep-coming-back/

Mongolia Trek on Horseback for Charity

HorseIllustrated.com - Full Article

By Merri Melde - June 19, 2024

Seventeen intrepid riders from five foreign countries gathered in Ulaanbataar for the ultimate horse riding trek: 3,600 kilometers (just over 2,200 miles) across Mongolia in 84 days. The idea, developed by Julie Veloo, combined ultimate adventure with fundraising for the Veloo Foundation, serving underprivileged people in Mongolia. The trek for horse and riders across Mongolia began at the end of April, 2022.

Gobi Gallop

Just 12 years ago, however, Veloo had never been astride a horse. She tried it for the first time at age 50 when she and her husband, Chelvan Veloo, first moved to Mongolia.

“I was already learning the language,” says Julie. “I realized if I was going to understand this culture and history, I was going to have to sit on a horse. I thought, ‘If these kids can do it, how hard can it be?’ Twenty-however-many times of falling off later—it can be hard! But I was determined to ride.”

Her persistence paid off, and by 2013, she and a group of six friends rode 707 kilometers for fun across the Gobi Desert over nine days, in what officially became known as the inaugural Gobi Gallop...

Read the rest here:
https://www.horseillustrated.com/mongolia-horseback-trek-for-charity

Forage-Focused Diets for Sport Horses

Thehorse.com - Full Article

May 10, 2024
Posted by Madeline Boast, MSc
Regularly monitor your horse’s condition and workload to ensure his energy requirements are being met with a forage-focused diet this show season.

Q. My 7-year-old Thoroughbred has recently started training as an event horse. We’ve found that he does best on a forage-focused diet, but I’m worried that might not be enough as he starts his first year of competition. Should I consider changing his diet? How can I be certain his needs are being met with a forage-focused diet through the competition season?

A. Forage-focused diets are fantastic choices for many horse owners because horses have evolved to consume a fibrous diet. If a forage-focused diet is best for your Thoroughbred, there is no need to change that simply because he will be competing this year. However, there are a few steps you can take to ensure his diet supports his increased nutritional needs. The Base Diet for Horses

Typically, dry hay comprises most of a horse’s diet throughout the year. Unlike forage products such as hay cubes, hay does not come with a nutritional label...

Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/1127588/forage-focused-diets-for-sport-horses/

Syrian Jazira maintains status as homeland for purebred Arabian horses

Enabbaladi.net - Full Article

18/04/24
Deir Ezzor – Obadah al-Sheikh

In northeastern Syria, particularly in Deir Ezzor, breeders of horses are keen to select pure Arabian horse strains, allowing only purebred stallions to mate with purebred mares under “strict” conditions, in a profession they inherited from their ancestors.

Despite the deteriorating economic and living conditions in the area, the interest in horses and their breeds remains a priority and tradition for the people of the region, especially since Syria is considered the traditional homeland for the Arabian horse.

Breeding horses is a historical legacy in the area, and breeders and local entities organize races and festivals to showcase their pure breeds, amid repeated demands for support or securing affordable fodder...

Read more here:
https://english.enabbaladi.net/archives/2024/04/syrian-jazira-maintains-status-as-homeland-for-purebred-arabian-horses/

The Power of Simplicity

BlakeleyStables.com - Full Article

Blakeley Stables
March 1 2024

"Less is more"... that could be applied to a thousand different things. Whether it's salting your potatoes, or training your horse, finding the right amount can be difficult. So where can you find the sweet spot between too much and not enough?

Here are a few scenarios that can be difficult to find the perfect balance: training and conditioning, tack and feeding/nutrition just to name a few. So let's break these down a little.

Tack/ Equipment:

Endurance is a beautiful sport in that you can make it work with any kind of tack. You don't need fancy equipment or expensive gear. Whatever you have in the barn, that works for you and your horse is great! You don't have to go buy the top of the line endurance tack to be sucessful. Most our our tack came from garage sales and pre-loved...

Read more here:
https://www.blakeleystables.com/post/the-power-of-simplicity