Businesses face lawsuit fears as Feds mandate 'service' horses be allowed in stores, restaurants

"I like horses. My daughter likes horses. But even in the Wild West, they put them outside." - Angelo Amador, Vice President, National Restaurant Association

via www.foxnews.com

The plot thickens as Mr. Ed's theme song leads the charge for mini-horses as service animals. Click on the Fox News link above for the full story.

My fantasy when I first learned of the Justice Department regulations

Man sues: Shops refuse mini horse access

Retreat: 'Literature and Landscape of the Horse'

We may never know when the first horse and human ever looked into each other’s eyes with a mutual respect and fascination, yet horses have been part of the human heart since time immemorial.

via pagelambert.com

Love horses? Love writing? This could be the adventure for you!

Horse deaths: 24 per week on U.S. racetracks - NY Times

".. the bodies shipped to rendering plants and landfills rather than to pathologists who might have discovered why the horses broke down." -- "Mangled Horses, Maimed Jockeys", New York Times

Mother Nature Network rounds up related news about horses "drugged, endangered," and deaths on racetracks.

Man sues: Shops refuse mini horse access

A California man is suing GameStop and Marshalls for refusing to allow him into their stores with his service animal. Jose Estrada, who is paraplegic, has a 29-inch-tall miniature horse named Princess who pulls him in his wheelchair. Estrada says employees at the stores should have known that mini horses can indeed be service animals.

msn.com

Actually, according to what I've read, this guy would have a right to bring in his mini horse unless the store provides an alternative plan for his access. Read my blog post on mini-horses as service animals.

'Black Knight' brings jousting to Fort Collins

"It's not all NFL-sized killers out there, which I am," he said. "I'm trying to get jousting to everyone. It's basically fencing on a horse."

via www.coloradoan.com

Another way to compete with your horse - what fun! Click on the Coloradoan.com link above for the full story!

Horse trailer caught in illegal ditch burn | coloradoan.com

A smoky grass fire burned several acres of a field and a horse trailer being used for storage north of Timnath and east of Fort Collins on Wednesday evening.

coloradoan.com

Note: Horse trailers are a terrible place to store anything valuable, or that you care about. Unless the trailer is a deluxe model, condensation from the metal ceiling will eventually damage stored items. Also, horse trailer locks are not exactly the highest quality.

Lifelong friends, a horse and a cow die days apart

“The barn at Manatuck Farm is quiet and empty now. But for me, it will always be filled with nothing but loving memories of old friends.”

via darien.patch.com

If this does not bring a tear to your eye, then check yourself for signs of life. Click on the link above for the full story.

Mustang Makeover: Argo leads!

By Cayla Stone

Argo, named after the ship Jason and the Argonauts sailed, and I are on the right track. He seems to be respecting my space a lot more. I've been working on moving him around the pen, both directions, and backing up and moving his forehand around. He's picked everything up really fast and seems to enjoy his work a bit more.

I actually hooked a lead to him and he did really well in his pen. I used a 20' lead so that no matter where he went in his pen he could still feel me on the other end of the rope. This worked great when he tried to pull away a couple times and realized that I still had him. He soon learned it was much easier just to follow me around.

Eventually we opened the gate and walked outside his pen a bit. We need to make it to the round pen, where he will have a job to do outside his pen.

Read also: Mustang Makeover: Day 3 - Getting to know you

(This blog is available on the Amazon Kindle. Search for "Hoofprints" on your device.)

Horses get second chance thanks to prosthetic legs

"God works in mysterious ways. If we can help kids, and if we can help wounded warriors and veterans, and other people that have gone through severe trauma and show them that there is hope, then it doesn't get any better than saving animals and helping people." -- Bob Williams

How refreshing! Somebody who is out there doing good just for the sake of doing good, and horses, once again, contributing to the mental well-being of mankind. Go to 9news.com for the video and full story.

Mouse control at the stable

During "night stables", Gregg found this little visitor above Hobbes' stall. I've been wondering where all the mice were this winter. Now, I think I know.

Our property, located on the city-county line, is an urban island for wildlife. The last appearance was by a mountain lion, but we have hosted a little of everything. Click here to visit our stable's page of encounters with wild- and not-so-civilized life. 

(Update 03_01_12) Read also: Obama plan for spotted owl targets rival owl

Learn more about western screech owls: http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genus=Megascops&species=kennicottii

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