Hoofprints

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.

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

Visit Argo's Facebook page.

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

Mustang begins new life at our place as he prepares for Extreme Makeover

FORT COLLINS -- Life began anew today for a bay four-year-old Mustang gelding who will live and learn at our stable until June 8 - 10 when he finds his forever home at the Extreme Mustang Makeover competition at Colorado State University.

The wild horse's foster mom, Cayla Stone, who has a strong showing and instructional background, will train him. We have high hopes for our newest friend. Cayla rescued a Thoroughbred this fall, trained that horse, and sold him to a good home a few months later as a hunter-jumper-eventing prospect.

Trainers must apply to be accepted in the Extreme Mustang Makeover program. Those competing at an Extreme Mustang Makeover event receive $700 for reimbursed expenses. There are no entry fees.

More than $350,000 in estimated prize money will be available at the 2012 Extreme Mustang Makeover events. Stay tuned as we follow this new adventure!

Extreme Mustang Makeover site: http://www.extrememustangmakeover.com/index.php