Today’s video is episode six of a series that I’ve been posting when I find them. The Horse’s Mouth tells the inspirational stories of horses & their people.

Episode 6

Each episode is dedicated to a different horse lover, their equestrian facilities and their horsey friends. I couldn’t seem to find episode five so we are moving on. The sixth episode interviews Sylvia Zerbini, the lead rider of Cavalia an amazing horsemanship show. Cavalia features horse breeds from around the world including Arabians, Lusitano from Portugal, Criollo from Argentina, Percheron and Comtois from France, European Warmbloods, Spanish Pure Bred, American Quarter Horse, Paint and Mustang. They also have been known to adopt animals from rescues for their show.
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First of all, I disagree with the use of horses in the military, the equine animal doesn’t need to be involved in fighting our battles. However, that doesn’t mean I can’t be proud of a 14.1 hand mare who showed an amazing amount of courage in the face of adversity.
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Every once in a while horses remind you that they are animals of prey. They are sweet as pie, but not always the sharpest tools in the shed. In fact, run first and jump over anything that gets in your way is a motto they seem to live by.

That’s One BIG Gymnast

Every time I watch it I just feel worse for the poor horse, he just got spooked and there was this fence in his way, so he decided to jump it…he just didn’t get those forelegs quite high enough to clear the hurdle. The men seem to just stand there, stunned.
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When it comes to horses, sometimes the most simple and basic of lessons are the most important ones. Knowing how to feed a horse treats from your hand is incredibly important for horse lovers of all ages.

Flat Palm

I’ll let the video speak for itself, but the most important thing to remember is that horses can’t see your hand when it’s under their mouth. Always make sure there are no stray fingers that can accidentally find their way between crunching teeth…keep your fingers (thumb included) firmly together and your palm flat.
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Today’s videos are admittedly old (2005 from what I can tell) they still tell an inspirational story from the most remote island on earth, Easter Island.

Remote Beauty

For those of you who aren’t famaliar with Easter Island, it’s a place of quiet mystery, large stone faces and enormous tragedy. Although it is one of the most spectacular settings for a documentary, the story is very sad. The horses and cattle on Easter Islands are dying from a mysterious disease and a young vet is determined to uncover the mystery.
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Today’s videos are all about trailers & how to make them work. Let’s face it, this isn’t something you can learn to do behind a computer, but at least it gives you an idea what to expect.

Getting Around

Some people have horses for their entire lives without putting wheels under them and other equines should get frequent flyer miles. However, knowing how to hitch up, prepare and the basics for towing trailers is always a good thing. So here goes, five videos with helpful trailer tips.
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While I’m not a huge fan of racetracks, I do have a soft spot for the horses who run on them. Of all sports, racing has the worst reputation for animal abuse so it’s fun to look at the industry through the misty eyes of days past.

A Champ

Like most of the racing greats, Shergar had the heart it took to be a great racehorse. His claim to fame was winning the Epsom Derby by 10 lengths, (a distance that hadn’t been achieved in over 200 years of the event). After a successful career the Irish racehorse was retired, in 1981. Two years later he was stolen at gunpoint for ransom and never seen again by his owners.
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Although it may seem counterproductive, learning to fall is more important than learning to ride. Anyone who wants to ride a horse has to understand one thing perfectly clearly, you will fall off.

If You Haven’t Fallen…

We’ve all heard the saying if you haven’t fallen off you aren’t a real rider and it is actually very true. The more hours you log in the saddle the greater your chances of hitting the ground at some point. That’s why preparing yourself by knowing how to fall can be invaluable.
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Today’s video is a quick how to that can help turn your amateur photographer skills and average camera into a pro. Learn how to photograph a horse from under a jump (ahem, without getting kicked).

Not An Easy Subject

Suffice it to say, horses are beautiful animals but difficult photography subjects. Either moving too much so they come out shaky or just not looking quite as gorgeous as they are in real life. Jumping is a particularly difficult movement to capture so every little tip helps. A little creativity can help turn mediocre photography skills into pro-league images.
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I think I’ve written about this sport before, at first I thought it was a joke – but it’s actually quite serious and it kind of looks like fun! Who can argue with an enormous soccer ball?

An Easier Option

To me it seems far easier on everyone involved than games like polo, where a tiny ball must be chased at full speed. It’s not quite akin to football itself, but that’s another story.
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When it comes to horses there is a wide variety of sports which can easily be dubbed as ‘extreme’. In fact most people I know in the equestrian industry proudly wear their extreme title.

Vaulting

I’ve been riding my whole life and quite frankly it’s enough just to stay in the saddle sometimes so vaulting simply confounds me. It’s quite artistic and clearly requires about 30 hours of practice a day – where do they find the time? Instead of just one video today I thought I’d share a few, each one providing a glimpse into the interesting world of vaulting.
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Today’s video is an amazing look at the beautiful Lipizzan horse, a breed that has survived against almost all odds & perhaps the foundation for the unicorn myth itself.

A Noble Beast

The video features Lipizzan stallion KL-Siglavy Rigoletta and utilizes specialized lighting & filming equipment for the sole purpose of capturing muscle movement and the deep contrast of white hide against dark arena. The result is rather magical and goes a long way to preserving the mystery of this beautiful breed. Enjoy!
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