I know this is an Appy issue but it's also a USEF issue, the governing body that resides over our class A shows. USEF If they start letting horses in other breeds show with drugs in their system what does that mean for the other breeds they govern? Also, Appy rules pretty closely follow AQHA rules....the very same breed Assoc that our AHA wants to be so much like....


There is a new drug rule that has passed in the Appaloosa Horse Club. Now horses that otherwise could not be ridden due to HYPP, can now be given Ace and Lasix. Ace to dull pain and Lasix to keep them dehydrated enough to not blow a vein and bleed to death in the arena......these are just extreme examples, there are other factors too.
Anyway, there are ALOT of appaloosa owners that are not happy with this new rule that will go into the books in 2008, unless enough protest is made for the Board of Directors of the ApHC to reconsider the new ruling and keep it out of the books and out of our horses.
Just say no to drugs!!!

I am asking that if you oppose this new rule, after reading what our BOD posted on the ApHC blog, please sign the blog and give your thoughts. If you do agree to the new drug rule, you are welcome to post as well. Everyone is intitled to an opinion......Except the ApHC members apparently. We were not given a choice, or notice of this vote to change the existing drug rules!!! Your post may not show up for a few days. Apparently, the blog is being swamped by unhappy Appaloosa owners.

Appy Blog Spot

Explaination of the rule starts on pg 8 (bottom lft corner)Appy Summary
Is there anywhere on AHA where we can see the summary of AHA meetings?




I know you guys aren't into clicking links but I thought this might interest you anyway. A new registry for ALL HALTER HORSES. Yeah, it's heavy stock right now (you see a few mini's...) but everyone is welcome to join. The reason I'm posting this here is because the ApHC rule I mentioned in the OP is Fuglied too, right in this same post. What it boils down to is this: When people are making money with horses that have problems those problems will continue to be perpetuated. This is a problem in every breed, not just AQHA. Now there are people with too much money and/or common sense, who are breeding for these traits.

Many times I have herd from reputable breeder that in order to improve the breed (anyone- big or small) you need to buy the best stock that you can afford. Well my friends, people are paying tens of thousands of dollars to purchase, promote and breed these "horses" in an economy that is "depressed". Those of us with horses that are "perfect" are swimming upstream in order to simply sell our horses, get them trained, keep them fed.

Who has the answer to this problem? Who are these people? Why are these horses being bred and promoted if their own breed registration doesn't even want them? Is this a last ditch effort for a dying fad (the AQHA Halter Horse)?

Here is a link to the FAQ at AHHA where you can see they have a new stance on these diseases printed in a new font.

AHHA FAQ

They were recently thoroughly discussed on the FUGLY blog and pretty well called to task for stating they would welcome HERDA HYPP and other genetic deformity impairments to their shows. They threatened the FUGLY blog with lawsuits and such for calling them on their total lack of legitimacy in anything resembling horsemanship other than trying to form a club for people whose horses had been rejected by other organizations as defective. They also allowed these owners to advertise genetically defective horses for breeding with out disclosing the genetic flaw.

I guess AHHA hired a real attorney who disclosed their true liability (criminal or civil I wonder??).

Even though AHHA may have backtracked some on welcoming the genetically defecive horses, at best I would say they are of questionable repute..... Here is the link to the FUGLY Blog on them...
You will find AHHA's original stance noted in quotes on the blog responses...

Fugly on AHHA

As some of you know I rescue Arabian horses from slaughter and other situations...

About a month ago I found an Arabian mare who I clicked with right away. Her owner decided to sell her because the more riding/training we did on her the hotter and more nervous she would get. One day I took her in the small riding arena and tried some things that I have done working for BN trainers. I held my reigns, seat and legs just so and asked her to move. She arched her head and went into a WP jog like butter BUT she was NOT HAPPY! I could tell that with every twitch of my heel she expected to be spured. Every flick of my wrist she expected pain in her mouth. I could feel her attention focus on me but it wasn't the kind of partnership that I want. She was getting ready to defend herself or brace for punishment at every turn.

This mare has always been shy in her stall. When you come down the barn aisle she will run to the back of the stall and if there is a dutch door you can see her mind sizing it up to jump out. She hates to be alone but doesn't "fit in" to the herd. If you leave her in the arena/round pen w/another, non-threatening horse she will pace the fence/eat/pace/eat/pace. (I know she will calm down eventually. It's not my biggest fear but it does move my heart.) When she is out in the pasture she's the last one in to eat and she will not let you catch her. (Well, you can catch her but she makes you work, HARD! lol This is something that I go thru with a bunch of my rescues tho so I don't take it personaly.)

The mare was in a lesson program for a year or so but they haven't ridden here for "a while" because she has a bridling issue. I think a kid might have tried to get her brilde on and hit her teeth. She is a tad bit parrot mouthed....or maybe she's thinking back to a mean hand at the end of the reigns, I don't know. I've gotten her pretty much over the issue with the bridle. It took me about 3 days/ 30-45 min a shot. Another thing that she does is she doesn't look at you, she looks thru you. You can hold her attention for a few minutes at a time but it's like she'd rather be somewhere else. She is just scared right now. Who could blame her? She has probably been passed around so much...poor sweet thing.

When I am in the ring and ask her to trot out for a nice huntseat trot and then start to post she becomes inconsistant. She slows down and speeds up. I pretty much have an idea how I will fix this problem, just thought I'd share in case someone has some ideas of their own.

I forgot to mention that when the owner decided to sell the horse I found a home for it. The mare is now at my house for about a month, until her new owner can put up a stall. She will have 2 young horses as company at her new house. My plan is to not do any training on this horse directly. Her owner will take lesson, I will feed the horse but I am not going to try to train an over trained horse. I have to train the owner how to deal with this horse and it will be a challenge for me because I am a control freak but I'm looking forward to it. (Let me clarify that the new owner is not new to horses. She is experienced, just not w/abuse cases. The horse and the owner have an amazing bond that you can see already. It'll only get better!)

I know that this story probably doesn't appear to be hopeful or something anyone should "waste" their time on. This is my calling though. This is what I do. I rescue and love the ones who are left behind.

Shine came into my life a few days shy of a month ago. When I saw her I fell in love. She was donated to Camp Dovewood by a stable down in Miami. She has issues, but don't we all?
Shine is what I call her because she is simply beautiful. I think she is primarily Egyptian but there is no way of knowing. She was seperated from her papers. The farm she came from thinks she's 1/2 Arabian so I guess they didn't get her papers either.

BO had a horrible ride on Shine when she first got to camp. She would not be briddled. She was a power house under saddle. No manners! I wasn't able to attend to her for a few days but the BO kept e-mailing me, saying how pretty she is and asking if I would trade work out for her. I don't need another horse right now. I would love to take her but she hasn't got any papers plus she is parrot mouthed. I wouldn't be able to use her for breeding. I already have enough horses to ride and feed.

The day I met Shine I could see that she was nervous. We had another horse coming in as a donation so there were about 6 new faces for her to process. While the BO talked to the former owners of the "new" horse I spent a few minutes brushing Shine. I knew she had a briddling problem so I took my time and gently asked her to take the briddle while everyone else was attending to the new gelding. I didn't bother with a saddle. Something just told me to jump on her bareback so I took her to the arena and jogged around. It was windy that day. A leaf came up and hit her square in the face and she didn't flinch. She moved off both my legs and didn't offer to make any wrong moves. I couldn't beleive it.

I brought her back to her stall and took the briddle off. The BO came by a few minutes later and was in shock that I had ridden this "wild" horse w/o a saddle. She wanted to see me ride her again. This time I wasn't sportting enough to take her out w/o the saddle. The wind was too strong and I knew the BO would want to see her canter. I don't ride BB too much anymore; the 20 minutes prior was enough for the day. Shine was a little fussy with her head but overall she did well. It was an instant partnership.

Over the passed couple of weeks I've been taking the camp horses out to get them back in Work Mode. The last time I rode shine I had a small set back. I've been using an O ring w/copper inlay on her but she flips her tongue over so I have to try different bits. One of the ones I used last time was a butterfly w/a correction mouth . I was hoping that the port would keep her from putting her tongue over but all it did was annoy her. She twisted her tongue under the bit and rode with it hanging out of her mouth. She was VERY upset! She kept trying to rear up and wouldn't turn at all. That's when it dawned on me. This horse has had EXTENSIVE WP training. I rode her like a BN trainer would ride a WP horse. I put my hands out by my knees and moved her with my legs. She jogged almost in place. She was like butter but she wasn't happy. She wasn't too keen on bending (the english ridder in me just has to bend, sorry!) and she was still upset but she broke at the roll and the withers just like a pro. It made me sick! This poor, sweet, willing little mare was forced to carry her head in an unnatural position at an unnatural pace for who knows how long. I have nothing against BN trainers and their methods. I love to watch the WP horses go around BUT I could feel this horse crying. I could feel her crying when she thought I was about to spur her. I could feel her crying when she thought I was going to bump her with the curb chain. I could feel her sigh when we completed a turn or changed gaits. It was a heavy, questioning sigh. The ride only lasted a few minutes. I quickly got off and rubbed her ears and her eyes. I promised her that I would never use that bit again. I will never ride her like that again.

I went back to the barn with her and got a long shanked Tom Thumb w/copper rollers . I don't like the Tom Thumb bits, per say, but they've been good for some of the more broke camp horses I ride. The thing is, you have to get the one with the longer shanks so there isn't so much leverage on the horse's jaw. Also, I put my curb strap on the last hole so it doesn't engage unless you really pull back. Some of the kids that come to camp don't know that they are hurting the horse by ridding the brakes all the time. Anyway, Shine was much more relaxed in the TT bit. I didn't ride her for very long. The prior experience was sitting heavy with me so I just w/j/l her each way and then put her away until the next ride.

I don't want you to get the wrong idea about me. I'm not a kooky "bits are abuse" kind of person. It's just that some of the horses I come across have had a very hard life. They need someone to take care of them now. Camp and/or my barn are their last chance in some cases. All of my mares have been "rescues". I am probably the only one that would put up with some of their antics. Most of the horses donated to Camp have issues. They need to learn, quickly, that they are in a better place and possibly the last stop before the auction house. I lavish the new horses with love & kindness in hopes that they will calm down enough to be used and cherished at camp.

I will keep you posted