Ask Taco Special Edition: Ask Questie

Today's blog post comes from Taco.  He decided to interview Our Questionnaire, a recent Rolex and Jersey Fresh competitor owned by Kathleen McDermott and ridden by Heather Gillette.  Instead of the usual advice column, Taco is the one asking the questions this time.  Enjoy!

Dear Mr. Questie,

Although we have never met, our humans are friends and I have heard a lot of good things about you.  I understand that you are a top-level event horse and possess great intelligence and athleticism.  As part of my ongoing venture into online journalism, I am writing in the hope that you will consent to answer a few questions.  I will put them in my "Ask Taco" column on the Team Taco blog-- it will be a special edition because I will be the one asking the questions this time. 

Best regards,
Taco

Questie and his human, Heather, preparing for cross country

Hi Taco. I would be happy to answer your questions.  I met your person at Rolex this year, she was very nice and loves you a whole bunch.  She tells all sorts of stories about you.  You are a lucky guy. 

Where were you born and what kind of horse are you?  I am a New Zealand Tb.  I was born on the North Island of NZ, all the way on the other side of the world from where I live now.

How and when did you get into Eventing?  I started eventing after I stopped racing in NZ.  I wasn't a very good racehorse so my people brought me home and then decided to let me try jumping.  I LOVED it right away!

When and why did you begin your partnership with your current human?
I met my current human when I got off a Fedex plane with my friend Gerry in May 2009.  It was very strange being on a runway with super huge jets at a big airport in Newark NJ, USA... what an amazing place!  I went on a trailer ride to a wonderful place called Pottersville where I now call Merrywind Farm home.  It is horse heaven with big fields and lots of grass!  I met Heather because my people in NZ had an agreement to find me a new person after the Olympics in 2008.  You see I was supposed to represent NZ but got very sick from eating too many dandelions.  It took me a long time to get better, but my people took very good care of me.  I continued to improve and get stronger once I got to the US and with Heather.  Now I am as good as new!  I am a very lucky horse to have always had such good people to look after me.

What do you think about your job?  Do you like it?  If so, what part do you like the best?  What part are you the best at doing? 
I LOVE my job.  I am so fortunate because I get to travel and go lots of places. It is always a big adventure! Sometimes I go with my friends from Merrywind, other times just with Heather.  I like the cross country the best.  I get to run fast and solve lots of puzzles.  You never know what you are going to find out there on xc.  It is so exciting.  I am getting much better at doing dressage, we work very hard on that!

Did you like going to Rolex and Jersey Fresh? What competitions will you do next?  
Rolex was a big adventure!  There was a huge stadium with thousands of people in it all clapping and cheering me on.  But before that all my friends and I hung out with some reining horses in a big arena when a tornado went by.  I didnt even know what a tornado was, but we all ran for shelter!  We don't have those in NZ.  There was so much rain in Kentucky that the xc was very muddy and sticky.  I didnt feel like myself while on course and Heather decided to take me home early.  I was sad to not jump all of the jumps, but just didn't feel like it was safe.    Jersey Fresh was good, though I was a bit rusty on xc.  I did a very lovely dressage test and worked very hard to show off all that I have learned in the past year.  I hadnt done a whole course since March and it took a few minutes to get into the groove.  I will have a little vacation time now and then get back to it.  I think we will go to Millbrook and then out to Richland Park.  I am not sure what we will do in the fall.  Whatever it is I will be happy to run and jump some more.

What do you like to eat, and who are your best friends? 
I really enjoy eating clover, I search all around for it.  Carrots and apples and anything that comes in a crinkley wrapper!  My best friend is Gerry, we traveled all of the way from the other side of the world together.  I have a new friend Groovy that I hang out with too and Dragon comes with us on our travels sometimes too.  My old NZ mom came to visit last year and said she could see I love my new person very much, she could just tell by how I looked at her.

How did you achieve the extremely fashionable dappled look that you are sporting this spring?
I do look like a super model with my dapples, don't I?  Just kidding!  Though the girls at my vet's office call me Brad Pitt... whoever that is.  I have to wear a special coat because I am allergic to flies. It covers most of me so  I don't get sun bleached at all. That and my person uses a shampoo that has all sorts of good stuff in it.  It makes me super shiny and my skin and coat are perfect.  It has olive oil, honey.. all sorts of natural stuff and nothing that hurts my eyes.  It smells good too, so the girls like it!  It doesn't bother the environment either, which I think is very important.

Questie's dapples

Do you have any advice for horses who would like to become excellent Event Horses?  
My best advice is find a good person who you can trust and form a good partnership with them.  Then work hard to learn all of the skills you need to solve all of the different puzzles you will come across.  You have to do dressage, even if you don't like it.  You aren't allowed to go xc if you dont!  Be brave and be careful.

It has been fun answering your questions!  I hope I get to meet you sometime.  Take care and happy eventing!

I hope you enjoy reading my interview with Questie as much as I enjoyed doing it.  He is a Most Excellent Event Horse.  I will be rooting for him later this season and I hope you will too.  -T

Ask Taco: Getting Oneself Fit

Q. Dear Taco-

I've been in event horse training now for about three months and I have heard that I will be entering in the N3D and T3Ds in the future.
From what I understand the long format takes quite a bit of strength and endurance. I'm feeling a little over whelmed and fear that I might not be fit enough. What do you do to prepare yourself for the A,B,C, and D portions on XC day? How many hugs and cookies do you think I could earn if I do very well in such an event?

I've been told there is a strong possibility I will get to see you in Sept. Fingers Crossed!!

from, Toby the Cow Pony
APHAwesomeness 

A. Dear Toby the Cow Pony,

Yes, you are correct that the long format takes strength and endurance.  But there are two consolations in this, my friend.  First  of all, you are a cow pony for goodness's sake, and you were bred for those long days. Endurance Day at a classic format event is nothing compared to long days riding the range as your family has done for generations.  

Have your rider read this book.

Second, once you go through a conditioning program, such as the one in this post from last August, you will be so strong and fit that all of the other work your rider asks you to do will seem easy.  You'll be able to trot Roads and Tracks all day!  And you will have done the speed work to make Steeplechase a breeze (that's a horse racing term, which you might not know because you are a cow pony).

I hope that the above reassurances put your mind at ease.  But if you are still concerned, there is something you can do.  I have my very own exercise routine, TacoCize (TM)*, that I do in my pasture, when I'm feeling like I need to work out.  My pasture is about 6 or 7 acres, and it is longer than it is wide.  I'll do sprint sets several times back and forth.  I just start at one end, cover the length of it, and start back again.  Lather, rinse, repeat.  I get an extra cardiovascular workout by shouting to my neighbors as I run (this has the added benefit of getting their attention).  Sometimes I'm getting ready to TacoCize right when Stacy arrives and wants to bring me in, but she understands when I go ahead and do it anyway.  She acts mad but I know she's just kidding.

You can see me in the middle of this picture with my pasture stretching out behind me.

So don't worry about all the hard work, and you can always add in the workout I described if you wish.  I know you will be a great Event Pony!  I look forward to seeing you this fall.

Best wishes,

Taco
P.S.  If you do well in one of those events, or even just try a little, the hugs and cookies are unlimited.  Really!

Ask Taco: What are competitions?

Q. Dear Taco,
I am 2 years and 7 months old.  Everyone says that I will go to something called a "competition" one day.  What is that?
Love,
Ruger

Rugie: only 2 years and 7 months, but big! (With mentor Star in the background)

A. Dear Ruger,
Since I love you like a son, I want you to have a very good life.  Competitions are hard but I have found that all of the work is worth it.  The kind of competition that you will go to is called eventing, and you have to be very good at several things when you do eventing.  You will have three rides: dressage, cross country, and showjumping.

The humans do competitions for very complicated reasons, including competitiveness, having fun, being with their human friends, and getting their picture taken (I'm not sure why this has so much appeal but they seem to really like it).  We do it because they ask us to, and because many of us (myself included) enjoy it very much.

I must admit, however, that I do not love every single moment of competitions.  Take dressage, for example.  I am very good at dressage, and I enjoy pleasing Stacy when I do it well, and I love to look fancy while I do it.  But after a while I get a little bit less enthused, because it seems a little bit repetitive to me.  I know that you will be good at dressage because your dad is Routinier, and he has mad dressage skillz.

On the other hand, the other two phases are both jumping.  I really, really love to jump.  I bet you will, too, because I heard that your mom Goldie is a daughter of Galoubet, and he was a really great jumper.  On the cross country, you will be asked to jump a variety of things that look different, but they are really very similar to each other.  Mainly they are round, loglike things, or sloping, rampy things, or up a step, or down a step, or into water, or out of water, or over a hole in the ground, or on an uphill slope or a downhill one.  And then all of these things can be combined with each other.  But you just remember that they are all the same things that just look different.  And Amy will never ask you to jump over one that you cannot make it over, so trust her and jump them all, and go as fast as she asks you to go.

Showjumping is the other jumping part.  The trick with the show jumps is that they can fall down if you hit them as you are going over.  So pick your feet up when you jump!  Also, they might have different colors but they are all just painted poles.  You do not have to be afraid of them.  Size up the jump from bottom to top and then go as high as you need to to make it over.  As I said, jumping runs in your family, so don't worry about making it over any of them.  Just listen to Amy as she helps you get ready to jump them.

Doesn't all of that sound fun? Furthermore, I happen to like the hustle and bustle of the show grounds, and seeing all of the different horses around me.  Sometimes I even get to see old friends.  But the best part is actually at the end, when the humans are happy that you have done a good job.  You can get pretty much as many carrots as you want at that point. 

Finally, I know that she gets a little annoyed with you sometimes, but Star, your neighbor and pasture-mate, also knows a thing or two about competitions.  If you ask her nicely (remember, she is a distinguished elder), she might tell you some stories, like how fast she can read the options in a water complex, and just how fast she could go.

Love,
Taco

Ask Taco: What Do You Eat?

Q. Dear Taco,

Could you tell me what you eat? My mom is on a quest to find food for me that gives me energy, keeps weight on me, doesn't make me overly exuberant, AND... doesn't make me fart! We do NOT like horse farting at Run For It Farm as it means my stomach is not happy. I didn't fart at Aunt Lellie's farm, but started it again once I came home (though I must say, I have been an absolute prince about everything!) We share similar traits as do our Moms, so please reveal your daily diet!
Many thanks - I wish you lots of carrots!
Rasta Mon

A. Dear Rasta,

Humans are constantly trying to figure out diets for us that do all of those things, especially the part about providing energy without wildness.  While we enjoy feeling our oats, so to speak, they get a little worried about staying on our backs.

The other problem is making sure that what we eat provides the right nutrients and is good quality.  It is hard to know this sometimes, because every horse is different and just about every feed company says that their product is high-quality.  Also, it is often very difficult to find out important nutrition information from major feed companies, such as the exact ingredients.  This is because many of the companies only guarantee the amounts of certain nutrients (protein, fat, and fiber), but not the ingredients themselves, which allows the companies to vary the ingredients depending on what is cheapest to purchase at any given time. 

So, after a lot of research, Amy decided that she did not want to feed a commercially mixed feed in addition to the nice pasture and hay that we eat.  She decided to feed a combination of soaked molasses-free beet pulp and steam rolled oats to us.

-The beet pulp is delicious.  It is the product left over when the sugar and molasses are removed from sugar beets, and is mostly pectin.  It has been called a "super fiber," because it contains a fairly high amount of easily digestible calories but not a lot of starch or other non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs), and it holds lots of water and thus helps us regulate hydration.  NSCs are not so good for us in large quantities, because they can disrupt the acidity in our hindgut and they tend to make us a little excitable. I wonder whether your farting problem might mean that your hindgut is not working too well.  Beet pulp is a great way to add energy without adding lots of NSCs-- it has about 36% NSCs. It has the added benefit of increasing water intake when it is fed wet (some people feed it dry but it is much less tasty and much more likely to cause choke that way).

- The oats are also very delicious.  They add additional calories to the diets of those of us who are working harder, but they contain some fiber as well as some energy and not as many NSCs (46%) as other grains (such as corn, at 64%).  Rolling them (so that they look like Quaker oatmeal) slightly increases the availability of the nutrients, but it also means that they should be fed fairly soon after rolling or the nutrient value drops.

Because neither the beet pulp nor the oats contain balanced micronutrients and very little fat, I also get a multivitamin (SmartVite Performance Grass Pellets) and some Omega Fatty Acids (SmartOmega).  I also gets lots of carrots, and sometimes apples and peppermints.

Recently, however, Amy has been consulting with a representative of Pennfield Equine Feed Technologies. Although she has avoided commercial feed preparations because of inconsistency and uncertain quality, she has been very impressed with Pennfield.  They always keep the ingredients the same in each batch of feed, so that digestibility and nutrient availability stays the same.  They make nutritional information very easy to find on their website.  And they are very committed to each ingredient being extremely high quality.  They have impressed Amy, and Amy is very difficult to impress when it comes to feed!  She also would like to feed something that does not require supplementing added vitamins and trace minerals.  So she has decided to start us on Pennfield.

First, we will start eating Phase V Senior's Energized Choice, a textured feed that contains our old friend beet pulp, plus barley and two more super fibers: soybean hulls and alfalfa meal.  Even though this feed is called "senior," it is good for us competition horses because it is high in protein, fat, and fiber and is very digestible.  It is 25% NSC.

This is what Senior's Energized Choice looks like (photo from http://www.pennfieldequine.com)

When we are heavily conditioning and competing, we will also get some added Fibregized Omega, which contains the high-fat foods flax and rice bran.  Fat is a good way to add more energy to our diets.

I am excited about our new food.  I tasted some a couple of weeks ago and it was really good.  We will be in great shape for the 2011 season!

Best wishes,

Taco
P.S. If your mom wants to talk to Amy about our food she should call Amy-- email Stacy (cookiepony at gmail dot com) for her number!

Further reading:

Joe D. Pagan, "Carbohydrates in Equine Nutrition," in Pagan, ed., Advances in Equine Nutrition (Nottingham, UK: Nottingham University Press, 1998), 29-41.  Downloadable PDF 

Lori K. Warren, "Super, Fantastic Fibers: Find Out Which Fibers Might Benefit Your Horse," Equus Caballus Fall 2007, 10-13.  Downloadable PDF

Ask Taco: Christmas and Living with Fame

Q. Dear Taco,
What was in your stocking?  
G.H.

A. Dear G.H.,
I was lucky enough to receive organic carrots and four beautiful Macintosh apples in my stocking.  But I also received other gifts.  I got a brand new, big chunk of Himalayan salt to lick, a Newmarket fleece, some new bell boots, and a jelly scrubber.  Carol got me some Premier hind boots.  The Curwood side of the family (Jeni and Steve) sent me a whole bunch of peppermints.  Also, because of the VTO Saddlery sale, I am getting a belated Christmas gift of a new Rambo blanket with a neck cover.  Finally, though this is not really a Christmas gift for me, Stacy is going to order me a new saddle.  The thing about the saddle is that I am very happy with the one I have now, but it is a little too small for Stacy.  So this is perhaps more a gift she is giving to herself.

The bottom line is that I am very happy with my gifts, and I humbly offer my own gifts of generosity, spirit, and honesty to my family during this holiday season and beyond.

Best wishes,
Taco

Q. Dear Taco,
Given how famous you’re becoming of late, how do you keep a level head on your shoulders?  Are you getting a big head, or are you still the same down-to-earth guy you’ve always been? How do you deal with success and fame?
Elizabeth

A. Dear Elizabeth,
I do love admiration and attention-- it is part of my nature!  But my first priority is to live a life that I can be proud of, whether it brings fame or not.  On the first level, this means participating in the world fully and appreciating the basic things like a long drink of water, some tasty oats, tender grass shoots, or a good roll followed by some fun bucking in the field.  That is how I stay connected to my place in the universe.

On another level, I also conduct myself as best as I can with my humans.  I genuinely like human contact and the day-to-day interactions with them please me.  I could just stand for hours while Stacy curries and brushes me and feeds me treats and talks to me.  And I feel it is my duty to give all of my effort to what she is asking me to do under saddle.  If there is a jump in front of me, I do my absolute best to get to the other side.  If she asks me to lengthen my stride, I make my steps as big as I possibly can in that moment.  If she wants me to run fast, I go fast until she asks me to slow down.  I am very proud of my abilities and my responsiveness.

On yet another level, I think it is important for me to express my personality.  I am confident in my abilities and very aware of my environment.  I hold myself with dignity, but I have a sense of humor too.  That is why I can give "the look of eagles" one moment and then let someone play with my tongue the next.  I have been through a lot in my life, including a close brush with death, and I have come to appreciate both the mundane and the extraordinary.

When I am relaxing in my pasture, soaring over a big jump with Stacy, or majestically trotting down the jog lane at a three day event, it does not matter how many people read about me on the internet.  I revel in what is before me.  So to give a short answer to your question, I like to think that fame has not changed me at all.

Best wishes,
Taco

Fame or no, I just enjoy being myself.

Ask Taco: Hair Care and 2011 Plans

Q.  Dear Taco,
How do you keep your mane and tail so glossy?  What horsehair products do you use? 
And my friend wonders what Lifetime Movies you watch.
Does Stacy treat you well?  Do you like soft shoes or hard shoes?
Please answer any or all of the above!

Best,
Gina

A. Dear Gina,
Thank you for noticing my lovely mane and tail.  I am very proud of them.  I especially like my mane when it has grown a little bit too long and wild, like it is now.  I know that Stacy will thin and shorten it in a month or two to get ready for the event season, but in the meantime I like my rakish appearance.

 My hair care regime is very simple.  I do not over-wash it, first of all.  In the winter it does not get washed at all, unless my tail gets too muddy while I am running in my pasture.  That way the natural oils are allowed to condition it.  In the summer I often get both my mane and my tail rinsed out when I have showers after my workouts.  Year round, Stacy brushes my mane frequently but almost never brushes my tail.  Instead, she sprays Show Sheen into it to keep it detangled.  Some people say that Show Sheen is drying but the benefits of keeping my tail tangle-free outweigh that problem.  No tangles and little brushing add up to a nice, full tail that I am very proud of.

For competitions, Stacy washes both my mane and my tail.  She uses a shampoo called "Quic-Black" on my tail to enhance the color.  Then she works Mane n' Tail conditioner into my tail and lets it sit while she washes another part of me.  Finally, she rinses it with cool water (this helps the hair shaft slick down and look shiny) and then sprays Show Sheen into the wet tail.  Finally, once it is completely dry, she does the only brushing that she ever does on my tail.  She then makes a straight cut across the bottom, braids my mane, and we are ready!

A nice tails shows off a nice hind end. (xpressfoto.com)

As for my Lifetime movie preferences, I don't want to hurt your friend's feelings but I don't really like Lifetime.  It is marketed toward female people and I'm male and a horse.  One time when I had insomnia in the winter, I was in my stall and turned on my TV and got sucked into a series of Lifetime movies.  I could not tell you the titles, though.  I was in a fog all the next day.

Stacy treats me very well, thank you.  I like the carrots that Stacy brings and how much fussing she does.  She scratches my itches and I don't mind the kisses too much.  She understands my needs very well, for the most part.   I get a little bit frustrated when she goes away on trips, either for work or to visit her family up in New England, which seem to happen every few months.  I really prefer to have regular work and consistent attention.  But she leaves me with Amy, who runs a pretty tight ship.  Sometimes Amy even rides me, like today. Also, I keep telling Stacy that I do not like static electricity in the winter and she has not addressed that problem, but it is minor.  The shoes she has on me are OK, I guess-- they feel fine and I have never had a different kind except I remember that when I was very young I did not have any shoes at all.  I like the new food that we are eating, and my hock joints in my hind legs feel pretty good right now.  All in all I have everything I need. 

All my best,
Taco

Q. Dear Taco,
My mom says that she has a vicarious eventing life thanks to you and your mom.  I don’t know what “vicarious” means and I’m not really sure what “eventing” is, but since Destiny says eventing is really hard work, we’re both against it on principle.

So we think that maybe if my mom hears a lot about your eventing career she’ll not even THINK about making us do it.  I think my mom would like to know what your plans are for next season.  What events will you be going to?  Plans for clinics?  Another 3-day? Please tell her in great detail b/c Destiny and I want to keep her happy for obvious reasons.
 
I think you’re pretty hot, BTW. For a gelding, that is. ;-)

Your fan,
Maggie

A. Thanks for your kind compliments, Maggie.  I do my best to keep my appearance attractive, and it's nice to know that folks notice.
Vicarious simply means that she isn't doing the eventing herself but is instead experiencing the eventing through my participation.  It is nice to have her cheering Stacy and me on, I must say.  I do enjoy having fans.  But I will also say that I don't mind hard work at all.  If it involves running and jumping I just love it.  I guess you ladies will just have to be vicarious along with your mom.  As long as you are my fans, I think that's great.

As for our season, Stacy recently talked to Amy and the rest of the Panther Springs Farm riders and they made a schedule for 2011.  As I understand it, the first half of the year is to be a preparation for another Training Three Day.  As it stands this involves:
February  Combined test, dressage show, or clinic if possible
March 5-13 Aiken (March 12-13 Full Gallop Farm Horse Trials)
April 9-10 Chattahoochee Hills Horse Trials
May 6-8 Poplar Place Farm/ Area III Championships
June 2-5 Indiana Training Three Day Event

After the T3D we will probably enjoy ourselves at some more events later in the summer:
September 2-4 Kentucky Classic
September 23-25  Poplar Place
Oct 21-23 MidSouth Team Challenge  (this is where we did the T3D this year but next season we want to be on a team!)

We will also add some clinics and dressage shows here and there.  You can be sure that Stacy or I will post them on the blog.  It will be fun!  I love eventing!

All my best,
Taco

Ask Taco: Preparing for the New Season and Half Halts

 Q.
Dear Taco,
Well, I've been on a break for at least the past year, but I've learned a lot and I've been working on new ways to use my many talents in different ways (for instance, I never knew that if I reached forward through the bridle and stepped up under through my hind-end that I had MORE power than if I just pull forward and bulldoze on my forehand!). Now that my mommy and I have worked on better tools for using my body to improve our riding, she is ready to put us back to work and hopefully get out to some competitions this spring. As we start to leg back up in January and February, what types of jumping exercises do you work on to get yourself ready for the upcoming competition season? My mom is really keen on something she calls "gymnastics," but I just think they're a bunch of poles all crammed together, so I get through them as best I can. As long as mommy doesn't fall off, though, I figure I'm ok. But, in order to make mom happy in the long run, what type of jumping work do you all start off with at the beginning of the year? I will try to take your advice and be good, but sometimes I just can't contain myself. I know that will make me sorry when I get in big trouble for launching my mommy, so I probably need some guidance from an eventing professional. Help me, please!!!!
Your buddy,
--Eddie

A. Dear Eddie,
That is great that you are going out to some competitions this coming year.  You will have fun.  I love competitions because I get a lot of attention and fussing over me, and I get to see places that I like and, best of all, jump over things.

It is understandable that you are excited about jumping again.  I have been known to get exuberant myself.  I can jump over much bigger things than what Stacy attempts, but that is OK with me.  I can just jump as high as I want to no matter what the size of the fence is.  She does not mind too much if I only do it a few times here and there.

I have found that I can jump the best when I have been able to build up my stifle muscles, especially if I have not been working so hard for a while.  Walking up hills and trotting in straight lines help my quads grow very strong.  I have had to do the gymnastics and I have to say, I like them because they are like doing puzzles.  Do you like doing puzzles?  If you think of it like a game you might discover that you enjoy gymnastics!

Another thing that helps me with my jumping is... jumping!  If I get to do a little bit fairly frequently, I can concentrate a little better and I am not so tempted to jump very high or do some little bucks.  I am very happy when Stacy just canters over a few smaller jumps here and there between jumping lessons.  If you can convince your mom to do the same, and she lets you jump low things on many of your rides, both of you will get more out of your lessons for sure.

See you at the shows!
Best wishes,
Taco

Q:
Could you in VERY elementary terms explain the half-halt. Second, how we can tell if our half-halt has been effective?
Thanks, K.B.

A. Dear K.B.,
I know who you are.  You bring apples to Rugie's mom, who does not like me very much.  I like you, however, because you often give me an apple, too.

A half halt is when I shift my balance toward my back legs.  If I want to do that I have to step farther forward with my hind legs, which means that I have to round my back a little and bend the joints in my hind legs a little more.  I have to say that I am very good at this, except when my left hock is bugging me.  Even then, I can still do a pretty good job.  And I look pretty handsome doing it.

xpressfoto.com

I had to learn how to do the half-halt, though.  Actually, to be more precise, I had to learn what the signal was for the half halt.  Now I know that when my rider asks me to go forward, but then keeps me from going faster, I am to do the half-halt.  The way Stacy usually asks me to go forward is with a squeeze or bump from her legs.  The way that she keeps me from going faster is by holding with her core muscles and the outside rein.  If I get stiff or turn my head to the outside, which sometimes happens, she supples me a little with her inside rein.  Then she relaxes all of these pressures.

I can tell if the half halt worked because I will be working harder!  I think the way that Stacy can tell is that it feels like my energy is cycling from her legs through my hind legs and back through the bit and the reins to her.   Also, both of us feel like we could do anything together!  I have to admit, even though it is harder work it feels nice.

Best wishes,
Taco

Ask Taco: Cross Country and Conditioning Success

 Q. Dearest Taco,
I have long admired you and your sexy legs...I mean athletic physique and bold attitude. I can get kind of scared going XC, especially when my rider, Megan, tells me to take off too long at a jump. Can you give me some tips in how to be an excellent XC horse like you?
 
Your admirer,
Flo

A. Dear Flo,

Thank you for your kind comment about my legs.  I honestly thought that you had lost interest since you did not pay much attention to me this summer when we were in Indiana together.  But I am happy to help you out.

It is easy to be an excellent cross country horse if you follow three rules.
1) First, pay attention to absolutely everything that is in your path, so that you are prepared to handle it.  Study the terrain in front of you, the obstacle itself, and where the flags are (the darker one goes on the right).  Know where every bump on the ground is and whether there is just one jump or another one after it.  You will not have much time to do this so you always need to be paying attention, and this will make time seem to slow down.  This will help you with rule number two, which is:
2) Always jump if it is is safe to do so.  Notice that I do not say that you should jump no matter what.  You should only jump if it is safe.  This is the vast majority of the time.  Sometimes your jump might not be pretty, but that is not a good excuse not to jump.  For example, you might be coming to a jump and you are pretty sure that your rider is going to ask for a long spot.  At that point, you should slow things down in your mind like in #1, above, and check to see whether you can add another stride.  It might not look pretty, but you will be safe and your rider will be happy that you jumped over the fence.  The only good excuse not to jump is if you just can't make it over the obstacle and land on your feet on the other side.  Always try your very best to make it work.
3)  Pay close attention to where your rider is looking.  If you think about it, you can usually tell where she is looking, right?  That is very important information, because that tells you where to go.  If your rider makes some other mistakes on the way to the jump, you can stay on the line that she was riding and ignore the rest of her flailing around.  Again, your rider will be very happy that you jumped even though her riding was not perfect.

I hope that these tips help you out, and I hope that I see you again soon.  Would you like to jump with me sometime?

Kisses,
Taco

xpressfoto.com

Q. Dear Taco,
I don’t want to be an eventer and neither does my mom, but she says I need to work on “conditioning” b/c it will help my dressage.  That sounds like a lot of work to me.   Anyway, she begged me to ask you for advice about this, so even though I have no real interest in it myself, I’m asking. I love my mom even if she’s sometimes nuts.

We used to have access to more trails, but some crazy people cut down the trees up there, and since the trees make horses’ feet sick, we can’t use the best trail anymore.  My mom thinks we should go over to your place and do this “conditioning” over there.  So what would you recommend, exactly?

Thanks (sort of), 
Destiny

A. Dear Destiny,
Yes, conditioning can be a lot of work, but it helps get you fit, which feels really good.  It allows you to do anything you want to do without getting tired.  You will have more energy and vitality, and you will look great.  So those are all very good reasons to do conditioning.

As for where to do the conditioning, it is nice to have a large field or a trail.  It is possible to condition in a small arena, but that gets boring very quickly, and you will be tempted to throw in some spooks and bucks to make things interesting.  This will likely have the effect of angering or otherwise upsetting your mom.  Therefore, encourage her to find a nice area in which to condition.  Panther Springs Farm, where I live, does indeed have a nice track for conditioning.  Usually Stacy has me walk up and down the hill in one of the pastures, and then she does some trotting and cantering around the track.  When we are getting ready for a three day event we will do sets of trotting or cantering in between walking breaks.  This is called interval training.  Now that it is winter and I am not in regular work, we just do a few minutes at each gait but mostly walk around the farm.  The hill work is good for my hindquarters, the intervals are good for my cardiovascular system, and the walking is good for my bones, tendons, and ligaments.

I invite you to come over and do some conditioning with me.  Try it-- you might like it!

Best wishes,
Taco

Ask Taco: Saddles and Movie Viewing Preferences

These just in!  See Taco's responses, below.

Q:  Dear Taco,
I've noticed that your mom is trying out new saddles. How are you weighing in on her decision? Which brands and saddles have you liked most and which least...and WHY? I value your opinion, Taco.
L. C.-B.

A.
Ah, yes, the saddle search.  I hope that Stacy gets it settled quickly, because I don't like to have a bunch of different saddles on me.  I like to have a couple that fit well that I wear all of the time.  The three saddle brands that I have liked the best are Albion (Annika had one of those), Passier (my dressage saddle is a GG model), and Black Country (the jumping saddle that Stacy has is their Tex Eventer model).  All of those saddles are well-made and good quality, but the most important part is that they match up to my back very well so that I am comfortable.  This does not mean that I could not like another kind as long as it fits me.  I have heard that Stackhouse saddles feel really good when the maker comes to measure the horse and rider, for example.  Stacy says that they are very expensive but I do wish that she would get one of those.

An extra-forward BC Tex Eventer-- my current saddle

I have a typical Thoroughbred back in that I have a reasonably high wither and a slight curve to it, but I don't have shark-fin type withers like some other Thoroughbreds.  I also have a medium wide angle to my back, although I got a little bit narrower when I was really fit for my T3D.  Our main fitting problem is my rider, Stacy.  She is not too tall but the top part of her leg (from hip to knee) is very long compared to the rest of her.  So when she is sitting in the jumping saddle with short stirrups, her knee goes over the front of the saddle if the flap is not forward enough!  Then when she rides me over the jumps I can feel her leg slipping back in the air.  I am very patient so I let it be unless she happens to bump me with her spur.  Then I let her know that she is poking me!

We tried a Frank Baines Extreme last week and right away I could tell it was not wide enough for me.  Stacy did not seem to pick up on this fact at first.  She can be a little bit slow sometimes.  She rode me in it and it wasn't terrible, but I did express my reluctance to leave the barn for the trial ride.  Luckily she figured out something was not quite right and sent some pictures to the saddle fitters, who told her that it was too narrow for me and too small for her.  Now it sounds like she is going to try another, bigger Black Country and then get a flap that is customized to be more forward.

By the way, she is working with Trumbull Mountain Saddlery and Kate Wooten and they are very helpful, so I am reasonably hopeful that she will get it right.  Otherwise I might wind up with one of those Western saddles like the one Tidbit had to try on last week!

Poor Tidbit.

Q. Dear Taco,
I am curious about your movie viewing preferences. Do you have netflicks and do you watch on TV in the barn or do you go to the movie theater? Do you bring your own carrots and do you ride there in your car if the movie theater is your preference?
Love, Grandma

A. Hi, Grandma.
Yes, I do have Netflix.  I just have the two-DVDs per month plan.  I have a home theater in my stall, because most theaters discriminate against horses.  This is actually a pet peeve of mine, because all kinds of destructive humans are allowed into the theaters, but not respectful horses like me.

I prefer hay to carrots for movie food because I just like to munch on something without ingesting a lot of carbs in one sitting.

I watch a lot of drama, suspense, art films, and even some mainstream comedy.  I also like horse-themed films although the horse parts have to be reasonably realistic.  We don't all neigh compulsively for no reason, you know.

Ask Taco: The Color Pink and Taco's Favorite Film

Taco has already had some questions submitted for the "Ask Taco" column.  He has cheerfully answered them.  Enjoy!

Q.  

Dear Taco,

My mommy dresses me in something everyone calls "pee-ink." I don't really understand what it is and why everyone makes a big deal over it. I can't see what this "pee-ink" looks like, but I think it is probably very bright. Since I look smashing in everything (much like you), I can't imagine it looks bad. Could you tell me about this "pee-ink" and if I should be worried about wearing it? Maybe I have to wear "pee-ink" because I have only one eye? I don't think people should discriminate against me for having only one eye, in fact, I think I should get bonus points for doing everything two-eyed horses can do with only one eye. So anyway, my mom always says her "pee-ink" is very tasteful and "real men wear 'pee-ink.'" What do you think?

Fondly,
Arizona 

A.  Thanks for writing, Arizona.  This is an excellent question.

What you are referring to is the color pink.  A color is the hue that we perceive when we look at an object.  It is caused by how an object absorbs and reflects light.  Some colors you might be familiar with are green (grass when it is alive) and blue (the sky and the ribbon for first place here in the US).  There are three primary colors: red, blue, and yellow.  Pink is a less saturated form of the color red.

Pink has an illustrious history as a color.  It is often seen as the color of love, so if your mom is having you wear it, it means that she loves you.  Sometimes it is also seen as feminine, but this is entirely culturally constructed.  In Japan it is seen as a manly color, for instance.  In India, a whole city, Jaipur, was painted pink to welcome the Prince of Wales in 1853.  Many pink buildings remain there today.

So yes, your mom is right, real men do wear pink and in fact whole cities wear pink.  I have seen plenty of handsome geldings with two eyes wearing pink.  I have seen you in your pink outfits and you look handsome too.

Best wishes,
Taco

A beautiful pink flower

Q.  Taco, what is your favorite movie?
Carol S.


A.  Thank you for this question.  I love films.  Recently, I very much enjoyed Julie and Julia (Columbia, 2009).  I am a gourmet and a blogger, and this film combined two of my interests in a virtuosic recipe that was beautifully-shot and well-acted.  I highly recommend it.

Perhaps my favorite classic film is All About Eve (Twentieth Century Fox, 1950).  I enjoy anything with Bette Davis, and the amazing repartee throughout the film will always be unparalleled.  Being a very talented horse, I am happy to mentor others (like Rugie), but I must keep a lookout for those who would like to steal my fame.   This film reminds me to do so.

Best wishes,
Taco

Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night!

Taco on Life These Days and New "Ask Taco" Feature

Stacy has been very busy lately.  Two weeks ago she did not come ride me at all!  She said that she went somewhere called Texas for a conference.  Just as I have a job, she apparently has a job too.  It is a very lazy job, however, because it does not involve any running or jumping.  She just sits there at a screen and sometimes talks to people who are sitting in a room with her.

Anyway, I didn't mind less riding at first, because I was pretty tired after my T3D.  But now that the weather has gotten cooler, I am ready to go again!  I really liked the T3D.  Stacy let me go as fast as I wanted to on the steeplechase and she did not interfere with me too much when we had a jump.  After that I had a nice break but I wasn't really tired, so I was thrilled when I got to go again and jump a regular cross country course.  When I got back to my stall and rested, I had plenty of energy but my hind legs felt really sore.  I would have done the showjumping the next day anyway but Stacy talked to some vets and she decided to just take me home instead and let me rest.  She said we can do another T3D next year, and I am really looking forward to it.

At least I have been able to jump a few times recently.  I have been very excited to jump and I am very good at it.  On other days I have had to do a little bit of dressage or trot and canter around the track a few times.  It is not hard work but that little bit of exercise makes me feel good.  Some horses really like to have 100% time off-- no riding at all.  However, that would make me very bored and if I don't get work I exercise myself in my pasture and sometimes get a little bit agitated when I am being led in or out of the barn.  I don't mean to but I can't help it sometimes.  It is just better for everyone when Stacy rides me.

We are also trying out new saddles.  Stacy needs a new saddle because she found out that hers is too small.

I would like to help out all of my fans so I am starting an "Ask Taco" column on this blog.  You can send in questions about anything and I will give you the answers.  I am extremely intelligent and I can answer anything you ask me.  You can ask horse questions or also fashion or history or etiquette or home decor questions or questions on any other topic.  Send them to Stacy at cookiepony at gmail dot com, or post them in the Comments section on this blog post.

Best wishes,
Taco