Tag Archives: magic

The Basics of Horse Care, Pt. 3

Today I conclude my interview with Professional Hunt Seat Horse Trainer Holly Stello on the basics of horse care, and why anyone who wants to can own a horse. You can work your way up to having the knowledge needed to have a horse as a pet. Having that knowledge influences the cost, because then you could pay less to board it by doing more for your horse on your own. Or you could always just be a working student and still get to spend a lot of time around horses. Holly says working students are common in the equestrian … Continue reading →

The Basics of Horse Care, Pt. 2

On Tuesday I started a blog on the basics of horse care, as described to me by my friend Professional Hunt Seat Horse Trainer Holly Stello. Today the article continues with more of a horse’s fundamental needs, and the costs owning one will accrue. Horses are not as social of a breed as other animals; however, Holly recommends buying a buddy for a lone horse. But she admits that “horses, like dogs, have personalities. Some are total loners, and some will have separation anxiety and need a friend.” You should spend 20 minutes minimum interacting with your horse every day, … Continue reading →

The Basics of Horse Care, Pt. 1

With the Christmas season approaching many of us might be considering giving pets as gifts. I’ve always been clear on my stance: don’t give any animal as a surprise present. Make sure the giftee knows what he or she is receiving and is ready and willing for the responsibilities which come with that particular animal. Maybe some of you are actually thinking about purchasing a particular pet that was always my special holidays dream: a horse. Sure I wanted a dog, but I always thought that might be within the realm of possibility. A horse is what I always wanted … Continue reading →

Penn, Teller, & James Randi

Last Friday, I watched “Don’t Forget the Lyrics.” I love trying to get the lyrics correct on this game show, but usually, I record it and fast forward through the unnecessary dialogue that occurs. I mean really, did Monty Hall have to do contestant family reunions to get ratings? Would Chuck Woolery have stalled like Howie Mandel does? No. But, this past week was a special charity episode featuring illusionists Penn &Teller. I’ve written about Penn & Teller before because they are not only amazing illusionists, but also hilarious. Because of this, I decided to watch the entire show. Penn … Continue reading →

Learning about Horses and Ponies

Yesterday I wrote about how shopping for a birthday present for a friend’s daughter made me realize how many types of horses there are. Growing up, our family had a horse for all of about five minutes. His name was Saberjolt and I was over the moon for him. But, thanks to my allergies, we had to give Saberjolt up. (At least that’s how family legend tells it. More than likely it was because we couldn’t afford him. I don’t remember ever coughing, sneezing or wheezing either during or after any Saberjolt outings.) However, I couldn’t tell you what kind … Continue reading →

Pony in My Pockets Teach Horse Breeds

When I was growing up, I knew girls who were into horses. They literally had stables full of different breeds, but in the form of toy representations. Still, they knew what type each horse was and could tell you all kinds of interesting facts about the different breeds. I was reminded of this because the other day I was in Target looking for a birthday gift to send to my friend’s daughter. When we all lived in Jacksonville, I was around Brenda’s oldest daughter all the time. We moved when her youngest was just shy of two, so I haven’t … Continue reading →

High Winds Ruin David Blaine’s Finale

If you have watched NBC at all this week, you have probably seen excerpts of David Blaine’s latest stunt, “Dive of Death.” The 35-year-old magician is known for doing death-defying stunts, including a stunt in which he was suspended over London in a clear cube for 44 days without food and only minimal water each day and one where he was submerged into a sphere filled with water for seven days straight. (Photo by Nelia Schrum and as a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain.) This week, he hung upside down over Central … Continue reading →

No More Horsing Around in Rome

Horses in New York’s Central Park are not the only ones animal rights activists are looking to save. Passionate horse lovers in Italy want visitors to use other means of transportation to tour famous landmarks in Rome other than horse-drawn carriages. A strong contingency of animal activists are trying to ban the use of horse drawn carriages saying traffic, pollution, heat and heavy loads expose the animals to health risks. According to one animal rights association, about 90 horses are employed in Rome to carry tourists to see the city’s landmarks (such as the Colosseum) on busy streets full of … Continue reading →

Sunday Travel Funnies: Gas and Giggles

Yesterday my best friend called from Hawaii to inform me that a gallon of regular unleaded gas has now reached $4.50 in our hometown (that, and her son broke his arm at a local playground). The record breaking price of fuel is no laughing matter for families who live on a fixed income, but what might get a few giggles is the way some folks have been dealing with the financial burden. For example, in Arlington, Washington, staff members at a local dental office are switching from four wheels to four legs to save money on gas. According to reports, … Continue reading →

Purina’s Precautionary Pet Food Recall Affects Horses, Goats, Pigs

Right now I’m watching the evening news while working on my new laptop and saw that pet owners have another pet food recall to worry about. This time Purina is doing a precautionary recall because of concerns some of their food has been contaminated or exposed to aflatoxin. However, this time it’s not dogs and cats affected. It’s horses, pigs, and goats. No animals have fallen ill yet according to the newscast. The recall is a precautionary measure on Purina’s part. Unfortunately I wasn’t quick enough to note the particular Purina brands that were affected. But aflatoxin was the cause … Continue reading →