Pondering Chariot Harness

My desk is piled high at the moment with books about harness. I suppose it’s no surprise, then, that an article that came to my attention this week about the excavation of an ancient chariot would have me focusing in on what they said about harness.

I recently completed an article for Rural Heritage magazine called “Harness Variety and Function.” My research included exploring why different types of draft harness are built in different ways. I expect this primed me to wonder how chariot harness might differ from other harness with which I’m familiar. Since the article on the ancient chariot mentioned that only bits of leather had been found, I had to turn to other places for information. Two immediately came to mind. The first is the collection of photographs I took at a chariot race several years ago, and the second is a picture in last year’s Mischka Carriage Driving calendar that I found striking showing a six-abreast of Friesians put to a chariot. (To see videos of Friesians put to chariots, click here and here.)

Harness can be thought of as having four components. The draft component is perhaps the most obvious: those parts of the harness involved in moving a load. The communication component is also easy to understand: the bridle, bit, and lines that allow communication between driver and equine. The stopping and backing component seems to be more difficult to grasp since this component is often incorrectly adjusted. The last component, the support component, includes those parts of the harness that connect or hold up the other parts of the harness.

My research turned up that the vast majority of draft harness in North America has all four components, but not all components of harness are present or needed in all situations. It’s interesting to note, for instance, that for extremely accomplished drivers/teamsters, the communication component can be optional because they can work their animals loose-headed. What component of harness is not present in the chariot harness?

© Jenifer Morrissey, 2013

New Foaling Predictor

In the April 2013 issue of Equus magazine, a new, simple, and inexpensive foaling prediction technique was described. Researchers in Japan discovered that measuring the pH of the mare’s milk was a reliable predictor both of foaling not being imminent and foaling happening within 72 hours. Specifically, a pH result above 6.4 “was almost 100 percent reliable in predicting that the mare would not foal within the next 24 hours.” And “once the pH value dipped below 6.5… there was a 98 percent chance the mare would deliver her foal within the next three days.” (1)

When I was at the Colorado State University Equine Reproduction Lab open house last month, I had the opportunity to speak to the professor in charge of the foaling class. I asked her about this research, and she said their preliminary testing indicated that it was indeed a reliable indicator. This endorsement was an added incentive to put the test to a test here at Willowtrail Farm.

I thought the value of this test was in predicting when foaling would happen, but in hindsight now I know the real value is knowing that foaling won’t be happening because I didn’t need to be up during the night needlessly. I have confirmed, with one data point, that the test is indeed very helpful.

I was not very knowledgeable about pH testing going into my experiment, so when I got on-line to shop for litmus paper I was quite overwhelmed with the choices. There are many, many products on the market to test saliva and urine, and it wasn’t initially clear to me whether these products would work for testing mare’s milk. They all explicitly state that they are only for testing saliva and urine. I ended up buying a type of test that was for saliva and urine and had a range from 4.5 to 9.0. The article suggested this range would work, and it did work fine. Included on the outside of the package was a color chart with .5 gradations which was helpful in getting an easy and accurate reading.

While this test is indeed simple and inexpensive, it does require one thing that may not be easy for all mare owners. You have to have a drop of milk!  Fortunately, my mares allow me to handle their teats, so I was able to express a single drop onto the test strip. I measured the mare’s milk first thing in the morning so that the 24 hour window would allow me to sleep through the night without worry.

In my case, the mare foaled within 13 hours of the pH of the milk dropping, so no sleepless nights at all (just one late night). What an incredible gift this test is!

1) “A new way to predict foaling,” Equus, Volume 427, April 2013, p. 17.

Test Successful But Not Necessarily for the Breed

A news item about the status of the FIS carrier test caused a flurry of communication last week. When I first read the news article, it didn’t sit well, but it wasn’t until I read Carole Morland’s post on Facebook that I understood my discomfort. The article indicated that the test was a success because fewer syndrome foals have been born. Carole questioned whether that was truly a measure of success for the breed, and rightly so.

The FIS carrier test allows pony owners and breeders to determine the status of a pony with respect to Foal Immunodeficiency Syndrome. FIS is primarily associated with Fell Ponies but has also been found in Dales Ponies and Gypsy Horses which have a fair share of Fell and Dales blood in them.

The news item about the FIS test was based on a paper published by the developers of the test about the test results they’ve accumulated so far. I’ll be reviewing that paper and some of my concerns about the conclusions drawn by the researchers in the next issue of Fell Pony News from Willowtrail Farm (click here to subscribe if you haven’t already.)

On Facebook, Carole Morland observed that fewer stallions have been licensed in the past few years. She asked whether that could be because good quality colts are being culled because of their FIS carrier status and whether that is good for the breed. I agree with Carole’s concern, as I know of at least two good stallions who were gelded because they were known carriers.

One benefit of the discussion on Facebook was the opportunity to distinguish between good Fell Pony stallions and Fell Pony stallions of rare blood lines. I shared that I’ve looked at rare blood lines, and my results indicate that some bloodlines are rare for a reason: they don’t represent the breed well. Questions were also asked about inbreeding coefficients, and since I was a co-developer of a database that used to provide that information for the breed, I was able to share my observations there, too. I made the decision not to continue the database because inbreeding coefficients are too easy to use incorrectly for mating decisions, in part because they rely on stud book data that isn’t always accurate.

It is disappointing that a potentially helpful tool for breeders of Fell Ponies isn’t being presented in a proper light with respect to breed conservation. I applaud breeders like Carole Morland for speaking out and helping educate people about the possible pitfalls the test poses for the breed.

© Jenifer Morrissey, 2013

Grand Re-Opening at CSU’s ERL

Paula Moffett in the Stallion Lab at CSU’s ERL; cryo tanks where Apollo’s semen is stored

The Equine Reproduction Lab (ERL) at Colorado State University (CSU) held their Grand Re-opening the other day, and it was quite a celebration. As the president of the university said in his remarks, CSU makes the most of adversity, and that is certainly the case for the ERL. Their main building burnt to the ground in July of 2011; no cause of the fire was ever determined. The new building is larger, and the flow of traffic for both animals and people is much smoother. More importantly, the new building enhances the ERL’s three-fold mission: education, research, and clinical service. Since I’ve benefited from two of those three, I was especially pleased to attend the celebration.

My first experience with the ERL was back in 2005 when we took their artificial insemination course. We saw great improvements in the facilities for collection and AI in this new building over the old one. My second experience with the ERL was last summer when I took my Fell Pony stallion Guards Apollo there to be collected. At that time we saw the new building rising from the ashes of the old one. On our tour the other day, we saw the cryo-tanks where Apollo’s semen is stored.

The end of the tour left us in the foaling aisle of one of the barns where a foal had been born that morning. Our tour guide was the veterinarian in charge of teaching the foaling course; I’ll have more on our conversation in a future blog post. I found myself chuckling a little at the idea of people teaching a foaling course; I feel lucky that a bunch of great mares have taught me about foaling!

In addition to the formal presentation and tour of the new facility, I was pleased to have the opportunity to re-connect with Dr. Eileen Hackett, who examined Mya the Wonder Pony last fall. I thanked Dr. Hackett for dealing with my tears that day and for her advice that has made such a difference in Mya’s life and mine.

I also was pleased that we took the time to walk through the stallion barn. The only stallions that caught my eye were in the last two stalls. They had bone and substance that nicely balanced their size, and they had very attractive heads. I was quite proud of myself when I correctly identified them as baroque or Foundation Morgans. You just don’t see that many around; according to the Foundation Morgan website, as few as 13% of the breed are the foundation type. I’ve probably seen twenty Morgans during my equine career, and only three were foundation-type. As someone interested in versatile equines, it was a thrill to see these well-built animals.

Picture of Guards Apollo and Paula Moffett on Paula’s desk at CSU’s ERL

By far the highlight of our visit to the ERL was reconnecting with Paula Moffett, with the Stallion Reproductive Services program. Paula was the one I worked with last summer when I had Apollo collected, and at the time she said how much she liked him. I found out the depth of that affection when we spoke at the open house; she shared that she keeps a photograph that I took of her with Apollo right next to her computer in her office where she can easily see it. I took a picture of the picture to confirm it!

Apparently the rebuilding of the ERL is the first step in implementing a new project at CSU: The Equine Institute. I look forward to hearing more and am glad to be associated with the ERL.

© Jenifer Morrissey, 2013

At Least Two Quick Release Strategies

I had the ponies tied as I usually do prior to feeding vitamin buckets. As I was retrieving the buckets to go back over the fence with them to the ponies, out of the corner of my eye I saw a pony acting strangely. When I looked, she had tangled her head in her lead rope. I set the buckets down and headed her direction quickly, trying to reassure her with words as I approached. This wasn’t just a typical tangle; she had somehow wrapped the leadrope twice around the throatlatch part of her neck and then pulled it tight.

I was reminded as I freed her from her predicament the importance of having at least two quick release strategies in situations where ponies tangle themselves when tied. Generally, we’re advised as horse owners to never tie our equines long or low, to avoid them tangling themselves in their lead ropes. When I’m feeding them buckets while tied, I have to tie a little longer than normal so that they can reach their buckets on the ground.

Having two quick release strategies for when ponies tangle themselves in their lead rope is important in case the first one fails, as was the case this time. The pony had wrapped the lead rope so tight around her neck that I couldn’t get to the breakaway snap that is designed to be easy to release even when there is pressure on it. So I resorted to my second quick release strategy: the quick release knot on the lead rope. It, too, is designed to come free even when there’s pressure on it, and I’ve only rarely had it give me trouble. It worked as it was supposed to in this situation, and I was able to free the pony from the tangle she had created.

I always carry a pocket knife, so perhaps that could be considered another quick release strategy, as I could have cut the lead rope if necessary. And there is another strategy that I consider so basic that I forget about it. It is really critical to be extra watchful when tying ponies long. Especially with expressive ponies, either by tossing their heads (as was the case this time) or pawing, they can so easily tangle themselves, but with any pony really, I consider it the ultimate in irresponsibility to let them be tied long without keeping an eye on them.

In the next issue of The Partnered Pony™ Inquirer, I’ll include a short video showing how to tie the quick release knot, and I’ll include a photo of the quick release snap. Please join me (by clicking here) if you aren’t already a subscriber!

© Jenifer Morrissey, 2013

A Variation on the Bucket Ritual

I’ve taught my five-year-old Fell Pony stallion Willowtrail Black Robin to pick up his feed bucket and hand it to me after he’s finished eating from it.  This has been a morning ritual for many months.  A few days ago I moved him to a larger paddock where I give him his bucket at one end and then feed him his hay at the other, so we haven’t been engaging in the feed bucket ritual.

This morning when I entered the paddock to feed him his hay, he took off for the far end of the paddock.  I went into the hay shed, then looked up, and here comes Robin, carrying his feed bucket all the way from the other end of the paddock to me.  I was stopped in my tracks by him voluntarily retrieving the bucket and bringing it to me.

When I realized what Robin was offering and I was over my surprise, I stopped what I was doing and went out and gave him a big hug.  His variation on the bucket ritual, I thought, was quite creative and amazing!  You never know what benefits partnering with ponies will bring!

(c) Jenifer Morrissey, 2013

Best Dream Ever

Bowthorne Matty

I had the best waking dream of my life this morning, and that’s saying something since I’ve passed (by a few years) the half century mark…! The dream was, of course, about ponies, and about one pony in particular. Perhaps it’s because I had posted a picture of her in my blog and on social media recently. Or perhaps it’s because I just moved her to the foaling shed, but Bowthorne Matty got a special greeting this morning of intense gratitude.

We were at a horsemanship clinic on a sunny day with a very green grassy field (quite a contrast to the 33 inches of snow that we’ve had the past week and that the ponies and I are slogging through this morning.) We were riding about at all gaits very compatibly. This again is a big contrast to my present reality because Matty is the one adult pony in my herd whose back I haven’t been on. I’m sure I could be with just a few minutes of work, and this dream confirms it. It will obviously be a few weeks, until after she foals, before I even try.

At one point in the dream when we’d come to a stop in our ridden work, my bareback pad slipped. It slipped because Matty’s coat was so glossy and smooth with health that the pad just glided over it. Again this is in extreme contrast to current reality since Matty’s coat is shedding out in handfuls and while the coat coming in has a glossy feel to it, there’s nothing in the visible realm that resembles the term ‘glossy’.

All of my pony-related dreams in the past have been anxious ones: ponies out of their pens, stallions on the loose, youngsters running about where they aren’t supposed to be. In hindsight I realize I needn’t have been anxious about these sorts of dreams since all of them have happened, and I’ve dealt with them successfully. Based on that analysis, I look forward to making this ‘best dream ever’ into a dream come true, too!

© Jenifer Morrissey, 2013