Horsy News, Views and Attitudes Vol. 1 Number 18 November 19-25, 2007

Pony Pals Send in Photos & Letters Pony Pal Stephanie P. riding Biggen Read Stephanie's Letter to the Editor on page 2. ___________________________________________ Pony Party at Olson's Horse Farm This year's 'Black Friday Open House' at Olson's will be on Friday, November 23rd, 10 am to 4 pm. "That's the day lots of stores have big Thanksgiving weekend sales when their yearly income goes from "red" to profit, or "black." Reggie Olson said. "We're inviting people who like ponies to come out, ride, have fun and look at horses to buy." Olson is pleased to offer horses from a well-known Morgan farm. "I heard they were selling their entire herd, so I jumped in my truck and brought back the best animals they had, over twenty in all colors." Photo courtesy of www.cedarplains.ca

Wiggins Volunteer Fire Dept. Warning Turkey Fryer Hazards This week Fire Chief Roger Edwards invited members of the press to a pre-Thanksgiving demonstration. Edwards showed a video of how easily turkey fryers can start fires. "Last year we had three blazes on Thanksgiving Day," Chief Edwards said. "One of the fires almost burned down a house." Edwards continued, "That neighbor tried to use a fish fryer to fry the turkey, which it's not meant for. The heater burned a hole through the bottom of that fish fryer and the turkey and all the grease fell onto the flames. That caught the porch on fire and we had a hard time preventing the whole house from burning down." See Fried Turkey on page 2

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Horsy News, Views and Attitudes Vol. 1 Number 18 November 19-25, 2007

LEARN TO SPEAK HORSE YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED Q. Q. My two ponies bite at each other all the time, even though they get really upset when they can't see each other, so I don't think they are fighting. What does this mean? You didn't say but I would bet that your two ponies are geldings. Male horses bite at each other to show who is the boss. In the wild, they might bite at coyotes or wolves that were trying to eat them. The boys you are watching are playing a game I call "nip tag" where they pretend to bite each other and will go on and on and on and on parrying and nipping at each other's faces. It can be quite funny to watch. This is not fighting, it is just like two young boys arm wrestling. Unless they begin to bite seriously, kick out or strike at each other, your ponies are just playing. Q. When I'm riding my neighbor's dog barks at me then comes up to the fence and my pony and the dog sniff at each other through the fence. Why do they do that? If the dog only barks a few times and then stops, it is saying, "I'm scared of this thing on the other side of the fence." Both dogs and horses like to learn more about other animals by smelling them. Your pony and the dog are saying, "Hello, want to be friends?"

Letters to the Editor Hello, I have 15 head of horses already. But I train and break horses. But 4 heads are my cousins. And I will attach some pics of me and my horse. (Ed. See page 1!) Thank you Stephanie P. Me and my Pony Pal in Palm Springs. Rick K. Hi this is Charity L. I love the prize thank you very much! Oh and I want to sign up for the virtual riding lessons. (Look for an article about the riding lessons very soon! Ed.)

Fried Turkey Continued from page 1 Some TV cooking shows said deep-fried turkeys are very tasty. These turkey cookers can easily tip over or overflow when used. When this happens the hot oil catches fire. Edwards says deep-fry turkey cookers must be used out of doors. Keep away from anything that might catch fire. Edwards showed at a short video made by Underwriters Laboratories. See it at: http://www.ul.com/turkeyfryers/fryer.mpg. "It's a lot safer to use an oven to cook a turkey. If everybody fixed their bird that way, I might eat my Thanksgiving dinner at home this year," Edwards laughed, "instead of as leftovers."

Thought for the day - -

Remember -- thin horses act a lot better than healthy ones.