From 2008 to 2010, I owned an ex-racehorse, Panimetro (1999-2010), a Thoroughbred rescue from the Virgin Islands. He was cared for by VICCTRE (Virgin Islands Community Cooperative Thoroughbred Retirement Effort) until he was adoptable. He was a multiple graded stakes winner with career earnings from 2001-2005 of $300,500. We assembled a list for all your information about horse racing betting from bookmakers to racetracks to help in choosing whether you want to head over to the racetrack and place your bets, or go online and make a horse racing wager from home.
During “Metro’s” last race, he had a horrible accident where he suffered four major fractures in his left front ankle, an injury similar to the one suffered by the famous racehorse, Barbaro, the Kentucky Derby winner that was euthanized due to complications in the healing of his leg.
“Metro” could have met the same sad fate but he was able to heal himself by lying down for long periods over a year and a half and allowing VICCTRE caretakers to attend to him. He loved the attention. The fetlock had a lot of calcification, but it healed enough for him to be a regular horse for a while.
Metro was on the cover, and the inside, and as the December horse on the 2009 VICCTRE calendar. You’ll see him running around still like a racehorse, even with his injured left front leg.
Metro came to the equine rescue organization, Habitat for Horses, in March of 2009 when he was brought here from the Virgin Islands. He was such a character and loved people! He was able to run around, buck and play and jump over a water puddle in front of his paddock that filled up when it rains a lot.
He had a wonderful stall with a ceiling fan and open access to paddocks that opened into his own pasture. It was so cool to see him run in from the pasture for his dinner. Metro was such a gentleman and was trained well at the track to stand quietly for the farrier and when being washed. He got fed 3 times a day plus a lot of loving and TLC, so he was in horse heaven. He even “learned to use the bathroom” in the paddock instead of in his stall.
He was a wonderful companion-horse to my mare, Rocki. Early on he and Rocki were turned out together, but it proved to be too much for Metro. He wanted to run and play too much so I closed him in the back pasture and my mare in the front pasture. But of course, they played with each other over the tall fence between their stalls.
Sadly, Metro passed in the Fall of 2011. His leg finally gave away. He is buried in my back pasture. I cried so much over this – I had never had my own horse euthanized before.
Moorland’s Totilas baby from Sherry Smith’s brood. DogwoodSportHorses.com
We have liftoff! Finally got a new design done – yea! HorsesintheSouth.com and AHorseBlog.com are now one source. My associate editor had been adding articles to both the CMS (Contact Management System which ran the home page, event calendar and directory) and to the blog. The blog has all of the articles we have been posting since 2007, but the CMS has the headline, showing/events, horse care and editorial pages and these were posted to the blog, so that was double-duty for him. All of the blog posts have been moved to the new site, so nothing has been lost.
There is still work to be done and more tweaks to be made, but I really like it. This has been a huge undertaking for the size of my site (over 15,000 pages) and the old articles that were in the CMS and the old Article Archive will go away because I went from a Windows server to a Linux server and Linux doesn’t support the asp and aspx pages. But, this will be a lot easier for us to manage and a lot easier for you to navigate.
I also want to say that Horses in the South is a Proud Media Partner of the So8ths/Nikon Three-Day Event in the “Heart of the Carolinas”. It’s their third annual So8ths/Nikon Three-Day Event May 2-5, 2013 in Chesterfield, SC.
We have a new calendar and directory. I have to re-add many directory listings and at this point, the events have to be added by us, but that may change when I upgrade to the paid version of the plugin.
The directory has new features, too, but I’m not yet aware what they all do. I need more training by my designer. I know there will be a paid version that I believe will allow your listing to go to the top to stand out from the others and I think we can add it to the home page, but this is what I still need to work on.
The over 70 business listings that I confirmed that were active are ‘grandfathered-in’ so we will re-add these to the new site’s directory. I copy/pasted the data from the old CMS driven site, plus I had to verify (mostly) and update to current text and contact info. So, if you don’t see your listing, please re-add it.
We are still working on the banner displays and all that it can do, too, so my current Media Guide is not valid. You will have to contact me for details until then. Check the Web Services page for updates, too. We also added Google Checkout (formerly Wallet) for payment and we still take Paypal.
Maybe now I will have more time to do my own blog posts, lol!
Diana is one of HorsesintheSouth.com’s long time contributors for equine articles and events. This is a special highlight to her, so be sure to watch Worst Cooks in America on the Food Network this Sunday!
Bio of Diana De Rosa (Huntington, NY): Diana’s late parents wished their daughter would learn how to cook, and she is ready for culinary boot camp. She grew up in a family where dinner was waiting on the table when she got home, but she is now on her own and needs to take care of herself. Diana, a photographer and health fanatic, currently survives on nuts, dried fruit, Greek yogurt, protein shakes and leftovers from friends. When she does attempt the kitchen basics, she burns food and can’t even work a blender without spilling the contents all over the kitchen. She’s been a successful equine journalist covering events around the globe, but cooking is the one thing she still needs to master.
I finally got to see an indoor hunter derby under the lights at the huge covered arena at the Clay County Agricultural Center in Green Cove Springs, FL (just south of Jacksonville) at the annual Jacksonville Winter Series. I missed it last year due to other commitments I had, but made it to the USHJA $25,000 International Hunter Derby this year. Read more about the derby and the Jax Winter Series here.
Every year I get to see the hunter classes and the grand prix jumping, but I haven’t seen a hunter derby other than what I can see online. I was really cool and not what I expected – a lot faster! Hard to shoot pictures and figure out a good spot to be in, but I got a few good shots anyway.
I was really great to see some of the hunter riders here that we put articles online about. It’s amazing that some of these riders can do so many different horses all in one class, too! Kelly Farmer rode 6 horses; Jennifer Alfano, who won the class on Jersey Boy, rode 4 horses; Liza Boyd rode 2 horses. Talk about being in shape – what athletes these women are. They are all winners in my eyes, including the 15 year old young lady that rode!
As usual, the North Florida Hunter Jumper Association put on a great dinner before the show with viewing access to the whole ring. I will definitely be making it to the next hunter derby that we have in close proximity.
We are overwhelmed with shows in our area and I wish I could go see them all. On my list next is to go to a combined driving show. Here’s hoping we have good weather since these aren’t in a nice covered arena. I have been shooting pictures in the covered arena during a rain with the wind blowing hard and gotten slightly wet and cold. That’s no fun, lol. We Floridians aren’t used to the cold. It went from 21 degrees in the morning 2 days ago back up to 78 degrees today!
This weekend is my dressage club’s schooling show and it’s supposed to rain. We desperately need the rain here as we are so dry and my pastures need it, but can’t it be when it’s not the day of a show?
My Northeast Florida Dressage Association (NFDA) club’s Dressage on the First Coast Spring 2011 show is coming up this weekend (April 9-10th) and boy has there been a flurry of work to do to get everything ready for it. Everything else has had to be put on hold, even getting my newsletter out before the end of March. My attempt to get it out the week before that was thwarted by a frustrating technical issue of my ESP not ‘talking’ to my ISP which took me 4 days to finally get resolved. Hence my March newsletter has become my Spring newsletter or a March/April newsletter.
My wonderful husband offered to do an advertisement for the show program as the EVP of HorsesintheSouth.com. We were trying to decide what he would say in the program ad as I already have an ad for HorsesintheSouth.com in it, so we decided that we would just thank all of our current clients, banner advertisers and affiliates. My graphic designer, Beth Webb, who also did the show program for us on a last minute notice just told me to write up some text and she would make an ad out of it. Well, 3-4 hours later, I came up with this huge text-heavy ad that feels like I am thanking everyone for an academy award or something, it is so long! I didn’t know where to stop, I am so lucky to have such wonderful clients and advertisers. And, these are just the current ones! So I figured this would also be a good editorial so that all of the HorsesintheSouth.com readers and AHorseBlog.com readers will see these accolades instead of it just being confined to a horse show program.
It reads like this, but the layout that Beth did is gorgeous, as is the show program that she did for the Dressage on the First Coast.
ALGGraphics.com – Flexo and Screen printer of specialty labels.
DogwoodSportHorses.com – Breeders of excellent bloodline European cross warmblood sport horses for sale; featuring the branded Westfalen, and approved RPSI breeding stallion, Freedom Hall.
DressageontheFirstCoast.com – The website for the twice yearly recognized show; started for the 2005 Region 3 Championships held at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center.
Feedin’ Time – Animal feed & supply store. See the store link on HorsesintheSouth.com/feedintime
FloridaMaritimeLawyers.com – Florida-based law firm which concentrates in trial litigation in the field of admiralty, cruise line and maritime law.
James “Shea” Walsh – HorsesintheSouth.com/sheawalsh; 1988 Olympian represented Ireland. Instruction and clinics locally and abroad.
KDEquine.com – Kathy Daly — Classical Dressage trainer, clinician. USEF “r” Dressage judge; my first website started in 1997. I wanted to give back to Kathy for all of the wonderful training she had and has done for me and my horses. We still get many “phone” training lessons and I used to get “Kitchen Table” lessons when she would stay with me when I lived in Jacksonville and she would get to my place too late for a lesson. One day I am going to write a book for her on these lessons, she is that good at explaining what to do!
Sundance Farm – HorsesintheSouth.com/sundancefarm; Featuring Swedish Warmblood, AWS approved stallion, Synchronicity; Lupe Guarderas, owner, competitor, trainer and Dressage judge.
SuncoastBedding.com – Premium ultra-compressed pine shavings animal bedding.
TripleKBarC.com – Preserving the “Last Chance” naturally-gaited, old-time Albert Dement foundation line of Tennessee Walking Horses. Dement mares for sale to selected breeding homes.
Current Banner Advertisers and Others that we Support:
CanterburyShowPlace.com – Central Florida’s nicest equestrian showplace with an indoor covered and lighted arena, and 3 outdoor rings, 5 show barns, clubhouse and more!
ClassicCompany.com – Show management that we support; production of multiple shows throughout the South.
FlashpointMediaServices.com and FlashPointPhotography.com – Robbie and Greg Meisel who we love and support, specialize in performance and event portrait photography, and press releases for Classic Company, LLC show management.
JaneHeart.com – Gorgeous equestrian and dog lines of jewelry including Secretariat™ and Barbaro™ licensed jewelry.
KAMAnimalServices.com – KAM’s Equine Learning Circle offers FREE webinars every month and we list weekly tips each Monday and support them with a banner link.
MahanFarm.com – 113 acre boarding, show and clinic facility in Tallahassee, FL. Summer camp held in conjunction with Feather Oaks Farm. Brett Barteld, Owner
NagHorseRanch.com – Home of the Nose Shade, formerly called Nag Nose Shade to stop sunburned horses’ muzzles.
NFHJA.com/ North Florida Hunter Jumper Association – We support them, especially during the Jacksonville Winter Series.
RavenwoodFarm.net – Ravenwood Farm Foundation non-profit rescue corporation
SouthernFarrier.com – Brett Barteld; 2nd Generation Farrier; 1990 Oklahoma Horseshoeing School -Certificate Graduate Professional Horseshoeing; Brotherhood of Working Farriers Association Certified; American Farrier’s Association Member
SunHorseTack.com – Fancy and custom-made horse halters and stuff!
USET.org/United States Equestrian Team Foundation – We support them with a non-profit banner advertisement.
And, we have too many blog contributors to list here, so please see the Contributor category on AHorseBlog.com as these keep growing every day.
Jerry and Teri also wish to thank Sheila Van Dusen, honorary EVP, for all of the assistance she has provided since our beginnings in 2000, plus Jason Ellerbee, for his assistance as our Associate Editor and analyst, Chris Dunn and Linda Bourdow for their accounting assistance, Rob Bowman for his amazing photography, Charles Bryant for his amazing programming work on our website and blog, and Beth Webb for her amazing graphic design skills and assistance. Without their help, we would not have been able to keep this monster of a website and blog, plus our client sites and advertisers functioning.
The Roman Senate governed Ancient Rome for five centuries. It looked much like the Congress today. The purpose of the Roman Senate was to rule in accordance with the wishes of the Roman People. The building in which the Roman Senate met, the “Curia Julia,” still stands in Rome today.
In 27 B.C., Augustus Caesar formally took control of Rome, and established the Roman Empire. But the Roman Emperors didn’t abolish the Senate. Instead, the Roman Senate continued to meet, for five more centuries, doing pretty much nothing.
During the Roman Empire, the Emperor held all the power. The Senate was simply a debating society, chosen by the Emperor, and serving at his pleasure. To prove this point, in 39 A.D., Emperor Caligula appointed his horse, Incitatus, to the Roman Senate.
What we are heading for, here in America, is something very much like that. The way things are going, Big Money will choose our “leaders” in Congress, and they will serve at Big Money’s pleasure.
Big Money doesn’t put horses in Congress. Just the hind-quarters of horses.
One of our resident hawks taking a bath in our birdbath during the heatwave.
As I was going to post a new editorial back on June 15th about not having any rain and it being 100 degrees in the shade and bam, we start getting almost daily thunderstorms! We had been averaging 110 heat index at the first of June, which was very oppressive to go outside to do work, much less ride. I was having to water my garden twice a day which was taking up to 2 hrs or more a day, hence I got behind in web work. My beans (or so I thought) and tomatoes are mostly done until I plant again in August, so I should have a reprieve in the harvesting soon. We have a small pool which has been invaluable to being out in this heat.
I’m in the AC a large part of the day, so my body isn’t accustomed to the heat like it is. I go out in the evening to work usually, but that is when my husband, Jerry, goes to our J-30 sailboat so I don’t have his help then… bummer. My son is here and he is in charge of cleaning paddocks, feeding horses when Jerry isn’t around, watering other plants around house and doing horse’s feet when I haven’t, plus he is my associate editor so he is kept busy much of the day adding articles. This leaves me to the other yard work that I may want done that my husband doesn’t think is necessary (he hates it, other than mowing with the riding mower). Both of them get bothered by flies more than I do – I have darker skin and I guess it helps in repelling them. I did have to spray myself and horses a lot at the beginning of June when the yellow flies were so bad, but they have died off or it’s because we got the fly predators and stepped up using the Natural Pet Vet Bug Check (HorsesintheSouth is an affiliate). The flies aren’t as bad now and I can deal with a couple of yellow flies landing on me as I harvest the garden.
Since the week-long rains at the end of June, I’ve had a second blooming of beans – these are the ones that weren’t doing as well as they were in a shadier area, but that is what probably helped them to reproduce being out of the blaring sun. And, I have a whole bunch of cherry tomatoes blooming and some volunteer tomato plants from last year’s cherry tomatoes that had been plowed under but came back up in different places, are producing. They are so good. I leave them in a bowl next to where I make my yerba-mate tea in the morning and I end up eating a handful while I wait for the tea to steep.
Now my website design work for the redesign for the SuncoastBedding.com site is getting in full swing, so another thing to keep me from riding or working on my own website. It never ends, does it? Plus the grass keeps growing more from all of the rain. I use our weed-whipper and push mower which ends up ‘killing’ my arm the next day. Even using the riding mower gets my left arm that had the shoulder replacement. If I would just do this stuff every day, my muscles wouldn’t atrophy so soon, lol.
I got some cool pictures of our resident hawk taking a bath in our birdbath, plus my husband, Jerry, did a video and put it on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHVy0ov1kao (there are evidently a lot of YouTube videos of hawks taking baths…;P). These pictures were taken with my Sony digital camera with a 70-250 macro lens through my husband’s office window through the screen, but I think they still turned out really cool.
We aren’t sure if these are 2 different hawks taking a bath as in the blog gallery, you can see 1 of the hawks ‘screaming’ for the other one maybe? In the gallery you will see a hawk standing on our grapevine pole and we aren’t sure if that is a different hawk or the 1st hawk (if there is 2 of them – can anyone tell by their feathers?)
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Anyway, I will be offering a summer/July 4th birthday (mine :D) special for advertising on our website/newsletter and I have a new sales person, Linda Bourdow to assist me. You may contact her at mktg@horsesinthesouth.com.
Watch for the July newsletter – it’s coming too. We are using a new Email Service Provider (ESP), so I still have to finish designing it; I may just send out something now and let my programmer finish the design. We are using MailChimp and is isn’t as easy to use as Constant Contact (requires that you know some html and design), but it isn’t blocked by spam filters as easily as CC is. Info is on our Sales/Special page. As usual you will get a killer deal.
It’s weird, but we are actually cooler here than in the northern states with them being in the triple digits (bummer for the Queen of England’s visit to the UN since she was last here in 1957). But, it’s starting to heat up again and will be in the usual mid-nineties this week, sigh…
If you are a Farmville addict like I have become, join me at http://www.facebook.com/TeriRehkopf.HorsesintheSouth, then request to be my neighbor on FV. Also be sure to join my Fan page at http://www.facebook.com/HorsesintheSouth. The TeriRehkopf.HorsesintheSouth FB account is a 2nd FB account. My 1st account is already almost at the 5,000 FB friends limit, so I had to start a new account to accept new friends and add new FV neighbors as this one is at the 300 neighbors limit. Geesh, Farmville is such a ‘time-suction’, but it is also very ‘feng shui’ like. I love their graphics. If only web design was this easy! I swear I going to write a blog about my journey to the addiction on Farmville and seeing so many horse people Facebook friends being in the same boat as me or worse! When I get to this, I’ll post some hints on how to get leveled-up. I love the horses that FV adds for us horse fanatics. They really have recognized our market in that respect 😀
Metro was on the cover, and the inside, and as the December horse on the 2009 VICCTRE calendar. You’ll see him running around still like a racehorse, even with his injured left front leg.
