Karen Dallimore

My horse is not my friend. He’s not my dog; he’s not the boss. He’s not my dinner either, although I do respect his concern about that.
He’s my employee.
I would like to think he’s an honest and loyal employee. I’d like to think he’s happy to get up and go to work, he’s cheerful in his job, and he looks forward to every shift with enthusiasm.
It’s a pretty good deal really. There’s a health plan that includes dental, chiropractic and massage therapy, steel-toed shoes for workplace safety, and…Read more

  

Are horses born or made?

Both, actually. Good behaviour starts with good genetics and but it can also be encouraged by good handling and management.

The roots of behaviour can be tied to breed differences. In dogs, for example, in her book Animals Make Us Human, Temple Grandin describes a research study talking about submissive behaviour in different breeds. The premise is that dogs that display submissive behaviour are more likely to get along in a pack with less fighting, and dogs who more closely…

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Who knew it would be so easy to change a trailer tire? Tim Togeretz made it all seem pretty straightforward at the Horse Basics Trailer Safety Demo Clinic. 

Chances are you won't easily get roadside assistance with a trailer, so pull off the road as far as you can, put on your safety vest and leave the horses in the trailer munching on their hay. 

Be prepared to get dirty.

Things to check before you leave home: does your truck wrench work on your trailer tires? If it doesn’t there’s a nifty…

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I had someone ask me today what is a horse's equivalent human age for  intelligence? Would they be considered as smart as say, a two-year old child? I had to really think about that.  I'd never had the question phrased quite that way. I'd have to say I wouldn't gauge a horse that way.
It got me thinking about 'dog years': it's common that we equate one dog year as seven human years, so a dog who is two years old would be the same as a fourteen-year old child. Some say it's more like 15 years to one, with…Read more

There are certain words that carry a lot of emotion and can unknowingly take away our control of a situation.

Take the word “panic”, for example. It is usually used by stock traders to describe the market. Unfortunately such words can become part of a self-fulfilling prophecy. When I see or hear the word “panic” I usually gasp and feel my heart rate go up a little bit. It also makes me feel a little less secure in my world.

“Fear” is another one. To me it implies that you’ve resigned yourself to…

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The thought of talking to my horse through my butt just makes me giggle. 

I’m reading George H. Morris’ classic book Hunter Seat Equitation and it made me laugh: “The seat, therefore, not only is a base of support, but it also becomes a center of communication to the horse’s “motor” which is his back and hind legs.”

I have British heritage, raised on Benny Hill re-runs, so it makes it difficult not to giggle at unusual times.

It’s hard to take this good information seriously when I’ve quickly developed…

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It may seem unusual to some that I have two careers. For me, I feel fortunate enough to have two passions. I have the opportunity to balance writing and horses while drawing from each to be a “horseback writer”.

It is because of the horses that I live on a farm, surrounded by the issues that affect agriculture every day. Our herd is just a few steps from the back door; we’ve done our Environmental Farm Plan, we grow our own hay, and we have enough hens and gardens to keep the fridge full.

I’d have to…

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Welcome to The Whinny! You may remember the newsletter I would distribute around the Rockwood area several years ago? It's back! Now it's so much easier to reach you through a blog without stuffing paper into mailboxes! I hope you enjoy my thoughts on things that matter - ideas and tips that may help you enjoy your horse more, events you may enjoy, or even a good read to share. You can find me on Facebook too or if you'd like to contact me privately please send me an e-mail at karen.dallimore@gmail.com.…Read more