Note from Joy Hi Everyone, Hope this finds everyone well and keeping cool as summer is upon us. Not much in the way of important news to deliver this month. Tristan and I are looking forward to our visit home to Michigan the second week in June. We will be in Michigan about 2 weeks providing all goes as planned. Melissa is scheduled to be back at MGEC sometime in June as well. It should be a pretty busy month as M.G.E.C. and WTS Combined Newsletter MGEC will be hosting the Equine La- May 2007 Volume 2 Issue 12 dies too. Lastly, Tristan’s movie “An American Crime” is scheduled to Calendar of Events: (MGEC) come out sometime in August or Sep- tember so be sure to watch for it! Dick Pavel (farrier) May 28th, 2007 Everyone please be sure and take care and have a great month of May. th Hope you enjoy this months Newslet- Al Ames (farrier) June 8 2007 ter. July 23rd 2007 th Joy Sept. 4 2007 Oct. 15th 2007 Dec. 3rd. 2007 Announcements Jan 28th 2008 Announcements: (Meadow Grove) Buchanan Westerners May 5&6th 2007 (show dates) June 2&3rd 2007 Meadow Grove is excited to be host- July 7&8th 2007 ing the Equine Ladies Club on June Aug.4&5th 2007 18th. Sept.1&2nd 2007 Melissa will returning the second Buchanan Westerners May 19th 2007 Driving Clinic week in June. (clinic dates) June 16th 2007 Horsemanship Clinic June 23rd 2007 Showmanship Clinic Announcements: (WT Stables) June 24th 2007 Gaming Clinic Joy and Tristan will be leaving for a visit home and are scheduled to be out of town June 9th. Thru June 22nd. Berrien County Youth Fair August 13-18 There will be no lessons those two weeks. Equine Ladies Meetings May 20th. June 18th Meadow Grove Things turn out best for the people Calendar of Events: (WTS) who make the best Joy out of Town of the way things 2 Week Break in Lessons June 9th -22nd. turn out. ~ Lessons Resume June 25th. John Wooden The very best make it look both ele- gant and effortless. But what does it take to succeed in this increasingly competitive division? Half of the win- ning equation lies in costume design The other half of the answer is an en- ergetic and expressive horse suited for the class. Some horses are just natural costume Spotlighted Breed: horses. They usually have big well- defined outlines, with plenty of neck The Appendix and hind-quarter, and smooth paces. The Appendix or Appendix Quarter They carry their heads proudly with Horse is a cross between a Thor- necks and tails high and arched for oughbred and an American Quarter symmetry, and are very confident and Horse. The resulting offspring can be bold in their outlook. registered in the "appendix" of the American Quarter Horse Association's The horses are judged at the paces of studbook, hence the nickname. canter, extended canter, gallop, walk Horses listed in the appendix are not and halt. Trotting is a pace not used at eligible for breeding, and their off- Spotlighted Discipline: all in a costume class and no individual spring are ineligible for AQHA regis- Showing workout is required. The horse should tration. be ridden boldly, under the direction of Arabian Native Costume the judge, but with consideration for If an "appendix" is shown or raced the welfare and safety of the other successfully in sanctioned AQHA One of the most popular events in competitors. Excessive speed may be events, the horse can be advanced Arabian shows is native costume; in penalized. The class is judged 50% for from the "appendix" to the regular this class horse and rider wear costume, 50% for manners and paces. studbook, making it's offspring eligi- Americanized versions of Bedouin ble for AQHA registration. garb, complete with tassels and em- broidery, and perform at walk, can- This signature class of the breed is These horses have good endurance nothing short of electric. From the time and inherit the traits of a Thor- ter, and hand gallop. the first horse enters the ring to the oughbred and an American Quarter final victory pass; all eyes are trans- Horse. A costume horse should carry his fixed on this spectacular presentation. head roughly perpendicular to the ground, but headsets vary. Any posi- tion that is visually attractive and On the first day of creation, God indicates control is acceptable. The created the Horse. horse should exemplify the proud and spirited nature of Arabian horses. On the second day, God created man to serve the Horse. On the third day, God created all the Equipment and attire include any animals of the earth to spook the saddle and bridle that is safe and an Horse when man was on his back. elaborate costume which may be anything from very authentic to only On the fourth day, God created an remotely Arabic in appearance. Tas- honest day's work so that man could sels, drapes and headdresses (for labor to pay for the keeping of the horse and rider) are common. Tradi- Horse. tional Bedouin garb or Royal Cere- On the fifth day, God created the monial Dress, hence over-revealing grasses in the field so that Horse costumes would not be appropriate. could eat and man could toil and Natural materials are preferable, clean up after the Horse. such as wool, cotton and leather in black, white, brown, dark blue, red, On the sixth day, God created veteri- yellow and dark green. Blue beads, Oxer nary science to keep the Horse shells, silver and other traditional healthy and man broke. A type of jump with two items such as authentic embroidery On the seventh day, God rested and and jewelry may be used. Anything rails that may be even or said "This is good. This will teach man which makes an attractive picture humility. It will tire him out and keep reminiscent of the Arabian Nights uneven. him striving ever forward to meet the legends or folklore of eastern coun- needs of the Horse." tries is acceptable. Cherry Laurel, Chickweed, Clover, Fury knew how to play dead, walk Columbine, Corncrockle, Comrockle, lame, untie a knot, laugh and whinny Cowbane, Cuckoo Pint, Damel, Deadly on command. But his very best trick Nightshade, Foxglove, Ground Ivy, was earning $5000.00 a week! He Groundsel, Hellebore, Hemlock, Hem- was insured for more than a quarter lock Water-Dropwort, Hemp Nettle, million dollars. Henbane, Herb Paris, Horse Radish, Fury’s other credits include starring in Horsetail, Iris, Laburnum, Larkspar, Black Beauty at the age of two. He Lily of the Valley, Linseed, Lupin, was also in a movie called Gypsy Colt Marsh Marigold, Meadow Saffron, and afterwards cast as the black stal- Melilot, Mercury, Monk's Hood, Oak, lion in “Giant” He went on to work in Pimpernel, Poppy, Potato, Privet, “Wild is the Wind, Return of Wildfire, Ragwort, Rhubarb, Rodeondendron, Return of October, Black Eagle, and Rush, St Johns Wort, Sorrel, Spurge, Black Gold as well as a few miscella- Thorn Apple, White Bryony, Wood neous episodes of “My Friend Flicka Nightshade and Yew. and Lassie” Fury won a few Patsy Awards. Patsy’s are animal awards somewhat equiva- Spotlighted Color: lent to the Oscars received by their Piebald human counterparts. In 1958 Fury received a second place Patsy for Piebald is a black and white “Wild is the Wind”, a first place for patched horse. The amount of “Gypsy Colt” in 1955 and a third place white and black for the “Fury” series in 1960 and 1961. can vary immensely and the pat- terning on each horse is unique. The mane and tail may be either Fury was probably the most promi- black, white or both black and Where are they Now??? nent of horses as a star. Fury had white. been a star performer most of his life. “Fury” His gross earnings were far above $500,000 and he was second only to The movie horse known as “Fury” Dear Elmer, Lassie as a great money earner in came from a farm in the state of Mis- Hollywood's animal kingdom. Q) How did miniature horses get souri and was originally known as to be so small? “Highland Dale”. Highland Dale was th A) While the exact origins of mini born on March 4 , 1943 and was only Later in life, Fury developed a breath- horses have been obscured over the 18 months old when he was discov- ing disorder, and he remained with centuries, early incunabula texts refer ered by Ralph McCutcheon a trainer Ralph until his death at age 29. to miniature horses being kept as of animal motion picture stars prized companions of Hapsburg roy- alty as early as the 17th century. Just Highland Dale eventually became the as dogs have been bred to be small, Anyone who has anything horse in the famous television series centuries of selective breeding have they’d like to share, con- Fury, starring Peter Graves and Bobby resulted in miniature horses with calm Diamond. The show first ran on NBC tribute or request regard- dispositions. Many American minia- Saturday Morning from 1955-1960. It ture horses are extremely small be- ing the newsletter can was syndicated from 1959 under the cause of the deliberate introduction of title “Brave Stallion” and then rerun send inqueries to: dwarfism genes. This dwarf breeding on NBC 1960-1966 practice has precipitated a high mor- [email protected] tality rate among American miniature horses. Fury would be described as an Ameri- Q) Dear Elmer, can Registered Saddle-Bred Stallion.