The horseman’s pain theorum: The size of the saddle sore is directly proportional to the size of the underwear wrinkle and inversely proportional to your pain threshold.
Glasscock’s pain threshold must be somewhere up around Bull Riders. To them, it’s not really pain if your thigh bone is still connected to your hip bone, or something in that general neighborhood. Or your buddies are still vertical and beer is still running out of the keg. Or your blind old hound still thinks you look OK.
Falling off, or unpremeditated dismount, teaches us about many different kinds of pain. There is a peculiar hobble that fellow horsemen immediately recognize as you gimp through the post office. “What spooked him this time?” they chide.
The non-horsemen are more likely to ask, “Why are you walking like that, and where is your right eyebrow?”
Like most horse people, I haven’t had a medical checkup since Mike Plumb rode in his first Olympics. But our horses have an acupuncturist, a chiropractor, a masseuse and a personal trainer. Horses can be insured for mortality, theft, collision, termites, mold, cosmetic surgery, and major medical. But a steeplechase jockey can’t buy health insurance.
We barely wince when the farrier accidentally drops his anvil on our foot, but scream when we see his bill. We run for the medicine cabinet, and what do we find? Nothing for humans. Expired wormers, an empty bottle of Legend, molasses to get Picky to eat her bute, and a thermometer with intimate knowledge of 157 equine rear ends.
If there are no atheists in fox holes, neither are there stoics in that first instant when the hot water in the shower hits a new saddle sore. So many forms of pain, so little time for the horseman to endure them…
Pony Club News
Moore County Pony Clubbers Andrew Diemer and Christopher Younger were invited to compete at the Sunshine Region Polocrosse Rally in Tampa, Fla., last weekend.
Diemer rode his palomino gelding Salt Water Taffy, leading his team to the top of the intermediate pony division. Younger catch rode a Thoroughbred mare, also leading his intermediate horse team to victory. Dana Diemer of Raeford was elected to serve on the U.S. Pony Clubs national committee for polocrosse.
Hunter-Jumper
The two-week long Duke Children’s Hospital Benefit and UNC Healthcare Benefit shows in Raleigh attracted over 700 horses for a final indoor hunter-jumper competition to end the season.
Nick Ellis and his Duncan were reserve champions in the amateur owner hunter division the first week, and champions the second week. Duncan also won the Atlantic Coast League hunter finals. Ellis was also in the money with his Gepardieu in the $7,500 Junior-Amateur Jumper Classic.
Kathy Bennett dominated the older adult hunter division. Bennett was champion and reserve, respectively, with Marty O’Rourke’s Winning My Way and Custom Made at the UNC show.
Local pro Mike Rosser piloted Ellis’ new horse Leonardo to the pre-green championship, and was on the boards with Sherri Cook’s Mirage in the $30,000 Grand Prix. Rosser had two rails down, but of 22 starters there was only one clear round, and few with only one rail down.
Correction: The working hunter high point winner at the New Millennium Horse Show was Sandy Bley and Showoff.
Quarter Horse
Farley Barbera and Hot Zappin Zippo were top-10 finalists in the amateur showmanship at halter class at the AQHA World Championship, Oklahoma City, Nov. 8-22. The show awarded $2.3 million dollars in prize monies to over 3,500 entries from 47 states and 12 countries.
Carla Wennberg, a native of Southern Pines, was one of the judges at the AQHA World Championship Show. Wennberg holds National Reining Horse and National Snaffle Bit cards, and has judged worldwide. She is now equine director at Martin Community College in Williamston and places students with internships and jobs all over the country.
E-mail Smithson at
smithson@pinehurst.net
rlie Plumb won two divisions at the Paradise Farm Horse Trials in Aiken, S.C., last weekend. He won open training with Cricket Bunting’s Dynamic and topped an open novice class with his Rosehill Clover.
Eleanor Phillips won the 15-horse open preliminary class with her Bailey’s Rebel Rum, and Linda Dreher and Mari Secrist were both in the victory gallops at the November 15-16 event.
EQUINE RESCUE LEAGE
The North Carolina Equine Rescue League is now caring for over 100 horses at its Kernersville location, and needs help. The NCERL Christmas Angel program is underway, and a wish list for donations is available at the Southern Pines Equine Associates. Cleaning out your barn? Save all those old lead ropes, brushes, halters, blankets, mismatched bandages, and “stuff” for the NCERL. Electric fencing equipment is high on the wish list. Monetary donations are also appreciated, drop off at Southern Pines Equine, 635 Valley View Road, Southern Pines.
The non-profit NCERL was founded in 1997 and accepts equines who have been seized by law enforcement authorities from neglectful or abusive owners. After quarantine and health exams, the animals are rehabilitated and sent to foster homes to await adoption. NCERL representatives are available as speakers for meetings, 4-H groups, or other gatherings. For information, call 336-720-9257 or HYPERLINK “mailto:info@ncerl.com”info@ncerl.com.
