"What's In A Title?"

Howdy Folks,

Titles have always been my nemesis. Photo captions, too. It seems I need to be allowed a whole pile of words to say what I'm thinking. As all Coffee Clutchers already know. That was supposed to be funny. But coming up with a few words labeled a title, that peek interest, and define the story is very hard for me. It remains a challenge for me her on this blog.

What does a title do? Hopefully it will not only catch a reader's eye, but give a clue to the story, too. It might be able to drop a hint about the tone, or mood of the story, too. In the magazines I write for not only do I have the help of extraordinary editors like Bobbie Jo Lieberman and Lisa Ross-Williams, and the being in equine magazines will prepare you for the fact it will have something to do with horses. Here in my blog, I have neither of those helpful assistants.

The other a day a friend emailed the latest title he was kicking around for his book. I knew what the book is about and the title worked, almost. Quickly I shared how I struggled with titles and explained some folks are really good at it. Just not me.

Kessy, Saturday and me writing

 But I did show how I usually handle it. Often when I’m writing stories I’ll start with a "Working Title," until something in the story shouts out the perfect title.

Happened with my novel. My working title had been Mar-Sa, the name of their ranch. Then I was writing, somewhere about page 200, Mary is just back from the doctors after her exam and telling Sam she’s not doing treatments again. He asks what’s ahead and through his tears she tells him, “We’ll have the summer.” … WOW, I thought, there is my title.

I was writing a story for Trail Blazer about the Premerian Mares and foals, and about a woman who rescues the mares who suffer horribly standing strapped up in “pee Lines” for months so their urine can be collected, and little foals that most often just get sent to auction and slaughter. The “Unnoticed” byproduct of a horrible industry. When I wrote that sentence I thought, “Noticing The Unnoticed!” what a title. The story named itself.

Another story I wrote for Trail Blazer "Carrots For The Horses" about Teresa Paradis' rescue, Live & Let Live in NH. There is sentence in the story relating a time in Teresa's youth when she would leave "carrots for the horses" in a mailbox of a farm she walked by on her way to school. There's my title, I thought.

"Tearing Down Walls" is another Trail Blazer story about the wonderful work Nancy and Rick do on their ranch in NM helping Veteran's tear down the walls of PTSD. That sentence named their story.

Other times I just struggle, but my advice to my friend was don't rush it. Let the story name itself.

By the way if you'd like to read all the stories I wrote for Trail Blazer in my Heartbeats column, just look at the banner at the top of my blog page, click on "Dutch's Articles In Trail Blazer Magazine" to find a little book they put together of just my Heartbeat stories. I hope you'll read them, all good stories of "People & horses Helping Horses & People."

Link to  "Dutch's Articles In Trail Blazer Magazine"

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry

"Sounds Of A Snowy Morning"

Howdy Folks,

 

An almost invisible snow floated down. It didn't cover the ground or the pines, rather it laid a delicate lace blanket over them. Snuggled in the barn with Kessy, Saturday and a few chickens, I took in the back-lit gray sky, and the beauty of the morning. The air so calm the large snowflakes drifted like so many feathers dropped from a window, slowly gliding left and right to finally settle on bough, branch or ground.

Juncos, a few of them sporting a lacy snowflake or two on their slate gray backs, scratched at cracked corn scattered for the chickens under low sheltering branches. As the snow grew heavier they were joined by Cardinals, Doves and Chickadees. Soon a few White Throated Sparrows stopped by. The snow never got so heavy as to change lace to blanket, but it did encourage a few more chickens to dash under roof and join the Coffee Clutch. One by one they wandered in and stopped just inside to shake the snow flurries from their backs. Too many chose to do it next to Kessy's hay as they entered, and when she'd had enough, one poor rooster was greeted with pinned ears, a glare and a shove and sent him squawking and scurrying away. She caught the poor fellow completely by surprise and he ran almost to the far end of the barn before he risked stopping again. Saturday, asleep beside my chair woke up, sort of, to see what the sudden noise was all about, then tucked his head and sighed.

Did you ever notice how peacefully quiet a snowy morning is? On mornings as quiet as this we're always treated to the far away train whistle. It serves as a back drop to Kessy's munching hay, the chickens' clucking, rooster's crows and the Cardinals', Juncos', and other birds' chatter just outside the barn. Ah the sounds of a snowy morning. Nothing quite like it. Well until the spring brings us the serenades of song birds.

The Coffee Clutch Gang, Kessy, Saturday, Tigger, Miss Kitty, & me.

 The Coffee Clutch gang hopes you have a perfect day, and have the chance to take in a few happy sounds today.

Gitty Up,

Dutch Henry

"Feature Friday- Dream Equine Therapy Center-Terri Stemper"

Howdy Folks,

Terri Stemper first learned of the horrors of "nurse mare" barns and the "throw away" foals in 2000 while working as a vet tech at a large equine hospital in Lexington KY. Nurse mares are bred to foal and then used as "wet nurses" mostly for Thoroughbred racing foals. The mares a bred for their milk. The poor babies are considered "throw away byproducts." These helpless new little foals are often shipped to auctions as young as one day old, left to starve and fend for themselves. Many are sold into the "pony hide" business. She rescued her first nurse mare foal that year, Taz. Today Taz, a Paint App-Walker mix is her star therapy horse.

Terri threw herself into the herculean effort of saving as many of these unnoticed darlings as she possibly could. She began rescuing nurse mare foals in small numbers in 2000, then in 2007 began organizing Dream Equine Therapy Center (DETC) and became a nonprofit in 2008 and received 501c3 status in 2009. The rescue's focus is orphan nurse mare foals. Since 2009 they have rescued 30-50 each year.

"That may not sound like a lot but it is a huge undertaking since some of them are only 1 day old. They need to be fed milk replacer every 4 hours and some more frequently if they end up on feeding tubes or IV fluids. Orphan foals can cost thousands of dollars to raise, because of the increasing expense of milk replacer and the special nutrition and care they need. We adopt them out to qualified homes as soon as we can to make room for more." Terri explained. Horses are available for adoption in all ages.

Terri is an RN and while working on the cancer floor she was inspired to do more. "I had patients ask me all the time if they could bring their kids out to see the horses or patients themselves wanted to come out and ride. That's how the therapy part started." Terri said. "So I wanted to gear my therapy towards, not necessarily disabled but elderly and those with terminal and chronic illness. We have miniature horses that visit facilities and nursing homes and also welcome people to visit the horses at the farm."

DETC's Mission Statement is "To provide emotional support and wellness to the terminally and chronically ill through recued and rehabilitated horses." They provide therapy to people in hospitals at nursing homes and the farm. All the therapy equines have been rescued and given a second chance.

Terri giving some love

Terri, the volunteers and supporters of DETC work each day to bring awareness to the horrible plight of the tiny helpless "throw away" foals, rescue, rehabilitate and find them loving homes, and through the therapy program, brighten the days of as many people as possible.

DETC is located in South Carolina and this month is moving to a larger facility so they can help even more horses and people. Please visit DETC's website to learn much more and how you might be able to "Help Them Help."www.dreamequinetherapycenter.org

Thank You Terri and everyone at DETC for all you do!!

 Gitty Up,

Dutch Henry 

"Pre-Ride Exercises For Your Horse"

Howdy Folks,

How often do we see horses fetched from the pasture, stall or trailer, hurriedly saddled and folks just mount up and ride away? Often these horses are up, and moving out in a hurry, the rider shifts gears to discipline. In my humble opinion that's not fair to the horse. And can be made so much better with a few easy to do "Pre-Ride Exercises." Part of the tacking up time should be giving to your horse, too.

The other day when I shared the "One Step" exercise in my post "Reconnecting Your Horse To Her Feet" I mentioned that it was one of my "Pre-Ride Exercises."  A few folks have asked what my other "Pre-Ride" exercises are. As I said in that post I never step in the saddle without a few "one-steps" and I do the "rock-back" along with it.

Kessy LOVES the "Poll Wiggle"

The first thing I do when I go to Kessy is ask her to put her head down for the halter. Horses should always lower their head for you. It is polite to you, and actually feels good to them. It is easy to teach, and if you are having any difficulties with this, please feel free to email me. At this time I do a few "Poll Wiggles." Lightly place your fingers around the Poll and wiggle, just enough that would jiggle a bowl of jello. Your horse may ask for more vigor, go for it.

Then while she stands ground tied, I do a row of TTOUCH® circles starting at the side of her neck in the thickest muscle, going all along her back about 2 inches down from the spine, through her croup and down her thigh muscles. Do both sides. It will take about a minute per side ... Kessy can come and go as she pleases and is usually outside for these, then we walk to the barn to brush and tack ... On the walk I do a serpentine path, good for their legs and back. If you've trailered to ride, before you tie to tack, take a short walk doing the serpentine walk. Horses really appreciate a little walk after a ride.

Belly Lift

When we get to the barn I lift each leg, about halfway up, hold it a second waiting for the release, and do little circles, then set it down. Don't just let go, set it down. Softly. Next I ask for the belly lift, hold it a few seconds and release, slowly. Then I'll saddle. Girth loose, not yet snug.

Before I put on her headstall I do the "Cheek Wiggle." Place your left hand on the noseband, slip your fingers of your right hand under her cheek, lightly grip and wiggle, gently. For a few seconds. Repeat on the other side. Then the headstall goes on and I check the girth, then do the "one step" and "rock back."

On the way to the mounting block I ask for a few circles, left and right, at a walk and "keeping the inside shoulder up (very important)." I finish the girth, move to the mounting block, and step up. One last important exercise. The first step should always be a "lateral step" not straight on.

A big benefit to doing these aside from the relaxing and bonding is, if you make these exercises positively routine, when you're away somewhere, and you stick to the routine your horse will have a familiar feeling. It will build confidence before you ever start on the trail, or step in the show ring. All together they'll add only a few moments to your tack up time, will be time well spent and you will be giving to your horse. You and your horse will soon be gently starting each ride with soft comfortable steps. These exercises also have a wonderful way of simply making "bad habits" just go away. For you and your horse.

Kessy and I hope you'll make this a fun part of your pre-ride. Feel free to ask questions. There are others, perhaps I'll blog later about them, but these are the ones I do without fail.

Gitty Up,

Dutch Henry 

"Does Wind Sing?"

Howdy Folks,

Wind raced through the trees with a steady whir of a song. No birds in sight this morning. I told Kessy they were huddled somewhere, clinging to branches for their life. She craned her neck to look outside as if to check on them. Kessy is not a fan of loud wind. It seems most horses worry a lot when the wind sings. Lots of theories on that, but I think, just like us they find wind scary for reasons that need no, nor have any explanation. Loud wind is scary. Simple as that.

One hand holding my hat, Saturday, and I walked, sometimes pushed by the wind, scattering the morning's ration of chicken scratch just outside Kessy's fence. She likes to follow along with us on her side. I pretend it's because she likes our company, but the truth is she'd like that cracked corn. Only two roosters joined us, the rest sat along the barn wall, out of the wind, watching us as if to say, "You want us to do what? No, you feed us here, today." So I did.

Chores finished Saturday, Tigger, Miss Kitty and I joined Kessy for Coffee Clutch. We had to position our chair out of the way of the increasingly frequent gusts that raced through the forebay carrying sawdust, hay and a chicken or two with it. Really, one gust actually sent a chicken rolling and cackling along! But tucked back in the corner, Kessy the gang and I were out of harm's way. Pretty much.

I watched for birds to come to the scratch, and finally one brave Junco led the way. He was quickly followed by a few Doves and a Cardinal. Until the next blast roared through. The forecast calls for the high winds to bring an end to the spring like days we've enjoyed this week that had prompted a few of Ravishin' Robbie's Crocuses to bloom. Sure seems to be working real hard it. Gosh.

It was snug though in Kessy's bedroom with her munching hay, and my chair angled just right to watch the goings on outside. The wind sang through the trees, (does wind sing?) and every now and then gave one of those barn rattling, chicken rolling gusts. But once, during a lull, I heard the far away lonesome train whistle.

We hope you have a perfect day!

Gitty Up

Dutch Henry