I is for Inspecting a Horse Trailer

I is for Inspecting a Horse Trailer.

Here’s an introduction to horse hauling. Be sure to inspect your horse trailer thoroughly before you load and haul your horse off the property. That way, you can be sure, if the trailer is functioning properly, that your truck will likely not be.

The trailer may be fine, but the truck will probably overheat, stall at a busy intersection, or spring a flat tire. That’s Turfy’s Law.

It’s almost inevitable.

Oh, and about that truck and trailer insurance? Don’t get us started. (Just get it, before you go.)

The Mane Point is participating again in the April A to Z blogging challenge, posting daily with alphabetical entries.

For this year's A-Z event, a month of posts will offer Turfy’s A-Z Rules of Horsemanship, with all due apologies to the original Murphy of Murphy’s Law,  which basically said, "If anything can go wrong, it probably will."

Horse lovers may have heard some of these uncannily true, yet often ironic, statements in various forms in the past. Or not.

Image/s:

Horse Trailer by Jebulon

Creative Commons Licensing

Turfy’s A-Z Rules of Horsemanship

Adapted from public domain clipart

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A to Z horses - Amazing Attalissa

Daughter to horse trainer Tracy Porter’s popular Casadero Sin Par (the painted Paso Fino stallion known as Caz), Attalissa is a 12-year-old Paso Fino mare with a heart of gold and a willingness to work long hours.

Born a sabino chestnut to Tracy’s mare Ikea, the filly was named after a town in Southeastern Iowa. Incidentally, the population of Attalissa, Iowa, was 283 in 2000, the year Attalissa hit the ground in Wisconsin.

Apparently, Tracy and her husband, Aussie cowboy/horse trainer T.J. Clibborn, rolled past I-80’s Attalissa exit on their way through Iowa’s Muscatine County.

Most likely, they were returning home to The Farm in Milton, Wisconsin after one of their whirlwind tours. 

Maybe they were heading back to the Badger State after picking up new equine training projects for a Mustang Challenge.

Either way, the Attalissa sign caught Tracy's eye.

The name stuck.

The little mare, fondly nicknamed "Atty,"  grew into an excellent endurance partner, and became a favorite mount of Tracy’s mom, Shirley May.

The two have paraded through Wisconsin towns and taken many 25- and 35-mile limited-distance rides, completing more than 650 total miles together.

“Attalissa gives it as much ooph as she can,” Tracy said.

“Incidentally, my mom will be 76 this year,” she added.

(Readers: That's Shirley May in all the Attalissa photos on this page.)

A is for awesome!

You go, Shirley May!

By the way, Attalissa’s half-sisters, Pieta and Twinkle are also prized distance horses.

And take a look at Caz, Attalissa's sweet sire. 

Maybe you've seen him at equestrian expositions, horse training demonstrations or flashy horse performances.

But Caz has been known to visit local elementary schools, where he actually enters the facilities and stands quietly for youngsters' attention, measurements, grooming and other child-friendly interactions.

Caz also seems to enjoy assisting with holiday bell-ringing duties in small-town Wisconsin.

Of course, Caz can be best recognized when Tracy is standing on her head upon his back. And, yes, Caz will jump through fire for Tracy.

That's some stallion.

Related Items:

• 14 Tips for Safer Summer Horse Trailering
• Horse Show Packing List: 85 Must-Haves for Equestrian Competitions
• 6 Ways to Mark Horses for Positive ID and Theft Prevention

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You are also invited to join this writer's fan page, as well as the Chicago Etiquette Examiner, Madison Holidays Examiner, Equestrian Examiner and Madison Equestrian Examiner on Facebook.

Image/s:

Tracy Porter photos

Used by permission

Ashley photo

Linda Ann Nickerson - Nickers and Ink

2012 A to Z Blogging Challenge logo

Fair Use

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Helmet Protestor Killed in Tragic Crash

Helmet Protestor Killed in Tragic Crash

Head injuries can be catastrophic … but many can be prevented.

Motorcyclist dies in weekend crash.

Philip Contos (55), of Parish, New York, was killed July 2^nd during a motorcycle ride protesting a law requiring bikers to wear safety helmets. Contos was tossed over his handlebars when his bike skidded suddenly out of control and crashed near LaFayette, New York. His injuries proved fatal.

Paramedics and state troopers hypothesized that Contos might have survived, had he strapped on the appropriate head gear for the ride.

The Saturday ride was organized by ABATE (American Bikers Aimed for Education) of Onondaga County, New York. Participants purposely went without helmets, hoping to prove their point of protest.

Alas, the result was tragically ironic and sad.

Bicyclists need helmets too!

Head injuries make up more than 60 percent of all bicycle accident-related deaths, according to statistics from the Children’s Safety Network.

Horseback riders face similar statistics.

Estimates from the Equestrian Medical Safety Association indicate some 60 percent of all equestrian-related accidental deaths are caused by head injuries.

Strap one on!

Helmets are required by law in most competitions and many communities for bikers, cyclists, equestrians and other riders.

Where’s your helmet?

Sure, safety headgear may mess up your hair. But that helmet may just save your head, your hide and your life.

Related Items:

• USEF passes new rules for safety helmets in Dressage & Eventing
• Why you should not buy a used motorcycle helmet
• Hide a Helmet Q&A: Stylish Equestrian Safety
• Use Your Head! Choosing a Safety Helmet for Horseback Riding
• Product Review - Troxel Spirit Equestrian Helmet
• July 10th is National Helmet Awareness Day for Equestrians

Image/s:

Motorcycle photo by SpaceMonkey

Public Domain Photo

Horse show photo copyrighted by

Linda Ann Nickerson

Nickers and Ink Creative Communications

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