Recently, in Leawood, Kan., a horse got himself into a bit of a mess when he ended up falling through the ice of a frozen pond. Though rescuers weren't sure they had enough man power to lift the four-hoofed fella from the freezing water, the horse was, inevitably, brought to safety and has since returned to the farm for a little R&R.
Posts tagged "horses"
At a community re-entry facility in Rockwell City, Iowa, neglected animals and prison inmates on the verge of release are helping each other reintegrate into society. Rescued horses like Silver Bullet and Sport are rehabilitated by prisoners to get healthy and to have their faith restored in people after suffering neglect and abuse at human hands. In return, the inmates are given the opportunity to learn similar tenants themselves by adopting responsibilities and forming bonds of compassion, with human and animal "teaching each other to care."
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Photo: Kim Jack Riley
If you think caring for a dog or cat during a recession is financially challenging, try owning a horse. Home foreclosures and the escalating costs of equine veterinary care, transport, and feed have driven many horse owners to abandon their beloved animals, or even sell them for cash.
According to a recent survey published by the Unwanted Horses Coalition, over 100,000 horses -- unwanted because of age, injury, sickness or financial strain -- are being sent to processing facilities in the US, Canada, and Mexico each year. The horses are slaughtered and their meat is used in a variety of ways, including human consumption in countries like France, Italy, Belgium and Japan.
The study also found that financial burden is the most commonly cited reason for horse unloading. But selling a horse for meat isn't the only option for cash-strapped owners.
Karen Johnson, owner of One Horse Farm in Texas, tells Paw Nation that "maintenance of a family horse will average $200 a month if it's on your own property. If you have plentiful pasture, you save a ton, but you will still have veterinary maintenance, not to mention the emergencies, wear on the land, etc. If you board, expect it to average about $400 a month."
Dogs might be man's best friend, but they're also our most reliable coworkers -- for thousands of years, we've put them to task guarding homes, hauling sleds, trailing game, herding sheep, and even finding lost pets. Now we're taking some of the pressure off helpful pups by letting other members of the Animal Kingdom help out.
From bees and birds to rats and pigs, we're putting all kinds of critters to work. We just hope they get decent vacation time.
From bees and birds to rats and pigs, we're putting all kinds of critters to work. We just hope they get decent vacation time.
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Animals Working 9-to-5
Hero Rats
Hero rats have a nose for danger! That's right; rats have been trained to sniff out explosives like landmines. Rats are easy to breed and easy to train, according to herorat.org. And rats weigh so little, they can stand on a landmine without setting it off. Given all that, don't rats deserve a little more respect?
Hero rats have a nose for danger! That's right; rats have been trained to sniff out explosives like landmines. Rats are easy to breed and easy to train, according to herorat.org. And rats weigh so little, they can stand on a landmine without setting it off. Given all that, don't rats deserve a little more respect?
APOPO
Worker Animals
Hero Rats
Hero rats have a nose for danger! That's right; rats have been trained to sniff out explosives like landmines. Rats are easy to breed and easy to train, according to herorat.org. And rats weigh so little, they can stand on a landmine without setting it off. Given all that, don't rats deserve a little more respect?
APOPO
Sniffer Bees
Honeybees communicate with one another through chemicals. Why not put their chemical sensors to good use? Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico are training honeybees to sniff out chemicals such as bombs and illegal drugs. The researchers say the trained bees (which are housed in portable bee-detection boxes) are cheaper and easier to train than detection dogs, and the bees' sense of smell is better even than that of the sharpest bloodhound.
Leroy N. Sanchez, Los Alamos National Lab
Navy Dolphins
Undersea explosives are a potential risk for the U.S. Navy. Fortunately, the seamen have finned friends to help them stay safe. Through the Navy Marine Mammal Program, dolphins are trained to use echolocation to locate and mark sea mines, allowing naval ships to steer clear of danger. The program has also worked with marine mammals like the California sea lion, which can mark and retrieve undersea objects.
Brien Aho, U.S. Navy / Getty Images
Cormorants
In Japan, China, and other parts of Asia, cormorants have been helping people fish for more than 1,300 years. The fish-eating birds employed by humans must wear a "uniform" to work -- a narrow band around their necks. The banded birds can swallow small fish, but big fish can't squeeze past the band. Human fishermen retrieve the large fish from their feathered assistants.
China Photos / Getty Images
Truffle-Hunting Pigs
For foodies, truffle mushrooms are one of life's greatest treasures. But the fungi, which can fetch as much as $2,000 per pound, only grow in the wild, hidden in forests. To root out the delicious 'shrooms, truffle hunters in North American and Europe employ domestic pigs. The hogs not only have sensitive noses, they also have a taste for the prized mushrooms.
Fred Mayer, Hulton Archive / Getty Images
Miniature Guide Horses for the Blind
Most people have heard of guide dogs for the blind. But some sight-impaired people prefer a different kind of guide animal: miniature horses. The friendly, adorable tiny horses have been used as guide animals since 1999, and they're growing in popularity. They're great for people who are allergic to (or afraid of) dogs, or who want to bond with a guide animal with a longer lifespan, reports the Guide Horse Foundation.
Carlos Osorio, AP
Dogs
We've been breeding dogs for thousands of years, shaping them for all kinds of jobs. Border collies have a knack for herding sheep (and sometimes, human family members). Sled dogs haul sleighs over the ice and snow. Hounds and pointers help hunters track down their catch. Today, worker dogs are trying out more modern careers. A sniffer dog might work for a scientist helping to track endangered species. Sweet, friendly pups might find jobs as therapy dogs, visiting hospitals and nursing homes to comfort patients.
Tony Gutierrez, AP
Photo: Pitbull Armory
No, seriously (well, maybe not the pigeon battalion part).
That's because Pitbull Armory doesn't fool around. They've got merchandise for everyone, and that includes squirrels, dogs, and horses. But, see, there's where we get lost: at least dogs wear costumes and people ride horses at Renaissance Fairs. But, seriously, squirrels? First, why? Second, who's helping these squirrels fasten their back plates? And thirdly, what?!?
We've got to hand it to these guys -- they can make anyone look good. (Or, at the very least, like a gentleman soldier.)
Photo: Flickmor/Flickr
For the Beach:
Hit the beach with 90 inspirational pet tales in Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul: Stories About Pets as Teachers, Healers, Heroes and Friends. The collection celebrates the companionship we share with pets through heartwarming stories written by several New York Times Bestselling Authors.
Be sure to get your copy of Paws & Effect: The Healing Power of Dogs by Sharon Sakson before heading to the shore. The book regales dog-lovers with touching anecdotes about their favorite companions -- from helping their owners deal with the loss of a loved one to preventing seizures and detecting breast cancer.
Relax in your beach chair with The Rhino with Glue-On Shoes: And Other Surprising True Stories of Zoo Vets and their Patients, a collection of comical, motivational and bizarre tales told by vets who have cared for zoo animals around the world. The 28 essays, including the titular story of a rhino with a glue-on shoe, are guaranteed to floor animal lovers.
For Long Weekends; For Your Coffee Table
Sergeant Austin King (left) and his mount Harley, along with Officer Jason Raymos and mount Finnegan, patrol the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Francisco, CA. Photo courtesy: Austin King
Name: Austin King
Age: 44
Job: Sergeant in the United States Park Police, Horse Mounted Unit
How long has the United States Park Police been around? Only since 1791, when it was created by none other than George Washington! Its Horse Mounted Unit, which patrols Federal Parks in Washington D.C., New York City and San Francisco, is one of the oldest police equestrian organizations in the country. What's it like to spend your work days riding one of these noble creatures? We asked Sergeant Austin King.
Where do you work?
In the San Francisco field office.
Where do you patrol?
Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which encompasses the northernmost part of San Francisco near the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman's Wharf area, the Presidio, and down along the western side of the San Francisco peninsula (Land's End and Ocean Beach). We also go over the Golden Gate Bridge into the Marin headlands and sometimes out towards Stinson Beach and Muir Woods.
You get to patrol the prettiest parts of the city.
That's why those of us that do this consider ourselves very fortunate. The nature and the landscape are beautiful to be around, and to observe it on top of a horse is even better.
What are your working hours like?
We work four days a week and get three days off. We work ten-hour days from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The horse mounted patrol hours are mostly during the daylight hours. Very rarely will we be on the horse in the dark.
How does one become a horse mounted police officer?
You have to become a sworn police officer first, which means you go through basic police academy, and then after three years of doing "cruiser patrol" (patrolling in a car) you're eligible to compete for specialized positions within Park Police. One of the specialized positions is horse mounted patrol.
What made you want to join the horse mounted unit?
I've always owned cats and dogs, so I've experienced the enjoyment of being around animals. What better way to spend your work week -- being outdoors in a park, being on top of a horse and patrolling and meeting the public.
So it's safe to say you love your job?
It's a dream job. Working with animals and riding horses and being paid to do it is so satisfying. I feel very fortunate.
This is a one-horse gown. Photo: Reuters
Bavarian designer Hildegard Bergbauer has made a name for herself by creating traditional Bavarian clothing for animals. Until recently, this meant Lederhosen and hats for dogs and cats -- but now, she's designing dirndls (traditional Bavarian dresses) for horses.
Although most of Bergbauer's animal designs are just for fun, some of the warmer outerwear proves useful for local pets animals during harsh German winters.
Horses with Hair
Florence the horse receives an Ann-Margret-esque makeover complete with curled bangs and ginger mane.
BARM / Fame Pictures
Harmony the horse sports some microbraids embellished with beads for that "Caribbean tourist" look.
BARM / Fame Pictures
Misty the horse embraces her new, flirtatious platinum blonde curls, and she even shows off a rosy kisser.
BARM / Fame Pictures
A horse is a horse of course, of course, unless it's being photographed by Julian Wolkenstein. In that case, a horse is a bewigged beauty perfect for a cheeky, fun photo shoot.
Wolkenstein -- who is an award-winning ad photographer -- says the idea was born of a silly conversation with a friend. But after further consideration, he decided to follow through because, "It is important to do personal projects just for fun," Wolkenstein told the Daily Mail. "Not to sell anything, but just to remind you why you make images, but mostly, and simply, to make you smile."
Who can resist a horse in cornrows? Not us.
So tell us: Do these well-coiffed horses make you smile?
Wolkenstein -- who is an award-winning ad photographer -- says the idea was born of a silly conversation with a friend. But after further consideration, he decided to follow through because, "It is important to do personal projects just for fun," Wolkenstein told the Daily Mail. "Not to sell anything, but just to remind you why you make images, but mostly, and simply, to make you smile."
Who can resist a horse in cornrows? Not us.
Horses with Hair
Florence the horse receives an Ann-Margret-esque makeover complete with curled bangs and ginger mane.
BARM / Fame Pictures
Harmony the horse sports some microbraids embellished with beads for that "Caribbean tourist" look.
BARM / Fame Pictures
Misty the horse embraces her new, flirtatious platinum blonde curls, and she even shows off a rosy kisser.
BARM / Fame Pictures
So tell us: Do these well-coiffed horses make you smile?
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