a handwritten logo for a company called 4 legs a tail .

Horses

4 Legs & A Tail • November 12, 2011

Susan Greenall

a brown horse wearing a blue blanket is running in a field .

 

DISTANCE DRIVING
If you are looking for a way to enjoy your driving horse in a relaxed competitive setting, distance driving may be for you. Distance driving emerged in 1984 as an alternative to competitive trail riding. Since then, it has diversified and grown in many forms. The basic concept is to compete the driving horse over a prescribed distance in a set time and finish in the best form possible. While competitive in nature, the events are designed for the driver, and horse, to have a great time, enjoy the countryside, and have a feeling of accomplishment at the end.

 

 

Since there is no “national” organization sanctioning these events, most have adopted rules from existing local or regional distance riding groups. Such examples are Eastern Competitive Trail Riding Association (ECTRA), South East Distance Riding Association (SEDRA), Midwest Distance Driving Association (MDDA) which operates under the rules of the Upper Midwest Endurance and Competitive Trail Riding Association (UMECTRA) and the National Endurance Driving Association (NEDA) which follows American Endurance Riding Association (AERC) rules. Many of the distance driving competitions are held along with a distance riding competition, which adds to the fun. Read more...

 

 

The Art of Ponying
Susan Greenall

 

Ponying was without a doubt created by the Mother of Invention. Someone, somewhere had two or more horses that needed exercise and half the time to do it in. It is a common practice on the track and in polo which is most likely the origin of the name. The benefits of ponying expand beyond the track and can be of great benefit to the professional trainer down to the pleasure rider.

 

The main object of ponying was to exercise more than one horse at a time. It is not uncommon to see a string of 5 or 6 polo ponies strung together for an hour of exercise. It is advisable, however, to start with just one extra horse. Distance riders like using this method of exercise to condition their horses. “Many of us find ourselves with one old campaigner and a new horse that we are getting ready,” explains Dr. Heather Hoyns, a veterinarian from Windsor, Vt. “I have limited time to ride, so ponying was the logical solution. It keeps the older horse fit and develops the younger horse at the same time. I was able to bring the new horse along a lot faster as he did not have to carry my weight before developing some muscle. It also allowed him to adjust to our hilly terrain. By the time I was riding him and ponying my seasoned horse, he was in very good shape.” Read More…

 

 

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two dogs are playing with a stick in the snow

Surviving Winter

By Aileen Whitty • December 9, 2020
8 Tips from a professional dog walker to help make Winter in New England your and fido's new favorite time of year!
a black and white skunk is crawling out of a hole in the ground .

Help! My Dog’s Been Skunked!!

June 5, 2015
Dogs can be very curious. This sometimes can get them into a stink of trouble. If your dog encounters a skunk, it is likely to get sprayed, if it insists on checking out this newly found creature. When a skunk is startled it will make a peculiar purring sound, sometimes growling. Before emitting its sulphuric […] The post Help! My Dog’s Been Skunked!! appeared first on 4 Legs & A Tail.
a close up of a brown and white dog looking at the camera .

Shiloh, the Pupillon/Chihuahuu

By 4 Legs & A Tail • June 5, 2015
The post Shiloh, the Pupillon/Chihuahuu appeared first on 4 Legs & A Tail.
a black and brown dachshund is laying on the ground and looking at the camera .

A Small World

By 4 Legs & A Tail • June 5, 2015
By, Tim Hoehn A few days prior to Paws for a Caws Adopt-a-Thon in Barre, we found out that my elderly mother-in-law is in stage 4 with cancer. After her husband of 50+ passed away a couple of years ago, she was very lonely and decided to get a dog (which we encouraged.) However, we […] The post A Small World appeared first on 4 Legs & A Tail.
a small dog is wrapped in a red blanket .

Thunder, Fireworks and Other Scary Stuff

By 4 Legs & A Tail • June 5, 2015
We are once again heading into fireworks and thunderstorm season and every day it seems I am asked what can be done about Muffy fears of loud noises: “My dog hides in a closet during storms.” “My dog tears up the house whenever there are fireworks.” “My dog sits in a corner, pees on the […] The post Thunder, Fireworks and Other Scary Stuff appeared first on 4 Legs & A Tail.
a porcupine is eating grass on the side of a road .

The Prickly Porcupine

By 4 Legs & A Tail • June 5, 2015
Jenn Grenier, Burlington Emergency Veterinary Specialists- Williston, VT It was a beautiful, summer day and I was out walking with my dog Shadow, soaking in as much Vitamin D as possible. All of a sudden, she came out of the bushes foaming at the mouth and franticly pawing at her face. She had what looked […] The post The Prickly Porcupine appeared first on 4 Legs & A Tail.
a close up of a tick on a yellow flower .

What’s Bugging Our Animals?!

By 4 Legs & A Tail • June 5, 2015
M. Kathleen Shaw, DVM – Vermont Veterinary Medical Association During the hot summer months, both large and small animals can suffer unwanted attention from biting flies and mosquitoes. These flies are not only the typical “house flies” we see, but species such as black flies, deer flies, and horse flies. In many cases, the mosquitoes and flies prefer […] The post What’s Bugging Our Animals?! appeared first on 4 Legs & A Tail.
a close up of a horse 's face in a stable

Healing Touch

By 4 Legs & A Tail • February 16, 2015
From Tears to Trauma Release – by Karen McCloud, HTAP, HTP My childhood dream was to become a Veterinarian, but in the early seventies I was told by my high school advisor, “it is a man’s business!” Being a shy girl at the time…I opted for an Equine Science degree, and followed my passion for horses […] The post Healing Touch appeared first on 4 Legs & A Tail.
a squirrel is sitting on a tree branch looking at the camera .

Keeping Your Pets Healthy This Spring

By 4 Legs & A Tail • February 16, 2015
Spring is here and with the warmer temperatures we also start to see many dogs that either are vomiting, have diarrhea or both. A few years ago I think I figured out why we seem to see this epidemic of GI problems in the spring. My theory is that all the birds, mice, chipmunks and […] The post Keeping Your Pets Healthy This Spring appeared first on 4 Legs & A Tail.
a brown dog is laying in the dirt behind a chain link fence .

Miranda Lambert’s Foundation Awards NH Animal Rescue

By 4 Legs & A Tail • February 16, 2015
Bedford, NH (February 6, 2015) – 50 States/50 Shelters. That’s what the MuttNation Foundation’s initiative boasts, supporting one shelter in every state. “What a wonderful surprise to open the mail and find a grant check from Miranda Lambert’s foundation!” recalled Paula Mattis, the Animal Rescue League of NH’s President & CEO. Grammy-winning country singer/songwriter Miranda […] The post Miranda Lambert’s Foundation Awards NH Animal Rescue appeared first on 4 Legs & A Tail.
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