This one’s for the Fugly Horse of The Day blog
By Gina Spadafori
November 10, 2008
More pics from the weekend …
I love horses, and some day I’ll have one of my own. OK, someday soon because I am not getting any younger.
Because of my lifelong obsession withinterest in horses I really appreciate the Fugly Horse of the Day blog. She doesn’t pull her punches at all in educating people about bad breeding and poor ethics, and in pointing out people who are not caring for their horses well or who are putting their or other people’s children at risk with unsafe riding and horse-handling.
Fugly is one of the reasons why I could look at my friend Audrey’s 20-year-old Quarter Horse, Red, and truly appreciate his excellent health and temperament. But then of course, as the author of “Horses For Dummies” and many other wonderful horse books (including “Why Do Horses Sleep Standing Up?” and “The Ultimate Horse-Lover” with … me!), Red’s owner clearly knows how to care for a horse and cares enough to do so.
With out further ado, I give you … Red. Isn’t he stunning? Doesn’t he make you feel great to see a wonderful older horse in such glowing health? (And by the way … he’s barefoot. Audrey’s horses don’t wear shoes!)
I used to read Fugly but had to stop. She is so smart with horse stuff yet seems to be a breedist when it comes to dogs. Pitbulls in particular. She has posted several times her disgust with the breed. (usually due to irresponsible owners but somehow she misses that link) It doesn’t make sense when I’m sure she would disagree if someone labeled all arabians as hotheaded and dangerous for people to own or kids to be around and shouldn’t be bred anymore. We have so many other breeds to chose from after all. (her words ref pitbulls)
Comment by Marie — November 10, 2008 @ 8:55 pm
I agree with Marie. In addition the opinions appear to be based on hearsay (I know someone who knows someone who was bitten by a Pitbull….) and news media reports. If that is acceptable for dogs, why should I trust the information on horses?
Comment by Brenda — November 11, 2008 @ 7:10 am
I would look at it as an opportunity for education. After all, as we know, many of the situations with pitbulls are caused by people who are not caring for and training dogs properly.
The same is true for horses.
In any case, I don’t like to throw the baby out with the bathwater. She’s wrong on pibbles, but she knows her horses stuff.
It doesn’t follow that someone who’s wrong on one thing can’t be trusted for advice on another subject. I wouldn’t advise taking my advice on, say, balancing your checkbook or flying a fighter jet. But that doesn’t mean we don’t know pets and pet care here.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — November 11, 2008 @ 8:22 am
Audrey has done a wonderful job with Red. Healthy, handsome, and barefoot!
Comment by Sarah K Andrew — November 11, 2008 @ 10:12 am
I go into FUGLY withdrawal if I don’t check in every couple of days. I also have aspirations in the horse ownership area and I can’t believe how much I’ve learned from that web site. I always thought that anyone who owned a horse would have thought it all through first. (All the horse owners I’ve known have been the responsible kind.) I couldn’t believe some of the stuff I was reading. I will definitely be looking for a rescue. I start formal riding lessons in January. I find most of the invective and the vitriolic tirades are in the comments. If I’m not in the mood for it, I just don’t read them. She’s always spot on when it comes to horses, though.
Comment by C.L.H. — November 11, 2008 @ 11:20 am
Oh, and FUGLY has a link to Thoroughbred Friends, so I can get my good cry for the day in, too.
Comment by C.L.H. — November 11, 2008 @ 11:23 am
Gina,
You have a point on the education part but I worry how many people read her, see how much she knows about horses, and therefore believes everything she says. Including her opinion on dogs. She is obviously reaching a pretty large audience after all.
I just said I stopped reading her, not that I think she shouldn’t have the blog. It is a great blog aside from the dog stuff. But I am all about the dog stuff so you see my delemia.
:-)
Comment by Marie — November 11, 2008 @ 1:53 pm
Gina, Red looks awesome.
I agree, the author of Fugly does a good job regarding educating people about the ugliness that is out there. The problem I have with the blog is that the author is that she should stick to what she (he?) knows. I cringe everytime she puts an Arabian in her blog, touting a pedigree that to my eyes represents something that was outrageously overbred to satisfy the whims of the show ring. The show ring in Arabians produces pretty, lightly-boned, tabletop-backed pasture ornaments (with absurd cartoon faces) that don’t hold up with work.
There are preservationist breeders of Arabians keeping genes available that don’t fit the whims of what’s popular. The genes that create well-conformed, sturdy working animals. Fugly’s author seems to be unaware of the names in those pedigrees, often back far enough that the distance earns scorn — and those are the good using horses she/he says should be put on the ground.
Comment by Deanna — November 11, 2008 @ 4:51 pm
OMG, DON’T get a rescue for your first horse! Most rescues won’t even let horses go to first time horse owners. (Rescues don’t like returns and they don’t like returns coming back with new issues from newbie owners.) Find a horse that little kids and grandmothers can ride that has a good history that can be verified through references.
Comment by Deanna — November 11, 2008 @ 4:55 pm
Barefoot horse aren’t that big of a deal. Horses should be able to go shoeless. I know you’ve been hanging out with Thoroughbreds who have notoriously crappy feet that are often held together with steel and nails.
Comment by Deanna — November 11, 2008 @ 5:00 pm
I’d have to agree this horse is stunning! I love your blog by the way. Nice posts and great layout! I’ll be dropping by more often! :) Keep up the good work. Love that fugly horse of the day blog too!
Comment by John — November 12, 2008 @ 1:59 am