Tracy Antonelli, North Providence, Rhode Island: In the article “Marking the Card” in the July issue, page 170, the writer makes a couple of assumptions about the horse’s eyes that are incorrect. She says, “Dark eyes are a function of type. I don’t think that there is any difference in function between dark or light eyes, or blue eyes, or eyes with a white sclera.”

That is incorrect. A horse’s vision will be better with two dark eyes, since one light eye and one dark eye will absorb the amount of light reflected back into the eye in different amounts. An eye with sclera causes a loss of vision in that eye because the white area does not take anything in so it creates “blind areas” that an all-pigment eye would not have. Blue eyes (both eyes blue) could be a clue to deafness in a horse since there is a direct correlation between the blue-eyed gene and the deafness gene. I know the article is on Arabian type, but it should still provide accurate information in it.

 

Cindy Reich responds: I consulted with a veterinarian who specializes in eyes in both large and small animals regarding your statement. His reply echoed what I stated in the article, but in more detail. All horses have the same amount of sclera around their eye. Because of the construction of the skull of Arabians, versus, say, Appaloosas, the sclera is more visible in the Appaloosa than the Arabian. Also, the size of the eyelid opening influences how much of the sclera is seen. Appaloosas have eyeballs that sit further forward in the eye socket, (and) combined with a larger eyelid opening allows more sclera to be seen. Arabians have a deeper- set eyeball with a tighter eyelid that usually only allows the sclera to be seen when the horse rolls its eye. Therefore, the amount of sclera you see has no influence on the amount of light that enters the eye. That is determined by the cornea and the iris. As for a blue eye versus dark eye, there is a slight difference in blue eyes because of a lack of pigment behind the retina. However, the veterinarian went on to comment that the visual acuity between a dark eye in an Arabian and a blue eye in say, a Paint horse, is so small that it would probably not be detectable.

 

Kathy Hedgepeth, Canton, Georgia: When I got up this morning, I reminded myself that I needed to renew my subscription to Arabian Horse World. I pulled up the Web site to get the phone number, and up popped my favorite photo of *Padron (also on AHW’s 2009 calendar for the month of September). Jerry Sparagowski has taken some wonderful photos, and I think some of his very best are of *Padron. But I think *Padron thought Jerry was his personal photographer, so he always gave his best to Jerry. At first, I was very sad, because *Padron is greatly missed, but then I realized how wonderful it is that you all have him as your “front” man! Thank you for making my day.

 

Lauren Hader, Graham, Washington: With many divisive issues present within our industry at this time, I wonder if you would allow me, in the pages of your lovely publication, to voice a special word of thanks to what I can only describe as an extraordinary group of people in the worldwide Arabian horse community.

I have just returned from the Arabian Horse Days in Poland — my first trip there — but it could have been a much different experience. The first day I arrived in Warsaw, while enjoying dinner with friends, my purse was stolen. It contained everything — my new camera, phone, credit cards, passport, every penny I had, and every piece of identification I possessed. For a single woman traveling alone in a foreign country this could have been a terrifying ordeal that might have cut my trip short. Instead, it became a testimony to the generosity of spirit that illustrates the character and decency of those in the Arabian horse community.

From the moment the theft occurred, I was blessed by the goodwill of others. To start, Andrei Wozniewski accompanied me to the Warsaw police station and stayed with me until 3:30 a.m. to help file a police report. Early the next morning, Kristi Hopp accompanied me to the U.S. Embassy, where we secured a temporary passport in time to catch the van to Janów Podlaski. Still having only my passport, I prepared to board the van intent on making the best of a difficult situation. Before I even stepped onto the van, George “Z” Zbyszewski offered funds to get me through the immediate crisis, and he made sure throughout my trip that I was safe and secure.

From that moment on, I was approached by kind people who offered to help in any way they could, to make my trip enjoyable. There was such an outpouring of support, both practical and of the spirit, that I couldn’t help but be awed by it.

Perhaps we are exceptional because we are all awed by the majestic dance of a proud stallion, or moved by the nicker of a gentle mare calling her foal — or maybe we are out of the ordinary because we are just good people who recognize, when faced with it, the beauty in life and it emanates to those around us. Whatever “it” is, thank you sincerely from my heart — I am honored to know you all — you have enriched my life and I am grateful
for it.

 

Ann Almond, High Springs, Florida: I wanted to give you an update on my husband Bill’s horse Opal Starlight (LL Polight x RA Shooting Star), whose story you were nice enough to print in your magazine (“Letters to the World” page 359, May, 2007 issue). She was an untrained eight-year-old mare we acquired two years ago that Bill trained.

We met some new friends trail riding a couple months ago who compete in cowboy mounted shooting. It sounded like fun and, at the very least, it would be great training for the horses, so we started going to their practices. Bill desensitized Opal to a cap gun at first, then moved up to firing a .45 while on the ground. She seemed to take it all in stride.

At the practice, my mare Harmony Raindance (CCA Khlassic x Sahara Firestar) loved being the balloon horse. After a shooter runs the course, shooting balloons, Rain and I run out with new balloons to replace the popped ones. Opal took to the balloons just fine, too. Both mares were doing great with all the shooting, balloons popping, and horses running. I thought, “This is great fun!” Before I knew it, Bill was borrowing guns from our friends and heading into the arena with Opal. I asked nervously, “You’re going to shoot off Opal already?” He just smiled and said, “yes.”

The first time through the course he just walked Opal, eliminating one balloon after another. All the while Opal had the attitude, “This is my job; my daddy likes this and so I will do it.” It was amazing. Bill’s horse was calmly taking to this cowboy shooting stuff without so much as blinking an eye. Everyone at the practice could not believe it, as this first-time shooter horse, an Arabian no less, was making it look like child’s play. I was so proud of Bill and his patient training of Opal and of Opal’s sweet and trusting attitude that shone through brilliantly. Bill was just a kid again, riding his horse, playing cowboy.

Bill is now starting to compete with Opal and she really understands what he wants, especially when they hit the rundown and she leaps into her ground-covering canter and Bill knocks off the last few balloons. It’s a lot of fun and I’m starting to desensitize Rain to the gun so maybe I can play ‘cowboy’ too.

 

Meta Earthling, Cosmopolis, Washington: Current legislation addressing the transport of slaughter horses to Canada and Mexico (with the count somewhere around 150,000 a year) comes on the heels of legislation to end the slaughter here in the U.S. Regardless of our feelings concerning the use of horses as food, as long as they are considered livestock and are bred, traded, or sold, they will be at the mercy of a system that seems unable to deal with the sheer numbers being produced. We need to come up with solutions to overbreeding and decide how to deal humanely with the unwanted excess we have now.

Like it or not, using equines for food is acceptable in many cultures. Killing animals inhumanely is unacceptable to most.

My plea is to stop breeding unless you have the space, means, and time to care for every foal you produce until it is 20 to 30 years old. Horse ownership is a huge responsibility and long-term commitment.

Slaughter is not the worst fate if it is accomplished in a humane way. Instead of trying to stop the cruelty of horse slaughter, we should have demanded more humane practices and policies surrounding horses’ transport and rendering. Most of all, it is overbreeding and support from some horse registries that fuel this problem. How about supporting research so the carcass can be utilized as food for those that want that protein? Unwanted does not have to mean wasted. We should be able to come up with solutions that honor the dignity of an animal that has literally carried man into the industrial age as worker, friend, and fellow life form.