Tag: stories

“Houdini” the magic Horse – We’ll miss you!

HoudiniHorse3
Photography: Courtesy Bobby Lovgren

My friend and writer E. McCall just finished this interview with the fabulous Hollywood horse trainer Bobby Lovgren for the latest Cowboys & Indians magazine.
Bobby worked a lot with Corky Randall, head trainer on the Black Stallion movies, and Houdini was one of the “stars” in the “Zorro” movies and “Lone Ranger” among others. The Hollywood horse world is a tough business and anyone that can take the ups and downs, hurry up and waits and last minute changes deserves way more than the little wrangler / handler / trainer line somewhere hidden at the end of the credits. These guys and gals know how to get the best out of their horses and – ON CUE!!!

As the famous cowboy Roy Rogers once wrote; “Just as with human beings, so I believe it is a fact about horses; some are born to perform and some are not. When Trigger and I are about to ride into an arena, I can feel the surge of excitement run through him before the spotlight hits us. I am convinced he takes pride in his accomplishments and that he not only recognizes me but loves me… no two humans are alike, nor are two horses.”

I hope you enjoy this talk with a present day horseman and trainer, Bobby Lovgren,

Farewell Houdini: Veteran Hollywood Horse Often Played Horse Of A Different Color In Storied Career

BY ELIZABETH KAYE McCALL
Apr 11, 2013 – 08:01 AM

It will take time until Hollywood horse trainer Bobby Lovgren and family look back on March 27, 2013, as anything but the day Houdini died.  It also happened to be Lovgren’s 48th birthday. That morning, Lovgren made a quick trip to a studio in Los Angeles and picked up a saddle. He was driving home to his ranch in Acton, when his wife Wendy called, “Houdini is sick.”

An hour later, the Lovgrens made a difficult decision together with the two veterinarians called in.  The buckskin quarter horse gelding who’d made his mark in an elite cadre of Hollywood movie horses, now joined the ranks of those deceased.

Cowboys & Indians: What stands out about Houdini’s long career as an equine actor?

Bobby Lovgren: The biggest thing I can say about him, is that he was so much a part of our family. His very first big film was The Mask of Zorro [1998]. Corky Randall hired me on that. Houdini was Captain Love’s horse. I think that was one of two films where he was his own color — buckskin. Most of the time he was black, so he could double other horses. Houdini was such a confidence booster. I can’t even begin to remember all the actors that that he really babysat for, gave lessons to and things like that. This had nothing to do with my training. It was just the quality of the horse and his attitude. All my training did was enhance that.

C&I: How old was Houdini?

Lovgren: We got him in Lakeview Terrace from my horse shoer. I was told he was out of Dash for Cash, but I never got his papers. I think he was 12 when I got him. We never knew exactly. We think he was around 26 when he died, but he always acted like a 15-year-old horse or even younger, because he was always in shape. Obviously, the older Houdini got, I was very protective of what he did. He did the little specialty things. If it was difficult, I had a double for him.

C&I: Who are some of the actors who rode Houdini in his film career?

Lovgren: I think the biggest was on the second Zorro, The Legend of Zorro [2005]. Antonio Banderas rode Houdini the entire time through that.  We doubled him to look like a Friesian. We did a lot of the things at liberty with Antonio, which he really liked. I’d work Houdini on the whips [like a conductor leading an orchestra] and Antonio would ride. That’s how we got his riding much better. Although he rode very well to begin with, he really enjoyed doing that with Houdini. We would work Houdini and I’d take the bridle off and work him loose with the Antonio on him. That’s how I give a lot of my lessons, actually. It gives them [actors] their balance much better. Those things are such confidence builders when you go into a project.  He gave that. Houdini actually had quite a big sequence in “The Lone Ranger.” I can’t say what he did yet because the movie hasn’t been released, but he has a really nice part in that.

C&I: Can you say what color he was, so we can look for him?
For the rest of the story click here

Enjoy the ride … for as long as you can!

Thanks to Hunter Hauk @ C&I – TF

The secret lives of the wild asses of the Negev

475male wild ass

Here’s an interesting story about trying to save a declining species – amazing how much we can learn from research. It’s written by my dear cousin Diana Lutz. So a big THANKS for all your hard work!

The secret lives of the wild asses of the Negev
As a critically endangered population makes a comeback, scientists are keeping a discreet eye on it with the help of GPS and dung
March 27, 2013
By Diana Lutz

The wild asses of the Negev are extremely wary of people, but Brian Hampton, who studies Australia’s wild horses (in t-shirt) was able to get close enough to dart this male, called Tail-less because of a missing appendage. See the video below for the record of Tail-less’ movements generated by the GPS device with which he was fitted. The man on the left with the black hair is Amos Bouskila, another of Templeton’s collaborataors.
The story is too familiar. The Asiatic wild ass (Equus hemionus) which once ranged widely over the desert steppes Mongolia, Russia and the Arabian Peninsula now survives only in small, isolated populations.
It disappeared from the Negev, the desert region in southern Israel, in the 1920s. But a remnant herd survived in the Shah of Iran’s zoo, and some of these animals were brought back to Israel before the Iranian revolution in 1979, where they were bred in captivity. Of this captive herd 28 animals were reintroduced to the desert beginning in 1982 with an additional 10 released in 1992.
But the Asiatic wild ass is truly feral and doesn’t tolerate the presence of people. So once released, the animals were difficult to find, much less to monitor….                                       For the rest of the story (pdf) click here: The secret lives of the wild asses of the Negev

Hope you like it – Enjoy the ride!  tim

Writer? Take a look!

Phoenix-Rising-WEB

I just received a letter from an equestrian publisher looking for new writers. If you, or your friends, have a story outline or submission you might drop them a note.

www.lavenderandwhite.com.uk email info@lavenderandwhite.co.uk

New Release From Lavender and White Publishing Supports Equine Rescue Centre

The fact that large quantities of horsemeat have been found in many ready meal products has horrified consumers around the world. What no one has emphasised is that much of this meat comes from huge over production in the thoroughbred industry. If they don’t have the necessary speed these beautiful animals are discarded, often travelling huge distances crammed into lorries meeting incongruous and cruel ends in slaughter houses.

Horses who don’t go for meat can end up with well meaning, but inexperienced owners often with devastating consequences, becoming difficult, unmanageable and in some cases quite frankly dangerous.

A new book, Phoenix Rising by N S Newsome, from equestrian e-book publishers Lavender and White Publishing charts the heart-breaking story of one such horse. After an auspicious beginning Phoenix is sold from home to home gradually becoming difficult to ride and handle until, barely alive she is taken in by an equine rescue centre and her life turned around.

Lavender and White Publishing is a new, innovative e-publishing company specialising in equestrian fiction and non-fiction. The company is currently looking for new and previously published authors with the aim of building an extensive range of titles for downloading to e-readers.
We are slowly getting the word out and of course are extremely grateful to the many magazines and bloggers who have given us much needed publicity in order to build up our stable of authors and books.

Publishing Director, Jacqueline Smalley is clearly passionate about equestrian fiction, “Books are the only thing we love more than our horses!” A writer and editor with over 15 years’ experience in the industry, Smalley explains the concept behind the new company, “Lavender and White came about from the combination of a passionate longing to share top quality equestrian content with a world-wide audience and also to help talented authors find a platform for their work.” Jacqueline continues, “While most publishers are turning away we are actively looking for talented equestrian authors, even new writers.”

Lavender and White Publishing will publish all genres of fiction all set in the equestrian world. “Our aim is to put together a superb collection of downloadable equestrian fiction and non-fiction. She continues, “We are also looking forward to nurturing the careers of talented authors and hopefully finding the J K Rowling or E L James of equestrian fiction.

Phoenix Rising is now available to download with a percentage of the £3.99 price going to
The Ray of Hope Rescue centre in France to help with the incredible work they do rehabilitating horses.

www.lavenderandwhite.co.uk email info@lavenderandwhite.co.uk

Racing The Black

Happy New Year Story – Dogs, Horses and Hope – 2013

This is Amy Dixon’s wonderful life story that can inspire us all for 2013!

The Blind Sommalier

It’s hard to believe that a mere six years ago I was preparing for my annual trip to Ocala with my beloved eventer, Calico.  Blankets were washed, bodies were being clipped, my rig was tuned up, and endless hours of preparing for our dressage test were logged under saddle.  Fast forward to December 2012, and I’m navigating the sidewalk with my new 4-legged companion, Elvis, a yellow Labrador Retriever who now serves as my guide and my eyes.  We are traveling downhill towards the train station, en route to a meeting, and I give a half-halt on the rigid guiding harness to slow him down from our blistering pace.  “Easy”, I tell him soft and low.  I catch myself  sometimes saying, “whoa” or clucking to get him moving or refocused.  A bad habit, I tell myself, from more than three decades spent in the saddle riding eventers, showjumpers, and dressage horses.  I laugh out loud, happy that I sometimes make that mistake with Elvis, but a little melancholy for those days flying through the woods, watching the trees whiz by as we clear logs, stone walls, and large gates. Now even finding a door knob seems a major accomplishment, and making it safely across a busy intersection on foot is cause for a mini celebration with my trusty guide.

I was diagnosed with a rare eye disease in my early twenties, and was told that eventually it would lead to inevitable blindness.  My vision straight ahead was 20/20, but with each new attack of my disease, my field of vision would become narrower and narrower, eventually fading to nothingness.  Determined to live out my life’s dream of becoming a professional equestrian, I digested this diagnosis and went on with my life.  I had the good fortune of owning a scopey, brave Paint Thoroughbred/ Dutch Warmblood who was left to me by my father.  He was as green as could be, but I was relentless in my pursuit of perfection with him, and he obliged by being a willing, fun, and talented student.

My vision was in a constant state of ebb and flow, depending upon the lighting, my blood pressure, and a variety of factors.  I realized quickly that ‘riding by feel’ was not only important, it was essential to my safety and Calico’s.  I practiced daily over ground poles to compensate for my constantly changing depth-perception.  My ability to ‘feel” and not just “see” a distance to a fence made jumping natural obstacles in the woods effortless despite my vision impairment.  The only time I really struggled with my disease while riding was in the warm-up area, where riders and horses milled about in no apparent pattern.  In eventing, our warmups are usually in an open field with two single fences set up, so generally there’s lots of room for everyone.  At one particular event, I had the misfortune of literally bumping into my idol, Karen O’Connor.  She was competing against Calico and I on a young horse she was bringing along in the Open Training division.  I was busy focusing on my leg yields across the field, and managed to slam right into her and the lovely Bay Thoroughbred she was riding.  Horrified, I apologized, and quickly moved out of her way.  Again, I came across the diagonal, and this time accidently caught her leg with my dressage whip, to which she tersely but politely said, “I seem to be getting in your way,” with a smile as she trotted off to a more remote part of the field.  I stared desperately at my trainer, about to burst into tears with frustration and embarrassment.  Dean quickly trotted over to Karen and explained my impairment to her, at which she looked my way, tipped her hunt cap, and smiled.  “She is a class act all the way,” I thought to myself.

Read the rest (pdf) – Amy Dixon Blind Sommalier

A special THANKS! to Dr.Anna Marie and Todd who shot the video and sent it my way.

Don’t forget to drop us a line at Facebook or on the forum.

Enjoy the ride and Happy New Year! – tim and everyone @ Hopeful Farm.

End of the World Special! The Black Stallion Legend.

This is the book that ends at the end … so much so the publisher won’t print it anymore. It’s a GREAT read in these last days of 2012 and especially for me as it’s based in the Native American world of the beautiful high desert of NM.
These books are limited as they are no longer in print – so get them while you can!

Enjoy the ride- you never know how long it will last!

more story here ;  Legend excerpt