Comments on: Horse Whisperers

By: lucy flanagan

lucy flanagan — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 04:01:53 +0000

This is fabulous.

By: holly simpson

holly simpson — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:25:19 +0000

Diana Dupree I wish you a good relationship with King your first horse. I will suggest that you take some dressage riding lessons(because dressage is all about subtle communication)and find a good person to help you with the steps involved in training from the ground to the saddle.
I’ve trained a few horses that were “unridable” or otherwise considered bad. It’s all the art of communication between human and horse.

By: Diana

Diana — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 01:32:21 +0000

King is a quarter horse…I put thoroughbred..hahaha

By: Diana Dupree

Diana Dupree — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 01:22:28 +0000

As a little girl I begged and begged my daddy for a horse. We lived across the street from a huge fenced pasture with horses. I went out everyday to feed and pet them through the fence. They always responded to me wonderfully. As an adult I have not been around them but just a few times. I am not afraid of them even though their size is daunting to some. I dont know why, but I am just not afraid of them. Well, my husband was given a horse on my sisters ranch. King a 2 yr. old thoroughbred, is beautiful. Never ridden. I am in love with him. I only get weekends with him. But everyone says he is honery. I have no problem. From the beginning I would walk away and then kneel down and put my hand out without saying a word and he will just come right over to me. Over and over again he will do this. Is this a good way to get him to trust me and hopefully one day love me? lol I just dont know anything about horses and want to do right by King and learn all I can. I am 57 yrs old and its just like Santa finally brought the greatest present ever!!

By: em

em — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 04:37:50 +0000

hey, my horse used to be completely good and would run without bucking and would be a complete angel but over winter he has gotton really bad, i cant even walk up to him anymore he runs at me or kicks and runs and i really want him to be back to his old self how will i do it?

By: Carole-Terese Naser

Carole-Terese Naser — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:08:56 +0000

To Ruth Poulsen, I sincerely appreciate your commitment, which I hope is emulated by others at your level. Your horses are lucky. I neglected to mention that I run Six Horses Saved, a retirement home for horses saved from slaughter. I raise funds, muck stalls, stack hay and lobby for change at a legislative level. I have investigated the horse slaughter industry in some detail, from the ground up. It is appalling to me that so many former esteemed horse athletes end up slaughtered. I see a great deal of “what have you done for me lately” in the world of performance horses. Not good. And to end on a happier note, one of our 3 year old horses rescued from slaughter, Max, has been adopted by Ms. Prisclla Presley and now lives at Graceland, where he is a bit of a tour guide in his own right. A performance horse in an Elvis-kind of way, it would seem. Max is forever safe from slaughter in this legendary home. And he has a job – entertaining Graceland visitors. I care for the rest of Max’s family at my small farm. I do what I can. I encourage the equine industry to step up to a higher level, to Ruth Poulsen’s standard. They all deserve proper retirement. http://www.freewebs.com/sixhorsessaved

By: Marie Matte

Marie Matte — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:18:03 +0000

This is in response to Carole-Terese Naser and Ruth Hogan Poulsan. I am the Director of a non-profit organization called Diamonds in the Rough Farm,Inc. (www.drfarm.org). The organization was created for the very purpose of caring for these noble animals in their final years (we are one of only a handful in the USA). We have horses from the racetrack (both Thoroughbred and Quarterhorse), Polo, Grand Prix Dressage, barrel racing, etc. I can tell you that there are exponentially more aged equines that we wish we could care for but are unable to because of lack of support. Most of the animals that are with us were unabashedly abandoned after they could no longer perform their ‘jobs’. Some were left to starve to death, while others had their ‘put down’ date scheduled. It breaks my heart to know what I know about the long term plans for most of this country’s Equines. I am also frustrated with the topic of slaughter. If people were more educated on the process these animals go through pre-death they could never support it. I also wonder what people who protest slaughter think happens to those horses who live. Do they realize that most of this country’s retirement farms and rescues are struggling for funding? We are the new end-of-the-line for these animals, left with the difficult decisions concerning what is to become of them. Without support, the equine welfare organizations are put in horrible positions assuming the responsiblities that those who profitted off of those animals skirted. I commend Ruth for caring for her animals like family. If only there were more like you. As for everyone else, do not turn your back on those who are caring for these animals. Show your support for equine welfare by DONATING!

By: Ruth Hogan Poulsen

Ruth Hogan Poulsen — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 01:50:28 +0000

This is a response to Carole-Terese Naser… I read your comments regarding what happens to our old and non competitive horse after their show years are over… you will be happy to know, that Charmont, the dressage horse who is now at least 24 years old, and his OLDER companion Hecktor (37years) are still here at my farm, retired, and much appreciated for their many years of partnership… I would no sooner send one of my beloved horses that I spent years training and loving to the slaughter then well…. never… Yes, they are taking up income stalls, yes they are taking up time and money and yes they deserve every moment of it…Ruth Hogan Poulsen

By: Karen

Karen — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 16:21:20 +0000

I love that PBS aired the Horse And Rider show. I’m another one who has loved horses all my life. I’ve also been scared of them all my life! When I was 14 I had a serious concussion from horseback riding at a stable. I went back a year later (when I got off the meds) and rode the same horse. However, in the last year I visited two places with horses and sensed the horses are afraid of ME. They would move away from me. I’m wondering what kind of messages I’m sending them, or how can I make a horse comfortable around me? I would love nothing more than to have the same kind of relationship with horses that I have with other animals.
I vote horses should be our national symbol instead of the eagle because the horse has built this country from plowing the fields, to delivering mail, to fighting in the wars. I can’t imagine what this country would be without them.

By: Magda

Magda — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:34:07 +0000

That show was so beautiful. I have loved horses all my life and now my grandsons see their beauty and spirit. Thank you for the show and I look forward to purchasing it for my library.