Give a Horse a Forever Home

Are you or someone you know looking to adopt a horse? OSAS is now waiving all adoption fees on their standardbred horses.

The Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society is a charitable organization that focuses on the adoption and relocation of retired/non-racing horses within Ontario. Founded in 1996, OSAS aims to match horses with compatible families with the goal of giving each horse a forever home.

There are many remarkable horses who are in need of a good home, and we wanted to introduce you to just a few!

Meet Millie!

At age 13, Millie has plenty of years with saddle experience and a solid walk/trot/canter. Millie connects well with her rider and is incredibly responsive. She is best suited for trail riding, dressage and english or western riding. Millie gets along with other horses and enjoys both the indoors and the outdoors.

More on Millie.

Bullwinkle Anderson

Better known as "Andy", this lovable horse loves getting attention from his owners and enjoys being affectionate. While he doesn't want to be a rider, Andy is the perfect horse for someone who wants a companion for casual riding and who would benefit from horse therapy.

More on Bullwinkle Anderson

The Night Owl

This mare is one of the sweetest horses! She prefers to be called Molly and gets along great with horses and people alike. She enjoys leisurely, casual weekend riding and loves to please her rider and owner by being cooperative.

More on The Night Owl

For more horses, visit the OSAS Adoption page!

The Song to your Horse's Heart

There are plenty of methods to reduce your horse's stress levels. Humans and horses react to stress in very similar ways. Stress can cause illness and make it harder to recover from injury. Ulcers may form and social anxieties can develop. Clearly, it is very important to reduce your horse's stress levels.

 A recent article on TheHorse.com looks at how horses react to the therapeutic tactic of listening to music.

In a study, horses remained balanced and calm when classical or country music played. Their welfare was even more evident than when the horses were surrounded by silence, indicating that these types of music are beneficial to integrate into the horse's life.

Other musical genres such as jazz and rock did not yield the same results. Listening to the music, the horses tossed their heads, stomped, snorted and whinnied which displayed their stress. Their eating style changed from being peaceful and calm to being strained and nervous.

The difference in music may be due to the amount of high and low frequencies in particular songs. The classical and country music may have had frequencies that existed in the center of the horses' sensitive hearing range, allowing them to enjoy themselves.

When using music to remedy your horse's stress, researches recommend playing music at 21 decibel volume. There are CDs and albums specifically designed to play at balanced frequencies for horses' ears.

When used properly, music has proven to be beneficial to equine well-being  Have you used music to calm your horses? 

Sources: TheHorse, Getty Equine Nutrition

Top 5 Horse Movies

For those who live and breathe anything equestrian, here is a list of the top 5 movies starring horses.

5. War Horse 

War Horse is a classic story of the love between a boy and his horse, which endures through war, hardship and separation. Like most horse movies, War Horse will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. This flick is a must-see for those who love stories about horses, friendship and history.

4. Hidalgo 

Set in 1890, Hidalgo is loosely based on a true story of a man and his mustang, Hidalgo, who journey across the Arabian Desert in a cross-country race. The race becomes a journey of pride, honour, endurance and survival.

3. Secretariat 

Secretariat tells the true story of a housewife and mother, Penny Chenery, who takes over her father’s stables. The movie is about overcoming the odds and taking on challenges – whether it be the lack of knowledge of horse racing that Penny had, or being taken seriously in a male-dominated business.

2. Black Beauty 

In this classic horse movie, Black Beauty tells the story of his life and his series of owners. Black Beauty looks at the relationship between man and horse, and while sometimes heart-wrenching, there is also happiness and contentment.

1. The Black Stallion 

After forging a strong bond on a deserted island, Alec and his horse return to the USA to train. His goal is to challenge two of the fastest racehorses in a match. The story is about the love and friendship between horse and human. Suitable for the whole family, The Black Stallion is a timeless movie, filled with beautiful
scenery and suspenseful action.

[Source: Squidoo]