The Curious Secret Behind My Quarter Horse’s Agile Lips
Horses may not have opposable thumbs or prehensile tails, but they do have amazingly agile noses! I have a quarter horse named Xumie who has the most dexterous lips. Scientifically speaking, these precise movements are powered by the levator labii superioris muscle. One common use for equine lips is communication; they move to convey subtle […]
Mesquite Trees and Horses: Incompatible
When I moved to the Sonoran Desert, I learned about mesquite pods. I knew about the mesquite wood used for barbequing, but not the seed pods of the tree. They’re used as food by both people and animals. The mature pods, not just the seeds, are ground into flour, which is quite delicious. A five-gallon […]
Ergot: A Fungus and a Tissue Protuberance–Geez!
My favorite bread flavor is rye. Given a choice, I will always choose rye. So, growing up, I wondered why rye hadn’t been more popular historically. After all, rye is easier to grow than wheat and, in my humble opinion, much tastier. The reason is Ergot. Ergot is a fungal disease that killed and disabled […]
Who Was Observing Whom?
I was exercising my young horse when he suddenly turned away from me to look at something outside the ring. I discovered my horse enjoys birdwatching as much as I do. However, as horse and human watched this Greater Roadrunner, Geococcyx californianus, pass by, I noticed that it seemed to be studying us as much […]
Happy Birthday, Exuma!
Since my mare, Button, is approaching retirement from being a saddle horse, I decided to get a younger horse to take over her work. That is how Exuma, a Quarter Horse gelding, came into my life. Exuma was born on April 28, 2017. Today is his fourth birthday! Above photo courtesy of D. Iman He […]