Just in time for a weather-induced break.
At the North American Trail Conference event at Kanopolis State Park near Lindsborg, KA on October 26, Half-Arabian Elmer Bandit trotted under the finish line to set a new competitive trail mileage record of 20,720 miles. This just 201 days after his 37th birthday. If you’d like to learn more, TheHorse.com has a detailed database of articles about the surprising Elmer Bandit. For even more entertaining news of Elmer, and all sorts of fascinating equine content, read Equine Ink.
Elmer wearing his custom blanket, care of The Horse.com
I for one would love to know every minute detail of horse-keeping that goes into making Elmer Bandit so hale and hearty. Never mind competitive trail riding, I’d just like to see Maira stay healthy even as a pasture ornament that long.
Though the details have not been published, there are a few “givens” in his care:
1. Plenty of conditioning
2. Lots of loving contact with his human
3. Careful attention to hoof health
4. Precision in feeding
FANTASY SEQUENCE
What I’d like to be able to add to the sure thing list is bodywork. I can just imagine Elmer returning after a long competition, wearing his special blanket. After a nice warm bath and a bucket of bran mash and beet pulp, he enters a small paddock fluffy to the knees with soft clean shavings, only to stand and be admired for the equine hero he is. His human, Mary Anna Wood, rubs him down with a soft chamois to remove trail residue and to dry his gleaming coat. I can’t see the details, but I get the gist of what she’s doing from high up here in the rafters of the barn. She’s slowly rubbing traces of stress and soreness from every inch of Elmer’s body. Elmer stands stock still as her partner in what can only be described as a daily dance of stillness and appreciation. After an hour of communion, Mary Anna retunrs to Elmer’s face. She and Elmer share a little breath, a mutual confirmation of commitment and affection, before Elmer trots out into the field to join his herd, with a nicker of farewell to Mary Anna. See you tomorrow!
✔✔
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I love the story of Elmer. In June I had to put down my 36 year old appendix quarterhorse. She was not ridden for her last 2 years (a retired preliminary eventer). Elmer on the other hand, seems to be in excellent condition.
Enjoyed reading your blog. Through Touch…do you know much about Linda Tellington Jones? She stayed at our farm many years ago when while she was doing some clinics in this area. The T Touch.
Lori Skoog
Duh….I just read more about you and see that you know Linda.
I will now have to click on her blog.
Lori
Lori
I am writing this now from Linda’s house in Hawaii!
Please be patient. Linda’s blog is not up and running yet, as we still have some final adjustments to make–you know the endless tooling and fiddling that go with blogging.
I am sorry for the loss of your horse. Though I imagine that her 36-year-long life was full and happy, you must miss her. Did you own her for all her life?