Happy Birthday to Me!

Happy (belated) Birthday to all of my equine pals!

January 1^st is the birthday for all race horses and many non-racing breeds of horses as well in the northern hemisphere!  (For the race horses “down-under”, it’s August 1^st!) Our birthdays are celebrated all over the world! Our two-legged friends even throw lavish parties and raise glasses of champagne at midnight just for us!  However, the decorations are always spelled wrong.  I tell my owner all the time, it’s “Happy Birthday”, not “Happy New Year’s”!

Anyway, regardless of a horse’s actual foaling date, it is considered to be a year older on January 1^st.  Even if a horse is foaled on December 28^th, it would be considered a year-old within 3 days.  As a result of this system, breeders will often try to have foaling dates in early January in order to have a competitive advantage.  This way, when January 1^st rolls around, the horse will be as close to a “true” yearling as possible in terms of physical maturity.  This system helps keep things simple when grouping horses together by age for races and competitions. 

For MY birthday, my owner brought me a very special treat: CUPCAKES!  Mmmm…I love my sweets. Well friends, I’m off to plop down and take a cat nap…all this celebrating can sure make a guy tired! At my age, I am entitled to it. After all, I just turned 42! 

Your Pal,

Lord Nelson

Baking with Lord Nelson: Holiday Special

Hay there folks!

Nelson here wishing you all happy holidays! I’m sure you’re all thinking about what your horses would like for their holiday gifts and I can give you the answer in one word: COOKIES! I’ve asked my pasture mates and barn buddies what their favorite snacks are and now I’m going to share their answers with you. Nothing makes us feel more loved than some homemade treats so here are some quick and easy recipes to make your horses feel loved this season!

Giving Thanks to Your Older Equine Pals!

I can’t believe how quickly the seasons are changing, and Thanksgiving is only a few days away! For many of you, thoughts of a big, juicy turkey, warm gravy, and sweet pumpkin pie are the things that come to mind in anticipation of the holiday.  I know it sure does for me! But then again, when am I NOT thinking about food?!  Unfortunately, my owner says I cannot partake in the feast. He says he can’t find a chair large enough for me to sit at the table…I was slightly offended. But I won’t judge him when he has to loosen his belt after having his five-course meal…maybe…