Happy January 2nd Everyone!
I hope all of you had a wonderful first day of the New Year. At Lane’s End, we had a great time and our birthday celebration was FABULOUS! P.Q. and I teased each other that we did not look a whole year older…maybe a DAY, but certainly not a YEAR. Too cute!
In this photo, I’m enjoying a bit of fun with a friend’s 2 boys. Great way to celebrate the holiday season! To quote their Mom…”Zenyatta is the sweetest mare ever!” So kind of her to say! I do love children…as you can see…and ALL people for that matter.
Here, I’m back indoors after paddock time…but as you know, I spend a great deal of time outside each day. Recently, Jahlgren asked about ‘my winter coat’. I had made a reference to ‘growing one’ in a previous Diary.
Horses’ coats do grow in the winter weather. What happens is the hair becomes thicker. It is part of nature. Now that I am in Kentucky, this is nature’s way to help me feel more comfortable in this colder climate. This also helps me to be happy and healthy while outdoors.
Often, at the race track, you may see a horse who is ‘CLIPPED’. This means that the horse did get a haircut. There are special people who work at the track who have a job ‘clipping horses’. The cost of this varies depending on what type of clipping style is requested. In CA, prices range from approximately $100-120 per horse. It varies. This is a baseline.
Basically, there are 2 reasons to CLIP a horse. ONE…in the winter, if the horse’s hair gets too thick, it can allow a great deal of mud/dirt to stick to the underneath portion of the body. The horse can then become more difficult to groom. If this is the case, you may want to clip him. SECONDLY, in the spring, when the winter coat is still a bit too thick and causing the horse to ‘sweat too much’ during exercise, you may also want to clip the horse. It all depends on the individual horse, the thickness of the hair, and the climate and training conditions.
Some trainers do a partial clipping (also called TRACE CLIPPING) on the ‘bottom/underneath part’ of the horse’s body. When you see this type of clipping on a horse…it looks like he/she has a design or pattern outlined on the body.
Other trainers may want their horse to have a full body clip…meaning all over the body.
Then some horses don’t need to be clipped. During the winter, they do not grow a great deal of thick hair. This varies per horse…just like humans have different types of hair.
As a result, if the hair does not get to be too thick, the groom is able to keep the coat looking good. THIS WAS ME! While at Barn 55, I never grew a very thick coat, and my dear MARIO groomed me perfectly all of the time. Per John, he used ‘good old-fashioned elbow grease’ to keep my coat looking slick and fabulous! Also, I was a horse with great inner health which helped.
Now that I am outside quite a bit in a colder climate, my hair is getting a bit thicker. Being able to grow a ‘winter coat’ with my dapples and all still there…is a very good thing for me!
Stay warm and enjoy your day!
With Love,
Hugs to ALL~
Z
Samantha
Hope your having fun, Z!
When do you think your fans can see you at the barn?
Stephanie Lambert
We have lots of winter coats here in Maine too!!!
Barbara
How cute! This diary is very helpful in educating a new horse person. I have been around horses most of my life but a lot of people don’t know some of this information. This is wonderful! What a cute photo!
jeanie langford
Wow, I was almost number one today. How are you big girl. It is nice that they let you see some people other than the staff. Maybe there is hope that your fans will be able to see you at some point. I want to see someone design the perfect Queen Z ring. Keep up the good work. Hugs and kisses
Timmy Todd M.A,
You are so good…..Informing all to the wears-and-with-alls of wintering….:) Silly Girl…. We love you ZENNY! Keep it up and you’ll be President one day….For goodness sake we could use a good Woman in office…:) Love and Light
Prof. Timmy
Debbie
Stay warm Z!! We can’t wait to come visit you soon! Thanks for all the updates, can’t wait to see a video of you rolling! Love you!
Karen
Thank you for posting these “diaries.” They are a joy to read.
linda
A great education on thoroughbreds – delivered by the most engaging “professor.” Just love these lessons.
Lynne
Hello Zenny. Boy, I am getting a wealth of information from reading your diary every day. Thoroughly enjoying and appreciating this opportunity. I am so very happy that you are enjoying yourself and in the care of such great people
Your friend, Lynne
Mary Margaret from Georgia
Zenyatta, your dapples look beautiful all the time. Stay sweet, warm, and happy. Love you Queen Z:)
Theresa M
Some of it just reminds me of how much I have forgotten. Of course my stable is all plastic so I don’t have to worry about grooming. Just dusting. Zenyatta has brought back the love of horses in me. Sure wish she could have run on the new track surface at Santa Anita.
Kim Curtsinger
Hey Girl-Thanks for the information. I got a question for you: What does it mean when a jockey says he “thows a cross” with the horse on the reins? Also, in the Robert Frankel, it looked like Harmonious had her head turned towards the grandstand and the jockey had to gather her up and get her head straightened out in the run down the stretch. Could that have caused her to lose the scant inches she needed to win the race yesterday?
Love you “Z”
db
I fell in love at first sight with Zenyatta, she is the Southern Belle personified, the Diva, yet a graceful Lady.
I have been campaigning for her as the Eclispe Awards Horse of the Year, praying that she will receive the honor she is due. I so enjoyed the homecoming video of her at Lane’s End, it did my heart good to see her settled & happy. May God’s Blessings be with her, the Moss Family & staff at Lane’s End. It’s been a real pleasure. Thank you for sharing her with her fans!
vera grimsley barrett
~~ THIS IS A GOOD PHOTO ….WHAT A HORSE ….. SHE GIVES US SUCH A GREAT FEELING ….PLEASE STAY HEALTHY …..SHE DESERVES THE BEST CARE THAT LIFE HAS TO OFFER….BIG BIG HUG ~~
Megan S
Hey Zenny,
Its great to know your enjoying your life with P.Q. in Kentucky! Keep us posted with all your going ons!
Love
Megan
Janet Cutting
Hi Zenny, Nice to see the kids visiting with you— Looking Good Zenny! Also, wondering if the Mosses will keep your 1st born — send him/her to Calif. to John and Mario—-yes!!!!!
Take care, Zenny
Katie Clawson
Happy to hear you are staying nice and warm Zenny!! Have a great day with P.Q. and all your lady friends :) Have fun sweetheart!!
Mary Stanford
Thanks for the info Z…when I took riding lessons..I started out in Sept…horse did not have a thick coat…but by Dec…thicker coat…and the horse I took lessons on loved to roll in the dirt before I got there. So know all about the grooming …that was part of our lesson. I was 60 at the time so had to use some elbow grease on him like Mario did on you. I also had to shower as soon as I got home from the lesson. That is where I fell in love with horses …I am now 64 and people say my eyes shine when I talk about horses. I wish I could be around them every day but not able to at this time. But following you sure does help make me content. Love you Z….
deana dameron
Hi Z, glad you had a great birthday. I am sure it helps to have your buddy PQ nearby. Debbie, I’m with you. I can’t wait to see Z and PQ running, rolling over, and playing in the paddock. I really miss seeing her in action. That video of her 1st run free was sooooo… heartwarming! Thanks again Dottie, and Team Z and Lane’s End for keeping Z’s fans updated. We really appreciate the time and effort it takes to do so. Happy New Year to all of you!
Margaret Nunnery
Sweet photo, Z! Enjoy all your updates! Happy New Year, and Happy Birthday.
Katie Ziberna
Hi Zenyatta that pic is so cute!!!
Annette Reynar
Enjoy the snow and your new winter coat
Peggy
Good Afternoon Zenyatta, Thanks for the beautiful picture and all the great information you give us. Hope you are having a wonderful day. I just wanted to give one more lobby for A.P.Indy being your first date. Zen, he’s Seattle Slews son, and Secretariat’s Grandson from his mothers side. Zenyatta I think you are just quite simply a true gift to us, as I believe Seattle Slew and Secretariat were, No, I don’t think they’ll ever be another Secretariat, but I am one who does believe there could be another Triple Crown Winner. Zen I think you and Indy could just give us another beautiful gift, doesn’t have to be a triple crown winner, but just a beautiful foal to carry on yourself, Indy and the line of Secretariat and Seattle Slew. Wow. I just loved what Bill Nack said about Secretariat, He said he thought God just whispered in his ears to run…and run he did. Just a gift to us, we loved him so. Zenyatta please help keep the line going, I do believe there are some other great Stallions out there like Point Given, Afleet Alex, Charismatic in Japan just to name a few but please make Indy your first Date. I have visited him several times and just love him, he seems to have a good personality, has great Charisma and just seems to be a very good horse. Oh, and he just had one of his colts to sell for 4 million, Oh i know that’s not really the important think, but it doesn’t hurt. What a gift I think you and Indy could bring and I’ld like to steal a line from Penny Chenery in the movie Secretariat….I’m That Right……Love you Zen, Peggy
Jan Mitchell
Good lord, she is a sweet sweet horse! Great pic.
BTW:Team Z….Mario has a FB page now! Mario Espinoza (groom). The writer on the page notes that Mario may not know about the page. There are many wonderful comments and pictures on Mario’s FB page, and I hope you will show it to him. He deserves his page. Please let him know? Thanks. I always say this about Zenyatta Mario: Two hearts that beat as one.
Nena Winand, DVM
So important for everyone to understand that horses (like people) are individuals and are best managed that way. Developing “great inner health” in a horse is an exercise in attention to detail and it is a full-time occupation 24/7, 365-we are sure Team Z excelled at this!
Peggy
Hello, Z……it’s a bit cold up here in Montana, too, even more so that where you live. The horses that I brought to the north didn’t grow much of a winter coat the first year they were here, but by the second year, they ‘got with the program’ and their hair was as thick as the others. It also rather depends on the light you have in your stall. When I was raising foals, I began putting the mares in the barn in early evening and turning the lights on so they had 12 hours of daylight every day. I had slick, dappled mares in February who began to cycle and I had early foals. Good luck, Z., and I hope you and Big Brown have a chance to say ‘hello’ some of these days. You might just like each other!
jane
Zenny, you are just the most precious creature God ever created! Do you have any idea what a blessing you are?? It’s no wonder people fall so in love with you when they meet you!
The way you are with children just puts a lump in my throat – you’re so gentle and lovey!
Most horses are not like that. “Small” people and animals make many horses nervous (especially racehorses), but not you. I, personally, think you know exactly how big you are so you know you have to be calm and gentle when they are around. I keep thinking about that picture they took of you and the little blonde girl at Churchill (that was one of my picks in a photo contest that was posted on FB.)
You are a wonderful soul and I hope to get out there to meet you next summer!
Robin Farina
Hi Zen!! I’ve been wondering about your dapples….is this something that isn’t very common? I saw a comment in an article where John said you were looking wonderful and all dappled out. When I saw you being auctioned off….it didn’t look like you had any dapples..is this something that develops as you age? I did notice that you father, Street Cry, has dapples. Anyway, a bit of a novice here so really enjoy learning all that you’re willing to share. Another silly question…. why did you where that fuzzy thingy on your bridal when you raced? What’s the real purpose of that if there is? It certainly helped me to spot you as you started to make your move :):)
Nancy
Dear Zenny,
A beautiful touching photo. Yes, winter coats are
dependent on the horse type of hair, how uncomfortable
they are etc…. in order to clip. Even in Texas horses are clipped.
My 17 hand thoroughbred gelding would get sooo
sluggish. Then he was clipped and became a wild man
at 17. Thoroughbreds seem to stay silly all their lives. Hope you
and PQ are having a lot of silly fun. Clipping is a very big job
and the loud clippers can be scary. Glad you had a great B-day with
lots of me visitors. Wishing you all the best in 2011.
Cheryl Heath
What a very special photo. Thanks so much for the posts. Love them and look forward to them everyday. So very wonderful Team Z.