Equestrian Ink: Funny Cide

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Even Famous Horses Wear Grazing Muzzles

Some of you will remember the post (click here for the link) about my donkey, Josie, and the contraption she wears out in the pasture to keep her from another bout of laminitis. It's called a grazing muzzle. Well, Josie is in good company. Here's a picture of Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide wearing one.

Funny Cide, a 16.2 hand gelding and now ten years old, won the 2003 Kentucky Derby by one and 3/4 lengths, and the Preakness by almost ten lengths. That was something to watch. He came in third in the Belmont that year, and narrowly missed being a Triple Crown winner. After a race career winning over three million dollars, he went on to have a second career as a pony horse for trainers Barclay Tagg and Robin Smullen. Now Funny Cide can be seen at Kentucky Horse Park, where his grazing muzzle will keep him not only from getting laminitis but also getting chubby on all that grass.

Thought you might enjoy this picture. Funny Cide looks about as thrilled with his grazing muzzle as Josie does. Happy Munching, everyone, and no overeating!

Francesca Prescott--Mucho Caliente

Francesca Prescott lives in Switzerland and spent her childhood longing for a pony. With riding lessons only available to children over the age of twelve, Francesca spent years practicing her rising trot on the back ledge of the sofa, galloping imaginary horses all over the neighborhood, and scribbling pony stories. As an adolescent, a move to the countryside and an encounter with a pony-owning farmer finally made regular riding a reality. Decades later, she’s a dressage enthusiast and the proud owner of Qrac, a 9 year-old Lusitano. Her novel, “Mucho Caliente! - Wish upon a Latino Superstar”, a romantic comedy set in Ibiza, is available from Amazon.com.