Cattle

Archive for March, 2010

The Lusitano is an ancient breed of horse native to Portugal that is filled with tradition. It has historical links to the military, to bullfighting and to the classical training methods of the “Haute Йcole”. It is known by many names such as Lusitanian, Betico-lusitano, National Horse, Peninsular Horse, Pura Raza Espaсola (PRE) and Portuguese Horse and has inspired powerful descriptions such as “a horse for a King in days of victory”, but the official Lusitano breed name comes from the word Lusitania, which was name that the ancient Romans gave to the western part of the Iberian Peninsula. The Lusitano has a natural ability for concentration and learning quickly, with a great disposition for High School work. It is courageous and enthusiastic for what are known as the gineta exercises, which include combat, hunting, bullfighting, and working with cattle.

The Lusitano is very similar in conformation to the Andalusian horses of Spain and the two breeds are thought to have originated from a common source, the rare and nearly extinct Sorraia, which is a smaller horse that is characterized by a dun colored coat with primitive markings. In fact, until 1960, Lusitanos and Andalusians were registered together in the Spanish Stud Book of the Associaзгo Portuguesa de Criadores do Cavalo Puro Sangue Lusitano (APSL), also known as the Portuguese Lusitano Breeders Association. However, selective breeding in the Lusitano resulted in a more convex profile reminiscent of the older Andalusian or Iberian horse whereas the Andalusian has developed a more Oriental head shape. The modern Lusitano is on average a cleaner-moving, braver, and tougher-built horse than the average modern Andalusian. They are now considered to be separate breeds and in the United States they are represented by the International Andalusian & Lusitano Horse Association (IALHA).

Additionally, the Lusitano’s history is identical to that of the Spanish or Iberian horse. For most of their common history, Portuguese and Spanish horses were bred as if they were one breed. The Iberian horse was called Andalusian, Estremenjo, or Castillian, depending on the region it was bred in, and it was called Lusitanian in Portugal. Today, the breed is known as Lusitano or “Puro Sangue Lusitano” (PSL), meaning pure-blooded Lusitano.

The ancestors of the modern Lusitano were incredible horses. When the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Carthagians landed on the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula, which is now Portugal, they came across riders whose horses were of superior speed and whose fighting ability from horseback was incredible. This perfect union, the connection of horse and rider as one entity, led to the myth of the Centaur, and it was thought that this half-human/half-horse creature, stemmed from the delta of the river Tejo. The tale told to explain the fantastic speed of these horses was that “they conceived their foals by the wind.”

In Portugal, the horses were sought after over the centuries as a war horse and were bred in a continuous effort to produce the best war horse or bullfighting horse. When the Iberian horse was no longer needed as a war mount, mounted bullfighting became the horse’s main use. But when mounted bullfighting was prohibited in Spain by a royal decree for several centuries, the sport lived on in Portugal without interruption. The Lusitano continued to be bred for its bullfighting agility, which happens to be identical to their ability and agility for high school dressage.

The Lusitano has all the courage of the Spanish Horse coupled with remarkable agility, quickness and balance, which makes the Lusitano the perfect horse for mounted bullfighting in Portugal. These bullfighting horses are highly trained to swerve instantly, yet still remain calm when a charging bull approaches, and they also need to possess an extreme dose of “bravura”, agility, and obedience. In Portugal, the bull is not killed in the bullring, but calmly exits the arena after the fight escorted by tame steers, so the horse must obediently remain still. However, these days, the Lusitano has become so expensive that many bull fighters cannot afford a pure Lusitano, and if they can, they will not risk injuring their horse while fighting the bull. This means that cruzados, or mongrels, are being ridden in the bullrings instead, but they are often able to excel nearly as well. A cruzado may be a crossbreed, but it could also be a true Lusitano whose pedigree is incomplete or unregistered.

Today, the Lusitano horse is recognized for its ability to perform well in a plethora of equestrian disciplines. In the attempt to become more competitive with the world-wide sport horses, the European Warmbloods, and targeting events like show jumping and modern dressage in which the warmblood excels, the Lusitano is starting to lose its Iberian type.
Traditionally, the Lusitano is a horse of medium size. At the age of six years, the average height is 15.1 hands for mares and 15.3 hands for stallions, although they may be found over 16.0 hands high now, while also looking more like Northern European warmbloods. They weigh approximately 1100 pounds.

There is no discrimination against any solid color. Originally, the Lusitano was grulla or dun, but buckskins, palominos, cremellos, and perlinos can also be found. However, the gray gene has taken over the breed, and most Lusitano horses are various shades of gray, depending on their age. It has become the most appreciated and esteemed color of the breed. Their overall body profile is described in the official breed standard as “sub-convex (with rounded outlines); a silhouette that can be fitted into a square.”

The Lusitano has a well-proportioned noble head of medium length that is narrow and dry, with the cheek inclined to be long. It has a slightly sub-convex profile with a slightly curved forehead narrowing to a finely curved nose. The eyes are elliptical or almond-shaped and are large, alive, expressive and confident. The medium-length ears are fine, narrow and expressive. The neck is of medium length and arched, ending at a narrow junction with the head. The body is short-coupled with powerful shoulders, a deep rib cage and broad powerful loins. The mane and tail are abundant and silky with the tail set rather low on an unobtrusive hip. Even when excited, the tail is not carried very high.

The Lusitano has a trait that is often associated with Iberian horses. It is called “campaneo” in Spain, and it is the action of the front leg that does not show a straight forward movement, but rather swings out laterally to a degree. It appears to be an inherent trait of the Iberian horse. Just as in the Andalusian breed, some Lusitano horses can be found that do a lateral gait.

While the Lusitano was not bred for its gait, but for its agility in the bullring, there are still some individuals that have retained the gait and the action of these Lusitano horses is showy. The cannon bones are comparatively long and lend to the knee action and proud, elevated movements. The hind leg is positioned well underneath the body axis, producing the hock action so suited to collection and impulsion. The movements are agile, sure-footed, elevated forward and uphill, and carry the rider in comfort. It is a gait that there is no clear written description of, and one that must be seen or ridden to be fully appreciated.

Too many dog owners find themselves having problems with their dogs simply because their dogs do not have their own space to call home. Modern dogs are descended from wolves, and in the wild, wolves always have a den that they are able to call home. This provides them with a sense of security, having a space that they can retreat to when they are threatened or when they simply need a safe place to rest. This need for a safe home is deeply imprinted on the instincts of both wolves and dogs.

Many dog owners assume that it is enough to give their dogs the run of the house, and that they will eventually find a corner of the house to call their own. This tends to be insufficient for most dogs, however, as their instincts call for a place that is cozy and therefore hard for predators to enter, affording much more protection. Many dogs need small spaces just large enough for them to fit into. This is where dog crates or dog cages come in.

Dog crates and dog cages are designed specially to accommodate your dog comfortably, and you will find them available in a variety of sizes. Dog crates and dog cages are mostly rectangular in shape, with one or two doors that can be kept open to allow your dog free entry and exit. Having a variety of sizes is important so that you are able to find one that is just large enough for your dog to fit into and to turn around in.

For dog owners whose dogs are currently puppies, there are also dog cages and dog crates available that include interior partitions. This allows you to make the space inside smaller to accommodate your puppy, and then enlarge the space as your puppy grows to its full size.

Another advantage of dog crates and dog cages is that dogs are relatively neat when it comes to their homes, and they will not urinate or defecate within. Instead, dogs invariably move outside of their dog crates or dog cages in order to urinate or defecate. While your dog is a puppy, you can toilet-train it simply by paying attention to the time when it needs to go. When you see that your puppy needs to go, simply remove the entire dog crate or dog cage to the designated waste area. Soon, your puppy will get the idea that it is supposed to proceed to that area whenever it needs to go.

Dog crates and dog cages are extremely useful tools for dog owners, and if you own a dog, you should definitely own a crate or cage as well. Dog cages and dog crates also make excellent enclosures for your beloved pets whenever you are traveling and need to bring them along.

Imbued in English culture is a love animals of all kinds. I have a website of fine art prints of various Dog Breeds bred over the centuries and shown at various British dog shows and culminating in Crufts”. At my website I have various Dog Breeds on fine art prints by various artists from the 1700’s.   Please Click here to visit my website.

Afghan hound, long haired dachshund, minature long haired dachshund, smooth haired dachshund, minature smooth haired dachshund, wire haired dachshund, minature wirehaired dachshund, azawakh, basenji, akbash dog, caucasian ovcharka, central asia shepherd dog, estrela mountain dog, greek sheepdog, kangal dog , pyrenean mastiff, rafeiro do alentejo, sarplaninac, slovak cuvac, south russian ovcharka, spanish mastiff, tibetan mastiff, tornjak, australian stumpy tail cattle dog, basque shepherd dog, beauceron, berger picard, berger blanc suisse, blue lacy, bouvier des flandres, catahoula leopard dog, dutch shepherd, english shepherd, german coolies, giant schnauzer, huntaway, icelandic sheepdog, koolie, lapponian herder, mcnab, mudi, portuguese sheepdog, pumi, schapendoes, australian kelpie, anatolian shepherd dog, australian cattle dog, australian shepherd, bearded collie, belgian shepherd dog groenendael, belgian shepherd dog laekenois, belgian shepherd dog malinois, belgian shepherd dog tervueren, bergamesco, border collie, briard, cardigan welsh corgi,catalan sheepdog, estrela mountain dog, finnish lapphund, german shepherd dog, hungarian kuvasz, hungarian puli, komondor, lancashire heeler, maremma sheepdog, norwegian buhund, old english sheepdog, polish lowland sheepdog, pyrenean mountain dog, pyrenean sheepdog, rough collie, samoyed, shetland sheepdog, smooth collie, swedish lapphund, swedish vallhund, pembroke welsh corgi, brazilian terrier , indian bull terrier, jagdterrier, kromfohrlander, lucas terrier, plummer terrier, porcham terrier, rat terrier, tenterfield terrier, airedale terrier, australian terrier, bedlington terrier, border victorian dogs, victorian bulldogge, victorian breeds, victorian pets, victorian bulldogs, pets, art, prints, artprints, pictures, posters, paintings, portraits, images, terrier, bull terrier, cairn terrier, cesky terrier, dandie dinmont terrier, glen of imaal terrier, jack russell terrier, kerry blue terrier, lakeland terrier, manchester terrier, miniature bull terrier, norfolk terrier, norwich terrier, parson russell terrier, scottish terrier, sealyham terrier, skye terrier, smooth fox terrier, soft coated wheaten terrier, staffordshire terrier, welsh terrier, west highland white terrier, wire fox terrier, american pit bullterrier, black russian terrier, russian toy terrier, toy fox terrier, toy manchester terrier, affenpinscher, australian silky terrier, bichon frise, cavalier king charles spaniel, long coat chihuahua, smooth coat chihuahua, chinese crested dog, coton de tulear, english toy black terrier, english toy tan terrier, griffon bruxellois, havanese, italian greyhound, japanese chin, king charles spaniel, lowchen, maltese, miniature pinscher, papillon, pekinese, pomeranian, pug, yorkshire terrier, akita, boston terrier, bulldog, canaan chow, dalmatian, eurasier, french bulldog, german spitz klein, german spitz mittel, japanese shiba inu, japanese spitz, keeshound, korean jindo, lhasa apso, mexican intermediate hairless, mexican minature hairless, mexican standard hairless, miniature poodle, miniature schnauzer, standard poodle, schipperke, schnauzer, shar pei, shih tzu, shih tsu, tibetan spaniel, tibetan terrier, toy poodle, akita inu, american bulldog, anatolian shepherd dog, argentine dogo, boerboel, dutch shepherd dog, greater swiss mountain dog, icelandic sheepdog, pyrenean mountain dog, standard schnauzer, valley bulldog, alaskan malamute, beauceron, bernese mountain dog, bouvier des flandres, boxer, bullmastiff, canadian eskimo dog, doberman, dobermann, dogue de bordeaux, victorian dogs, victorian bulldogge, victorian breeds, victorian pets, victorian bulldogs, pets, art, prints, artprints, pictures, posters, paintings, portraits, images, boykin spaniel, braque du bourbonnais, cesky fousek, corded poodle, portuguese pointer, pudelpointer , wirehaired pointing griffon, american cocker spaniel, american water spaniel, bracco italiano, brittany, chesapeake bay retriever, clumber spaniel, english cocker spaniel, curley coated retriever, english setter, english springer spaniel, field spaniel, flat coated retriever, german long haired pointer, german short haired pointer, german wirehaired pointer, golden retriever, gordon setter, hungarian vizsla, irish red and white setter, irish setter, irish water spaniel, italian spinone, kooikerhondje, korthals griffon, labrador retriever, lagotto romagnolo, large munsterlander, nova scotia duck tolling retriever, pointer, slovakian rough haired pointer, small munsterlander, spanish water dog, sussex spaniel, weimaraner, welsh springer spaniel, artois hound, combai, coonhound, estonian hound, harrier, kanni, plott hound, polish hound, rajapalayam (dog), ridgeback, saluki, segugio italiano, sloughi, whippet,schweizer laufhund, basset fauv de breagne, basset griffon veneen grand, basset griffon vendeen petit, basset hound, bassett, bavarian mountain hound, beagle, bloodhound, borzoi, cirneco dell’etna, deerhound, finnish spitz, foxhound, grand bleu de gascogne, hamiltonstovare, irish wolfhound, norwegian elkhound, otterhound, pahraoh hound, portugese podengo, rhodesi, entlebucher mountain dog, german pinscher, great dane, greenland dog, hovawart, leonberger, mastiff, neapolitan mastiff, newfoundland, portugese water dog, pyrenean mastiff, rottweiler, russian black terrier, st. bernard, siberian husky, tibetan mastiff.

As so many Famous events happened in England and the rest of the British Isles over the centuries, I thought it would be a good idea to tell the various stories in my various articles of the many English and British Icons from the Anglo Saxon times to the present day’s current history.

My other website is called Directory of British Icons: http://fabprints.webs.com

To visit the list and links to my other Blogg articles: http://bloggs.resourcez.com

The Chinese call Britain The Island of Hero’s which I think sums up what we British are all about.

Copyright © 2010 Paul Hussey. All Rights Reserved.

If you are a nature lover but yet find yourself living in a small space, you may think that you have to settle for the sounds of the birds and the wind that gently seep through your open window. However if you like you can add other elements to your life that will let you feel closer to nature. Now you can do this by adding a bird bath to your garden. Since a bird bath is something that offers soothing effects when one sits near it watching all of the birds enjoy a soak in the sun, you will want to ensure the bird bath you select matches the d

Leopard geckos are lucky in that there are relatively few health issues which tend to affect them. However, tail loss is one of these issues. Dropping their tail is a defense mechanism which enables leopard geckos to escape from predators, though it can cause some problems.

A gecko will grow a new tail if they lose theirs, though the tail which they grow back won’t usually look much like the tail they have lost; it tends to be a different shape and is often white rather than its original color. Of course, a gecko doesn’t worry too much about its looks, though you might prefer the way your pet looks with their original tail!

However, the way your pet leopard gecko’s new tail looks isn’t the real problem. The problem is that losing their tail can make your pet less healthy – a gecko which has lost their tail will be stressed and weakened and more susceptible to disease.

If your pet should lose their tail, they’ll need special care to keep them in good health and prevent infection from setting in as their tail grows back. You may want to keep the injured gecko in a different tank (if you currently house your leopard gecko with others). Make sure that the tank is kept very warm; in fact, any time your gecko is sick you should increase the temperature of their tank. They should have plenty of fresh water and food available while they heal as well.

Shedding is another thing which can pose a health hazard to your leopard gecko. Some of these animals have difficulty shedding for a variety of reasons. It may be too cool inside the tank, the humidity level may be too low, they may have a vitamin deficiency (usually it’s more vitamin A that they need) or even be infested with parasites. This is rare, but a leopard gecko with parasites won’t shed. You can check for parasites by looking carefully at their skin, especially between their toes.

If your leopard gecko is unable to shed for too long they can become sick. Rather than letting things get to this point, make sure to properly care for your pet to prevent these problems from occurring in the first place.

http://theultimateleopardgeckomanual.com