Just Jake - January 2012 Entries

January 2012 Entries

Oh I am so bad. I just never give up. And for some reason everything keeps coming my way. Out of the blue and today I get more information to support my "If it isn't a Standardbred - it isn't a horse campaign". Western Raceway in London, Ontario has started an initiative where they are putting cameras on the helmets of the drivers to give the fans a different view of the race. These are not the polished images from the professional videos I have recommended over the last few weeks. This is raw footage of the real thing.

Mud hitting the camera is no different than the mud in the drivers face. Feel the horses lean into the turns at 30 + mph. See the stretch run. Over the next while Western Fair will be posting a series of these race videos. My boy Tahuya Riverdance pounds the track in London on a regular basis. Perhaps we will see a race from his perspective.

Sooner or later you will see why It has to be Standardbred!

See the video through the Standardbred Canada website at : http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/news/1-22-12/see-what-driver-sees.html or on UTube at ; http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mxbhauY-IPE&noredirect=1

posted @ Monday, January 23, 2012 4:59 PM |

Gold Cup and Saucer

Ok folks, I am at it again. Another episode in my unending quest to turn the entire horse world into “Standardbred World” and prove my point “If it isn’t a Standardbred – it isn’t a horse”. I invite you to watch another just released video. Sit down, take off your shoes, grab a drink and enjoy an hours’ worth of living the Standardbred racing life.

This movie is the story of the “Gold Cup and Saucer” one of the most prestigious Standardbred races in North America. Raced in Charlottetown, PEI the race is the culmination of an annual 10-day long festival. The presentation is the story of the 2011 race, the people, horses and the importance of this piece of history to both PEI and the people who live Standardbred racing on the far east end of Canada.

Filled with breathtaking images of horses and drivers careening around the track at breakneck speeds this movie truly represents what is good in the racing industry.

Two different ways to get there: http://vimeo.com/35041302 or through the Standardbred Canada website http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/news/1-19-12/gold-cup-saucer-documentary.html .

For those readers in the Lower Mainland of BC. If you feel the need to experience the real deal then check out Fraser Downs in Cloverdale. Friday nights and Sunday afternoons. It’s a family affair – bring the kids.

posted @ Thursday, January 19, 2012 2:48 PM |

Five Freedoms!

There is a “thing” making the rounds in the animal welfare community. The “thing” is a concept that horses are entitled to five freedoms. The group behind this is the Farm Animal Welfare Committee of the World Equine Veterinary Association. The five freedoms are as follows:

1. Freedom from thirst, hunger, and malnutrition; 2. Freedom from discomfort; 3. Freedom from pain, injury, and disease; 4. Freedom to express normal behaviour; and 5. Freedom from fear and distress.

Now anyone who has even remotely followed my ramblings over the 80 odd Just Jake columns and 84 more blogs knows that I am an advocate for the welfare of the horse. However, I am also a realist and the reality is that there is no way, unless you put a horse in a gilded cage and monitor him 24/7 you can meet the 5 criteria. Even if you did it, you would be breaking freedom 4. Let us look at the list:

1. Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition. This is motherhood and no person can find an argument with this.

2. Freedom from discomfort. Now how can we guarantee that? What if he jumps and lands and strains something. What if followed by what if. Yes freedom from human caused discomfort, but to what extent?

3. Freedom from pain, injury and disease. Well duhh! Obvious yes, but impossible to do. Diseases are transmitted by nature, we all know our horses can inflict injuries on themselves that cause pain.

4. Freedom to express normal behaviour. Normal behaviour within what physical constraints? Should all horses be free to run over the barren prairies? Free to fight and battle for herd dominance to the detriment of others?

5. Freedom from fear and distress. Number 4 and number 5 are diametrically opposite. Normal herd behaviour is based on fear and dominance, which causes distress. How does one stop fear of the unknown? Stop fear of some unknown creature in a pasture (bears for example) or fear caused by a sudden noise or unusual situation. Horses survived because of a highly developed fear instinct.

Everyone reading this has broken the five freedom rules. You have if you rode too long, or too fast or jumped too high. All of this will cause some degree of muscle soreness. Therefore, you inflicted pain, discomfort and distress on your horse. If your horse is not turned out with others where he can play and fight, or is kept stabled during training, you have broken the five freedoms.

Making lists of rights and freedoms is fine but they must be applicable and reasonable. These rules are so encompassing that every horse owner in the world has been abusive. This sort of drivel only fuels the rhetoric of the radical welfare groups and taints the minds of people who have no concept of animal husbandry.

Horses in general are doing pretty well in today’s world. How about someone guaranteeing you or me the same five freedoms. Wouldn’t even a single day without (di)stress be wonderful. If you cannot do it for a person, how in heck can anyone expect it be reasonable for horse owners?

posted @ Tuesday, January 17, 2012 5:54 PM |

Flying at Fraser!

In my never-ending quest to prove to my readers that “If it isn’t a standardbred – it isn’t a horse”, I am heading to a well-known BC location. Fraser Downs in Cloverdale is the site of the action I want to you see. On December 4, 2011 Driver Dave Hudon hit the track with cameras affixed to every part of his sulky (and his head) to give you a unique view and feel of what happens when you are literally hurtling around a racetrack at speeds over 30 miles per hour. While the video is so smooth it does not look like you are going that fast, trust me these guys are movin!

As you watch the video notice how close the horses follow each other, with only milliseconds between each horse. Notice the tails flapping in the drivers faces; understand the potential for disaster if anything goes wrong. This is a high intensity activity.

Congratulations to Fraser Downs, Dave Hudon and the videographer Tom Davidson for presenting such a wonderful video experience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrgtVbiRFws&feature=player_embedded#!

posted @ Friday, January 06, 2012 11:32 AM |

RACE DAY!

Race Day does not mean much to most of my readers. Most of you, probably 99.999% have never sat behind 1,000 plus pounds of horse heading around a turn at speeds near 30 miles per hour. However, for those of us who have experienced the ultimate relationship between man and horse it all culminates in race day. Now I will be the first to admit that it is a few years since I sat in a race bike with the intention of crossing the finish line first. I do still enjoy a brisk jog workout and the occasional 2:15 training mile. Race days will find me in my colours warming up one of my beasts. I do it for no other reason than to remind myself why I keep draining my savings account buying horses, harness and other “necessities” of life.

You can now taste some of the excitement of harness racing, and after January 28, 2012, you can get a full blast of the lifestyle. Filmed entirely on August 6, 2011 - Race Day, a 23 minute documentary will take you inside harness racing. Here is how the producers describe this venture.

RACE DAY offers a rare glimpse inside the colour, emotion, character and characters of horse racing.
This short documentary was shot in ONE day by 20 people who love, live and breathe harness racing.
Filmed at racetracks, farms and homes — and from race bikes, trucks and private jets — across North America, each contributor has a unique perspective: From pomp and polish, and million-dollar races, to green fields, pitchforks and elbow grease.
RACE DAY is a truthful taste of ordinary people living extraordinary lives in their united love of the greatest game in the world.

The film will have its debut at Standardbred Canada’s national awards night and will then be available on line to the world. You can now watch a trailer and some interesting footage on YouTube or at http://racedaydoc.com/ . You can be sure I will tell you when the complete movie is available!

posted @ Sunday, January 01, 2012 11:23 AM |

Just Jake Site Sections Home Contact Syndication Login Posts 90 Comments 15 Trackbacks 0 Recent Comments. This was very tragic, actually the girl in questio... by Jessica nice Rules by the way i like them by recados Jake, I feel your pain (and my own) as I have spen... by Gail Excellent post. Thank you. by Julie Congrats, Jake, he is a nice horse and deserves th... by Gail Recent Posts Quality Information The Last Lap! Adverting Disaster Under valued or Over Priced Western Fair Archives April, 2012 (2) March, 2012 (1) February, 2012 (1) January, 2012 (5) December, 2011 (4) November, 2011 (6) October, 2011 (4) September, 2011 (4) August, 2011 (4) July, 2011 (3) June, 2011 (6) May, 2011 (4) April, 2011 (4) March, 2011 (4) February, 2011 (4) January, 2011 (4) December, 2010 (4) November, 2010 (4) October, 2010 (4) September, 2010 (4) August, 2010 (4) July, 2010 (4) June, 2010 (4) May, 2010 (2) January 2012 Entries Western Fair Oh I am so bad. I just never give up. And for some reason everything keeps coming my way. Out of the blue and today I get more information to support my "If it isn't a Standardbred - it isn't a horse campaign". Western Raceway in London, Ontario has started an initiative where they are putting cameras on the helmets of the drivers to give the fans a different view of the race. These are not the polished images from the professional videos I have recommended over the last few weeks. This is raw footage of the real thing. Mud hitting the camera is no different than the mud in the drivers face. Feel the horses lean into the turns at 30 + mph. See the stretch run. Over the next while Western Fair will be posting a series of these race videos. My boy Tahuya Riverdance pounds the track in London on a regular basis. Perhaps we will see a race from his perspective. Sooner or later you will see why It has to be Standardbred! See the video through the Standardbred Canada website at : http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/news/1-22-12/see-what-driver-sees.html or on UTube at ; http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mxbhauY-IPE&noredirect=1 posted @ Monday, January 23, 2012 4:59 PM \| Gold Cup and Saucer Ok folks, I am at it again. Another episode in my unending quest to turn the entire horse world into “Standardbred World” and prove my point “If it isn’t a Standardbred – it isn’t a horse”. I invite you to watch another just released video. Sit down, take off your shoes, grab a drink and enjoy an hours’ worth of living the Standardbred racing life. This movie is the story of the “Gold Cup and Saucer” one of the most prestigious Standardbred races in North America. Raced in Charlottetown, PEI the race is the culmination of an annual 10-day long festival. The presentation is the story of the 2011 race, the people, horses and the importance of this piece of history to both PEI and the people who live Standardbred racing on the far east end of Canada. Filled with breathtaking images of horses and drivers careening around the track at breakneck speeds this movie truly represents what is good in the racing industry. Two different ways to get there: http://vimeo.com/35041302 or through the Standardbred Canada website http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/news/1-19-12/gold-cup-saucer-documentary.html . For those readers in the Lower Mainland of BC. If you feel the need to experience the real deal then check out Fraser Downs in Cloverdale. Friday nights and Sunday afternoons. It’s a family affair – bring the kids. posted @ Thursday, January 19, 2012 2:48 PM \| Five Freedoms! There is a “thing” making the rounds in the animal welfare community. The “thing” is a concept that horses are entitled to five freedoms. The group behind this is the Farm Animal Welfare Committee of the World Equine Veterinary Association. The five freedoms are as follows: 1. Freedom from thirst, hunger, and malnutrition; 2. Freedom from discomfort; 3. Freedom from pain, injury, and disease; 4. Freedom to express normal behaviour; and 5. Freedom from fear and distress. Now anyone who has even remotely followed my ramblings over the 80 odd Just Jake columns and 84 more blogs knows that I am an advocate for the welfare of the horse. However, I am also a realist and the reality is that there is no way, unless you put a horse in a gilded cage and monitor him 24/7 you can meet the 5 criteria. Even if you did it, you would be breaking freedom 4. Let us look at the list: 1. Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition. This is motherhood and no person can find an argument with this. 2. Freedom from discomfort. Now how can we guarantee that? What if he jumps and lands and strains something. What if followed by what if. Yes freedom from human caused discomfort, but to what extent? 3. Freedom from pain, injury and disease. Well duhh! Obvious yes, but impossible to do. Diseases are transmitted by nature, we all know our horses can inflict injuries on themselves that cause pain. 4. Freedom to express normal behaviour. Normal behaviour within what physical constraints? Should all horses be free to run over the barren prairies? Free to fight and battle for herd dominance to the detriment of others? 5. Freedom from fear and distress. Number 4 and number 5 are diametrically opposite. Normal herd behaviour is based on fear and dominance, which causes distress. How does one stop fear of the unknown? Stop fear of some unknown creature in a pasture (bears for example) or fear caused by a sudden noise or unusual situation. Horses survived because of a highly developed fear instinct. Everyone reading this has broken the five freedom rules. You have if you rode too long, or too fast or jumped too high. All of this will cause some degree of muscle soreness. Therefore, you inflicted pain, discomfort and distress on your horse. If your horse is not turned out with others where he can play and fight, or is kept stabled during training, you have broken the five freedoms. Making lists of rights and freedoms is fine but they must be applicable and reasonable. These rules are so encompassing that every horse owner in the world has been abusive. This sort of drivel only fuels the rhetoric of the radical welfare groups and taints the minds of people who have no concept of animal husbandry. Horses in general are doing pretty well in today’s world. How about someone guaranteeing you or me the same five freedoms. Wouldn’t even a single day without (di)stress be wonderful. If you cannot do it for a person, how in heck can anyone expect it be reasonable for horse owners? posted @ Tuesday, January 17, 2012 5:54 PM \| Flying at Fraser! In my never-ending quest to prove to my readers that “If it isn’t a standardbred – it isn’t a horse”, I am heading to a well-known BC location. Fraser Downs in Cloverdale is the site of the action I want to you see. On December 4, 2011 Driver Dave Hudon hit the track with cameras affixed to every part of his sulky (and his head) to give you a unique view and feel of what happens when you are literally hurtling around a racetrack at speeds over 30 miles per hour. While the video is so smooth it does not look like you are going that fast, trust me these guys are movin! As you watch the video notice how close the horses follow each other, with only milliseconds between each horse. Notice the tails flapping in the drivers faces; understand the potential for disaster if anything goes wrong. This is a high intensity activity. Congratulations to Fraser Downs, Dave Hudon and the videographer Tom Davidson for presenting such a wonderful video experience. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrgtVbiRFws&feature=player_embedded#! posted @ Friday, January 06, 2012 11:32 AM \| RACE DAY! Race Day does not mean much to most of my readers. Most of you, probably 99.999% have never sat behind 1,000 plus pounds of horse heading around a turn at speeds near 30 miles per hour. However, for those of us who have experienced the ultimate relationship between man and horse it all culminates in race day. Now I will be the first to admit that it is a few years since I sat in a race bike with the intention of crossing the finish line first. I do still enjoy a brisk jog workout and the occasional 2:15 training mile. Race days will find me in my colours warming up one of my beasts. I do it for no other reason than to remind myself why I keep draining my savings account buying horses, harness and other “necessities” of life. You can now taste some of the excitement of harness racing, and after January 28, 2012, you can get a full blast of the lifestyle. Filmed entirely on August 6, 2011 - Race Day, a 23 minute documentary will take you inside harness racing. Here is how the producers describe this venture. RACE DAY offers a rare glimpse inside the colour, emotion, character and characters of horse racing. This short documentary was shot in ONE day by 20 people who love, live and breathe harness racing. Filmed at racetracks, farms and homes — and from race bikes, trucks and private jets — across North America, each contributor has a unique perspective: From pomp and polish, and million-dollar races, to green fields, pitchforks and elbow grease. RACE DAY is a truthful taste of ordinary people living extraordinary lives in their united love of the greatest game in the world. The film will have its debut at Standardbred Canada’s national awards night and will then be available on line to the world. You can now watch a trailer and some interesting footage on YouTube or at http://racedaydoc.com/ . You can be sure I will tell you when the complete movie is available! posted @ Sunday, January 01, 2012 11:23 AM \| Copyright © 2005 J. A. (Jake) Davidson