New Technology

As fellow BB's I'm absolutely positive that you'all are all up to date on all the fancy ways of learning/exploring/obsessing about/and keeping in touch with the newest developments of the horse industry.

 

And because I know ALL of US have a GAZILLION hours a day to devote to all things horsey….I present even more ways to spend even more time immersed in all things horsey. 

 

Blogs – I'm assuming we all know about blogs.  Because you are reading one….great.  Shall we move on?

 

E-mail lists –

• Ridecamp – by far the most prolific of the e-mail lists I belong to.  My advice – definitely go with the digest version unless you have a gazillion hours to go through all the e-mails.  The new version that John Teeter has switched to is great.  It sorts the topics so all e-mails pertaining to the same topic are together, making for a much better reading experience.  Feathers are easily ruffled here it helps to have a sense of humor if you post.  Lots of dissenting views, but overall a good-hearted group even if we go stir crazy every winter.  I've learned many many new tricks and as a newbie, this was a very useful resource.
• New 100 milers yahoo group.  This is my favorite e-mail list.  If you are only going to join one, join this one!  Good advice and very friendly.  It has experienced 100 milers on it and people who have never done a 100, but hope to some day.  Very friendly people who give good, useful advice.
• Barefoot horse yahoo group.  This is a mixed group of e-riders and recreational trail riders.  It's a good e-mail list to have on the roster if you have a barefoot horse and are considering boots.  There's a lot of feedback on different types of boots, and if you are having problems, lots of ideas for trouble shooting and solving the problem. 
• Hoof Boot exchange yahoo group.  This groups is set up much like a freecycle group, but for selling hoof boots.  It's fairly new, but already has lots and lots of members.  I love the concept an it's a great forum to get connected to other boot users and either get rid of a boot that isn't working for you, or to pick up another set of boots at an affordable price.  If you are selling your boots, it's also a nice place to see what other people are getting for their boots. 

 

Podcasts-

You don't have to have an ipod to enjoy a podcast.  Set up like recorded radio shows, podcasts are a great way of learning about different topics for free!  Here's a few of my favorites.  (Sorry I don't have links to the podcasts.  All of them are available through iTunes, and most of them have their own websites that should be Google-able)

• Horse radio network.  This network publishes several weekly podcasts, as well as a daily podcast.  Their flagship for the network is "The Stable Scoop" which is very entertaining and very informative.  I've listened to its inception and while it has gotten more professional-sounding, it's still a fun listen because it's obvious these are people who are doing this for the love of the industry and their passion for the subject – not because they are making $$ off of this thing…If you only have time for one, listen to "The Stable Scoop".  If you can't get enough, then add the Eventing Radio Show, Dressage Radio Show, Horse Tip Daily, and the Jumping Radio Show.  Whew.  Don't you wish you had a longer commute so you could listen to all this?
• Horse Girl TV.  HGTV has a few different shows but they overlap to some extent.  While these are classified as "podcasts" they are different.  Each are 10 minutes long (or shorter!) and pack a lot information into a beautifully produced miniature tv show!  Angela Walkup has won an award(s) for the production of these fabulous tidbits.  Definitely worth checking out.
• Non-horse related podcasts.  I listen to a few other pod casts, that while non-horsey, deserve a mention because they are so gosh darn entertaining.
• Vital Signs
• WNYC's radiolab
• This American Life
• The Naked Scientist
• Stuff you Missed in History Class
• NPR: Car Talk
• Dan Carlin's Hardcore Hisotry
• A Byzantine history podcast whose name can't remember (darn it!).  The series ended a few years ago, but it's absolutely wonderful.  Google "Byzantine" in itunes and it should pop up as one of the high rated shows.  If you click on it and it isn't entertaining….than that isn't the one!
• Anyone else have any favorite podcasts that deserve a mention?

 

Industry Magazines/newletters (e-mail)

I only have one in this category – thehorse.com.  I recommend going to the thehorse.com website and signing up for their newsletters.  Every single one.  They are sent weekly and every week I click on almost every one of their article links.  It is informative and cutting edge.  This is a good way of doing a survey of what's happening in the horse industry every week.

 

Forums

Forums can be a bit difficult.  The information is sketchy and definitely to be taken with a grain of salt….Posters mean well, but I swear if I hear one more person say that MTG is the miracle stuff that will cause your horses hair to drag the ground….I will probably scream (scaring the 2 kitty cats currently nestled around me in my recliner).  Still, there is some good information and it is a way to reach out to other people just starting out in endurance.  Often people trying to find out more about endurance start at forums and don't know where to go next.  It's a great opportunity to direct them to more comprehensive sites and mentors.  Here's the two I frequent most often (plus a newbie).  In all my user name is "AHorseOffCourse":

• Horse Grooming Supplies Forums
• Chronicle of the Horse forums
• Endurance Riding Forums.  
• This is a newbie – just started this week!  I've gone over and registered, but haven't really perused it yet.  I'm thinking positively that it will be a place where good information will be exchanged so I include it here.

 

Any more suggestions?  Anyone's favorite lists that I have left out?  Someone I forgot to mention?