Horsey Burners

[Lilly Flower]

oooh myyy

diane o'thirst and Captain Goddammit sound like they are in love with each other. You 2 need to get a room somewhere because it does'nt seem like you'll make it to the Playa before you reach that ultamate climax.

Don't mind me though, I love to watch. please keep going.



My goodness..

[diane o'thirst]

That emotion I <u>will</u> second!

[Captain Goddammit]

Now you're slinging mud and attempting to discredit me, rather than defend your opinion.
You're associating me with whoever allegedly charged a cop car?
And their bad idea makes yours O.K.?
And that person's stupidity gives ME no room to comment?
I think you're displaying a bit of the same letting your emotions get the better of you that you say I am.
BM is no place for animals. Read your survival guide. Even dogs have been banned.
Galloping across the playa DOES sound fun, and so does charging across it in my 4x4, but neither of us should be doing it during BM. I'd deserve the lynching I'd get, too.

And since you asked, I don't live in Seattle proper, but east of town a bit, in horse country. My dad has a farm, where there's horse boarding, bulls, chickens... I know what horses are like, that's why it set my alarms off when it was suggested that they should be brought to BRC.

Lilly Flower: I do kind of admire how feisty Diane O' is...

<the Cap'n steps down and gives the floor to Diane>

[diane o'thirst]

Good, the air is clearing. Let's continue that trend and maybe we can see eye to eye on this issue.

I wasn't aware that there were two art cars with a loud machine gun sound effect present in Black Rock City last year. I saw one last year and witnessed the act that I described. I, as well as several of my campmates looking on, agreed unanimously that this person was acting in a very stupid, reckless and irresponsible manner. That unfortunately seemed to be a more-common-than-it-needed-to-be trend among the art car community last year.

What really got my back up and in a feisty defensive mode was when you came in like a greased demon, calling me fucking insane, saying I deserved to get beaten up — which I took as a personal threat — and you apparently didn't bother to read the rest of the thread through. Correct my math if you had. You may or may not have noticed that when you aggress against people, verbally or otherwise, it tends to get their dander up and in a fighting mood. If you'd come in and said, "Diane, I really think this is a bad idea, you could get hurt, your horse could get hurt, are you absolutely sure you want to go through with this?"

I'd have replied, "No, I am not, this is why we are discussing it instead of me just getting a wild hare up my ass and showing up at the gate this year with my horse in tow." Yes, I thoroughly agree with you, that really would be insane. I like to think of myself as an honourable, centred and deliberate person.

Let me just go on record that yes, I am seriously thinking about it, and that is why I'm being so deliberate about it. This is why I'm talking it out, getting dialog, seeing if there are other people who'd be interested in going in on a project of this scope, putting items for discussion out on the table to make sure I got all my ducks in a row before proceeding. And there are <b>A LOT</b> of ducks to get in a row.

Continuing...

[diane o'thirst]

My horse isn't spooky. He's actually more curious than anything else. He is wary of fire, but that's natural and I don't intend to discourage that wariness. <i><b>IF</i></b> we go, we will not approach any fire art closer than 100 yards unless he tells me otherwise. Big emphasis on the "if."

Here was the plan:

He's in training now. The trainer plays the local classic rock radio during the training sessions (which my horse loves). I was going to hire a drummer to come in and play during the training sessions, to get him used to drumming.

Phase Two (some time next spring): Trailer him up to the Portland Fire Jam. Don't ride, just let him get used to action, people milling, drumming, gradually. Hang out at a distance, groom, pet, let him acclimatize. Guage his reaction: if he is interested and not particularly annoyed or scared, good sign. Again, not approaching too closely, just give him a look at it, controlled and not exactly threatening.

Phase Three: Take him to Drowning Rat. 25 people, theme camps, ceremonies, barbecue fire. Held on national forest property. See how he does. If he enjoys himself, move on to...

Phase Four: Phoenix Fest. Pets are allowed, art and creativity, theme camps, no open fires whatsoever. Do a performance, perhaps a choreographed ride, perhaps procession. See how he does. If he's okay with it...

Phase Five: Fourth of JuPLAYA. See how he does in the environment, for a couple days when the logistics are a little more manageable, as we said before. If he does alright...

Phase Six: Repeat the cycle next year. If he does alright...

[diane o'thirst]

Phase Seven: Repeat the cycle. If he does alright, he should be six or seven years old and most of his training will be complete. Time to refine, and start working up a performance piece. Also start putting out the radar to find a large animal vet facility in or around Reno. Sound out the turd burglars to see if they'd stop by camp two or three times a week to pick up road apples and find out the cost.

Phase Eight: Do it again. If by now other people are on board, start seriously thinking about doing a horse theme camp which yes, Tiahaar, could include horse art (Mardi?) and mechanized horse art bikes. Decide as a group what our camp will do and what it would need to pull off, design camp. Plan out and rehearse a performance piece so we actually have a purpose other than schlepping around and avoiding fire art and art cars.

On the Playa: Camp along the back street as this would help with logistics, getting in and out will be easier as well as being a good deal quieter than elsewhere. For the horses: 32' dome, groundtarp and sod floor, drinking trough, misting system, electric fencing to keep them in, all of which can be run by solar energy. Keep a lane clear with a truck/trailer always ready to haul out should the need arise. Every horse in camp have a hydration system, carthorse diaper and foldable shovel as part of their go-out tack ensemble, required, nobody goes out without it. Watch where the art cars go: go the other direction. Practice avoidance.

In terms of chaos: it is safe to say you've been to parades where there are equestrian units, yes? Summer, hot tarmac, crowds of people, balloons, squalling babies, squawking toddlers, barking dogs, marching bands with big drums and brass sections, cars with politicians talking through small PAs and bullhorns — sound familiar? Watch the horses there: some are pumped up, some just shrug it off, how many runaways?

[diane o'thirst]

Again: lots of ifs, ands, buts and supposes. If any of those can't be worked around, worked out, addressed or otherwise resolved — sudden death, all discussion stops with a "No." So you see, "seriously thinking" doesn't automatically mean, "Yes, let's go for it." "Seriously thinking" means, "Let's talk about it," and a project like this demands no less.

There. Air clear? Cease fire?

[Lilly Flower]

Gosh darn,

Just as I was about to get all juicy inside.

Oh well.

[diane o'thirst]

Nihil desperandum, this is just one discussion out of hundreds. Look up one of the political threads or something from AZII, plenty of juice there!

[Chai Guy]

But the real question that I have is will you be riding ala Lady Godiva?

[Captain Goddammit]

Oh jeez, don't go getting all rational and friendly-like... we have an audience to entertain, dammit!
Even if you've got this planned out as well as possible, remember that if YOU get to bring a horse...
I think it's ill-advised to bring animals of any kind, and not just horses. And I don't think I'm alone on that. I can't see how dogs can be considered enough of a problem to ban them yet larger animals are fine...
We have cows, how about a cow? Guinnea pigs, too.
It's crazy.
How about you just haul down all the water you would have needed for your horse, and I'll haul down a hot tub to put it in.

Ironically, I AM bringing one of those "hobby-horses" mounted on springs that you bounce around on... I'll even let you ride it to tide you over 'til you get home. For real, I am. If you want, I'll put some wheels on it and pull you behind the boat. With a margarita in your hand.

Oh shit, did I just get all saucy and nice?? Goddammit...

[diane o'thirst]

Estimable Captain, I'm afraid you have!

And thanks for the offer but I'm not particularly fond of margaritas and as far as the hobbyhorses go, that's already covered. I'm bringing three out to the Burn this year. And they're the old fashioned kind without the bouncy-bouncies.

It's just talking. For all we know, Tagie may flip out at the Fire Jam stage and that'll be the end of it. Heck, for all we know, there may not even be a desert event in five years! And really, since I have an exhibition riding career in mind for him, it comes under his general training purview. He's getting dressage training but that's only because he has a talent for it and a background in dressage is a good idea for any horse, whatever you plan to do with them.

People have brought goats, pigs, llamas and chickens out there. Heck, remember when some maniac talked about bringing a giraffe? How useless is that?

[Captain Goddammit]

Wait a minute... I could see a giraffe...

[diane o'thirst]

Wait a minute, indeed! What does a giraffe do besides stand around, eat and shit more than a camel, a horse, a goat, a dog and a human together?!?

[Captain Goddammit]

Well if you brought a giraffe I could certainly see it...

But all of this has been moot anyway; Black Rock Animal Control would get you for sure.

[gilmore]

Every time you bring a horse to Burning Man, God kills a kitten...
No, no, it's everytime you... that's it!!!
Everytime you steal something, God kills a kitten...

Great line Capt

[G.W.B.]

Every time you bring a horse to Burning Man, God kills a kitten...
No, no, it's everytime you... that's it!!!
Everytime you steal something, God kills a kitten...

Great line Capt

Sounds like you got Adult ADD. WOOPS! wrong thread.

[BAS]

Regardless of the reason, Bast is VERY displeased every time God kills a kitten!

[diane o'thirst]

Had to share...

Just went out to see my boy today, after a month's absence. He's risen in the ranch herd hierarchy to Beta Male and considering he's undergone another growth spurt — we're now up to 16'3hh and 1400 pounds! — this isn't altogether too surprising.

His trainer is still in love with him. She told me he's doing brilliantly and his trot is wonderful, big and smoothe. She told me to hold off getting a saddle for him until he stops growing, which may not happen for another 2...3...4 years. Yeah, Baroque breeds take a good long time to grow up

But the good news is, they live a long time and if I wait until he's 7 to get him a saddle, I'll have four years to save up $1000 and it'll last a quarter-century. Yeah, there are Lipizzaners and Andalusians and a remarkable few Friesians (that frackin' inbreeding quotient of theirs sucks dairy farm canal water) who are still breeding, being ridden and performing at age 30...

As for the horse theme camp...ehhh, don' know. We still got about five years' worth of water to ride before we go under that particular bridge. I might just take him to Phoenix Festival in a couple years and leave it at that.

[kikidelosfeliz]

Before someone flames, let me say I do not own or plan to bring a horse.

But have some pretty vivid daydreams about flying across playa on one, maybe a harness with silver wings attached, like Pegasus. Or dancing with one, Cavalia style. Pure fantasy, mind you.

Didn't someone bring camels one year?

[theCryptofishist]

Camels were brought but not cleaned up after. Even if horses had diapers, their feed is also somewhat moopy. My guess is that the only reason that horses haven't been banned is that no one has tried. Dogs are not allowed, except for some DPW grandfather dogs.

[geekster]

Well, it might be kind of funny as a prank to bring some horses up for just a little while, not the whole time. Say bring them in and do a cavalry carge with bugles blaring across the playa and then take them out again. I could imagine the talking for years to follow ... "you remember the cavalry?"

Expensive prank ... but probably very funny ... if cleaned up after.

People
Eating
Tasty
Animals

[unjonharley]

If a person could find a Horsy Motel around Garloc. That way you could bring them in for horse event. Enough feed for them over night. Then a second day. That don't sound like to much shit.

[kikidelosfeliz]

With a big enough Mooper Scooper the shit shouldn't be too much problem. It's those stallion pisses that would muck up the dust.

[diane o'thirst]

Race horse trainers have taught their horses how to pee on cue. I also know some people who taught their horses to pee in one spot. There's also a company that makes stall litter that's essentially the crystal litter for cats, just the granules are a little bigger to hold more.

Cut a metal drum in half height-wise, lay it on its side and load it up with the horse-kitty litter — looka dat, horse urinal!

Yeah, cavalry charge would be fun to do...or a Mongol horde, everyone dress up like Mongol warriors with the furs and bows and stuff, that could work for a "let's do this instead" kind of stunt.

It <i>would</i> be expensive, though, with the $300 ticket for each horse plus the in-and-out gate fee, twice...plus you'd have to set up a shelter for them in your camp anyway...

And for MOOPy feed...that can be worked around. Hay comes in pellets and Purina makes pelleted horse food, beet pulp comes in pellets, Omolene...I know, my boy loves to "feed the chickens," he automatically tosses a couple handfuls out of his grain bucket before he tucks in. Worse table manners than a toddler...

[diane o'thirst]

http://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic. ... 4930#84930