Today a news conference was called in Palo Alto, California, by two men who claimed to have a photo and DNA that proved the existence of Bigfoot. These hunters claimed that Bigfoot's massive corpse was in their freezer back in Georgia, awaiting an autopsy. The opening sentence in Yahoo's report about the news conference stated, "Bigfoot remains as elusive as ever."

searching by hundreds of thousands of human beings, "The perfect horse remains as elusive as ever." Despite John Lyons' efforts at getting each of us to own a perfect horse (and I do subscribe to "Perfect Horse Magazine"), I do believe "the perfect horse remains as elusive as ever."

However, the myth of the elusive perfect horse is alive and well and making horse owners around the country miserable.  My friends please hear me out.  The "perfect horse" does not exist. Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, I am not so sure about. The "perfect horse" I KNOW does not exist.

To search for the "perfect horse" to buy means that you will invest an endless amount of money and time in a search that ultimately, is doomed to failure. Say it with me: "The perfect horse does not exist." Yet many of you act and talk as if it did.

So - what does this mean? It means that, instead of bemoaning the faults of our beloved equines, and feeling they have let us down by having common problems, and being sad and disappointed at how owning a horse turned out, it is our responsibility as horse owners and handlers to do one of two things: either support our horses to get the training, experience and health care necessary to make each horse "perfect" in his current situation, or help him to move along into a situation that will be more perfect for him.

Instead of becoming sad and depressed because the horse you bought has not turned out to be the horse of your dreams, help your horse to become the horse of your dreams, or help him to find the right home, where he is the horse of someone else's dreams.

Helping your horse to become a more perfect horse will require a significant investment on your part.  It will involve at the least, an investment of time and energy and effort.  It may involve a financial investment in veterinary care, rehabilitative hoof or leg care, or chiropractic or massge care.  Whatever it takes, that is your responsibility as the owner and caretaker of a magnificent creature called "equine" (and affectionately known in these parts as "Bigexpense").

I work in a therapeutic horsemanship program. This week, one of our program ponies foundered. Her name is Starbright. She is the daughter of Costalot and granddaughter of Emptied My Bank Account. Starbright is an older (exact age unknown) pony mare affectionately known as "the grandma with attitude." She kicks at and charges her neighbors in their stalls every few minutes. She has cost the program more in vet bills than all the other horses combined. She has many health problems common to aged horses: Cushing's disease, chronic laminitis, no teeth, chokes easily.

The vet has been out five times this week. Vet bills are mounting, but manageable. The pony is on four kinds of medicine and has special pads to wear. But she's looking pretty good. She is walking better and a lot more comfortable standing. Daily I wonder if we are doing the "right" thing by continuing to invest money in this cranky old pony. But so far, I believe we are doing the right thing.

You see, there are some children who love this pony. Riding her is the highlight of their week. They love Starbright. They truly believe she is a "perfect horse" (despite her size which technically makes her a pony). Thinking about what I would have to say to those children who love her, has motivated me to spend more money on her veterinary care than I had originally planned. You see, "perfect" is not measured by health status, lameness status, attitude or appearance. "Perfect" is measured by the amount of love and acceptance that passes back and forth between the human and the horse. And to the children who love her, Starbright IS perfect.