Christmas pets

Are you ready for Christmas?

Here are some pets who are in the Holiday spirit ...

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 Photo by dpd photo

Photo Credit: Loren Borriello

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Photo Credit: Gina Sicari

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  Photo Credit: Kerri Burke

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Smooch!

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Photography by Irene Suchocki

Photographs of the white horses of the Camargue in France.

For sale at her Etsy shop

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Olympic hopeful

71-year-old Hiroshi Hoketsu is the oldest competitor at the London Olympics, representing Japan in the equestrian discipline of dressage.  This is his third Olympic Games, making his first appearance in Tokyo in 1964.  (Photo via Yahoo! Sports)

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Smile!

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Way TOO cute!

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Frogs used for illegal doping in horse racing

Racing regulators kept hearing the reports: trainers were giving their horses a powerful performance-enhancing potion drawn from the backs of a type of South American frog.

But for months postrace testing could not find the substance, a painkiller far more powerful than morphine. Then a lab in the Denver area tweaked its testing procedure, and in recent weeks more than 30 horses from four states have tested positive for the substance, dermorphin, which is suspected of helping horses run faster. 

“We hear about some pretty exotic stuff,” said Dr. Steven Barker, who directs the testing laboratory at Louisiana State University. “Frog juice — this is exotic.” 

The discovery comes as the racing industry is struggling to counter perceptions of a pervasive drug culture. Indeed, dermorphin is the latest in a long list of illegal performance-enhancing drugs that have found their way onto racetracks. Cobra venom has also been used by trainers to deaden pain so that injured horses can race.
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Snowflake horse

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Dirt bath

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Service horses in Illinois

Illinois lawmakers sent a bill to the state's governor that would allow miniature horses to be used as service animals.

If passed, the small horses, which stand no higher than 32in, would have to be allowed in schools, stores, restaurants, and other public places – anywhere an assistance dog can go.

In most cases, horses of any sort are still considered livestock, and are not warranted the same privileges as guide dogs, such as entering public places.

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From Arabia to Royal Ascot - History of horses

Timed to coincide with the diamond jubilee, a British Museum tribute to the horse charts its impact on humanity, from ancient times to the present day.

 The Horse: From Arabia to Royal Ascot is at the British Museum, London WC1, until 30 September.

More photos here.

Look at this beautiful horse

The Gypsy Horse  is also known as an Irish cob, Gypsy Cob, Gypsy Vanner, Coloured Cob or Tinker horse.

The breed originates from the UK and Ireland. Members of the breed come in a variety of colors but predominantly are of piebald coloring and have many draft characteristics, including heavy bone and abundant feathering on the lower legs.

There is no exact known history of the Gypsy Cob. It is believed by some that the Gypsy Cobs are descended from a combination of Shires, Clydesdales, Friesians, and Dales Ponies with their origins in the Romani gypsy community of the United Kingdom.

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Baby horse cuddling

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Look at this beautiful horse

The Akhal-Teke is a horse breed from Turkmenistan, where they are a national emblem. These "golden-horses" are adapted to severe climatic conditions and are thought to be one of the oldest surviving horse breeds. There are currently about 3,500 Akhal-Tekes in the world, mostly in Turkmenistan and Russia.

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The cutest thing you'll see today

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Miniature horses -- pet, livestock or service animal?

Heard of seeing-eye dogs? There's an alternative. Miniature horses, while commonly kept on farms, can also be used as "service" animals -- to help the blind and disabled get around. A federal rule requiring businesses to let them inside has stirred concern of lawsuits. The dispute doesn't distract from their cuteness, though.

Cheryle King, who is blind, grooms Rosie at their home near Ellensburg, Wash. Although Rosie is potty-trained, the small horse wears underwear to protect against any unwanted accidents.

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Smile

Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness Although a tear may be ever so near
That’s the time you must keep on trying
Smile what’s the use of crying
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile
If you’ll just
Smile

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How to draw a horse

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Riot gear for Chicago police horses

Days after announcing that Chicago Police would get new riot gear, including 3,000 new face shields, in time for the NATO/G8 summits in May, Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration has begun soliciting protective equipment for police horses, too.

Emanuel's camp is seeking bids for "police horse riot gear and training aids," including leather nose guards with "impact-absorbing foam," rear and front leg shields made of "high-impact plastic" and training tools to help prepare the horses for crowd-control operations, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. The city plans to outfit all 30 horses in the CPD's mounted unit, in excess of their annual $2.7 million budget.

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In the mist

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