TIL: Ponies are Not Baby Horses

TIL is internet short-hand for "Today I Learned".

Some things you think you know, and then you learn you've been wrong or just a little off-base for years.

My understanding of what a pony is fits into that category, and recently I was set straight when it came up in a group chat with my friends on Facebook.

So here's the surprise about ponies.

Ponies are not baby horses.

At least not anymore.
The original meaning was from the French word for foal (a baby horse), but that's no longer the case.
Maybe only a few of us had that idea wrong... but maybe a lot of us did.

So here's the clarification:
A pony is not based on its age (baby vs adult horse), but on its size at adulthood.

1- Baby horses, under 1 year old, are foals.
      Bonus knowledge: male foals are colts, female foals are fillies. Grown males are stallions, grown females are mares.

2- Ponies are small horses, measuring less than ~14 hands (just under 6 feet) tall at the withers (that's the top point where the neck meets the body).

Mind... blown.

Many comparative pics, like this one, emphasize the size difference

So next time you hear someone is "going to watch the ponies", you might wonder if they're really going to see small (yet grown-up) horses racing, or if they're using the term incorrectly.

At least, I know that's what I'll wonder.

Ride 'em, cowboys and cowgirls!

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Beware the DC Demon Squirrels

I started writing this post months ago, when I still lived in the Washington, DC, area.

And it likely would have remained drafts for quite a while, if my sis-in-law's Instagram pic hadn't provided the impetus to finish this blogpost. Thanks, Jordyn!

If you've been to DC, you know what we're talking about.
The Smithsonian brought the first 18 from Canada back in 1902, and thrive in many locations, but I've only personally seen these evil-looking little buggers in our Nation's capital.

They creep me out, so I decided they must be part of a little criminal rodent organization:

SSDCDSS: Secret Society of DC Demon SquirrelS

Catchy, huh? And I like that it's a palindrome.

Maybe I have too much time on my hands, if I can come up with stuff like this...

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Elvis: The Puppy Who Lost Her Way (and Was Thankfully Found)

I don't currently have any pets.

I'd like to have a dog, but I don't feel like I have the disposable time to provide the love and care a dog would require/deserve. Plus, living in an apartment building seems too cramped for a dog to properly run and frolic as it should be able to do.

My friend Becca kinda debunks the first portion of my reason to not have a dog, though.

She works crazy hours (6 days/week, 12+ hour shifts), but makes time for this adorable pup, Elvis.

She loves that ball, and she'll play fetch all day if you'll let her

A few weeks ago, while Becca was out running errands, Elvis escaped the yard.

Maybe not such a terrible thing, except she wasn't wearing her collar or tags at the time.

Not good.

We had to get the word out.

So I helped Becca put up flyers around the neighborhood at key spots: library, hospital, school, church, some restaurants, etc.

Our hope was that Elvis would be rescued by some really nice person, they'd see a flyer, and call. Or that she'd be taken to a pound, and they'd check her embedded chip and call.

A few people said they saw Elvis, and that the pup was very friendly (this is her normal temperment) and seemed quite excited to be running free and in the wild.

Thankfully, some really nice lady found her the next day, turned her in to the pound, and they did call.

Looking guilty after Becca picked her up

Yay for nice people taking care of a roaming dog that was sorely missed back at her home!

Note: this took place in mid-October. I'm just way behind in my blogging.

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An Evening at the Polo Matches

I've been hearing about these polo matches in Virginia since I got here, but I'd never been. So when my friend Kim invited me to join her, I jumped at the chance.

The drive out to Great Meadow in The Plains, VA, took about 40 mins or so, which was less than the solid hour Google Maps had predicted, so already things were off to a good start. We parked, carried in our supplies (camping chairs, blankets, food, and cooler), and found a spot on the hill with a great view.

On 'Mad Hatter' night, Kim came well prepared

We started to pick up on the rules during the warm-up games, though I still think my understanding is a bit hazy as to what constitutes a foul and what isn't.

The main event matches were very impressive. Rider and horse seemed to move together so fluidly, and the mallet swinging was very precise to be able to hit the ball while on the run. Also, Kim pointed out that in between 'chukkers' (what we think is a term for 'period'), they'd switch out horses, so they'd go through several horses for a single night's match.

If you do go out to watch the polo matches, be aware that it can get fairly chilly at night, or at least it did our night. Thank goodness for some random spare clothes and my trusty ol' BYU blanket in the car.

Pretty cool, right? Have you ever been? What other less-watched sports have you seen live?

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Crazy New Animals in the News

I am fascinated by nature, and particularly the variety of wildlife in this great big world of ours.
So when I hear about new ones, my ears and eyes perk up, and I like to get a little more info on them.

And I'm not talking about adorable dogs and cats on TV shows. Lassie, this isn't about you.

I'm curious about more exotic ones, or at least not-so-common in nature (double-meaning!).

Today I have one from far away and two that are a lot closer to home.

Purple crabs

The cute, little 1-2 inch crabs were discovered in the Philippines recently, along with three other (less-vibrant) species of crab. The coloration is apparently for mating and recognizing others of the same species. I didn't know before that crab are discriminatory, but that's what the scientist cited in the article stated. Either way, I think it's awesome how bright that purple is!

Armored catfish

These guys are invading South Florida, and the biggest problem they're causing is erosion. They burrow holes to deposit their eggs, and those holes can then collapse if a person is walking near the shore. While most catfish are good for fishermen, these don't bite on fishing hooks with bait, so pretty much they have to be caught by "nets or even spears". Yes, I said spears. So even though they look super-cool, they aren't worth having around due to the hassle and problems they're creating.

Warning: if you get squeamish about gross fish or get scared easily about going into bodies of water, then I recommend you stop reading this post now. Why? Because the next creature is freaky-looking.

Snakehead fish

Don't say I didn't warn you. He's an ugly bugger, ain't he?! Snakehead fish are messing up the Maryland aquatic ecosystem, such that anglers can earn $200 for catching them. They have no natural predators in the region, and they can survive for up to 4 days on land. Plus, they're hard enough to catch that some fishermen have resorted to using guns. Guns! No wonder some call them the "fish from hell".

What do you think of these creatures?
Know of any other interesting animals to pop up recently in the news?

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The Epic "Guy on a Buffalo" Saga

To make up for my lack of blogging this week, I'm sharing a set of real gems from YouTube.

I hope you can handle the awesomeness of the "Guy on a Buffalo" saga.

Is that song stuck in your head yet? You're welcome.

Semi-regularly, I've been narrating my life using the song since I saw these clips.
But not out loud. Only in my head, because I'm weird enough already.

Also, I want to go ride a buffalo.
So, friends, what's the strangest animal you've ever ridden?

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I've Seen Yew at the US Botanic Garden

There are no misspellings in that title. Keep reading and I'll prove it to you.

Since Emily and I both had the day off (thank you built-up vacation days), we decided to check out some holiday decorations in a little-visited DC locale prior to me taking Emily to the airport.

We took the metro in and saw the US Botanic Garden for the first time.
Kind of tragic since I've lived in the DC area over 4 years and this is my first visit there.

But the decorations made it well worth the wait.
Everything was made of plant materials, and they had both major DC historic buildings and a whole train area with small exhibits of animals/mythic creature habitats.
Sounds weird, but you'll get what I mean in the pictures.

The US Supreme Court

I fit right in with the Monkey Mansion, eh?

With the Mermaid piece

The Peacock Palace, for all the Peacock gals that read my blog

Yes, I'm talking to yew
OR
Here's lookin' at yew, kid

Yes, that is a plant called the "yew". There are several varieties, and they can be quite toxic. Just FYI, in case you thought eating some yew would be a good idea. Because it wouldn't be.

Taking time to stop and smell the orchids

Abe Lincoln looks pretty good made out of plant materials

So much detail on the National Capitol, even down to the statue in front

While it may have taken a long time to get to the US Botanic Garden, I'm very glad this was a first that Emily and I could share. Makes it extra special to see such a cool place that way.

So I encourage you to find some new places around where you live, and share them on your blog or Facebook after you go!

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