The picture of James and Old Joe on James' gallery page really is too cute. James' family may have some disputes as to whose pet James' actually is.  Find out why James' favorite color is purple when you read his gallery page.

Photo minilover2, About.com Member

Enjoy more horse pictures on the Horses Gallery and don't forget to send a picture of your own favorite horse, pony, donkey or mule.

Read More About

• Your Most Memorable Ride
• Your Horse Rescue Stories

Photo 2006 K. Blocksdorf

Here is a picture of Thor and his mom, a Clydesdale mare. Thor is no longer the tiny bundle of energy you see in this photo, but almost full grown, weighing over 1000 lbs (545 kg). He has many characteristics of the Clydesdale, including heavy bones and a very sensible temperament. His father was a Thoroughbred, named "Matt". Matt also is very sensible, which endears him that much more to his owner. The Clydesdale and the Thoroughbred are only two of many breeds the world over.

Do you know about the common horse breeds? Try the horse breeds quiz to test your knowledge. Here's a hint; if you want to get 100% read through Horse and Pony Breeds. Have fun! Want to test your horse knowledge on other subjects? Here are a few more quizzes:

• Horse Terms Quiz
• Horse Safety Quiz
• Curb or Snaffle Quiz

Did you know you can get horse quizzes delivered to your email inbox? Sign up now for the Test Your Horse Savvy quiz series.

Over that last few weeks I've been seeing more of an animal species I had only heard about; opossums. Possums are not indigenous to this area, but with the warmer winters we've been having they've adapted well. As a horse owner I can't say I am happy to see their arrival. Opossums carry the EPM virus. Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis is thought to be a very common disease, but hard to diagnose because the symptoms are similar to many other neurological disorders.

More About Diseases

• West Nile Virus
• Swamp Fever or EIA

The countdown is on to the opening day of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Over the holidays, the Olympic Torch Relay went through several communities near me. It has almost reached its destination and the 2010 Winter Olympics start February 12, in Vancouver, British Columbia. For the horse lover, the Winter Olympics are not as exciting as the Summer Olympics that include show jumping, eventing and dressage. But in the past, there were horse sports amongst the Winter Olympic events.

I've added  pictures to the Olympic Action Image gallery of flat racing and skijoring. I used to skijoer behind horse and snowmobile when I was much younger. I'm not going to provide tips for skijoring because it's difficult to do safely. Suffice to say if you do try it, make sure you wear a helmet and use harness and driving lines in a way that won't entangle you if you fall.

Of course horses have taken a supporting role in the Winter Olympics over the years, pulling horse drawn vehicles or carrying dignitaries, but for a broader look at horse sports, we're going to have to wait for the upcoming WEG. Until then, here's a rundown of the events in Vancouver. (Let me know if you spot any horses.)