A good article----Reading Horse

Do you really know about your hosre?

I found this article when I browsed website, sharing with you who love horse!

There is no simple way to describe to a beginner the feel old timers have developed for what to do around horses. After years and years of paying attention to horses, an old horse hand can 'read' a horse like a book. He can tell just by looking at a horse what his state of mind is, which way he's going to turn next, how far he's likely to run if he gets startled, and a whole volume of other things. Because he's able to predict what a horse is going to do next, when people watch an old timer work they are astonished at how he always manages to stay one step ahead of the horse and gets the animal to do whatever he wants.

A lot of people hope by reading a few books or watching a few videos or going to a few clinics that they're going to be able to short circuit the process of learning to 'read' horses and get the same results as the old timers. All those things can help people understand horses a little better but they are no substitute for the hours and hours of observation of horses that goes into 'natural' horsemanship. What seems so natural to these old timers is actually the result of hours and days and months and years of observation on hundreds of horses. That gets coupled with making lots and lots of mistakes because you didn't observe the right things or you didn't apply what you observed the right way. Then you have to learn from those mistakes. You have to use the feedback the horses give you to refine your observations and your applications of those observations until you get it right. And even when you get good, you're not going to be right all the time. You just try to be right most of the time. And now you've gotten to be a 'natural' horseman. 
  

So observation, paying attention to every little thing, is where you start. You might be working with a particular horse in a training pen or you might be watching a herd of them in a pasture or you might be walking down a barn aisle. Start being very observant of every horse you come across. You will observe a lot of single things that you are going to have to put together like a puzzle to figure out how the horse is really feeling right at the moment.
 

The first thing you want to notice is how the horse is breathing. Ideally, his breathing is regular and relaxed. The horse that is breathing shallowly may be tense or he may be in pain. The horse that is holding his breath is anxious and may be ready to blow. The horse whose nostrils are wide open and flaring in and out may have just finished a good run and is feeling pretty good about himself or he may be checking out something really exciting in his environment. To figure it all out exactly, you have to observe and add in some other things.

The next thing you want to pay attention to is his muscle tone. In general, you want to notice if his muscles are soft and relaxed or hard and tight or somewhere in between. Muscle tone can be read in a lot of places. Look at his back, the muscles at the base of his neck, the way he carries his head, the way he carries his tail, the set of his ears, and the look of his eyes, his nostrils and lips. For example, if a horse is relaxed, his back will be relaxed with muscles stretched out. He'll carry his head and tail low and relaxed. His eye will be soft and so will his nostrils and lips. 

If the horse gets apprehensive or frightened, his back tightens and shortens. His muscle tone all over gets hard all over as his flight response kicks in. He'll lift his head and his tail up. His nostrils and his eyes will open wide and his ears will lock onto whatever it is that looks or feels scary. He's on full alert.
 

The horse that's worried or in pain may show little wrinkles above her eyes or have her nostrils pulled back so that little wrinkles run up her muzzle. The horse that's angry or resistant may harden his lips and flatten his ears. Ears speak volumes but a lot of people can read them wrong because there are so many little variations in the way the horse holds them. 

In general, the horse points his ears in the direction of whatever he's paying attention to. So the horse that's got his ears back listening to his rider can't be 'read' the same as the horse that's resisting or angry even though both of them have their ears back. The horse whose ears are pointed forward may just be paying more attention to the horse ahead of him than he is to his rider or he may be noticing something scary enough to spook at. It's a matter of degree of muscle tone and breathing and the whole picture, not just one piece of it. Pay attention, observe, and learn.
  

Some other things you want to pay attention to are a horse's general activity level and the directional signals he gives you. Pay attention to how he greets you when you go to his stall, be observant of how he leads to the arena, watch what he does when you first turn him loose and notice how long it takes for him to settle down. Learn the sequence of a horse's footfalls so you can predict which foot he's going to move next and in what direction. For example, if you're going to ask a young horse to back up for the first time, glance down at his front legs and see which one is a little more forward. That's the foot you want to put a little pressure on to ask for that first step back because, from a balance standpoint, that's going to be the easiest one for him to move first.

When you first start learning to be a natural horse person, don't worry too much about being able to read all the horses out there. You probably don't have hundreds of horses around to practice on like we do here at Meredith Manor so just start with your own horse, the one you have right in front of you. Figuring out how even one particular horse personality and one particular human personality can best communicate with each other takes a lot of learning from a lot of mistakes. So don't be afraid to make them and give yourself plenty of time.
  

Training horses involves using methodically applied, horse-logical pressures that create a feel in the horse of a shape you want him to take. You always want to apply those pressures in a rhythmic, relaxed way that never startles the horse or raises his excitement level. But to know if you've done something exciting or startling, you have to be able to read the horse's body language.

The reason you want to learn to read horses in the first place is so you can figure out the emotional context of any training session from the horse's perspective. You are not going to apply the same pressures to the same degree, even under the same circumstances, to a timid green horse or an alpha mare or a goldie oldie school horse. Unless you understand how to read the individual reaction of each of these individual horses to whatever pressure you apply, you won't be able to figure out how to modify and refine your pressures to the least amount they need to be.

----------Ron Meredith

Edit:  www.welcomeget.com

Horse Health Info---Headshaking

 

Brief Description

Headshaking is “sudden, intermittent and apparently involuntary tossing of the head.” Classic headshakers also snort and sneeze, flip their upper lip, rub their muzzle on the ground and various objects, and wipe or strike their muzzle with their foreleg. Some owners describe the horse acting like a bee flew up its nose. Although some cases of headshaking can be due to medical problems, traumatic injuries, or inappropriate riding or bitting, investigators are finding that many cases are stimulated by bright light. They believe light may stimulate the trigeminal nerve in the horse’s face to tingle, itch or even burn, causing the horse to shake its head or act in other ways to relieve the annoying sensation. This is known as “photic” headshaking and is a seasonal syndrome, as signs are worse during the spring, summer, and fall when sunlight is brightest. 

Supplements that May Lend Support

Lysine, an amino acid, is used in people and cats for the prevention and relief of herpes virus infection. Because some suspect a link between equine herpes virus (rhino) and headshaking, Lysine is given to try and provide relief to these horses.

Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland in higher amounts as the days get shorter. One theory says that because horses begin to headshake in the spring as days get longer, supplementing the body with Melatonin may fool the body into thinking it’s still winter and prevent the behavior.

Because a disorder of the trigeminal nerve may be involved, antioxidants such as Vitamin E, which targets nervous tissue and is helpful in other equine nerve disorders, may be helpful in headshaking as well. Lastly, there are reports that certain herbs may be beneficial for some horses.

Possible Diagnostic Tests

A veterinarian should perform a thorough physical examination on any horse that shakes its head to rule out eye and ear conditions, problems inside the mouth, fractured skulls, guttural pouch infections, respiratory tract issues and even neck problems. If no obvious cause for pain or discomfort can be found, and the horse is worse on bright, sunny days, the diagnosis may be photic headshaking.

Prescription Medications Available

While there are no prescription medications specifically for headshaking, more than two-thirds of horses in one study improved on cyproheptadine, which is an antihistamine. Others have had success with carbamazapine or fluoxetine. Some horses improve when topical anesthestics are applied directly to the face. Many other therapies have been tried with varied success: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), steroids, antihistamines, homeopathy, acupuncture, chiropractic, aromatherapy.

Other Management Suggestions

Treat any medical conditions or injuries that are found. If training or tack seems to be the cause, adjust as necessary. Otherwise, keep a journal of the horse’s headshaking behavior, and include information about the weather (sun, wind, rain), insects, exercise (type, level, location, distractions) and any other factors that seem to make the behavior better or worse. Use this journal to identify then avoid trigger factors. Many owners report success with UV-blocking fly masks or nose nets that cover the muzzle.


Edit:  www.welcomeget.com
Extract from: www.smartpakequine.com 

Prince Edward Island: Five Reasons to Love Canada’s Smallest Province

How rare it is to personally witness the birth of a gay-friendly destination. But I recently had that thrilling experience. In fact, you could say I was one of the midwives, ushering in the latest rainbow-swaddled baby, Prince Edward Island.

Prince Edward Island, or P.E.I. as it’s known to friends, is the smallest of Canada’s provinces, an island counting only 140,000 inhabitants, which built its first bridge to the mainland only thirteen years ago. You could say it’s slow to reach out to its neighbors. However, when P.E.I. does embrace new people, it does it with gusto.

So it has done with the LGBT travel segment. P.E.I. recently launched GayPEI, a gay tourism association which brings together hotels, restaurants, attractions, tour agencies, and others interested in warmly welcoming lesbian and gay travelers to the island.

P.E.I. invited yours truly and Jeff Guaracino, a fellow gay travel expert to speak about the advantages of gay tourism to the larger tourism association, TIAPEI.

These, and many other baby steps, are important for LGBT travelers to know. But what may be most important is that, as with all visitors, Prince Edward Island is a friendly island known for its fresh seafood (P.E.I. mussels, anyone?), farm-to-table cuisine, gorgeous untrammeled scenery, and cozy historic B&Bs.

In short, P.E.I. is an island that feels a bit cut off in a good way for folks who want to escape without going too far.

Here are a few of our (new) favorite things.

Homes away from home

 

I stayed at the stately Shipwright Inn, a historic, gay-friendly B&B (with tasty homemade breakfasts that included blueberry pancakes and fresh strips of bacon) run by a British ex-pat husband and wife team. Two lovely gay-owned, gay-operated properties where you’ll feel very comfortable include Rainbow Lodge, probably a good choice for value seekers and the Cranford Inn, a four and a half star contemporary B&B, run by a a fabulous lesbian couple.

Mussel worship

 

P.E.I. is justifiably known for its seafood, including its world-renown eponymous mussels. Indulge yourself! But don’t neglect the oysters and other seafood. It’s almost hard to find a bad meal here.

Off Broadway Restaurant comes highly recommended by Charlottetown foodies as much for its intimate atmosphere and fine service to its mouthwatering cuisine.

Drink up

 

Upstairs from Off Broadway is 42nd Street Lounge, which was Charlottetown’s first martini bar when it opened in ’98. It’s a great place to re-cap your day over a strong, inexpensive libation.

A popular, vibrant alternative is the more raucous Gahan House, a brewer of handcrafted ales. A terrific spot for a beer (or three), it also offers tasty pub food.

Get out

For a tiny island with just over 140,000 souls there is a surprising number of activities, sites, culture, and history to explore. In fact, P.E.I. is known as the birthplace of Canada’s Confederation because in 1864, the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Québec met in Charlottetown to form the new nation.

And of course Anne of Green Gables is one of the island’s most important tourism draws.

The island’s strongest suit is probably the outdoors, with cycling, hiking, autumn leaf-peeping, and beach-going among the most enjoyable activities.

Surprisingly the waters surrounding the island are among the warmest north of North Carolina so in the summer pack your bathing suit. There’s also an unofficial nude beach - Blooming Point with its ten miles of white sand - popular with local and visiting gay women and men.

Extract from: www.topix.com
Edit: www.welcomeget.com

Playboy founder Hugh Hefner engaged

Hugh Hefner, 84, Engaged to Playmate, 24

Hugh Hefner's Christmas was extra, extra jolly this year: He's engaged again!

The Playboy founder, 84, is engaged to Crystal Harris, his 24-year-old girlfriend and Playmate, a Playboy rep confirms to UsMagazine.com.

PHOTOS: See Hugh and Crystal's Christmas card!
Hefner first Tweeted about it on Sunday. "When I gave Crystal the ring, she burst into tears," the Girls Next Door star wrote. "This is the happiest Christmas weekend in memory...I got what I was hoping for for Christmas...Crystal's love."

PHOTOS: The year's biggest engagements
To make his news absolutely clear, the mogul then added: "Yes, the ring I gave Crystal is an engagement ring. I didn't mean to make a mystery out of it. A very merry Christmas to all."

PHOTOS: Can you believe these couples' age differences?
It will be the third marriage for famous bachelor Hefner. He wed first wife Mildred in 1949 (they have grown children Christie, 58, and David, 55) before divorcing in 1959. In 1989, he walked down the aisle with Playmate of the Year Kimberley Conrad, and they went on to have sons Marston, 10, and Cooper, 9. The duo's divorce was finalized last year.

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Extracted from : yahoo.com

Jennifer Aniston Distances Herself From Chelsea Handler

Jennifer Aniston was so mortified by Chelsea Handler's dig at her nemesis Angelina Jolie that America's sweetheart has decided to distance herself from the loudmouth comedian and keep her at an arm's length.

"Jen and Chelsea haven't officially fallen out but they certainly won't be going on vacation together for a long time unless Chelsea promises to never talk about Angelina again," a friend of Chelsea's tells me. "She understands that what Chelsea did was out of loyalty, but it didn't help. In fact, it made things worse."
What Chelsea did do was brand Angelina Jolie a home-wrecking whore! "She can rescue as many babies from as many countries as she wants to," Chelsea said during a recent performance. "I don't f***ing believe you ... she gives interviews, 'I don't have a lot of female friends.' Cause you're a f***ing c**t ... you're a f**king b***h."
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Unfortunately the remarks came just weeks after spending Thanksgiving with Jennifer in Mexico.

"Jen is a very private person," a friend of Aniston's tells me. "It's one thing to crash Angelina in private; it's another to do it in public. Chelsea should have known better and is feeling Jen's cold shoulder for her mistake."

Squeaky-clean Singapore in toilet manners campaign

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Squeaky-clean Singapore needs cleaner toilets and public awareness is one way to achieve this, a civic group said at the launch of the latest stage of its LOO campaign -- Let's Observe Ourselves.
The city-state has 30,000 public restrooms and is pushing to make 70 percent of them at least "three-star" clean by 2013.
But a survey by the Restroom Association (Singapore) (RAS) found that only some 500 of the island's public toilets overall were up to its standards of working facilities, lack of litter and odor, and the provision of basic amenities such as hand soap and toilet paper.
"For us, toilet etiquette reflects Singaporeans' culture. It tells people how civilized we are," RAS President Tan Puay Hoon told reporters on Thursday, when the association unveiled its 70-page report on public restrooms as part of a campaign to improve island-wide toilet cleanliness.
"We are a First World country and we want a gracious society to reflect that."
Under the RAS Happy Toilet Programme, toilets are rated from three to five stars. A four-star toilet should have a diaper changing station or urinal for children and a five-star should have eco-friendly features such as water-saving taps.
To call attention to its 3-year blueprint on public restroom and a public awareness program urging users to adopt proper restroom etiquette in the Heartlands area, site of many government-built apartment blocks, the RAS launched LOO@Heartlands -- the first coffee shop with a five-star toilet.
The RAS said it would also distribute packets of pocket tissues with restroom etiquette messages only to toilet visitors during peak hours at shops nearby.
"Singapore's effort in branding itself as one of the most liveable cities in Asia is exemplary," the association said in its report, which was submitted to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in September.
"Unfortunately, the cleanliness of our public restrooms has not been in tandem," the report added.
The RAS was founded in 1998 as a non-profit organization and says it is dedicated to promoting the cleanliness, design and functionality of public toilets in Singapore.
The LOO Campaign began in 2008. The RAS has also conducted the Happy Toilet School Education program and is a founding member of the World Toilet Organization and the Keep Singapore Beautiful Movement.

Dog in Germany gives birth to 17 puppies

BERLIN – A dog in Germany has given birth to 17 puppies, leaving their owner thrilled but fatigued after having to feed them with a bottle for several weeks because their mother couldn't cope with the demand.

Owner Ramona Wegemann said Monday she barely slept for more than a couple of minutes without interruption during about four weeks in an "exhausting" struggle to make sure all of the purebred Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies would survive.

She said when she was "finished feeding the last puppy, the first was hungry again."

Wegemann's dog Etana gave birth to eight female and nine male puppies on Sept. 28 in Ebereschenhof, which is near Berlin.

At least five times a day, Wegemann gave the dogs a bottle with special milk because their mother's nipples could have never coped with the demand, and when the puppies were not hungry, they wanted to be entertained, she said.

Wegemann said when dogs give birth to so many puppies several of them die within the first week. "But all of our puppies survived. This is incredible and wonderful," the 32-year-old added.

It was the second time that Etana gave birth. She gave birth to eight puppies in her first pregnancy, not uncommon for the dog's breed, Wegemann said.

"The birth of the puppies was very special. All puppies were born naturally, no cesarean was necessary," she added. It took Etana a full 26 hours to give birth to all of the puppies — and Wegemann was as baffled as amazed.

But caring for 17 puppies turned out to be a full-time job: Wegemann put her work as an independent animal psychiatrist on a hold and her husband took as much vacation as he could.

Their lives have been turned upside down by the puppies, and their living room is now occupied by a giant box that houses the puppies.

But even Wegemann still struggles to recognize them: The females puppies are called Bahati, Binta, Bahya, Bashima, Batouuli, Binki, Bora, Bisa and the male ones are Baakir, Banjoku, Belay, Bruk, Bundu, Bayo, Bukekayo, Biton and Bulus.

Wegemann gave them all African names because the Rhodesian Ridgeback is an African hunting dog. Wegeman and her husband now plan to give most of the puppies away.

A price of ?800 ($1,050) per puppy would only cover the expenses for the veterinary, vaccinations, food and the mandatory paperwork, Wegemann said. She hopes to get about ?1,000 ($1,315) per dog, but said they would only give them to families with children, not breeders.

Four of the puppies have been sold, two more are already paid for and will leave their siblings shortly.

Brain Doctor: "Ditch the Diet if You Want to Lose Weight"

                     

From the grapefruit diet to "The Master Cleanse," fad diets have become quite popular in our Hollywood-influenced society. However, crash dieting is synonymous with food deprivation. Deprivation means never feeling satisfied after a meal, and no one can do that long-term.

As Americans, we eat larger portions than most other cultures, and much larger portions than our bodies actually need to feel satisfied. But what if you could actually train your brain to feel satisfied on smaller portions?

Enter Dr. Alan Hirsch, a renowned neurologist, whose lifelong specialty has been understanding how our senses, and in particular, smell and taste affect the brain's functioning. Dr. Hirsch noticed that many patients who had lost their sense of smell and taste due to illness or accident experienced rapid weight gain. Hirsh hypothesized that if loss of smell contributed to weight gain, then the opposite could be true; enhancing the smell of food could lead to weight loss.

Dr. Hirsch studied hundreds of compounds and after years of research developed a set of virtually odorless and tasteless food sprinkles, called “Tastants,” that enhance the experience of eating and trigger the body to feel fuller on smaller portions.

Then, in one of the largest clinical studies of a non-prescription weight-loss system, these Tastants were tested for effectiveness as a means of weight loss.

The results were significant. Over a 6 month period, 1,436 women and men sprinkled flavorless "Tastant" crystals on everything they ate, and lost an average of 30.5 pounds - nearly 15% of their total body weight. Participants achieved these results without adding exercise or changing their diet. Hirsh recently made these Tastants available to the public as the SENSA^® Weight Loss System

"The reason SENSA^® works, when diets don't, is because it lets you do what no diet can," says Dr. Hirsch. "It lets you lose weight while still eating the foods you love most without ever feeling hungry or deprived." So you eat what you want, you just eat less. Too good to be true?

How to try it free

Apparently the company anticipated a somewhat skeptical response from consumers so they have launched a “try it before you buy it” campaign.

They are so confident you will lose weight with SENSA that new customers get to use the product for 30 days so that they can see results before deciding if they want to buy.

Emma Stone in W Magazine: Simulated sex scenes in 'Easy A' were 'real workout'

Emma Stone worked hard for her "Easy A" Golden Globe nomination, so hard in fact that she needed "an oxygen tank at one point."

In January's "Who's Hot" issue of W Magazine, the 22-year-old cover star talks about the fake sex scene in Will Gluck's comedy in which she plays a high school student who lies about her love life in order to improve her social life.

"Simulation of sex is a real workout," she told the magazine. "We must have done a hundred takes."

                                   

Though the scene in question reportedly took two days to shoot, Stone said it was "really fun, but it's not easy."

But the hard work paid off.

On Tuesday it was announced that Stone was nominated for the Golden Globe for best actress in a comedy, opposite stars like Angelina Jolie and Anne Hathaway.

"Let's just be honest, that's pretty surreal," she told people.com. "I don't know what I'm going to do when I see [Jolie] in person. I'm going to freak out when I see anybody in person."

Stone said she would be taking her mother as her date to the Jan. 16 show.

"I'm pretty excited about that," she told the gossip website. "I would really like to bring my mom. She doesn't know yet. You can break the news!"

Internet Abuzz Over Miley's Bong Hit Video - Topix

Internet Abuzz Over Miley's Bong Hit Video - Topix

Scarlett Johansson, Ryan Reynolds Split

After more than two years, Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds have decided to end their marriage, a source close to the couple tells the new Us Weekly, out Wednesday.

PHOTOS: Scarlett and Ryan in happier times

UPDATE: After UsMagazine.broke the news Tuesday, the couple released the following statement:

"After long and careful consideration on both our parts, we've decided to end our marriage. We entered our relationship with love and it's with love and kindness we leave it. While privacy isn't expected, it's certainly appreciated."

"They are being very civil about it," the source tells Us of the pair, noting that the spouses separated about two weeks ago.

PHOTOS: The biggest splits of 2010

                                          

Johansson, 26, began dating Reynolds, 34, in 2007; the stars announced their engagement in May 2008 and tied the knot that September in a remote wilderness retreat in Vancouver, B.C.

The source explains that Iron Man 2 star Johansson initiated the split. At issue? "The big problem with their relationship is the distance," says the source. "They spent a lot of time apart when they are working...She's been unhappy for a while."

PHOTOS: Hollywood's ugliest divorces

Johansson told Glamour last year that she's no expert on relationships. "I don't profess to know anything about marriage that anybody else doesn't know, or how to make it right," she told the mag.

Green Lantern star Reynolds, meanwhile, admitted in the October issue of GQ that things had "changed" since they got married. "I'm a little more guarded, I think. I'm a little bit more wary of having my relationship turning into a soap opera."

PHOTOS: Scarlett's surprising dating past

Still, he gushed at the time that marriage was the "best part" of his life.

For more on their sudden split, pick up the new Us Weekly, on stands Wednesday.

Dolphins send Jets to 2nd straight loss, 10-6

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Six days after getting flattened, the New York Jets were just plain flat.

The Miami Dolphins weren’t much better but kept their playoff hopes alive by turning two early turnovers into their only points in a 10-6 victory at a soggy New Meadowlands Stadium on Sunday.

The Jets (9-4) were coming off an embarrassing 45-3 loss at New England on Monday night, and coach Rex Ryan even buried a game ball in front of his team before practice to try to put that defeat behind them.

This one might leave an even more bitter taste in their mouths.

Much of the game was played in a downpour, which made for inept offense in the sloppy conditions. The Dolphins gained 132 yards, with Chad Henne passing for only 55, yet improved to 7-6.

Miami seemed to be the more inspired team after coming up to the New York area a day earlier than usual, practicing in the Giants’ facility over the weekend and even taking in a showing of “Lombardi” on Broadway.

The Jets moved the ball better, picking up 286 yards. But Mark Sanchez’s fumble led to the only touchdown, Brandon Marshall’s 6-yard reception in the first quarter. Earlier, Nolan Carroll’s interception set up Dan Carpenter’s 47-yard field goal.

By far the most effective player on the wet field was Dolphins punter Brandon Fields. He finished with 10 kicks for a 50-yard average. Nick Folk hit field goals of 35 and 42 yards for New York, which has lost two straight and faces tough road games at Pittsburgh and Chicago. For a team that has Super Bowl aspirations, the Jets are now two games behind the Patriots (11-2) in the AFC East.

The Jets won the coin toss and chose to receive rather than defer for the first time in Rex Ryan’s tenure. The defensive-minded coach said he would do that to let the offense get off to a faster start than it had the last several weeks. Instead, New York went three-and-out, and Sanchez was nearly intercepted by Sean Smith on third down.

The Jets started their second offensive series with a big mistake by Ben Hartsock, who was called for a personal foul for grabbing a facemask, making it first-and-25. Three plays later, Sanchez forced a pass to Santonio Holmes that Carroll easily picked off.

Miami took advantage, getting the 47-yarder from Carpenter to take a 3-0 lead midway through the opening quarter.

New York turned it over again on its next possession when Kendall Langford sacked Sanchez and forced the ball out, and Quentin Moses recovered at the Jets 26. Miami again capitalized as Henne found Marshall from 6 yards out between Bart Scott and Eric Smith in the end zone, giving the Dolphins a 10-0 lead with 2:48 left in the first quarter.

The Jets got the ball at the Dolphins 38 after a fumble in the second quarter, but in a play that summarized the day for New York, Holmes dropped a perfectly thrown pass while he was wide open in the left corner of the end zone on third down. New York settled for a 35-yarder by Folk to make it 10-3.

After the Jets started another drive in Miami territory following a fumble in the third quarter, New York went three-and-out to a chorus of boos from the rain-soaked crowd. Folk’s 42-yard field goal made it 10-6 with 5:21 remaining. But that was it for New York as the offense couldn’t do anything more, with the game sealed on a Dolphins sack on fourth-and-15 in the closing minute.

Roger Federer Down: Appreciating His Failures in 2010, Part 2

Roger Federer is my favorite world  tennis star.His spirit really moved me and I really admire him. This is the latest news about him.  I'd  like to it at there.

In part one of this series, I reflected on what great tennis Soderling had to play in Paris to break Federer’s astounding streak of 23 Grand Slam semi finals. In this piece I talk about the other match that sticks out to me when I look back at 2010, and why the result was a good thing for the sport—even if it came at the expense of a much awaited Federer-Nadal US Open final.

Djokovic vs. Federer, US Open Semi Final

The US Open final was arguably the better match. The first two and a half sets of the Djokovic-Nadal encounter were high quality, before Djokovic ran out of gas and the result was never in doubt. There was also the aspect of Nadal going for the Career Slam, and it made for a tremendous memory for the neutral.

The semi final, however, was more dramatic. Until the final Federer forehand had gone past the sideline, you couldn’t be sure of the outcome. The match had its ups and downs, with Djokovic drawing first blood and then Federer coming back to take the opening set. Sets two and four ended up with lopsided scores for Djokovic, which Federer admitted weeks later he put in half hearted efforts to in order to conserve energy for the final.

As a Federer fan, I had half an eye on the clock throughout. It would be a feast to see a Nadal against Federer final at the US Open, but a shame if Federer was to get there depleted of energy. Inevitably, it would also take away from a Nadal win if that came to be, with many fans and experts never quite giving the challenger enough credit. And that would be a shame considering that Nadal was fully capable of beating a fresh Federer.

The fifth set highlights

As it is, the evils of Super Saturday managed to bring down the quality of the match.

Federer refused to fight back in sets two and four, such was his confidence in his ability to turn it on at the right time. But Djokovic, with a finish line in sight, was up to the task.

The first four sets had lasted two and a half hours. Physically, it hadn’t been a most strenuous match. The winner would likely wrap it up in forty minutes or so and be fresh enough for the final. The stakes were high, and so were the adrenaline levels.

What followed was one of the most compelling sets of the year. What it might have lacked in quality at times, it made up for it with suspense and drama.

The rallies were wild. Djokovic tried to control center. Federer looked to dominate with his ‘fearhand.’ The Serb was equal to the task, bringing the best out of his own forehand. Federer served, scrambled and sliced to fend off the Djokovic onslaught. It worked, and then it didn’t.

At 3-3 it looked like Federer might crack under the pressure—he missed a sitter on game point, subsequently going down a break point. After multiple deuces, he managed to hang on. That looked to be the turning point as he continued to create chances on his return games.

Djokovic, whose nerve had failed him at crunch times in the first and third sets, refused to buckle. It couldn’t have been easy for him to believe he could beat Federer after having lost to him at the same venue the past three years. Perhaps that’s what helped him. Down a double match point, he swung for the fences with his “eyes closed” and struck clean forehand winners.

One shot I felt Federer did not make use of was the slice backhand up the line to Djokovic’s forehand. Djokovic’s forehand is more prone to breaking down than his backhand, and even though he was hitting it as well as he ever has that day, he was never made to deal with that nasty slice of Federer’s.

Instead Federer continued to use the slice cross court, which eventually wore out its effectiveness. Realizing that, he hit more topspin backhands, but those landed way too short and right into the Serb’s hitting zone. His forehand eventually capitulated and Djokovic got his break.

It was just the second time since 2003 that Federer had lost in three successive Slams, and as with any major defeat of his, another incredible streak came to an end. This time he was going for a 7^th successive US Open final appearance. And it would be the only time in those seven years that Nadal had finally made it.

But if tennis lost out on a Nadal-Federer final in New York, it gained back Djokovic. The Serb had settled for a second tier reputation for the past two years despite hanging around in the top four, unable to get to a Slam final since the 2008 Australian Open, not to mention a number of poor losses.

He needed a big win to rejuvenate him, and beating Federer at the mammoth Arthur Ashe was a great comeback stage. It was nice to see him breakthrough again.

Federer and Nadal’s choke hold on tennis is fun to watch, but its better when their closest peers are playing lights out, or in Djokovic’s case, with their eyes closed.