North Salem's Horse and Dog Whisperer Plans Game Launch

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By SUE GUZMAN (11/16/16)

(North Salem, NY) -- While meeting with Rob Blassberg on a biting, windy late October day recently, the K-9 Equine Consultant, who runs K9 Equine Consulting of Croton Falls, mused that he couldn't remember ever living without horses in his life.

Blassberg, who grew up in Brewster, had a family that raised horses and housed up to 21 veterans at their home on Tonetta Lake Road. His mother had a horse for riding and a pony. In 1974-75, the family purchased their first Standardbred. The veterans who were part of their lives for so many years, were taken in from the Montrose VA hospital and were permanent residents at his family's nine-acre homestead for 18 years. They came at a time in the mid 1980s when the hospital was filled to overflowing and looking for permanent homes for the vets. "I didn't have a typical childhood. But it was really one that was very rewarding and unique," said Blassberg.

As he was growing up, Blassberg's father owned and trained dozens of his own horses and ultimately housed them at Yonkers Raceway once the family sold the business and moved to another location in Brewster. 

Rob Blassberg's beloved horse, Quite a Tan, is a bit of a boomerang. His father purchased him in 1989 from a seller in New Jersey and owned him until he closed his stable in 1992. Quite a Tan went on to another owner who raced him at the Meadowlands, then to another in Delaware,

In 2006, Blassberg's wife, Kristi asked him what had happened to his old horses. Blassberg's father did some research of his own, and after asking around, he learned that Quite a Tan had been retired from racing and was living with several broodmares. 

Turns out, that owner was happy to hand Blassberg the reins with the hope that Quite a Tan would live his remaining years with him. So Blassberg borrowed a horse trailer, traveled to Delaware, and then 16 hours later Quite a Tan was back with him once again. 

He looked back with fondness on his and his family's relationship with horses. "We were like a family on a mission. We were like the Waltons in a lot of ways. For us, racing was such a unique thing and such a big part of our lives." 

As he got older and graduated from Brewster High School at 19, he decided to do something he loved, rather than go to college. "I figured it was time to find my own way and use my knowledge about Standardbreds. I understood them. I knew how to keep them happy, healthy and sound." He had no difficulty finding clients willing to utilize him for his expertise.

When asked about typical problems he encountered with horses, he responded, "A lot of the time, people don't get the horse that's right for them. A lot of people think the most elegant-looking animal is best for them. But just as individuals are unique, so are horses. Many people are attracted to thoroughbreds. They are built for speed. If you are a beginner, a standardbred is much easier to work with. They are calmer and much stabler mentally," Blassberg said.

He said routine is key with horses, "When I am able to help an owner understand that, it's a relief to the animal, it's a relief to the person, that they are both speaking the same language."

"Horses are incredibly intelligent. They need routines. They are so clever and detail-oriented that they can actually recognize if a portion of their fence is missing and will take advantage of that if given the opportunity.

Blassberg and his wife Kristi also have a great love of dogs and have fostered and rescued dozens of dogs since 2008, many of whom came from high-kill shelters, and helped place them in loving homes. He says his years of experience with rescue dogs has taught him a great deal and he has incorporated his first-hand experience in his canine consulting business as well. "I think I've rescued over 700 animals over the years," he explained. "We thought we were going to do about 30-35 a year, but then we realized the great need and the rescue just exploded. We took litters and litters of dogs. Dogs who were going to be euthanized, mothers with puppies and kittens. And, we drove out to Ohio and Tennessee numerous times to get these dogs."

He explained that most dogs were bred for a purpose and that if a household doesn't help either a dog or horse to fulfill that purpose, they begin to experience unhappiness, which leads to problems. His clients typically come within an hour's radius of his business in Croton Falls. 

In some instances, a problem is solved by simply observing the animal in its home. In one case, an owner was at wit's end over a dog who barked excessively and was on a constant state of alert, often acting aggressively, especially when new people came to the owner's home. After learning that the owner kept the dog's crate near the front of the house, he made the suggestion that it be placed further away from the front door. It was then, he said, that the dog realized he did not have to "protect the house" and things normalized in the family's household.

In addition to rescuing, rehabilitating and helping train dogs, Blassberg and his wife would rescue horses. They would "pull" horses from auctions where they would often be sold off at low prices only to go to slaughter. 

One message he shares with many of his equine and canine clients is that the animals need a strong leader, adding "If you don't have that confidence they are stubborn." 

Rescuing horses was the impetus behind Blassberg's newest project, which is the creating of a multi-player, internet-based horse racing game called "It's Post Time," a game he says will also carry a humane message to players that "horses are not expendable."

The game will permit players to purchase horses, but not from auctions, Blassberg says. Players will also be able to buy farms, set up barns and training rings, and participate in races. As they go on to win, they can then use their purse money to individualize their experience such as purchase additional horses, and virtual equine supplies to participate in races and customize their stables. 

"There will be 10 race cards an hour, so everyone has the ability to play throughout the world," explained Blassberg.

He says It's Post Time will also allow players to socialize in a virtual casino where they can spend their in-game coins and potentially increase their fortunes. And, when the horses have to retire at the end of their career, they will be sent to a rescue, not an auction, according to Blassberg.

"We are getting a lot of positive feedback about the game," he explained. "It has something for everyone: wagering, racing and rescue. It's very pro-animal. There are no whips, accidents or anything negative in the game. Anyone who loves animals will see that it's a humane racing game that will benefit real animals.