Midwest Horse Digest November 2009

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Happy Thanksgiving to all,October was filled with lots of horse related activities. Rahn, the publisher of Midwest Horse

Digest, spent a week down in Texas at the 2009 IALHA National Championships and came backwith all kinds of ribbons and trophies. See the special note and pictures on page 27.

We spent a weekend at Equifest in St. Paul, MN. It was a fun event and we would like to con-gratulate Tracy Porter on winning the Extreme Trail Challenge. It was exciting to watch and itappeared that the contestants were having a lot of fun also. Remembering the little tricks of thecourse and the pattern seem to be the toughest part of the challenge, but it looked like the rid-ers and the crowd all enjoyed the event.

Hats off to Dennis Auslam on winning the Colt Starting Challenge, which was also part of theEquifest. The contestants were 4 very talented trainers - Dennis, TJ Clibborn, Dave Robart andSteve Smith. It was really interesting to watch the different methods each trainer used. No twowere alike and each of the horses had a completely different temperament also. They all did afine job. One of the most interesting parts of the challenge was Saturday evening when all fourtrainers came up and joined the crowd for a Q&A session. It appeared that the audience liked italso.

The holidays and the cold weather are quickly moving in. We are still hoping for a warmerthan usual fall and winter though, so we all can get a little more riding in without having to bun-

dle up so much that it ishard to move around letalone get in the saddle.No laws against hoping,ya know!

It is our sincere wishduring this upcoming hol-iday season you areovercome with blessingsand we send each andeveryone of you a ton ofgood wishes.

From all of us hereat Midwest Horse Digest~ Take care andGod Bless!

Colt Starting Challenge Participants at Equifest - from left to right:Dennis Auslam, Dave Robart, Steve Smith and TJ Clibborn


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13 Three Technicians at Wisconsin’s School of Veterinary Medicine Gain SpecialtyCertification

NEWS23 AHC Supports Bill to Complete America’s

National Scenic Trails23 Report Equestrian Trails Closures Access

Issues on Federal LandHEALTH26 Equine Colic: The #1 Cause of

Premature DeathLAW30 Legal Aspects of Selling a Horse by

Katherine Bloomquist

31 Sport Horse Nationals

HOLIDAY SHOPPING - page 28 & 29

Of InterestOf Interest

midwestmidwest

HHorseorseDDigestigest

15 Equine Central 31 Upcoming Events32 Advertisers Index32 Traders Corner33 Photo Classifieds34 Classifieds

Special SectionsSpecial Sections

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ContentsContents

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EqEquine VIPuine VIP

WWeesstterer n Pn Pleleaa susurree

TTrrainainining wig witth th toodd ayay’’s Ts Toop Tp Trrainerainerss

DD rreesssage - Esage - Ennglisglishh

6 Competitive Trail Obstaclesby Ken McNabb with Katherine Lindsey Meehan

8 Meeting the Horse’s Need for Relief: A Key to Successful Trainingby Chris Cox with Cynthia McFarland

10 Improving Your Seat and Balance in the Saddleby Craig Cameron

12 Keeping Your Horse Soft and Supple, Disengagement of the Shoulders..., part 2by Dennis Auslam

14 Loping Perfect Circles, Fast and Slowby Bob Jeffreys and Suzanne Sheppard

16 Backing Up Your Horseby Tommy Garland

17 Five Biggest Western Pleasure Mistakesby Jennifer Lindgren

18 Be the Rider Your Horse Deserves - Beginning Ground Training, part 2by Lynn Palm

19 Ask Mary: What is the best method to mount and dismount your horse?by Mary Hamilton

20 Reined Cow Horse Events Consist of Cutting, Reining and Fence Workby Monty Bruce

NOVEMBER 2009 - Happy Holidays!

TTrraiai l Hl Hoorrsese22 EEK! Something is coming up behind me!

by Tracy Porter

24 Rex Peterson talks with Equine VIPby Susan Ashbrooke

Cover photo by Shelley Giacomini, [email protected], www.baroquefarmsusa.com


http://www.baroquefarmsusa.com




W h e t h e ryou compete in trail

classes or not, trailobstacle courses are a great way to get yourhorse used to a lot of things and have fun. Inthis month’s article, we’re going to review ninecommon trail obstacles and how I like to seethem approached when I am judging a trailclass. These are my personal opinions on howI like to see things done. Keep in mind thateach judge will have a slightly different view onthings.

The first trail obstacle we’ll cover is logs.This usually consists of multiple logs one after

the other. Your horse is supposed tostep over the logs calmly and quietly.I like to see a horse hesitate slightlybefore each log to show he is payingattention and is aware that there issomething in front of him. He shouldstep over each log willingly and careful-ly, staying flexed in the poll the entiretime. I don’t like to see a horse rushingover the logs or jumping them I alsodon’t like to see a horse walking overthe logs with his nose stuck out andbraced against the bridle.

Next, we’ll cover the back up box.This obstacle is a rectangular box thatis open on one of the narrow ends. Yourgoal is to walk your horse in to thebox, stop, and back him out, all withoutstepping out of the box or hitting thesides. I like to see a horse stay softand flexed in the poll throughout theexercise, and a rider who sits upstraight and tall, looking ahead. I don’tlike to see a rider who looks down

and back as their horse is backing up. Thisthrows your horse off balance and makes himmore likely to step out of the box, and makesthe rider seem less confident in their horse.I also don’t like to see a horse step out of thefar end of the box before halting and backingup. The horse should back up smoothly, withoutthe rider pulling or jerking on the reins.

Our third obstacle is the bridge. This canbe over water but is frequently over dryground. Your horse should step calmly on tothe bridge, take his time walking over, and stepoff calmly and quietly. I don’t like to see ahorse stepping off the side of the bridge or

rushing to get on and off the bridge. Be surenot to look off your horse’s side to see where thebridge is under you as that will throw yourhorse off balance and can cause him to stepoff the side. I also don’t like to see a rider kicktheir horse at the last minute when they arejust stepping on to the bridge. That tells methat they are not sure if their horse is going toquit, and tends to make the horse rush on tothe bridge.

Our fourth obstacle is a large tire full offine gravel. This duplicates a spot in the trailwhere your horse needs to step up on tosomething. As with the logs, I like to see ahorse hesitate slightly before stepping up onto the tire. That lets me know he is aware ofwhat he is doing. You should halt your horsewith all four feet on top of the tire, then askhim to step down. He should do all this calmlyand quietly. I don’t like to see a horse chargeup to the tire, rush over the top, and stepdown without halting. The halt on top of thetire shows me, as a judge, that the riderhas complete control of their horse.

Our fifth obstacle is the side pass poles.This is just a pole on the ground, and yourhorse needs to side pass the length of it downand back. I want to see a horse side passcalmly and correctly, with his body even andsquare. He should be flexed in the poll, andhis legs should be crossing over as hemoves sideways, not just moving over to meeteach other. The rider should be sitting straightand confidently in the saddle.

Our sixth obstacle is the compass. This isa pole or a two by four, about 12 feet long,with a loop of rope through one end that can beused as a handle. Both ends of the poleshould be sitting on barrels. Your job is to ride upto one end of the pole, pick it up by the handle,and ride your horse in an even circle so thatthe other end of the pole stays on the secondbarrel. You ride a complete circle, and set thepole back on the barrel where you picked itup in the first place. I like to see the horsemaintain a nice even arc throughout theentire circle, and maintain an even speed.The other end of the pole should not move onthe barrel. The rider should sit straight, withoutleaning in, and should not drop their end ofthe pole or pull the opposite end of the pole offthe barrel.

Our seventh obstacle is the tire drag. Youtake a rope with a tire attached, dally (wrap)the rope around your saddle horn, and drag thetire to a set location. I look for a rider to dallythe rope correctly, with their thumb up, and tohold their hand correctly near their belt buckle.In my opinion, the rider should keep aneye on the object they are dragging. When yougo to leave the drag at the drop location, coilthe rope neatly and hang it on the designatedhook. Before leaving the drag, I like the rider to

Competitive TrailObstacles

By Ken McNabb with Katherine Lindsey Meehan

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http;//www.kenmcnabb.com

stop their horse, face the tire, and back up afew steps. This shows me that the horse is awareof the object they are dragging. You will losepoints if your horse is afraid of the draggingobject, or if the rider drops the rope.

Our eighth obstacle is the rain coat. I like tosee the rider brush the coat over the horse’sneck and hind end. The horse should not beafraid of the rain coat. It is very important tome that the rider NOT drop both reins andswing the rain coat over their head to put iton. Doing it this way is a huge safety hazard. Ifyour horse spooked, bolted, or bucked whenboth your arms were halfway in to the coatabove your head, you would have no way ofstopping him. The rider should take the reinson one hand, put the other arm though thecoat, then switch the reins to the other hand andput that arm in to the coat. Repeat this processwhen taking the coat off.

Our ninth obstacle is the gate. It is veryimportant that you keep a hand on the gatefrom the time you open it to the time youclose it. There are two ways of opening thegate. You can either push the gate away fromyou, ride through it, and back your horse upto shut it, or you can pull the gate towardsyou, ride through, and side pass to close it.Either way is acceptable. I suggest you pick theway that your horse seems more comfortableand stick with that. Your horse should be quietthrough this entire process, and should not beafraid of the gate.

Generally you will get points added if youcan complete all these exercises riding withonly one hand on the reins.

To sum it up, here are the key points thatI look for in a competitive trail horse and rider:

The horse should be calm, and thinkingabout what he is doing.

The rider should be focused, sitting straightand upright and looking ahead.

I like to see control both in the rider’sbody position and in their communication withtheir horse.

The rider should demonstrate a consciouseffort to maintain the highest level of safetyfor themselves and their horse at all times.

Make up your own trail courses at home,practice, and have a good time. Until next time,may God bless the trails you ride.

For more information on Ken McNabb’sprograms call us at 307-645-3149 or go towww.kenmcnabb.com.


http://www.kenmcnabb.com

http;//www.acetack.com

http://www.mnhorsecouncil.org



Ask ad o z e n

h o r s eowners what

their horses mostappreciate and you’ll likely get a dozen differentanswers.

Some would say treats or food, others mightthink a good rubdown or scratch session wouldbe the best reward. Then you’ll have owners whothink praises and petting are what horses want,or maybe a lazy trail ride down to the creek toplay in the water.

While all of these scenarios might be pleas-ant, none of them represent what the horse him-self values most.

“The gift of relief is the greatest gift you cangive your horse,” says horseman and clinician

Chris Cox. “Once you understand this and appre-ciate how important relief is to the horse, you canbegin to make great strides in your training.”

Hunt for ReliefPressure plays a key role in training hors-

es. This pressure can come from your leg,seat, hand, rein or spur. It can also be

pressure from your physical presencethat the horse reads through yourbody language and expression,even when you aren’t touching him.Because horses learn throughrelief of pressure, the timing ofrelief is critical to successfultraining. A wise horseman knows

when to give that relief so thehorse learns in a positive way.

Once the horse sees that reliefcomes from you, he will always look

to you for relief.“All a horse really wants is relief,”

Cox explains. “To him, relief is betterthan praise, petting or treats. This iswhy you always want to make sureyou are giving the horse a clear path-way in right direction by giving himrelief at the right moment.”

When you put pressure on thehorse – whether that is your pres-ence as you approach on theground, or your seat, leg or handwhen you are riding – the horseresponds to that pressure. The keyis releasing the pressure IMMEDI-ATELY when the horse respondscorrectly. This tells him he’s donesomething right. The horse quicklylearns to seek that relief of pres-sure and this becomes a major

building block in his education.Keep in mind that relief of pressure can also

work in a negative way. Consider a horse thathas the bad habit of rearing up. No matter why hestarted rearing, the end result is usually thesame: the rider gets frightened and loosens hisgrip on the reins so he can grab the saddle to tryand stay on. All the horse learns is that the pres-sure on his mouth goes away when he rears. Ifhe realizes that the relief he’s craving comeswhen he rears, he’s going to keep rearing untilsomeone is able to show him how to find relief ofpressure another way.

Finding Answers“I believe it’s very important to set up training

situations so the horse finds his own answers,”says Cox. “I am always setting boundaries for thehorse to help him find relief but I want him to findthe answers himself. I don’t want to tell him whatto do every minute.”

For example, if Cox is teaching lateral flex-

ion, he never pulls the horse’s head to the side oruses mechanical devices to hold the horse’shead in a certain position.

“Pulling creates resistance, so I just hold myhand still where I want the horse to ‘give’ to thatpressure,” Cox notes. “As soon as the horsegives, I immediately release my hand so he hasrelief of pressure because this is how horseslearn. I make it easy for him to find the position Iwant because I give him relief as soon as he getsto that position.”

When you handle relief of pressure in theright way, you will create softness and willingnessin your horse. It becomes the horse’s idea torespond correctly because you have set upboundaries that lead him to the right answers.This is so important because you want the horseto be willing mentally, not just physically.

Anytime you’re working with a horse,whether it is a young, inexperienced horse, or anolder horse you are reschooling, you can expecthim to use what he has already learned aboutseeking relief. Make sure to give relief quicklyand at the right time, and you will end up with ahorse that is a willing, happy partner who wantsto please.

Up Close with Chris Cox Ranch-raised in Australia, Chris came to the

United States in 1986 to make a career of work-ing with horses. Years of working horseback onthe ranch near Queensland gave Chris a healthyrespect for the horse's ability and intelligence,and helped him develop his own methods of indi-vidualized training.

Active in the cutting horse world as both atrainer and competitor, Chris has trained a varietyof breeds for different disciplines. He travels theUnited States, Canada, South America andAustralia appearing at expos, conducting clinicsand horsemanship demonstrations. His “ComeRide the Journey’ tour takes him to cities acrossthe U.S. each year. Chris offers week-long inten-sive horsemanship clinics at his Outback Ranchin Mineral Wells, Texas.

Western Horseman recently released Ridethe Journey, by Chris Cox with CynthiaMcFarland, a 225-page, full color book thatdetails Chris’ practical methods and training tech-niques. Packed with step-by-step exercises andcolor photos, the book will help you improve yourhorsemanship skills, no matter what discipline orbreed you ride.

Visit www.chris-cox.com or call Chris CoxHorsemanship Company at 1-888-81-HORSE forinformation about the Ride the Journey book,upcoming course dates and appearances, equip-ment and training DVDs.

Meeting the Horse’s Need for Relief:A Key to Successful Trainingby Chris Cox with Cynthia McFarland


http://www.chris-cox.com




“Sitting relaxed and in rhythm with your horse arethe hallmarks of a good seat”

Seat Exercises - Here’s a series of exercisesyou can do to improve your seat and balance inthe saddle. You assume differ-ent positions thathelp you developa oneness withyour horse andacquire what’sknown as a “goodseat.”

When you’re sit-ting correctly on ahorse, there shouldbe a straight line fromyour ear, to the middleof your shoulder, to thehip arid down to yourheel. Your legs should-n’t be too far forward orback, but in alignmentwith your body. Theyshould hang comfortablyaround your horse, not stiffand stuck out away fromhis body. Your knees shouldrest against your horse. Let your legs fall in a nat-ural position, often described as “sitting in achair.” Only then are you able to use your legs,one of the best aids you have and one of theleast used, I think.

These exercises can be done at a walk, trotand canter and either inside or outside an arena,but I think they’re best learned in a 50- or 60-footround corral. In the beginning, as you’re learning,use your saddle; later you can do them ridingbareback, as well. Bareback riding really helpsdevelop your strength, confidence and balance.

Start with a helper in the middle of the penwho makes sure your horse moves forward andalong the rail. It’s as if he or she were longing thehorse on an imaginary longe line. In time, youshould be able to perform these exercises with-out help, but in the beginning it’s beneficial tohave an assistant.

Seat-Correction Exercise - You won’t useyour reins for the seat correction exercise. Tiethem in a knot (say, around the saddle horn or ina keeper) so they won’t fall to the ground, buthave them handy if you feel your horse gettingout of control. However, don’t tie the reins soshort that they contact your horse. They shouldbe loose, even floating. If your horse extendshimself, you don’t want him to bump into the bit.

Ride around the pen to the left. Walk at firstand work up to a trot and canter. Be comfortablewith this exercise before continuing with the oth-ers. Put your left hand behind you and hold the

saddle’s cantle and your right hand on the saddlehorn. Literally pull yourself down to where youhave a very secure feeling that oneness where

you feel really connected to yourhorse.

When your horse trots orcanters, you shouldn’t bouncein the saddle. To do this exer-cise, learn to use your legsand your back, the last 6inches of your spine. Movewith your horse’s move-ment; feel it.

When traveling tothe left, you might havea tendency to lean tothe inside or dropyour left shoulder.Instead, sit upstraight. Pretendthere’s a carpen-ter’s level on yourback. The bubbleshould stay right in the mid-

dle. When you lean, your horsetends to lean in the same direction and drops hisshoulder. He travels crooked and is unbalanced.

If you find yourself with a strong tendency tolean to the inside, try looking to the outside. Thatactually picks up your shoulder.

Any time you feel out of control during thefollowing seat exercises, immediately return tothe seat-correction position. That way you canright yourself and regain control.

Crossed-Arms Exercise - In the crossed-arms exercise, you don’t use your hands for bal-ance or support in the saddle. With your legsstraight down underneath you, wrapped aroundyour horse with a “soft hug” so you’re one withyour horse, cross your arms on your chest. Sinkyour weight into your stirrups to help you sit deepon your horse.

Walk, trot and eventually canter using justyour seat bones and legs to keep you secure inyour saddle. Don’t sit stiffly. You’ll need to useyour back and spine in rhythm to move with yourhorse.

In a left-lead canter, you’ll feel your left legslightly forward and your right leg slightly back. Ina right lead, you’ll feel your right leg slightly for-ward and your left leg slightly back. Your body ismoving in rhythm and in time with the horse’scorresponding lead.

Arms-Out Exercise - Next, stick your armsstraight out to your sides. Find yourself flowingwith your horse’s movement. This excellent exer-cise helps you find your balance on a horse. Aword of caution: Some horses might spook at thesudden thrusting of arms into their line of sight. Ifit spooks your horse, stop and slowly extend your

arms until be can acceptthem out to the sides.

Most people balancethemselves on the reins,which in reality is balancingon the horse’s head andmouth. That destroys ahorse’s rein responses, andyou’ll lose the soft feel youtried so hard to develop inyour horse’s mouth. In allthese no-rein exercises,you’ll have to balance withyour body, seat and legs.

Often in this exercise,people lean forward. Don’t get your upper bodyover your horse’s withers, unless you’re ridinguphill, jumping, racing or roping. When you tip

forward, you encourage your horse tospeed up. Don’t sit back

either. Simplysit up straightin a naturalposition.

T w i s tExercise - Oncethe arms-outposition is com-fortable, add a lit-tle twist to it. Twistyour spine rightand then left. Lookover your right andleft shoulders. Youalso can cross yourarms on your chestand perform this exer-

cise. It really loosensyour torso and helps withany stiffness in yourbody.

No-Stirrups Exercise - If you find yourself stillbouncing too much, kick your feet out of your stir-rups. You’ll really have to use your seat and legsto sit down on your horse. You’ll have no choice.Do this exercise even if you aren’t bouncingaround in the saddle a lot. It’s a great balancingact and leg-strengthener.

Safety is a key ingredient when riding and isalways first, so make sure you’re safe and won’tfall off when you take your feet out of the stirrups.Riding without stirrups teaches you to use yourlegs as much or more than anything else.Maintain quiet contact with your legs and use asoft touch; that’s why I call it a “hug.” Your thighs,knees and calves should be against your horse.

When I say leg, I don’t mean feet. Use yourfeet as aids in turning or increasing speed onlyas needed.

Close-Your-Eyes Exercise - The ultimate isto perform any of these exercises with your eyesclosed. When you close your eyes, you reallyhave to feel your horse physically, mentally andemotionally. You won’t have your sight to dependon, and you’ll have to learn to feel your horse.This is a terrific confidence-builder.

All these exercises help you to become moreloose, limber, balanced and relaxed on yourhorse.

Excerpt with permission out of Craig’s book,Ride Smart, by Craig Cameron with Kathy Swan.Photos by John Brasseaux.

You can order Craig’s book and DVD’s atwww.CraigCameron.com

“Smart riding is making sure you can ride again tomorrow.”

EQUITATION, DEVELOPING A GOOD SEAT

Impoving Your Seat &Balance in the Saddleby Craig Cameron

Place your arms out to your sides, but

be careful when you do. Some

horses spook at the sudden move-

ment. Bring your arms out slowly to

accustom your horse to the sight.

Cross your arms on your chest and

feel the rhythm of the horse ndermeath you.


http;//www.craigcameron.com


http://www.arenatrailers.com



In our last article I explained how to go aboutsuppling the horse at the jaw or face, the poll, theneck and the hip. Now let’s move on and work atunlocking or disengaging the shoulders. All theindividual maneuvers that I have written aboutwill be tied together to create that soft, supplehorse. The proper education of the horse equalsrelaxation and a willing horse.

You will want to halter your horse, I prefer arope halter and my lead ropes are approximately12 foot in length. If your horse has some pent upenergy when you are starting you may want tolunge them to get rid of some of that energy andget them focused on you.

We will start on the left side of the horse, leadrope in the left hand. Facing the horses shoulder,tip the nose slightly in to the left, my goal is to gethim to step over, away from me, with the left legcrossing in front of the right leg. To achieve that Iwill put pressure on his shoulder with the tip ofmy thumb. If those legs are banging into eachother you are going to need to keep trying, he willget better with practice. You also want to makesure you are not completely taking the forwardaway from him. You may have to move with him

to allow him the space to cross the left over theright. It is all a matter of timing and you will haveto practice this. You may also find that he willwant to move his hip. That is okay for now.Horses are basically lazy and if given the oppor-tunity they will find the easiest way to achievewhat you are asking them to do with the leastamount of energy.

At this point we are not asking him for morethan one step. Remember, it is one step, releaseand praise. Then it is two steps, release andpraise, then 3 and so on....

Our long range goal, after lots of practice, isto be able to turn the horse 360 degrees withminimal movement of the hip and minimal resist-ance. Eventually you should be able to move thehorses shoulder with just your body communica-tion, not even touching his shoulder.

When we have the horse soft and supple atthe hip, the poll, jaw and the neck , and nowadding the accomplishment of softening theshoulder, we can move on to the ribcage.

Again, lets start by standing on the left sideof the horse. this time positioning your shoulderjust a little behind the shoulder of the horse. Weare going to encourage the horse to walk for-ward, maintaining your position next to the horse.We want a slow walk, not a crawl, but just a slowwalk. With the lead rope in the left hand, as weare walking forward, apply a little bit of pressurewith our right hand, palm or fist, at about thepoint where our calf would lay if we were on thehorse. Be patient and keep applying pressure.We are asking the horse to move laterally, or tothe right, as we also move forward and our goal

is to get his left rearleg to hit approxi-mately the positionthat his right front legjust left.

We want a horsethat is capable of

moving fluidly forward, as well as laterally, at thesame time and with little effort. This takes time,practice and patience, as the horse learns andbuilds the necessary muscle to do theseexercises efficiently and smoothly.

Again, remember, we are not asking foranything more, in the beginning, than one step,release pressure and praise, then two, then threeand so on....

When you have all these exercisesaccomplished and your horse is doing them wellyou are on your way to building a very maneuver-able, athletic, willing and trusting relationship withyour horse and you will have a horse that ispaying attention to your body movements. Sincewe should be riding with our bodies and onlyassisting with our hands, the more you practicethese exercises, the more your horseunderstands what you are asking for justby watching you or by feeling your body cue.

If at any point you have questions concerningthese exercises or the maneuver I am trying toexplain, please feel free to call me. It is importantto teach these exercises to your horse and tolearn how to do it correctly, so if there is aquestion I want to clarify it for you.

Some of you heard I had a bad accidentabout a month ago and was helicoptered to thetrauma center in the Cities. God was watchingover me and I feel very blessed. I would like tothank everyone for their prayers and their cards.I would also like to encourage you to not take lifeso seriously and spend more time enjoying it. Iwould also like to state that it doesn’t matter howlong you have been working with horses, profes-sional or amateur, be careful, accidents happen,but many can be avoided when we place our pri-orities on safety first.

October 24 and 25 I was able to compete atthe Colt Starting Challenge at Equifest in St.Paul, MN and won the Challenge. It was a goodcompetition and I had the honor of competingagainst some very talented trainers, DaveRobart, Steve Smith, TJ Clibborn and myself. Itwas interesting to see the different techniquesthat where used and if you watched you couldsee that each colt was different, even thoughthey were the same age and out of similar blood-lines. I always learn something participating inthese kind of events and it is always encouragingto win against such strong competitors.

I would also like to welcome Blairview SaddleShop as a new sponsor and thank them forcoming aboard. Blairview Saddle Shop is locatedin Alexandria, MN and you can find them onlineat www.blairviewsaddle.com.

Dennis Auslam of Redwood Stables inMorton, MN, trains both the horse and the riderthrough lessons and clinics. He runs a regularschedule of clinics for Confidence Building,Horsemanship and Cattle Work, including RopingClinics and has recently added a Challenge TrailCourse to his facility.

Call 507-430-0342 or email him [email protected] You can visithis website at www.redwoodstables.com formore information.

Keeping Your Horse Soft and Supple

Disengagement of the Shoulders and the RibcagePart 2 - by Dennis Auslam


http://www.blairviewsaddle.com


http://www.redwoodstables.com

http;//www.blairviewsaddle.com

MADISON – Three certified veterinary techni-cians (CVTs) at the UW-Madison School ofVeterinary Medicine recently attained specialtycertification in anesthesia.

In addition to an examination, Kate Lafferty(Basco, Wis.), Jessica Wendt (Lodi, Wis.), andDenise Young (Madison, Wis.) had to completea minimum of 4,500 hours of anesthesia carefor patients. They also had to submit 50 caselogs and four in-depth case reports todemonstrate superior mastery of patient careand handling skills. The reports must includehigh-risk and life-threatening cases as wellas routine anesthetic procedures.

To date, about 125 individuals worldwidehave attained Veterinary Technician Specialist(Anesthesia) certification. Nine are in Wisconsin.

“Becoming a Veterinary Technician Specialistis a great accomplishment for these technicians,”says Dr. Lesley Smith, a board certifiedveterinary anesthesiologist at the VeterinaryMedical Teaching Hospital and Section Head forAnesthesiology. “These technicians are trainedby working closely with three board-certifiedveterinary anesthesiologists to provide the mostexceptional and progressive anesthetic carepossible. By virtue of this training and theadvanced skills of these anesthesia technicians,we are able to offer clients and patients a uniqueservice in the School of Veterinary Medicine’sAnesthesia Section.”

Vet Techs Earn Specialty Certification At the School of Veterinary Medicine, anes-

thesia technicians handle and anesthetize allanimal species, including dogs, cats, horses,cows, and exotic animals.

“There are inherent risks to anesthesia andthese risks increase with patient disease, age,or complicated surgical procedures as well,” Dr.

Smith says. “At the UW we can offer specializedanesthetic management for a wide variety ofpatients that present with advanced medicalconditions, as well as the healthy patientsthat come in for elective procedures, such asdentistry, spays, etc. We need the most highly-trained professionals possible. Thus, we are able

to offer clients a service many other practices areunable to offer.”

The qualifying examination is given onceannually.This year’s exam was held inChicago in September in conjunction with theInternational Veterinary Emergency andCritical Care Symposium.


Three Technicians at Wisconsin’s School of VeterinaryMedicine Gain Specialty Certification

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As we continue our series on the Wind RiderCompetition challenges, one in particular reallyshows off your partnership with your horse.We’re talking about loping large, fast and small,slow circles taken from the world of reining.There’s almost nothing sweeter than watching areally large, fast circle dialed down to a nice,easy, slow canter within a defined area, without astrong pull on the reins or an abrupt jolting of therider. So how do we get there?

First, we’ll assume that your horse can lopeon cue in the correct lead, and that you are ridingcorrectly, in good balance, without leaning in orsending unclear signals. Be sure to look out onyour circle about 20-25 feet, i.e. focus on the nextquarter of the circle you’re riding, not the quarterthat you are on. This will send your focus clearlyout, helping your horse to succeed. Then we willneed to teach him to “guide” willingly. What wemean here is that when you put him on a circle,he will stay on it with little or no help from you.When you first start to teach this lesson what willnormally happen is that your horse will either driftout of your circle, effectively making it larger, or

“fall in” toward the middle ofyour circle, making it smaller.We don’t want to constantlybe correcting either or bothof these faults. So let’s saywe want to ride a 75’ circle,and our horse starts to driftoutside that diameter(toward the gate, or one ofhis buddies, or for whateverother reason), we need toturn him toward the inside ofthe circle fairly abruptly, and

ride a straight line right across the center to theo p p o s i t eside of ouri n t e n d e dcircle, andthen re-enter thecircle gen-tly. Everytime hedrifts out.We turnhim inside,ride as t r a i g h tline acrossthe centerto the other side, and resume the circle. We donot change directions or leads .This worksbecause it makes your horse work harder whenhe drifts than he would have to if he stayed on thecircle. Make the right thing easy and the wrongthing difficult…hmmm, sounds familiar, doesn’tit?

To handle the horse “falling in” to the middle,

we use a similar but slightly different approach.As he falls in we immediately straighten him outby turning him outside, and then ride a straightline to the nearest point where we can re-enterour circle. We don’t cross the center this timebecause that would be taking him where hewanted to go in the first place. Rather, as he fallsin, we turn him outside, and then ride a straightline back to our circle.

When we want to change the size of ourcircle from large to small, or vice versa, we cansimply use our reins and legs accordingly. Whenhe is on the new circle that we want to ride wecan leave him alone. Staying on the circle

becomes his reward and we won’t con-stantly have to baby sit him by makingcontinuous adjustments.

To speed up, push your hand(s) just abit forward, bring your shoulders a littleforward, speed up your driving seat, andgenerally “up” your entire body energy. To

slow down gently sit back, just to the point whereyour body is now straight; do not lean backward.This should also bring your hand(s) back to a nor-mal riding position. Reduce your driving seat andlower your body energy.

Loping circles is great fun in and of itself, butwhen you add in large, fast, small, slow, allguiding effortlessly, it becomes a thrill to ride.Until next month, when we will introduce yetanother challenge, ride safe!

© Two as One, LLC 9/09. Bob Jeffreys andSuzanne Sheppard travel nationwide teachingpeople how to bring out the best in their horses.Their homebase is Bob’s Two as One Ranch inMiddletown, NY. For info about Bob & Suzanne’sWind Rider Challenge, private horse training les-sons, riding lessons, clinics, DVDs, books,Horsemanship Ed Courses and ProTrack™Trainer Certification Programs please visitTwoasOneHorsemanship.com or call 845-692-7478.

Versatility Training Part 3:

Loping PerfectCircles Fast and Slow

By Bob Jeffreys & Suzanne Sheppard

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Horse QuotesThere is something about the outside of ahorse that is good for the inside of a man.

~Winston Churchill

Horse sense is the thing a horse has whichkeeps it from betting on people. ~W.C.

Fields

Riding: The art of keeping a horse betweenyou and the ground. ~Author Unknown

It is not enough for a man to know how toride; he must know how to fall. ~Mexican

Proverb

The wagon rests in winter, the sleigh in sum-mer, the horse never. ~Yiddish Proverb

Many people have sighed for the 'good olddays' and regretted the 'passing of the horse,'but today, when only those who like horsesown them, it is a far better time for horses.

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Backing up is an unnatural gait for horsesbecause they naturally want to move forward.The process of teaching a horse to back up willtake Confidence, Patience and Respect (CPR)as some horses will undoubtedly learn fasterthan others. Horses that are particularly heavyand/or not soft in the bridle or horses that havevery little lateral or vertical flexion can be more ofa challenge to teach. These important steps willhelp you and your horse successfully accomplishbacking up.

Step One:The first step in teaching yourhorse to back up begins with good ground work.Put a halter on your horse and gently pull backwhile simultaneously clucking. If your horsedoesn’t take a step back, get a bat or crop andtap on his chest with constant pressure. As soonas he takes one step back, immediately releasethe pressure and praise him Keep repeating thisstep until he easily takes five or six stepsbackwards. Eventually when he feels your handapply pressure and begin to pull his halter back-wards, he will anticipatewhat you want and start toback up.

If you have a difficulthorse to work with, youmay consider using achain in conjunction withyour halter. As you pullthe halter backwards,you will also be applyingconstant pressure withchain. Please remem-ber that constant pres-sure does not meanharder. You need tokeep the pressure softand gentle as well as steady. Again,some horses learn easier than others and differ-ent horses will react differently to this process. Achain is simply a tool that may be beneficial inworking with a more difficult horse.

Step Two: Once your horse is backing upconsistently on the ground, it is time to move intothe saddle. To begin this step, sit in the saddle,have your hands offset (hold one hand back far-ther than the other one and apply pressure withthe other hand) and ask your horse to back up byclucking. If you pull back equally with both reinsyou give your horse the opportunity to take the bitand push against it. Offsetting your hands alsooffsets the bit in his mouth and eliminates thepossibility of him bracing against it. Rememberthat each time he takes a step back, release thepressure and offer him praise.

Note: Some horses might fight for their heador try to rear up in response to backwardpressure in their mouth from the bit. If thishappens, don’t just pull back harder, give andtake with the pressure and you will get a better

response and possibly avoid a mishap. Step Three: Once your horse understands

the first two steps in the process of backing up,you are ready to add leg pressure. This step willallow your horse to round his back and usehis hind end better when he’s backing up.

Tip: Taking your horse into a corner can alsoaid in teaching him to back up. Horses willnaturally back out of a corner, but may tryto escape to the right or left so it’s important tofind a quiet corner in your barn or arena towork in. For your safety and the safety of your

horse, keep his focus on you and bepatient and confident inyour and your horse willrespond in a positivemanner.

And finally: Verballyasking your horse to backis another simple butimportant step in teachingyour horse to back. Horsesrespond to many thingsand voice commands areno exception. Saying“Back” in conjunction withthe steps outlined above willreinforce what you’re asking

your horse to do.If after following these steps, your horse is

still having difficulty learning to back, consideringgoing back to Step One and repeating andreinforcing the groundwork. In addition, horsesthat are used to long lines can be driven forwardor taught to back up using the long lines and wewill explore that process in an upcoming article

Communicating with your horse in aconfident and patient manner will garner positiveresults and your horse will react in a morerespectful and responsive manner. Remember,“CPR Horsemanship” when working with yourhorse…. Confidence, Patience and Respect.

About Tommy Garland: Tommy Garland has ridden horses all his

life and credits his trainer father, also namedTommy with teaching him much of what helearned early on about horsemanship. Tommyhas spent the past 30 years training not onlyArabians and Half-Arabians but Quarter Horses,Tennessee Walking Horses, Paints and Mules aswell. His techniques have been universallyaccepted, respected and utilized by horseowners of all breeds & disciplines.

In addition to his popular TV show, “CPR ForThe Horse & Rider” on RFD TV, Tommyregularly participates at clinics, expos and otherequestrian events throughout the United States,Canada and Brazil. Tommy is a regular contribu-tor to several popular equine publications and hisonline clinics and training DVD’s are valuableresources for any who loves horses!

Tommy resides in Virginia with his wifeDawn and children, Samantha, Katie andTBird (Tommy Jr.). For additional informationTommy’s products, training aids and DVDs andclinic and expo schedule, please visitwww.tommygarland.com or email us [email protected]

Backing Up Your Horsewww.horsedigests.com


Backing Up Your HorseBy Tommy Garland

http://www.tommygarland.com



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At the All-Breed or Open Show level,Western pleasure classes are offered in twodifferent formats. Classes are either dividedaccording to breed (Quarter Horse, Arabian,Color Horse, Gaited,etc.) or “Open” to allbreeds. Many Judgesat this level willmeasure a horse'sabilities against a“stock horse” stan-dard, meaning thatthe Judge usually hasa background in theQuarter Horse orColor Breed (Paint,Palomino, Buckskin,etc.) industry. While itcan be difficult for anArabian, Saddlebredor Gaited horse to winwestern pleasure inan Open class againststock horses, a goodhorse and rider teamcan make it happen.

All good westernpleasure horses arequiet, well mannered,obedient, and performtheir tasks willingly ona loose rein. They should be balanced, qualitymovers, who are consistent in the execution oftheir gaits. Head carriage should be natural andrelaxed, never falling behind the vertical.Transitions should be smooth and prompt. Thehorse should stand quietly and back readily. AWestern horse should be a true pleasure to ride.

Five Biggest Western Pleasure Mistakes1. Improper Headset. This is the first mistake

I see when you enter the ring and it often tells mewhat to expect from the horse and rider. A horsecan't move properly if his head is too high or toolow for his conformation, it actually pulls them offbalance. Make sure your horse follows the stan-dard for their Breed type. You will still see manyhorses in the ring with their heads too low.Fortunately, the trend is toward carrying themhigher than we have seen in the past. A stocktype horse's poll should be carried even with thewithers or slightly above, but not below. His faceshould not draw behind the vertical. (QuarterHorse Rules allow for disqualification if the tips ofthe horse's ears fall below the withers consistent-ly.) An Arabian's neck will have a pronouncedarch with the head perpendicular to the groundand the poll at the withers. The Saddlebred'shead is held much higher on a slightly archedneck with the head carried vertical to the ground.

2. Poor Movement. Many riders are sofocused on getting their western horses to slowdown that they actually destroy the quality of theirmovement and pull them out of “frame'. Judgeslike to see a relaxed, easy going horse. Allowyour horse to move at the speed that is most

comfortable for him. Don't intimidate him intoperforming a gait in a manner that makes himuncomfortable because his stride will becomeinconsistent, choppy, or hesitant. At home,

school him in his comfort zone,rewarding him each time heslows down and relaxes. Goingslow will soon become moreenjoyable to him. It will take awhile, but your horse will even-tually ease into a 'westernpleasure zone'.

3. Length of Reins. Your reinlength should remain consistentthroughout the class. I watch thedrape in the reins and if the walkdrape doesn't match the lopedrape, you get a deduction. Don'tadjust your reins so much that it isobvious to a Judge watching 30horses. Carry them so that youmaintain light contact with thehorse's mouth and can still main-

tain control. I see riders lengthentheir reins in the line- up and thenbring their hand way up to theirchest to back the horse, anotherbig deduction.

4.Obvious Cues. I know youneed to cue and discipline yourhorse, I just don't want to see it.

Not Ever. Be gentle and be discreet. I might notsee you 'pop' your horse with the spurs, but I willsee his reaction to it! My biggest pet peeve is

watching a rider yank and spur his horse in theline-up, believing the class is over. If both thehorse and rider are so impatient that they can'tstand quietly and wait for the placings, neitherdeserves a ribbon in Western pleasure.

5. Poor Presentation. The Judge wants tonotice you for all the right reasons. Enter the ringlike you expect to win. Get on the card early andstay there. Make sure your tack is clean andpolished and that your outfit complements yourfigure and your horse's color. Watch yourentrance, use the rail, and don't cut across thering. Line-up promptly when asked. Be courteousto other riders and don't cut anybody off. Beaware of those around you before you decide to“school” or reprimand your horse. If you disruptthe performance of other horses, the Judge mayexcuse you.

Jennifer Lindgren has been an All-BreedJudge since 1985. She is an experiencedcompetitor who has earned Regional andNational awards in Halter, Western Equitationand Hunter. She loves all breeds of horses andkeeps her private collection in Grant Park, IL.contact: jenlind22msn.com

Five Biggest Western Pleasure Mistakes


Want to Win Western Pleasure?

Five Biggest Western Pleasure Mistakes

by Jennifer Lindgren

A great Example of a Quarter Horse inproper frame. Note the natural lookinghead carriage with the neck coming

stright out from the shoulder. The horseappears alert, relaxed and happy. Bothhorse and ridre look polished and pro-

fessional. Photo courtesy AmericanQuarter Horse Journal.

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In the last article, I started our discussion ofground training with proper equipment and howto secure the longe line to the halter in two waysdepending on the amount of control needed. If Ifind I still need even more control, I will changefrom a simple longe line to the type ending in alength of chain. Make sure the chain portion islong enough so that when fitted on the horse, atleast five inches of chain extends from the halter.This gives enough leverage and allows use of thechain without abrupt or delayed reactions. If thelength of chain is shorter than five inches, it canlock against the chin or nose, preventing the light-ness that I want the chain to create for me. Startwith the chain fastened under the chin, asdescribed above, progressing to the “longe-line-over-the-nose” step if more control is needed.

Use a three- to four-foot dressage whip toreinforce your voice commands. An “in-hand”whip is a valuable tool to encourage your horse tomove forward without pulling on the longe line.Whether you are working on his near (left) or off(right) side, your whip is held in the same handthat is holding the excess longe line.

Practice using an in-hand whip properlybefore beginning any ground training. Extendyour outside arm straight back behind your bodyto use an in-hand whip as a tool for forwardmotion. This must be done with relaxation andslowness through your shoulder. Then, through aslight twisting of your wrist, bring the whip towardthe horse’s hip and touch him at the hip or the topof the hind leg (gaskin). There should be enoughslack, between your “lead” hand (nearest thehorse) and the “outside” hand holding the looselycoiled excess longe line, to allow you do thismovement slowly and smoothly. When the whipis pointing downward, it is not an active tool.

When using the whip you want to touch yourhorse in the very precise area I just explained,not hit him in the flank. Ask a friend to “stand in”for your horse and practice proper whip applica-tion, before trying it with your horse. Two com-mon errors to avoid include bringing the whip

down too low and using your entire arm tomove it. This will cause it to touch his flankinstead of his rump.

The other error is bringing the whip up toohigh and not even touching the horse. Thishappens when your arm is not brought farenough behind you. Don’t put your horsethrough confusion while you are learning howto properly use an in-hand whip—practicefirst!

Create a Plan - Get a training notebookand start the habit of creating a lesson plan foreach training session. Write down the date ofeach lesson, objectives for the training ses-sion, specific steps you will take to teach thelesson, the training location you will use, andhow you will evaluate your progress.

Training sessions should be divided intothree segments. Start by repeating the maneuverworked on in your previous lesson. Review it inthe same location(s) where you taught it to yourhorse to reinforce his learning. The middle of thesession is the time to introduce something newthat you want to teach the horse or to work onimproving a maneuver that he is not consistentwith. In the third part of your session, reviewsomething that your horse does well to end on apositive note.

After each session evaluate what went reallywell, what was average (responsive, but not per-fect), andwhat waspoor. This willhelp you buildthe next les-son plan. Itwill help youthink throughthe steps andgive you arecord of youraccompl ish-ments.

Tips toRemember -S c h e d u l etraining ses-sions arounda lesson plan.Structure willhelp both youand yourhorse to focusand learn bet-ter.

Include awarm up peri-od to allowyour horse tostretch hismuscles and

warm up his joints. Thisis especially important ifthe weather is cold. Awarm up can help avoidinjuries and get yourhorse’s body prepared toparticipate to the fullest.

Give your horse a“mental” warm-up beforethe real lesson to gethim in the mood to learnby reviewing differentfigures, transitions, or

maneuvers that he does well. This reinforcespast training and gets him thinking.

Always introduce new lessons in small, easysteps that your horse can understand. Alwaysgive a kind word or pat when he gets a lessonright. If your horse refuses or resists, he is show-ing you that he doesn’t understand the lessonyou are introducing. Be patient with your horse sohe can learn to trust you. If you do this, he willrespond positively and show you the samerespect you show him.

Just before you end the lesson, have yourhorse do something that he knows well. Thisgives him confidence and reinforces your part-nership.

End the session with a cool down period sothe horse can stretch his muscles and have“quality time” with you, without having to concen-trate on learning.

Finish with a relaxing grooming session toshow your appreciation to your horse.

Whether you are starting a young horse, re-schooling an older mount, or need to improveyour eye for understanding your horse, groundtraining will improve a horse’s responsiveness tocommands and build your skills as a handler andrider. Visit www.lynnpalm.com where you canorder my Longevity Visual Series and/or myLongevity Training Book.

Be the Rider Your Horse Deserves

Beginning GroundTraining - part 2By Lynn PalmD

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Engl

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Ask Mary: What is the best method tomount and dismount your horse?

Mounting and dismounting can be difficultespecially if your horse won’t stand still. One ofthe first problems I correct in a new horse isteaching them to stand while being mounted.This can be a good winter project for you (nextmonth’s article). Getting on and off your horsecomfortably and safely is your goal. Here’s thetechnique I like to use.

Before you RideBefore you ride consider your horse. Visually

inspect your horse for injuries and lameness.Assess his attitude or inner horse. Is he attentiveand ready to work? Or does he have excessenergy and is unfocused? Release this excessenergy on a lunge line or in a round pen and youwill have a more relaxed and focused partner.

Mounting and Dismounting – VulnerableMoments

Check your girth or cinch prior to mountingand then again after walking your horse in awarm-up. Select an area free of debris andobjects to mount up. This will lessen the chanceof injury to you or your horse.

I am an advocate of using a sturdy mountingblock to mount smoothly and efficiently. I haveseen too many people heave and pull them-selves into the saddle from the ground for egosake. This one sided pulling of the saddle againstyour horses back and spine can injure yourhorse. Plus it leaves you in a vulnerable position

shouldyour horse have to step away to

keep his balance.Insist your horse stand quietly

until you are securely seated in thesaddle.

To mount I recommend standing at yourhorses shoulder facing the rear. The left handholds the reins and a bit of mane. With your righthand turn the stirrup toward you. Place your leftfoot securely in the stirrup. Step into the left stir-rup grasping the cantle of the saddle with yourright hand. Swing your right leg high over yourhorse’s croup. Pay particular attention if yourwear spurs or have a cantle bag. Banging yourhorse with a spur or getting hung up on the can-tle bag could cause problems. Use a smoothmotion to mount and sit lightly on the saddle. Thisprocedure gives you maximum control whilemaintaining your balance.

DismountingStepping down from the saddle with the left

foot in the stirrup as the right foot touches theground is extremely dangerous. A foot could very

easily become hung up in the stirrup in this awk-ward position. Instead, swing your right foot overyour horses back while standing with your left legin the stirrup. Use your arms to support your bodyas you remove your left foot from the stirrup.Push yourself away from your horse and landwith slightly bent knees to absorb the shock ofyour landing.

Mary is a Mounted Police instructor and afully insured ARICP riding instructor. She devotesher creative energy to developing customizedtraining programs to improve show ringperformance, mount obedience and despookingtrail horses utilizing training methods used intraining police horses. Visit her website atwww.riderselite.com or email your questions toMary at: [email protected]

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Do you like excitement, unpredictability,speed, a challenge with something different eachtime you enter the ring to compete? Then you aregoing to love the reined cow horse event. Reinedcow or working cow horse is one of the fastestgrowing and most exhilarating equine events inthe nation at this time.

Steeped in tradition from the vaqueros andworking cowboys of the west coast; the reinedcow horse is designed to show the horsemanshipand cattle working skills of horse and rider. Theevent is quickly moving east and gaining popular-ity; with new associations, programs, and showspopping up around the country.

To me the reined cow horse is the ultimatehorse. The equine must possess the agility andcow savvy of a well-trained cutting horse, thefinesse and handle of an artistic reiner, and put itall together with power, speed, and control to getthe cow down the fence. These three separatehorses events are combined into one to performthe three events; cutting (or herd work), dry work(a reining pattern), and fence work.

The cutting consists of riding into a herd ofcattle and sorting one cow. The rider must holdthat cow from the herd for the prescribed amountof time. Next is the reining, where a standardizedpattern including lead changes, controlledcircles, sliding stops and head turning spins.Lastly, horse and rider run down the fence. Fence

work is where one cow is let out into the arena,the competitor steps up and holds (boxes) thecow on the end of the arena, much like in cutting.The difference is that when the rider feels thecow and horse are ready they will drive the cowup the long side of the arena and turn the cowonce each way. Then “pop” the cow off the fenceand circle it in the middle of the arena bothdirections with the horse showing completecontrol of the cow without over-aggressiveness.In a futurity and derby setting these classes: herdwork, dry work, and cow work are held as threeseparate classes. You enter the arena threetimes on the same horse, which means you maynot have to win each class to win overall, if youare solid in each one you will be among the topcompetitors. Working cow horse classes arewhere the contestant runs the reining pattern,calls for the cow, boxes the cow, and smoothlyfinishes with the fence work all at once.

For a horse to excel in the cow horse event,they must be athletic, quick, and have or developcow sense. It takes a great deal of training andtime to make a finished reined cow horse, it is liketraining for three separate events all in one, butthe end results are well worth the effort. From thefast paced, adrenaline filled run at a show or theexcitement and unpredictability of watching a run,it is no wonder the sport is growing at such a fastpace. ~ Happy Riding, Monty BruceIf your have questions or would like moreinformation log onto Monty’s website atwww.montybruce.com

The National Reined Cow Horse Association,the governing body of cow horse competition, isresponsible for promoting the sport, insuring highstandards of competition and educating mem-bers and the public about the history and traditionof the reined cow horse. Formed in 1949, theorganization was originally called the CaliforniaReined Cow Horse Association. Despite thename change, the association has continued tocelebrate the early California traditions of highly-trained working cow horses and today, 58 years

after its creation, continues to work to keep thevaquero tradition alive in today’s equine industry.For information on the National Reined CowHorse Association, call 580-759-4949 or visit theNRCHA Official Web Site at www.nrcha.com.

NRCHA Affiliate Information - NRCHAAffiliates are in important part of the NationalReined Cow Horse Association - providing localcompetition opportunities for members all overthe world.

Promotional and administrative materials areprovided to affiliates and all NRCHA approvedshows are listed in the Stock Horse News as wellas on the NRCHA website.

NRCHA provides two important programsthat are only available for affiliates.

The first is an Affiliate Sponsorship whichgives NRCHAAffiliates a $500 sponsorship at theend of each year, for the affiliate to use any wayit chooses.

The second is an Affiliate Youth Scholarshipwhich gives a scholarship to the Affiliate YouthBridle and Youth Limited Champions the scholar-ships are $500 and $250 respectively.

NRCHA Affiliates also receive a 20% dis-count on advertising in the Sock Horse Newsmagazine the official publication on the NRCHA.

And, all Affiliates are eligible for the NRCHAAffiliate of the Year awards. Those are cashawards of $1,500 to the winner and $1,000 to therunner-up each year!

To start an affiliate you will need at least 20 peo-ple who are current NRCHA members in goodstanding, they can all be new members or existingmembers.With those members in place, there is anannual Affiliate Membership Fee of $100.

North Central Reined Cow Horse AssociationContact Name:Steve Mattson, 24155 Wood Lane, Rogers, MN 55374 - Phone: 612-685-5190 - Website: www.ncrcha.comEMail: [email protected]

Midwest Cow Horse & Reining AssociationContact Name:Christine Mason , W2256 Piper Road, Whitewater, WI 53190 - Phone: 262-495-4811 - Website: www.mwcra.comEMail: [email protected]

Sandhills Reined Cow Horse AssociationContact Name:Scott Blomker, 20000 SW 114th Street, Crete, NE 68333 - Phone: 402-826-4122 - Website: www.sandhillsrcha.com

South Dakota Reined Cow Horse AssociationContact Name:Clara Wilson, 19946 US Hwy 85, Newcastle, WY 82701 - Phone: 307-663-7655 - Website: www.sdrcha.orgEMail: [email protected]

Great Lakes Reined Cow Horse AssociationContact Name:Chris Tschirhart, P.O. Box 103, Yale, MI 48097 - Phone: 810-721-0098Website: www.glrcha.comEMail: [email protected]

Hoosier Daddy Cow Horse AssociationContact Name:Karen Phillips, 10154 W. McCullough Rd., Campbellsburg, IN 47108Phone: 812-755-5031Website: www.hoosierdaddycowhorse.comEMail: [email protected]

Reined Cow Horse Events Consist of Cutting, Reining and Fence WorkBy Monty Bruce

Perfo

rman

ce H

orses


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By Tracy Porter

Gee, doesn’t that titlesound like a bad B-movie? Well for some rid-

ers, it can feel like their horse is the star and their the co-star in a horror flick!You don’t have a victim, but it’s going to take some work to become victori-ous!

You might wondering “why do I have to actually learn about this stuff,won’t my horse figure it out on his own?” Well, I suppose…but why takethe chance of letting fear take control of your horse? Often, the way weapproach our horse’s problem comes from our own ignorance in under-standing how our horse thinks. I’m not a person that preaches and spoutsthe predator/prey lingo. But I will tell you, that yes, the horse is a flight ani-mal, and his natural response to flee is very real. In the animal kingdom,he is the one that disappears to safety and asks questions later!

At home, in his quiet little herd, your horse, will flee when another horseis coming from behind, because he knowsthat the other horse is the big, bad wolf inhis horse kingdom and will light his fire ifhe doesn’t get moving. If your horses ownpasture buddy can put the fear of move-ment into him, then how about somethingthat startles him like another horse, a car,dog or turkey? Bet they can make himmove or want to move…FASTER! Movingand asking questions later is just the wayhe was hardwired to think. So, as I saidbefore…you can take the chance that hefigures it out on his own, but you may findyou are in for a lot of scary rides until hedoes if he ever does.

This doesn’t even take into considera-tion that in your attempts to comfort yourmount, you might be inadvertently praisingand rewarding him for being a basketcase. For example: your horse hears thepounding of hooves coming up behindhim, he gets tense, his head flies up, hislegs are rumbling and you in your bravest,most reassuring voice tells him “it’s okay,your fine” while you stroke his rock hardneck and withers. What you have just done is praised his raising level offear! OOPS! This means that not only do you have to think about how toapproach the situation, but what behavior we should be looking to givepraise for and when to do it!

When a horse is coming up from behind it is a lot like training your horseto get comfortable with a car, bike, motorcycle or tractor. You might find iteasier to work on the problem using a car first and apply these same prin-ciples when you begin to work on your horse in other situations, like a horserunning up behind him on the trail.

Before you begin this lesson it would be a really good idea to see howwell your horse turns, both by following his nose and also by moving hiship. Remember, this is also how you will be stopping your horse, so if histurns are bad, you canl kiss your stop goodbye as well. When I see some-one turn their horse and the horse slings it’s head, plants it’s feet and I seethe rear engage, I would not suggest this lesson…yet. Clearly, they are notyet prepared for it and by doing so, could cause them to put a nice rear ontheir horse.

That being said, I will also mention that a shank bit is NOT an appropri-

ate bit to use to teach and train this les-son. Another good prerequisite isimpeccable ground work. I can’t thinkof any lesson that I ever write about thatdoes not contain a mention to groundwork and understanding and control-ling the hips. We have clinics that we offer as well as lessons or training onthe subject, so if you are having issues here, maybe it is time to give us acall. But if your ducks are in a row, youcan move on to the lesson.

Let’s begin with using a car. Thereason I like this is we can controleverything in the situation. You can firstintroduce this in your own driveway orfield. Someplace that allows you to be agreat distance from the car and the carcan be driven slowly or even stopped.Your goal in the beginning will be tohave the car always in front of your

horse, this keeps the horse fromfeeling he is being chased.

I used this same method toget my mustang mare, HolySocks!, comfortable with traffic,so on the first pleasant day wehad in January, when she was 30 days into her training from being awild untouchable mustang, I was able to ride her a few miles downthe road, thru town and tie upand eat at a local restaurant andthen ride her back home.

If you think your horse isgoing to be unsafe or you areafraid to ride, it is best to start onthe ground. Remember to alwayskeep yourself between the scaryobject and your horse.

Have the car approach youfrom the front, as the car beginsto reach you, simply turn yourhorse so that he pivots with thecar keeping his head facing thecar. After the car has passedyou, follow behind it! Horses will not run after things that scare them.By asking them to follow, you will actually be building your horses

confidence. In your training session, when you

are ready to have the car approach youfrom behind, the first few times as thecar comes closer, turn and face the caras I did in photos 1-4 and finish by fol-lowing along as in photo 5. When yourhorse is comfortable with this thenhave the car approach you from behindas you are walking and as it passesyour horse will continue plodding along!

Now it is time for your horse’s firstpop quiz! It will be the first car thatcomes up when you are on one of yourfirst real road rides, regardless of whichdirection the car is coming from,remember to turn and face it as you didin the beginning.

GET READY TORUMBLE!

EEK! Something is coming up behind me! First have the car slowly

approach the horse head on.For photo’s sake. We have

Socks close to the car, but youcan be farther away…you don’thave to be riding, you can be onthe ground between the car and

your horse!

Again, keep the horse head fac-ing as the car is going past you,it might help you to keep your

horses head centered betweenthe reins.

As the car passes, I will tip thehorse’s nose slightly toward thecar. Look for signs that indicate

your horse’s comfort level.Though Sock’s is looking at the

dogs in the car she is relaxed asher left hind leg is cocked in a

relaxed position versus standingsplayed footed with her nostrils

flaring.

As the car gets closer I amkeeping Socks head facing thecar. You can either do this by

pivoting the front as I am doingor pivoting the hind end, alsoknown as yielding the hips.

Holy Socks! my mustang mare wason her 30th training day in this photowhen we took our very first ride, and

solo at that, into town!

Trai

l Hor

ses


You mightfind that asin photo 8,your horsewill becomerelaxed andlet the cargo past hishind end,and youwon’t haveto ask him tofinish turning

and following the car! So, how does this relate to the horse running

up from behind you on the trail? Well, once youhave mastered the car, you can use the sameapproach whether it is another horse, a bike amotorcycle, a 4 wheeler, a baby stroller or even a

s h o p p i n gcart!

Why notprepare yourhorse prop-erly for hisfirst road

and trail ride by taking the time to systematicallytrain him? Although it isn’t impossible to retrain ahorse, it certainly is a lot easier to do it right thefirst time.

If you have any questions on training you andyour horse, you would like to be a part of a clinicor perhaps you would like to board your horseand become involved with ongoing lessons andtraining opportunities, please visit our websitesand give us a call! 608-868-5432. www.Tracy-Porter.net or www.TJClibborn.com We wouldlove to help you and your horse be the best offriends and have and enjoy the same relationshipthat we do with our horses!


After the car has passed followbehind it! Horses never chasesomething they are afraid of! Ifyou can trot your horse after it,

GREAT!

Later practice with the car passing frombehind!

When you start training with the unknowndriver, make sure that you START at thebeginning again, don’t assume that just

because your horse was great in your trainingsession that he will be great the next day, a

month or a year later! Also if you have apaddock next to the road…use it and let yourhorse train himself while he lives there, if you

look closely, you can see Caz in thebackground in his pasture next to the road.

He is The Farm’s meet and great committee!

Equestrians areseeing an increasingloss of access through trailrestrictions, trail closures,

and use restrictions. Riders and stock users arebeing excluded from areas that they have histor-ically traveled through and indeed first openedup. It is a loss of opportunities for riders, families,persons with disabilities, school groups and oth-ers. There seems to be a management environ-ment less open to these traditional forms of use.Sometimes restrictions on equestrian use aredone intentionally through management plansthat reduce, restrict or eliminate horses, horsefacilities, camping or grazing restrictions, cross-country travel restrictions or closures.Sometimes the restrictions are indirect though alack of trail maintenance, or over regulation, orlack of services to the public like facilities thatprovide saddle and pack animals or parking forhorse trailers.

In order to better combat this disturbing trendthe AHC is asking equestrians to documentexamples of trails or entire areas that have been

closed toequestrians on

federal land (National Forest Service, NationalParks Service, and Bureau of LandManagement, etc). The AHC is seeking all rele-vant information concerning these closures suchas the reason for the loss of access, details con-cerning any public process that was involved andthe history of equestrian use on the closed trail orarea.

The AHC is committed to preserving equineaccess to public lands. It is very important forthese efforts that we have evidence that demon-strates the extent of the problem and the need foraction on the part of Congress or the federal landagencies.

The AHC is also interested in examples ofattempts to bar equestrian access that have beendefeated.

Please take a few moments and use theelectronic form to report any access issue youhave experienced. You will find the link at thiswebsite: http://horsecouncil.org/survey.php

Report Equestrian Trail Closures orAccess Issues on

Federal Land

The American HorseCouncil is pleased toannounce its support of the

Complete America's Great Trails Act (H.R.1912).This bill was introduced by Representative GerryE. Connolly (D-VA) and Reprehensive CynthiaLummis (R-WY) On April 9, 2009.

Hundreds of thousands of Americas enjoyrecreational riding. Whether these recreationalriders participate in short trail rides or muchlonger pack trips they often rely on public trails.It is important for the horse community to look foropportunities to increase the number of trail milesavailable to equestrians.

In 1968 the National Trail System Act wassigned into law. This law allows Congress todesignate a trail of particular natural beauty as aNational Scenic Trail (NST). To date Congresshas created eight NSTs, several of which areopen to equestrians along all or part of theirlength.

Most sections of the eight NSTs are man-aged by the various federal land agencies andare open to the public. However, some sectionscross private land to which access is limited orprohibited. Though the combined lengths of theNSTs are 14,600 miles, 3520 miles of these trailsremain closed to the public.

This bill would create a new tax credit for pri-vate landowners who grant a conservation ease-ment to a NST which crosses their property. It ishoped that this tax credit will encourage landowners to establish easements and complete theNSTs. Such conservation easements will ensurethat many more miles of NSTs will be open to thepublic and users of NSTs will always haveaccess to those portions of NSTs.

“More equestrians each year are riding NSTs

like the Pacific Crest trail and the ContinentalDivide trail. NST are national treasures and theyprovide equestrians with a unique opportunity toexperience the beauty of America just as earlyexplorers and settlers did,” said AHC PresidentJay Hickey. “We are happy to support a bill to thatwill help complete existing NSTs and makeestablishing future trails much easer.”

“I encourage recreational riders who areinterested in promoting this bill or in other effortsto expand recreation opportunities for equestri-ans to sign up for the AHC’s grassroots program,the Congressional Cavalry. The CongressionalCavalry is composed of individuals who will con-tact their federal elected officials when nationalissues that impact the horse community arise. Itcosts nothing and requires little time, but suchimpute from constituents is very important yourRepresentatives, Senators and the legislativeprocess,” said AHC Legislative Director BenPendergrass.

To sign up for the Congressional Cavalryprogram, please email Ben Pendergrass [email protected] .

As the national association representing allsegments of the horse industry in Washington,D.C., the American Horse Council works daily torepresent equine interests and opportunities.Organized in 1969, the AHC promotes and protectsthe industry by communicating with Congress, fed-eral agencies, the media and the industry on behalfof all horse related interests each and every day.

The AHC is member supported by individualsand organizations representing virtually every facetof the horse world from owners, breeders, veterinar-ians, farriers, breed registries and horsemen'sassociations to horse shows, race tracks, rodeos,commercial suppliers and state horse councils.

AHC Supports Bill to CompleteAmerica’s National Scenic Trails

http://www.Tracy-Porter.net

http://www.Tracy-Porter.net

http://www.TJClibborn.com


http://horsecouncil.org/survey.php


24 MIDWEST HORSE DIGESTMIDWEST HORSE DIGESTNovember 200924 MIDWEST HORSE DIGESTMIDWEST HORSE DIGESTNovember 2009

QUESTIONSFOR REX PETERSON

Hollywood’s premiere horse wrangler RexPeterson spoke with Equine VIP from the set ofDisney’s Secretariat currently being filmed atKeeneland , Kentucky and Churchill Downs. Rexhas owned and trained some famous horsesfrom movies such as Black Stallion, Dreamer,The Horse Whisperer, Hidalgo, Appaloosa andHanna Montana-The Movie just to name a few.

Viggo Mortensen, the actor who worked withRex on two films Hildago and Appaloosa saidabout Rex, “One of the most helpful bits ofadvice he passed on to me – which can beapplied to working with horses and to life in gen-eral – is “go slow to go fast”. He would never,unlike others not as gifted or patient in his line ofwork, rush things unnecessarily or ever askanyone to do something he was unwilling to firsttry himself. He invariably has the safety and well-being of his horses as his topmost priority.”

When did you realize you had a special giftwith horses?

When working on the movie Black Stallion Irealized that I had more ability than others in myprofession.

What was the first movie you worked on –and have any of your training methods changed

(along with the demands offilming)

My first film was ElectricHorseman which starredRobert Redford and JaneFonda. I continue to learn andhone my skills learning fromeach horse in each situation,each horse is an individual andteaches me something new.

What part of training a horsefor TV/Movies would you say issomething every horse owner should know?

The meaning of the word Whoa!What was the most difficult scene with a

horse you had to especially train for? I would have to say burying a horse alive for

a Procol Harem music video still is one of thehardest things I’ve ever done.

How hard is it to find the “right” horse for TVand movies?

Sometimes it is extremely difficult, some-times they just show up when you need them.

Have there been any truly special horse(s) inyour life?

Justin, RJ and Hightower. AlthoughHightower is no longer alive, he is still consideredone of the most famous trick horses. Hightowerappeared in many films during his career, mostnotably as Pilgrim in The Horse Whisperer and

Black Beauty. He was the horse ofchoice for actress Julia Roberts, whobonded with him during the filming ofThe Runaway Bride and insisted thatthe horse be shipped back from hisCalifornia corral to an East Coastlocation for post-production re-shoots.

Who was your mentor andwhy?

Glenn Randall, Sr. becausehe trained horses to do what isimpossible, and taught me to dothe same.

Where can we find infor-mation about your clinics andthe training videos you make?www.swansonpetersonpro-

ductions.comIs it harder to work with horses or actors

riding them? Without question the actors, because they do

not always listen or do their homework. Thehorse can read their energy. I can control thehorse at all times, but not the actor.

What is the next TV project or movie you areworking on and we can watch for?

A Horse Training TV series showcasingextreme horse training along with teaching peo-ple how to achieve immediate success in com-municating more effectively and clearly with theirhorse to solve simple problems such as loading ahorse, leading a horse, handling a horse, break-ing and training a horse.

Equine VIP is written by Producer/HostSusan Ashbrook who is also developing a TVseries based on numerous interviews withcelebrities and top equestrians. For more infor-mation go to www.equineVIP.com

Susan Ashbrook was born in the mid westbut longed at an early age to be like her grand-mother Pearl. Pearl rode horses and built manysuccessful businesses, and she was an inde-pendent woman when it wasn’t a popular pursuit.

Susan used her creativity and business acu-men to found Film Fashion www.filmfashion.coma premier agency matching A list celebrities withexclusive fashion designers such as Chopard,Escada, Ralph Lauren, Lanvin, Harry Winstonand Swarovski. Film Fashion is a product place-ment firm built on Susan’s relationship with over5000 celebrities and was acquired by PRPowerhouse Rogers & Cowan.

Susan’s passion for horses launched hersecond career producing equine content for theinternet and broadcast channel. Ashbrook feelsthe equestrian world has stories to tell about rid-ers, events, products, special horses and allthings equestrian.

The best way to reach us is [email protected] We'd love to hear fromyou!

Rex Petersontalks to Equine VIPby Susan Ashbrook, owner Equine VIPEq

uine

VIP


http://www.swansonpetersonpro-ductions.com



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For animals of such size and strength, horsespossess notoriously delicate digestive systems.With stomachs that barely comprise 7% of theirdigestive tract, horses need to graze almost con-tinuously in order for them to take in the necessarynutrients. Horses are foragers by nature and whenin the wild often journey up to 20 miles per day inorder to find suitable nourishment. Domesticatedhorses, however, are most times not able to roamand forage at will. Often confined to small areasand fed according to our schedule, horses havenow become susceptible to a variety of abdominaldisturbances.

Understanding a Horse’s Digestive Tract ~Understanding the digestive process is the firststep in recognizing equine colic. Next to water, it isenergy that comprises the majority of a horse’snutritional needs. Almost 90% of nutrient intake inthe form of fiber, fat, and starch is required to ful-fill daily energy demands.

To remain healthy, a horse needs to eat a highfiber diet, the carbohydrates (starches and sug-ars) of which are digested in the stomach andsmall intestine. It takes only about 30 - 90 minutesfor this to be accomplished before the fiber, pro-teins, and other nutrients are passed through tothe cecum (hind gut) and colon where they arebroken down further.

Digestive problems start when the carbohy-drates are not properly broken down in the stom-ach and small intestine and enter the cecumwhere specialized enzymes are not able toprocess excess starch. Gastrointestinal distressbegins when these carbohydrates are left to fer-ment. John Reagor PhD, Chief of Toxicology,Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory isquoted as saying, “The number one cause ofdeath from colic is from feeding mismanagementdue to starch overload.”

The Effects of Starch ~ Horses only can eat1.5% - 3% of their body weight per day, yet theymust have enough energy density (calories perpound) for growth, reproduction, maintenance,and performance. That is why feeding roughageor quality hay is an essential part of the equinediet - it is THE fundamental resource for nutrients.While hay is important, it is relatively low inenergy and can fill up a horse without itsmeeting necessary calorie requirements. That iswhy grains or concentrated feeds are often usedas an additional energy resource to accommodatethe strenuous demands made on today’s horses.

Starches and sugars are key components toenergy. They are necessary to replenish muscleglycogen stores and are vital to anaerobicmetabolism that enables horses to compete inspeed or endurance related events. It is the starchsources, processing, and intake, coupled with thequality and timing of forage feedings and individ-ual differences between horses that can affectdigestibility.

What are the signs of colic? According toDr. Ward, “Colic is not a disease. Rather it is acombination of signs that alert us to abdominalpain in the horse.” Listed under the general head-ing of colic, there are three types of conditions anddegrees of severity to which the term applies:Parasitic/Disease Colic, Gas Colic, and ImpactionColic, ranging from mild to lethal. While there aremany causes, colic signals its appearance in apattern of distinct behaviors which may vary from

horse to horse but will often include any or a com-bination of the following: Turning the head towardthe flank • Lack of appetite (anorexia) • Pawing •Putting head down to water without drinking •Kicking or biting the abdomen •Lack of bowelmovements •Stretching out to urinate withoutdoing so •Absence of, or reduced digestivesounds •Repeatedly lying down and getting up•Sweating • Rolling, especially violent rolling•Rapid respirations and/or flared nostrils •Sitting ina dog-like position, or lying on the back.

Take Immediate Action ~ Dr. Ward statesthat time is perhaps the most critical factor if colicis to be successfully treated. While a number ofcases resolve without medical intervention, asignificant percentage require prompt medicalcare. If you suspect your horse is suffering fromcolic, the following action plan is suggested:Remove all food and water •Notify your veterinar-ian immediately.

Be prepared to provide the following specificinformation: Pulse rate •Respiratory rate (breath-ing) •Rectal temperature •Color of mucous mem-branes •Capillary refill time (tested by pressingon the gums adjacent to the teeth, releasing, thencounting the seconds it takes for the color toreturn) •Behavioral signs (listed above) •Digestivenoises, or lack of them •Bowel movements, includ-ing color, consistency, and frequency •Any recentchanges in management, feeding, or exercise•Medical history, including deworming and anypast episodes of abdominal pain •Breedinghistory and pregnancy status if the patient is amare, and recent breeding history if the patient isa stallion.

Insurance status and value of the horse(NOTE: The insurance carrier should be notified ifsurgery or euthanasia is being considered)

•Keep your horse as calm and comfortable aspossible. Allow the animal to lie down if it appearsto be resting and is not at risk of injury.•If thehorse is rolling or behaving violently, attempt towalk it slowly.•Do not administer drugs unlessspecifically directed to do so by your equine prac-titioner. Drugs may camouflage problems andinterfere with an accurate diagnosis. •Follow yourveterinarian’s advice exactly and await his or herarrival.

Colic Prevention Program ~ Forage (Hay orPasture) Provide quality forage (a minimum of 1%of bodyweight) daily. If feeding hay, the best wayto determine its quality is to have a laboratory ana-lyze the nutritional content. If analysis is not anoption, use the followin guidelines. Choose fresh,clean, sweet smelling hay. Beware of mold orweed contaminated hay and hay infested withbugs such as blister beetles as these factors cancause colic. Look for green, fine textured hay withsmall stems (the majority of essential nutrients arecontained in the grass or leaf portion).

Grain or Concentrate ~ Feed a grain orconcentrate that minimizes starch content andincludes other energy sources such as fat anddigestible fiber.

Always feed grains/concentrates at leasttwice a day and never feed more than 0.5% ofbody weight at any one feeding. Meals should beevenly spaced and if a meal is late, never feedmore to make up for it. It is better to feed extra hayand reduce the amount of concentrates beforegoing back to a normal feeding schedule.

Processed feeds enhancedigestion in the stomach andsmall intestine, contributing to ahigher level of nutrient absorp-

tion while simultaneously decreasing the threat ofstarch contamination in the cecum and colon.

Feed by weight, not volume according to themanufacturer’s recommendations and by usingyour horse’s weight and body condition as guides.Because feeds vary according their densities, besure to weigh the feed container first and thensubtract its weight from the total to determine thecorrect portion of feed.

When making a dietary change, take seven toten days to complete the transfer. This will allowsufficient time for the residing microbial flora tobecome accustomed to the new feed or haysource.

Parasite/Disease Control ~ Deworming isan important aspect of colic prevention. Have yourveterinarian take a fecal sample to establish abaseline assessment of the parasite level in yourhorse or herd in order to determine an appropriatedeworming schedule. In addition to the danger ofparasite infestation, regular treatment is neces-sary for maintaining optimum utilization andabsorption of nutrients.

Pasturing ~ Research has shown thathorses colic less on pasture then when in arestricted environment. Through pasturing horsesare more likely to meet their daily exercise andnutritional requirements, while also reducingmany problems associated with confinement.When introducing horses to pasture, it is essentialto do so gradually, especially lush, high moisturepasture to avoid digestive problems.

Dental Care ~ A horse’s teeth need to befloated at least once a year for feeds to beprocessed completely. Horses with dental painoften shortcut chewing, which inhibits particle sizereduction and salivation, two vital aids to properdigestion. Improper feed consumption canincrease the risk of abdominal disturbance whiledecreasing the nutritional benefits of the ration.

Water/Salt ~ As with all animals, water is alife source for horses. Fresh, clean water shouldalways be available in order to avoid the risk ofdehydration, which can cause impaction colic inthe colon and cecum. Salt should also beprovided free choice.

After exercise, cool down a horse by walkingbefore allowing it to drink unrestricted, but somewater is necessary. Follow the rule, “six sips andwalk”.

Exercise ~ Feed should be administered atleast two hours prior to or after exercise. Grainfeeding should be withheld eight hours prior tostrenuous exercise; hay should be given in manysmall portions throughout the day of an event withwater available at all times.

Stress ~ Minimize stress whenever possible;it is important to ensure your horse feels comfort-able in its environment. When introducing a horseto an established herd be aware that a shift inpositioning will occur which may create anxiety.Additionally, horses often form close bonds withone another and may become stressed if sperat-ed.

Presented by Nutrena, makers ofSafeChoice™. SafeChoice? Is a nutritionallybalanced safe-energy feed designed for horses inall stages of growth and proven effective inreducing the risks of colic, developmentalorthopedic disease (DOD), laminitis, and tying up.

Equine Colic: The #1 Cause of Premature Death



Gareth A Selwood traveled this year to FortWorth, Texas with twenty-one purebred and partbred Andalusian and Lusitano horses under hiscare, to compete for National honors. Amateurs,Youth, Working Students and Gareth rode andled the impressive show string to a record break-ing Twenty One US National Championships,Twenty OneReserve USN a t i o n a lChampionshipsand close toOne HundredTop FiveAwards.

S e l w o o dPark clientscame to cheeron their horsesto victory fromWisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska andMexico. Bricco Andalusians owned by Paul andGail Briccoa c h i e v e dseven HighPoint Awardswith theiryoung stallionZafiro BA . Thepartnership ofR a h nGreimann andGareth A.Selwood alsowon severalHigh Pointswith OrlandoSG andSelwood Park Tosca. Barbie Do Passargada thegreat imported Perlino Lusitano mare receivedthe highest score for Lusitano mares and was the

US National Champion inher division. Pedro Segura ofMexico and Illinois won the largestclass at the show (Best Movement)unanimously out of sixteen horseswith Gareth at the lead.

With so many wins it would beimpossible to name them all,however a full set of results isavailable at www.ialha.org.

The year is not over forSelwood Park as they immediatelyleft for the IFSHA World and GrandNational Championships in Lake St

Louis, Missouri with a show string of 14beautiful purebred and partbred Friesians.

Upon returning from Missouri plans areunderway for their annual Open House onDecember 6, 2009. For more information goto www.selwoodpark.com

Selwood Park Stable2009 IALHA

National Championships

Special Note: I was a part of this trip to the IALHA Nationals. What an adventure! I traveled to Elkhorn. WI fromBlue Earth, Minnesota, picked up a load of our horses and joined in the caravan of 5 rigs and 21

horses. We laid over just south of Kansa City, to rest the horses on our way down andthen headed to Fort Worth, Texas, for a week of showing horses.

I slept in the very nice trailer loaned to us; not a living quarters though, and showered inthe swine building on the show grounds. The bed was comfortable and the water washot. That was all that mattered because we never were in bed before midnight and neverup later than 5:30 AM.

If you think showing 21 horses and managing the amount of people that it takes to dothis is an easy thing to do, think again. My hat is off to Gareth and his team, the Bricco’s,the Stiller’s group of fine people, as well as Pedro Segura’s people. We all worked hard,showed hard and had fun doing it.

It was a 3600 mile adventure that I will cherish and remember for the remainder of mydays. The trophies and ribbons that we won are nice, but the experience and friendshipsmade and strengthened are what it is all about.

Thank you, Rahn Greimann

http://www.ialha.org

http://www.selwoodpark.com



Yes, it’s time to think about the holiday shopping season again, as it is right around the corner! You can find just about anything equine related that you can imagine when you shop

with one of the many fine advertisers in Midwest Horse Digests! We have rounded up a few ideasand specials here in this holiday section of advertisers, and others throughout the magazine,whether it is for the horse enthusiast in your family or the horse, a gift or a holiday vacation,

these advertisers have wonderful products to help you with those gift needs. And don’t forget - a GIFT SUBSCRIPTION to MIDWEST HORSE DIGESt is the perfect gift for the horse

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With the escalation of litigation in today’ssociety, we have seen an increased number oflawsuits over misrepresentations and breaches ofcontract with the sale of horses. The litigationprimarily arises from failed communicationbetween buyers, sellers, agents, trainers, andveterinarians. This is true even in the currenteconomic crisis, and it may be more important tohave effective communication to avoid caring for ahorse you can’t use or paying attorney’s fees iflitigation does commence.

Your Priorities - The first thing to do is under-stand what you are looking for in a new horse.What are your goals? What can you afford, both interms of purchase price and in terms of mainte-nance? It is also important to prioritize your needsand wants. Where are you willing to compromise?Where are you not willing to compromise? Forexample, consider purpose, size, age, price, experi-ence, and location. If you have not determined yourgoals and priorities, you will be unable to communi-cate these to a seller or trainer and you are settingyourself up for a conflict. Even if you choose not touse a trainer or agent to help you, it is still neces-sary to define your goals and needs.

Communicating with Your Trainer or Agent - Ifyou are using a trainer, be sure to talk to your train-er about your goals. Be sure to ask for your train-er’s advice and guidance when setting the goals. Ifyour trainer or agent is regularly and activelyinvolved with the sale of horses, he or she shouldbe able to tell you how realistic your goals are.

Second, what will your trainer’s involvementbe? Will your trainer look for horses? Try out hors-es? Locate horses? View videotapes of horses? Isyour trainer representing just you or both you andthe seller? How and where does your trainer lookfor the horses?

Third, discuss compensation with your trainer.How and when will your trainer be paid: commis-sion, hourly, or flat fee? Who pays the trainer: you,the seller, or both? Who pays for the expenses,such as travel? Again, it is helpful to write downthese understandings. These written understand-ings can be made into a formal contract drafted byan attorney or in the form of a letter agreement writ-ten by you and your trainer. It is cost effective to

consult an attorney when you are facing spendingthousands of dollars to purchase the horse and forits subsequent care. If the horse you purchasedoesn’t fit your needs for whatever reason, are youable to return it or do you bear the additional cost ofcaring for it until it can be sold?

Dealing with the Seller - If the agent or trainerhas acted as a middleman, your contact with theseller may be limited. With or without a trainer’sinvolvement, additional expert opinions can bevaluable. Consider obtaining an independentappraisal of the horse’s value, particularly for “highdollar” horses. Equine appraisals are becomingmore common and are especially helpful if you arenot working with a trainer. The appraisal is help-ful for securing insurance as well.

Secure the horse’s medical history as well as apre-purchase exam from an independent veterinar-ian. Again, depending upon the investment you aremaking, you will need to consider whether what typeof pre-purchase exam is most cost-effective for you.Is a medical history and quick exam enough, or doyou need x-rays, blood tests, etc.? Your decisionwill be based upon the purchase price of the horseand your intended use. Obtain the advice of yourtrainer, other horse persons, and of course, yourveterinarian.

Internet Purchases - Purchasing over the inter-net is quite common, as is the “sight unseen”purchase. The advantages are obvious: many morehorses to look at, often with pictures and videos.One way of approaching internet sales is to havethe purchase price in an escrow account during atrial period. Although trial periods are great vehiclesfor allowing the buyer to determine if the horse isright for them, trial periods have their risks. It isextremely critical to arrange for all the potentialmatters that could go wrong: illness, injury, lame-ness, or death. It is difficult to foresee everypotential and to plan for it. I highly recommendinsurance coverage. For an effective trial period, allof these items should be thought of in advance, dis-cussed, and put into writing.

Purchase and Sale Agreement - A purchaseand sale agreement is the best way to ensure thatthe representations made by the seller and buyerare included in the agreement. For example, a

warranty can be included that states: “sellerrepresents that the horse is 4 years old” or that thehorse is healthy and free from infectious diseases.The agreement should also state the details of thepurchase, such as payment price and terms.Purchase and sale agreements can be as simple asa one page document that includes these basicterms or many pages long – again, it depends onthe investment you are making in the horse. Whenconsidering your potential investment, it is importantto factor in the cost of caring for the horse if it turnsout the horse can’t be used for your intendedpurpose and you have to sell or give him awaydepending on the circumstances. Caring for a sickor injured horse can be very expensive, and thispotential risk should be considered at the timeof purchase. At the very least, be sure to obtain a billof sale from the seller which transfers ownershipto you free of any liens or encumbrances. Forexample, if the seller obtained a loan to purchasethe horse and secured the horse against theloan, you will want to be certain that you do notassume that obligation. Also, if the horse is regis-tered, make sure the owner transfers anyregistration papers to you.

I hope this information helps you to think aboutsome of the issues you should consider whenpurchasing a horse. To ensure that your situation ishandled appropriately, it’s best if you contact a localequine attorney. Remember that laws also differfrom state to state and country to country. In thenext issue, I will discuss issues to consider from aseller’s prospective.

NOT LEGAL ADVICE: This article has beenprepared for general information purposes only.The information in the article is not legal advice.Legal advice is dependent upon the specificcircumstances of each situation. Also, the law mayvary from State to State, so that some information inthis article may not be correct for your jurisdiction.The information in this article cannot replace theadvice of competent legal counsel licensed in yourstate.

2009 Copyright, All rights reserved. KatherineBloomquist.

Katherine Bloomquist operates Bloomquist LawFirm, LLC, a small law firm in Chaska, Minnesota,and has practiced in equine law, employment law,corporate law, commercial law, and litigation fortwenty years. [email protected];www.bloomquistlaw.com.

Legal Aspects of Selling a Horseby Katherine Bloomquist

Armstrong Equine Services of LaMesa NewMexico owned and operated by Dr. and Mrs. JoeArmstrong and family hosted their annualPerformance Horse Sale on September 12, 2009 attheir facility and ranch. Guest consigners participat-ing were Hashknife Quarter Horse owned by Dogieand Joyce Jones of Watrous New Mexico andLauing Mill Iron L Ranch owned by Denny and DorisLauing of Blunt South Dakota. A great selection ofQuarter Horses of all ages and disciplines wereoffered to buyers from surrounding states andMexico.

Topping the weanling market bringing $1850 wasa palomino colt sired by RX Sugar out of NMSUGleaning Lassing. The second highest was abuckskin filly sired by Command N Chex out of

Peeps, a CJ Sugar mare bringing $1,000. Bothweanlings were from the Armstrong's program.The total weanlings sold averaged $670 each.

Top selling yearling was sold by HashknifeQuarter Horses bringing $1350. sired by A DandyRawhide out of Smoking Fashion.

Eight outstanding bred mares from these opera-tions were offered for sale averaging $1056. Aseven year old sorrel mare, Comos Playboys Lydia(Sired by Comos Cottoneye X Playboys Lydia)offered by Denny and Doris Lauing captured tophonors bringing $1700. She was in foal to Lil EasyFeature for a 2010 colt. Second high seller wasoffered by Armstrong Equine Services, DollfaceGloworm (sired by Suerte Fuerte X Glo Nowata

Doll) in foal to Command N Chex for a 2010 foal.Lauing Mill Iron L Ranch captured the high selling

broke gelding; 2005 Comos Watch Playboy (ComosCottoneye X Watch Playboy Girl). The horse waspurchased by Dr. JT Prichard of Las Cruces NewMexico. Also sold by Denny and Doris Lauing fromtheir program was a two year old gray gelding,Frenchmans Playboy (Frenchmans Hickory XPlayboys Lydia) bringing $2200.

Everyone associated with the sale wishes toextend their gratitude to all of the attendeesand buyers. For more information on theseoutstanding Quarter Horse programs please checkout their websites. Armstrong Equine Serviceswww.armstrongequine.com, 575-233-2208.Hashknife Ranch, www.hashkniferanch.net505-425-6021. Lauing Mill Iron L Ranch www.lauingmillironlranch.com, 605-962-6344.

Pictured: Josh Armstrong, Dr. Joe Armstrong,Rusty Armstrong, Denny Lauing, Doris Lauingowners of Comos Watch Playboy, Buyer JT

Prichard of Las Cruces, New Mexico

Armstrong Equine Services of LaMesa, New MexicoAnnual Performance Horse Sale Results



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Upcoming Events11/6-11/8 - MN, Verndale - Barrel, Futurity NorthernRegion Futurities, UBRA ~ 2009 Northern RegionFuturity Tour Finals ADDED $$$, TROPHY BUCK-LES, JACKETS & MORE! - (715) 857-6343 [email protected]

November 6-9, 2009 – Last Chance to DanceCutting, Red Horse Ranch Arena, FergusFalls, MN, 218-736-3000, [email protected],www.RedHorseRanchArena.com

November 7, 2009 -- Natural Hoof Care Workshopat Friendly Faces Farm, Taylor WI. Contact MikeBronson for more information: (715)662-2404.

11/6-11/8 - MN, Cannon Falls - Barrel - NBHANBHA All District Show - no non-member fees! $500Added! - (651) 335-4418

11/07 - IL, Caseyville - Grand Paradise Ranch openhouse and tack sale. Food and refreshments for ourguests9 a.m to 6 p.m Nov.7th - 901 Grand ParadiseRanch Ln.- Caseyville, IL - (618) 345-3015www.GrandParadiseRanch.com

11/7-11/8 - NE, FREMONT - Barrel - PURINA MILLSSADDLE SERIES - (402) 419-0191

11/7/2009 - MN, Verndale - Barrel - Northern RegionFuturities, UBRA ~ Hiro Energy Challenge $4,750PURSE 100% PAYBACK Slot Race - (715) 857-6343 - [email protected]

11/10/2009 - IA, Greenfield - Barrel - DoubleBProductions - BB Arena – Greenfield IA TuesJackpot Series (arena open 6 pm) Exhib 7:30 pmJackpot 8 pm - (641) 745-5845 [email protected]

11/14/2009 - WI, Lake Geneva -Southern KetterMoraine Trail Association Holiday Gala, The RedGeranium, Contact Annette Mayfield 262/495-8898.

11/14/2009 - TX, Bastrop - Horse Sale & AuctionHorse Sale Hills Prairie livestock. Don’t miss out onthis great sale Hills Prairie is dedicated to bring thebest horses and making available demonstrations toshow each horse to their ability Ranch, roping, bar-rels, sorting, cutting and trail horses. - (512) 629-3131 - [email protected]

11/14 MN –Howard Lake, MN - Fall Regional HorseOwner Program, 1 to 4 p.m., Howard Lake MiddleSchool, Howard Lake. Register atwww.extension.umn.edu/horse

11/14-11/15 - NE, FREMONT - Barrel - PURINAMILLS SADDLE SERIES - (402) 419-0191

11/17/2009 - IA, Greenfield - Barrel - Double BProductions - BB Arena – Greenfield IA Tue JackpotSeries (arena open 6 pm) Exhib 7:30 pm Jackpot 8pm - (641) 745-5845 - [email protected]

11/17/2009 - IA, Greenfield - Barrel - Double BProductions ~ BB Arena – Tues Jackpot Series(arena open 6 pm) Exhib 7:30 pm Jackpot 8 pm -(641) 745-5845 - [email protected]

11/21/2009 - MN, Monticello - Team Roping - ~Arrowhead Arena Team Roping - (763) 878-1554 [email protected]

November 21-22, 2009 – Central Minnesota AQHATeam Penning and Ranch Sort, Red Horse RanchArena, Fergus Falls, MN, 218-736-3000,[email protected], www.RedHorseRanchArena.com

11/21-22, 2009 - IL, Grayslake - ChicagolandEquestrian Lifestyle Expo & Holiday Market - LakeCounty Fairgrounds' Expo Center (indoors) - All-things-equestrian shopping, plus 40 educationalpresentations - Tickets: 1-day $8, weekend $14;Free Parking - Produced by Horsemen's Council ofIllinois - www.HorsemensCouncil.org

11/ 21-22, 2009 - Gurnee, IL - USEF/USDFDressage Show No. 327908 - Indoors @ Fields &Fences Equestrian Center - contact Anita Schadeck

847-244-4121 or www.FieldsandFences.com

11/24/2009 - IA, Greenfield - Barrel - DoubleBProductions - BB Arena – Greenfield IATuesJackpot Series (arena open 6 pm) Exhib 7:30pm - Jackpot 8 pm - (641) 745-5845 [email protected]

11/27-11/29 - MO, Columbia - Barrel - DoubleBProductions ~ Cowgirl Tuff Barrel Bash$5000added (deadline 2 weeks prior to event)(BBR)FMI DOUBLE B PRODUCTION - (641) 745-5845- [email protected]

December 5-6, 2009 -- Perfect Balance NaturalHoof Care Introductory class, $115; Fountain City,WI; www.perfectbalancehoofcare.com for more infoor call 608-687-9534.

12/06/2009 - IL, Gurnee - Open Hunter/JumperShow Indoors - 100' x 300' arena with heated view-ing areas - Fields & Fences, Gurnee, IL - Contact:Anita Schadeck 847-244-4121or [email protected]

12/19/2009 - MN, Monticello - Team RopingArrowhead Arena Team Roping - (763) 878-1554 [email protected]

December 19-20, 2009 – Central Minnesota AQHATeam Penning and Ranch Sort, Red Horse RanchArena, Fergus Falls, MN, 218-736-3000,[email protected], www.RedHorseRanchArena.com

1/1/2010 - MN, Monticello - Team Roping ArrowheadArena Team Roping - (763) 878-1554 - [email protected]

FEBRUARY 6, 2010 –University of Illinois College ofVeterinary Medicine Horseman’s Clinic, Urbana, IL.Contact 217/333-2907 orvetmed.illinois.edu/ope/horseclinic/

Please email your event lisitings [email protected]

HIGH POINTHUNTER/JUMPER AWARDSPORT HORSE NATIONALSThe Arabian-Bred Hunter Jumper

Association awarded it’s third annual High PointChampionship at the recent Sport Horse NationalChampionships in Lexington, KY.

The Half-Arabian gelding BHF WHILE UWERE OUT+//, owned by Mallory Creter ofChester, New Jersey, was this year’s recipient.

This bay gelding, sired by theHanoverian/Thoroughbred stallion Special Eventand out of the Arabian mare Expressional (byExpress It) is trained by Ricci and StephanieDesiderio and was ridden by Mallory.

This pair won National Championships inWorking Hunter AAOTR, Hunter Hack ATR &AAOTR; Reserve National Championships inWorking Hunter Open and ATR and a Top Ten inOpen Hunter Hack.

The ABHJA is an organization founded topromote the Arabian-Bred horse competing inthe Hunter and/or Jumper disciplines at bothOpen and Breed competitions. You can learnmore by visiting their website at

www.ABHJA.com

ANGLO-ARABIAN AWARDS ATSPORT HORSE NATIONALSThe North American Anglo-Arabian Horse

Association (NAAAHA) sponsored their thirdannual High Pont Championship Awards thisyear, at the Sport Horse National ChampionshipShow. Eighteen Anglos competed all week at theKentucky Horse Park.

The five-year-old gelding ONE MOREROUND++// (Al Jassur Laddin x Winifred) earnedSupreme Champion Anglo-Arabian Sport Horsehonors thanks to winning the Champion in SHUSATR, Reserve Champion in Hunter Hack ATRand AAOTR, and Top Tens in Green WorkingHunter, Working Hunter AAOTR and ATR, HunterHack Open, SHUS Open , SHUS Junior Horseand SHIH Geldings Open. He was ridden byAlexis Starer-Doughty and is owned and bred byBill Doughty of Cape Charles, VA.

MASTER REPORTER+/ (EbonyMasterpiece x Girl Reporter) was ReserveSupreme Champion Anglo-Arabian Sport Horse.This Anglo gelding won the Championships inSecond Level Dressage ATR and AAOTR and

Top Ten in Third Level ATR, ridden by ownerKathryn Henneman of Orlando, FL.

Earning Top Five Anglo-Arabian Sport HorseAwards were the two homebreds belonging toLaura Wood of Brooksville, FL. Her second gen-eration Palomino Anglo gelding GLITTER BEY(RFF El Dorado x Almost Crimson+/) wasChampion SHUS Junior Horse and Top TenGreen Working Hunter and SHUS Open. Thedark bay stallion SIGNAL BEY (Bey Oro x RunReally Run) earned Champion Sport Horse InHand Stallions, in addition to winning a Top Tenin Green Working Hunter.

Rounding out the Top Five were MirandaKuchera of Johnstown, PA, and her gelding DIA-MOND JIM KELLY+ (Wildcat Kelly x JamiesIntent) bred by Terry Aldred Kerr . This pair wonthree Top Tens, in Green Working Hunter, andHunter Hack AAOTR & ATR.

The winners all received beautiful neck sash-es and embroidered dress sheets, withChampion receiving a silver trophy plate as well.Prizes were donated by owners and breeders ofAnglo-Arabians to recognize these athletes’accomplishments.

All in all, Anglo-Arabians accounted for 6National Championships, 5 ReserveChampionships and 24 Top Tens!



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page 15Lynn Palm page 18Mel’s Marvelous Jump Cups page 29 Midwest Cremation page 19Mimbach Fleet Supply page 32Minnesota Horse Council page 7, 15MN School Of HorseShoeing page 16Montana Horse Ranch page 13More Custom Leather page 32 Natural Plan Stomach Soother page 19Northland Buildings page 16Nutrena page 3Orion West Lighting page 4Photo Classifieds page 33Pleasant Hills Saddle Shop page 20, 32Plum Lake Resort page 29R.T. Duggan page 32Selwood Park page36Tak Shak page 29, 32Tail Tamer page 28The Model Horse Store page 29The Natural Gait page 28Triple Cross Design page 32Twin Cities Featherlite page 35Two as One Horsemanship page 14UBRA page 21



8 YR. MARE, Gorgeous,Beginners Dream Horse!Barrel racing and trail.$4,000 Pinto-Beginners,young or old, this is thehorse for you. Gentle,smooth, and a nice bar-rel horse, great on trailstoo. Call [email protected]

BEAUTIFUL HALF-ANDALU-SIAN, EXCELLENT DRES-SAGE, EVENTINGPROSPECT-$6,000- gor-geous half-Andalusian filly,nicely started under saddle,ready for show, trail, or put-ting fabulous sport babies onthe ground. 715-822-392

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AA PRITI PRITI, 2005 BAY ANDALUSIAN FILLY, (PiriPiri x AA Despierta)$12,000.00 US National Top FiveFuturity Filly in hand2008 Just startedunder saddle262-249-8870

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6 YR. AQHA BARRELRACING Mare, what abeauty! $8,000 Great littlebarrel mare, perfect turns,gentle and well man-nered. Makes barrel rac-ing super fun. [email protected]

Very Tall, Huge Moving Son ofHeroe Mac!Extra tall yearling AndalusianColt. (Azteca)Lovely forward movement anda quiet mind.

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AA DESPIERTA, EliteWinner of the GANADORTrophy, (Despierto xArdorosa del Greco)$15,000 Andalusian Infoal to US NationalChampion 3rd level dres-sage horse "Legado".Sheis carrying a "sexed" male foal.Available in utero for$10,000 262-249-8870 [email protected]

URGEL III. PROVENPRODUCER OFMOVEMENT! ANCCERevised, 16.1 hands (DanesIII by Maja VII). His foals areof consistent quality and havehis conformation, power,movement, kindness, andlove for people. 940-686-0910 [email protected]

For Sale

6 ACRES 30 MILESWEST OF DEKALB,IL.House/6 acres 30miles west of Dekalb, ILnext to Franklin CreekState Park/miles oftrails. Call Mike [email protected]

The Elite Fleet by 3BarLTransport 1*800*982*2208Horse Transportation Short Description: Affordable- Experienced - Reliable --Specialized [email protected]

Trailers with or without liv-ing quarters, gooseneckand bumper pull, KeiferBuilt and Universal Trailers

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Fiero LFA,PRE Black AndalusianStallion. International Champion ofChampions international blood-lines, Proven producer, ProvenJunior Champion Stallion andUSDF Dressage Competitor. [email protected]

Imported Black PRERevised Stallion forStallion Service FromMaipe Stud: CostaleroXV . Huge movementwith substance, teddybear personality, will adddepth, bone and move-ment to your next foal! 972-746-1457 [email protected]

Famous EchoHomozygous! WorldChamp. Halter stallion!direct son of The Color ofFame.2004 Pinto Horse ofthe Year and the 2004Pinto World ChampionHalter [email protected]

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Discount prices on thefull lines of ThinLine,Skito, and SnugPaxproducts. Also highest-quality rhythm beads andhorsehair items. 207-951-0526

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Amazing Buckskin 1/2Andalusian Filly (Azteca) Firstfoal from Flamenco D!Stunning and RARE SOLIDBUCKSKIN 2008 AndalusianFilly (Azteca)

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3X NATIONAL CHAMPIONPRE (ANCCE) REVISEDSTALLION SPOKANE!Royally bred with RockstarMovement recognized byAmerican & Spanishjudges, add size, sub-stance & movement toyour breeding program.972-746-1457 [email protected]

ZINNIA BA ANDALUSIANMARE (Despierto xZinnia) US ReserveNational ChampionAndalusian Mare$15,000. Well startedunder saddle, GreatBroodmare, ProvenShow Horse [email protected]

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ClassifiedsASSOCIATIONSInternational Spotted Horse Registry for all hors-es of color. Any Pattern. Grade toPureblood,Miniatures to Drafts. [email protected]

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITYHorse Lovers! Would you like to own your own-business helping horses, working your ownhours and make about $75 an hour plusexcellent sales commissions? 7 Year old compa-ny needs reps for US, Europe, Australia, etc. Oursuccess rate is amazing, and we can show youwhat to do and how to do it. No pushy salespeople, please. Ifyou love horses, PLEASE visitthe THERAPY page at www.sumereltraining.comto learn more. In 2 weeks you could be in anew career. Part or full time. $5,000 covers allequipment. Exclusive territories and excellentcompany support. If you already work withhorses, this could help you as well. 540-384-6220

EQUIPMENT & PRODUCTSCarts, Buggies, Carriages & Sleighs for sale.Horse, pony & mini sizes. All prices, all in goodcondition. Also driving horses, ponies & harness.847/360-9313.

17-1/2” Close Contact Jumping Saddle. Made inEngland. Smooth chestnut bridle leather withpigskin seat. Very good condition, well cared for.Fittings, white fleece pad & 52” leather girthincluded. $350 OBO. Photos available, [email protected] or call 708/284-2230.

16 Inch Brown Leather English Saddle, like newpurple pad included. $250. 630/564-2884.

10 box stalls,- 1-x1- - Brand new, nowood.$13,000. Choose your color. Contact507-527-2914. Will sell individually. 1109

New leather harness, 3rd generation business.Team, work, complete with hames, collars extra.Draft $802.00. Qtr. horse $757.00. Show 3hip-Draft $882.00. Qtr. horse $812.00. BuggybreastQtr $220.00 Pony $140.00. Catalogue - StPaulSaddlery, 953 W 7th St., St Paul, MN551021209

Master Saddler offers complete saddleryrepairs.Trees replaced, complete reflocks, newseats,billets, tree alterations on Kieffer andPrestigesaddles. Appointments booked for quickturnaround. Skilled repair of driving harness and-sidesaddles. Custom accessories for side saddlecompetition. Bridles sewn in. Contact Michael -847-776-6700 or email [email protected] Website www.saddlersrow.com 1209

HORSES FOR SALEHere is your chance to have a horse owned andtrained by Ken McNabb! You may have seenFlash on TV! He is a STUNNING 16.1 hand, sor-rel overo 7 y old gelding. Sonny Dee Bar and theIntimidator on his papers. He is a rock solid trailhorse and very gentle. Purchased at Ken's geld-ing sale last summer..so was recently with Ken.You will be the talk of the trails! $4800.

Pony, brown and white, 7 year old gelding. Gentlefor anyone to ride. Also, Pony or horse cart.Phone- 952-467-9603 1109

Athletic, Flashy 8 YO TB Gelding, 16.1H beauti-ful gaits, upper level eventing potential. $12,000.SE Wisc. - 847/924-9089.

2008 Drum Horse Filly – English or Dressageprospect. Beautiful thick body and loves people.269/944-3459.

Foundation AQHA horses, mares, geldings andyearlings. King, Driftwood and Gunsmoke breed-ing. Bays, Grays and Duns. 608-526-3970or(cell) 608-792-3519 11/09

Andalusion/Quarter Horse - 4 year old, Black BayGelding, 30 days training, pleasure & trail riding-so far, very athletic, excellent disposition. IALHAregistered 605-272-5623 or [email protected]

11/09Andalusian/Quarter Horse - 2 yr. old bay filly &yearling black bay colt, very athletic, excellentdisposition, lead, trailer, load, stand for farrier,eligible for IAHLA registry. [email protected] 11/09

2007 Bay Overo English Prospect, started undersaddle and still in training. Good looking, bigbodied, nice stride, good minded and greatmanners.15.2 and still growing. Asking $9500.815/238-8462.

For Sale: 16 Yr. Buckskin Paint Gelding. Needsexperienced rider. 815/943-7031 evenings.Appaloosa Reg. Mares. 3 Yr+ Gentle, pretty,friendly. Will be great under saddle. Reasonablypriced. 815/814-1803.

Looking for Good Home for Loveable Chestnutgelding. No fee for right person. 312/307-9411.Black Stallion TB & Paint 16 Hds, 3 Yrs. TBMare,12 yrs, 16.3 Grdaughter Mr. Prospector.

100 yr. Old coal wagon. Priced reasonably.815/528-0259.

REAL ESTATEBristol, WI - 8/10 of a mile from Illinois state line.5 acre homesite. 60 x 120 pole barn, 11 stalls,new fencing, mature trees, pond. $375,000.847/951-0670.

Southern WI Horse Property. 6.38 Acre CountryHome, Horse/Hobby Newer 6 stall pole barn,auto waterers, heated tack room, 80 X 150 out-door sand arena, and three fenced pastures all-with Centaur Fencing! Blooming tree arbor leadsto private stream and woods with paths! Beautiful2105 sq. ft., 2/3 bedroom, 3 bath home, gleaminghardwood, vaulted living room with brick fireplaceand 1st floor laundry. $369,900. See:www.WIHomes.com, MLS 1546170 for pictures.Call/email for more info.: [email protected],608-225-1925.

Hartford, WI – 7.25 AC, 4 BR RenovatedFarmhouse, 40x70 barn w/4 box stalls, 72x180indoor riding arena, grass & dry paddocks, 3 out-door shelters, meticulously maintained home &facility. $379,000. 262/673-2661.

STALLIONSDakota Gambler Rare Black and White PintabianAt Stud: Proven 99.6% Purebred Arabian.Athletic, Correct, Beauty, Elegance, Kind disposi-tion with awesome movement. RegistrationNumbers: 320-283-5933, [email protected]

Pure Friesian "ROEK" 2nd Premie Stallion.ROEK has a great pedigree, to match his greatintelligence, temperament, and CHARISMA.218-780-7064, [email protected].

CLASSIFIEDS WORK!$10.00 per month for 20 words, $.15

for each word over 20. Send your classi-fied in with your check or credit card to:

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Midwest Horse Digest November 2009