THE VOICE OF EQUINE ALBERTA MEMBER MAGAZINE Bits...The colt, a quarter horse, is two and half weeks old in the picture, and is named Chip. He was born April 24, 2010. His dam is Belle

Inside this issue:

• NEW venue for AGM and conference• Anatomy of a great trail• AEF workshops• University and college horse clubs• Ready for first aid in the backcountry?• Pleasing Horses, and much, much more

Time to renew your membership! If you don’t, this is your LAST ISSUE of Alberta Bits

AlbertaEquestrianFederation ©

THE VOICE OF EQUINE ALBERTA MEMBER MAGAZINE

www.albertaequestrian.com

SPRING 2011

Equine Department100-1500 Hardy Place, Kelowna, BC V1Y 8H2

Phone (800) 670-1877 Email: [email protected]

Capri Insurance is proud to be the official insurance provider to the Alberta Equestrian Federation and all its members.

Executive Director: Sonia Dantu, [email protected], 403.253.4411 ext 4

OFFICE HOURS: 8:30 to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday, except holidays.

Managing Editor: Monika [email protected] 403.242.6162

Publication Committee: Sonia Dantu, Shelley Newman, Monika Smith

2011 MAGAZINE DEADLINES:

Ad Booking Ad files to AEF Mailing Date

Spring: February 1 February 8 March 8Summer: May 3 May 10 June 10Fall: August 20 August 27 September 28Winter: November 3 November 10 December 10

All material is copyright 2011. Ideas and opinions expressed in articles do not necessarily reflect the ideas oropinions of the AEF. Alberta Bits reserves the right to accept, and/or edit material submitted for publication.The AEF makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information contained therein, but assumes no liability in cases of error or changing conditions. Any business relations or other activities undertaken as aresult of the information contained in Alberta Bits, or arising there from, is the responsibility of the partiesinvolved and not of the AEF. We welcome signed letters to the editor, but reserve the right to publish, edit forgrammar, taste and length. For reprint information, please contact [email protected].

Magazine design by The Visions West Studio.

04 CongratulationsAlbertans excelled in 2010Conference and AGM venue change

06 Bits of NewsMessage from President Dixie Crowson. Serve on the AEF board; Support “Live outside the box;” AEF workshops

07 Safety workbook for youthCarriage driving…could it be for you?by Karen Barker-Pratt

8 Timetables, assignments and horsesRodeo at the intercollegiate levelby Tori White

9 Canadian physical activity guidelines

10 Equine First Aid: an ounce of preventionby Alyssa Butters, presenter at the AEF Conference and AGM

12 Ask the Insurance Guy by Mike KingNew program for Western recreational riders

14 STARS: backcountry 911by Scott Phillips

15 Provincial association feature:Alberta 4-H’s Provincial Equine Advisory CommitteeTrail Riders Conference of Alberta

16 Pleasing horsesby Sid Gustafson


100, 251 Midpark Blvd SECalgary, AB T2X 1S3

Toll Free: 1.877.463.6233Phone: 403.253.4411Fax: 403.252.5260


Marketing & Program Support: Wendy [email protected] ext 5

Membership Coordinator: Rita [email protected] ext 6

Coaching Administrator: Jessica [email protected] ext 3

Competitions Coordinator: Allison [email protected] ext 2

10%

18 Safe in (or out of!) the saddleby Dave Watts, presenter at the AEF Conference and AGM

19 An Alberta traditionby Maureen Germscheid

20 Anatomy of a great trailby Wade Aebli, RPTF

24 YOUTH BEATClip, Clip, Clip by Madison Monkman The intercollegiate riding experience by Taryn Karstens-Smith

30 AEF member groups Associate, Affiliate and Business Members, as of February 15, 2011

ON THE COVER Max Tchikhatchev. The colt, a quarter horse, is two and halfweeks old in the picture, and is named Chip. He was born April 24, 2010. Hisdam is Belle and sire Just Z Distinguished. Phillips says, “He is super friendly,calm like his mom and dad, and likes to get out and have fun.” Behind thefence is a six-year-old Falabella mare, named Sparky and owned by AmandaKemble.

Inside

Spring 2011; Volume 3, issue 1

Alberta Bits is the Alberta Equestrian Federation’s official member magazine. It serves the entire equestriancommunity of horses and riders of all ages, interests and involvement, as the Voice of Equine Alberta.

Alberta Bits magazine is sent four times a year (Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter) to all current AEF membersand is made available at the office and special events attended by the AEF.

Alberta Bits is a four-colour glossy magazine distributed throughout Alberta with news and events on behalf of recreational, sport, breeds & industry and educational sectors of the Alberta horse industry. Alberta Bitsis distributed to approximately 13,000 members; 9,000 households and businesses; and at approximately 10 events and trade shows annually.

The Alberta Equestrian Federation has been incorporated since 1978.

Publications Mail Agreement—#40050297

Printed in Canada—ISSN 1918-7122

AEF BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President Dixie Crowson 403.654.2883Secretary Juliet Franke 403.843.6427Treasurer Sandy Bell 403.700.7880Chair-Sport Judy Newbert 403.946.5194Chair-Recreation vacantChair-Breeds and Industry Bill desBarres 888.303.1070Chair-Education Shantel Perreal 780.231.9155Chair-Promotion and Publicity vacantIndividual Diane Blakeman 780.719.6948Individual Cindy Holyoak 403.933.3706Individual Kippy Maitland-Smith 403.845.4864Individual Pat McCormack 780.992.9792Individual Judy Orr-Bertelsen 403.728.3282Individual Rhianne Weghnnar 403.505.1403

Provincial Association contact members listed on page 30.

STAFF

EQUESTRIAN OF THE YEAR–TEAM EVENTING

Due to their outstanding accomplishments in 2010, Equine Canada named allthe members of 2010 World Equestrian Games Canadian Eventing Team as the2010 Equestrian of the Year, including Kyle Carter of Calgary. The CanadianEventing Team consisted of: Stephanie Rhodes-Bosch, Selena O’Hanlon, HawleyBennett-Awad, Rebecca Howard, Jessica Phoenix and Kyle Carter.

BREED SPORT AWARDS

Alberta had a large contingent of award recipients for Breed Sport Awards atthe annual Equine Canada Convention Gala Awards Dinner, January 29, receivingtop recognition for the saddlebred and Morgan horse breeds.

SADDLE SEAT EQUITATION RIDER OF THE YEAR 13 & UNDER–Malika Keglowitsch

SADDLE SEAT EQUITATION RIDER OF THE YEAR 14 & OVER–Samantha McWade

AMERICAN SADDLEBRED OF THE YEAR–Vonavet Legality owned by MacLeod Familyand shown by Rebecca MacLeod (new owner: Maxine MacKay)

MORGAN HORSE OF THE YEAR–Kathy Padgham and Northern Exposure of Leduc,were awarded the 2010 Breed Sport Canada Morgan Horse of the Year Award.Padgham and Northern Exposure achieved the highest number of points through-out the show season. Criteria for this award is available on the EC website.

4 AlbertaBits SPRING 2011 www.albertaequestrian.com

At the end of each year, awards are presented to individuals for outstandingcontributions. Here are a few of the many award winners from Alberta. The AEF is pleased to offer congratulations to the following Albertans for distinguished efforts nationally and internationally:

EVENTING ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT SCHOLARSHIP

Joelle Baskerville, Calgary has received one of the 2010 Canadian EventingAthlete Development Scholarship of $1,000. Twenty-year-old Baskerville ridesMalibu, an 11-year-old Thoroughbred-Hungarian warmblood-cross mare. Theother recipients are Katherine Martineau, Brossard, QC, and Shannon Thompson,Surrey, BC.

These scholarships are designed to recognize and encourage Canadian riders pursuing international competition. Details are available athttp://equinecanada.ca/eventing.

ALBERTAN ENDURANCE RIDERS ACHIEVE TOP TEN

Endurance Canada Riders (Canadian competitions)

First Place Senior: Kathy Irvine

First Place Junior: Jessica Yavis

Junior First Place Overall: Jessica Yavis

American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC):

Junior Division: 5th–Robyn Wadey and Gypsy; 8th–Jessica Yavis and Jahlad

Regional Points Standings–Mountain Region/Junior Division: 3rd–RobynWadey and Gypsy

2010 World Ride n’ Tie Championship, Trout Lake, WA

Gypsy, Dana, and Carol completed the 35-mile course in 6 hours 31 min-utes, placing 17 out of 32 teams and winning the Top Amateur Team award.

For more information about endurance riding in Alberta, visitwww.enduranceridersofalberta.com. Canada’s national association is Endurance

Canada www.endurancecanada.ca. AB

NORTH AMERICA’S HIGHEST-WINNING APPRENTICE JOCKEY

One year after he claimed the title of Outstanding Apprentice Jockey at the35th Annual Sovereign Awards in Toronto last January, Olds College alumnusOmar Moreno now holds the continent’s highest award for an apprentice jockey.At the 40th Annual Eclipse Awards in Miami, Fla., Moreno was named the topapprentice rider in North America. In 2010, he racked up 146 wins and approxi-mately $5.5 million in purse money.

Moreno graduated from Olds’ Exercise Rider and Jockey program. A formernational junior boxing champion, he was forced to retire early due to injuries.Moreno entered the sport much later than many entrants. And, unlike, many of hisclassmates, he did not have a background in horsemanship. AB

JUNIOR EQUESTRIAN OF THE YEAR–BEN ASSELIN

Equine Canada has named 16-year-old Ben Asselin of Calgary, the 2010Junior Equestrian of the Year.

The Gillian Wilson Award is given annually in recognition of a junior com-petitor who has made outstanding contributions to equestrian competition andwho has exemplified exceptional talent, sportsmanship, and dedication to thesport. Asselin demonstrates excellent examples of each of these qualities.

“I had such a great year in 2010, and to win this award really caps it off.Being named as Equine Canada’s Junior Equestrian of the Year is amazing,” saidAsselin. “I would also like to thank my mom and dad who have been so support-ive and my fantastic horses–Magic Man and Lolita.”

Congratulations!

IMPORTANT NOTICEAnnual Conference and AGM Venue Change

The new location for the AGM and Conference, March 19, isthe HOLIDAY INN, Red Deer, 6500 67 Street, Red Deer (off the67 Street exit). The room location is Winspear East.

The Holiday Inn is offering a room rate for attendees of $119, please call today to make your reservation 1-800-661-4961.

Unfortunately, structural damage at the Red Deer Lodge hascaused this last-minute change.

(l-r) Kathy Padgham, Malika Keglowitsch, Rebecca MacLeod and Samantha McWadereceived Breed Sport Awards at Equine Canada’s Gala Awards Dinner. Photo credit: RodMacLeod

AlbertaBits SPRING 2009 5www.albertaequestrian.com


Saddle up

Upcoming AEF workshops

The AEF promotes and provides educational initiatives for its members bysupporting experts and equine businesses, all of whom are AEF business mem-bers, to better help people understand and enjoy their horses.

April 6 EQUINE PSYCHOLOGY AND BEHAVIOUR WITH NETTIE BARR at GrandPrairie Regional College.

April 1-3 WOMEN’S CONFIDENCE CLINIC (see ad on this page).

June 25 PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP WITH LINDA FINSTAD at Reverence Stables,Priddis – find out how you can spend a day with Linda at a competition.

June 25 HORSEMANSHIP CLINIC WITH LINDA FITZPATRICK at Reverence Stables,Priddis.

These clinics are also fundraisers to support current AEF programs and helpdevelop new ones. These programs are listed on the AEF Events Calendar. To regis-ter, contact [email protected]. AB

Bits of news from the AEF

AGM Silent Auction

The AEF is seeking items for its annual Live Outside the Box youth programSilent Auction at the upcoming conference. This program rewards AEF youth mem-bers (7-15) to leave the TV and computer behind and get out and spend moretime with a horse–over 120 youth members participate each year!

If you would like to donate an item, please visit the AEF website and clickon the Annual Conference logo for more details. If you’re attending the AGM, atremendous line up of products and services have been lined up and awaitingyour bid.

Your donations and support are gratefully accepted and the AEF thanks thedonors for support for this program. AB

Make a difference – serve on the AEF board

Do you have time to give back? If so, apply for a board position with theAEF. Take part in helping all sectors of Alberta’s vibrant horse industry and toensure that Alberta’s equestrian community is heard and well-served.

Board or business experience is helpful; passion and enthusiasm required.We want your integrity, accountability, informed judgment and strong communica-tions skills. This is the place to use your critical and strategic thinking and theability to work in groups to build consensus.

Contact [email protected] for nomination forms, or downloadfrom the website. (Click on the AGM/conference logo.) AB

Winter was a time to step back, assess our lives and regroup.Spring is just around the corner and the winter blues are starting to retreat,

FINALLY.The AEF is looking forward to continuing a “fresh start” in 2011. Our annual

conference and AGM is just a few days away and with that comes the excitement offresh, new faces on our board of directors. Each and every person who takes thetime out of their lives to serve on our board is truly appreciated, and I want toespecially thank those who have given of their time and are now moving on.

Time to regroup! Our drive to improve our services and programs will be thenumber one predictor of success. Without motivation, passion and the will togrow, we will have no energy to move forward. It’s a time to recharge, and we havethe motivation to do so–you, the members, all the equine enthusiasts and ofcourse, all the equines. Combine this with a board of directors and a staff whocare, the possibilities are endless. So when one says they have no time to volunteerat the AEF or even have the time for their horse, take a serious look at how wellhorses, in whatever capacity, connects to what brings joy to your life right now.

So go get your boots–come on out and join us.Put a little FRESH START in your life. AB

A fresh startby Dixie Crowson, President AEF

2011 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS!

Are you interested in going to a post-secondary institution to pursue a careerthat involves horses? The AEF offers scholarships to students to financially assist themin programs that are equine or equine related studies. If you are planning to go to OldsCollege, Lakeland College, the University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine, or othershere is a great opportunity to help you with your finances. Capri has generously donat-ed $1000 to the scholarship fund. And, many AEF members have also personallydonated when renewing their memberships. AEF pin sales have been a helpful sourceof funding for the scholarships. Check out the AEF website for applications or [email protected].

If you haven’t renewed your membership, this is your LAST issue of Alberta Bits! Register today!


Equine Guelph, with thesupport of 20 industry partnersfrom Canada and the UnitedStates, including the AlbertaEquestrian Federation, is launchinga 20-page bilingual interactiveworkbook Danger Detective on theHorse Farm. This workbook teachesequine safety to youth through fun,engaging activities for 10 to 12 yearolds.

Horses continue to be the numberone cause of agricultural animal injuriesto our youth; 67 percent of animal-relatedinjuries to kids (19 and under) are causedby horses. In addition, machine run-oversare the number one cause of fatal injuries toyouth on farms (Source: CanadianAgricultural Injury Reporting program). The combination of horses and equipmentplus kids can add up to a disaster waiting to happen.

The way to keep our children safe isthrough education, and Equine Guelph has ralliedwith the industry to present this significant proj-ect. Major partners include: Canadian AgriculturalSafety Association (CASA), Equine Guelph, KubotaCanada, SSG Gloves, Saddle Up SAFELY, SystemFencing and Tack, University of Kentucky College ofAgriculture (The Equine Initiative), University of Kentucky HealthCare andWorkplace Safety Prevention Services. All equine federations are on-board,

including: Alberta Equestrian Federation,Alberta Farm Safety Centre, EquineAssociation of Yukon, FédérationÉquestre du Québec, Horse CouncilBritish Columbia, Island Horse Council,Manitoba Horse Council, NewBrunswick Equestrian Federation,Newfoundland EquestrianAssociation, Nova Scotia EquestrianFederation Ontario EquestrianFederation and SaskatchewanHorse Federation.

The partners will be distrib-uting 55,000 workbooks. InAlberta, the AEF will distributethem, starting at the upcomingannual Conference and AGM,the Mane Event and eventsthroughout the year.

This project was madepossible by a significantfunding contribution fromCASA, a national non-profitorganization dedicated topromoting health andsafety on Canadian farms

and ranches. “CASA is pleased to sup-port an initiative within this unique agricultural industry;

one that is uniting to create a strong partnership to keep its kids safe,” saysMarcel Hacault, executive director of CASA.

For more information on how to obtain a Danger Detective on the HorseFarm activity workbook, please contact the AEF. AB

Safety workbook for yout

Do you have equine lawn ornaments? Poniesthat your children have out grown or left at homewhile they seek new adventures? Do you yearn for anew activity and to meet new people?

If you answered “yes,” combined driving maybe the sport you are looking for.

The Stone Bridge Carriage Driving Club offersencouragement and support to new drivers with clin-ics, peer support and easy entry-level driving classesin their Combined Driving Trials.

On May 14, Stone Bridge is hosting an‘Introduction to Driving Clinic’ in Coronation.Presentations range from what to look for when fit-ting a harness, to selecting a horse for driving.

A selection of carriages and well trained horsesand ponies will be there to demonstrate; perhaps youwill get to go for a drive. If you do, prepare to gethooked.

Stone Bridge members realize that the thrills ofhorse driving don’t have to be just for the wealthyand the likes of HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, who

developed this sport, but can be adapted for every-one. Some start with a very affordable two-wheel cartand an out-grown pony. Regardless of what youdecide to drive, you can be sure that Stone BridgeClub will make it welcoming and fun. Start at levelone at the events, and as your confidence builds, gowith it. Activities are planned for each month includ-ing clinics for bomb proofing, driving instruction,fun CDEs, harness fitting and carriage selection andmaintenance, indoor driving trials and other educa-tional events.

If you are interested in checking this out fur-ther, Stone Bridge Carriage Driving Club will be atthe Mane Event in Red Deer on the weekend of April29 and 30, 2011. Members will be more than happyto share their enthusiasm for their sport with you.

www.stonebridgedrivingclub.com. AB

Carriage driving…could it be for you?by Karen Barker-Pratt

Tammy Laybourn and five-year-old Diablo at their firstcompetition. Photo credit: David Morton (David Morton Photographic)

Each year when post-secondary students head back to class they pack theessentials–books, paper, binders and clothes for the next eight months. For anumber of students across western Canada, packing also includes some special-ized supplies such as a helmet, vest, gloves, chaps, saddle and even a horse–rodeo essentials. For these post-secondary students, hitting the books and advanc-ing their education is not just about what happens in the classroom but also whattakes place in arenas throughout the province.

THE CIRA

The Canadian Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (CIRA) is the governing bodythat has been organizing rodeo for post-secondary students for over 40 years.Brandi Love, a former member and now secretary of the association states that forpost-secondary students to rodeo, dedication and commitment both with theirstudies and in the arena are essential. Membership in the association is open tofull-time students (either traditional or online) or those in a registered appren-ticeship program.

KEEPING UP ACADEMIC STANDING

Students are required to provide transcripts to the association twice yearly,documenting their first and second semester marks or confirmation of enrolmentfor those just beginning their studies. CIRA requires members to maintain a 2.0GPA or 65 percent cumulative grade-point average–failure to maintain thesegrades results in membership cancellation, according to Love. Each year, the asso-ciation loses from 10 to 15 percent of its membership as a result of students notmaking the grade. Meghan Staley, a fourth year applied degree student inAgribusiness at Olds College, rodeo competitor and past president of the CIRAlikes the fact that competing and academics are tied together. She says one of the“best thing about college rodeo is the fact that not just anyone can buy their mem-bership card and come to the rodeos.” Staley adds, “You must be going to schooland must have a GPA of 2.0 or greater, which keeps your nose in the books!”

THE EVENTS

CIRA sanctions ten events: steer wrestling, saddle bronc, bareback, tie downroping, breakaway roping, team roping, bull riding, pole bending, goat tying andbarrel racing. CIRA oversees four to six rodeos each academic year: two of theseare hosted by Olds College, two by Lakeland College and this year one each inThorsby and High River. The top 10 competitors are each awarded points, rangingfrom 10 points for first place to one point for tenth place. The top 10 competitorsin each event qualify to compete at the Canadian National College Rodeo Finals(CNCRF) held at Northlands inEdmonton each spring. According toLove, before partnering withNorthlands in 2004-05 to host theevent, the finals were held either atOlds or Lakeland College.

This year the CIRA has over 130members from 20 different post-sec-ondary institutions across WesternCanada, with the majority of the stu-dents attending post-secondary institu-tions in Alberta.

Both Olds and Lakeland Collegeoffer Rodeo Clubs on campus, provid-ing students additional support

Timetables, assignments and horsesRodeo at the intercollegiate levelby Tori White

Saddle Bronc. Photo credit: courtesy of Olds College


Barrel Racing. Ashley Nicholson, Lakeland College Rodeo Team member. Photo credit: courtesyof Lakeland College

Steer Wrestling. Scott Sigfusson,Lakeland College Rodeo Club member.Photo credit: courtesy of Lakeland College

through scholarships, arena time and first-class coaching. Each college managestheir rodeo club differently. However, no experience is required to join either ofthe clubs, just a passion and desire to be involved and willingness to learn.Students at Olds College enrol in the credited Rodeo Techniques class.

Lakeland’s rodeo club has been operating for over 40 years. This year, theclub has over 70 members and although only 39 of these will complete at an inter-collegiate level, Lee MacMillan, Equine and Rodeo Operations Manager, says theothers students are “supporters of the team and help run the events we host.”MacMillan adds that over the past few years, Lakeland has “taken a serious look atthe amount of students involved in rodeo and has made a lot of improvements tothe ring and the future of the program.”

Most of the students that do compete come from a rodeo background.Staley, who got her start in rodeo “muttin bustin” at a local little britches rodeo inHigh River, says one of the main reasons she chose to continue her education afterhigh school was the opportunity to compete in intercollegiate rodeo. Reed Sparks,current vice president of CIRA and student at Olds College grew up on a ranch eastof Innisfail, roping and riding. Sparks loves “the western lifestyle and the way that[rodeo] allows a person to lead.” He has been riding saddle bronc for six years.The rodeo club and the opportunity the club provides him to practice and advancehis rodeo career was an important consideration when Sparks chose to attendOlds College. Sparks adds, “college rodeo is a blast and we have lots of fun goingand competing. At Olds College we get credits for going to rodeo class and prac-ticing.” He adds, “It is also a good way to keep competing while rodeo is in its offseason from the major summer rodeos it allows you to keep sharp for the nextseason.”

With only two post-secondary schools in Alberta offering students rodeo-based instruction, not all students are able to take advantage of this extra training.Bailey Smith, the current president of CIRA is an Animal Science student at theUniversity of Alberta. Smith says that although the U of A does not have facilitieslike Olds and Lakeland, she chose U of A for the academic programs offered.Living in Edmonton has made it possible for her to continue to rodeo instead ofgoing to school in the States or somewhere where it would have been challengingto bring her horses. She says, “[in] Edmonton I am really fortunate to have a greatplace to keep my horses, there is access to an indoor arena and a few of us keepour horses there and help each other out.” This provides her with a support net-work where students help each other out.

Like any athlete competing at an intercollegiate level, balancing school andpractice is not always easy. Smith, who competes in barrels, poles and goat tying,says it is always a juggling act. She states, “if there is a exam coming up or I amhaving trouble with a subject, I don’t ride.” She adds, “but when you are efficientin how you utilize your time at school and doing assignments, you can make thetime to get to the barn. There is no room in my schedule for procrastination or alot of extra stuff.” This is not the only challenge students face. The numbers ofrodeos hosted during the school year are limited to allow the students to focus ontheir studies but those events they do attend require travel during the wintermonths when roads and weather conditions can be unpredictable. Staley says thatalthough there are “only a few rodeo’s each year, the weather and roads alwaysplay a factor in deciding where it is worth it or not to put yourself at risk.”

A MEANS TO GO PRO

Intercollegiate rodeo is seen by many students as a stepping stone to the pro-fessional rodeo circuit. You just need to look to pro riders like 2007 CanadianBull Riding Champion Nathan Roy or four-time Canadian Steer WrestlingChampion Blain Pederson to see how CIRA can assist with a pro career. Sparkssays the “coaches at Olds College have all been professional cowboys and knowwhat its like to go hard and how to go about being successful in rodeo.” He adds,“the coaching is second to none and with their help and knowledge I think it canset a person up for a successful pro career.” Not everyone involved in intercolle-giate rodeo is looking to the pro circuit. Although CIRA provides that possibilityfor many students,Smith is using college rodeo as a learning experience for bothher and her young horse.

For over forty years, the CIRA has been providing post-secondary studentsacross Canada the opportunity to excel–not only in their future careers but also inthe arena, doing a sport that they are committed to and passionate about. Staleyhopes that one day the Canadian Intercollegiate Rodeo will grow and prosper tothe same degree as similar programs in the United States, keeping students homefor both rodeo and post secondary instead of having to cross the boarder. As theassociation grows and strengthens, she says, “competition will keep students push-ing themselves to be better and create an awesome rodeo to watch.” She feels thatthis year CIRA has taken one step closer to being a more competitive circuit. Staleystates that “by keeping students at home and part of the Canadian College Rodeo,hopefully in a few years the CIRA will be where the young pro rodeo champs come from.”

For more information on the Intercollegiate Rodeo Association visit:http://cirarodeo.com/index.htmTo watch this year’s best and brightest, attend the Canadian National College

Rodeo Finals held in Edmonton at Northlands March 31 to April 2, 2011.www.farmandranchshow.com/shows/canadian-national-college-finals-rodeo. AB


Tori White came into the horse world late, after only dreaming of such adventures as a girl.

She rides and competes in both english and western disciplines and is a firm believer in life

long learning. In addition, Tori owns At The Barn Door, a company that specializes in fun,

comfortable garments for the equine lover. www.atthebarndoor.com.

Canadian physical activity guidelines

Did you know? Updated Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines have beenreleased by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP). These guidelinesare evidence-based and reflect four years of research. CSEP reports that the newguidelines should be viewed as minimal targets.

The guidelines include:• Adults (18-64 years) and Older Adults (65 years and older): to achieve

health benefits should accumulate at least 150 minutes of physical activityper week, in bouts of 10 minutes or more.

• Children (5-11 years) and Youth (12-17 years): for health benefits shouldaccumulate at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily.To download the new Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines, read Q&A's,

background information and supporting documents on the CSEP website, go to:http://www.csep.ca/

www.tpr.alberta.ca or www.asrpwf.ca. AB

Team Roping. Matt Anderson and Scott Sigfusson, Lakeland College Rodeo Team mem-bers. Photo credit: courtesy of Lakeland College

him in the first gymkhana of the year? Not only does a sudden increase in exerciselevel cause him to puff and sweat, his tendons, ligaments, and bones are not incondition either and therefore more prone to injury. A fat horse is also more likelyto get saddle sores and girth/cinch galls. Be fair to your horse–even if you haveyour heart set on the four-day mountainous backcountry loop. Maybe it would bemore realistic and safer to do a couple short day rides on flatter terrain.

Be sure to get him accustomed not only to the workload, but also the feed hewill be on for the trip or competition. A sudden feed or exercise change canincrease the risk of colic and “tying up,” a syndrome that involves painful musclecramping. Both colic and tying up can become critical and may require veterinarycare.

Booster his vaccines several weeks prior to setting out on the trails.Boostering his tetanus vaccination, which is usually found in a “3-way” or “4-way”vaccine, is especially important if you are going to be a long distance from a vet-erinarian and in rough terrain.

Check your horse’s feet and get them trimmed or shod several weeks beforeyour competition or trip. A newly trimmed horse is more prone to stone bruisesor might be a little tender immediately after a trim. A “hot” or “close” nail can bespotted and dealt with before your trip approaches if you have a few weeks leeway.Also, this is usually the busy season for farriers. They may be hard-pressed orunable to come at a moment’s notice when you notice your horse’s feet are gettinga little long or he’s lost a shoe that has been on for three months. Your failure toplan does not constitute an emergency in your farrier’s eyes!

IS YOUR RIG READY?

Finally, be sure the trailer is ready to go. It is remarkable how many horsescome into a veterinary clinic for cuts to the head or legs in the trailer. Eitherremove or tape up sharp points or protruding edges. (This also applies to anybuckets or feed tubs you are taking with you.) Most cuts aren’t a problem, butthey may require veterinary attention if they are deep, spurting blood, haveexposed bone or are near an important area such as a joint or tendon sheath.Check your trailer’s hitch, floors, lights, tires, brakes, and general state of repair.

Equine First Aid: an ounce of prevention

www.albertaequestrian.com10 AlbertaBits SPRING 2011

Whether planning a pack trip inthe backcountry, a day long trailride–or your summer show season,now is a good time to take a few min-utes to ensure you are ready for whatthe summer equestrian season willbring. A little planning can help prevent

some injuries. For those unavoidable incidents, being prepared can get youthrough difficult situations with less stress on yourself and your horses.

IS YOUR TACK READY?

First of all, make sure your tack is in good working order. The second day ofa mountain pack trip is not the time to wish you had fixed that cracked headstall!Make sure all tack fits properly and all blankets and saddlepads are clean. Hasyour horse’s winter weight gain changed how your saddle fits? Ill-fitting tack cancause repetitive trauma, creating girth or cinch galls and saddle sores. Watch for

hairless, raw or swollen areas. Notunlike a blister from a new pair ofhiking shoes, they can be very painfuland unfortunately the most importantpart of treating these injuries is timewithout the offending piece of tack.

Prevention is definitely prefer-able to treatment! Cinch/girth gallsand saddle sores are usually preventa-ble injuries, and can really put adamper on your plans.

IS YOUR HORSE READY?

Next, be sure your horse is pre-pared. Be honest with yourself–isyour horse ready to perform what youare going to ask of him? Has he hard-ly emerged from his winter roundbale and you are planning to enter

Alyssa Butters and her horse enjoying a trail ride. Photo credit: Jacob Krol

Preparing for a backcountry ride. Photocredit: Alyssa Butters

by Alyssa Butters

Although still afew months awayfrom the first greengrass, many peo-ple’s thoughts arebeginning to turn to the time we canshed our winter lay-ers and get out toenjoy our horses inthe summertime.

Make sure your equine first aid kit is fully stocked and in a handy location in yourrig. Will you know where it is in an emergency? Also, if you are traveling to a showor trail riding area outside of your district, take the time to find out what is theclosest veterinarian clinic, how to contact them, and where they are located. Thiscan save precious time if faced with a colicky or injured horse.

THE LAST MINUTE CHECK

Before you leave for your trail ride, backcountry trip or competition, askyourself: Does my horse seem normal today? Did he eat his breakfast? Is hismanure normal? Does he suddenly have a snotty nose or any new cuts or swellingson his legs? If anything seems out of the ordinary, take your horse’s temperature. A slight fever (>38.5˚C) may be an early warning sign he’s incubating a virus.What's normal for your horse? What may be normal for one horse could be a sig-nificant fever in another. Not only do you want to avoid spreading that to the otherhorses he may come in contact with, the stress of travel and disruption of his rou-tine could turn a mild illness into a much more serious one. Trot him out ongood, and preferably firm, footing to be sure he’s sound. Like a brewing infection,a slight lameness may become a much more significant lameness after a long dayof riding or competing. AB

Even with the best preparation, emergencies still happen. Are you pre-pared to deal with them? Join Dr. Alyssa Butters for her presentation at the AEFAnnual Conference in Red Deer on Saturday, March 19 where she will be dis-cussing basic equine first aid. Topics covered will include: What injuries andemergencies are commonly encountered, on the trail or elsewhere, and howdo you deal with them? What wounds and cuts need to be seen by the vet andwhat might be dealt with yourself? What should a wound be treated with, andwhen does it need to be bandaged? If the horse needs veterinary attention,what do you do with a sick or injured horse while waiting for the vet toarrive? Dr. Butters will present a practical, relevant approach to first aid carefor your horse for beginner and experienced horse owners alike.

Riding literally before she could walk, Dr. Alyssa Butters spent her youth Pony Clubbing and

chasing cows on her family’s cattle ranch. She then translated her lifelong love of the horse

into a career as an equine veterinarian. When not treating horses, she’s usually riding

them–eventing, dressage, or checking the cows. Contact Dr. Butters at [email protected].


Are your horse’s feet ready for the backcountry? Photo credit: Alyssa Butters

Alberta TrailRiding Association

ATRA is a vibrant club forrecreational riders and drivers of all ages and horse breeds.

For more information visit our website at www.atra.ca

What should be in my First Aid Kit?5-gallon bucket or other container with a securely fitting lidPhone number of your veterinarianList of normal temperature, pulse and respirationFlashlightBandage scissorsWet hand wipes and hand sanitizerThermometerStethoscopeDuct tapeLatex glovesGamgee™ or quilted stable wrapsSelf-adhesive bandaging material (such as Vetrap™, Co-Flex™, etc)Non-adherent wound dressing (such as Telfa™)4”x 4” gauze squaresRoll gauze (4”or 6”)Paper towels (in resealable plastic bag) or several small, clean hand towelsHoof pickDisposable diapers (4)ElectrolytesBottled water4 x 12mL syringesChlorhexidine (Hibitane™) or povidone-iodine (Betadine™) scrubPovidone-iodine (Betadine™) solutionTriple antibiotic or other wound ointment

The “Golden Rule” of First Aid Kits: Its contents are for emergency use only.When used, they must be immediately replaced!

If you’re a recreational rider and want to enhance your Western riding experience, improve your knowledge about horse care and have a fabulouswilderness experience, then take a look at Olds College new Western RecreationalRiding program.

A recent agreement between Olds College and Equine Guelph, part ofOntario’s University of Guelph, has yielded the formation of a new Olds Collegecertificate program. Beginning in July 2011, students will be able to enrol in theCollege’s new one-year Western Recreational Rider Certificate program. By com-pleting two additional elective courses in that timeframe, students can also acquireEquine Guelph’s Equine Science certificate in addition to the College’s WesternRecreational Rider certificate.

“This program is tailor-made to ignite and build a passion for horses like noother. Between the day-to-day learning and a breathtaking pack trip through theCanadian Rockies at the end of the program, there are very few ways a horseenthusiast could have more fun,” said Dalin Bullock, Chair, Olds College School ofAgriculture. “It also serves as an excellent foundation for students who are inter-ested in learning the fundamentals before going more in-depth and obtaining ourEquine Science Diploma.”

The program consists of one year of blended programming, broken downinto four required on-line courses offered by Equine Guelph and six on-campuscourses offered by Olds College. Wil Speight has been hired as the Olds Collegeprogram developer and lead instructor. It begins this July with eight weeks of on-campus instruction followed by two semesters of part-time on-line instructionfrom September to April. The program finishes with eight weeks of on-campusinstruction in May and June. Putting their new knowledge to practical use, stu-dents finish the program with the Wilderness Wrangler course, which includes thethree-day pack trip through the Rockies–embodying the ideals and romanticimagery Western horsemanship is famous for.

“Equine Guelph is pleased to be a part of the Western Recreational RiderCertificate,” said Gayle Ecker, Director, Equine Guelph. “Combining practicalhands on experience with Guelph’s award-winning science-based programs willgive students a solid base ofknowledge and the confidenceto move forward into a success-ful equestrian career.”

Program size is limited to24 students per year. The on-campus portion of the program-ming will focus on recreationalriding with an emphasis onsafety and horse care. Studentswill follow the rider level certifi-cation as outlined by EquineCanada and will be required toperform a self assessment ofboth their physical ability andhorsemanship skill. In addition,students planning to bring their own horse will be required to perform an assess-ment of its suitability for the program.

Each course costs $500 dollars, and there is a fee of $600 for the WildernessWrangler pack trip. Books and supplies are additional. Boarding a horse on cam-pus is $7 per day. Olds College will facilitate helping you to lease a horse.

Program details along with admission requirements and how to apply is atthe following site:

www.oldscollege.ca/programs/WesternRecreationalRider/index.htm. AB

Mike King is an equine insurance specialist with Capri Insurance Services Ltd. and is

responsible for the insurance programs that benefit the Alberta Equestrian Federation

and its members. Do you have a question on insurance? “Ask the Insurance Guy”…and

we will provide an answer in the next issue [email protected].

New program for Western recreational riders

ARE YOU COVERED?

QUESTION:

As a local riding club, we are aware that we have a liability exposure asan organizer of social and competitive events for our members and guests.We also know that our members need to protect themselves if they invite aguest to ride their horse.

What is the best way for everyone to obtain protection?

ANSWER:

First, the club should obtain Commercial General Liability (CGL) insuranceissued in the name of the club. This policy would cover the club as an entity, theboard of directors, volunteers and others who are acting in an official capacity on behalf of the club. The policy should be issued with a limit of no less than$2,000,000 (per occurrence) and clearly defines the activities that it covers,including reference to where coverage applies. For example, is the insurancebased on activities for a particular premises or does the policy recognize that the group may have an activity at some other location?

A strategy to help keep the cost of the this type of coverage as low as possi-ble is to insist that all of the club members obtain and maintain personal liabilityinsurance that covers them for all liability arising from the ownership and use of their horse(s). This simple, tried and true risk-management strategy of riskdeferral can be very effective.

The most expedient way to serve both of these related concerns is to:

a) Join the AEF as a provincial association or affiliate organization.

b) Obtain Commercial General Liability insurance through the AEF clubinsurance policy. We also recommend obtaining separate Director’sand Officer’s liability insurance. The AEF Commercial General Liabilitypolicy provides $5,000,000 of coverage for any number of equine-related events the association may organize or operate during the year.This policy covers members-only events and those events that allowguests to participate in the association. Land owners, the propertywhere the club holds their activities, are automatically covered by thispolicy as additional insureds.

c) Mandate that all of the club members that ride/drive in club-organizedevents join the AEF as individual members. By doing this, the club canbe sure that everyone has $5,000,000 personal liability insurance coverage in their own name. Since the membership term in AEF runsJanuary 1st to December 31st of each year, it should be fairly straight-forward for everyone to be organized before activities begin.

By using one insurer for both the association and its members, a few prob-lems are avoided, including ensuring and verifying that the policies are the same or in force for an activity in question. AEF coverage is easily confirmed by way of providing a current membership card–the club can be absolutely confident in the coverage.

To reduce risk and have the best protection, the association and its mem-bers need to be insured appropriately. Read the insurance policy, ask questions,and make sure that the board of the club and its members become familiar withthose terms. This benefits all equine enthusiasts–owners and non-owners alike. AB

The Western Recreational Rider Certificate offersa great program to help riders enjoy Alberta’sextensive trails and backcountry. Photo credit:Monika Smith


AdviceAsk the Insurance Guyby Mike King

satellite phone. I’ve been on site at several STARS medical evacuations. The careand professionalism demonstrated by the STARS crews assured me that we were in excellent hands. With the use of advanced aviation technology including night-vision devices, STARS helicopters can operate safely, even flying at low levels inmountainous terrain.

STARS is a non-profit charity celebrating its 25th year of service. They rely on fundraising to operate, and keep their personnel and technology at the cuttingedge. When you’ve been involved in a medical airlift, or perhaps been transportedyourself, this thought may cross your mind as it did mine: “Wow. All of this at nocost to the patient? What an amazing organization. What can I do to help?” Startwith the STARS website. You’ll find upcoming events on their calendar, some ofwhich are equine related, making it fun for you as well. Or consider listing yourevent as a STARS fundraiser. It’s about giving back.

The Millarville Ride for STARS and Wild Deuce’s Working Mountain HorseCompetition are two such events. Brenda Murdock, co-owner of Wild Deuce says,“We became involved with STARS because we recognize its importance in the back country. Access to standard emergency services is often difficult and slow, so STARS is critical in our area. We are lucky to have such a unique, essential and lifesaving service in our province. We want to do what we can to keep them operating.”

Wild Deuce added the STARS fundraiser to their annual Competition and Salein 2006. The majority of the funds raised at the sale are from the silent auction. In2010, a red roan mare, along with full tack and feed, was donated by some gener-ous individuals. The auction of that package brought the 2010 total to over$12,000.

Most of us don’t think about getting hurt while out on the trail on a nicesunny day. Being injured on a horseback trip far from any medical service can beterrifying, in addition to life threatening. So next time you climb on the back ofyour horse, give that some thought. Think about safety, and be prepared.

But accidents can happen, and when they do, remember there is an organi-zation out there that ‘has your back’: STARS. More than that, volunteer or take partin a STARS fundraising activity. There are many easy and fun ways to give back tothis life-saving organization. You can do it from the back of your horse.

For more information about STARS, visit http://www.stars.ca. AB

STARS: backcountry 911by Scott Phillips

(l-r) Silent auction organizers Tracy DeHoop and Kerry Murphy; Frank Turner (STARS);Topline Dandy (STARS horse); Bruce Hills (who purchased the horse package); andBrenda Murdock and Terri McKinney (Wild Deuce) with their spouses Guy and Chuck(standing behind them). Photo credit: Darla Rathwell

Scott has a passion for horses which is evident in his weekly blogs on Northernhorse.com,

where he also works as a web programmer. He spends his summers on horseback in the

mountains as a wrangler and guide. Scott is the proud owner of five horses that he rides and

trains daily. You can contact Scott at [email protected].

There are many things in life we expect, and even take for granted. When wetoss a bale into the paddock, we expect to see our horses come running. When wetake to the trail on a sunny afternoon, we expect to have a pleasant ride. And ifyou are unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident, you expect that anambulance–or even police and fire crews–are going to appear on the scene. Weare fortunate to live in Alberta where we can expect that.

When it comes to rural or backcountry areas, though, help isn’t necessarilyclose at hand. What if you are on a mountain trail, miles from the last stagingarea, or at a farm that is several hours from a hospital? You have an accident andrequire emergency medical services. Now what?

Many of you know the answer. In this province, we have a valuable resource:the Alberta-based Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS) provides state-of-the-art emergency medical personnel and equipment that transports the critically illand injured by helicopter. Even hours back in the bush, STARS is accessible by


featuring…Any horse, any rider, any tack.

While the saying might not be strictlytrue, competitive trail riding (CTR) isa sport that riders from any other dis-cipline can enjoy. CTRs have been tak-ing place in Alberta since the early1970s. A group of dedicated horse-men founded the non-profit society,Trail Riding Alberta Conference(TRAC) and set up its rules. The rulesresemble the conditions faced by earlypioneers, whose horses travelled vastdistances at the quickest pace possibleand required enough stamina for the same effort the next day.

Rides are held in scenic areas that will provide the greatest challenge andenjoyment for horse and rider. There are three divisions: novice and intermediatewith a 25-mile trail and open, with a trail covering 50 miles. Riders are dividedinto three categories within each division: junior, lightweight and heavyweight. Theobjective is to finish with your horse in as close to the condition vetted in, andwithin a specified time period; finishing first is not the main goal.

A typical ride starts on a Friday evening. Once settled in and registered, thehorse must now be “vetted in.” A veterinarian evaluates each competitor’s horse toestablish what the normal physical condition of the horse is so that comparisonscan be made at checkpoints throughout the ride. All competitors start with a scoreof 300, based on the horse’s initial evaluation. Points are deducted, for example,for being early or late at the finish or for a horse that has deteriorated in condi-tion from their initial vet check. Horses are assessed on hydration, heart and res-piration rates, gait/lameness and mental alertness.

Saturday morning riders within each division are released from the startinggate at 30 to 60 second intervals. At checkpoints out on the trail, each horse isexamined for soundness, hydration, pulse and respiration. If a horse has a higherrate than acceptable, points are deducted. If a horse’s condition deteriorates toomuch, a horse may be excused or “pulled” from competition. Once a rider cross-es the finish line, a veterinarian will “vet out” the horse and compare its conditionto the initial check. The vet looks for signs of stiffness or sore spots and deductspoints if any are found. Horses that compete in the open division go throughanother vet check the following morning.

After all the horses’ needs are tended to, riders share a meal and storiesaround the campfire.

Whether you prefer to spend your time taking in the scenery of the trail orare partial to the competitive spirit of the sport, consider participating in competi-tive trail riding. What a great opportunity to meet new friends that have a passionin which we all share–our horses.

To learn more about the sport, activities and rules, and find out aboutupcoming events visit: www.trailriding.ab.ca. AB

What happens when a group of volunteers who all have a great interest inhorses and youth come together? Well, the answer to that is a lot. The Alberta 4-HProvincial Equine Advisory Committee (PEAC) is just such a group of adult volun-teers. This committee was put together by the efforts of staff members of what wasthen the 4-H Branch of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development and enthusias-tic 4-H volunteers to promote and enhance the 4-H Equine projects in Alberta.

Through the work of PEAC the Alberta 4-H Equine project has become onewhich is envied and copied by 4-H organizations across Canada and even some ofstates in the US have adapted these materials for their use. The Alberta 4-H Equineproject endeavours to make the interaction between the horse and rider safe andenjoyable for all. There are rider levels for 4-H members to complete and theselevels progress as members advance through them. All members must completeHorsemanship Levels 1-3, which include both mounted and dismounted assess-ments. Riders in level 1 are at the very basic level and only walk and trot; they alsolearn to catch, saddle and bridle their horse. After completing Level 3, membersmay choose to continue in the horsemanship stream, or they may choose one of avariety of Western and English riding disciplines such as rodeo, jumping, dressage,ranch horse and cattle events, to name a few.

PEAC has not only been busy in the area of project development. Throughtheir efforts, a number of educational, competitive and training opportunities havebeen made available to 4-H members and leaders. Among these opportunities are:

• PROVINCIAL EQUINE LEADERS FORUM a bi-annual event which brings together4-H leaders from across Alberta along with some out of province guests for aweekend of learning and fun. The program includes a variety of select-a-ses-sions on equine-related topics, as well as some plenary sessions. It’s a greatopportunity for 4-H leaders to learn not only from the speakers, but from oneanother.

• PROVINCIAL EQUINE ‘TRAIN THE TRAINER’ EVENTS these are held once ortwice a year and give 4-H leaders an opportunity to learn more about theassessments for either horsemanship or one of the other disciplines.

• PROVINCIAL 4-H HORSE SHOW for riders in levels Horsemanship 4-7, thisshow was initially held in 2010 and will continue in 2011. This event bringsriders from across Alberta for three days of competition and fellowship.

• HORSE CLASSIC this event gives members a chance to show off their equineknowledge in a variety of competitions that include marketing, quiz bowl andother equine related competitions. Additionally, there are social activities thatallow 4-H members and leaders to get to know one another.

• STANDARDBRED PROJECT through the support of the Alberta StandardbredHorse Association, 4-H members have the opportunity to raise a standardbredyearling and prepare it for sale as a yearling. The members contract with abreeder to look after their horse and in return, receive their costs and a per-centage of the sale price of the animal.

One of the most recent projects of PEAC was the development of a video,which shows the correct way to complete each of the mounted assessments forHorsemanship Levels 1-7. The project, which was supported by the AEF, hasreceived many positive comments from 4-H leaders. AB

Trail Riding Alberta Conference

Photo credit: courtesy of PEACLeanna Marchant and 12-year-oldSamsons Fire at the RattlesnakeRoundup ride, which is held at Writingon Stone Provincial Park. Photo credit: cour-tesy of Leanna Marchant

Dr Doug Hunter watching Ken Vanderwekken and Fresco, an 11-year-old paint do atrot out at a vet check to assess lameness. Photo credit: Marlene Vanderwekken

Alberta 4-H’s Provincial EquineAdvisory Committee



To please horses, one must know what and who horses are, and then pro-ceed to fulfill their preferences and needs on a continuous basis.

LEARNING FROM THE HORSE’S PERSPECTIVE

To understand where our relationship with the horses is headed, we attemptto see where the relationship has been. We live with horses and we continue tolearn from them, as we have done through time. The science of equine behaviourattempts to understand and appreciate what horses are and also, from the horse’sperspective. We continue to find ourselves attempting to appreciate how thishuman/horse relationship came to be to facilitate a smooth trouble-free relation-ship. We study the horse’s evolution and domestication to better help us appreci-ate the horses we ride and enjoy. Evolution and domestication provide the basisfor understanding equine behaviour.

If your goal is to have a happier, more responsive horse, using less equip-ment and techniques to train, then the science of equine behaviour provides ameans of critically creating a positive relationship between you and your horse.The science isn’t cold or full of lab coat testing – it’s meant to help you harnessyour empathy and enjoyment of your horse, to work with your horse more effi-ciently, knowledgeably and consistently. We really can’t blame the horse for ourmistakes and misunderstandings about how the horse thinks, feels and behaves.We’re the ones who have to learn about horses and apply that knowledge on howthey operate in our environment, and then it’s up to us to fix the environment.

OPTIMUM SOCIALIZATION AND PERFORMANCE

Appreciation and sensitivity to all of our caballine horses evolved preferenceshave resulted in optimum health and soundness, and therefore optimum perform-

ance. A horse cannot be coerced to win the Kentucky Derby. People must workwith the horse, and from the horse’s view. If we understand equine behaviour, weunderstand what makes horses do our bidding, and do it well. To this day, horsesseek to appease their domesticators;they are willing learners. This learningbehavior is a result of evolutionarydevelopment of a complex sociallifestyle. More recently, selectivebreeding has influenced equine behav-iour. The nature of the horse isenhanced by the horse’s social devel-opment. Appropriate socialization withother horses in herd-pasture settingsbest prepares horses to be subse-quently trained. Pastured horses trainup and learn more efficiently than sta-bled horses. The appropriate, effi-cient, and considerate training ofhorses is highly dependent on theirprevious socialization by the dam andother horses, as well as their current husbandry situation. Trainability is heavilyinfluenced by the intensity and type of stabling and husbandry, not to mention thetype of training. In the latest revolution of horsemanship, the area of appropriatesocialization and stabling has not received the attention it deserves.

Horses have to be in the right mental space to train up and learn efficiently,and the right mental space is provided with 24/7 forage, locomotion, and friends,which are often seriously lacking in a stable. People take the nature of the horseaway by confining her in a stall where all a horse requires for happiness is miss-ing. The only way a horse can be trained in a stable situation is coercively.

CONSIDER A HORSE’S SURROUNDINGS

Horses are a quiet species. They prefer calm and learn most efficiently intranquil, familiar settings. Horses must know and be comfortable and secure intheir environment to be able to learn as we would like them to learn. It is throughthe science of what our horses want and need from us, the science of equinebehaviour, that gives us the knowledge to work with them. Equine behaviour is notonly the basis of training and trainability, but also the very basis of equine health.To succeed in our endeavors with horses (whatever our goals or pursuits), ourhorses are best served to receive what they preferentially need and want behav-iourally, nutritionally, socially, physically, environmentally, visually, and metaboli-cally. In order to properly care for horses and successfully teach and train horses,we must know them. We must know who those gregarious grazers of the plainsare; how to properly socialize them through their growth phase to ensure thathorses grow up to be horses. Horses raised out of the herd context are vulnerable

Pleasing horsesby Sid Gustafson

Horses are born to please those horsefolk who know how to please horses.

16 AlbertaBits SPRING 2011

Photo credit: all photographs courtesy of Sid Gustafson


to behavioural insecurities later in life. Most behavioural wastage is due toimproper socialization and husbandry.

A HORSE MUST MOVE

So then, this stabling-to-trainpoint is often lost to horse owners,who often jump to concerns aboutround-pens, rigs, etc. They lock ahorse up in a stall suddenly taking thehorse away from its family, forage, andnear-constant movement necessary formental and physical health, andexpect the horse to learn and train upin this anguished state.

The importance of constantlocomotion is paramount to appreci-ating equine behaviour and learning.Locomotion. Horses need movement.In addition to friendship, they requirenear-constant movement.

Interdependence exists between horse health and locomotion. Horses evolved tobe near-constant walkers and grazers. The last place a horse evolved to be is alonein a stall. Despite domestication and selective breeding for docility and captivity,horse health remains dependent on locomotion. Locomotion is inherent to graz-ing. Locomotion is inherent to digestion, to respiration, to metabolism. If horsesare not allowed to move about freely and socialize with other familiar horses graz-ing and chewing as they evolved to do, they become troubled. Horses deprived oflocomotion and constant forage ingestion develop strategies to maintain themotion and oral security they feel they need to survive.

This sort of stall deprivation is a mistake, and is seldom addressed. If horsesare stabled to be trained, then we must begin with enrichment strategies to recre-ate the horse's preferences of 24/7 forage, friends, and locomotion. Enrichment isthe challenge that needs to be addressed: enrichment in the stable to recreate nat-ural circumstances behooving to learning.

ENRICHING A HORSE’S LIFE

Horses with adequate 24/7 forage, friends, and locomotion learn willingly,others do not.

The more stabled the horses, the more difficult they train up. To lock a horseup in a stable and put her in a training regime lacks finesse and creativity, whatev-er the method utilized. Before we get into round-pens, let's first appreciate whatstabling does to a horse's learning curve.

For horses that are hospitalized, paddocked, stabled, and corralled; activeimplementation and re-creation of the social pasture setting is necessary to main-

tain health and promote healing. The absence of abundant forage, friends, andlocomotion are detrimental to a stabled or hospitalized horse's health, if not wel-fare. Medical conditions are apt to deteriorate in the face of the deprivations creat-ed by stabling and hospitalization.

Stalled horses not only heal poorly, they learn and train poorly. Locomotion,social, and forage deprivations create problems for horses. In addition to appro-priate medical treatment, veterinarians and stable managers must creatively pro-vide horses with abundant socialization, forage, and locomotion to maintain healthand facilitate healing.

Additionally, pair-bonding can be used to train a horse. In a horse, pairbonding, horses have ‘preferred associates’ in a herd. They groom each other,stand together and even conduct their daily ‘business’ together. Just as these hors-es want to be together, we want our horse to be together with us. What should wedo and offer to a horse to pair bond? We benefit by spending time pair-bondingwith the horse we want to train. Pair-bonding is overlooked. The language of hors-es and horsemanship is kinetic empathy, and this needs to be much better under-stood by us.

These are the concepts that are most notably absent from contemporarytraining excepting on Indian reservations and certain cattle ranches, where horsestrain up happily while living naturally. Horses train up best out of the pasture,allowed to live grazing in a familiar herd each day.

This is the education that needs to be delivered to benefit horses.

THE HORSE-HUMAN BOND BENEFITS BOTH

Horses can heal us. Those horsefolk who have implemented these healingstrategies often experience a sense of healing themselves. The human/horse bondruns deep.

Domestication of the horse is a co-evolving evolutionary process. The humanperspective is being shaped by the horse’s perspective these days. Appreciation ofthe science of equine behavior and equitation is a welcome change for the horseafter centuries of considerable subjugation. AB

Sid Gustafson, D.V.M., is a novelist and equine veterinarian specializing in thoroughbred

sports medicine and equine behavior. He teaches Equine Behaviour at Equine Guelph and

practices regulatory veterinary medicine. Dr Sid gives presentations and demonstrations

regarding equine behaviour from the horse's perspective.website at www.sidgustafson.com.

Pleasing horsesby Sid Gustafson

Horses are born to please those horsefolk who know how to please horses.

THE FIVE FREEDOMS

To analyze all the factors likely to influence the welfare of farm ani-mals, consider whether the animal has:

1) Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition—by providingaccess to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigor

2) Freedom from physical and thermal discomfort—by providing a suitable environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area

3) Freedom from pain, injury and disease—by prevention, rapiddiagnosis and treatment

4) Freedom to express most patterns of normal behaviour—byproviding sufficient space, proper facilities and company of theanimal’s own kind

5) Freedom from fear and distress—by ensuring conditions whichavoid mental suffering

Paul McGreevy, Equine Behaviour: a guide for veterinarians and equine scientists. Elsevier Ltd: 2004.

sBlue Alberta skies with the promise of wide vistas of snow capped mountains

are hard to resist for the avid trail rider. It is easy to imagine the panoramas andforget the possibilities of changing weather, sloppy trails and a tumble from aspooked horse.

Of course we shouldn’t dwell on the potential consequences of an unplannedstumble of a horse and an unexpected fall onto an outstretched arm. But whathappens if that were to happen? What do you do? What are your options?

One of the first thoughts that commonly crosses the mind is, “I wish I hadtaken a first aid course,” quickly followed by, “I wish I had a first aid kit”!

There are two distinct phases of a back country emergency, the pre-incidentplan and the post incident response.

As an old cavalry inspector general once said “Be prepared!” This in somany ways neatly sums up the pre-incident plan.

Phase one begins with us thinking about the “5 W’s”. What, where, when whyand who? Think of the answers to these five questions preferably before leavinghome and definitely before reaching the trailhead. Here the horses are unloaded,saddles are cinched and supplies are packed for the expected trip. Then you beginthe ride. Now comes the second part of pre-incident planning, good leadership.The key here is to keep a weather eyeopen and to keep asking yourself ifeverything is still going to plan. Weoften hear that “we shouldn’t sweat thesmall stuff,” however in the wildernesspaying attention to small things that wecan take care of easily, makes sense!

If an incident happens, thenSTOP. Stop and Think about what fur-ther hazards may exist. Observe whatcaused the incident and Prioritize theneeds of the injured person and therest of the group. Don’t, not that youwould, forget the horses. Attend to anyfirst aid that needs to be done. Becomplete in your assessment of theinjuries or illness, remembering thatdefinitive help may be a long and diffi-cult ride away. One of the objectives ofwilderness first aid is to get a com-plete picture of not only the immediateinjuries but also the overall well beingof the person. This is the part, if youremember, where you wish that youhad done that first aid course andbrought a few first aid supplies!

Getting cold after being hurt ortaken ill does not make your injury ormedical condition better. It doesn’thelp to shiver your way out to the trail-head or indeed lie on the groundshaking as your body’s musclesattempt to warm you. Where does theshelter you need come from? It comesfrom those extra dry and insulatinglayers that you packed. You didremember to bring that extra clothing?


afe in (or out of!) the saddle

by Dave Watt

Broken Leg. Fractures of the lower leg are typical of the type of trauma that may beencountered. An efficient splint will make evacuation much more comfortable for theinjured rider. Complicating factors such as potential frostbite must be addressed.Photo credit: Dave Watt

Pulse Checking. Checking someone’s “peripheral” pulse is one of vital signs that shouldbe monitored throughout your care of the individual. Photo credit: Dave Watt

Fractured Forearm/Wrist. Trips and falls as you dismount for a short break are common-place injuries and while not life threatening can be very painful and may even be “limb”threatening. Correct stabilization and assessment can protect from further, more perma-nent consequences. Photo credit: Dave Watt

CLEAN WATERThe most common methods to get cleanand safe drinking water are the following:

BOILING

This method is time and fuel consuming.You must have a fire or stove with enoughfuel to bring the water to a “vigorousrolling boil”. And, a pot to heat the waterin. Once the water has achieved rolling boilstatus, it is clean. I hope you like tea, asyou now have hot drinking water.

CHEMICAL

Adding certain chemicals to your water willclean. We strongly recommend that youstick to chlorine-based chemicals as iodinecan have some side effects. Chlorine comesin different forms and the two mostportable are tablet and liquid. Look for aproduct called Pristine™. It is a two-partsolution that mixes easily, does the clean-ing and dissipates before drinking. Thedown side is that your water must be leftto stand while the chemical does its thingand cold water does need more standingtime. It is relatively easy but you do needto be proactive and treat your water beforeyou get really thirsty.

FILTERING

Filtering gives you clean, cold water that isready to drink, right now. Filters are moreexpensive to buy, can become easilyclogged if you are filtering water with highlevels of silts, and are a little more bulky tocarry. The up side is that you have clean,clear water ready to drink immediately.

There are other devices and technologiesout there that can do a great job of clean-ing water. Check them out and understandtheir advantages and limitations.

Can you get the injured rider out? Will riding down that steep trail aggravatethe condition? Do you need help to get to you and if you do, how will you let themknow? There are choices to make and some planning to do here. Perhaps some-one in the group has a cell phone and you can call emergency services. Do youknow where you are? Can you direct them to your location? Can you give them amap reference? Do you have a GPS? Then there is the true and tried method of rid-ing for help Choose a cool-headed rider to take your message back to civilisation.

While waiting for the cavalry to arrive can you get a fire started? Can you geteveryone a hot drink? The ability to do both of these great moral boosters hingeson the need to “be prepared!” Almost everyone can think of wonderful fire-start-ing tips and techniques, but if a fire-starter kit is to be useful, it must be carried.

Food and drink are last in the priority list of things to do. Water is moreimportant than food, as people and horses are mainly made of water. So, how willyou clean the water you get from a creek, or do you carry enough with you to lastthrough all the eventualities? A lot of trails pass through lease land where the cowsact as grounds-keepers, grazing and fertilizing as they go. Cattle are the main cul-prits in depositing giardia in the rivers and streams throughout Alberta, so beforeyou scoop and swallow that water, perhaps you should be cleaning it. Extra foodshould be calorie dense and high enough in sugars that the calories are fast act-ing. Good ol’ trail mix is hard to beat.

So there you have it, a quick overview of being prepared for the day out.Plan for the worst, hope for the best and don’t wait until the emergency happensto wish you had taken a wilderness first aid course or to pack a few emergencysupplies in those saddle bags. Happy trails! AB

Even with the best preparation, emergencies still happen. Are you pre-pared to deal with them? Join Dave Watt for his presentation at the AEFAnnual Conference in Red Deer on Saturday, March 19.

AlbertaBits SPRING 2011 19

With extensive outdoor experience gained in Scotland and as a paramedic in Alberta, Dave

formed Rocky Mountain Adventure Medicine, providing quality training that reflect the lat-

est developments in medical and rescue training for the remote environment. RMAM is an

internationally recognised source of professionally run courses.


First aid kit for day trips:

These contents will fit into a small sized, soft-sided pouch that can be tucked away in asaddle bag. Remember that a first aid kit is only useful if taken along. In choosing a firstaid kit, be wary of the too-cheap-to-believe kits, as they often contain cheap compo-nents that will let the first aider down in an emergency situation.

A kit should reflect your learning and expertise and your ability to improvise. Having afirst aid kit along is a great start, but taking a wilderness/ remote first aid course andlearning how to use the kit is essential.

1 AR barrier device2 Cling bandage4 Betadine swab4 Alcohol swab2 Non-stick dressing1 Tensor bandage or vet wrap1 Absorbent (Abd.) pad4 Sterile gauze2 Triangular bandage1 Tweezers

1 Scissors1 Transpore™ tape2 Pairs of nitrile gloves4 1-shot crazy glue4 ASA aspirin (children’s) tabs12 Band-Aid™1 Irrigation syringe1 Ziploc™ bag1 Accident/Illness Report & pencil1 Soft first aid pouch

QUANTITY ITEM

An Alberta traditionby Maureen Germscheid

(l-r) Kenton Germscheid, Bill Anderson and Jim Keith lead the pack. In back are Greg Germscheid and son-in-law Kevin Hull. Arriving at Hwy 16 to head south, 119 mares are beingmoved home from their winter pasture as the snow had become too deep for pawing. Photo credit: Maureen Germscheid

As a well known BC auctioneeronce told me, “The Keith QuarterHorses are one of the best keptsecrets in North America.” Althoughtheir numbers are down due to theeconomy and the drought conditionsover the last few years, Jim and

Glenna Keith of Entwistle still haveover 1,000 registered quarter horses.Most of their stock are descendedfrom such well known stallions asPeppy San, Stormy Starboy, SmartLittle Lena, Colonel Freckles, andDoc’s Hickory.

The Keith’s often move theirhorses by foot rather than loadingthem into trailers. They feel that it isfaster, safer and more comfortable forthe horses, stating, “We try and roundup a few of the neighbourhood cow-boys and cowgirls to help them get

the horses home safely. We feel luckyto live in an area where we get thechance to live a little bit of the past.”

The entire trip took about threehours. The next weekend, 182 mareswere brought home from a pasturefarther north. It was a chilly ride. AB

by Wade Aebli, RPTF

The work that goes into building a sustainable trail that provides a greatexperience for recreationalists begins long before any trees are cut or any earth ismoved. Whether it’s building an equestrian trail or another type, the fundamentalsof trail design and construction apply to all. With the increased pressure onAlberta’s public land base by both industry and the public comes greater scrutinyby both land managers and environmental groups.

Therefore, it is critical to do the job right the first time. To do this, provenplanning techniques are required.

This past fall the Southern Alberta Trail Riders Association (SATRA) built animpressive trail with some amazing scenery adjacent to the South Castle River onpublic lands (see Alberta Bits Winter, 2010). As a result of good planning, SATRAwas able to meet their goals with a minimal budget. In the development of thattrail, they employed the fundamentals that are mentioned in this article.

This is how a trail is planned and created.

THE FIVE W’s

The development of a trail has five major components:

• Defining objectives for the trail

• Reconnaissance of the potential routes

• Stakeholder referrals and submission of the plan for approval

• Implementation of the plan

• Evaluation of results

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Defining objectives is crucial to the success of the project and will dictatewhat the final trail looks like and what it is used for. Those objectives also deter-mine what resources and logistics are needed:

• WHO WILL BE USING THE TRAIL? Is it intended for novice riders or experts? Is ita dedicated trail or a multi-use trail?

• WHAT IS THE INTENDED USE? Is it equestrian, motorized, non-motorized, sum-mer, winter, or a combination of those?

• WHAT STANDARDS WILL THE TRAIL BE BUILT TO? Is it going to be built to aprimitive standard, semi-developed standard, or developed standard?

• WHAT TYPE OF EXPERIENCE IS DESIRED FOR THE TRAIL?

• WHERE IS THE TRAIL GOING? Is the trail a loop trail, does it connect withanother trail, or does it provide connectivity to a destination?

• WHEN WILL THE TRAIL BE USED AND WHEN WILL IT BE BUILT? Does the areahave timing restrictions for wildlife use? Are there issues for construction thatmay be affected by timing?

• WHY IS THE TRAIL NECESSARY? Does the trail provide connectivity to a primedestination or an existing staging area? Could the trail be used for emergencyaccess to the back country?

NEXT STEP, RECONNAISSANCE

The reconnaissance phase involves both indoor and outdoor activities. Itstarts in the office with maps (both new and old), and aerial photographs.


Anatomy of a great trail

20 AlbertaBits SPRING 2011

Sustainable trail to Grizzly Lake in southern Alberta was improved through a SATRA trail initiative in 2009. Photo credit: Wade Aebli

www.albertaequestrian.com AlbertaBits SPRING 2011 21

Invaluable information for the proposed trail can come from trappers, range rid-ers, outfitters, forest technicians and officers, etc. It pays to talk to local forestofficers before you invest a lot of time, as it can save some heart ache or helpavoid significant road blocks.

Planning the trail really begins by determining the preferred route, but it isalso wise to think about and investigate alternate routes, just in case the preferredroute is not approved. A land standing search helps avoid any potential show stop-pers like PNT’s (protective notations for ecological areas, rare plants, wildlife, his-toric features, etc.), private holdings and defined wildlife corridors. The routesshould incorporate existing access or lineal disturbances to minimize further dis-turbance and as a plus, realize a cost savings. Field reconnaissance will determineif the existing disturbances are practicable, sustainable, and feasible.

GROUND TRUTHING

After the office reconnaissance is complete, it’s out to the site. The preferredand alternate route(s) need to be ground truthed to assess suitability, sustainabili-ty and feasibility. At this point, unique features such as, scenic vistas and culturalfeatures, are highlighted or protected, including mineral licks, sensitive historicfeatures, etc., which are incorporated into the plan.

Once ground truthing is complete, the next steps are to flag the trail, track itthrough GPS, and create a map for the proposed route. During the field recon-naissance, physical hazards to both trail builders and trail users are highlighted.Another consideration is the type, amount of equipment and manpower needed tobuild the trail. The logistics of getting crew and materials to the site is anothermajor consideration.

(l-r) Daniel Scott, BLA, a trail specialist, and Wade Aebli, RTF are on a reconnaisance andchecking out a potential route to connect to a trail on the other side of the mountainpass that can be seen in the distance. However, the pass is too steep and rugged. Other reasons why a potential trail may not be feasible occur if there are private land and wildlife movement issues. Liabiltiy can also be a concern on private land. Photo credit: Dave Whitten

An example of a poor, unsustainabletrail. Unfortunately, these aren’t rarein Alberta. This spot has been fixed.Photo credit: Dave Aebli

continued on page 22

THE STAKEHOLDERS

Stakeholder referrals and submission of the plan for approval is done afterreconnaissance. At this time, various land managers with Alberta SustainableResource Development (ASRD) and Fisheries and Oceans Canada are contacted.In some instances where major stream crossings are involved, AlbertaEnvironment also needs to be included. At the same time, other stakeholders whomay be affected are contacted and involved to accommodate their needs or wishesinto the trail design, if practicable and feasible. Other stakeholders include: trap-pers, grazing allotment holders, recreation clubs/societies, industry, outfitters andcommercial trail riders. Once all the information has been collected, applicationforms that include photographs and stakeholder comments are completed. A high-level land manager was heard to say “if a picture is worth a thousand words thena good map is worth a million.” Include an effective map.

Once all approvals are obtained, the approved document(s) are reviewed tounderstand what the land managers have committed your organization to. It is alsocritical to ensure that adequate and appropriate insurance coverage is in placebefore operations start. It may be a requirement of the approval, but even if itisn’t, it is a good practice to inform land managers of the start date. Before thingsreally get going, a safety briefing with all personnel needs to be held and docu-mented to address all hazard and emergency response procedures. Regular safetybriefings should be conducted for the duration of the project.

FINALLY, BREAKING TRAIL

It is finally time to start and the workers and equipment are on site. Signageis posted to warn the public of the active operations, that is, trail work inprogress, tree falling, mulcher working/flying debris, etc. If there is particularlyhazardous work, for example, tree falling or mulching operations, then accessrestrictions may be necessary.

The supervisor monitors progress and identifies new or overlooked hazards.The supervisor also evaluates the work plan to ensure that the objectives are beingachieved. If the project isn’t going to meet its objectives, what else is needed? Is itpractical and feasible to add the missing component?

INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE

Once the trail is built, it needs to inspected and ridden before opened to thepublic. At this time, deficiencies can to be identified and rectified. Trail markersand signage is posted. The work crews demobilize and clean up and make surethat garbage, tools, or camp items are not left behind.

As part of ongoing due diligence, the trail is regularly inspected for mainte-nance. Inspection and maintenance logs should be kept, and in many cases, main-tenance can occur at the same time as the inspection. It is also good practice tohave adequate liability insurance.

DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME

Great trails don’t happen by accident and good planning is vital to creatingsustainable trails regardless of the type of activity. What makes a trail ‘good’ canbe subtle, but it can make all the difference. For example, the majority of userswill not deviate off of a well built, sustainable trail simply because there is no reason to leave it! Another attribute is that a great trail virtually takes care of itselfand the need for upkeep is minimal. By making the initial investment in goodplanning, everyone benefits and gets great dividends.

Happy Trails! AB


Wade Aebli, a registered professional forest technologist with Adaptive Environmental Solutions

Inc., has 18 years experience working in the forest. He has worked with the South West Alberta

Trails Foundation for the past three years on a variety of trail projects including several eques-

trian projects with SATRA. Aebli and his quarter horse Rusty enjoy backcountry riding.

Alberta Trail Riding Association

Upcoming Events in the Edmonton area:March 17, Thursday, 7 pm. General meeting with guestspeaker Dr. Frischke, DVM, Vaccinations and Worming.

April 12-13, 14-15, 16-17, Two-day horsemanship clinicwith Jay O'Jay, Trainer.

April 21, Thursday, 7 pm. General meeting with guest speaker Dollard O'Connoron Search and Rescue.

May 7, Saturday, 33rd Trail Ride Against Cancer, north of Bon Accord.June 25 - July 3, Hummingbird Mountain ride and annual Allenby Trail Clean up.July 23-24, Weekend ride, TBA.Watch for details of upcoming mountain rides and weekend events.

For more information visit our website at www.atra.ca

AEF Trail Supporter ProgramDo you want to improve trails in your area? TheAEF Trail Supporter Program is a funding initia-tive used for trail development to provide facili-ties such as high lines, toilets, fire rings, signage,wells for stock watering, trail bridges, etc. Jointhe Trail Supporter Program, and help improve

your favourite trail and Alberta’sgreat backcountry.

www.albertaequestrian.comALBERT

AEQUESTRIAN FE

D

ERATION

TRA

ILSUPPO

R

TER

Contact the Whitemud Equine Learning Centre Association780-435-3597 or email: [email protected]

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• 2 Grand Prix grass rings• 3 sand rings• fieldhouse with elevated spectator seating• Show office with phone and internet • First aid room

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washracks• Ample of parking for visitors and show

trailers

12505 – Keillor Road, Edmonton, ABAvailable for rental from May to October

CERTIFIED HORSEMANSHIPASSOCIATION (CHA) certifies ridingcoaches, accredits equine facilities, main-tains an online database of riding coach-es searchable by province, publisheseducational horsemanship manuals andDVDs and produces conferences for allhorse enthusiasts. (800) 399-0138,www.CHAinstructors.com or www.CHA-ahse.org

Be a trail blazer and make a difference.

Join the AEF today!www.albertaequestrian.com

anatomy continued



With a new year comes a barageof new resolutions. Show season isstarting to grind into full gear andclinics are found abroad. A lot ofhorses have had a vacation for somerest and relaxation, whether it is tounwind from showing or just a benefi-cial mental break. With spring-a-com-ing, you march out into the paddockfull of new aspirations to start yourpartner back into work and find your-self…a wooly mammoth. You canpress your hand into their fur andcompletely lose sight of your digits.Their legs look like they have growntwice the size in circumference justfrom the thickness of hair sproutingdown. But not to worry, dear aspira-tions, as this is where the lovely worldof clippers comes into play.

There are many questions that horse owners and riders face when it comesto clipping for the winter –where to clip, how much to take off, how to blanketyour horse appropriately afterwards? Each question can be answered dependingon the factors of the environment that your horse lives and works in.

PONY CLIP

Let’s first examine what is commonly called the pony clip. This is usuallysuitable for a horse that lives outside or for an indoor horse that doesn’t have avery thick coat but you want to reduce sweating.

The pony clip is a simple clip down the underside of the neck and the chest

of the horse. The chest is a common area for all horses to sweat when they work

or even when they are standing blanketed in a stall. This style of a clip is quick

and straightforward, and easily allows for more clipping later if needed. If this clip

is used on an outdoor horse, they can

usually live comfortably without a

hood unless it becomes quite cold. If

this clip is used on an indoor horse,

depending on the thickness of the rest

of their coat, they can live without a

blanket or with a lighter winter sheet.

TRACE CLIP

Next we can examine one of themore popular styles called the traceclip. A trace clip is very suitable toeither an indoor or outdoor horsethat tends to always sweat or is inmore of a serious work program. Thistype of clip can vary in its position onthe horse.

Typically it starts from theunderside of the neck, down thechest, around the front of the shoul-

ders, across the barrel, over the flank, and around the haunch of the horse. Thehair is left on the head and legs as well as the upper portion of the horse’s bodyfor extra warmth and protection from the elements. The variables of the positionof the clip rely on the width of the clip, the starting point from the belly, andwhere it meets on the horse’s flank.

If this clip is used on an outdoor horse, they can typically live without a hoodunless it becomes windy and cold. If this clip is used on an indoor horse they usu-ally still live in a light winter blanket, mainly to keep them warm and to encouragethe clip from growing back faster than necessary.

HUNTER CLIP

The hunter clip is a style that is more suitable for an indoor horse, unlessyou are always there to change blankets or have your horse boarded outdoors at a

A trace clip starts on the underside of this mare’s neck, wraps around her chest, andtrails straight across her barrel and haunch. Photo credit: Madison Monkman

Reputable set of clippers and groomer kit. Photo credit: Madison Monkman

Clippers in action. Photo credit: Madison Monkman

Youth BeatClip, clip, clipby Madison Monkman

www.albertaequestrian.com AlbertaBits SPRING 2011 25

barn that will change your blankets for you depending on the weather. All of thehair is clipped off of the head, neck, and body, leaving just the legs and usually apatch where the saddle sits. The hunter clip was originally named so after fieldhunt horses because they would get wet and muddy and this type of clip allowedthem to dry off faster, and still allowed the horses to live outdoors comfortably. Ifthe horse does live outdoors with this clip a light hood is preferable in the wintermonths unless the mercury climbs above zero. Indoor horses with this clip canlive with a light to medium winter blanket.

FULL BODY CLIP

The last style that we will look atis another very popular choice, espe-cially for show horses. The FULL CLIPor full-body clip explains itself by itsname. The horse is completelyclipped from nose to ears, neck tohaunch, elbow to coronet. Horses thatshow throughout the winter or travelto warmer destinations to show areusually found fully clipped, as it isharder for them to be fully condi-tioned when working with a thick coatand it is very time consuming to coolout and dry your show horse. Youalso run the risk of overheating yourhorse if they are expected to workhard and come into a warm arenafrom the colder outdoors or barn.Typically a horse that is fully clippedlives indoors and wears a mediumwinter blanket at minimum. There areof course on occasion, those fullyclipped show horses that live outsideand as long as blankets are consis-tently changed according to weather

they are comfortable. With a full clip, a horse living outdoors should be foundwearing at minimum a heavy winter blanket with a hood.

All of these styles and their details are always subjective to the horse and itsowner, as well as the barn and program that they participate in. Indoor horses’blankets may change depending on their turnout situation throughout the winter,and outdoor horses’ blankets may change depending on their surroundings suchas trees, hills, or shelters.

Each clip style is also dependant on who is doing the clipping, and theirskills – speaking from my own experiences, it is very hard to duplicate an exacttrace clip on one side of the horse to the other side, let alone from one horse tothe next. With all of the different body types and heights that our equine friendscome in, it becomes difficult.

And of course, any of these clip styles are customizable to suit the horse, itsneeds, and yours! AB

Clipping Tips:

� Always check your clippers before youstart for things such as functionality,sharpened blades, and cleanliness.

� Make sure your horse is clean before-hand; clipping through a grimy, dirtycoat will wear out your blades andoverheat your clippers very quickly.

� Always let the horse know where youare around their body, either with ahand or your voice.

� Work slowly around their face and ears,and be patient; be sure to keep a light,consistent pressure and not to press toohard.

� If you happen to nick a horse with theblades, be sure to sterilize the cut sothat the risk of infection is minimal.

� If the horse is thin-skinned, sensitive,or tends to become back sore, it isalways helpful to leave a saddle patchwhen clipping their body.

� Giving the horse a rubdown with tow-els soaked in hot water and baby oil afew days after being clipped will helptheir coats stay soft and shiny and notdry out; regularly grooming the horsewill also help with this.

Madison Monkman is an eternal horse lover who has shown on the hunter/jumper

circuit for years. Having started a career in web design and photography, she aspires

to revolve solely around equine customers. She loves spoiling her horses with a choice

between carrots and cookies galore!

Full body clip: this mare has been fully clipped from nose to tail except for a small saddlepatch left on her back. A saddle patch is usually left due to thin-skinned or sensitivehorses. Photo credit: Madison Monkman

With a hunter clip, the entire horse is clipped, except for the legs and a patch of hairunder the saddle. This clip provides extra protection to the back of the horse, as well as,to the lower legs. This is a modified clip, leaving the neck and head uncliped. Photo credit:Madison Monkman

A well groomed horse. Photo credit: Madison Monkman


It is a well known fact thatattending university is not a cheapendeavour. As a result, many youngequestrians believe that once theybegin university they will have to puttheir horse time aside in favour ofstudying. Fortunately, this does nothave to be the case.

A group of American college stu-dents decided that they should nothave to put their riding aside for thesake of tuition and they founded theIntercollegiate Horse ShowAssociation (IHSA). The Association’sgoal is to make it possible for youngequestrians to attend college or uni-versity while still riding at a competi-tive level. As of January 14, 2011, theIHSA has 8,709 members from morethan 370 colleges and universities inCanada and the United States. These schools plan events and shows and get togeth-

er to ride, learn, compete, and buildessential skills and lasting friendships.The IHSA is an organization where the“emphasis is on learning, sportsman-ship, and fun.”

IHSA competitions featureHunter Flat and Hunter Over Fencesclasses, as well as Western Pleasureand Reining. There are eight levels ofHunter classes and six of Western.Meanwhile, a similar and affiliated butseparate association exists for univer-sity dressage riders who also want tocompete against other schools. TheIntercollegiate Dressage Association

(IDA) currently hosts fifty-five schools of which six are Canadian. The IHSA hostsfive Canadian schools. The Universities of Western Ontario, British Columbia(UBC), and Victoria are all members of both the IHSA and the IDA and the IHSAalso has Brock University and the University of Ottawa. The IDA welcomesUniversity of Guelph, Vancouver Island University and York University in Toronto,Ontario. Sadly, none of the Albertan Universities have become members of theIHSA or IDA yet, however this is a reflection of the same situation over the borderwhere north-central states demonstrate a lack of universities interested in gettinginvolved from Montana, North Dakota, and Idaho.

Both organizations share the basic principle of building better riders throughexposure to a variety of different horses. To this end, at each show horses from thecommunity, lessons horses and privately owned horses, are donated for use duringthe shows. At the beginning of the show, riders draw the name of the horse theywill be competing on for each class. Typically, each rider will ride two or morehorses depending on the number of classes they enter.

The practice of getting on a different horse, being led into the ring, allowedto do one 20 m circle and then beginning a full jumping course is what trulydemonstrates the abilities of individual riders. The students are forced to be adapt-able with their riding and to be prepared for any and all types of horses to bethrown their way. The Hunters and Western riders of IHSA are not allowed anywarm up. The horses are warmed up by riders from the school or community who

are not competing. The only changeto tack that is allowed is stirruplength and riders are advised to adjustthat from the ground because oncethey are in the saddle, they musteither be halted or in front of thejudge. Riders must mount and thenare led into the ring where if in anover fences class, they are allowedone courtesy circle and then mustbeing their round. The Dressage rid-ers of IDA are allowed a 10-minutewarm up which is strictly timed to thesecond. Again, they are encouraged tochange stirrup length from theground as their warm up time beginsthe moment they land in the saddle.

Students who ride in IHSA com-petitions such as Jenn Gamracy ofUniversity of Victoria (UVic), will tell

you that the experience of riding through university and competing in the NorthWest has been invaluable. Gamracy believed that she would never be able to ridein university but four years after beginning her science degree, the captain ofUVic’s Hunter/Jumper team speaks animatedly of her time with UVic’s EquestrianClub. The purpose of the club is less to traipse around being ultra competitive andwinning every show and is more focussed on learning and camaraderie. However,that is not to say that the team does not have an outstanding history of success inIHSA competitions in spite of its short, four year long existence. The club consis-tently scores well in English as well as Western classes.

One of the goals of the IHSA and IDA is that everyone gets to compete. Inorder to achieve this goal, the show fees tend to be much less than recognizedshows open to the public. The use of borrowed horses instead of students’ ownhorses allows costs to be kept down and makes better riders. The club also typi-cally receive some funding from their schools but are expected to do fundraisingfor themselves. In November, UVic’s equestrian club held a bake sale to raisemoney for the show fees. Schools are also encouraged to host their own shows intheir community in order to allow students to travel more and to be exposed to alarger variety of horses and conditions. In February, the University of Victoria’sequestrian club will host its first IDA show and they are currently expecting fiveother schools to attend and compete from the region which includes BritishColumbia, Washington, and Oregon.

Because the riders are still students, it is not unusual to see riders doinghomework or studying in the stands while watching a class. Travelling vehicles aretypically crowded with riders, show clothes and textbooks as students cross theborder for the weekend. The camaraderie and team spirit is overwhelming notonly within the club but between clubs. Because of their proximity, the UVic andUBC teams tend to claim they less represent their schools and more representCanada as a whole. Along the road to Bachelor’s degrees and “grown-up” jobs,university and college students are being given an opportunity to ride, compete,learn, and make new connections through the hard work of the IHSA and the IDA.

For more information on the IHSA or the IDA visit their websites:www.ihsainc.com and www.teamdressage.com AB

by Taryn Karstens-Smith

Taryn Karstens-Smith is an 18-year-old student of the University of Victoria, B.C. She has

been riding for 12 years and has ridden dressage for six. She is a member of the UVic

Equestrian Team competing in their Dressage faction in intercollegiate shows in BC and

Washington State.

The UVic Team. Photo credit: courtesy of Taryn Karstens-Smith

Melanie McJannet executing a jump inthe fog. Photo credit: Michelle Bender

The Intercollegiate riding experience


www.albertaequestrian.comwww.albertaequestrian.com AlbertaBits SPRING 2011 28

Registration Deadline: March 16, 2011

Saturday, March 19, 2011Saturday, March 19, 20118:00 am - 4:30 pm Annual General Meeting and Conference, Winspear East

8:00 am Coffee and Registration 8:50 am Welcome9:00 am DR. ALYSSA BUTTERS, DMV “Basic Horse First Aid”10:30 am Coffee Break11:00 am DAVID WATT “Backcountry First Aid”12:30 pm Lunch1:30 pm AGM3:00 pm Coffee Break3:15 pm Silent Auction bids end3:30 pm AEF Awards 4:00 pm Silent Auction items recipients announced4:30 pm Head home

Grand Door Prize!Grand Door Prize!A room for two and two tickets to the Mane Event.

Dave Watt, Rocky Mountain AdventureMedicine Inc. (RMAM), is an internationallyrecognized source of professionally run train-ing experiences for those seeking the best inremote safety and rescue training. RMAMprovides quality training experiences thatreflect the latest developments in medicaland rescue training for remote environments.

Dave has presented internationally at searchand rescue conferences and he has authoredarticles for a range of outdoor publications.

Dave has a passion for emergency care, risk management and emergencyresponse in remote environments. He is an EMT and a paramedic and wasinstrumental in forming the Foothills Search and Rescue Team.

Dr. Alyssa Butters grew up in the Cochranearea on her family cattle ranch, and earnedher Bachelor of Science (and the Gold Medalfor Science) in Physiology and DevelopmentalBiology from the University of Alberta. Fromthere, she graduated with Great Distinctionfrom the Western College of VeterinaryMedicine at the University of Saskatoonin 2007.

Her primary areas of professional interest arereproduction and internal medicine, although

she enjoys all aspects of equine practice. When not at the clinic, she is usu-ally found schooling her dressage/eventing horse, fly fishing with her hus-band, or taking a quiet ride through the cows.

NEW LOCATION

HOLIDAY INN

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These businesses offer special discounts to AEF members!

Check them out today.

Visit www.albertaequestrian.com and click through to visit these partners’ websites.

For more information [email protected]


PROVINCIAL ASSOCIATIONS CONTACT PHONE

Alberta 4-H Provincial Equine Advisory Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-H OfficeAlberta Carriage Driving Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barb Richard 780-266-4036Alberta Equestrian Vaulting Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marijke van der Sluijs 403-556-6266Alberta Friesian Horse Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annie Muilwijk 403-885-0345Alberta Horse Trials Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ulrika Wikner 403-340-0270Alberta Pony Clubs (North, Central & South Regions) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sandy Wallin 780-940-7837Alberta Trail Riding Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shirley McFall 780-662-4747Alberta Veterinary Medical Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. Darrell Dalton 780-489-5007Alberta Walking Horse Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shirley Wesslen 403-885-5290American Saddlebred Horse Association of Alberta . . . . . . . . . Raylene McWade 403-887-2566Aurora Horse Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anne Wilson 867-873-6083Canada Mounted Games Association-Alberta Region . . . . . . . . . . Jane Goodliffe 780-349-6193Canadian Horse Breeders Association

Rocky Mountain District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heather Rioux 780-967-1030Canadian Registry of the Tennessee Walking Horse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dianne Little 403-271-7391Certified Horsemanship Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christy Landwehr 720-857-9550Endurance Riders of Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brenda Henrikson 780-325-2348Equine Foundation of Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eldon Bienert 780-986-6652Horse Racing Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shirley McClellan 780-415-5475Trail Riding Alberta Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marlene Vanderwekken 403-782-7363Welsh Pony & Cob Society of Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pat Clay 403-934-3666

AFFILIATE ORGANIZATIONS

Banff Light Horse Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-762-2682Blackfoot Trail Riders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-449-5600Bow Valley Riding Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-678-9856Calgary Arabian Horse Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-938-7196Calgary Regional Appaloosa Club (1997) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-536-9234Calgary Regional Trail Riders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-547-0569Central Alberta Special Equestrians Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-352-6135Central Peace Horse Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-765-2119Cochrane Horse Trials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-836-5867Cooking Lake Saddle Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-922-5460Easy Rider Division of AB Walking Horse Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-271-7391Foothills Therapeutic Riding Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-652-7419Fort Calgary Wheel & Runner Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-936-5985Fun Country Riding Club of Strathmore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-533-2338Garden Valley Pony Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-963-4116Giddy Up Go…Little Hooves…Big Hearts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-636-2131Hastings Lake Pleasure Horse Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-662-3665High Country Carriage Driving Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-938-5069Hot Spots Regional Appaloosa Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-723-4329Journeys Therapeutic Riding Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-601-2805Little Bits Therapeutic Riding Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-476-1233Meadow Creek Vaulting Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-556-6266Millarville Therapeutic Riding Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-616-4731Northern Trails Riding Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-860-8144Opening Gaits Therapeutic Riding Society of Calgary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-254-4184Over the Hill Trail Riders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-883-2436Parkland Harness Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-782-2647Prairie Dusters Drill Team Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-766-2278

Rockyford Horse Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-533-2151Shortgrass Riding Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-378-3677Society of Tilt & Lance Cavalry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-660-0826South Peace Horse Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-532-2846Southern Alberta Trail Riders Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-381-3261Spruce View Gymkhana Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-728-3074Steele’s Scouts Commemorative Troop Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-933-7782Stone Bridge Carriage Driving Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-933-3706Strathcona Arabian Horse Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-922-5207Tennessee Walking Horse Association of Western Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-542-6804The Calgary Hunt Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-931-2444Triple R Riding Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-478-0773Uplift Therapeutic Riding Association (ULTRA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-362-5570Western Canadian Wagon Train Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-675-2572

AEF BUSINESSES AND MEMBERS PRIORITY PROGRAM

A Sharper Image - Equine Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-468-9270Away Stables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-847-2858Canadian Natural Horsemanship Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-354-3401Creekside Equestrian Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-556-6266East Acres Equestrian Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-990-9916Equanimity Edge Equine Massage Therapy Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-888-378-4632Equine In Motion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-969-5319Equiviva Wellness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-460-3033E-Sport Physiotherapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-652-6341Foothills Horse Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-938-4525Healing Soles Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-597-6268Higher Trails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-510-8051Hoof & Nail Farrier Supplies Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-252-1661Hoof And Paw Body Workers Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-556-0716Horse -Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-800-505-7428Horse Creek Ranch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-584-2535Inner Equine Journeys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-934-2706J. W. (Jim) Lawton, CMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-933-3348Kubota Canada Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 905-294-7477 2217Marsh Haven Farm - The Innovative Horsekeeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-877-264-8221Martin Deerline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-452-2790Moose Hill Ranch Equestrian Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-242-9209Outpost At Warden Rock Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-877-762-2767Prairie Coast Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-532-8402Reverence Stables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-807-6126Rocking M Stable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-209-0112Shaw Insurance Agencies Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-866-980-9803Sparks Innovations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-227-2241Spiritual Equine Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-519-6765Sport Horse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-505-7428Syner G Apparel & Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-978-2589The Visions West Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-242-6162Torn Habit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-935-2384Whole Harmonized Healing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780-987-3395Willowdale Equestrian Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-358-7811


AEF member organizations (as of February 14)

The ALBERTA RIDE AND DRIVE PROGRAM rewards AEF members for logging the hours spent riding or driving!

It is open to all disciplines and anyactivity, from competition to backcoun-try riding to renting a horse for a trailride. There is no age restriction… it’sfor the young and the young-at-heart!

So start counting the hours of funand relaxation riding/driving. The hours

accumulate. You won’t lose your hours if you don’t complete, simply re-registerand keep collecting. Many AEF

members have reached the 1,000 hourstarget and are listed on the website.

New Ride and Drive membersreceive a recording kit, which includes apen and logbook to record hours andtear-out slips to send in for rewards.Check out the online brochure for mile-stone hours and awards.

To join our Ride and Drive Program,contact the AEF office, or go online todownload a registration form.

Log your hours and get rewarded

AALLBBEERRTTAA

RRIIDDEE AANNDD DDRRIIVV

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Documents

THE VOICE OF EQUINE ALBERTA MEMBER MAGAZINE Bits...The colt, a quarter horse, is two and half weeks old in the picture, and is named Chip. He was born April 24, 2010. His dam is Belle