(Mods, I searched back a few pages and found nothing, but feel free to yell at me if this has been done :P )


With 2010 at our doorstep and show season a few short months away, my barn has been busy talking about our goals and plans for the winter training season and beyond.

So, what are your pony plans for the winter? What are your goals for 2010?

Here's what I have to start things off:

WINTER =
-First and foremost, get Cholula's canter down. I want to be solid TL coming out of winter. We've made leaps and bounds in progress in the past few rides on this, so I'm pretty confident it'll happen.

-Keep things interesting! We do some lateral work now, but I've recently run into the problem of: if she's forward and we don't have to drill the basics and things that I'm used to having to work on...now what? I'd like to get people together every so often and do some fun "games," quadrille things, etc. Keep us entertained, keep the horses entertained, learn stuff. Try to forget about how cold it is.

-Ride Zeus at least once per week! My problem child needs to be kept moving, no matter what I decide about his retirement status.

SPRING/SUMMER:
-Make it to my first recognized show at TL!

Due to costs I think I'll only do one show this year, but depending on where I am financially I may be able to do more than that. We shall see :)

A more recent pic of Cho being ridden under the cut. And by more recent I mean it was March.
( Read more... )

The US Army's Caisson Platoon at Fort Myer, Virginia has a therapuetic riding program for injured soldiers and veterans. The Caisson horses are the ones you see photos of at Arlington National Cemetary, pulling the caskets. The article I'm sharing is particularly important to me, because the Army veterinarian they feature, CPT Mariah Kochavi, was one of the first vets I worked with at my first duty station (I'm an army vet tech). She passed away a few days ago due to complications from a massive stroke she had last year.
Here is the article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/24/AR2009122402896.html?sid=ST2009122500015

(you may have to create a log in; I logged in with my facebook account)

Anyway, being a soldier myself, I'm very happy that the Army recognizes the importance of horses in therapy. At my current duty station (Fort Sill, OK) we have 12 government horses that comprise a field artillery half section. I've spent time volunteering at a small local therapeutic riding facility, and the woman who runs it would like to join forces with the half section with the ultimate goal of creating something like the program at Fort Myer. I'd like to assist; I've recently become more or less the manager of the on-post veterinary clinic (the NCOIC, for any of you familar with the Army :) so I have a working relationship with the half section soldiers and horses all ready established. I've all ready given them quite a bit of newspaper articles on the subject, I was planning on trying to set up a meeting with the man who runs the half section (he's a civilian), Jean (the BO of the therapeutic riding stable) and myself to discuss it. But, being a (relatively) young female in the Army, having "crazy" ideas sometimes makes it difficult to be taken seriously so any suggestions are appreciated.
A brief summary: How do I broach the subject of startig a therapeutic riding program with old fashioned army guys?

For the past month or so I have been interested in doing a working student position. I recently started riding lessons at a barn about 43 minutes from my house, and I love it. They're really great and I feel like I'm learning a lot and making a lot of progress. However, my lessons are only twice a week and the more time I spend with them (and with my recent lack of visits to see my special boy on the weekends) the more I start going stir crazy every other day of the week. I've also been pretty hell-bent (although hell-bent is a very benign term for it) on becoming a trainer somday, and although I have a pretty decent amount of experience with horses on the ground I would like the oppurtunity to get even more experience with them, and start getting some experience with training horses. Knowing this, a friend of mine recommended I look into working student positions.

I've already looked at a few barns. The barn where I take lessons does have a working student program and it sounds like a good option ($5 per hour put towards a lesson, so if I put in twelve hours of working around the barn I'd get enough money for a private lesson), but I can only work on days were my instructor is there. I also can't work that hour if someone else is already working it (for some strange reason). Scheduling wise it's not exactly ideal as I'd still be going stir crazy and that's the exact opposite of what I want. There's another barn I've looked into that I really love, but in regards to working for them.. it's been going rather slowly. I was talking with the manager through e-mail at the beginning of the month, but stopped hearing from her. A friend of mine is a lesson student there and said it takes them forever to respond to e-mails, so not to worry too much, but this is just getting ridiculous. I gave them a call today, but I'm not holding my breath for a response any more. Now I come to the problem of not knowing where else to go to look into this sort of thing.

I've already looked at sites like yardandgroom.com and gotten little to no response on any available jobs there. I've tried finding barns that at least have a page on their website that talks about a working student program, but my problem comes with not yet having a license (I wouldn't have a car to drive anywhere if I had my license, anyways) and needing someone to drive me to work, and I'm already taking lessons at seven o' clock because of transportation issues during the day. I need places relatively close to my house and have only been able to find one so far (the barn that stopped responding to my e-mail). I feel kind of at a loss.

So I was wondering if anyone knew of any places offering working student positions in the Boston area (about thirty minutes or so out). I've also had people tell me about internships (the whole travel-to-another-state kind of deal), and although I'm nowhere near ready for that now, I don't think, maybe any recommendations on what to look at for a later time? Any tips or recommendations would be very much appreciated. I've already gotten some great advice from looking at previous posts on this subject, but, again, I still feel at a loss as to where to go to find a job like this.

Thanks in advance for any help! (:

After 3 years of no rain, we got all 3 years worth at one time here in Georgia. It's been awful, the fertilizer has run into the lake I'm sure, the best pastures at the barn are muddy, and the horses are popping up with rain rot right left and sideways.

So does anyone have a "magical" cure for rain rot? Bathing isn't much of an option most days because our wash stall is outside and its raining and/or freezing cold most days, so I need something I can put on and leave on. I've gotten a lot of advice but I'd like to see what's worked for everyone else. I've always used MTG, but I'm looking for something more cost effective since I have to treat at least 6 of my herd, and I'm sure more will pop up with it if the rain doesn't let up. Aside from the cost factor, MTG literally makes me gag when I use it, so I'm not looking forward to spending an hour or two a day covered in the goop while I treat everyone.

Thanks in advance!

I'm looking for any recommendations for good horse haulers for the mid-Canada corridor. GTA to somewhere mid-prairies. We've got names of places and some quotes, but I'd feel better if I heard someone, anyone, say they'd used a place before and liked them. Or didn't like them, and why, so we can strike them off the list.

I know there's probably very few people out of the large population reading this who have ever had a horse transported along that route, or even know someone who has, but of those very few, I'd appreciate any input. :)

Hello all,

This past weekend I came across a unsettling and quite dangerous situation at the farm I board my pregnant mare at. I brought it to my barn owners attention and I hope he will fix the situation but if not I will have to move my mare to another barn for her own safety and for my peace of mind. She is currently boarded at a farm in near Harford County. I'd like to find a place in or near the Baltimore County or Harford County to board her at but will take on more options. Like I said she is pregnant and should be due around May/June 2010. She is a easy keeper, isn't a cribber or biter, she's a sweet little horse (13.3 hands rocky mountain / paso fino mix we believe). I just want her to be kept in a safe environment with good fencing. I'm looking for a place that offers full care or at least supplies hay and free feeds hay 24/7 for turned out horses. Supplied grain would be nice too, but not necessary.


If anyone knows of a farm that is willing to take in a pregnant mare who will have a foal in the next few months in or around the Baltimore area, PLEASE contact me.


Allison

I've been doing the whole "WHAT DO I WANT TO DO WITH MY LIFE?!" thing lately and I've tentatively entertained the idea of entering an equine degree program. Luckily, I don't live too far from SUNY Morrisville. But, the thing is, I've known various people who've attended there, some for the equine program and some not, and I hear mixed reactions about the course. One of the trainers at my barn who's not that much older than me graduated from it and one of the other trainers said it's gone downhill a little since she was there...

But getting to the point of my post: Have any of you done the Equine Science and Management program at Morrisville, even if you didn't graduate from it? Do you think it was worth the time and money? Or should I just hang around my trainer for a few more years and just learn that way? lol

From Sam and I :D



( More Christmas images under the cut! )

 I posted yesterday about my horse having possible mild colic, then a tooth issue because he was off his hay. He was acting normal aside from not wanting to eat his hay. Last night I let him loose inside the barn (there is nothing he can get into aside from hay or catfood) so he could eat the loose leafy stuff that falls from the hay. I went this morning and he was 100% normal, eating like nothing has ever been wrong. Is it possible for a horse to get a bug? He is on a good grass hay, no dust, mold etc. I guess I never knew a horse could get a bug, there is nothing he could have gotten into to provoke his behaviour change. I plan on still having the vet check him out and have his teeth looked at by an equine dentist.

I am looking for a book that does a good job of explaining bits. Hopefully something along the lines of a "this is what it is, this is what it's good for, this is what it's bad for" kind of thing. I am realizing lately that I am very uneducated as far as different types of bits go. Anyone have any recommendations?

I have heard of Bits: "Their History, Use and Misuse" but before I go buying it, does anyone know anything about it, or how useful it is?

Thanks for any suggestions, and Merry Christmas! (or Happy Holidays!)

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can feed my 18 yr. old QH until I can get the vet to come out and look at his teeth? I thought at first he had a light case of colic but now I'm pretty sure he is having a tooth issue. It is christmas so the vet won't come until Mon. since it isn't an obvious emergency. He is peeing/pooping and drinking but he seems to not want to eat his hay. He picked thru it last night and ate the leaves but that looks to be all. He has been notorious for having teeth issues, I have him floated and dremeled and all that once a year. He was done in the spring but he always tilts and acts like something is still bothering him. I plan on having an actual equine dentist look at him as soon as we get one back in the area. Thanks for any info.

Vello is wearing and tearing around his ears where his bridle sits. Hair is now absent, and the wound is nearly rubbed raw. It is curious that he has had the same bridle for years now, yet the abrasion starts up now. 

Anyone have any suggestions to prevent this abrasion in the future? For now I have a fleece halter cover on the top part of his bridle to prevent the leather from rubbing. .

Should I get a larger bridle?  

Silly question, but here it goes as I am the queen of silly questions.

Over nine years ago, when I bought my first horse, her first set of shoes that were pulled off, I grabbed one. It's starting to rust slightly, and I was wondering if there was some sort of finish I was supposed to put on it or something I can put on it to help slow down the rusting process.

Like I said, silly, but it's sentimental. Thanks!

Saw this video yesterday and LOVED it.



I personally am a huge fan of 'unsuitable' horses!
:D

This is only somewhat off-topic, but I think it's EXTREMELY important and definitely applies to horses and horse back riding. If you don't feel so mods, feel free to get rid of it.


I just wanted to come on here and tell everyone to be VERY CAREFUL when riding or driving out on the roads, especially in the winter. I was involved in a head on collision 1km from my house on my own road today. Instead of me in my truck it could easily have been one of the boarders from the barn down my road, or one of the neighbours, or anyone on horseback or driving really. I was at no fault, but remember to stay safe and wear as much hi-viz stuff as you can! Rethink roads with tight bends and limited visibility and keep a cell phone on you incase of an emergency.

Stay safe riding out everyone, and Merry Christmas!

( Some photos of the damage )

So...just curious...how heavy on the packing materials have other people gone when shipping saddles they have sold? Saddle is worth about $500.

EDIT:::
The saddle pad, matching shims, and the treeless saddle all got put in a gigantic plastic bag (meant for snow tires) and then bubble-wrapped severely. I re-used packing materials from my father's business where they were happy to see some of it carted away. Filling the rest of the box with bubble wrap took a fairly large quantity.

Thanks everyone for the good suggestions re: using a plastic bag in case it got wet, and making sure there wasn't much room for it to move around inside the box. Cost $30 to ship it from New England to Minnesota.

Anyways, send good thoughts for it arriving safe and sound!

I thought I'd post a brief little update, since its been a while.
Costa has been undersaddle now for about 5 months and is doing very well - although he is sadly for sale, as I just don't have time for two horses.
Enrique and I are going to be attemping 1st level this year (I think if I refuse one more time my trainers are going to stop talking to me altogether)

But really, that brief little segue was just an excuse so that I could post the free jumping videos.

( Jump, ponies! Jump! )

Attention those in the NE Ohio area:

I have a 6 YO Dutch Warmblood mare. She's a nice horse; good mover, is schooling a light 3rd level (halfpass, changes, but not pushing her to do them every ride yet). She's shown since she was 3 and a half years old.

The problem is I am so frustrated with her that every ride is turning in to one big fight. It's not her fault, it's mine. I get nit picky about one thing I feel a horse her age should be completely solid with when she's not 100% perfect and it just escalates until the only thing we're doing is trotting and bending with tension on both of our parts.

I need to step back and take a moment or two away from the horse. I don't have the money right now to send her to a trainer that I feel confident she'll come back actually trained from, since those are down in Florida this time of the year. So here is what I'd be looking for:

You can free lease her if you can ride her correctly.
You can keep her where she is or take her to a reputable barn in the area.
I really would like to hear that you're with a reputable trainer. You don't have to put her in training there, but I would like to know who's program and method you follow.

What I would give:
Standard vaccinations/coggins.
If my farrier is used, I'll pay for the shoes. (if you use your farrier though... then I don't pay)
Pay your entry to local schooling shows.

She is not a schoolmaster, since she is just learning, but she tends to be on the lazier side of things.

If interested, email me at s.justic1 at gmail dot com

Hey everyone, I have been doing some research, and I found this bridle it's called the Rambo Micklem Multibridle, and you can use it bitless or with a bit, but I was wondering if anyone knew anything else about it other than that, and I have heard good things, like the horses like it better and it fits your horse's head better but how is it as a training tool, would you reccommend it, do you know anything about it? Anything you could offer would be great thanks! http://www.williammicklem.com/multibridle-multibridle.html

Hi Guys! Has anyone ever seen a TV series called Riding High? It was made in New Zealand and I used to love watching it when I was younger. I've been looking all over for a copy of the series and I can't seem to find it anywhere except that it's listed on IMDB . So, if you would happen to know where I can grab a copy, please let me know.