March 2011 Blog Posts (63)

Saddle Fit and Horse Ownership

“Should people be required to attend an equine education course and pass an assessment before being allowed to own a horse?”

To this question in the Feb. issue of Horse Journals I would reply without reservation - emphatically ‘yes’! However, I also think that people who want to have children be subjected to the same battery of courses and assessments; you need licenses to fish, to hunt, to drive – but any idiot is allowed to become a parent (which is arguably the most difficult job…

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Added by Jochen Schleese on March 31, 2011 at 8:00am — 1 Comment

Welsh Pony and Cob Association of Ontario

As a Board of Director for WPCAO for 2011, I had the privilege of putting together a Stallion Directory to showcase welsh and half welsh stallions in Ontario. Not only was the turn out tremendous, but the finished product was amazing. We were also able to offer our directory online on our website.

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Added by Jessica Figas on March 29, 2011 at 11:27am — No Comments

Cat's Young Rider Years ~ Shannon Peters Clinic

This past weekend Chance and I had the great opportunity to ride in a two-day clinic with Shannon Peters thanks to a…

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Added by Catherine Chamberlain on March 28, 2011 at 9:47pm — 6 Comments

Dressage Canada's New Helmet Rules

Dressage Canada has recently announced new safety rules in regards to helmets. Riders at the fourth level and below are now required to wear an ASTM/SEI approved helmet while mounted on show grounds. See below for the full and complete rule change:

As of May 1st, 2011, the following rule regarding safety headgear will be adopted by Dressage Canada:

1. ASTM/SEI or BSI approved headgear must be worn by all riders showing Fourth Level and below, regardless of age, when… Continue

Added by The HorseLady Blog on March 28, 2011 at 9:17pm — No Comments

Unusual Equine Sports

Skijoring

This sport’s usually seen with a horse pulling someone on skis. However I’ve also seen it done on roller blades and snowboards. Races are sometimes held in this sport, but more so in Europe. If someone manages to perfect this one on water-skis, please send me a video; I’d love to see it!

Pair/Synchronized Jumping

It’s basically normal hunters or… Continue

Added by The HorseLady Blog on March 28, 2011 at 9:00pm — No Comments

cures for proudflesh ?

anyone got ideas for how to reduce granulation on a hind cannon laceration?

Added by helen whittle on March 28, 2011 at 3:23pm — 3 Comments

Adjusting to my MS--Lower Legs

When I got back to riding after being diagnosed with MS I found that I never knew where my lower legs were. I would start of riding with my lower legs in the right place, and sometime during the ride my attention would go elsewhere and my lower legs would start drifting along the horse's sides. My toes were pointing too far out, I was pivoting on my knees, bringing my lower leg too far back, and when I tried to correct this I would put too much weight on the…

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Added by Jackie Cochran on March 27, 2011 at 1:21pm — 4 Comments

Little Maggie

Well, Muffin is coming along. She was very good last Saturday, and then Sunday, with no martingale on ... lets play throw our head in the air and race around the arena! At least she was going somewhere... So, around and around we went, until she gave up and came round.

Monday, I was trying to give her a light stretchy ride... doesn't work if she's coming in season. By Wednesday, we had full blown evil child. When you can't get your horse past a little drip in the arena,…

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Added by MagsNMe on March 26, 2011 at 8:05pm — 3 Comments

Itching and Shedding.

Finally and at last, the ice on the pond has thawed and birds have returned. It’s our spring break.

My elderly, domestic ducks waddle off to the pond with a very officious gait, business-like in their bathing. They quack around with wild ducks, exchanging opinions. Mine are easy to tell apart, they swim much lower in the water and act like they own the place. They return to the yard in late afternoon for dinner- the old gelding shares his with them. It has been a long,…

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Added by Anna Blake on March 25, 2011 at 8:30am — 4 Comments

Rider to Watch For: Emily Winegar

Emily Winegar is definitely another young rider with a career on fire. At just 15, she has already been crowned AQHYA World Champion in 2009 in addition to two previous reserve champion titles. Her other victories include winning the KRHA Sunflower Slide Futurity Open in 2005, an Open finalist at the NRHA Futurity, named the National Reining Horse Association’s Youth of the Year in 2008 and Palomino Horse Breeders Association Youth World Champion for the last four years. She was also featured… Continue

Added by The HorseLady Blog on March 23, 2011 at 2:06pm — No Comments

Training Tip: Jump Drifters

If your horse drifts and/or veers after a jump, it can cause numerous problems. You could lose your balance, it could interfere with your preparation for the next jump or you could potential crash into something. So here’s a tip to solve it. Place two pylons a few feet away from a jump and position them so they’re wide enough for your horse to go through. Then canter towards the jump, go over, then aim to keep your horse at a steady pace and go through the pylons. This should help teach you to… Continue

Added by The HorseLady Blog on March 23, 2011 at 2:05pm — No Comments

Equine Canada has an EVENTING Dressage App for that!!

Attention eventing enthusiasts! Canadian Eventing Dressage Tests are now available for your your iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch on the iTunes Store at http://bit.ly/fGFqcw

Canadian Eventing Dressage Tests include:

Entry Division Test 1
Entry Division Test 2
Pre-Training Division Test 1
Pre-Training Division Test 2
Training Division Test 1
Training Division Test…

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Added by Equine Canada on March 23, 2011 at 12:33pm — No Comments

Horse Play News March-April 2011

The Running Horse

A Bi-monthly Newsletter from Horse Play

March - April 2011

Horse Play

EIN: 05-0506340

Website: www.hptrc.org

Email: horseplayri@msn.com

Message from Aidan – the Alpha Mare

Spring…

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Added by Horse Play on March 23, 2011 at 9:30am — No Comments

Spring Weight Loss Strategies - Should You Count Calories?

Welcome to spring! Horse show season is under way and bathing suit season is just around the corner. A winter of holiday feasting and reduced activity may have left you with a few souvenir pounds to help you to remember last season. I was…

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Added by Patti Bartsch, Ph.D. on March 22, 2011 at 1:20pm — 2 Comments

Grooming in Germany with Olympian Belinda Trussell

Packing for yourself is hard enough. Try adding two horses and Olympic dressage rider Belinda Trussell! I don’t know if I’ll ever sleep again! I am heading to Germany with Belinda Trussell as she competes on the European Spring Tour, along with her Grand Prix and WEG mount Anton, and young horse Biasini.

Our equipment and luggage (minus carry on…

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Added by Sarah Bamber on March 21, 2011 at 9:00pm — No Comments

"Meet Jjs Summer Breeze - and Her Record-Breaking Tail"

Author: Stephanie Doyle

Augusta, KS Meet Jjs Summer Breeze, who holds the Guinness Book of World Records title for horse with the longest tail. Editor Stephanie Doyle “interviewed” Summer (via her owner, Crystal Socha). Summer is a registered American Paint Horse and also is registered with the Pinto Horse Association of America.

Just how long is your tail? Currently my tail is 13’6” long. When it was officially measured for the Guinness…

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Added by KatyM., Community News on March 21, 2011 at 5:24pm — No Comments

Spring Attitude

I finally got around to working my mare with some groundwork Saturday afternoon. First I got her all cleaned up and then took her out to eat some grass. Seems like this spring I am so far behind with what I normally do with her.This winter has been difficult with all the rotten weather. I still work and sometimes finding the time to get out to the barn to work her, gets away from me. I board her at a small farm about 3 miles from home. I do go out almost everyday and help put out or bring in…

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Added by Sue VInyard on March 21, 2011 at 4:04pm — 1 Comment

Saddle Fit and Media Articles

I have to comment on a couple of articles which recently appeared in Holistic Horse – the Feb/Mar 2011 edition. The first one was about “Weekend Warriors - Avoid battles during your horse time”. According to the dictionary, this phrase came into being in 1981 to reflect the average person’s increasingly hectic lifestyle. Free time has felt increasingly compressed, with the result that on the weekend you hit the ground running to get the most of your horse time. Often you pay the price on…

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Added by Jochen Schleese on March 21, 2011 at 8:00am — No Comments

Horse Rumors Solved!

Horse Have to be Kept Apart of Trail Rides

On any hack, everyone is careful to keep their horses apart. Mostly out of fear in case one spooks and kicks another or in case personalities don’t mix. Surprisingly horses prefer to be tail to nose on hacks. This gives them a sense of security and reassurance out in the big scary forests. It also has to do with their herd instincts and need for closeness.

Miniature Ponies are Ponies

A few people have… Continue

Added by The HorseLady Blog on March 20, 2011 at 10:15pm — No Comments

Adjusting to my MS--Hands

Ever since I got my first horse, the Anglo-Arab Hat Tricks, I have been trying to ride at as high a level as I can. I faced repeated frustrations due to my undiagnosed MS as it affected my balance, coordination, and proprioceptive sense (I could not tell where parts of my body were.) In spite of all this my riding gradually improved, and I got to riding reliably at a low to middle intermediate level in the Forward Seat system. Even my jumping improved, not that I was ever that great over…

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Added by Jackie Cochran on March 20, 2011 at 12:30pm — No Comments