My Horse Chat!

Easy storage solutions for horse blankets

admin — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:35:38 +0000

After sorting through my blankets, I realized I had a whole pile that needed seasonal storage (ie, fly sheets and light summer sheets for one season, heavy winter blankets and thick coolers for the other). I needed an option that would help keep the blankets clean and tightly packaged for optimal storage. I noticed the first option, the Space Saver, at my local Bed Bath & Beyond. The idea behind this storage system is you pack the items, then use your at-home vacuum to suck the air out of the bags. This seals the bag and compresses the item to create more efficient storage.

These Ziploc bags are great for storing horse blankets

While the three-bag item didn’t break the bank at around $50, any more than that it starts to get pricey. Since I have around 12 blankets of various sizes (stable to outdoor turnouts) it wasn’t a very economical option.

At the local hardware store, I found XXL-sized Ziploc bags. They are thick, large bags that can be sealed with the standard Ziploc closing and have handles for easy storing. For about $8, you get 3 large bags. I found I could store one heavyweight winter blanket or two thinner stable sheets in the same bag. Not only was this affordable, but easy to use and easy to store. The ziplock feature keeps smell away so you could store them in your house (it’s always best to have your blankets washed before you store them).

Click here to learn more about Ziploc’s XXL bags, and keep your unused horse blankets stored properly and inexpensively !

Conformation for Event Horses

admin — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 13:28:10 +0000

When it comes to equine conformation, many experts agree that a horse’s conformation dictates its performance in the discipline in which it performs.

A digital article (originally published in Horse Sport magazine) written by Judy Wardrop explains what features to look for and avoid in your future event horse. To read the article, click here or visit Judy’s site JW Equine (she has many more articles on conformation for jumpers, hunters and dressage horses).

Young colt trying to show handler who is boss

admin — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:38:54 +0000

Here is a fun little slideshow of a young colt who tries to show his handler that he is the master of his domain! Rearing, bucking and running off are just a few of the tactics he tries on his effort to get back to the field.

Click HERE to watch the slideshow!

Boekelo Horse Trials’ hilarious video

admin — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 21:40:24 +0000

The upcoming CCI*** Military Boekelo horse trials in the Netherlands has created an awesome YouTube video for our collective enjoyment. Enjoy!

New Horse Movie: Wild Horse, Wild Ride

admin — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:50:33 +0000

100 Days. 100 People. 100 Mustangs.

While many equine moviegoers were excited to see the last cowboy documentary Buck (about popular cowboy Buck Brannaman), there is a new horse documentary that equine enthusiasts are sure to enjoy.

Wild Horse, Wild Ride is a documentary about the wild mustangs that are rounded up by the U.S. government every year. This yearly culling of the wild horse population is a hotly contested issue, with the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) butting heads with animal-rights activists and other environmental agencies. The government attempts to adopt out as many as possible, but some are euthanized or sold for slaughter by third parties.

This movie follows the personal stories of selected individuals who participate in the Extreme Mustang Makeover Challenge, an annual contest where wild mustangs are backed and trained in 90 days. The goal is to show off their skills in competition after the 90 days is up.

To see the trailer for Wild Horse, Wild Ride visit their website. You can also learn more about the riders and the horses that are shown in the film.

While retraining mustangs (or any horse) is not a suitable activity for novice or inexperienced riders, this movie looks to be highly entertaining for horse people and (judging by the awards it has received at various U.S. film festivals) a general audience alike.

Hilarious Stirrup Ad on Ebay.com

admin — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:56:21 +0000

Once upon a time, in a land called Materialism, an adolescent female was mortified to discover that she was the only rider in her barn, not to mention the entire universe, whose saddle had a pair of stirrup irons on it that retailed for under $100. She went home and cried, begged, campaigned, and pleaded with her dismayed parents to save her from this life-ruining state by providing her with “better and more sophisticated” stirrups. If she did not soon ride in pricier stirrups, she simply… would… DIE. Period. End of story.

Her concerned parents asked around and did some research, and reluctantly purchased a pair of pricey but highly-recommended Herm Sprenger System 4 safety stirrups, and presented them to their daughter as a gift on Christmas morning. Upon unwrapping the stirrups, her eyes widened and she squealed in delight, and thanked her mother and father profusely for saving her life and Barn Popularity Status, and sparing her any future association with “those basic, low-priced things.” She happily dissapeared to her room, taking her boxed Stirrups Of Enlightenment with her. Her parents turned to one another with tears in their eyes, and one said to the other, “Don’t we have a great daughter?” The other agreed, and they contentedly put the Great Stirrup Mini-Series to rest…

Flash forward 3 months: This same daughter announces she is “retiring” from riding (Oh, are you 65 now? her bemused mother thought to herself), in order to spend more time with her friends. Seeing this as an opportunity to sever the umbilical cord from checkbook to barn, her parents whole-heartedly supported their daughter’s decision. Her horse and all of it’s many accessories were soon sold off.

Flash forward one year: Their beloved daughter now away at college, Mom and Dad decide to make some much-needed changes around the house. Part of this plan is to reclaim their daughter’s room as a home office for themselves, and to relocate her belogings to a smaller guest-room. With her disinterested consent via telephone, they proceeded to pack up their daughter’s room. Saving the worst for last, they flipped a coin to decide who had the unpleasant task of emptying the Closet Of Dis-honor, a space where all things unwanted, unloved, unused, or all three were tossed into and forgotten by their daughter. The girl’s mother lost the coin toss, and she cautiously entered the closet while her father supervised from a safe distance. Only minutes later he heard a cry of disbelief from his wife, followed by many expletives and their daughter’s name. She emerged from the closet, holding something behind her back. The look on her face was the very definition of pure rage as she prompted her husband to guess what she had found. Fearing the worst, he asked if it was anything illegal, embarassing, or carcinogenic. No, but it is something that cost us a great deal of money, sleep, and sanity, she replied, and then revealed her found closet-treasure. Another round of curses exploded as her husband took in the Herm Sprenger stirrups from the previous Christmas..the ones they had proudly given to their poor, poor, under-stirruped- and- desperate daughter. The box had been excavated by his wife from beneath a mountain of forgotten sweaters and purses. It was still sealed and unopened, and the Stirrups of Enlightenment had obviously not been used once. Eyes narrowed, they stared at each other. “Punish!” one whispered. “No…humiliate!” spat the other. They thought and conspired, and then finally, through gritted teeth and in an icy tone, one broke the silence: “Don’t..we..have..a..great..daughter?”

That same evening, this ebay ad was composed by one while the other went to make a surprise phone call to their daughter..

“For sale by auction by two very angry parents is a pair of Herm Sprenger System 4 english stirrups, size 4 1/4. They are still brand-spanking new in their original, sealed box, and typically retail for around $230. They have sat safely enveloped and protected from the world and the elements under a pile of unappreciated sweaters in our daughter’s chamber-of-horrors closet, and will arrive to their highest-bidding new owner completely pristine and ready for work. These are high-quality stirrups that deserve a chance to prove their reputation for excellent performance. We hope they will go to someone who will use and love them. If you are buying them for a teenage female, we don’t want to know about it..”

Check out the original ad on Ebay.com (and yes, they sold!)

Horses Rescued from Flash Food

admin — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:35:21 +0000

There was an incredible story on EventingNation.com recently about 18 horses that were evacuated after a flash flood destroyed a local stable in Virginia. Skyeler Icke Voss is an event rider and trainer who was competing at the American Eventing Championships in Georgia, September 8th – 11th when she received a call that floodwaters threatened her farm back home. Staff assured her precautions had been taken and all the horses were safe.

A half hour later, she received another call saying the rising waters had turned into a flash flood, and the horses were being evacuated. Miraculously, all 18 horses were rescued before the flood waters overcame the farm.

To read the entire story of this incredible rescue, check out EventingNation.com.

Interval Training for Conditioning Horses

admin — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:21:47 +0000

Many riders who are looking to condition their horses for competition or just general health will find interval training to be a very valuable tool in their equestrian training toolbox. Interval training is a form of conditioning that uses the science of physiology to improve cardiovascular functions to create a fitter, faster horse. It typically involves a system of alternating speed and rest, and can be as simple as walk/trot/walk/trot combinations to advanced gallop sets. Interval training is used by riders all over the world, and is a proven way to increase athletic function.

Interval training is a great way to improve fitness

A great interval training resource is in the appendix of one of Jimmy Wofford’s books, Training the Three Day Event Horse and Rider. It has an explanation of how/why interval training is used, along with sample routines of some upper-level horses.

Another good resource is Dr. Hilary Clayton’s Conditioning Sport Horses. It is an excellent, excellent book with information on equine physiology and how it applies to conditioning (and has sport-specific chapters).

As an example, a simple interval notation would be written as the following:

2″ 220 x 3w/ 2″ i

——

2″ = length of time is 2 minutes

220 = meters per minute (220 = trotting speed)

3 w/2″ i = walk the horse for 2 minutes and then repeat the set two more times (for a total of 3 trot/walk sets)

——–

This interval notation reads: Trot the horse for 2 minutes, followed by 2 minutes of walking. Complete 3 sets.

A more intense workout could read:

5″ 450 x 3w / 2″ i

———

5″ = length of time is 5 minutes

450 = meters per minute (450 = Training-level canter)

3 w/2″ i = walk the horse three times for 2 minutes each set

——–

This interval notation reads: Canter the horse for 5 minutes, followed by 2 minutes of walking. Complete 3 sets.

Riders can build their way up to more time and faster speeds. Once your horse’s fitness increases, you can build up to combination sets such:

2″ 220 x 3w/ 2″ i +

5″ 450 x 3w / 2″ i +

4″ 500 –>600 (1)

This interval notation reads: Trot the horse for 2 minutes, followed by 2 minutes of walking. Complete 3 sets. Canter the horse for 5 minutes, followed by 2 minutes of walking. Complete 3 sets. Canter for 4 minutes, starting at 500 mpm (meters per minute) and increasing to 600 mpm, holding that speed for the final minute.

Many riders incorporate heart rate monitors into their interval training to supervise their horse’s fitness progress. A horse’s heart rate can spike dangerously if too much work is asked for too soon, and subject the horse to potential injury if he is overworked. It is ideal to create an interval training plan with a coach or professional who has experience in interval training, to ensure the correct amount of work is asked of the horse.

Always be aware of the footing and conditions in which interval training is performed. Soft, slippery footing or hard, hilly ground can cause injury to your horse. Keep in mind that the fitter the horse, the more of a handful in the ring he may become! Many horses come to enjoy interval training and working at faster speeds, so prepare a conditioning plan and training schedule that will balance schooling as well as fitness. It is important to warm your horse up before beginning interval training, as well as providing a proper cool down.

A great online resource about condition is found in this PowerPoint presentation, A Conditioning Plan. Another interesting read is from a 1993 US Eventing article by Olympic rider Torrance Watkins called Teaching Your Horse to Gallop.

Quote of the Day

admin — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 02:12:02 +0000

“Most people don’t need a $35,000 horse. They need a $1,000 horse and $34,000 in lessons.”

-Author Unknown

Riding a one-eyed horse

admin — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 16:07:50 +0000

Thankfully, my horse Spiker is back on track after his injury 10 months ago. He had a small tear in his suspensory ligament on the right-hind leg after a freak paddock accident in September. After lots of rest, hand walking, Atravet (acepromazine) and wrapping (so, so, so much bandaging with my favorite Back on Track No-Bows) he is back to work. He was slowly introduced to turn out over a 2 month period, and is now living 24/7 outdoors.

Now that we’re back to riding again, I feel like I have bit more insight on working with a one-eyed horse. Here are just some general observations/comments that I feel could help other owners.

While Spiker was being introduced back to turn out, he was fairly heavily sedated to prevent himself from re-injuring himself during his newfound freedom. This included being sedated while under saddle. WHAT A DIFFERENT HORSE I have! While we were only walking (and lightly trotting), it was the spooking in the arena I was concerned about. The tranquilizer really seemed to take the edge off (too much he was sleepy, too little he was bucking with joy) and get him “used” to the arena again with less drama. If you have a horse that has recently undergone enucleation surgery, talk to your vet about mild sedation for the first few weeks under saddle if your horse is a high-wired/spooky type. Thanks to the tranq and regular work in the arena, he is unfazed by flapping birds/horses cantering by on his blind side/banging noises outside/etc. Although he has not been sedated in several months, he is much more accepting of his environment. I wish someone had mentioned to me when his eye was first removed!

Turnout, turnout, turnout. Now that Spiker is living outside, he is much more accepting of “the unknown” than before. He is all around much less spooky and “ready to work” when he comes into the barn. While he lived inside, he had a lot more time to ruminate about life and the dangers of the world. Consider leaving your horse outside, even if just for the first few months, so that he can “re-adjust” to his new world.

Allow your horse to “look”. When Spiker used to spook, I would bend his his head and neck away from the object and leg yield him slightly towards it. Now if he spooks, I allow him to put his head wherever he likes but still move towards the object. I find he feels much more comfortable with the freedom to examine objects in the manner he feels best.

Stop and smell the roses. Similar to the previous point, if you are out hacking or in a new environment, allow your horse to stop and take a look around if he or she is feeling uncomfortable or tense. I tend to keep a deep seat and allow my reins to the buckle (do not do this if your horse has a tendency to buck/bolt!) so that as we walk, if he starts to tense up he can stop and look around of his own accord. Once he starts to relax, I can then ask him to move on. Sometimes we do get a spook/spin, but if I stay relaxed and centered he suddenly realizes that if I’m not upset, neither should he be. We then proceed onwards, usually without incident.

My horse has become extremely one-sided, with the strong side being the one with the remaining eye. When you train, be sure to pay attention to any weakness in the blind side so you can address muscle development and prevent your horse from becoming unilateral.

This may seem like stating the obvious, but always be medically cognizant of your horse’s healthy eye. Be sure to include an ocular check by a veterinarian at least once a year, and call your vet IMMEDIATELY if you notice anything unusual or different about the remaining eye. Many eye conditions can be averted if treated right after symptoms present themselves, so be sure to check the eye yourself EVERY time you see your horse. If you are going to be on vacation for an extended period of time, ask someone knowledgable at your barn to keep tabs on your horse while you are gone.

Having a one-eyed horse felt like the impossible after Spiker’s diagnosis in the fall of 2008. I had never knowingly ridden a horse with impaired vision; how the hell could I guide my horse through this uncharted territory in equine care? Thanks to knowledge from my vets, other owners of blind horses online and taking things slowly, Spiker is a model example of how a horse can recover after enculeation surgery or vision impairment and continue to be a happy, healthy and (hopefully!) competitive horse.