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Bandera Ranch Store Bandera TX www.theranchstore.com [email protected] (830) 796-3342

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Columns: 8 Horse Bites

14 Tack Talk - Lew Pewterbaugh

24 The Cowboy Way - Corey Johnson

38 On the English Front - Cathy Strobel

40 Hooves N’ Horses - Jaime Jackson

46 Cowboy Corner - Jim Hubbard

PUBLISHER EDITORVicki Long Steven Long

NATIONAL NEWS EDITORCarrie Gobernatz

LIFESTYLE EDITORMargaret Pirtle832-349-1427

[email protected]

EVENTS EDITOR Leslie Greco

ADVERTISING OFFICES• HEADQUARTER OFFICE

(281) 447-0772 Phone & (281) 893-1029 [email protected]

• BRAZOS VALUE BUREAUDiane Holt(936) 878-2678 Ranch & (713) 408-8114 [email protected]

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• NORTH TEXASMari Crabtree - (216) [email protected]

• NEW MEXICO BUREAULaurie Hammer - (505)315-7842 [email protected]

Volume 21, No. 9 Horseback Magazine, P.O. Box 681397, Houston, TX 77268-1397, (281) 447-0772. The entire contents of the magazine are copyrighted September 2014 by Horseback Magazine. All rights reserved. Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Horseback Magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and other material unless accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope. Horseback Magazine is not responsible for any claims made by advertisers. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or management. Subscription rate is $25.00 for one year.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Horseback Magazine, P.O. Box 681397, Houston, TX 77268-1397. Fax: (281) 893-1029

Email: [email protected] Phone: (281) 447-0772

September 2014FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

In a few weeks everything will change as we move into the very

best time of the year for both horsemen and their horses. The weather will become comfortable again and animal and man will feel like doing something physical. Fall is, in my opinion, the very best time of the year to ride. It is a time of not only getting outdoors again, but also of attending the best events of the year,

and I don’t mean just football games (albeit those are near the top of my personal list). People in the Northern Hemisphere worldwide will be hitting the trails after a hot summer. That means that there will be a lot of traffic, both vehicular, and equine on our roads and trails. Safety is a must, and we don’t mean just avoiding collisions with our cars and trucks. Slow down on the trail. Again and again we have seen horsemen who stall their horses 51 weeks a year take them to the country or to a state park on vacation and ride the poor animal hell bent for an entire weekend. That is not only physically wrong for the horse, it is also morally wrong to heap that kind of abuse on an animal that is not in shape, not to mention the other people riding on the trail near you. The fall weather in Texas is deceptive. Sure, it’s slightly cooler, but know that a horse is at his happiest when it is uncomfortably cool for humans. Be considerate of the comfort of the friend you are astride. If you think you are hot, just think of how he must feel. A few years ago we were riding at the lovely Hill Country State Natural Area near Bandera when a group came in on a hot Labor Day weekend. We watched them ride hard all weekend, and by Sunday about noon, their irresponsible behavior with their horses had taken its toll. The memory of one of their horses lying dead on a trail is seared into my brain almost ten years after I saw it. It lay on the ground without an ounce of sweat on its lifeless body. The horse had been driven to its death by an ignorant and arrogant human on a hot September day. The owner wore a cowboy hat, but every legitimate cowboy I was riding with that day felt only revulsion at the man’s behavior. Some actually wanted to get physical with him. We must remember that while things will be cooling down, by the standards of other locations across the country Texas trails are almost unbearable even in September and October. We should know our horse, and his physical ability to handle heat. About 20 percent of all horses suffer from anhidrosis. It is the inability to sweat. Anhidrosis is a killer. Sweat is a body’s natural way of cooling itself. If you are wet from perspiration you know that a little breeze will help you cool off quickly. I’ve even been put in a chill on a summer day just from that very process. The same is true for your horse. Sweat is a good thing.Finally, we need to be polite on the trail. Being considerate of other riders is of vital importance. It pays off each and every time for both you and the friend you are riding.

By Steven Long

STAFF

Lifestyle & Real Estate:

20 Best of East Texas - Margaret Pirtle

30 Real Estate Roundup

32 Help for Hay & Forage Producers - Tx Farm Credit

36 Barn & Garden - Margaret Pirtle

The Change

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSJim Hubbard, Steven Long, Vicki Long, Roni Norquist, Pat Parelli,

Kelsey Hellmann, Lew Pewterbaugh, Cathy Strobel, Cory Johnson, Margaret Pirtle, Jaime Jackson

On the Cover: Which trails will you enjoy this Fall?

Cover Story:16 Are Trails Vanishing? - Steven Long


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from the membership. The following is a summary of action taken on these proposals. More detailed information on each item will be published in the Members Only section of nrha.com. APPROVED – Rule Changes• 74-02-15:

• Part 1. Change the AA and A events to 90 days for event approval• Part 2. Move rules to a chart. Change added money caps on Rookie Professional, Rookie Level 2, Novice Horse Level 1 and Novice Horse Level 2• Part 5. Can hold two go-rounds in an ancillary show• Part 6. Eliminate the restriction that show management must hold both the Level 4 Open and Level 4 Non Pro classes at an Aged Show• Part 9 and 10. Combine Ride & Slide Level 1 and 2 show conditions• Part 12. Remove mandatory awards through tenth for Youth classes• 59-01-15: Approve Professionals Membership category • 60-01-15: A Non Pro is defined as a person who, at the time of application, has not won in excess of $200,000 • 62-01-15: Change the definition of immediate family member • 62-03-15: Further define after-market logoed apparel • 66-02-15: Change fine and forfeiture process for Youth showing in the Rookie 1 and Rookie 2 classes • 74-01-15: Add Top Ten Event descrip-tion that requires event approval forms to be submitted 90 days prior to the entry closing of the event and a three horse minimum in a class for it to count toward a world title • 80-01-15: Add Prime Time Non Pro added money requirements

“Horse Bites is compiled from Press Releases sent to Horseback Magazine. Original reporting is done as circumstances warrant.

Content is edited for length & style.”

Powderhorn Ranch Becomes Largest Conser-vation Land Purchase in Texas History

HOUSTON (TPWD) — A multi-partner coalition including the Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW) Foun-dation announced the purchase of the 17,351-acre Powderhorn Ranch along the Texas coast in Calhoun County. The acquisition will conserve a spectacular piece of property that is one of the larg-est remaining tracts of unspoiled coastal prairie in the state. At $37.7 million it is the largest dollar amount ever raised for a conservation land purchase in the state and represents a new partnership model of achieving conservation goals in an era of rapidly rising land prices. In years to come, Powderhorn Ranch is expected to become a state park and wildlife management area. The Texas Parks and Wild-life Foundation is spearheading the fundraising for the $50 million proj-ect, which includes the purchase of the property, habitat restoration and management, as well as a long-term endowment. The real estate transaction has been more than two years in the making.

Summary of Approved2015 NRHA Rule Changes

Oklahoma City,– The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) reviewed all 2015 rule change proposals submitted to the body earlier this year. The board considered long-term admin-istrative, global and fiduciary impact, in addition to member feedback provided via its website, direct contact and letters

Horsebites - Con’t. on pg. 12

• 86-01-15: Change the name of Adaptive Reining to Para-Reining • 91-01-15: Define what is considered complete relating to show results • 105-01-15: Remove restrictions for hiring stewards, remove redundant rules and limit Stewards from stew-

arding the same show for more than two years RELATED ACTION – Proposal 54-10-15• Amend the Animal Welfare & Medi-cations Policy (Pol. 11-07-27) to con-tinue the research phase through 2015 and create a task force to review NRHA medications rules and policies. APPROVED - Clarifications• 43-01-15: Procedural change for contacting the accused during a inves-tigation • 73-01-15: Rule clarification allowing horses to be shown in Green Reiner I and Green Reiner II without restriction of ownership • 74-02-15: Eliminate redundancies and increase ease of understanding in Show Conditions • 93-01-15: Clarification outlining ownership for Year End Awards, the owner is the owner on record at the end NRHA competition year • 149-01-15: Create consistency be-tween the Handbook and Judges guide on the maneuver description for the trot in Complete information on rule change voting will be posted at a later date on the Members Only section of nrha.com and in the NRHA Reiner magazine.

2014 WIHS Regional Horse Show & USHJA Zone 3 Finals Prize List Available

WASHINGTON —The 2014 WIHS Regional Horse Show & USHJA Zone 3 Finals will be held on October 17-19 at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD. The USEF “Regional II” rated show offers fantastic competition for local riders.


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Along with the USHJA Zone 3 Finals, the show hosts the MHSA Gittings Horsemanship Finals and the VHSA Children’s and Adult Medals. As one of the best shows on the local show circuit and named a USHJA Member’s Choice competition, the WIHS Regional offers the opportunity for area riders to qualify for the Wash-ington International Horse Show at Verizon Center (October 21-26). Riders may qualify for the WIHS Regional Finals for horses and ponies as well as the WIHS Children’s and Adult Hunter and Jumper Championships. The 2014 WIHS Regional Horse Show & USHJA Zone 3 Finals Prize List can be found at www.wihs.org/wihs-regional. Entries will be accepted electronically through HorseShowing.com. The featured class at the WIHS Regional is the MHSA Gittings Horse-manship Finals on Friday, October 17, at 6 p.m. in the Show Place Arena. An ice cream social will be held for all exhibitors to enjoy and watch the class. The top riders in the Finals will receive prizes courtesy of sponsors Charles Owen, RJ Classics, Andrea Steuhr Equine Therapy, SmartPak and Kimber-ley Gatto. New to the WIHS Regional schedule are Children’s and Adult Jumpers as qualifying classes for WIHS Jumper Championships, and a Junior Hunter 3’3” division will be offered at the Zone 3 Finals. Grand Champion-ships will be awarded for Children’s and Adult Hunter and Children’s Hunter Ponies. A pizza party for exhibitors is on

Saturday, October 18.Nominations will be open

during the WIHS Regional for the third annual Laura Pickett Trophy for Excellence in Horsemanship. Visit www.wihs.org/wihs-regional for nomi-nation forms. This year’s winner will also receive a pair of custom-made E. Vogel boots. The award, generously donated by WIHS President Vicki Lowell in memory of Laura Pickett, will be presented to the adult or child rider and their trainer, who best exhibit the enthusiasm, dedication, style and com-mitment to excellent horsemanship that brings out the best in horse and rider at the WIHS Regional Horse Show & USHJA Zone 3 Finals. The trophy presentation will take place center ring on Barn Night at the 56th Annual Washington International Horse Show at Verizon Center.

All of the classes at the WIHS Regional Horse Show are open to all horses and ponies not already qualified for WIHS, regardless of geographical location. Only horses and ponies owned or leased by exhibitors living within 100 miles of Washington, D.C., are eligible for the WIHS Regional Hunter Finals at Verizon Center on Sunday, October 26. In addition, the Regional Children’s and Adult Hunter and Jumper champi-ons can qualify for the WIHS Champi-onships at Verizon Center on Tuesday, October 21 (hunters) and Wednesday, October 22 (jumpers).

The WIHS Regional is proud to host the USHJA Zone 3 Finals again this year. Letters of invitation to riders

eligible for the USHJA Zone 3 Finals will be emailed in mid-September. Ap-proximately the top 20 horses in each division, based on total USHJA points, will be invited. If invitations are not ac-cepted, additional horses will be invited. Zone 3 Finals will be held for the following divisions: Junior Hunter 3’3”, Adult Amateur Hunter 18-35, Adult Amateur Hunter 36 & Over, Children’s Hunter 14 & Under, Chil-dren’s Hunter 15-17, Children’s Hunter Pony Small/Medium, Children’s Hunter Pony Large, Children’s Jumper, Adult Jumper, Pony Jumper and Low Chil-dren’s/Adult Jumper. The Washington International Horse Show team offers their sincerest appreciation and thanks to all exhibi-tors, trainers, owners, sponsors, volun-teers, staff and friends for making the WIHS Regional Horse Show & USHJA Zone 3 Finals such a wonderful stop on the equestrian calendar and looks for-ward to seeing everyone in October. For more information on the 2014 WIHS Regional Horse Show & USHJA Zone 3 Finals, please visit www.wihs.org.

ACTHA’s New “Mentor” Division Announced

As the idea of natural horse-manship training has become more mainstream in the equine community of the United States, the value of trail riding is increasingly prevalent in the training process of both horses and rid-

Horsebites - Con’t. from pg. 8


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Sweet, Sad September...

Horseback Magazine’s Saddle & Tack Editor

September is here. Does anyoneknow where summer went?September in Texas is not muchdifferent from August, really.

Hot, usually dry, never frosts or snows.In northern climes, September oftenshows lots of change. Early frost, coolmornings, a change in the air. The sunis in a different position in the sky, andthe days are really getting appreciablyshorter. OK, the day is still 24 hours, butthe amount of daylight hours is shorter.

Here in South Central Texas, we may not see too many hundred degree days, so people are starting to think of riding again. I know I’m not enthusiastic about riding when the temp is hovering around a hundred. I just spent a few days down on the Rio Grande on a small hunting ranch. Small hunting ranch is an oxymoron, of course. The North end of the ranch was 6 miles from the South end. Still, it was fairly good sized. I was hoping to meet

one of the tick riders that work the river, but the one assigned to that area did not show up to our invitation of bar-b-q and beer. At 105 degrees, with an average of 16 miles covered horseback every day, I think being a tick rider would dispel anyone of the idea of being a “cowboy” down on the Rio Grande country. That brush country is inhospitable to say the least. There are probably about 48 workdays a year that make your job worthwhile. September brings the promise of relief. September also brings the

promise of death. Death of the greengrowing grass, green leaves, warm softnights, and hot, sultry days. Septemberis a bittersweet time. You look forwardto the cooler weather, but you hate tosee the summer gone. Some parts ofthe country revel in the winter. There issnow for skiing and snowmobiling, icefor skating, and wood for burning. Inmuch of Texas, there is brown, brown,and brown. Brown grass, brown leaves,and brown wood to be burned on chillynights.

These chilly nights are goodtimes to clean and condition your leathertack, while the wonderful mild days offall and winter are really the best timesfor riding, and that of course, is what weall love. Whether it is riding in the hillsfor pleasure, riding in the big pasture aftercattle, or riding in the arena practicing adressage test, this is our time. We knowit’s going to get cold, but, by God, we’regoing to ride today!

I have been working on lots ofsaddles. People are happy that I’m back inthe saddle repair business, and the saddle


Bandera’s Lew Pewterbaugh has been called the most knowledgeable saddle and tack authority in the Southwest. For private fitting consulta-

tion call (830) 328-0321 or (830) 522-6613 or email: [email protected].

fitting. Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of saddles on hand to trade yet, but I’m getting more every week. Old friends are traveling long distances to see me, and it makes me feel humble to know that they care enough to travel an hour and a half to say “Hi, We’re so glad you’re back.” I know I made a grievous mistake selling a very successful business, and ended up losing everything I had worked for - for almost 20 years, but I was burned out from working 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. With my new shop, I’m going to keep it small, and I’m going to “Carpe Diem” when the opportunity arises, like last week when I had the chance to go to the hunting ranch I mentioned earlier. I have to say, the guys I went with were most entertaining. For three

days, they told stories. They all started the same way. “You remember when we were------------------------------? We were drunker than (Feces)”. I was seriously reminded of “Second Hand Lions”. It reminded me to stop and smell the fresh smell of rain on long parched soil. If you happen to come by my humble little shop and find me gone, just remember, my little break will invigorate me to work twice as hard when I get back. I can’t explain why it gives me so much pleasure to turn out a good looking old saddle that was made with pride in the good old USA, with a new lease on life, and many more years to bring pleasure to a proud owner. So much of what made this country great has been lost, and I am so thankful to be able to

help preserve our history when there was pride in the work, pride in the quality, and pride in the country. So many of the companies in our western lifestyle traditions have sold their souls and taken our heritage offshore, let’s boycott those money grubbin’ companies and support home grown, made with pride, American products, even if we have to resort to buying good old American made vintage products, be they saddle, bits, knives or guns! God Bless America, again. Please.

BEFORE AFTER


Are TrailsVanishing?Ifyou live in the big city, you have seen urban ex-

pansion replace land that once housed board-

accessible to ride turned into housing and condodevelopments. Horseback Magazine’s home base is

equestrian community housing developments arebecoming a niche real estate market in suburbs.

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both horse and human.Further, many such environments are gated,

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In heads, and federal land closings for horses and -

countered a bias against equestrians by land managers. The council delved further into the problem seeking the cause of the distressing trend. “This led the AHC to

based on their experiences and personal assessments,

their 2010 report:

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Resourse is a group dedicated to saving -

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18 HORSEBACK MAGAZINE • September 2014 www.horsebackmagazine.com18 HORSEBACK MAGAZINEMM • September 2014 www.horsebackmagazine.com

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(202) 360-1912Jim McGarvey, Chairman of Back Country Horsemen

(706) 624-6505

Ben Pendergrass,

(202) 296-4031

press-release/groups-rally-behind-na-

act

most abundant trail riding venues in

horsemen to mount up and breathe the unspoiled country air.

respected group of trail riding enthusi-

signifying the explosive

membership has spread from coast to coast.

he said. The Virginia event is slated for October 18, 2014.

near his home.

of the local trails near his

miles of unspoiled trails from novice to

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funds to the charity the ride host

are held in public parks or on private ranches. Yet some states are far more trail rider friendly than others. The

judging, and sponsorships available to businesses. In Texas, for example,

and don’t trespass on private property

he said. That is unusual. For the most

embracing a fading remnant of the na-

www.horsebackmagazine.com September 2014 • HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 19www.horsebackmagazine.com September 2014 • HORSEBACK MAGAZINEMM 19

catered food each night, and sleeping

hype a big event such as the legendary

Others, the really lucky ones, have trails near their back doors. Riding

devoted to both equine and pedes-

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Texas equestrians are lucky because of the vastness of the state’s

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legislatures are increasingly dominated

is a far cry from the farm, equestrian

legislators.

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to join a local horse council such at the -

ACTHA: “ Beyond the GuinessRecord, we are far more proudof the fact that, to the best ofour knowledge, there is only

claim, and prove, a successfulmodel for employing and

saving the “Unwanted Horse.”To date 1,762 horses are

recorded with names and

in ACTHA’s registry for allto see. These are a few ofthe people responsible for

“Unwanted Horse.”

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Trail RidesKarma Farms - Marshall TXTake a healthy helping of East Texas beauty, add one of America’sbest known Colonial Spanish Horse breeding farms, and season witha real taste of the Old West. That’s the recipe for the kind of fun visi-tors will have riding America’s First Horse at Karma Farms.7925 Hwy 59N•Marshall, TXwww.karmafarms.com•(903) 935-9980

Ebenezer Park - Jasper, TXEbenezer Park is the only area where horses are allowed on SamRayburn. The Equestrian area contains 10 campsites, all with wa-ter hookups. All these sites feature a hardened RV pullout, hitching

area.•(877) 444-6777

Piney Creek Horse Trail - Davey Crockett National ForestThe Piney Creek Horse Trail is a system of trails that meandersthrough the East Texas Piney Woods in the Davy Crockett NationalForest. Trails are marked with different colored triangles. The trailsare primitive. There are two horse camp areas that include a vaulttoilet, graveled parking spurs and potable water (at one camp). Thereis a $10 per day per vehicle charge for use of the trail and/or camp-

•(936) 655-2299

East Texas MusicCody Wayne - Westbound 21The Piney woods of East Texas has cultivated a tradition of develop-ing some of the best county singers in America. Today that tradi-tion is continuing on with Cody Wayne and his band Westbound 21.The energy that Cody Wayne and Westbound 21 bring to the stageis amazing, to say the least. When they perform, hold on to the frontpew cause you are in for a high energy, rockin’, country show, thekind you have not seen since Outlaw Country ran through these parts.

Nominated for four awards in the East Texas Music Awardsfor 2014, on Sept 19th, Cody Wayne and Westbound 21 is becoming


one of the solid Texas bands that is headlining across the state. I am sure it won’t be long until Nashville comes calling and grabs up another rising star from East Texas. •www.westbound21.com

ShoppingPink Pistol Texas Wine Bar & Gift Shop - Lindale, TXPink Pistol Texas Wine Bar & Gift Shop in Lindale opened by country singer Miranda Lambert in her childhood home-town, of Lindale, Pink Pistol Texas offers Lambert’s wines and her signature Pink Pistol gear along with other hand-selected gift items including fairy dust, t-shirts, pink cow-boy boots and more. 100 E. Hubbard•Lindale, TX•903.882.9305

SeafoodJohnny Cace’s Seafood & Steakhouse - Longview, TXFor over 60 year’s Johnny Case’s has been a stable in East Texas for serving New Orleans-style Creole cuisine at lunch and dinner. Old family recipes and a varied menu allow you

when you head for this staple of East Texas cuisine. 1501 E. Marshall Ave.•Longview, TX•(903) 753-7691

Miranda Lambert at the Pink Pistol


Weekend Get-A-WayThe Inn at Tara Winery - Athens, TXTry taking in a “Sip of Texas” at this winery resort-style in this turn-of-the-century mini-mansion that was once owned by Clint Murchison, the founder of the Dallas Cowboys. Located on a hilltop of the Tara estate, among sprawling Blanc Du Bois grapevines, you have a grand view from ev-ery window and balcony. Guests are treated to a wine tour and a complete pampered weekend away. 8603 County Road 3914•Athens, TX•(903) 675-7023

Garden CenterJordan’s Plant Farm - Henderson, TX With over 500,000 square feet of growing space, a garden center, and gift shop covering over 40 acres. Jordan’s is a must see, especially during the fall and holiday season.

-ioned in the manner of an old-timey hotel, is complete with a lobby, saloon, barbershop and general store. Your whole family will enjoy a day of sitting on the porch in one of the rocking chairs or browsing through the gift shop and watching the rest of the world go by. 7523 State Hwy. 42 South•Henderson, TX•(800) 635-1147

Ribs & BBQCountry Tavern - Kilgore, TXFinger-lickin’ best ribs, brisket and sides you could put your mouth on. A little expensive for dinning daily, but you can’t beat the size of the platters, and the moist, perfectly cooked meat, plus friendly service. 1526 FM 2767•Kilgore, TX•(903) 984-9954

Lake & MarinaLake Striker Restaurant & Marina Resort - Reklaw, TXThis hidden gem in East Texas isn’t the largest or the fan-ciest, but for just a plain good time, you would be hard

rolling hills, the resort consists of a marina complex that includes a boat launch, boat parking and a lighted, cov-

store and bait shop, a motel, cabins, overnight RV sites with full hookups, and also seasonal sites to meet your needs. Live music on weekends has included stars like Charlie Daniels and a variety of other artist and entertain-ers. 18560 CR 4256 S•Reklaw, TX•(903) 854-2505

The Inn at Tara Winery

Lake Striker

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Flying Cats & Ranch Security

MyDad was a feedlot cow-boy, which means we al-ways had horses. They

were not push button, can only doone job horses. They were the toolsof his trade. The same ones that uskids “rodeo’d” on, were the same oneshe used in the feedlot. We always hada couple of colts, or in some cases fiveor six year olds, that we were startingat the house. After about 30 rides,Dad would take them to the feedlotand ride them for 90 days. Ninetydays of pushing cattle around, drag-ging roped ones and opening gatesmade for some pretty broke ponies.My brother and I were usually theones that started these “colts”, meprobably more than him. I think thathad something to do with my level ofbrains….

At one time we had this littleT-Cross mare. She was pretty sharplooking…kinda that old timey quar-ter horse type, square, blocky and sol-id. For whatever reason we never re-ally started riding her. We would pullher up and mess around with her for a

day or two and then turn her back out.I suppose it was because she was oursand any customer horses took prece-dence over her because, after all theywere paying. We called her Misty andMisty didn’t really get started good un-til she was about six.

Now Misty wasn’t a big wildbronc by any means. In fact, once westarted riding her, you had to pedal forall you were worth to keep her moving.I always said that she wore me out fasterthan walkin’. Except for one time…

I had ridden her about fifteen ortwenty times, so I thought she was reallygoing well. With a little work you couldlope her all over the pasture and evencome in for a somewhat bouncy, jiltedstop. I’m sure I was a shadow ridin’ son-of-a-gun, I thought I was a he-wolf of ahand and the world had better get ready.

We always had four or five dogs,which considered themselves ranch secu-rity, and about the same amount of barncats (which the dogs considered Satan’sspawn), so at some point every eveningthere was a commotion. The cats seemedto be a little smarter (gulp, am I goingto says this?) than the dogs because theynever let themselves be caught out in theopen. Except for one time….

I was ridin’ ol’ Misty up closeto the barn, admiring my shadow andhow good things looked. Why, I hadthe world by the tail. There wasn’t a bet-ter hand than me, most anywhere. AsI rode along I heard the usual ruckus

raised when the dogs had gotten a cat on the run. I was working on stop-ping and backing so we weren’t moving much. I kept noticing that the ruckus with the dogs kept getting closer. I fi-nally looked up and all five dogs had a big orange tom cat on the run. Now Tom had let himself get caught out in the open and was runnin’ like his tail was on fire as fast as he could for high ground. And since there were no trees in the pasture, I noticed to my horror that Tom was headed straight for Misty and I, with the dogs in joyous pursuit about five feet behind him. At about eight feet Tom jumped into the air and flew toward us. At that point, Misty noticed the ruckus. Her head flew around to-ward the commotion, but even she was too slow for the blazing orange streakthat was now airborne. Tom landedwith all claws out, one front and oneback leg hooked into my fine Navajosaddle blanket, while the other frontand back leg were desperately clawingto get a grip in what now appears tohave been tender horse flesh. Add inthe fact the dogs were still in hot pur-suit barking and howling like a pack ofwild beasts, this was now too much forMisty to handle.

To put it mildly, we left thecountry. We left the country like Sa-tan was riding one of the hounds ofhell and was swinging a lariat trying todrop a loop on us to brand and ear tag


us. She ran faster that I had ever expe-rienced with her before, I really had no idea she was that fast. Of course my friend was still attached to the saddle blanket, as cats sometimes get attached to things when their claws are out. Tom was probably looking somewhat like a kite on a short string, squalling like a banshee; wanting noth-

ing more than to be loose from the whole situation. Also added to the

mix was the wolf pack that was now very excited to be chas-

ing not only a cat, but also a horse. They were probably grinning like crazy think-ing, “can this day get any better?!?! What a great and wondrous day!” As we got toward the end of the pasture, Tom

finally loosed himself from the saddle blanket. I’m sure

he had somewhat of a spill, but his welfare had ceased to be

at the top of my priority list. The good news was that this distracted

the wolf pack somewhat. They im-mediately lit into the cat, he of course had landed on all fours (how do cats do that?) and immediately skedaddled up an electric pole. The dogs appeared somewhat disappointed, but were glad to take up the chase again with the horse and I. Misty and I were work-ing on our second lap around the pas-ture and as we passed them, they heard the siren call of a running horse. They,

as ranch security, felt the need to par-ticipate in the horse training as they saw it. They left the cat and immedi-ately leaped into action to help slow us down, jumping in front of Misty right before we got the electric pole. Technically, they did their job. She jammed on the brakes and I did a pretty fair impression of Superman and yard darted into the midst of the wolf pack, which seemed to create a large amount of excitement in itself. Look-ing at it from the dogs’ point of view, their master had dismounted to play with his faithful and brave ranch secu-rity team. They were wagging, slobber-ing and licking all over, just excited that I would venture from my lofty position to mingle with them. From my point of view, I wanted to kill all of them! The mare trotted back to the barn and was waiting for me, only a lit-tle jittery. She turned into a nice little mare and some people from Oklahoma bought her for their grandkids later on. They were as happy as they could be, but I’m just glad they did see the flying cat and ranch security episode.


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Horse Grooming Solutions, un-veils the newest member of the

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INTENSE EQ™ - New “Green” cold processmanufacturing technology, and the highest qual-ity of Fresh Natural Botanical Extracts, preciselyblended into the perfect shampoo and leave-inconditioner, for Hair, Manes and Tails. Specifi-cally formulated for both horses and people andis the first and only Paraben Free premium cross

action product line in the equine market place.Safe for the environment, horses, and people too.We know you care. Now you know we do too!

INTENSE EQ™ Botanical Volumiz-ing Shampoo - Moisturizing botanical extractsAloe, Arnica Montana, Horsetail, Echinacea andRosemary, perfectly blended and pH balancedinto the ultimate shampoo. Designed to Inten-sify volume, strength, shine and texture of Hair,Manes and Tails; every strand thick, luxurious,soft and shiny.INTENSE EQ™ Leave-in Conditioning Comb-ing Cream - A non-tacky, easy-to-comb, anti-frizz leave-in cream conditioner that adds defi-nition, memory and shine to Hair, Manes andTails. Moisturizing Silk Beads, Botanical Con-ditioning Extracts, along with conditioning oils,including Argan, Grape seed and Coconut Oilsare gently blended for INTENSE shine, strengthand texture.

Beautiful hair so INTENSE everyonewill notice, and “Because We Love Them Too!“, A portion of the proceeds from sales of IN-TENSE EQ™™ to benefit Equine Shelter andRescue Organizations.

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ers. In addition to trail miles, exposure to other horses and humans along with the negotiation of man made and natural obstacles are absolutely neces-sary for both horse and rider, regardless of discipline. In an effort to support those instructors, trainers, and clini-cians, the American Competitive Trail Horse Association has created a new “Mentor” division. The Mentor Division is open to clinicians, trainers and instructors of all disciplines, allowing them to ride alongside their students out on AC-THA trail rides at a reduced cost. As a separate division, a Mentor will be scored for the benefit of evaluating his or her personal performance. In this way, Mentors will be able to perform the obstacles, get a score, but not be compelled to compete against their clients or other divisions. The Mentor has a marketing tool to find potential new students as well as an opportu-nity for other ACTHA riders to learn from the Mentor, encouraging those to improve horsemanship through educa-tion. ACTHA ride hosts and

competitors alike will be encouraged to utilize “Mentors” as an additional opportunity for teaching and learning on the trail. Many ride hosts have es-tablished specific times at their events for Mentors to have clinics, demon-strations and even private or group lessons. In this way, the Mentor gains an additional opportunity to gain the attention of ride attendees.

Founder Carrie Scrima states “Last year we focused on good sports-manship and good horsemanship for the horse and rider. This year we would like to add an emphasis on “Casual Competition, Serious Fun” in a family oriented environment that encourages healthy competition while enhancing the education of horse and rider.”

In advancing this effort and to encourage professional participation, ACTHA has established a “Profes-sional Partners” page on its website that will provide links to local trainers, instructors and clinicians. Having a presence on this page will be free to those equine professionals that support ACTHA events and the discipline of

competitive trail riding. ACTHA will additionally provide local marketing support to our supporting Profes-sional Partners Mentors through the use of ACTHA rides and clinics in the clinicians geographic area. To become involved as a Mentor or to become a sponsor of the mentor division, con-tact Craig Dodson, Director of Public Affairs at [email protected].

American Reiners Win Gold Medal at FEI World Equestrian Games

CAEN, (USEF) - The Ad-equan U.S. Reining Team has won the Gold medal at the FEI World Team Reining Championship held as part of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. The team is composed of Andrea Fappani riding Custom Cash Advance, Shawn Flarida riding Spooks Gotta Whiz, Jordan Larson riding HF Mobster, and Mandy McCutcheon rid-ing Yellow Jersey.



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Protect Your Horse’s Digestive Health with Farnam’s New DigestAid™

Synbiotic Powder & Paste

It’s a stressful world out there and your horse’s digestive system takes the brunt of it. It doesn’t take much

to unbalance intestinal microflora—anything from a change in forage to a course of antibi-otics can do it. Help your horse maintain the proper balance necessary for digestive health with Farnam’s New DigestAid™ Synbiotic, available in powder and paste formulas. Both Farnam® DigestAid™ Synbiotic Powder and Farnam® DigestAid™ Synbiotic Paste contain probiotics and prebiotics. This blend of live microbials is vital for optimal immune and digestive health during times of stress. When everything is working as it should, your horse’s digestive system contains beneficial bacteria and microbes. These “good bugs” maintain a healthy digestive tract and help the horse get the most from his diet. They also produce energy, help support the immune system, maintain pH level, and make his gastro-intestinal environment less favorable for harm-ful microorganisms. Probiotics help replenish the popula-tion of beneficial bacteria needed for proper in-testinal function. Prebiotics can’t be digested by the horse, but serve as food for the “good bugs,” thereby promoting their growth. Every horse—from young foals to

performance horses and senior companions—can benefit from the support offered by Di-gestAid™ Synbiotic. Whether you choose the powder or paste depends on your horse’s indi-vidual circumstances. Both products help maintain bal-ance for proper digestive function by sup-porting the beneficial bacteria necessary for intestinal health. Both offer support for the immune system and can be used alone or with additional therapies. They provide support for growth and development in young horses, and aid continued microbial growth in the new-born foal’s digestive system. Both paste and powder adhere to National Animal Supplement Council guide-lines and are helpful for horses of all ages and conditions. They can be given daily or during times of stress. Farnam has made it easier to support your horse’s digestive health with this power-ful blend of beneficial prebiotics and probiot-ics. DigestAid™ Synbiotic Powder can be part of your horse’s daily maintenance program. It’s ideal for regular use to help balance beneficial intestinal microflora, maintain proper pH lev-els, and provide added immune and digestive protection during times of stress. The tasty

powder is easily added to his daily grain. DigestAid™ Synbiotic Paste is perfect for those times when your horse is “off feed” or for horses that don’t receive grain. Because you give the paste directly into his mouth via the handy syringe, you know your horse immedi-ately receives the entire amount. Over the past 65 years, Farnam Com-panies, Inc., has grown to become one of the most widely recognized names in the animal health products industry, and has become one of the largest marketers of equine products in the country. No one knows horses better than Farnam. That’s why no one offers a more com-plete selection of horse care products. Farnam® Horse Products serve both the pleasure horse and the performance horse markets with prod-ucts for fly control, deworming, hoof and leg care, grooming, wound treatment and leather care, plus nutritional supplements. For more information on these and other helpful Farnam® products, visit www.far-namhorse.com. Be sure to sign up for Life with Horses, the free monthly e-newsletter, to re-ceive the latest horse health news and product updates, along with money-saving, subscriber-only rewards.


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TOOTIE LYONS RIXMAN- REALTOR, ASSOCIATEHeritage Texas Country Properties605 S. AustinBrenham, TX

(C): (979) 836-3633(E): [email protected]

(W): www.heritagetexascountry.com/page-46/Tootie-Lyons-Rixman

SPECIALTIES: Acreage, Homes, Horse Prop-erty, Country Homes, Farm & RanchTERRITORY: Brazos Valley Texas

REALTOR Roundup

TAMMY FOREMAN -REALTORHodde Real Estate Co.112 W. Main Street, Brenham, TX

(O): (979) 836-8532(C): (979) 451-2945

(E): [email protected](W): www.hodderealty.com

SPECIALTIES: Farms/Ranches, Equestrian, Residential, Country Homes, Land. TERRITORY: Texas

SASSY STANTON - BROKERStanton-Pinckard Realty2010 Commonwealth,Houston, TX

(O): (713) 861-4097(C): (713) 824-8387

(E): [email protected](W): www.stanton-pinckard.com

SPECIALTIES: Farm/Ranches, Land

TERRITORY: Texas

DEITRA ROBERTSON - REALTORDeitra Robertson Real Estate, Inc.38351 FM 1736Hempstead, TX(O): (832) 642-6789(C): (832) 642-6789

(E): [email protected](W): www.IKnowRanches.com

SPECIALTIES: Farms/Ranches, Horse Properties, LandTERRITORY: Texas

YOLANDA FUSILIER - BROKERPeak Realty17515 Spring Cypress Rd.Suite # C260Cypress, TX(O): (979) 921-9530(C): (713) 417-7567(E): [email protected]

(W): www.peakrealty.sbuilder.net

SPECIALTIES: Farms/Ranches, Land CommercialTERRITORY: Waller, Harris, and surrounding counties.

WENDY CLINE - REALTOR/BROKERCLHMS, SRES, ABR,Million Dollar GuildWendy Cline PropertiesRE/MAX Realty Center13611 Skinner Rd. #100Cypress, TX

(O): (281) 213-6271 (C): (281) 460-9360(E): [email protected](W): www.wendyclineproperties.comSPECIALTIES: Equestrian, Farm & Ranch, Land, Residential, Luxury, Commercial TERRITORY: Texas

WILLIAM “BOO” CHRISTENSEN - BROKER/OWNERRE/MAX Advantage110 E. AlamoBrenham, TX

(O): (979) 251-7500(C): (979) 277-8426

(E): [email protected](W): www.realtorboo.com

SPECIALTIES: Farm/Ranch, Hunting Prop-erty, Country HomesTERRITORY: Texas

RENEE DIEHL - ALHSRound Top Real Estate101 Main St.Round Top, TX

(C): (713) 401-8958(O): (979) 249-5732

(E): [email protected](W): www.roundtopland.com

SPECIALTIES: Farm & Ranch, Land, Country & Luxury HomesTERRITORY: South Central Texas

MARY GARBETT -BROKER ASSOCIATERight Time Real Estate LLCat KW Farm & Ranch950 Corbindale Rd, #100Houston, TX(C) (713) 213-2420(O) (713) 470-2055(E) [email protected]

(W) www.har.com/marygarbett

SPECIALTIES: Equestrian Estates, Farm & Ranch, ResidentialTERRITORY: Ft. Bend, Waller, Austin, Washington, Grimes, Harris Counties

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CARRIE SHWAGER - REALTORThe Property Source7424 FM 1488, Ste. A-1Magnolia, TX 77354

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DEE ANN BOUDREAUX- REALTORTexas First Real Estate1116 FM 109New Ulm, TX

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Every horse owner recognizes the impor-tance of having high-quality pasture and hay, and plenty of it. Unfortu-nately, weather tends to dictate both the

quality and quantity of forages. While this year brought generally bet-ter pasture and forage conditions in many states than did last year, next year’s crop is anyone’s guess. If you’re a horse owner or hay producer who would rather not gamble on the unknown, consider hedging your bets with Pasture, Rangeland and Forage (PRF) Insurance. But decide soon – the sign-up deadline is Nov. 15. This risk management tool is designed to insure against a decline in rainfall or vegeta-tion on rangeland and perennial forage land, in-cluding both improved and unimproved pasture and land intended for hay production. “PRF insurance is available for land that is used exclusively to graze horses, as well as land that is used to graze horses and cattle, or just cattle, or is used for hay production,” explains Jen Livsey, pasture insurance specialist with Texas Farm Credit, a rural lender that offers insurance products to ranchers and farmers.

A 184 Percent Return on Premiums in 2012

For many landowners affected by drought, this type of insurance has been a blessing. Texas Farm Credit reports that its PRF policy holders realized a 184 percent return on their premiums in 2012. One of those policy holders, a central Texas rancher, was particularly glad he purchased PRF insurance that year. “In 2012, which was one of the driest years this cattleman has experienced, he received indemnity payments that were more than five times the cost of his premium,” his loan officer, Jolene Curtis, Texas Farm Credit vice president of operations, reports. “PRF insurance gave him immedi-ate financial relief to cover feed costs as well as extra time to evaluate his destocking options. Although conditions have improved, you can be sure he took out a PRF policy again in 2013,” Curtis says.

Payouts Cover Feed Purchases, Lease Payments

PRF insurance has helped ease the financial

burden on many horse owners and livestock producers throughout the dry southern states in recent years by providing timely payments to help cover the cost of purchasing additional feed and hay when forage production dropped. For some, it also meant they could continue making lease payments rather than relinquish land that

they might never have another chance to operate. Known by various names, including grass insurance, hay insurance and rainfall insurance, PRF insur-

ance is a customizable product developed by the USDA Risk Management Agency, which also sets the rules and prices. With PRF, landowners and lessees can choose the variables for which they want to insure:

• Specific months • Number of acres• Type of land (hay or pasture)• Percentage of average historic rainfall

In Texas, rainfall amounts are deter-mined by the National Oceanic and Atmo-spheric Administration (NOAA), which means that there are no reporting or record-keeping requirements for participants. Each two-month insurance interval stands alone, so even if a wet period immediately precedes a dry period, the dry months can still pay out.

Decisions to Make Before You Sign Up

Acreage – Individuals can insure all or part of their owned or leased property. If applicable,Farm Service Agency farm numbers or lease agreements are required to prove ownership and interest.

Level – Coverage ranges from 70 to 90 percent of the average rainfall (or vegetation) index. The final grid index must come in below the chosen coverage level in order to trigger a payment.

Protection Factor – This ranges from 60 to 150 percent and allows individualization based on the productivity of the insured property com-pared to the county average.

Index Intervals – These are the specific two-month time periods during which data are collected in order to calculate the expected and final grid indices.

Help for Hay & Forage ProducersInsure pasture, forage land to mitigate risk.

Sign-Up & Payout Dates

• Policy sign-up deadline– Nov. 15

• Policy term – Jan. 1 toDec. 31

• Premiums due and pay-able – Sept. 30

• Indemnities are paidafter the RMA releases thefinal grid index, gener-ally 60 days after the lastday of the index interval.Example: For a January–February index interval,indemnities are calculatedon May 1.

• No reporting or record-keeping requirements.Claims are calculated andpaid automatically whenthe final grid index isreleased.

This article was provided by Texas Farm Credit, which is a part of the nationwide Farm Credit System. For more tips

on buying rural land, call Danny Wren at (903) 389-

8738 or visit TexasFCS.com.


Your vision. Built to spec.It’s easy to see. You have pretty clear ideas about the equipment you need to succeed. So we used them as a blueprint for our E-Series Skid Steers. You wanted more

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Barn &By: Margaret Pirtle, Lifestyle Editor

“When I hear somebody talk about a horse or cow being stupid; I figure it’s a sure sign that the animal has

somehow outfoxed them” -Tom Dorrance,

True Unity: Willing CommunicationBetween Horse & Human

Meet Me at the Fair

There is noth-ing better todo than spend

a day at a county fairto kick off the fallseason that is headingour way. The weathermay still be warm, buta fair in Septemberrenews the soul andbrushes off the dustand dirt of summer.Check out these twogreat county fairs:

Washington County FairSeptember 12-20 - Brenham, TXEstablished in 1868, Washington County Fair wasthe first county fair held in Texas! A variety ofevents including concerts, rodeos, livestock shows,arts and craft shows, special attractions, carnival,commercial exhibits and more. There’s somethingthere for everyone! FM 577 ( Blue Bell Rd) betweenHwy 36 and 105

Waller County FairSeptember 26 - Oct. 4 - Hempstead, TXOne of the last great rural escapes from the Houstonarea, the Waller County Fair has been providingfun and excitement since 1945. Built around theongoing livestock shows featuring local high schoolFFA programs and 4-H clubs, each evening holdslive entertainment, great food and rodeo fun. Thefairgrounds are located on FM 359 just south of USHwy 290 and old Hempstead Hwy about 1 mile onthe left.


Unwritten Rules of Owning a Horse:

• No matterwhat amountof time yougive yourselfto groom yourhorse - it willtake longer.• You willalways forgetone critical

thing at a horse show.• The day that you start saying “It hasn’thappened yet” is the exact day your horse willbegin to do it.• The spare clothes you always carry with youfor emergencies, will be in the laundry theday you need them.• Your horse will always poop immediately afteryou have finished cleaning his stall• Only the most beautiful and expensive piecesof tack and blankets will be destroyed by yourhorse.

Got the Fall Decorating Bug Yet?

If you aredreaming ofcolorful leaves,the smell ofapple pie, butit’s still ninetydegrees outside,that’s okay, justput some colorin your homeand that first cool spell won’t be far behind.


GardenCaramel SnickerdoodlesA simple, oozy & yummy Fall treat!

It’s not fall yet, but September puts me in the mood for warm - just out of the oven - gooey treats. Like a warm and flaky crust, a center filled with oozing caramel, and coated with cinnamon sugar!

These are the most delicious and impressive things you can made with only 3 ingredients.

• 1 Pillsbury Crescents Seamless Dough Sheet• Caramel Candies..one per each Doodle.• 1 cup of Cinnamon/Sugar..blended to your taste

Directions:Cut out about a 2”x2” piece of dough and wrap it gently and snuggled around one Caramel. Roll it in the Cinnamon Sugar…Place them onto a baking sheet about 1” or so apart.Bake them at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes, or until they’re firm and slightly puffy. Let them cool for just a few, but these have to be eaten warm, for maximum Caramel flow.Need to heat them up? Toss in the microwave for 15 seconds to get the caramel oozing again.


How well do you know your plant facts?

With fall gardens underway this month, it’s time to check out some fun triviaknowledge on the plants we love.• The average strawberry has 200 seeds, it’s the only fruit that bears its seeds on the

outside.• Trees are the longest-living organisms on earth.• The tiniest tree in the world is the Dwarf Willow, its size is about two inches. It is

found in Greenland.• Cabbage has 91% water while the apple is 25% air. That is why it floats on water!• Apples, Onions & potatoes have same taste. Don’t believe it? Here is the test: Pinch your nose & taste all 3, find any

difference?• The tomato and the potato are the two vegetables which are grown in largest quantities in the world. But the onion is the

most widely used vegetable. It is used in more dishes than any other vegetable in the most number of countries.• Carrots were originally purple in color.


In a world of their own,cute little girls dressedup in hunt coats andshadbellies with braids

full of grosgrain ribbons flapping be-hind them, parade up and down thehorse paths of Kentucky Horse Park ontheir perfectly groomed ponies. Someare chattering with friends and laughingwith excitement. Others are nervouslyreceiving advice from trainers or parentsin anticipation of the competition thatlooms before them. In the stable areas,grooms wash and prep the ponies whileparents and friends cheerfully prep theriders. Meanwhile trainers busily overseeall of it to make sure that no details havebeen missed. From the humble begin-nings of their training, all of the poniesand riders have been well prepared withteams of people that have made this spe-cial opportunity possible.

The 2014 US Pony Finals wereheld at Kentucky Horse Park in Lexing-ton, Kentucky August 5-10. An annualtradition of the United States Eques-trian Federation, the finals were cre-ated to bring the best ponies in the na-tion together to compete for the title ofChampion. Ponies compete as huntersor jumpers and are separated into small,medium and large pony divisions. Thehunters are further divided into green orregular divisions to compete in 3 separatephases: Model, Under Saddle and OverFences which are judged using numeri-cal scores. Each of the 3-6 judges givesan independent score between 0 and 100to each entry.

With dozens of ponies compet-ing against each other, they are broughtinto the arena in small groups of no morethan 12 for the model and under saddleportions. The model and under saddlephases each count as 25% of the score,

while the jumping phase counts as 50%.In the model phase, the ponies muststand quietly and attentively while eachof the 3 judges inspect them from all an-gles. Then they are jogged for soundnessand way of moving before the scores aretallied and posted. After the model class,the ponies are saddled up and the rid-ers are given a chance to warm up theirmounts before entering the arena forthe flat class. As a group, the ponies are shown at the walk, trot, canter and hand gallop. They may also be asked to show an extended trot. The ponies should be ridden on light contact, stop easily and stand quietly while being judged on per-formance and soundness. With so manytalented and beautiful ponies, the per-formance in the arena needs to be nearlyperfect. Only one small mistake can costa pony the entire class.

After the scores for the modeland flat phases have been tallied, thecourse is set. The riders are given the op-portunity to walk the course with theirtrainers and then the jumping competi-tion begins. The arena is beautifully dec-orated with flowers and plants adorninga course that begs to be jumped. Withthe scores tallied, the lowest scoringpony starts the class with the highestscoring ponies wrapping it up.

Lining the arena are white tentsand tables with spectators eagerly posi-

tioned to take in every stride of the com-petition. As you look around, it’s easy totell who lays claim to the little rider andpony clipping around the arena by theconcentration of cameras and devicestrained on the pair, recording every step.At the end of each round, exuberantcheers erupt from the spectators’ seatingin an attempt to influence the judges toaward good scores for their favorite com-petitors.

As the competition winds toan end, with the cumulative scores be-ing posted after each round, it becomesmore apparent who the top ponies are.In the end, one pony is awarded the titleof Champion and the top 20 ponies areparaded around to receive their awards.

Meanwhile, the Pony JumperFinals are held on an individual andteam championship basis. These poniesare judged on their ability to jump cours-es with no penalty points for refusals,knockdowns or time faults. Addition-ally, the US Pony Jumper Style Awardis presented to the pony rider who thejudges feel exhibits the best style of rid-ing throughout the Pony Jumper Cham-pionships. And finally, the Pony MedalFinals are also held to judge the top ponyequitation riders in the country.

But where do these riders comefrom? Looking around, you see multi-tudes of confident, capable riders who

US Pony Finals


look like mini-professionals. But they’re not. Some of these children practically live at the barn and compete every chance they get on any horse they have the opportunity to ride. But there is also the other end of the spectrum where these kids might have only one pony to ride with no opportunity to ride others. And budgets are all over the place with those riders who have to borrow money to make the trip and those who come with a staff to take care of all of their needs. But when they go into the arena for their turn to compete, they all have a chance to win. It’s all about the perfor-mance. So let’s all give a big congratu-lations to all of this year’s winners! And to those who didn’t win, congratula-tions on making the cut to be a part of the 2014 US Pony Finals. But now, it’s time to start preparing for next year.

Cathy Strobel has over 30 years of experience as a trainer, judge and clinician and can be

reached at Southern Breeze Equestrian Center at (281) 431-4868 or www.sbreeze.com


hooves - Con’t. on pg. 42

Form & FunctionHow the natural trim positively impacts these

important characteristics of your horse’s hooves.

NHC AND THE NATURAL TRIM

Yes, there is a difference, per se. The terms “natural hoof care” and “natural trim” are often used interchangeably, but while related, they have different meanings. NHC is the holistic or “whole horse” approach to hoof care. NHC advocates like myself point to the “four pillars” of NHC: natural boarding, a reasonably natural diet, natural horsemanship, and the “natural trim” itself. The science of NHC uses the wild, free-roaming horse of the US Great Basin as its model for guidelines and standards in how we define and carry out these four pillars. I will use the natural trim as example of how we do this. The natural trim refers specifically to trim mechanics -- that is, how we physically trim the hoof. It is technically defined as a humane

barefoot trim method that mimics the natural hoof wear patterns documented for wild horse feet. As with the other three NHC pillars, we are specifically referencing the feet of US Great Basin wild horses.

FORM AND FUNCTION The question that naturally arises from this distinction is how does the natural trim affect hoof form, and as a consequence, its function? Of course, each of the four pillars -- not just the trim -- are going to impact the quality, health and function of the feet. These include where the horse lives, what he eats, how he is made to move by our riding, and the way the hoof is shaped by the trimmer. NHC trimmers affect hoof form in accordance with what is called the “Principle of Biodynamic Hoof Balance”. Biodynamic refers to the hoof ’s “living relationship” with the environment;

Two horses living in

a Paddock Paradise

at the AANHCP Field

Headquarters in

Lompoc, California

demonstrating optimal

athletic balance and

collection which is at

the foundation of the

natural gait complex.

Photo: Jill Willis

With the barefoot hoof care movement in full swing, I have been asked many times how natural hoof care affects the foot’s “form and function”. It is an excellent question, and

in fact addresses one of the fundamental concerns and objectives of natural hoof care (NHC). It’s also a timely door opener to a re-lated question that may be confusing to riders -- is there a differ-ence between NHC and the natural trim?

in terms of NHC, it is a naturally trimmed hoof characterized by the following:

• Hoof health• Hoof soundness• Natural wear patterns• Natural growth patterns• Natural shape/size/proportion characteristics

Without getting into the details of this very complex process (which requires considerable training to understand and execute), I have included an illustration (Figure 1) that gives you a general idea of what is happening. Implicit in this discussion is the understanding that the other three pillars of NHC are always at work, in some measure affecting the dynamic of the natural trim.


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hooves - Con’t. on pg. 43

hooves - Con’t. from pg. 41

THE NHC CYCLE

1. The NHC practitioner trims the foot, mimicking the natural wear patterns documented for wild horse feet. This is done regardless of the damage done to the foot by the pernicious effects of shoeing, unnatural trimming methods and lifestyle complications. Other than booting, this ends the trimmer’s role; NHC holistic practices are then implemented.

2. Natural wear patterns precipitate

natural growth patterns, a stimulus response elicited from the highly innervated hoof dermis within.

3. In turn, natural growth patterns reinforce the natural wear patterns to create more naturally shaped feet in terms of size, shape and proportion. At this point “active wear points” surface to balance the foot from side to side, and front to back.

4. Not surprisingly, with more naturally shaped feet beneath him, the horse is able to move more naturally within his natural gait complex.

5. As a direct consequence of natural movement, biodynamically borne weight-bearing forces arrive inside the hoof, aiding further in the shaping process (“form”).

6. Finally, the descending weight-bearing force drives the “hoof mechanism” -- circulation, concussional shock absorbance, fluid hydraulics, growth stimulation and “attack-support-breakover” -- which then reinforces the trim and allied NHC holistic practices.

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A client’s horses jumping; the hooves are

somewhat less biodynamically balanced

than optimal due to the boarding conditions.

Nevertheless, the horse is sound and athletically

capable thanks to the owner striving toward

implementation of the four pillars of NHC.


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hooves - Con’t. from pg. 42

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IN SUMMARY The relationship between the natural trim and hoof “form and function” is extremely complex, and interdependent with the other three pillars of NHC. When all four pillars are consistently integrated, the result is powerful, sound feet with a healthy horse attached to them -- in other words, optimal hoof “form”. Further, when this is the case, the entire musculoskelature of the horse is also optimized in terms of form and function. Horses given naturally shaped feet typically experience a corresponding whole body “makeover” of form as muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones realign over the biodynamically balanced feet.

Jaime Jackson is the author of 5 books, a hoof care professional & natural horse care consultant. He is the founding member of the non-profit equine advo-cacy organization, Association for the Advancement of Natural Horse Care Practices (www.aanhcp.net) & the principle instructor for the Institute for the

Study of Natural Horse Care Practices (www.isnhcp.net), which he and his business partner, Jill Willis,

created in 2009. He can be contacted at [email protected] and his website is

www.jaimejackson.com


SIRE Therapeutic Horsemanship Receives $10,000 from Waste Management

Houston - Earlier this year, thousands thrilled to the depiction of the partnership between man and horse shown in “War Horse” at the Hobby Cen-

ter. Little did theatergoers know, another partnership was in the making. Many noticed the friendly faces in the lobby happily explaining how horses help people today. Behind these SIRE volunteers was a banner noting the sponsorship of Waste Management.

At SIRE, 300 clients are improv-ing the quality of their lives and overcom-ing the challenges of their disabilities each year. 97% report physical improvements and 100% report emotional improve-ments. Waste Management’s donation will help subsidize SIRE’s therapeutic

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horsemanship sessions so clients will not be turned away for lack of resources. The need is great. Nearly 1 million people in the Houston region have a dis-ability, according to government estimates. At least one in four persons with disabilities has an income below the poverty line. The Department of Labor this year estimated less than 20% of people with disabilities participate in the labor force, compared to 69.4% of people without disabilities. The unemployment rate is double for people with disabilities (12.1%) compared to people without disabilities (6.3%). Here, too, SIRE and Waste Man-agement are teaming up. Waste Manage-ment will be identifying suitable internship opportunities and SIRE will identify can-didates among their clients. Selected clients will be exposed to the corporate work environment and have the opportunity to develop more skills while interning at Waste Management. Stella Raymaker, Director of Ethics & EEO Compliance with Waste Manage-ment, sees the partnership benefiting both entities. “Since most of SIRE’s clients are individuals with disabilities and/or veterans, this sponsorship provides Waste Manage-ment with a unique outreach opportunity to identify well-qualified individuals with disabilities for our open positions. This also helps Waste Management to comply with newly established Department of Labor’s regulations to increase outreach efforts toward the disabled and veterans commu-nities. WM’s sponsorship provides SIRE with an opportunity to provide additional services to their clients by connecting them to potential employment opportunities.” Thanks to donations from Waste Management and others, SIRE’s clients - in the words of our tagline - “Ride Beyond” and thrive. About SIRE Therapeutic Horse-manship: SIRE is a nonprofit organization with locations in Hockley, Spring and Fort Bend County that provide therapeutic riding instruction to people of all ages with varying developmental, physical, and psy-chological disabilities. Donations are always needed and gratefully accepted. SIRE needs volunteers (horse knowledge not necessary), horses, and resources to underwrite thera-peutic horsemanship sessions. For more information on SIRE, please visit www.SIRE-htec.org or call 281-356-7588.

Adv

erti

se in

H

orse

back

Mag

azin

e!


Flags!

Howdy! Welcome to Cowboy

Corner. School is starting in Texas so we’re on the short end of summer. Fall is on the way and I’ve really had enough of hot and dry August. Late summer and early fall in Texas means lots of county fairs and parades and rodeos. Might be a good time to check your tack. Find a comfortable spot whether it’s in the kitchen or under the big oak tree with Hank the cow dog. Check your sad-dle and bridle carefully and replace worn parts. Am not the magazines’ Tack Editor, just the dude that hits the dirt when the chinch breaks from long use. Several months ago the Tack Editor discussed mildew, and suggested a vinegar/water mixture for cleaning. Tried the mildew cleaner and liked the result. However, on really green pieces used straight vin-egar with a real stiff brush, and hard scrubbing. Rinse with fresh water then clean with Murphy’s Oil Soap, scrubbing again with the stiff brush. Rinse again, and let dry then apply pure neats foot oil. Thanks Mr. Tack Editor for the tip. Can teach an ol’ dog new tricks, guess just depends on the dog and the trick. Mentioned parades, and to me parades means flag carryin’. Have had a lot of experience with flags over the years, and will share some thoughts from the parade routes.

Guess better start with flags. Have learned that three feet by five feet is about the largest flag that can be carried horseback outside. Inside a building or enclosed area, larger flags can be carried, depending on the car-rier.

Next lesson was about flag poles. The wooden jointed poles are not suitable for horseback flag car-rin’. For occasional use, steel elec-tric conduit ¾” size works good and the 10 feet joints can be cut easily to 8 feet lengths for horseback carrin’. The best flag poles I have found are ¾” aluminum electrical conduit. The aluminum is light in weight, plenty strong, and easily cut down from the 10 feet length. Naturally aluminum is rust free, and cleanable with a damp cloth. Aluminum cleaning products are available and work very well.

Pole tops are available in a range of designs from star, to ball, or eagle. These tops are made from cast aluminum, and internally threaded. The flag companies have male thread-ed tubes which can be attached to the poles or the poles can be threaded to fit the tops. The pole tops are not real tough, so be careful when the tops are

attached to poles. Flags come with grommets, and have found nylon flags with grommets are very serviceable for horseback use. Flags can be attached to the poles using nylon ties used in electrical industry. To prevent slip-ping wrap the tie around the pole twice, then use the tie back. To carry the flag on the pole requires a flag boot. The boot attach-es to the saddle on the stirrup leather, just above the stirrup. With the base of the pole in the boot, the pole can be held about half way up the pole giving the carrier/rider good control. Before the parade be sure to check the diameter of the pole and fit with the boot. A good boot is essential for flag control especially on a windy day. Have seen riders carrying flags actually blown off their horses, especially in the canyons created by sky scrapers in downtown areas. Not a pretty sight and mighty dangerous. Be careful in parade situations and re-member horses have to be taught to do flag carrying and parades.

Happy Trails...

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