REGION VIII

BEN ELLIS

PO Box 1845 • Orange Grove, Texas 78372361.701.1886 • ben.ellis78@yahoo.com

CASS RINGELSTEIN

4308 FM 1784 • Pleasanton, Texas 78064 210.885.0902 • cass.oasis@yahoo.com

STUDENT OFFICERS PRESIDENT - SYDNEY BLAIR VICE PRESIDENT - KENNA THOMAS SECRETARY - GRACIE GREENE

1627 CR 101 • Uvalde, Texas 78801 830.591.8036 • jspeer04@hotmail.com

SECRETARY - CELINA FETTY

3005 Santa Ana St. • Corpus Christi, Texas 78415 361.739.9858 • region8thsra@gmail.com

STATE DIRECTORS / REGION OFFICERS JUSTIN SPEER

1627 CR 101 • Uvalde, Texas 78801 830.591.8036 • jspeer04@hotmail.com

PERFORMANCE REPORT

By SAMANTHA CORTINAS – Performance Reporter

HO HO HO and happy holidays from my region family to yours! I'm ready for that nice cold ride when there's no sweat on my forehead and the whole time I'm wondering, should I drink hot chocolate when I get back or keep riding with these numb fingers?

Riding in the winter is my absolute favorite and it's also time to hold on and hope for the best. Why do I say this? Because horses are very sensitive to the colder weather and tend to act a little bit crazy. In this article, I’m going to tell you WHY horses get frisky in the cold, what to expect from them personality-wise, how to keep them warm and happy, and in what temperatures to use different blankets.

On cooler days, especially after it’s just rained and is windy as all get out, you may notice horses love to gallop and kick up. Did you know that the windier the day, the more horses are hypersensitive to noise, feelings, and sights? Horses have amazing hearing and the wind only carries out sounds longer and louder for them.

We all know when the weatherman says we’re in store for colder

weather, high winds, and a little rain, he might as well just say “Hey! If you own a horse, RUN!” So, before riding let's make sure our horses are using the thinking side of their brains!

Horses can get stiff as it gets colder and their body flexibility decreases by a full 25 percent. So, before a run, make sure to always hand stretch their front and hind legs by pulling them to the front and back; they will thank you big time. When it’s colder outside, horses tend to not get the same exercise as they would in normal temperatures. This is because their muscles take quite a bit longer to warm up. To prevent injuries during runs, we should be warming our horses up twice as long when it's cold outside.

Did you know that when you see a horse standing with their head away from the wind, tail set low and in the wind, that's their way of conserving energy? Here are some things JH Vice President Kelsey Harms does to keep her horses running their best. Not only do the products we put on our horses such as magic mud, Bigeloil gel, and body butter matter, we also want to make sure their diets are on track. Hay should be given to horses daily to avoid ulcers; they need a forage substitute besides grain. Remember, any forage substance you use should be 18 percent of your horse's body weight. We also need to be able to provide 20 percent fiber content during the winter. They will eat double the amount of food to keep warm on the inside, so including Alfalfa in their diets is key to keeping them warm and providing them with the extra energy they need. “The Love and care that goes into your horse during the winter and keeping them rodeo ready is the main thing that helps our rodeo athletes feel 110 percent all the time,” said Kelsey.

Blankets are also a great way to help them save energy and keep them nice and warm. Did you know there are five stages of cold for different blankets? The chart below shows the stages and which blankets to use in each.

The love, dedication, and effort we put into our horses every day is equally important as the hay, feed, blankets and products we use on them. Why? Because horses are best friends forever and they deserve to be given the best love and care possible!

Christmas Snack Mix

courtesy of chelseasmessyapron.com

A delicious addictive Christmas Snack Mix is perfect for the holidays! This snack mix is filled with cereal, pretzels, M&M's, and coated in melted white chocolate. No baking required.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups corn or rice Chex cereal or other crispy cereal • 1 cup miniature pretzel twists or pretzel rods • 2 cups Cap'n Crunch® cereal (with no berries) • 2 cups Cheerios® or other toasted oat cereal • 1 cup Christmas M&M’S (green and red) • 1 and 1/2 bags white chocolate chips (~3 cups or 16 ounces total) • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil or shortening Optional: Christmas sprinkles

PREP: Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside. COMBINE: In a large bowl combine the Chex cereal, pretzels (Note 1), Cap'n Crunch cereal, Cheerios, and M&M's. Mix together, making sure that everything is evenly distributed. WHITE CHOCOLATE: In a medium-sized microwavesafe bowl, add the white chocolate chips and vegetable oil. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and microwave for another 25 seconds. Stir until melted and smooth. If needed, return to the microwave for a little longer. (Heat in bursts of 10 seconds, stirring for 10 seconds in between each burst). Pour the melted and smooth white chocolate over the snack mix. COMBINE: Gently stir until completely combined and all ingredients are coated in white chocolate (work quickly, because white chocolate hardens fast!) and then transfer to the prepared baking sheet and spread into one even layer. If desired, add some Christmas/festive sprinkles before the white Enjoy! chocolate sets. FIRM UP: Allow white chocolate to set at room temperature or place in the fridge until firm, about 10-20 minutes. Break into pieces and serve.