Equestrian Traveler’s
COMPANION
Your Essential Horse-Trailering Resource Fall 2020
Senior-Horse Travel Tips Safe-Tying Techniques Utah’s City of Rocks
An AIM Equine Network Publication
Fix a GrassGrabber
Equestrian Traveler’s COMPANION Fall 2020
Your Essential HorseTrailering Resource
FEATURES 10 Safe Travels Large Animal Emergency Rescue
14 Top Training Fix a Grass-Grabber
16 Your Healthy Horse Senior-Horse Travel Tips
20 USRider Member Story Remote-Road Nightmare
DEPARTMENTS 4 Top Tips Expert Advice for Horse Owners
6 Skill Set Outside Trailer-Tying
8 Handy Checklist Trailer-Emergency Prep
22 Road Gear Equine-Travel Essentials
24 USRider Member Benefits Frequently Asked Questions
26 Getaways City of Rocks BY KENT AND CHARLENE KRONE
USRider General Manager: Bill Riss Editor: René E. Riley Art Director: Abby McDougall Contact USRider: (800) 844-1409 P.O. Box 20634, Boulder, CO 80308 memberservice@usrider.org • www.usrider.org USRider® Equestrian Traveler’s Companion
AIM Equine Network is a division of Active Interest Media. Its stable of award-winning magazines includes EQUUS, Horse&Rider, Practical Horseman, and The Team Roping Journal. 2
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TopTips
COVID-19TIP-----------------------
Have a Horse-Care Plan
TRAILERINGTIP-------------------
At present, there’s no evidence that horses or other livestock can become sick with COVID-19 or spread it to people. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people with the virus or those experiencing symptoms should avoid direct contact with animals. Therefore, have a horsecare plan in place in case you become sick and need to self-isolate or become hospitalized. If you’re sick and have no one else to care for your horse, the CDC recommends that you wash your hands before and after caring for your horse. Wear a face mask while handling your horse until you’re cleared by a health-care professional. If you’re concerned about your horse’s health, call your veterinarian. Create a feeding and preparedness plan that includes the following steps. • Identify all horses by a name on a halter (either leather or breakaway) or a stall plate. • Prepare a list of friends or family members who can feed and water your horse, and clean your horse’s stall on a daily basis. • Consider turnout. Although horses can remain in their stalls for days if necessary, this isn’t an ideal situation and could increase the risk of colic, respiratory problems, and foot or musculoskeletal issues. • If your horse requires daily exercise, make sure the people who are caring for him are experienced horse handlers. • If someone else is caring for your horse, leave clear, written instructions for all feeding and care required. Ideally, you If someone else is caring for your should have horse while you self-isolate or are enough feed ill, leave clear, written instructions (hay and for all feeding and care required. grain) and bedding for a week or two if possible. • Check with your feed and bedding suppliers to see whether delivery is an option.
Evacuation Prep Fall can be a peak evacuation season due to natural and manmade disasters. In the West, wildfire danger is still high. In Atlantic and Gulf states, hurricanes threaten. Prepare to trailer out your horse with these tips.
Fall can be a peak evacuation season due to natural and manmade disasters, such as wildfires and hurricanes. • Ready your rig. Keep your truck fueled and your trailer hitched during imminent disaster season. Park your rig so it faces your predetermined exit. • Plan transportation. How many trailer spaces do you have available? If you pack that four-horse gooseneck trailer with your four horses, where will you put your dogs, cats, and human family members? Would you have to make two trips to get the other four horses you own? • Teach the horses to load. Teach all the horses on your property to load into the trailer, no matter what. Practice loading each horse alone. Practice at night, and when it’s raining, windy, dark, and generally miserable. • Develop an escape route. Drive through every road in your neighborhood to identify escape routes. Keep in mind that officials may close off many roads to enforce the evacuation. Do you have more than one way out by the roads to safety? Keep maps in every vehicle for reference in an emergency. • Decide where to meet. Choose in advance a place where everyone involved in your household and horsehold will be meeting off-site, if you’re evacuated. Arrange in advance a trusted person with whom to leave messages, in case you’re unable to use your cellphone. —Rebecca Gimenez, PhD USRider® Equestrian Traveler’s Companion
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USRIDER MEMBERTIP---------------------------
Help USRider Find You If you encounter trouble on the road and need assistance, you need to tell the USRider service provider your exact location. Often, USRider can conference you in with a service provider in the general area to determine your location. However, this takes time. USRider is proud that its average response time is well under the industry average of 60 minutes. Help USRider find you by first being aware of where you are at all times en route to your destination. If you have a disablement, try to find a street address. Look for a street number on nearby homes or businesses, or on street signs. If possible, ask someone for help. Also, use a GPS unit when traveling in unfamiliar territory. Most GPS units have a “locate” feature that provide latitude and longitude measurements. USRider can use this information to pinpoint your location and send assistance.
If you encounter trouble on the road and need assistance, you need to tell the USRider service provider your exact location.
SEASONALTIP-----------------------------------------
Trailer-Storage Prep Take time this fall to properly prepare your trailer for winter storage. This is important not only to keep your trailer road-ready in case an equine emergency arises, but also to ensure that your trailer will be in optimal shape when your ready to dust it off for next year’s travel season. Here’s how to properly prepare your trailer for winter storage. • Take stock. Evaluate your trailer’s tires, emergency breakaway battery, and overall condition. Make any needed repairs and upgrades. Check the contents of equine and human first-aid kits. Replace depleted and out-of-date items. • Baby the battery. Remove the emergency breakaway battery, and store it inside. Charge the battery at least every 90 days. • Wash and wax. Thoroughly wash and clean your trailer’s interior and exterior, and wax its painted surfaces. • Oil moving parts. Lubricate mechanical moving parts, such as the hitch and suspension parts that are exposed to the weather, plus hinges and jack stands. Note: On oil-lubricated hubs, the upper part on each roller bearing isn’t immersed in oil, so it’s subject to potential corrosion. USRider® Equestrian Traveler’s Companion
PHOTO BY CLIXPHOTO.COM
If possible, store your trailer inside. If inside storage isn’t available, purchase a trailer cover. Cover the tires, as well. • Store indoors or cover. If possible, store your trailer inside, out of the elements. If inside storage isn’t available, purchase a trailer cover. Cover the tires, as well. Trailer and tire covers are available through trailer and recreational-vehicle dealers. • Offset weight. After your trailer is in position, jack it up, and place jack stands under the trailer frame so that the weight will be off the tires. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines to lift and support the unit. Never jack up or place jack stands on the axle tube or on the equalizers. For maximum bearing life, revolve the wheels every two to three weeks during periods of prolonged storage. —Rebecca Gimenez, PhD
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------------ SKILLSET------------
Outside Trailer-Tying
Tie your horse higher than his withers to limit the amount of leverage he can place on a tie.
PHOTO BY KENT AND CHARLENE KRONE
Overhead trailer-tying products give your horse more room while keeping him farther away from the trailer that straight tying does. Shown is the HiTie Trailer Tie System from EasyCare Inc. USRider® Equestrian Traveler’s Companion
PHOTO BY HEIDI MELOCCO
Horses are well-known for getting their legs and hooves into dangerous places—and the side of a trailer has many potential traps for those fragile structures. Tragic injuries include a hoof trapped between tires, through the windows, or in vents—or a halter caught on a protruding obstacle, such as a hasp, door hinge, or bucket hooks. Other common scenarios include panicked pullbacks that may cause the horse to fall and become hung by the halter and tie against the trailer, or even underneath it. Here’s how to safely secure your horse outside your trailer. • Tie high. Tie your horse higher than his withers to limit the amount of leverage he can place on a tie. • Consider an overhead tie. Overhead trailer-tying products give your horse more room while keeping him farther away from your trailer that straight tying does. I recommend the HiTie Trailer Tie System (available from >>
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EasyCare Inc.) and the Overhead Spring-Tie. Alternatives include a release mechanism that releases your horse after a specific amount of pressure is applied, such as the JEMAL Safety Release Trailer Tie. • Place a panic snap. A panic snap is a good idea. Attach it at the far end, away from your horse, not onto his halter. If he starts to panic, you shouldn’t get close enough to get hurt. • Have a weak link. Have something in the tie system that will break if your horse really struggles, such as a leather latigo, a hook-and-loop fastener, a piece of hay string, or even a cheap metal clip. • Prevent boredom. Give your horse plenty of hay to minimize injury-causing behavior problems, such as fiddling, pawing, playing with buckets, etc. • Give them room. If you’re tying more than one horse, give them plenty of room, so they don’t kick each other, or get wrapped or tangled in each other’s ties. • Consider alternatives. If you’re staying in one place for a while, consider high-lining your horse or, use a temporary pen. —Rebecca Gimenez, PhD
PHOTO BY HEIDI MELOCCO
Give your horse plenty of hay to minimize injury-causing behavior problems, such as fiddling, pawing, playing with buckets, etc.
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------------HANDYCHECKLIST------------
Trailer-Emergency Prep Be prepared for a trailer emergency with these expert checklists.
PHOTO BY HEIDI MELOCCO
A trailer accident can happen at any time. Lessen the risk by being the best and most responsible driver you can be.
Emergencies can happen to anybody at any time, but you can greatly influence the outcome by being prepared. Here’s a checklist designed to help you anticipate the types of emergencies you might encounter, so you can plan for them in advance—plus a list of items to keep in your tow vehicle should an emergency happen despite your best efforts.
Emergency Prep ■ You’re stuck in a traffic jam. If you get stuck in a PHOTOS BY HEIDI MELOCCO
Lessen the chance of a roadside breakdown with a pre-trip check of fluid levels and tire condition. Inset: Keep an emergency roadside kit in your tow vehicle to handle minor repairs, if you can do so safely.
USRider® Equestrian Traveler’s Companion
traffic jam in hot weather, your horse could become very stressed. Keep 10 to 20 gallons of water on board at all times to help keep your horse cool. Offer him water to drink and rinse him off.
■ Your tow vehicle breaks down. Lessen the chance of a roadside breakdown with a pre-trip check of fluid levels and tire condition. Follow a prescribed maintenance schedule, as well. Keep an emergency roadside kit in your tow vehicle to handle minor repairs, if you can do so safely. ■ You get a flat tire. In case the breakdown is due to a flat tire, have a spare tire that’s in good condition so you’ll be able to get back on the road quickly. In fact, have at least one spare tire for both your tow vehicle and trailer. Then know how to change flats on both. ■ You have an accident. An accident can happen >>
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at any time. Lessen this risk by being the best and most responsible driver you can be. Enhance your control by properly setting up your rig, making sure your tow vehicle is rated to tow the weight of your loaded trailer and using the proper hitch. Carry spare halters and lead ropes in your vehicle or trailer so you’ll be prepared if— heaven forbid—your horse gets loose on the highway during an accident. ■ You become injured or incapacitated. Store a human first-aid kit in your tow vehicle to treat minor injuries. In extreme situations, you may be incapacitated. Help first responders handle your horse by posting a visible notice in your trailer listing names and numbers to call for help. Also, plug those numbers into your mobile phone’s contact list under “ICE-Horse” (ICE stands for “In Case of Emergency.”) ■ Your horse becomes injured. Even if your horse is a seasoned traveler, he can still hurt himself in your trailer or while riding during a day trip. Make sure your trailer is safe. Check for any interior sharp edges or protrusions that could cause injury. Use only removable interior dividers, bars, and center posts, in case you need to get your horse out of a trapped situation. Carry a well-stocked equine first-aid kit so you can tend to his injuries. Ask your veterinarian to teach you emergency-treatment techniques. Preventive measures—such as wrapping your
horse’s legs or applying shipping boots—will greatly reduce the possibility of injury —Tom Scheve and Neva Kittrell Scheve
Your Emergency Kit If your horse gets hurt in your trailer despite your best efforts, carry the emergency equipment that will allow you—or trained responders—to assist him if he gets trapped or injured, either inside or outside your trailer. Place this kit (and your emergency hay stash) inside your tow vehicle, not in your trailer, so you’ll have access to it if your trailer is compromised. Here’s a checklist. ■ Road-hazard warning kit. This includes orange cones or triangles, flares, reflective tape on your trailer, and a reflective vest for you, if you’re on the side of the road for any reason.
PHOTO COURTESY OF EUROW SAFETY
Include in your road-hazard warning kit orange cones or triangles, and flares. Shown is the Eurow Safety collapsible traffic safety cone. ■ Cellphone. If you have service, you can use your cellphone to call for emergency assistance and USRider for emergency roadside assistance. ■ First-aid kit. Carry a good first-aid kit for both equines and humans.
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PHOTO BY HEIDI MELOCCO
If you have service, you can use your cellphone to call for emergency assistance and USRider for emergency roadside assistance.
■ Sharp knife. Pack a sharp knife, then use it for emergencies only, so the blade stays sharp enough to cut through tie straps and rope that may be entrapping your horse’s head or legs. ■ Saw. A battery-powered reciprocating saw capable of cutting metal that may entrap a head or leg. ■ Webbing. A piece of three- to four-inch webbing (tow strap) can control a leg; or use it around the body to maneuver your horse into a safer position. ■ Cane or boat hook. Use a cane or boot hook to manipulate the webbing. ■ Hammer. You’ll use a hammer to drive the pins out of a chest bar or gate that might be entrapping your horse. ■ Towel or blanket. You need something to cover the head of a downed horse to help keep him calm until help arrives. ■ Hay. Lay in an emergency supply of good-quality hay to allow trapped or extricated horses to eat and relax while you wait for assistance. — Rebecca Gimenez, PhD
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Large Animal Emergency Rescue
PHOTO COURTESY OF TLAER
By knowing what to do in the first few minutes of an emergency, you can potentially save your horse’s life. You can also use your skills to help fellow horsepeople in crisis situations. Shown is a horse highly trained to be a rescue training animal.
Learn how taking Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue courses can save a traveling horse’s life. By Rebecca Gimenez, PhD
Perhaps you’ve seen amazing photos or videos of horses being extricated from a trailer wreck, led from burning barns, or even lifted in a sling out of a ravine. Horses can become trapped in overturned or wrecked trailers, culverts, wells, ditches, mud pits, fallen trees, barns, and farm equipment. From these incidents, large animal rescue training has evolved for emergency responders, veterinarians, and interested horsepeople. The old way of just slapping a rope around a horse’s neck and pulling him to safety has largely been replaced with more profes-
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sional and safer methods of providing technical heavy rescue for these fractious animal victims. Extrication of a victim that can weigh 2,000 pounds, doesn’t understand spoken language, wields dangerous weapons, and tends to panic can be difficult and dangerous for everyone, especially the horse. Did you ever wonder where the trained rescue personnel learned to respond correctly to those scary scenarios? As an active instructor in Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue, Inc., I’ve spent more than 20 years developing techniques, >> Fall 2020
JUSTIN MCLEOD PHOTO
In a TLAER Awareness Level Course, you’ll learn how to work with emergency responders to safely cut a trailer and use manipulation methods to remove horses from actual overturned or destroyed trailers. Shown is an actual trailer wreck in North Carolina. tactics, and procedures to improve the coordination and professional response to these types of incidents. In my courses, I promote the understanding of containment, restraint, animal behavior, appropriate equipment, and personnel available. I emphasize the use of the Incident Command System used by firefighters and law enforcement. Would a TLAER course benefit you and your horse? As an equestrian traveler, you likely haul and ride to places where you have minimal access to assistance and poor cellphone coverage. If you know what to do and have the right equipment at hand in the first few minutes of an emergency, you can potentially save your horse’s life. You can also use your skills to help fellow horsepeople in crisis situations. Plus, knowing how to “plug into” a response allows you and local responders to work together as a team to keep all on the scene safe, and form an organized plan for extrication, treatment, and transport of the equine victim. Within weeks of attending a course, my students often get called to assist local rescue efforts. They report being able to effectively work with firefighters, veterinarians, animal-control officers, and law enforcement on scene to control the animal, provide containment of loose animals, assist with an extrication plan, and even teach police officers how to properly provide field euthanasia. Here, I’ll explain a bit about TLAER courses, what USRider® Equestrian Traveler’s Companion
REBECCA GIMENEZ PHOTO
In this training scenario, a trailer has been flipped onto its roof. The mannequin is being removed using a Rescue Glide, which would protect the horse in the event of a real accident. you’ll learn, and how to sign up. Then I’ll present five real-life emergency-rescue anecdotes from TLAER course attendees.
TLAER Courses TLAER offers several course levels. Here’s a rundown of each one. • Awareness Level Course. This course is the most important one for most interested people, from owners, veterinarians, and firefighters to animal-control, humane and law enforcement officers. • Operations Level Course. This course is intended for emergency responders who expect to be deployed to actual live scenes, and involves use of live animals, realistic mannequins, rope techniques, and heavy rescue operations. Individuals taking this course must have previously taken the Awareness Course, as well as Incident Command System training. • Technician Level Course. This course is reserved for members of Urban Search and Rescue Teams,
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and other highly trained and specialized technical rescue teams.
What You’ll Learn TLAER Awareness Level Course participants achieve certification based on National Fire Protection Association Standards. Here’s a sampling of what you’ll learn. • Roadside management. You’ll learn how to plan for roadside management that puts personnel safety first in the event of a wreck or trailer/tow-vehicle failure, especially in poor road conditions, such as ice, snow,
Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue courses often use Resquip Horse Rescue Mannequins, realistic, 500-pound rubber mannequins that closely simulate the size, weight, and flexibility of a live horse. For training, mannequins can be dropped into a trench or mud pit, or flipped over in a horse trailer without fear of hurting a live animal.
darkness, smoke, and flooding. • Calm action steps. The course’s “keep it simple” approach emphasizes controlling panic, calling 911 and a local large animal veterinarian, then forming a plan in coordination with resources at hand. You’ll learn how to plan ahead for first-aid, containment, and follow-on transport to definitive veterinary care. • Extrication. You’ll learn how to work with emergency responders to safely cut a trailer and use manipulation methods to remove horses from actual overturned or destroyed trailers. • Natural-disaster planning. You’ll learn how to prepare for natural disasters and plan an evacuation route.
How to Sign Up TLAER courses are typically offered all over the United States and Canada, and occasionally in Europe and Australia. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s courses have been postponed to 2021. For more information, go to the TLAER website, and check for scheduling updates. Also consider joining TLAER on Facebook, where thousands of professionals working in the emergency-response field post and discuss incidents from around the world.
Real-Life Anecdotes
REBECCA GIMENEZ PHOTO
Realistic mannequins are often used for trailer rescue training. Students must learn how to extricate a horse while keeping themselves and the animal safe without going in the trailer.
Here are five real-life anecdotes and success stories from TLAER course attendees. • Trail-horse rescue. A horse being ridden on a trail far from cellphone coverage accidentally slips upside-down into a small stream. His body blocks the flow of the water, and his head is trapped in the quickly form-
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ing dam. The owner panics and jumps into the creek to hold the horse’s head out of the water, while other riders work together to formulate a rescue. They safely tie their horses to nearby trees and come up with a plan to get a short piece of webbing under the front of the horse’s body in a sideways drag configuration. Working together, they’re able to slip the horse’s front end up the bank. The horse is then able to propel himself out of the creek with his hind legs. None the worse for wear, the riders saddle up and ride back out to the trailhead, very thankful for that short webbing in the saddlebags of the TLAER trained rider. • Trailer tragedy. A Canadian woman—who two weeks before graduated from a TLAER course in Georgia—gets a panicked call from a friend whose horse has catastrophically broken a leg in her horse trailer while kicking out at another horse. With the nearest veterinarian more than two hours away, the woman makes contact with a responding police officer and is able to talk him through how to properly apply field euthanasia for the horse to prevent further suffering. • Polo pony nightmare. A stock trailer with 14 polo ponies swerves to avoid a vehicle then flips onto the left side on Interstate 75 in the rain. Within minutes, local horsemen driving past the accident call their saddle club asking for assistance. They marshal a veterinarian to the scene, as well as six horse trailers, which arrived within 15 minutes of the incident. While one horse is dead on arrival, rescuers are able to safely open Fall 2020
PHOTO COURTESY OF TLAER
“Within weeks of attending a course, my students often get called to assist local rescue efforts,” reports Rebecca Gimenez. Shown are students during a TLAER course at Eastern Kentucky University
PHOTO COURTESY OF TLAER
TLAER students at Eastern Kentucky University learning emergency-rescue skills with Ariel, a highly trained rescue-training animal. the back of the trailer and cut or lead out the other 13 horses. The vet and her staff provide triage and immediate first-aid on the scene. Then the horses are loaded onto trailers and taken to the vet’s clinic for follow-up treatment. The scene is cleared and traffic is restored within 1 hour and 15 minutes. • Stuck senior horse. A man contacts a local veterinarian for help. His arthritic older horse escaped from his pasture, ran down the field, and has been found struggling—stuck in mud up to his belly about 10 feet from solid ground. The vet calls the local rescue team at the fire department. The team responds to the location and is able to work together to get out to the horse using boards, then emplace a sideways drag webbing. When prepared to extricate, they use mud lances to break the suction effect on the horse’s hooves and slide the horse to safety. The horse is provided immediate veterinary care on scene and walked back to the barn for observation. USRider® Equestrian Traveler’s Companion
• Ice-pond emergency. A woman calls 911 because her two horses have gone out onto the ice of the pond at her farm and are now swimming frantically in the very center in a small hole about 10 feet wide. The local fire department, trained in the basics of how to approach horses in these scenarios, responds with its ice-rescue team, uses a chainsaw to cut a path to the horses, pushes the blocks of ice under the lip of the edges, and allows the horses to swim out to safety in less than 12 minutes from arrival on scene. The horses are put under immediate veterinary care for possible hypothermia and stress, and survive. USR
Rebecca Gimenez, PhD (animal physiology), is president and a primary instructor for Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue. A Major in the United States Army Reserve, she’s a decorated Iraq War veteran and a past Logistics Officer for the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Veterinary Medical Assistance Team. She’s an invited lecturer on animal-rescue topics around the world and a noted equine journalist.
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------------ TOPTRAINING------------
Fix a Grass-Grabber Stop your horse from grabbing mouthfuls of grass with this proven technique from Julie Goodnight. By Julie Goodnight With Heidi Melocco
PHOTO BY HEIDI MELOCCO
Whether you’re a regular equestrian adventurer or taking your horse for a spin on home trails, make sure your horse is listening to your cues. Learn how to fix your grass-grabber with top trainer/clinician Julie Goodnight (shown) USRider® Equestrian Traveler’s Companion
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>>
While equestrians are keeping a close eye on the COVID-19 pandemic this fall to see which shows or other events might be canceled or rescheduled, trail riding on cool fall days holds a particular appeal. But training never takes a day off. Whether you’re a regular equestrian adventurer or taking your horse for a spin on home trails, make sure your horse is listening to your cues. He shouldn’t reach down and grab a mouthful of grass, no matter how tempting sugar-laden fall blades might tempt him. Snacking on the trail is a rude behavior and may be a sign that your horse doesn’t accept your authority. While some riders allow the behavior and think of it as a horse’s natural instinct to graze constantly, it’s important to think about how horses act when part of a herd— and how they associate food with dominance.
Herd Dynamics In the herd, horses establish herd hierarchy by determining who controls food and water. Dominant horses always eat first and will run the subordinate horses away from the food supply until they’ve had their fill. Horses think they’re dominant any time you allow them to get to food. With this in mind, imagine what’s really happening when your horse drags you toward grass as you’re leading him. And think about who’s really in charge if he’s eating as you ride, pulling the reins away from you to graze at ground level. In your horse’s mind, he’s in charge! He shows his dominance by controlling the food. He thinks of you as the subordinate herd member, because you give him first dibs on the tasty grass.
Your horse shouldn’t reach down and grab a mouthful of grass, no matter how tempting sugar-laden fall blades might tempt him.
Pressure Fix To fix this bad habit, you’ll need to change who’s in charge in your herd of two. Examine all aspects of your relationship to see whether you can name other areas where your horse makes decisions, calls the shots, and controls you. Does your horse step off without a cue as soon as you mount up? Does he paw and beg for feed or treats when you get back to the barn? You’ll need to address all aspects of your relationship to make sure you’re firmly in charge. Pressure can be physical (such as the spank of a rein or having to work hard immediately following an attempt) or mental (such as issuing constant directives that requires your horse to focus on you). When it comes to grass-grabbing on the trail, adhere to an age-old training principle that applies to all animals—even humans: Find the amount of pressure that motivates change.
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Whatever your horse is doing at a specific moment is what he’s most motivated to do; in your case, he’s motivated to eat grass while you ride. To change his behavior, you’ll have to find the amount of pressure that motivates him to rethink this action.
‘Find the amount of pressure that motivates change.’ It may be a little pressure or a lot, depending on how sensitive your horse is and how motivated he is to eat grass as you move down the trail. But one thing is for sure—it’s more pressure than you’re using now. Whenever a behavior isn’t changed by your correction, either the timing of the correction is wrong or you aren’t using the necessary amount of pressure. >> Fall 2020
PHOTO BY HEIDI MELOCCO
Your grass-grabber thinks of you as the subordinate herd member, because you give him first dibs on the tasty grass.
Training Technique Here’s how to apply pressure to your horse to correct his behavior and establish yourself as herd leader. • Use one rein. To correct your horse for eating grass on the trail, jerk up harshly and quickly on one rein. Any time you pull on both reins, you start a tug-of-war with him—a contest you’ll never win. But with one rein, you have control. • Ask him to work. If you’re riding in a flat, safe location with good footing, ask your horse to work immediately after you correct him. Trot him in one direction, then another. Make him move. Make him associate his grazing behavior with having to work hard. • Be strong. No matter what type of pressure you use, the consequences of eating without your authorization need to be harsh enough to overpower your horse’s urge to eat.
Troubleshooting If you’ve been trying to correct your horse’s grazing behavior for some
PHOTO BY HEIDI MELOCCO
Horses establish the herd hierarchy by determining who controls food and water. Dominant horses always eat first.
time with no success, he’s learned to ignore your corrections. He now thinks that you’ll never use enough pressure to bother him. With this ingrained behavior, you’ve gotten in a rut. Your horse tries to eat; you say no. He doesn’t worry about the consequence and tries again; you say no. He tries again—and on and on. It’s better to give one strong correction than to get into a nagging relationship such as this. A firm correction will motivate your horse to change. This is much kinder than pulling on his mouth over and over for years. Make one correction, and be done with it. Establish your leadership role in your herd of two. Invest time in your horse to give him the best manners you can. This investment will increase his value and your riding enjoyment for the rest of his life. He’ll also be better behaved for your veterinarian and farrier. Horses are happier in the presence of authority. USR
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Julie Goodnight trains horses and coaches riders to be ready for any event, on the trail or in the performance arena. After 11 years producing Horse Master with Julie Goodnight, a how-to horse-training series that aired weekly on RFD-TV, she’s now the executive producer of 2Horse Productions, an equine, nature, and adventure lifestyle production company. She and her husband, Rich Moorhead, reside near Salida, Colorado. Heidi Melocco is an equine journalist, photographer, and lifelong horsewoman based in Mead, Colorado.
Fall 2020
Horses teach us extraordinary lessons... to hold on to hope. At Hope in the Saddle, our mission is to
Share your story and read those of others at www.hopeinthesaddle.com THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS FOR HELPING OUR HORSES FEEL THEIR BEST SO THEY CAN HELP US FEEL OUR BEST
------------YOURHEALTHYHORSE------------
Senior-Horse Travel Tips Learn how to keep your aging horse healthy and happy on the road. By Lindsey Mulvany Photos by Heidi Melocco
The aging process affects all horses, but especially those that travel. Read on for seven ways to help keep your older equine partner healthy and happy while on the road.
To aid your older horse’s respiration in your trailer, tie him loosely enough so that he can drop his head to clear his air passages, but be sure he can’t catch a hoof in the lead rope. Inset: Ventilate your trailer, even in cool temperatures. Invest in window screens to keep out road debris. USRider® Equestrian Traveler’s Companion
The aging process affects all horses, but especially those that travel. Joints aren’t what they used to be. Balance is compromised. And your older horse is at risk for travel-related colic and respiratory problems. Here are seven ways to help keep your older equine partner healthy and happy while on the road, plus key signs of aging from Eleanor M. Kellon, VMD. 1. Update your first-aid kit. Make sure your on-the-road first-aid kit is well-supplied and up-to-date. Go through your kit today. Restock bandages. Safely discard and replace any expired medications. Update your older horse’s veterinary records. (For a veterinarian-recommended trailering firstaid kit, see the checklist in this issue.) 2. Apply leg protection. In your trailer, your senior citizen is a risk for a leg injury, due to increasing lack of balance and stability. To protect his legs, apply shipping boots before every trip, no matter how short. Make sure the boots extend over his knees and hocks to protect those joints. Avoid wrapping his legs with polo wraps, as a too-tight wrap can compromise his circulation and weaken his tendons. 3. Support his respiration. Your traveling senior may inhale >>
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Key Signs of Aging
Dehydration puts your traveling senior at risk for colic. It can also lead to muscle tremors and weakness. Consider soaking his feed with water to boost his hydration.
On the road, provide feed to your older horse, and keep him on his normal feeding schedule. An interrupted schedule puts him at risk for colic.
dust, debris, and hay particles, which can lead to respiratory problems. Tie him loosely enough so that he can drop his head to clear his air passages, but be sure he can’t catch a hoof in the lead rope. Ventilate your trailer, even in cool temperatures. Invest in window screens to keep out road debris. 4. Provide feed. On the road, keep your older horse on his normal feeding schedule. An interrupted schedule puts him at risk for colic. Ask your veterinarian about a formulated senior feed that meets your senior’s nutritional needs. 5. Provide water. Dehydration also puts your traveling senior at risk for colic. It can also lead to muscle tremors and weakness, due to a loss of potassium and other electrolytes. To make unfamiliar water more palatable to your horse, add salt to his feed to increase thirst. Or sweeten the unfamiliar water with Gatorade or apple juice. Sweet water can also be comforting to him. Soaking his feed with water can also boost his hydration. 6. Drive carefully. Your older horse can’t brace himself and balance as well as a younger horse can. Double the space between you and the vehicle in front of you so you can stop slowly and gently. Turn slowly and with care. Watch for potholes and speed bumps. 7. Take breaks. On long hauls, stop every two to three hours to let your older horse rest his joints and drink water. If you’re in a quiet, safe spot, unload him, and allow him also to stretch his muscles. This will increase his comfort and lessen his stiffness when you arrive at your destination. USR Lindsey Mulvany holds a bachelor’s degree in equine science from Colorado State University-Fort Collins. She’s ridden and trained horses from a young age, and currently shows in reining events. USRider® Equestrian Traveler’s Companion
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Here are outward signs your horse is aging. Monitor your senior horse carefully, and work with your veterinarian to ensure your older horse is sound and healthy enough to travel. • Appearance of gray hairs on the face, sometimes throughout the coat. • Decreased elasticity of the skin. • Decreased muscular strength and definition. • Loss of elasticity in tendons and ligaments. • Joint stiffness. • Reduced digestive efficiency and increased risk of colic. • Gum and dental disease. • Reduced exercise tolerance and difficulty in conditioning. • Reduced mental alertness and increased napping. • Osteoporosis. • Trouble maintaining weight. • Reduced tolerance for extreme heat or cold. • “Slowing down”—less interest in movement in general. • Reduced resistance to infections and parasites. • Development of vaccine reactions and allergies. —Eleanor M. Kellon, VMD Monitor your senior horse carefully, and work with your veterinarian to ensure your older horse is sound and healthy enough to travel.
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Remote-Road Nightmare USRider rushed aid to trail riders stranded on a remote road with a broken-down truck.
This USRider Member was driving home from a long trail ride in North Carolina when her truck broke down on a remote road. After a long afternoon of trail riding at the Walthour-Moss Foundation in Southern Pines, North Carolina, that included getting lost and drenched in a thunderstorm, I returned to a truck that wouldn’t start. I knew it wasn’t just a dead battery. USRider® Equestrian Traveler’s Companion
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The trailhead parking area, which was located off a remote side road, had emptied, as it was late in the day. I called my husband. Rather than calling for roadside assistance, he wanted to have a mechanic come see if they could get the truck started. >> Fall 2020
“I was well taken care of by USRider,” reports this happy Member, shown here with her trail-riding companion. “I will never, ever be without their coverage and extol their benefits to every horseperson I know!
A Long Wait We were two hours from home, and I was a little panicked about what to do with the horses. My riding companion that day had a local acquaintance with a farm but hadn’t spoken to her in over seven years. Miraculously, the phone number was still good. She told us her place was at our disposal. When we found out that my truck wouldn’t start, other riders with us that day stayed at the trailhead parking area to see if they could help. When we found out we could go to the guest farm, they unloaded their horses from their trailer and loaded the two horses I had brought to haul them to the farm to relax. All the while, I was waiting in the parking area for the mechanic to show up.
Calling USRider Knowing it was more than a dead battery, I called USRider. I am relatively new to hauling and had never used USRider before. They couldn’t have been more reassuring. They explained they could either tow the truck home or the trailer or both. Meanwhile, the mechanic I’d originally called arrived and confirmed he couldn’t get the truck started. USRider® Equestrian Traveler’s Companion
Before he even left, the tow truck USRider sent arrived. The owner of Rockwell Towing himself was the driver. I wanted to cry he was so nice. He told us he could take us wherever we needed to go and stop wherever we needed to stop. He loaded my pickup onto the flatbed trailer then hitched my horse trailer behind that.
Safe & Sound Our first stop was the farm where the horses had been relaxing to try to reload them into my trailer. The tow truck was quite big and loud, so I was convinced the horses would be rather spooked. However, our fellas went right in. Phew! Next, we needed the driver to help us haul the horses to my riding companion’s barn, 1½ hours away. We didn’t arrive until almost 9:00 p.m. Horses safely stalled, we then had to get the truck to a service center. After another half hour, our driver perfectly placed my truck in a parking spot at the service garage. It was all exhausting, but I was well taken care of by USRider. I will never, ever be without their coverage and extol their benefits to every horseperson I know! USR
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Equine-Travel Essentials Top products to make traveling with your horse a breeze. Training Halter and Lead Need to tune up your horse’s trailer training? Julie Goodnight’s Premium Halter and Leads are designed to impart specific pressure cues. The halter offers stiffness and durability for training, yet is mild enough on your horse’s face to use as an everyday halter. Choose from a flat noseband (designed for ground work), or a round one (designed for ground work or riding). The 15-foot and 12-foot training leads are made with a sewnand-spliced loop halter attachment that’s easy on your horse’s jaw. (Note: When you haul your horse, use a leather or breakaway halter for safety.)
Gooseneck-Trailer Lock
Slow Hay Feeder
Coupler locks merely lock the coupler, making it easy for thieves to remove the coupler, insert their coupler, and add your trailer to their collection. The GanderLock is a revolutionary security device designed to prevent the theft of gooseneck trailers. Five pounds of steel block the opening of the receiving tube to prohibit the insertion of a coupler—thus denying thieves access to your trailer. This lock— available in round and square models—is especially helpful if you plan to store your trailer this winter.
Slow feeding can keep your horse busy and comfortable both on the road and at the barn. Hang Thin Air Canvas, Inc.’s NibbleNet® slow hay feeder in or on your trailer to simulate natural grazing. The front of this durable vinyl bag has 1.25-inch, 1.5inch, 2-inch, or 3-inch openings to allow your horse to eat gradually. A solid back helps prevent excess hay from escaping. Secure using the net’s D-rings. The brighter colors, such as Vinyl Green (shown) and Purple, makes the NibbleNet easy to identify when traveling with others and shows up in lowlight conditions.
Trailer-Chain Accessory CHAIN UP™ from Fastway is a durable rubber sling designed to lift trailer chains off the ground without compromising safety. CHAIN UP keeps your chains from twisting and dragging, protects those around you from road hazards, and can even cut wildfire risk—dragging chains can spark forest fires. With CHAIN UP, you won’t have to wrap or twist the links. It’s available in two styles: one for standard ball mount applications (left) and one for weight-distribution hitches (right). USRider® Equestrian Traveler’s Companion
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Meet Cherry...
She came to Mustang Acres sick and underweight but with the proper re-feeding program and veterinarian care she made a full recovery and has found her forever home with a little girl. Cherry showed us the power of integrity, grit and passion. She reminds us every day that the work we do at The Mustang Acres Farm requires courage and perseverance, that our sleepless nights and often fragile hopes are worth it. There are approximately 170,000 unwanted horses in the United States. Through A Home for Every Horse and the over 600 rescues involved, horses are given a second chance.
Horses in transition, like Cherry, deserve a second chance. FIND OUT HOW TO
Heart the Cause Today WWW.AHOMEFOREVERYHORSE.COM
A Home For Every Horse is brought to you by the Equine Network and sponsored by:
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USRider® Equestrian Motor Plan FAQs Are you new to USRider—or thinking about becoming a USRider Member? Here’s a rundown of answers to frequently asked questions regarding USRider Equestrian Motor Plan Member benefits. (For more information, and for details regarding USRider’s Classic and Premier membership plans, go to usrider.org.) How many disablements am I allowed each year? There’s no set limit on the number of disablements per year; however, in order to maintain fair and reasonable membership dues for all Members, USRider reviews all unusual frequency of claims based on the average number of Member claims. Usage of services considered excessive may result in limitations on the number of claims allowed, nonrenewal, or cancellation of membership. Excessive use of the plan usually indicates a vehicle is in need of maintenance or repair.
What if my friend or employee is driving my truck and trailer? At USRider, we cover our Members in any noncommercial vehicle they’re traveling in, even if they’re not driving, but the Member must be present for coverage to be applicable. If you aren’t present, this situation wouldn’t be eligible for coverage under your membership. The person driving your truck would need their own USRider membership to be covered. Employees may be added as Associates to the Premier plan only. I occasionally haul my friend’s horse. Am I covered? Yes. We’ll provide roadside assistance no matter the ownership of horses as long as our Member is present. USRider coverage isn’t applicable for commercial carriers or haul for hire; and the Emergency Trip Interruption Veterinary Services is only offered to horse(s) owned by the Member. Does USRider cover my truck and trailer? Yes and no. We cover the truck and trailer when the Member is present. USRider membership follows the Member— not a particular vehicle or trailer.
PHOTO COURTESY OF USRIDER
There’s no set limit on the number of disablements per year; however, USRider reviews all unusual frequency of claims based on the average number of Member claims. Does USRider have coverage in my area? Yes. USRider is administered by Nation Motor Club Inc., d/b/a Nation Safe Drivers, one of America’s oldest motor plan providers, chartered in the 1920s. As a USRider Member, you have an extensive network of dedicated service professionals ready to assist throughout the United States and Canada. Additionally, at USRider, we pay the service providers’ “going rate” and can go outside our network, if necessary. Does this membership cover any member of my family? No. USRider membership is for the named Member and their horses. Eligible family Members, such as dependent children, and a spouse or domestic partner, may be added to any plan as an Associate Member.
USRider® Equestrian Traveler’s Companion
Does USRider tow a loaded horse trailer? Yes, we’ll tow your trailer whether it’s empty or loaded with your horse(s). If your trailer can no longer be used to safely transport your animal(s), we will help locate alternative transportation. Alternative equine transportation costs are the responsibility of the Member. Does USRider cover me only when I’m towing my horse trailer? No, we cover you, as the Member, in any noncommercial, roadworthy vehicle you’re in, regardless of whether you’re towing a horse trailer—or whether you’re driving. Our Members only need to be present in the vehicle at the time of disablement for coverage to be applicable. The only vehicle(s) we don’t cover are motorcycles, mopeds, and tractors. Does USRider cover vehicles with dual wheels? Yes, as far as we know, USRider is the only motor plan that will service vehicles with dual wheels. USR
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Peace of Mind WITH EVERY MEMBERSHIP 24/7 Nationwide Roadside Assistance for You and Your Horse
Benefits includes: • • • • • •
Up to 100 miles of towing Emergency stabling assistance Emergency veterinarian referrals Emergency farrier referrals Coverage in any vehicle Service on dual-wheeled vehicles and horse trailers • Discounts on tack, travel, accessories and more!
JOIN TODAY
WWW.USRIDER.ORG (800) 844-1409
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City of Rocks Hitch up, and escape the crowds at Idaho’s City of Rocks National Reserve, where hoofprints meet history. Article and Photos by Kent & Charlene Krone
This fall, hitch up, and head to Idaho’s City of Rocks National Reserve, a 14,000-acre trail-riding paradise located just two miles north of the Utah border. This fall, hitch up, and head to Idaho’s City of Rocks National Reserve, a 14,000-acre trail-riding paradise located just two miles north of the Utah border. The reserve’s riding trails take you deep into the heart of the North Fork Circle Creek country, Indian Grove, and the 8,867-foot Graham Peak. Trailer parking is currently permitted near Register Rock and at Bread Loaves. For day use, head to the parking area at the Smoky Mountain trailhead, and take the historic California Trail into the reserve. >> USRider® Equestrian Traveler’s Companion
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Equestrian camping is available at Smoky Mountain Campground near the park entrance and at the Juniper Group Site at the southern end of the reserve. For more information, visit the National Park Service’s City of Rocks camping page. Note that you must use certified weed-free feed.
Rich History You’ll ride in an area where hoofprints meet history. The City of Rocks preserves the most intact and authentic section of the California Trail, an offshoot of the Oregon Trail. Between 1843 and 1882, a mass migration of more than 200,000 people headed west through this area. The first emigrants sought land. In 1848, the discovery of gold in California enticed thousands more to go west in search of riches. James Wilkins was among the first wagon-train pioneers to affix the name City of Rocks. In 1849, he wrote: “We encamped at the city of the rocks, a noted place from the granite rocks rising abruptly out of the ground. They are a romantic valley clustered together, which gives them the appearance of a city.” Kent and Charlene Krone ride their Missouri Fox Trotter geldings, Cowboy and Nate, in the heart of the City of Rocks National Reserve.
The Juniper Group Site campground at the southern end of the reserve has room for several trailers, plus a large common corral, fire ring, and picnic table.
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Smoky Mountain Ride With our Missouri Fox Trotter geldings, Nate and Cowboy, in tow, we first headed to the Smoky Mountain trailhead. Nearby, the Smoky Mountain Equine Campground offers six equestrian campsites with water, electricity, paved camping spurs, and 12-by-12-foot horse pens. We parked our living-quarters trailer and started out on a nine-mile ride. A soft-dirt trail began a gentle climb through pinon pines and fragrant junipers. This fun zigzag trail had variegated colors on either side. After a mile or so, we arrived at a junction, where a sign pointed the way to the stone remains of the notable Tracy Homestead (built in 1901 by William E. Tracy) a half-mile ahead. But when we reached the homestead, we realized we’d already seen it from the road, so we headed back to the trail junction. We turned left and did a gentle elevation gain up the Smoky Mountain Connector, riding past huge boulders and rugged pine trees. We discovered a little alcove where we enjoyed lunch, appreciating the clean, crisp air under Fall 2020
You’ll ride in an area where hoofprints meet history. The City of Rocks preserves the most intact and authentic section of the California Trail, an offshoot of the Oregon Trail. a sapphire sky. Plants and rocks were artistically strewn about, creating a natural masterpiece. Continuing on, we came to the Circle Creek Overlook parking lot. From here, take the two-track trail west for about a quarter mile until you see a turnoff for the Geo Watt Trail. (Geo Watt refers to a complex of light-bulb-like rock formations). This gorgeous trail runs north toward the mountains, then wanders west to meander alongside them. Along the Geo Watt Trail Loop, you’ll see amazing rocks in twisted shapes and bizarre formations. It’s easy to see how this rich landscape of rock formations gave birth to ancient stories. After hitting the North Fork Circle Creek Trail, we could have made our loop larger by heading
“It’s easy to see how this rich landscape of rock formations gave birth to ancient stories,” note the Krones. Shown are formations along the Geo Watt Loop.
toward Stripe Rock, but it was spitting rain, and we were both without raingear, so instead we turned left, completing a smaller loop. Heading back, we enjoyed a soft, gentle decline to the trailhead parking lot. We did a slow, steady gait and arrived back at the trailer happy and only slightly damp.
The South End We then trailered down to the Juniper Group Site at the southern end of the reserve. This camp has room for several trailers, plus a large common corral, fire ring, and picnic table. There’s also a water tap, but it wasn’t functioning when we were there. The next day, we rode a long loop through rock formations and aspen meadows, enjoying magnificent vistas. To get to this
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ride, park by Register Rock at the junction of Emery Canyon Rd. and the City of Rocks Rd. We rode west a short distance to Elephant Rock, then went through a gate to an old two-track trail, still headed west. Eventually, we got to a single trail going north. Sometime later, we rode into a parking lot near the Bread Loaves rock formations. From here, we rode north toward Indian Grove Spring. Along this route are intricate rock formations. We were delighted with views of the valley below, populated with reclining boulders that captured our imaginations. The spring, located on a side trail, is an idyllic lunch spot. Our return trip took us downhill along the North Fork Circle Creek and Box Top trails. USR Fall 2020
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