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MQHA Journal • September/October 2013 • 03
2013 MSBA SPONSORS
MI Snaffle Bit Assoc., 10415 Territorial Rd., Munith, MI 49259
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Garth Gooding 2216 66th St. Fennville, MI 49408
269.543.4611 home 616.283.7217 cell garthgooding@yahoo.com
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MQHA Journal • September/October 2013 • 04
MI Snaffle Bit Assoc., 10415 Territorial Rd., Munith, MI 49259
www.michigansnafflebit.com • 517.596.2900
Christa Baldwin 989.831.4887 • 989.944.3212 cell Email: cbqh@frontier.com
2013 MSBA SPONSORS
Mary Wilcosz
Donnie Recchiuti 740-877-0540
Recchiuti Show Horses
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Zenz Farms Grass Lake, MI
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MQHA Journal • September/October 2013 • 05
MQHA
BOARD MEMBERS
2013 MQHA OFFICERS Karen Waite, President 1400 Woodbine Ave., Lansing, MI 48910 517-372-4437 • 517-331-3681 kwaite@msu.edu Tiffany Weitzel, Vice President 25122 D. Drive S., Homer, MI 49245 517-629-8672 • 517-206-1986 cell tiffyree@yahoo.com Trish Steele, Past President 3630 N. Eastman Rd., Midland, MI 48642 989-835-7437 • 989-615-3933 cell giddiupcowboy@hotmail.com Kristie Woroniecki, Secretary/Treasurer PO Box 278, Greenville, MI 48838 616-225-8211 • 616-225-8313 fax mqha@hotmail.com AQHA NATIONAL DIRECTORS Chris Baldwin 2215 N. Sheridan Rd., Stanton, MI 48888 989-831-4887 • 989-944-3212 cell cbqh@frontier.com Kelly Chapman 15665 Dunn Road, Bellevue, MI 49021 269-209-6269 cell kellychapman1@hotmail.com Ken Mumy 3857 Winding Pine, Metamora, MI 48455 810-678-2479 • 810-813-6415 cell feamgt@aol.com 2013 BOARD MEMBERS Kathy Christensen 4470 84th St., Caledonia, MI 49316 616-291-3784, 616-891-5618 fax kathy.christensen@henryschein.com
Megan Hirschman 2576 S. State Road, Ithaca, MI 48847 989-875-3355 • 989-330-1265 cell Hirschm8@msu.edu Ted Meyer 3979 E. 32nd Road, Cadillac, MI 49601 231-775-8968 • 231-468-9322 cell Ymeyer3979@hughes.net Monty Montgomery 113 W. Sprague, Homer, MI 49245 517-610-7934 • 269-830-7932 cell bayhushorses@yahoo.com Jacque Moody 10415 M-106, Munith, MI 49259 517-596-2900 • 248-207-3800 cell jacquelin.moody@lpl.com Chris Perniciaro 3221 Williams Rd., Leslie, MI 49251 517-589-8778 • 517-281-4985 cell chris23250@hotmail.com Tom Powers 9675 Alden Nash Ave., Alto, MI 49302 616-868-0333 • 616-262-2836 cell tomcpowers@aol.com
Mary Robertson 5554 Saline Ann Arbor Rd. Saline, MI 48176 734-429-1979 • 734-216-6666 cell mary@maryrobertson.com Mike Sinko 4400 W. Jackson Rd., Alma, MI 48801 989-560-0140 cell sinkomichael@hotmail.com Nicole Veldhoff 1195 West E Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49009 440-858-7823 cell nicole@nbvperformancehorses.com
Warren English Jr. 213 S. Nottawa Street, Sturgis, MI 49091 269-651-7871 • 269-506-5688 cell warren@englishins.com
Debbie Wadds 6605 Simpson Rd., Ovid, MI 48866 616-550-6334 gwadds1@aol.com
Taylor Fabus 624 S. Main St., Ovid, MI 48866 517-862-4056 • 517-862-4059 cell tenlenta@msu.edu
Morgan McCarthy Warda 1301 Vernor Rd., Lapeer, MI 48446 810-358-1468 cell morgan63warda@aol.com
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BOARD MEMBERS
2013 OFFICERS Michelle McDowell, President Mcdowellm123@gmail.com Sasha Glover, Vice President gloversasha@gmail.com Miller Lantis, Youth Secretary memiller1@netzero.com Aubrey Videtich, Youth Reporter horseshowjunkie@yahoo.com Morgan McCarthy Warda, Past President Morgan63warda@aol.com Nicole Veldhoff, Youth Advisor 1195 West E Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49009 440-858-7823 cell nicole@nbvperformancehorses.com
MQHA
2013 QUEEN
Jody Prime 5587 Station Road, Blissfield, MI 49228 517-499-6168 • 517-499-6166 primequartersllc@hotmail.com
Charles Closser 6975 14 Mile Rd., Cedar Springs, MI 49319 616-696-8549 • 616-293-5749 cell 616-696-8552 fax charlesclosser@yahoo.com
Pattie Hall 4300 Laberdee Rd., Adrian, MI 49221 419-213-4520 • 864-315-8732 hall.pattie4300@yahoo.com
MQHYA
Meghan Murphy Join us on our Facebook page! We have almost 1700 fans that share your passion for the American Quarter Horse.
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I discovered that the horse is life itself, a metaphor but also an example of life's mystery and unpredictability, of life's generosity and beauty, a worthy object of repeated and ever changing contemplation. - Jane Smiley MQHA Journal • September/October 2013 • 06
MISSION STATEMENT “The Michigan Quarter Horse Association will be the industry leader serving all horse enthusiasts in Michigan with diverse programs the promote the American Quarter Horse.” The Michigan Quarter Horse Journal is the official publication of the Michigan Quarter Horse Association and is dedicated to the advancement and improvement of the American Quarter Horse. Manuscripts and photographs as editorial items are welcome and will be used as space permits. Direct inquiries to C & C Publishing, Inc. 8415 Hogan Road, Fenton, MI 48430. Phone 810.714.9000, fax 810.714.1465 or email mqjournal@gmail.com MQHA and the MQHA Journal are not responsible for the accuracy of the contents or claims of any advertisement. The contents or claims of all advertisements that appear in the MQHA Jour nal are solely the responsibility of the advertisers, and are not the responsibility of the MQHA, MQHA Journal and/or their respective employees, agents and staff. It is solely the advertiser’s responsibility to provide correct and appropriate information for publication. Incorrect information found after publication will be noted in a correction area of the MQHA Journal. MQHA reserves the right to refuse any advertising material. No portion of this publication may be reproduced by any means without express written permission.
Official Publication of the
Michigan Quarter Horse Association
&
Michigan Quarter Horse Youth Association The Michigan Quarter Horse Journal is published 6 times a year by the Michigan Quarter Horse Association, P.O. Box 278, Greenville, MI 48838, 616.225.8211 or email mqha@hotmail.com. The MQHA Journal is distributed to members of the MQHA and MQHYA and is available online. www.MIQuarterHorse.com
September/October 2013
Noble Hills Farm See page 23 for more information!
Advertisers Index
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Advertisers 10 Cross Winds Ranch 11 DeGraff Stables Grand Beach/Sugar Beach Resorts 20, 24 4, 5, 23 MI Snaffle Bit Association 1, 22 Noble Hills Farm 2 NMQHA Queen - Mackenzie Kastl 3 Tom Moore Sales MQHA Board Members Breeder’s Futurity Show Bill Convention Update Lisa Terry Memorial Thank You NYATT Team Queen’s Message
Did you know the Journal is now online?
6 14, 15 10 19 8-10 11
MQHA Business Directory Beckey’s Place Betsy Howell Performance Horses Brad Wolf Quarter Horses Cindy Lou’s Zoo Gary Gleason Quarter Horses
20 20 21 22 21
Grand Beach/Sugar Beach Resorts Lope For Hope Kaplow Insurance Agency Northfork Farms & Outback Pickard Hanson Show Horses Rick Leek Quarter Horses Roth Show Equipment Sundowner Trailers of MI Tom Robertson Quarter Horses Totally Outfitted Victory Auto & Trailer Sales Yellow Barn Media Zimmer & O’Dean Attorneys
20 20 21 21 21 20 20 21 21 22 20 21 20
Articles Getting The Most Of Your Stallion 16-18 12, 13 The Contented Colon
PLEASE NOTE: The next MQHA Journal will be out in December (not November)!
MQHA Office
MQHA Journal & Website
Kristie Woroniecki,
Cindy Couturier,
office manager P.O. Box 278, Greenville, MI 48838 616.225.8211 • 616.225.8313 fax mqha@hotmail.com
For up-to-date information on the MQHA & current point standings visit:
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Editor 8415 Hogan Rd., Fenton, MI 48430 810.714.9000 • 810.714.1465 fax mqjournal@gmail.com
December 2013 is our Stallion Service Sale Issue!
Deadline: Nov. 21, 2013 MQHA Journal • September/October 2013 • 07
Best of Luck...
2013 MQHA NYATT TEAM The National Youth Activity Team Tournament (NYATT) is the most popular youth event at the All American Quarter Horse Congress. State and regional Quarter Horse Associations across the U.S. and Canada form teams consisting of at least four youth that compete in Barrel Racing, Horsemanship, Hunter Under Saddle, Reining, Showmanship and Western Pleasure. Only contestants 18 years of age and younger, that are sponsored by an association affiliated with AQHA and/or recognized by the NYATT committee, are eligible to show in NYATT events. Teams must consist of a minimum of four youth members and a maximum of 12 members, with no more than two members competing in each of the NYATT classes. The top ten places in each event receive awards and points. First place receives ten points, second nine points, and so on. The top six overall teams will receive tournament trophies. The winners of each class receive awards, and the top ten youth in each event receive medallions.
Olivia Ortiz & Slik Sugar Lilly Barrel Racing I am 15 years old and a sophomore at Grand Haven High School. With my AQHA mare, Slik Sugar Lilly, I have been competing regularly for the past two years on the NBHA circuit and am a member of the Grand Haven High School Varsity Equestrian Team. Our team earned first place in the State Championship last fall, and I look forward to competing in MIHA again this year. I have been riding since I was four years old, and started taking lessons at the age of seven. I enjoy all disciplines of riding including Hunter/Jumper, Barrel Racing, Dressage and Saddle Seat. At the Michigan 4-H State Speed Competition last summer, I earned State Champion in Barrel Racing and third place in Pole Bending. I hope to become an equine veterinarian.
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Miller Lantis & HQH Money Talks Western Pleasure
I am currently 13 years old and attend Corunna Middle School. I enjoy playing spor ts, taking par t in leadership and academic clubs, and spending time with friends and family. I have shown horses for about eight years now, two of which I have been competing fully in 13 and under MQHA. I have recently purchased a new horse, “HQH Money Talks”, also known as “Rodney”. We compete in all events, and have dreams of going to the Congress and World Show soon. This will be my first year par ticipating actively with the MQHYA Board, and I feel honored to have been elected to serve as the secretary of the board. I am looking forward to this new year, and all the new friends, challenges, and competitions I will be encountering.
Lily Atkinson & Mighty Pretty Storm Barrel Racing
I am 14 years old and will be a freshman this fall at Grand Haven High School. With my eight-year-old AQHA mare, Mighty Pretty Storm, AKA Harley, I compete in Michigan NBHA circuit races and open speed events. For the last three years, I have been a member of the Grand Haven Junior Equestrian Team (MIHA District 9) where I show as an all around competitor. This fall, I will be competing on the Grand Haven High School Varsity Equestrian Team and look forward to taking home the state title, as our GHHS team did in 2012. I am an all-A student and look forward to attending a top university and pursuing a career involving animals. I’m excited to represent my state at Congress!
MQHA Journal • September/October 2013 • 08
Best of Luck...
2013 MQHA NYATT TEAM
Rochelle Wilkinson & Kings Remincs Lena Reining I am 17 years old and just completed my Junior year at Traverse City West Senior High School. I have been riding since I was 6 years old and started riding reining horses when I was 9 years old in Southern Indiana. I showed for a couple of years with the help of my trainer, Cory Craig of Craig’s Performance Horses. I moved to Michigan when I was 11 years old and continued reining with my first horse, Nic (Nic Sugarman). I showed Nic in the MRHA in 2007. I decided to change to a different reining horse, Squalling Jimrum (JR). JR wasn’t the easiest horse to get along with, and it was a struggle. We decided not to give up on JR. We took him to Tom Pierson for some help and JR started to make great improvements. JR and I started going to the shows in 2011. At the end of the show season we were Green Reiner I Champions. All our hard work, dedication and time paid off! The 2012 Reining Show Season was another successful season with JR. We were Reserve Champions in Green Reiner II and 4th in Youth 14-18. This year I am halfway through the NRHA show season with my four year old mare Fergie. She has turned out to be an amazing horse, and with continued training with Rachel Ory and Tom Pierson, I believe we will be very successful in the NRHA.
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Michelle McDowell & MillionDollarDetails Showmanship & HUS I am a Senior at Wayland Union High School. This year I was thrilled to be elected as the President of the MQHYA. This is my third year showing with MQ, however last year was the first year I showed my mare MillionDollarDetails (aka Paris). 2012 was one of the most exciting years of my life, and the highlights included representing Michgan at the Youth World Show in HUS, Showmanship, and Equitation and at the Congress on the NYATT team in HUS. I was proud to place 9th, and our awesome team went on to place 9th overall in the competition! I also placed Top Ten in NY HUS, and was a finalist in Y HUS there. Paris and I are looking forward to working hard at our new goals in 2013. Additionally, I plan on attending Grand Valley State University in the fall, and hopefully ride on their equestrian team. Good luck to everyone!
Karlee Cassiday
Don’t Need A Mirror, Sh owmanship Ms Mae Flash, Western Pleasure
I am 18 years old and just finished my senior year at Beaverton High School. This fall I will be attending Mid-Michigan Community College. I will then be transferring to Michigan State University to become an animal chiropractor. I have been riding horses since I was 12. I competed on my Junior High Equestrian team for 2 years and High School Equestrian for 4 years. I have been showing on the Quarter Horse circuit for the past five years. I am currently showing two horses, my 11 year old mare “Don’t Need A Mirror” aka “Dottie”. I show her in performance halter, showmanship, horsemanship and trail. My second horse is a 4 year old mare “Ms Mae Flash” aka “Mae”. I currently show Mae in western pleasure. Outside of horses I like to relax and hang out with my friends. I also like to spend time with my other animals. I take vocal lessons throughout the year too! So I enjoy singing and have always wanted to be a famous singer or be on The Voice. I would like to thank my family for dedicating their time and hard work to help me follow my dreams. Without their help I wouldn’t be where I am today. I would also like to thank Christa Baldwin, my trainer, for helping me grow as a rider and helping me along in my success.
MQHA Journal • September/October 2013 • 09
Best of Luck...
2013 MQHA NYATT TEAM
Caleb Bailie
Emilee Landers
Hayley Giaimo
& Invitation To Boot Horsemanship
& Hot N Bothered Hunter Under Saddle
& Skip The Coatsntails Horsemanship
I am a 19 year old sophomore at MSU where I am enrolled in the residential science college, Lyman Briggs and I plan on majoring in Physiology. My teammate this year is “Invitation To Boot” aka “Booty”. We are nationally qualified in performance halter mares, trail, horsemanship and showmanship.
I am 15 years old and from Augusta, MI. My parents just bought me Hot N Bothered this year. I have always wanted a really big HUS horse. I finally have one, Dino is 17.2hh. I show HUS and Hunt Seat Equitation in 14-18. Last year I started training with Nicole Veldhoff, NBV Performance Horses. She has helped me so much and made everything easy!
I am 16 years old and a sophomore at Caledonia High School. This will be my 2nd year showing MQHA with Skip the Coatsntails. We enjoy HUS and equitation. I am looking forward to serving on the youth board his year with such a great group of friends. Good luck to everyone!
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2014 CONVENTION UPDATE Always Some Good Using Horses For Sale Home: 269.758.3566 | Cell: 517.819.7246 10400 S. M-66, Nashville, MI 49073
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Due to our growth and the positive response to the past two conventions, we will be holding our 2014 MQHA Convention at a larger facility. Check our website at www.miquarterhorse.com and MQHA facebook pages for further updates!
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https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/59879847791/ MQHA Journal • September/October 2013 • 10
MQHA QUEEN’S MESSAGE Hello MQHA! - What an honor it is to serve as your 2013 Queen! All I can say is wow and thank you for this opportunity to represent our great state and association for a second year in a row. As I continue to reflect on the experiences I had during my reign as your 2012 Queen, I find it a challenge to sum up in a few words how incredible and unique the experience was. I met so many amazing new members and reconnected with long time members. I am very excited to serve our association again and I look forward to meeting many more horse enthusiasts at events this year! For those who may not know me, I am from Saint Clair and have been actively involved in the equine industry my entire life. I am fortunate to have an amazing and supportive mother who shares my passion for riding and showing horses and introduced me to them at a very young age. I have had the opportunity to be involved in a variety of activities in the industry. Most recently, I represented MQHA at the 2012 All American Quarter Horse Congress in the Queen’s Contest and earned 1st runner up. In addition to accomplishments that include competing on the Baylor University’s Women’s Equestrian Team and helping lead the Bears to a National Championship, I have earned Congress Championships, an
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NSBA Reserve World Championship and many MQHA accolades. I have participated with horse judging teams, and held board member positions, including a past position as MQHYA Vice President. I also represented MQHYA consecutive years at the AQHA Youth Excellence Seminar in Amarillo, TX and have participated on MQHA’S NYATT and Youth World Show Teams. In December 2012, I received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in communications from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. While attending Baylor, I also pursued dual minors in public relations and nonprofit leadership and development. Currently, I work as a newscaster for the Blue Water Television Network in Por t Huron, Michigan. I also hold a part-time position as a guest teacher with the East China School District. In addition to my passion for horses, I enjoy photography, traveling and volunteering. In college I studied abroad in Argentina and England. I also have had the opportunity to participate with Baylor University Sports Ministry on three mission trips to Kenya and Zambia. My most recent mission trip to Africa was in May 2013. My family includes my mother Mary Unger, father Michael Murphy, stepfather Dan Unger, stepmother Julie Murphy, and my two younger brothers Keegan and Logan. Everyone in my family shares a
passion for horses. The American Quarter Horse has certainly been a constant in our lives. I encourage you to follow my journey as 2013 MQHA Queen. You can stay up to date via MQHA’s website and Journal as well as on Facebook and Twitter. Since being crowned 2013 MQHA Queen in July, I have already attended the St. Clair County and Sanilac County 4-H Fairs and other events including the Deckerville Days Parade. I invite you to please contact MQHA Queen Advisor Kathy Christensen, MQHA President Dr. Karen Waite, or me if there is an equine related event you are interested in having me attend! Sincerely, Meghan Murphy
MQHA Journal • September/October 2013 • 11
THE CONTENTED COLON Keeping your horse's gastrointestinal tract in fighting trim will positively affect his attitude, performance, and overall health -- and help him avoid the agony of colic. Understanding what goes on in those shadowy recesses is the first step. By Karen Briggs, Green Grass Syndicated Features If you have a veterinary textbook somewhere on your shelves, chances are you've seen one of those gory photos of a horse's innards: miles and miles of wet, purplish loops of intestine, spilling out in all directions. The poor equine posing for that photo had no doubt expired by the time the flash went off -and chances are, he only ended up being an intestinal poster boy because he'd been opened up by veterinary surgeons, in a vain attempt to save him from a case of severe colic. What's my point? Well, the very thought of the sheer size and volume of the equine gastrointestinal tract makes it tough to visualize, much less understand. It's huge, it's daunting, and it's persnickety to boot. But if you'd rather your horse didn't end up on the operating table, opened up from stem to stern, it's vital that you have an idea of how his digestive system functions, and what you can do to help keep it happy. DIGESTIVE DELICACY Under most circumstances, the equine gastrointestinal tract functions just as it's supposed to. But as every horseman knows, it's also extremely sensitive -- and easy to upset. Any sudden change in diet, for example, can adversely affect the population of beneficial bacteria which inhabit the cecum (also called the hindgut) and are essential for fiber digestion. When these bacteria start dying off, the horse may be at risk of colic or, at the very least, of not getting all the nutrients out of his feed. That's why it's always best if feed changes are made gradually, over a period of a couple of weeks. Keeping the gut bacteria happy can be challenging if your horse is under stress. If he has been shipped a great distance, if he has recently suffered an illness or a surgery, if he's in hard race training, if he's recently been moved to a new herd situation, if he's a foal who's just been weaned, if he's been on antibiotics ... any of these scenarios, and many more than I could list here, can predispose his gut bacteria to dying off. And www.MIQuarterHorse.com
without a healthy population of bacteria working in the cecum to process fiber, most horses will find their ability to digest their meals compromised. They may drop weight, look listless and dull, suffer from anorexia (loss of appetite), and run an increased risk of colic. Another trigger for digestive upset can occur when the horse receives a large, carbohydrate-rich meal (typically, one that is light on forage and heavy on grain). Under these conditions, the small intestine may not be able to completely process and absorb all of the nutrients it's supposed to, before the meal is moved on to the hindgut by involuntar y muscle contractions. Carbohydrates processed by the small intestine provide calories for energy; carbohydrates processed by the large intestine spell trouble. Here's why: when excess amounts of grain reach the fermentation vat of the cecum, the gut bacteria do their best to process them. But the carbohydrates are broken down to produce not only volatile fatty acids, but also lactic acid. An increase in lactic acid lowers the overall hindgut pH level, which in turn can make the environment hostile for the gut bacteria. They begin to die off, and in the process may release endotoxins (poisons), setting the stage for colic or laminitis. Suddenly the old horseman's rule of feeding small amounts, often, begins to make a lot of sense, particularly if your horse is on a highgrain diet. What horses really need in their diets, for good gastrointestinal health, is fiber, and lots of it. Millions of years of evolution have optimized the equine digestive tract for extracting nutrition from gritty, fibrous grasses and weeds ... and when it's kept busy doing that, the system generally operates without a hitch. The further we deviate from the horse's natural pattern of grazing and foraging, the more likely that we'll present his digestive tract with a challenge it can't handle. That includes diets which contain more than 50% grain by weight. As a general rule of thumb, horses should take in between 1.5% and 3% of their own bodyweight in feed every day -- and at least half of that (and often much more) should be forage of some kind. Whether it's pasture, hay, or some other form of roughage isn't as important as the quantity -- because the horse's gut literally needs that amount in order to stay in good digestive health.
So why feed grain at all? In the wild, horses have no access to concentrated forms of carbohydrates, and little need for them, because they are not doing “work” in the sense that we humans demand. But when we domesticated the horse, we began to ask him to expend energy over and above what he would normally do in the course of his wild day, and grains help provide the fuel he needs to perform for us. In addition, we have bred horses to be larger, stronger, faster, more elegant -- and often, less hardy, and more dependent on high-energy concentrates to maintain a healthy body weight. Nonetheless, grain should always be considered an optional add-on to the diet. It should be fed as necessary only to supplement the nutrition provided by his forage, and in accordance with his condition, his metabolism and the amount of work expected of him. You can help make grain meals more digestible by feeding them in small amounts, and by choosing grains which are already partially processed, by rolling, cracking, or crimping the seedcoats. Pelleted and extruded feeds, which include grains ground finely and bound together with a binding agent, are also 'pre-processed' and easier to digest. Feeding partially processed grains rather than whole ones is a particularly good idea if you're dealing with a horse whose digestive ability has been compromised by age (very old or very young), poor dental health, recent illness, surgery, or any number of other stresses. Likewise, if you suspect your horse's digestive talents are operating at less than optimum, offer him hay which is soft and leafy, not coarse, stemmy, and tough. Or consider adding beet pulp or soaked hay cubes to his diet to provide him with extra fiber. BOOSTING DIGESTIBILITY Probiotics can be a useful addition to your horse's diet if you're trying to help him recover from a stressful episode. A probiotic is a culture of live microbes, and/or their fermentative metabolites, which can help stimulate the growth of “good” gut microflora. In turn, this should help the horse combat stress, absorb nutrients from his diet, and fight disease. Improved digestive efficiency (as indicated by weight gain, less undigested matter in the manure, and a generally improved outlook) has been reported as a result of the use of probiotics. MQHA Journal • September/October 2013 • 12
THE CONTENTED COLON, continued
Small Intestine = Approximately 50’-70’ Long Holds 65 to 70 quarts of liquid and feed material Large Intestine = Approximately 23’ Long Holds 21 to 24 gallons of liquid and feed material
Consider adding a probiotic product to your horse's feed if he: * is under stress from showing, racing, or shipping * is a hard keeper or has a poor appetite * has loose manure or chronic diarrhea * has recently undergone a dietary change (or has just been weaned) * has large amounts of undigested material in his manure * shows other signs of digestive distress, such as recurring colic * is recovering from surgery * has received recent treatment with antibiotics or de-worming drugs * has recently undergone a change of environment, such as being introduced to a new herd * is struggling to adapt to extremes of temperature (a heat wave or cold snap) * is over 18 years old. Depending on the format and dosage you choose, probiotics can be used preventatively, on a short-term basis to treat specific problems, or at times when you expect increased stress levels (for example, before you ship your horse long distance). Some probiotics can be fed routinely, in a prophylactic mode; simple brewer's yeast, for example, is an inexpensive probiotic www.MIQuarterHorse.com
addition to the diet which not only helps foster a healthy population of gut microflora, but is also a beneficial source of B vitamins. If you live in an area which has sandy soil, you'll no doubt be familiar with the dreaded effects of sand colic. When horses ingest sand particles along with their feed (either while grazing or while eating hay or grain off the ground), the sand tends to accumulate in the gut, forming an internal beach which can't be budged by normal intestinal contractions. Eventually, the sand can form an impaction (blockage) in the large or small intestine -and that can mean big trouble for your horse. Preventing sand from building up inside the gut is a constant challenge; you have to be careful not to let him eat from the ground, and in some cases you may have to restrict his grazing and turn-out. Of the various products purported to help purge sand from the system, there's good documentation only behind psyllium, a natural plant mucilage which binds to the sand in the gut and helps move it along towards the exits. (Bran, which is also sometimes recommended for sand removal, actually tends to float on top of the blockage and leave it untouched.) Ask your veterinarian for recommendations on the best routines with which to feed psyllium; some preparations are meant to be fed daily, others on an off-again, on-again schedule.
In order to keep your horse's gastrointestinal tract in good shape, you'll also want to ensure he never comes into contact with any toxic plants or materials. This may seem painfully obvious .... but it's doubly important when you're dealing with horses, because unlike your household pets, they have no ability to vomit, so they can't purge themselves of a poison they've ingested. Read up on the toxic plants indigenous to your area, and do a careful sweep of your pastures and barn area every so often, looking for offenders. Many an owner has been caught unaware by an ornamental yew or an oleander bush; don't depend on the bitter taste of these plants to necessarily warn away an inquisitive foal or bored broodmare. Though keeping your horse's digestive system in good health is a challenge in a domestic environment, it doesn't have to be an impossible task. Keeping as close to his 'natural' lifestyle as you can is the best rule of thumb. The rest is pretty much common sense. Award-winning journalist KAREN BRIGGS is the author of six equine books and contributes to over 20 magazines throughout the world including Equus, The Horse, Horse Illustrated, Eventing and Dressage Today. She lives in Canada and competes in threeday eventing with her Thoroughbred, Sweeney Todd. MQHA Journal • September/October 2013 • 13
MQHA Breeders Futurity & Great Lakes Classic 4 AQHA Shows! AQHA/MQHA Approved
MSU Pavilion, East Lansing, MI
September 12-15, 2013
Exhibitor Party Saturday Evening
Thursday & Friday Judges: Debbie Kail, Clay MacLeod & Robert Meneely Saturday Judges: Todd Bailey, John Briggs & Dawn Clason • Sunday Judges: John Briggs & Dawn Clason
PAY $150 FOR UNLIMITED AQHA CLASSES! (one horse) 7:00 a.m. Arena Closed for prep & warm-up 8:00 a.m. - Thursday, September 12 1. (S1) SSS Stallion Owner Weanling Colts 2. (S3) SSS Mare Owner Weanling Colts 3. (S2) SSS Stallion Owner Weanling Fillies 4. (S4) SSS Mare Owner Weanling Fillies 5. (203100) Amateur Yearling Stallions 6. (203200) Amateur 2 YO Stallions 7. (203300) Amateur 3 YO Stallions 8. (203400) Amateur Aged Stallions 9. (273000) Amateur Performance Stallions Grand & Reserve Amateur Stallions 10. (F2) MQHBF Open Weanling Colts $500 added 11. (F6) (103100) MQHBF/AQHA Yearling Stallions - $500 added 12. (103200) 2 Year Old Stallions 13. (103300) 3 Year Old Stallions 14. (103400) Aged Stallions 15. (173000) Stallion Performance Halter Grand & Reserve Stallions 16. (205400) Amateur Yearling Mares 17. (205500) Amateur 2 YO Mares 18. (205600) Amateur 3 YO Mares 19. (205700) Amateur Aged Mares 20. (275000) Amateur Mares Performance Halter Grand & Reserve Amateur Mares 21. (F4) MQHBF Open Weanling Fillies $500 added 22. (F8) (105400) MQHBF/AQHA Yearling Fillies - $500 added 23. (105500) 2 Year Old Mares 24. (105600) 3 Year Old Mares 25. (105700) Aged Mares 26. (175000) Mares Performance Halter Grand & Reserve Mares 27. (207400) Amateur Yearling Geldings 28. (207500) Amateur 2 YO Geldings 29. (207600) Amateur 3 YO Geldings 30. (207700) Amateur Aged Geldings 31. (277000) Amateur Gelding Performance Halter Grand & Reserve Amateur Geldings 32. (F10) (107400) MQHBF/AQHA Yearling Geldings - $500 added 33. (107500) 2 Year Old Geldings 34. (107600) 3 Year Old Geldings 35. (107700) Aged Geldings 36. (177000) Geldings Performance Halter Grand & Reserve Geldings 37. (212002) Novice Amateur Showmanship 38. (212800) Amateur Select Showmanship 39. (212000) Amateur Showmanship 40. (F19) MQHBF 4 & Over WP - $500 added 41. (S5) SSS Yearling Longe Line 42. (142004) Green Western Pleasure 43. (S6) SSS Stallion Owner 2 YO Snaffle Bit WP 44. (S7) SSS Mare Owner 2 YO Snaffle Bit WP 45. (F18) MQHBF 3 YO HUS - $500 added 46. (244002) Novice Amateur HUS 47. (144100) Junior Hunter Under Saddle 48. (244800) Amateur Select HUS 49. (244000) Amateur Hunter Under Saddle 50. (144200) Senior Hunter Under Saddle 51. (S8) SSS SO & MO 3 YO HUS 52. (252002) Novice Amateur Equitation
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53. (252800) Amateur Select Equitation 54. (252000) Amateur Equitation CLASS 55 NOT TO START BEFORE 7 PM 55. ALL NEW! MQHA/SMHS ALL BREED 2 YO WESTERN PLEASURE STAKES CLASS 7:00 a.m. Arena Closed for prep & warm-up 8:00 a.m. - Friday, September 13 56. (F12) MQHBF Yearling Longe Line $500 added 57. (405400) Youth Yearling Mares 58. (405500) Youth 2 YO Mares 59. (405600) Youth 3 YO Mares 60. (405700) Youth Aged Mares 61. (475000) Youth Mares Performance Halter Grand & Reserve Youth Mares 62. (407400) Youth Yearling Geldings 63. (407500) Youth 2 YO Geldings 64. (407600) Youth 3 YO Geldings 65. (407700) Youth Aged Geldings 66. (477000) Youth Gelding Performance Halter Grand & Reserve Youth Geldings 67. (412002) Novice Youth Showmanship 68. (412000) Youth Showmanship (18 & Under) 69. (F14) MQHBF 2 YO HUS - $500 added 70. (444002) Novice Youth HUS 71. (144004) Green HUS 72. (444000) Youth HUS (18 & Under) 73. (452002) Novice Youth Equitation 74. (452000) Youth Equitation (18 & Under) 75. (F21) MQHBF 4 & Over HUS - $500 added 76. (442002) Novice Youth WP 77. (F13) (1423) MQHBF/AQHA 2 YO WP $500 added 78. (242002) Novice Amateur Western Pleasure 79. (442000) Youth WP (18 & Under) 80. (142100) Junior Western Pleasure 81. (242800) Amateur Select WP 82. (142200) Senior Western Pleasure 83. (242000) Amateur Western Pleasure 84. (F16) MQHBF 3 YO Western Pleasure $500 added 85. (440002) Novice Youth Horsemanship 86. (440000) Youth Horsemanship (18 & Under) 87. (240002) Novice Amateur Horsemanship 88. (240800) Amateur Select Horsemanship 89. (240000) Amateur Horsemanship CLASS 90 NOT TO START BEFORE 7 PM 90. MSBA Non Pro All Age HUS Slot Class 91. MSBA 2 YO WP Slot Class 7:00 a.m. Arena Closed for prep & warm-up 8:00 a.m. - Saturday, September 14 92. (F15) MQHBF Non Pro 2 & 3 YO WP $500 added 93. (F1) MQHBF Amateur Weanling Colts $500 added 94. (F5) (2031) MQHBF/AQHA Amateur Yearling Stallions - $500 added 95. (203200) Amateur 2 YO Stallions 96. (203300) Amateur 3 YO Stallions 97. (203400) Amateur Aged Stallions 98. (273000) Amateur Performance Stallions Grand & Reserve Amateur Stallions 99. (103100) Yearling Stallions
100. (103200) 2 Year Old Stallions 101. (103300) 3 Year Old Stallions 102. (103400) Aged Stallions 103. (173000) Stallion Performance Halter Grand & Reserve Stallions 104. (F3) MQHBF Amateur Weanling Fillies $500 added 105. (F7) (205400) MQHBF/AQHA Amateur Yearling Fillies - $500 added 106. (205500) Amateur 2 YO Mares 107. (205600) Amateur 3 YO Mares 108. (205700) Amateur Aged Mares 109. (275000) Amateur Mares Performance Halter Grand & Reserve Amateur Mares 110. (105400) Yearling Mares 111. (105500) 2 Year Old Mares 112. (105600) 3 Year Old Mares 113. (105700) Aged Mares 114. (175000) Mares Performance Halter Grand & Reserve Mares 115. (F9) (207400) MQHBF/AQHA Amateur Yearling Geldings - $500 added 116. (207500) Amateur 2 Year Old Geldings 117. (207600) Amateur 3 Year Old Geldings 118. (207700) Amateur Aged Geldings 119. (277000) Amateur Performance Geldings Grand & Reserve Amateur Geldings 120. (107400) Yearling Geldings 121. (107500) 2 Year Old Geldings 122. (107600) 3 Year Old Geldings 123. (107700) Aged Geldings 124. (177000) Open Performance Geldings Grand & Reserve Geldings 125. (F20) MQHBF Non Pro 4 & Over WP $500 added 126. (405400) Youth Yearling Mares 127. (405500) Youth 2 YO Mares 128. (405600) Youth 3 YO Mares 129. (405700) Youth Aged Mares 130. (475000) Youth Mares Performance Halter Grand & Reserve Youth Mares 131. (407400) Youth Yearling Geldings 132. (407500) Youth 2 YO Geldings 133. (407600) Youth 3 YO Geldings 134. (407700) Youth Aged Geldings 135. (477000) Youth Gelding Performance Halter Grand & Reserve Youth Geldings 136. (F11) MQHBF Non Pro Yearling Longe Line - $500 added 137. (144004) Green HUS 138. (444702) Novice Youth HUS 13 & Under 139. (444802) Novice Youth HUS 14 -18 140. (144100) Junior HUS 141. (F17) MQHBF Non Pro 2 & 3 YO HUS $500 added 142. (904) Small Fry HUS 143. (444000) Youth HUS (18 & Under) 144. (244002) Novice Amateur HUS 145. (244800) Amateur Select HUS 146. (244000) Amateur HUS 147. (144200) Sr Hunter Under Saddle 148. (F22) MQHBF Non Pro 4 & Over HUS $500 added 149. (905) Small Fry Equitation 150. (452702) Novice Youth Equitation 13 & Under
MQHA Journal • September/October 2013 • 14
MQHA Breeders Futurity & Great Lakes Classic 4 AQHA Shows! AQHA/MQHA Approved
MSU Pavilion, East Lansing, MI
September 12-15, 2013
Exhibitor Party Saturday Evening
Thursday & Friday Judges: Debbie Kail, Clay MacLeod & Robert Meneely Saturday Judges: Todd Bailey, John Briggs & Dawn Clason • Sunday Judges: John Briggs & Dawn Clason
PAY $150 FOR UNLIMITED AQHA CLASSES! (one horse) 151. (452802) Novice Youth Equitation 14-18 152. (252002) Novice Amateur Equitation 153. (452000) Youth Equitation (18 & Under) 154. (252800) Amateur Select Equitation 155. (252000) Amateur Equitation 156. (142004) Green Western Pleasure CLASS 157 NOT TO START BEFORE 7 PM 157. MSBA Green HUS Slot Class 158. MSBA Non Pro All Age WP Slot Class 8:00 a.m. - Sunday, September 15 159. (212002) Novice Amateur Showmanship 160. (212800) Amateur Select Showmanship 161. (212000) Amateur Showmanship 162. (412702) Nov Youth Showmanship 13 & U 163. (412802) Nov Youth Showmanship 14-18 164. (900) Small Fry Showmanship 165. (412000) Youth Showmanship (18 & U) BREAK 166. (142300) 2 YO Western Pleasure 167. (442702) Novice Youth WP 13 & U 168. (444802) Novice Youth WP 14-18 169. (242002) Novice Amateur Western Pleasure 170. (442000) Youth Western Pleasure 171. (142100) Junior Western Pleasure 172. (242800) Amateur Select WP 173. (242000) Amateur Western Pleasure 174. (142200) Senior Western Pleasure 175. (901) Small Fry Western Pleasure 176. (906) MQHA Lead Line (8 & under) 177. (902) Small Fry Horsemanship 178. (440702) Nov Youth Horsemanship 13 & Under 179. (440802) Nov Youth Horsemanship 14-18 180. (240002) Nov Amateur Horsemanship 181. (440000) Youth Horsemanship (18 & Under) 182. (240800) Amateur Select Horsemanship 183. (240000) Amateur Horsemanship 184. (138004) Green Trail 185. (138000) Trail 186. (903) Small Fry Trail 187. (438002) Novice Youth Trail 188. (438000) Youth Trail 189. (238002) Novice Amateur Trail 190. (238000) Amateur Trail 191. (238800) Amateur Select Trail AQHA Entry Fees per judge All Classes Any Division Blanket Fee Small Fry Small Fry Blanket Fee Office Charge AQHA Drug Testing Fee AQHA Processing Fee Lead Line
$10 $35 $5 $25 $5 $1 $4 $1
Pay $150 for Unlimited AQHA classes (one horse/back number) Other Fees • MSU trailer in fee (per horse/day) $10 (without the purchase of a stall) • $35 charge for all returned checks and declined credit cards.
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• Effective April 1, 2013 all credit card transactions will incur a 3% convenience charge. Member Benefit Current MQHA Members Get 5% off your bill at any MQHA owned show. (Horse must be owned by a current MQHA member.) Not to be used with Prepaid Horseshow (CANR). Futurity classes are not included in the discount. Stalls • Stalls paid by Aug 15 are $80 (if available) in the main barn or $70 in the south barn. • Stalls paid after Aug 15 are $90 in the main barn (if available) or $80 in the south barn. • Refunds until September 1. • All stalls are assigned by date paid. • All stalls reserved must be prepaid with either a check or a credit card. There is no guarantee on stalls that are not paid. Camping • Camping - $100 for circuit. No nightly rates. • Full payment must accompany reservations. • Camping is assigned by date paid • Refunds until September 1 Move In • Negative Coggins (within 12 months) required for all horses upon check in. • Arrivals permitted after 10 a.m. on Wednesday, September 11 • Arrivals on Tuesday, September 10 will be allowed after 2 p.m. with an additional fee of $25 per stall (including tack stalls) and $25 per campsite occupied (regardless of power usage). • ABSOLUTELY NO ARRIVALS PRIOR TO 2 PM. YOU WILL BE TURNED AWAY IF YOU ARRIVE EARLY. • Bedding will be available from the Pavilion from 3 to 11 pm on Tuesday, September 10. Bedding is available throughout the duration of the show. Bedding is paid to MSU and all open checks to MSU must be closed by noon on Sunday. • The arena will not be available for use until after 6 p.m. on Tuesday, September 10. • Stall and camping can be reserved with a Visa, MasterCard or Discover card. There is a 3% convenience fee added to all credit card transactions. Checks can be made payable to MQHA Mail to: MQHA, PO Box 278, Greenville, MI 48838 Contact MQHA (616)225-8211 or email mqha@hotmail.com All MQHA events can be found at www.miquarterhorse.com Awards High Point Awards to Small Fry, Novice Youth 13 & Under, Novice Youth 14-18, Novice Amateur, Amateur, Amateur Select, Youth, and Open. Prizes for all 1st place winners and ribbons for 1st through 6th. Services available on site • Shavings available through MSU • Food concession • Photographer • Showers
Qualifications for High Point Awards • Open, Youth & Amateur exhibitors must show in corresponding halter or performance halter class at least one time to be eligible for High Point Awards. • Novice exhibitors do not have to show in halter. • Only Amateur Select Classes count towards the Am Select High Point Award. Exception: Am halter points will be counted for the select award. • Exhibitors must show in at least three events to be eligible. (i.e. Western Pleasure, Showmanship, and Hunter Under Saddle) • Green classes do not count toward any hi-pt award MQHA Small Fry • Exhibitors 12 & under as of January 1. • All classes walk/trot (jog) only • Any breed horse or pony is allowed • MQHA membership not required unless accruing points for year-end awards • Participants in Small Fry will not be eligible for any lope/canter classes during a circuit • Small Fry Showmanship entries may not participate in AQHA showmanship Address of grounds and show office phone: The MSU Pavilion is located at the corner of Mt. Hope Rd. & Farm Lane. 4301 Farm Lane Rd., E. Lansing, MI 48824 Show office phone number 517-432-0662 after September 10 at 10 am.
The MSU Pavilion is a smoke free environment. We ask that you respect this, smoke outside the Pavilion. Liability Under the Michigan Equine Liability Act, the MQHA, MQHA agents, show staff or representatives are not individually or collectively responsible for loss, damage or injury to person, horse, or property in connection with the show due to the inherent risk in an equine activity. For safety reasons, all dogs must be tied or on a leash at all times. Hotels Comfort Inn, Dimondale Howard Johnson Red Roof Inn Holiday Inn Express Candlewood Suites
(517)721-0000 (517)351-5500 (517)332-2575 (517)347-6690 (517)351-8181
MQHA Journal • September/October 2013 • 15
GETTING THE MOST OF YOUR STALLION: PREPARING FOR THE BREEDING SEASON By Marcia King, Green Grass Syndicated Features As with any athletic horse prior to the competition season, a breeding stallion should be fit, healthy, and sound before entering the breeding season in order to deliver the best, sustained performance. It's helpful to the breeding program if, on top of that, the stallion is well-mannered, experienced breeding personnel are involved to handle and monitor the horse throughout the season, and safety precautions are all in place. Here's how to achieve those goals. CHECK-UP About two months before the breeding season begins, have your veterinarian perform thorough physical and fertility exams on your stallion in order to identify and correct any problems before breeding. "We want stallions to come into the breeding season in good shape," explains John V. Steiner, DVM, DACT, a reproduction and stallion specialist at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Lexington, Kentucky. "They should have their teeth and feet taken care of and be on a good deworming and vaccination schedule. We do stallion vaccinations before the breeding season in case there are any adverse affects; we don't want them to get sick or run a fever while they're actively breeding, as that could temporarily affect sperm quality if they run a high fever.” A breeding evaluation will ascertain how fertile your stallion is by checking sperm numbers, concentration, motility and morphology, inspection of genitalia for injury or trauma that could affect the stallion's ability to breed, and cultures of the external genitalia for pathogenic bacteria. DIET & NUTRITION Stallion fitness is a crucial component of the breeding program. "Collecting him, breeding a lot of mares, or using him every other day places a lot of physical demands on a stallion, so that horse needs to be in good physical condition to handle those demands," states Paula Hitzler, BS (Animal Science), Manager of the Horse Teaching & Research Center at Michigan State University, and overseer of the daily care of 90-120 Arabian horses, including seven breeding stallions. "Breeding and tease stallions expend a lot more energy during the breeding season -www.MIQuarterHorse.com
not just during the act of breeding, collecting, or teasing, but also in their stalls and during turnout because they have higher anxiety levels." Energy expenditure often equals that of an intensively exercising horse. “Fitness begins with proper weight and body conditioning score. "Ideally, your stallion should have a body condition score of about 6 going into the breeding season and maintain a body condition score between 4 and 6 during the breeding season," says equine nutritionist Sarah Ralston, VMD, PhD, DACVN, Associate Professor (Animal Science), The School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Cook College, Rutgers University. Achieving this usually means increasing calorie intake during the breeding season, decreasing calories during the rest of the year.” Many stallions are kept too fat, especially in the non-breeding season, Ralston reports. "If they're a little bit pudgy when they start the breeding season, you don't have to do anything. Just let them get down into fighting form." However, if they tip the scales toward obesity, reduce caloric intake by cutting back on the concentrates. "Obesity can potentially reduce fertility," Ralston warns. "Obesity also dramatically increases the risk of founder: We lose too many good breeding stallions to founder.” "If your stallion enters the season in good weight, monitor him. If he starts to drop weight, even with free access to hay or pasture, then increase his caloric intake by increasing the amount of concentrates, preferably with a higher fat/fiber type concentrate rather than higher starches," Ralston suggests. A good quality forage should make up the better part of the stallion's diet -- at least 50%, says Steiner. "In general, a stallion consumes about 2% - 3% of his body weight a day in feed. They don't need a lot of protein, about 10% - 12%, although a younger horse might require a little bit more.” To maintain weight, stallions usually need a grain concentrate. "Use a commercial concentrate that has added vitamin A and vitamin E," suggests Ralston," because many of the time, stallions are going to start breeding in February and they'll be on stored hays, which might be a little low in those
vitamins. In December, start supplementing with 20,000 - 50,000 IUs of Vitamin A and 1000 - 2000 IUs of vitamin E per day, which won't hurt and might be beneficial.” However, too much vitamin A and E is harmful, so don't overdo it. "Most commercial concentrates already have vitamin A in them," Ralston says, "so if the stallion is getting four to eight pounds of a commercial concentrate a day, he could be already getting close to 40,000 IUs of vitamin A just from his grain. Excess vitamin A can be very toxic, causing osteoarthritis and immune dysfunction; maximum recommendation is about 100,000 IUs. Vitamin E in excess of 10,000 IUs per day interferes with the utilization of vitamin A, and both of those are necessary for spermatic genesis.” Ralston also notes that horses get enough vitamin A from their grass in the form of betacarotene. "They only convert the betacarotene to the amount of vitamin A needed, so they don't overdose on vitamin A through their forage. Supplements usually contain the active form of vitamin A, which bypasses that natural regulation; it's the active form that can be toxic." As for supplements touted to increase sperm production, Steiner says there is no evidence that supports those claims, except possibly omega 3 fatty acids. "The jury is still out on that," he notes, "but omega 3 fatty acids may help with sperm numbers, in that they might preserve motility at a higher level in cooled semen.” EXERCISE The second component to maintaining fitness is sufficient exercise. "Exercise doesn't have anything to do with sperm motility," Steiner says, "but it certainly contributes to the well-being of the horse. Horses are naturally roaming and grazing animals, and exercise should be a part of their management -- anything from just being turned out, to being ridden, longed, or put on a treadmill or walker.” Hitzler agrees. "All of our stallions are turned out daily for at least a couple of hours plus we ride them, show them, or longe them daily. One of the worst things people do when they manage stallions is locking them away in a stall. That's what makes stallions develop stereotypes and more difficult to handle, because they're bottled up with energy and can get a little more aggressive because people aren't handling them daily.” MQHA Journal • September/October 2013 • 16
GETTING THE MOST OF YOUR STALLION continued Strong, secure, visible fencing in good repair is a must for safe stallion containment and stallion abuse: "Stallions seem to be fixated with smelling each other's manure," Hitzler says, "and often after they do that, they kick out. If that fencing happens to be near where the last stallion's manure pile was, it's likely that fence is going to get kicked.” Four-board vinyl or wood fencing or v-mesh wire with a board on top are good choices, Steiner says. "Fencing should be at least 5 feet high so they can't jump over it and should be rounded in the corners; horses can get hurt in square corners.” Avoid cross-fencing stallions with other horses, including geldings, by keeping at least one lane between the stallion fencing and neighboring horse fencing, Hitzler says. "It depends on the stallion; I have some that I can put cross-fence with geldings and they're happy all day together. But that isn't the case for all stallions.” MANNERS A well-mannered stallion that is "polite" with the mare, that listens to and respects its handlers, is an asset to any breeding program. “As I travel around, I see an awful lot of stallions that are just plain naughty," Hitzler reports. "There is no reason why stallions can't be ridden in the same arena as mares or stand in the grooming area next to mares. But so many people coop them up, separate them out, and are kind of afraid of them; they don't expect them to have good manners, so they end up with stallions that are out of control. But the more you handle and integrate stallions in your whole farm, the happier these horses are and the easier they are to handle.” Ideally, manners are instilled into the horse while he's still a baby. "It starts by keeping a line of respect between you and the colt," Hitzler says. "Don't allow the young colt to rub up against you, invade your personal space, pull on the lead rope, etc. It's easier to correct these behaviors when they're young than when they are hormonal 3-year olds.” For the unruly adult stallion, begin schooling in manners about two or three months before the breeding season, teaching him to lead, stand quietly, and back up. ("If something starts to go wrong in the breeding shed, that horse should respond to backing away from www.MIQuarterHorse.com
the situation, rather than turning in circles and rearing up," says Steiner.) Make sure your rules are clear: "If you ask him to stand still, for example, and you say 'whoa,' that stallion must stand still until you ask him to move forward or to go somewhere with you," Hitzler states. "Do that by saying 'whoa' and then if he moves, shank down on him one time hard and reinforce the word 'whoa.' Use as much reinforcement as it takes for the horse to get the point: For some, that could be a little wiggle of your lead rope, for others it might be both hands on a chain over his nose." It's okay if the stallion gets excited walking to the breeding shed and starts prancing a little, Hitzler says, as long as he continues to remain respectful and stays next to the handler's side. Striking, biting, rearing, pulling, etc. are unacceptable behaviors and should not be tolerated. In the breeding shed, train the stallion to stand quietly while being washed. During the breeding process, have your stallion quietly approach the mare from behind and but slightly to the left. "This is safer than approaching from directly behind the mare should the mare offer to kick," says Hitzler. "You can move the stallion away from the mare more quickly." Allow the stallion to talk to the mare a little bit, and then mount quietly. "That takes a little while to develop those good behaviors, but that will be really important for safety," Hitzler says. "If the stallion wants to rush the mare or is acting overly aggressive, I don't let him mount the mare until I have complete control of him. This may require that I back the stallion away from the mare and walk him away from the area for a few minutes. If you allow the stallion to complete the act of breeding while he is being ill mannered, you reinforce the poor behavior.” Be consistent with what you accept, but not so ruthless that you cause the stallion to lose interest or become afraid. "There's a fine line between not enough discipline and too much discipline," Hitzler warns. "Stallions really do have a mind of their own, so you need to make sure you have the appropriate balance of keeping the stallion interested in the job as well as maintaining controllable manners.” SENSIBLE INTRODUCTIONS As with any new experience, first-timers should be gradually introduced and acclimated to their roles as breeding horses. For those coming to the farm off a racetrack or show circuit, that means introducing them
to the farm two or three months prior to the breeding season. Explains Steiner, "They need to get accustomed to their new surroundings, routine, and handler. It's best if one person is assigned to handle that stallion, so the horse gets to know the handler and the handler gets to know the horse and any particular habits that horse might have." Be sure to walk the stallion around inside the breeding shed, allowing him to get used to the area. Introduce him to the restraints that will be used (and if you use breeding hobbles on the mare, make sure that she, too, is accustomed to them). "It's very important that the handler have control over the horse," states Steiner. Restraints could be a chain shank either over the bridge of the nose or sometimes in the mouth, a lip chain, or breeding bridle. Make his first breeding experience with a quiet, tolerant mare in really good heat, Steiner advises. "This should be a pleasurable and positive introduction for the stallion, ideally without a lot of restraint and hopefully not a lot of punishment. Let him get near a mare that is in heat, to learn what the sights and smells are. Once he's used to being around the mare, then he can be introduced to mounting a mare.” TOO MUCH? TOO LITTLE? Much debate centers around the frequency of collecting or breeding: Is there such a thing as under- or over-use? “There are lots of answers to that," says Steiner. "At the beginning of the breeding season, stallions have a lot of stored sperm; the sperm number is high, but with the increased frequency of breeding, the sperm numbers go down. However, when that reserve is depleted, they only go down to a level known as 'daily sperm output.' Some stallions that don't produce a lot of sperm may get down to a level that is detrimental for successful breeding. However, the average horse usually produces enough sperm to be bred every day or, as in the Thoroughbred business, two to four times a day.” As for overuse, Steiner says that while some horses that are bred a lot can lose interest near the end of the breeding season, normal stallions have enough sperm to cause pregnancy. Although the numbers may remain constant regardless of how often or little the stallion is bred, Hitzler, who once managed a farm with MQHA Journal • September/October 2013 • 17
GETTING THE MOST OF YOUR STALLION continued 35 stallions, says sperm quality can rise and fall, depending upon frequency of use. "For example, we have a stallion that produces an extremely high concentration of sperm cells. When he's not collected every other day, he still ejaculates high quantities of sperm, but the quality is not very good. When we do collect him every other day, his sperm cell numbers are about the same, but he has better motility and morphology. But it is stallion dependent: Some are fine collected once a month." PREPARING FOR LIVE COVER The mare has been teased, her heat is confirmed, she's been washed, twitched, and is ready for breeding. "Never allow a stallion to mount a mare unless you've first teased her over a tease wall," Hitzler says. "That way, you know how well she's going to stand for his advances.” Prior to breeding, wash the stallion's penis with warm water/dry. "Don't use soap or an antiseptic because that will destroy normal bacteria and allow pathogenic bacteria to take hold," cautions Steiner. "During a heavy breeding season, culture stallion once a month to make sure nothing adverse is going on.” Place a restraint on the stallion -- as little as necessary, as much as needed to maintain control. "You need to take quick control of him if the mare decides to kick out," Hitzler says. Make sure someone experienced, preferably a handler who is familiar with that particular stallion, is handling him. Then, as he was trained, have the stallion talk to the mare, quietly approach her from the left and behind, and quietly mount her. SAFETY PRECAUTIONS As noted earlier, both stallion and mare should wear some sort of restraints they're
accustomed to, for their own safety and the safety of the handlers. "Some breeding sheds -- but not many anymore -- use hobbles on the mare," Steiner states. "The problem is, if the mare acts up and things start to go bad, the stallion could get caught in them, so a lot of places don't use them. Some breeders use a leather breeding shield placed over the mare's withers to protect her against stallion bites or grabbing. Sometimes padded boots are placed on the hind legs of the mare to protect the stallion if she kicks out.” In addition, many farms now require their breeding personnel to wear protective helmets and flack jackets, Steiner says. “You can't stress safety enough," Hitzler states. "If someone has a colt at home that they want to breed to their own mare, they should seek assistance from someone experienced in handling stallions during a breeding because this truly can be very dangerous if people don't know what to do.” If possible, take extension or short courses on breeding classes that include stallion handling, before trying it on your own, advises Hitzler. "I worry about the untrained person who says, 'I'll take Old Joe Stallion out and hold Old Nelly, and we'll just let them get together.' A lot of times, they'll be fine, but when it's a wreck, it's really, really a wreck!” BOTTOM LINE “I love working with stallions," Hitzler says. "They are very brilliant and intuitive, but you really need to be firm and consistent with them. Stallions can be a wonderful addition to your horse population; they can be taught to live next to other horses and in a group in a barn. They don't have to be segregated from everyone else. As long as you work with this animal and treat him with respect, he can be a very good part of your whole herd and live amongst the general population.”
Now offering a few finished show horses for your consideration from competitive novice amateur to serious open contenders. Videos available. All will be at the MQHA Futurity and at the Congress. Crashed The Affair - 2009 gray mare. Rosie is finished and earning points in HUS and well started in trail. She is maintainable by an amateur (and is currently being maintained by a novice and putting on points). One of those hard to find quiet and talented HUS horses. Party In The Clouds - 2010 Sorrel gelding. Kobe is following in the footsteps of his father and has that freaky hock and the front end to carry it thru. Kobe is competitive at the top levels and has points in open and amateur.
Marcia King is an award-winning author and former Horse Illustrated columnist who writes extensively for equine, pet, and veterinary publications.
ARTIFICIAL STALLION LIGHTING FOR EARLY BREEDING? According to an article written by David W. Freeman, Oklahoma State University Extension Equine Specialist (An Over view of Stallion Breeding Management, article number F-3922, available online at www.osuextra.com), daily spermatozoa production is partly influenced by season. "Lowest production, a decline of about 50% from peak values, is expected from September through February," he writes. "Production of spermatozoa increases as daylight grows longer in March, peaks in May and June, and then declines significantly in July and August. Artificially extending the length of the day by using lighting programs will enhance a stallion's semen production.” To advance the breeding season for February and March, Dr. Freeman suggests perceived daylight should be lengthened to 16 hours each day starting in early December. “If you're breeding a lot of mares early, there is some advantage to supplemental lighting for the stallion," John V. Steiner, DVM, DACT, says. "However, stallions with early, increased sperm production peak much earlier in season, so there is no long-term advantage to ar tificial lighting."
Party Tips - 2010 Sorrel gelding. Mitchell is a serious novice horse and can trot and lope in a "teacup". His second time in the pen he was 10th out of 42 in a tough class. Party In The Irons - 2010 Bay mare. Vega is our maiden filly out of our good TB mare. We held her back for a three and she began her career in July of this year. She has been in the points every time out, has her open ROM and 15 or so open HUS points by the end of July. These horses are ready to go show and have been in the programs of Dawn Baker & Ty Hornick. Reasonably priced as we have a pasture full to bring in for the next round.
Give us a call for more information. Rob 765-967-1304 or info@CrashedTheParty.net www.MIQuarterHorse.com
MQHA Journal • September/October 2013 • 18
In Your Memory Lisa ~
L I S A T E R R Y M E M O R I A L H O R S E S H O W August 22–25, 2013
September 11, 2001 We Won’t Forget!
Western MI Fairgrounds, Ludington, MI
Thank You to everyone that made this show a success!
Chris’ Custom Creations
www.michigansnafflebit.com
Vista Villa Motel
Wayne Davis Quality Bedding
Western Show Clothing & Embroidery
1-800-806-0733
cfrantz@charter.net • 616.997.9280
Corlinda Huffman
Stacy & Monty Montgomery
Darlene Juliano
The Jim McKenzie Agency
Western Michigan Fair Board, Especially Roger & Marcia Hansen
Julie & Linc Reincke
Special Thanks
to the staff that worked long, hot hours to make this show great!
Aschelle VanZandt, Pam DeGraaf, Kim Stoepker, Gerry Thome, Joan Koehle, Liah VanZandt, Ashley Nash, Katie Shea and Lacie Sroka I would personally like to thank the trainers, owners, exhibitors, parents and families that chose to spend their time with us in Ludington ~ Kris Woroniecki, show manager Please take a moment to remember one of our fallen friends - Lisa Marie Terry, whom this show is dedicated to.
Photos of Ground Zero, 2013 www.MIQuarterHorse.com
MQHA Journal • September/October 2013 • 19
MQHA
BUSINESS DIRECTORY 1/14
1/14
Rick Leek
Quarter Horses Halter Horses & Pleasure Prospects Meeting All Your Breeding Needs
810-796-2828 www.RickLeek.com 9/13
5095 Casey Road Dryden, Michigan 48428
1/14
STANDING FOR 2013:
Kid Clusified Kid Coolsified The Preference One Good Cookie Ecredible Mr Touchdown Kid PM Gold Style, APHA All In Lights, APHA
OPEN, YOUTH & AMATEUR Specializing in the All-Around Events Betsy Howell
231.342.0502 Traverse City, MI
betsy906@gmail.com betsyhowellph.com
www.VictoryAutoandTrailer.com • 810.678.2727 1/14
1/14
1/14
Breast Cancer Awareness Website Find us on Facebook
LopeForHope.com - Fighting Breast Cancer Loving Horses
269-290-6933 Cell
3537 S. Lapeer Road (M-24), Metamora, MI 48455
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PINK HORSE, Inc non-profit
Renee Kozlowski www.lopeforhope.com
For excellent customer service ask for Dan Agnew! 248.765.1821 or dagnew@victoryautoandtrailer.com
231-839-2250 Office info@lopeforhope.com
866-524-5684 Fax
Zimmer & O’Deen Attorneys at Law
Tracie L. McCarn-Dinehart Attorney for the MQHA
traciemdinehart@gmail.com 123 S. Cochran Ave. Charlotte, MI 48813
Business Directory ads are only $200! (6 issues/one year) Your ad also appears online at: www.miquarterhorse.com www.MIQuarterHorse.com
(517) 543-5551 fx (517) 543-9446
For more information call 810.714.9000 or email mqjournal@gmail.com
MQHA Journal • September/October 2013 • 20
MQHA
BUSINESS DIRECTORY 1/14
Gary Gleason P.O. Box 1158 Gaylord, MI 49735
gleasonquarterhorses@gmail.com
Training • Showing • Sales
989.732.1292 7/14
KIM CHIODO
989.854.8091 Mobile
Agent
Great Lakes Region
HORSE MORTALITY, FARM PROPERTY & LIABILITY COVERAGE kchiodo@kaplowinsurance.com www.kaplowinsurance.com
1/14
74 Devoe Rd., Chappaqua, NY 10514 • 800.823.0201 office/billing • fax 914.238.4043 1/14
Northfork Farms & Outback • Training and Showing • Wild West Adventure • Petting Zoo
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Sundowner Trailer Sales of Michigan 20 Years of Trailer Sales Experience
We Service All Makes and Models
www.northforkoutback.com
www.sundownerofmi.com
Christie Showerman, Jim Evans & Shelby Lawcock 517-881-9142 Webberville, Michigan
Dennis Dalrick • ddalrick@sundownerofmi.com
7/14
5275 Palms Road Casco, MI 48064
810.765.1488 fax 810.765.6053
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Social Media Management & coaching for all your equine needs facebook.com/yellowbarnmedia twitter.com/joyfuljamie
Jamie Clark, CEO Sales • Showing • Training
517.375.5399
jamie @ yellowbarnmedia.com
www.yellowbarnmedia.com
Angola, IN
(260) 908-1809 cell.
Business Directory ads are only $200! (6 issues/one year) Your ad also appears online at: www.miquarterhorse.com www.MIQuarterHorse.com
For more information call 810.714.9000 or email mqjournal@gmail.com
MQHA Journal • September/October 2013 • 21
MQHA
BUSINESS DIRECTORY 9/13
Join us on Facebook and talk with people that share your passion... Quarter Horses! It’s absolutely free and we have over 1700 followers on our group page. You can sell horse tack, ask advice on how to clean a heavily tooled saddle, or just tell us about your horse. Photographs and news is posted regularly from the MQHA. You can also read each edition of the Michigan Quarter Horse Journal online on Facebook or on our website at www.miquarterhorse.com
9/13
Cindy Lou’s
Over 120 Friendly & Unique Animals
Michigan Quarter Horse Association Group https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/59879847791/
ZOO
Sell horse related items and share stories about your horse!
ROSCOMMON, MI
20 Scenic Acres • Picnic Area 989.275.4500 Toddler Play Area • Gift Shop www.cindylouszoo.com 6327 N. M-18, Roscommon, MI 48653 • South of Grayling, MI
On Our Cover
WE HAVE TWO FACEBOOK PAGES!
Official MQHA Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/#!/MichiganQuarterHorseAssociation This page is devoted to official news from the MQHA
NOBLE HILLS FARM is a small breeding operation located in Ada, Michigan owned and operated by Todd and Jill Finley. The farm is named for Jill’s grandfather, who not only fostered her love of horses from an early age, but taught her the values that guide the farm today; be respectful, honest, and treat people how you want to be treated yourself. The goal at Noble Hills Farm is to raise top quality Quarter Horse prospects for the pleasure industry. We believe that every great prospect needs to have proven bloodlines, correct and balanced conformation, and a willing attitude. Our mares represent some of the best proven bloodlines in the industry, including own daughters of Invitation Only, Zippo Jack Bar, Blazing Hot, Protect Your Assets, and Macs Good N Plenty. We research the best possible cross for each mare and breed them to the industry’s top stallions accordingly, in an effort to produce exceptional prospects. All of our foals are handled daily from birth, in order to encourage a willing attitude. New experiences are introduced early and in a gentle manner to nurture acceptance. Our goal is to set our foals up for success, so when they enter into training, they are willing to learn and have the potential to have long, successful careers. We welcome visitors and invite you to come visit our farm and see our prospects. You can also see us on the web at www.noblehillsfarm.com
www.MIQuarterHorse.com
MQHA Journal • September/October 2013 • 22