February 2022 Saddle Up! Magazine by Saddle Up! Magazine

Join us. at the..

MI HORSE EXPO, MARCH 11-13, 2022 MSU Pavilion, 4301 Farm Lane, East Lansing, MI!

ADVERTISER’S DIRECTORY Animal Health Solutions, Equerry 5 Arnold Lumber 8 Black River Farm & Ranch 2 Cashman’s Horse Equipment 52 Equine Affaire Ohio 53 Equine Medical Services 8 EUP Wood Shavings 8 Farm Bureau, Arnesen Agency 11 Fiber Luxe Blanket Cleaning 11 Healthy Futures Organic Feed 8 Hubbard Feeds 56 https://www.hubbardfeeds.com/ Humane Society of HV 8 Ivory Farm 47 JB Enterprise, Mio, MI 47 Jim’s Quality Saddle 4 Justin Curry Equine Dentist 51 Keller Williams, S. Baumgartner 10 Lapeer Equestrian Team Tack Sale 23 Larry’s RV Center 55 Laundry Barn LLC 4 Legend Land Feed & Supply 7 See us at the expo!

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Lynnman Construction www.lynnmanconstruction.com Michigan Horse Expo 2022 Mobile Confidence Course Mobile Confidence Course Clinic Nature’s Rehab Norma Agnew Memorial Show Partners Real Estate Victoria Nulty Pinckney Trail Riders Association Quarter Moon Farm, Bemer Dist. Rachel Holland Art Re/Max Platinum, Kathie Crowley Show Clothes Unlimited Sparta Chevy & Trailers Stride Rite Feed Worch Lumber Wright Place Fence ARTICLES & NEWS 4-H State News Association/Trail Riders News Bronson, DVM: Shockwave Ther. Cardeccia, K: Feelings of Failure

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ARTICLES & NEWS, CONTINUED Eversole, Robert: Leading Goodnight, Julie: Saddle Fit IN Horse Racing: Megan Arszman KY Equine Research: Omega 3s Kiley, Lisa: 10 Essential Products News Briefs: Equine Related Palm, Lynn: Ground Training Skylis, Lisa: Cost Cutting Tips Stevens, Paula: Colic for Christmas United Horse Coalition News Valley Vet: Healthy Farm Dogs ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Advertising Rates: Saddle Up! Business Card Special Classified Ads (2 Months Free) Find Ayla Kids’ Contest MI Horse Expo Program Rates Show & Event Dates Are Free! Includes MI, OH & IN Showbill Special 2022 Subscribe to Saddle Up! Magazine

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Saddle Up! Magazine staff will once again be producing the official program for the MICHIGAN HORSE EXPO – MARCH 11-13, 2022 MSU Pavilion, 4301 Farm Lane, East Lansing, MI! See page 12 of this issue for more details.

MARCH 2022 ISSUE DEADLINE FEB 15 OUR 2022 AD RATES ARE THE SAME AS 2021! PLUS...we now have a 15% off horse assoc./non-profit discount

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KATHIE CROWLEY (248) 207-7222 Realtor & Equine Professional | Email: kathie.crowley@yahoo.com 21 GORGEOUS ACRES, SWARTZ CREEK, MI

SWARTZ CREEK: 21.36 beautiful acres with a lovely updated farmhouse, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, Master Suite is huge! Wrap around porch. Indoor and outdoor arenas, 11 box stalls, nished observation room, several outbuildings, workshop, fenced paddocks/pastures, run-in sheds. Some acreage is in hay. Would make a great boarding, breeding or training facility!

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Coming Soon: TWO NICE HORSE FARMS in Howell, MI. Acreage, indoor and outdoor arenas, set-up for your horses and ready to go. Call Kathie Crowley for more details! New: VACANT LAND IN SOUTH LYON! 20 acres in a prime area. Two 10 acre parcels, can separate or sell together. Septic is in on east 10 acres, city water, walkout sites, paved road. Easy access to I-96.

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BARN, INDOOR ARENA, 13 ACRES, DAVISON/LAPEER, MI AREA Tired of boarding your horses? Buy your own private barn with indoor arena between Davison and Lapeer, near I-69. Land Contract may be an option! There are currently 5 stalls (1 is a double stall, 1 is a foaling stall), office, tack room, on one side of the arena. Other aisle way has large run in area & plenty of space to add additional stalls. Ample hay storage including loft areas on both sides. Indoor arena has new footing and is approx. 70x64 and has a deck next to tack room that could be a viewing area. 2019: NEW metal roof, NEW asphalt flooring in aisle way between stalls, NEW flooring in stalls & barn was painted in 2020. Stall mats and fencing needed, otherwise turnkey for horses. Barn has water/electric. 13 acres has woods, crops and plenty of room to build a home in the future. Great hunting property! Offered at $285,000.

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THINKING OF LISTING YOUR PROPERTY? We have buyers looking for property with horse barn for 2 to 10 horses in Livingston County and surrounding areas! HORSE FARMS, FARMLAND & RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES IN MICHIGAN

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Two new Paint pattern discoveries help keep color in the breed By Jessica Hein | https://apha.com/author/jhein/ Two new white-spotting patterns – W31 and W32 – were discovered in 2021 and confirmed present in the Paint Horse breed. The discovery was made by researchers at APHA partner lab Etalon Diagnostics and published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Heredity. These pattern genes, along with more than 12 other white-spotting patterns commonly found in Paints, can be used to help preserve the beloved white markings in the Paint breed and help Paints earn Regular Registry designation. The January/February 2022 Paint Horse Journal (https://apha.com/phj/) has more information about the discovery of W31 and W32. W31: Typically includes white markings with jagged borders distributed across the head, lower legs, belly, and ventral body; some might be completely white with areas of pigmented coat/skin on

Cookin Merada

RWS Silken Merada

(APHA file photo)

(photo: courtesy Laura Hoelscher)

MI House and Farm Each Office Independently Owned & Operated. All information deemed accurate, but not guaranteed.

the sheath, mane, ears and face, especially when combined with other white spotting pattern genes. Confirmed in the Cookin Merada family; broader distribution is unknown. W32: Typically includes white markings on the limbs, belly spots and face. Confirmed in the Small Town Scandal family; appears to be found in several lines of Paints and Quarter Horses, and other breeds. Individual testing for the W31 and W32 pattern can be ordered via Etalon Diagnostics at https://www.etalondx.com/apha Learn more about RG-070.E (genetics-based) status changes for your Paint at https://apha.com/news/2020-stimulus-planregistration-modifications-to-rg-070e/ About APHA: The American Paint Horse Association is the world’s second-largest international equine breed association, registering more than a million horses in 59 nations and territories since it was founded in 1962. APHA promotes, preserves, and provides meaningful experiences with Paint Horses. Visit https://apha.com/

Small Town Scandal (photo: Lori Gardner, courtesy Alison Umberger)

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2022 MI Horse Expo Program Place your ad in BOTH Saddle Up! Magazine’s March 2022 edition AND the 2022 MI Horse Expo Program for ONE LOW RATE! (Both distributed at the Michigan Horse Expo March 11-13, 2022)

March 2022 Saddle Up! Magazine AND the MI Horse Expo Program Ad Size Full Page Half Page Quarter Pg. Eighth Pg.

B&W $365 $245 $195 $ 95

Color $475 $335 $265 $125

Dimensions 7.13” w x 9.43” h 7.13” w x 4.59” h 3.44” w x 4.59” h 3.44” w x 2.17” h

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Deadline: February 15, 2022 (810) 714-9000 (Mon-Fri 10am-3pm) Email: saddleupmag@gmail.com http://www.saddleupmag.com/ Prepayment required for all NEW advertisers | All major credit cards accepted, plus PayPal 39th Annual Michigan Horse Council

Michigan Horse Expo March 11, 12 & 13, 2022 MSU Pavilion for Agriculture & Livestock Education 4301 Farm Lane Rd., East Lansing, MI

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NORMA AGNEW MEMORIAL MSU HAIRY HORSE SHOW SATURDAY, APRIL 9TH, 2022 8:30 am start | MSU Pavilion, 4301 Farm Lane, East Lansing, MI | $40.00 Stall | $8.00 Class All proceeds to beneﬁt Michigan 4-H Horse Programs

Join us for an interactive horse show where the judges wear microphones and give on-the-spot feedback to exhibitors! No ribbons or points will be awarded for class placing; the feedback is your reward! Saturday, 8:30 am 102. Fine Horse Showmanship 14-19 yr old 103. Fine Horse Showmanship 13-8 yr old 104. Open Showmanship 20 & over 105. Open Showmanship 14-19 yr old 106. Open Showmanship 13-8 yr old 107. Cloverbud Showmanship 5-7 yr old -15 minute break108. Fine Horse Hunter Pleasure 20 & over 109. Fine Horse Hunter Pleasure 14-19 yr old 110. Fine Horse Hunter Pleasure 13-8 yr old 111. Open Hunter Pleasure 20 & over 112. Open Hunter Pleasure 14-19 yr old 113. Open Hunter Pleasure 13-8 yr old 114. Adult Hunt Seat Pleasure Walk-Trot 115. Youth Hunt Seat Pleasure Walk-Trot 116. Open Hunt Seat Equitation 20 & over 117. Open Hunt Seat Equitation 14-19 yr old 118. Open Hunt Seat Equitation 13-8 yr old 119. Cloverbud English Equitation 5-7 yr old 120. Adult Hunt Seat Equitation Walk-Trot 20 & over 121. Youth Hunt Seat Equitation Walk-Trot 19-8 yr

122. 123. 124. 125. 126. 127. 128. 129. 130. 131. 132. 133. 134. 135. 136. 137. 138. 139. 140. 141. 142.

-15 minute breakAdult Walk-Trot English Pleasure (Saddle Seat) Youth Walk-Trot English Pleasure (Saddle Seat) Open English (Saddle Seat) Pleasure 20 & over Open English (Saddle Seat) Pleasure 19-8 yr old Open Saddle Seat Equitation 20 & over Open Saddle Seat Equitation 19-8 yr old Walk Trot Saddle Seat Equitation 8 yr & over -15 minute breakFine Horse Western Pleasure 20 & over Fine Horse Western Pleasure 14-19 yr old Fine Horse Western Pleasure 13-8 yr old Open Western Pleasure 20 & Over Open Western Pleasure 14-19 yr old Open Western Pleasure 13-8 yr old Adult Western Pleasure Walk-Trot 20 & over Youth Western Pleasure Walk-Trot 19-8 yr old Open Western Horsemanship 20 & over Open Western Horsemanship 14-19 yr old Open Western Horsemanship 13 & under Cloverbud Western Horsemanship 5-7 yr old Adult Western Horsemanship Walk-Trot 20 & over Youth Western Horsemanship Walk-Trot 19-8 yr

Horses may arrive AFTER 5:00 P.M. on Friday, April 8th. • An Approved Michigan 4-H Horse Judges Seminar • Event open to all, not just 4-H members! • ASTM/SEI approved helmets are required in all youth Hunt/Saddle Seat classes. • Negative Coggins in last 12 months required. • No stallions allowed at this event! • Show clothes are optional. • Class entries will close at 11:00 a.m. on the 9th. • No refunds will be issued after 3/25/22.

• ONLY PREPAID STALL RESERVATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED. A limited number of stalls are available. You must have a stall, no showing out of trailer! All horse stalls must use bedding. To reserve a stall, please send a check payable to “MSU” to: Hairy Horse Show – Attn: Carla 474 S. Shaw Lane, Rm 1287 East Lansing, MI 48824 Stalls may also be reserved with credit card online at: https://commerce.cashnet.com/msu_3645

• Cloverbud Policy (age 5-7 as of 1/1/2022). ALL 4-H Cloverbud members must wear ASTM- or SEI- approved helmets. • Age 5 (6, or 7): May be involved with equine on a halter and lead. They MUST be directly accompanied one-on-one by a parent, guardian or adult volunteer who is on foot holding the animal’s halter or lead to maximize safety. • Age 6 (or 7): May ride a horse unaccompanied, but only at the walk. Adult volunteers should be in the ring with Cloverbud at all times. • Age 7 only: May participate in walk-trot events with adult volunteers in the ring at all times. 4-H Cloverbud members must wear ASTMor SEI-approved helmets for all 4-H Cloverbud horse experiences. • No Stallions allowed at this event. • “Fine Horse” Classes open only to Arabian, Half-Arabian, Morgan, Saddlebred, etc. • Reserve early, a limited number of stalls are available. You must have a stall, no showing out of trailer. • No refunds will be available after 3/25/22.

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4-H IS A COMMUNITY FOR ALL KIDS – In 4-H, we believe in the power of young people. We see that every child has valuable strengths and real inﬂuence to improve the world around us.

MICHIGAN 4-H

https://www.canr.msu.edu/4h/ Join the Future Squad on Tuesday, February 8th for their session 'Healthy Stress Handling and You'. Hosted virtually from 6:30pm to 7:30pm, this session will teach healthy techniques and you'll leave with a personal self-care plan for decreasing your stress. Do you think you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Come to the Future Squad's 'Explore the Entrepreneur in You' session on Tuesday, February 15th and uncover your business skills, traits, passions, and more! Taking place from 6:30pm until 7:30pm, this class will provide you with the resources to help grow your business. For more life skills, enroll in their 'Keep Yourself Out of Debt' session on Tuesday, February 22nd from 6:30pm until 7:30pm. Don't start off adulthood with debtplug those spending leaks! This session will provide strategies to manage and reduce your current or future debt. These are just a few of the thirty virtual life skills sessions that will be offered until June 2022. To join this program and gain access to the online and in person programs, register at: https:// www.canr.msu.edu/career_preparation/4HFutureSquad/join%20future%20squad. If you have questions about any of the 4-H Future Squad sessions, please email Laurie Rivetto at rivettol@msu.edu. Game on for the 16th annual celebration of MSU Extension and Michigan 4-H Youth Development at the Spartan Women's basketball game, Sunday, February 27, 2022. Whether you're an MSU Extension professional, 4-H volunteer, 4-H member or their families, we hope to see you at this exciting opportunity at the MSU Breslin Student Events Center (534 Birch Road, East Lansing). Game time is TBD and there will be plenty of games and activities to entertain attendees before the game, on the concourse of the Breslin Center. Tickets are free for MSU Extension 4-H youth and their families, 4-H volunteers and MSU Exten-

sion staff and their families! Additional information on ticket reservation will be available in the coming weeks. If you're looking for more information, please email Laura Potter-Niesen at: potterla@msu.edu The 4-H and FFA State Horse Judging Contest will be held at the MSU Pavilion on Sunday, March 27th, 2022. More details will be made available in the following weeks on the Michigan State University Extension 4-H Horse and Pony's website calendar of events. For more information on events or how to get involved in Michigan 4-H, please email Taylor Fabus, 4-H Horse and Pony Extension Educator at tenlenta@msu.edu. Stay inthe-loop on Michigan 4-H Horse and Pony events by visiting their online calendar of events, at https://www.canr.msu.edu/ horses_ponies/events

OHIO 4-H

https://www.ohio4h.org/

Best of luck to all Ohio Horse & Pony 4-H Program participants who will be honored at the Ohio 4-H Horse Program Year End Achievement Awards! The 2022 Award Presentation will take place on February 26th at the Ohio State 4-H Hippology, Horse Bowl, & Horse Judging Clinic. Both the Clinic and the Awards Presentation will be hosted in the Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, located at 2201 Fred Taylor Drive, Columbus, OH 43210. Gold winners can expect their certificates and tshirts to be mailed to them in February 2022 through the USPS. All other winners can expect their certificates to be mailed to them via USPS. If you're looking for more details, please reach out to Danielle Seitner by email at seitner.2@osu.edu Calling all older youth age 14 to 18 who plan to serve as 4-H camp counselors! You're invited to this year's Making eXtreme Counselors (MXC) – an interactive and quick-paced training that offers innovative FEBRUARY 2022 • C & C PUBLISHING, INC. ©2022 (14)

camp ideas to new and veteran camp counselors. Don't miss your chance to participate – the event will be offered in person again in 2022, during the weekend of February 19-20. At this year's training, you can participate in a variety of educational sessions that offer something for everyone! In 2022, MXC participants can attend sessions on the following topics: Camp Program Planning, Health, Wellness, and Risk Management, Role Model, Professional Development. This is an overnight training camp and more updates will be posted on the following website: https:// ohio4h.org/camp/mcx-workshop Prepare your skills before contest season at the Ohio State 4-H Hippology, Horse Bowl, & Horse Judging Clinic on February 26th, 2022! This event will be hosted at the Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center (2201 Fred Taylor Drive, Columbus, OH) and it's open to all 4-H youth and adults in Ohio. The Clinic will take place from 12:30 pm until 4:30 pm and all levels of experience are welcome. The Clinic is designed to give participants practice for upcoming state contests and will include presentations, surveys and interactive games related to horse bowl, hippology and horse judging. At the same Center, the Ohio State 4-H Horse Communications Contest: Oral & Poster will be held on the morning of February 26th, from 9am until 12pm. The primary objective of the Communications Contest is to provide, in a friendly but competitive setting, an opportunity for youth enrolled in a 4-H horse project to demonstrate their communication and media skills on a specific equine or equine related topic. All posters must be turned in at the Contest on February 26th or post marked by that date to be considered. Participants must score at least a 60% on their poster in order to receive credit for their year-end awards. Registration details for both the Clinic and the Contest will become available on the Ohio State University Extension 4-H Horse WWW.SADDLEUPMAG.COM

4-H IS A COMMUNITY FOR ALL KIDS – In 4-H, we believe in the power of young people. Wri en by Lisa Skylis, in collabora on with Cindy Couturier, editor, Saddle Up! Magazine

OHIO 4-H,

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Program website at https://ohio4h.org/ animalsciences/horse/4-h-horse-programcalendar-events. Otherwise, please email Danielle Seitner at seitner.2@osu.edu If you'd like more information or have any questions, you can contact Dr. Kimberly Cole, the Ohio State Extension Equine Specialist, by email at cole.436@osu.edu. Stay up-to-date on Ohio 4-H Horse Program happenings by visiting their online calendar of events at: https://www.ohio4h.org/

INDIANA 4-H

https://extension.purdue.edu/4-H/ Calling all those involved in the Horse and Pony 4-H Program in Putnam County, head to the Putnam County Fairgrounds on the following dates for these meetings: Horse & Pony Board on February 7th from 7pm-8pm, Horse & Pony Club on February 14th from 78pm, and Horse Judging Team practices on February 8th, 15th, 22nd from 6:30pm7:30pm. All Club meetings and Board meetings will be held at the Putnam County Fairgrounds, in the York Automotive Community Building. If county schools are closed due to weather on a meeting night, the club will not meet. All Horse Judging practices

or meetings will be held at 1239 E CR 200 S. Greencastle, and you can contact Lisa Pitts by phone at (765) 653-2471 or via email at tljpitts@cinergymetro.net for more information. For information about the Horse & Pony Club meeting, please email Tiffany Boswell at tboswell@tds.net. For more information about the Horse & Pony Board meeting, contact Ashley Underwood by email at arjackson13@yahoo.com or by phone at (765) 720-6277. Looking to sharpen your skills before your next 4-H Hippology competition? Come to the weekly Horse bowl and Hippology practices at the Purdue Extension Office in Harrison County, located at 247 Atwood Street, Corydon, IN. The meeting schedule for February 2022 will be as follows: February 2nd, February 9th, February 16th, and February 23rd from 6:30pm until 7:30pm. For anyone new to Hippology, the objectives of Hippology are to provide an opportunity for youth to learn and demonstrate their breadth of knowledge and understanding of horse management and to learn life-skills such as acquiring knowledge, communicating, solving problems, relating to others and applying leadership skills. Similarly, the objective of Horse Bowl event is to provide an opportunity for youth to demonstrate their knowledge of equine-

related subject matter in a competitive setting where attitudes of friendliness and fairness prevail. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Lora Tucker Schmelz via email at ltuckerdvm@yahoo.com Purdue 4-H Extension is excited to announce that Horse Judging and Hippology Camp is back in-person for 2022! The camp will be on Saturday, March 5th 2022 at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds in Danville, Indiana. Camp will start at 9am and will go until 4pm. Follow Purdue Horse Extension's Facebook page to keep an eye out for signup deadlines, registration information, and topic and speaker announcements. For more information on Indiana 4-H news and events, email Courtney Stierwalt, the 4H Youth Development Extension Specialist at dickerso@purdue.edu. While the website is under construction, you can still visit Purdue Horse Extension's Facebook page to stay updated on 4-H/equine-related news.

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Palm Partnership Training™

Golden Rules for Ground Training By Lynn Palm | http://www.lynnpalm.com/ No matter your horse’s age, investing the time in ground training will make him a more responsive, obedient partner. I would like to share with you my “Golden Rules” for ground training any horse. Before beginning any ground training lesson, make sure you have set the foundation for success we discussed in the “Beginning Ground Training” series. Go back and review them if you need to. Here’s a quick summary. Start with the proper equipment: a properly fitting halter, longe line with or without a “stud chain”, leg protection, and a 3-4 foot dressage whip. I prefer using a longe line to a lead when ground training horses and will use that term rather than “lead” throughout these articles. Carefully select the training location. I recommend starting lessons in the horse’s stall or another small, familiar enclosed area, no matter the horse’s age. This will help him stay focused and relaxed. As a lesson is mastered, your horse can graduate to repeating it in a slightly less secure area like a paddock or round pen. Finally, create a written lesson plan for each training session. Now that we have you and your horse properly equipped, here is my first “Golden Rule” of ground training. Golden Rule #1: Respect Your Position The first golden rule of ground training is: You must make sure that your position in relationship to your horse gives you safety and control. The most common problem I see are handlers not positioning themselves properly. Always stand with your shoulder at the middle of your horse’s neck. Never position yourself farther forward than his throat-latch (the area where his head and neck meet) or behind his shoulder. Standing too far forward, at the horse’s head or in front of his head, is an unsafe position. Even if a horse is very quiet, a handler standing too far in front of a horse can be trampled if he spooks. This position will cause you to lose control of the horse’s head and neck. You will not be able to encourage the horse to stay forward, but will use a pulling action to stay in control. A handler should always stand at minimum distance of one arm’s length away from their horse. The most common fault is standing too close. This unsafe position increases the handler’s chance of being hit by the horse’s legs or stepped on. I’ll never forget my first instructor telling me: “if you get stepped on by a horse, it’s your fault for standing too close.” The handler’s hand position controls the horse’s head – and this is the most important part of the horse to control! Whether the handler is standing on the near (left) or off (right) side of the horse, the hand closest to the horse holds the longe line attached to the halter. If the handler is standing on the horse’s near side, it will be her right hand; if standing on the off side, it will be her left hand. This hand should be positioned at the middle of the horse’s head, below the jaw and above the mouth. The other hand holds the excess longe line in organized, loose coils. Grasp the longe no closer than 5 inches from the halter. This arm should have a slight bend at the elbow for flexibility. A common problem is holding the longe too tight or too close to bottom of the FEBRUARY 2022 • C & C PUBLISHING, INC. ©2022

halter, and steering the horse from underneath his head. As an instructor, I have found that the hardest thing to teach people is that they do not need to stand underneath him to control and force their horse with a lot of pulling action. As your handling skills advance and your horse’s training improves, the further away you will be able to hold the longe from him and still get the desired response. Your goal should be to successfully execute basic ground training movements with at least 3 feet between your contact on the longe and your horse. This takes time and practice, but it is a great test of responsiveness and obedience While working on achieving this distance, your horse may try to come toward you, crowding your space. If this happens, you can use your arm in an action to shake the longe toward the horse to encourage him to maintain the desired space. I will teach you more about this training technique in upcoming articles. From a reader: I received this email message from a newsletter reader. With April’s permission I would like to share it with you. My name is April. I have ridden since I was 5 years old, owned and trained my own horses since I was 12. At 20 years of age I thought it would be great fun to raise and train a young horse. I figured I had plenty of experience retraining my older horses, so how hard could it be to start from scratch? So I dove in....trading my best AQHA mare for an AQHA colt I had only seen via Internet. I began ground training him at 2 years old. He excelled at ground training so fast that by the time he was 2.5 I thought I could ride him easy enough. So I climbed aboard and was surprised to find a totally different situation. This is when I realized I needed help. I sent him to sixty days training at a local barn. But when I got him back he was not the willing and eager horse I knew he was before. That night I went through all my old horse magazines and ran across Lynn Palm’s Longevity Training series in a magazine. I became immersed in the articles and read them over until I knew exactly what to do. I began a thorough retraining of my horse. Immediately I saw his willingness to learn come back to life and a total enjoyment of working. Lynn’s series has helped me so much in training my horse and I owe her a great gratitude for it. Now I am working on improving my seat so I can ride and train him better using her techniques. It just keeps getting better and better! – April Thanks, April, for your support of Palm Partnership Training. Your (16)

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willingness to learn and positive attitude tell me that you and your horse will achieve the long lasting partnership we all want with our horses. I look forward to the day that you can come ride with me! Your Next Step… Be patient, ground training takes time. You may spend several days or weeks on one lesson. Make your sessions short to keep your horse’s attention and try to end on a positive note. Rushed or impatient handling now will affect future training sessions. Ground training is not mentally or physically fatiguing for a horse so it is something you can do every day – if you keep the lessons short and interesting. It is a must for young horses. For older horses it can give good variety to your schooling and give you another opportunity to spend time together. So practice! Reward any progress your horse makes. Praise him with your voice. If your horse is not used be being petted, start by gently touching him. Once he accepts a touch, try stroking him on his neck, then along his back in the direction that his hair is growing. Graduate to gently petting him. Horses usually love to be stroked on their foreheads! A carrot treat and brushing after the lesson will make your horse look forward to the next lesson. That’s the most important “Golden Rule” for success in building a partnership with your horse. To learn more about Lynn Palm, her educational programs at Palm Equestrian Academy in Ocala, Florida, Lynn’s Ride Well clinics across the United States, saddles, DVDs, books, as well as trail and Western dressage competitions, and more, please visit her website at http://www.lynnpalm.com/, or call 800-503-2824. Lynn can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Please make checks payable to PTRA and mail to: PTRA, 11185 Country Lane, Pinckney, MI 48169 If questions, email: pinckneytrailrider@yahoo.com | Donations are tax deductible – IRS #11-384035901 FEBRUARY 2022 • C & C PUBLISHING, INC. ©2022

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HORSE ASSOCIATION & TRAIL RIDERS NEWS Fort Custer Horse Friends Association

BRIGHTON TRAIL RIDERS ASSOCIATION As we begin the New Year, we're in the middle of winter and of course, we're experiencing cold temperatures and some snow. However, as we view reports from various parts of the country, it looks like we've really dodged the bullet so far. Let's keep our fingers crossed. Have we reached the point where our thoughts can start turning to the upcoming riding season as opposed to last year's? Things have been pretty quiet at the Brighton Recreation Area but our trails are still getting some use. We see posts on the BTRA Facebook page about some hardy riders venturing out, and no one has reported any significant difficulties. When a problem such as a fallen limb across a trail is reported, our Trail Maintenance Committee chair goes right out and takes care of it. We are extremely grateful to Peter Andrews who has served in this capacity for a number of years and has made it a year around job. He is dedicated to this responsibility, has heavy duty equipment that he employs when needed, and has recruited a team of volunteers who help out when needed. We recently held our first BTRA Board of Directors meeting of the year, and it was productive. We finalized our 2022 Schedule of events and are hopeful that we will be able to offer our members a riding season filled with enjoyable activities. We are paying special attention to plans for our annual banquet. As always, we are collaborating with our co-hosts, the Pinckney Trail Riders, and are determined to make this big event a success. We are also aware that the DNR at Brighton has worked on a few projects, despite it being the off-season. We are grateful that the park manager and his staff are so helpful in partnering with us. For hardy riders, the staging area and trails are open, weather permitting. Still, we urge all riders to exercise caution if they climb in the saddle during this winter season. Mark Delaney, BTRA President

FORT CUSTER HORSE FRIENDS ASSOCIATION Hello Trail Riders! Everyone and their horses are hunkered down for the next few weeks of Winter's blast to Michigan. It has affected most of us in various ways. Our January board meeting was cancelled due to bad weather and roads. Nancy and Ken put our calendar of events for 2022 over the phone and it will be posted on our website at www.fchfa.org so riders can plan this years' activities accordingly. Check out the website and Facebook page for updates of FCHFA news. Plans for 2022 include our Annual Camp Outs in May and September. These events will be held at the Whitford Lake event area again. The camp outs have been extremely popular with riders for several years. You can find pictures of the fun, friends, horses, and great times on our website. Be part of it all this year and help support all we do to support the Park, improve the trails, and continue to add to the campground. There will be extended picket areas for more shade for the horses after approval and Spring workdays. Electricity is something in discussion with Park management for in the future as well. Members should be proud of all the hard work the FCHFA board does to work with our Park manager to improve what riders enjoy at Fort Custer Recreation Area. Please consider joining the club and participate in one of the most successful horse clubs in SW Michigan! Come explore the trails even this time of year. The Park is open and strives to have some parking plowed at the trail-head. Enjoy quiet winter riding through fields and prairies, wood lots, around lakes and crossing creeks as you wander 20 plus miles of trails. Riding buddies can be found on the website, also if you don't have a friend to meet. Make a new friend! Thanks to all that made 2021 a great year! Here's to what 2022 will bring to us with hard work and dedication to our Park! Call Nancy at 269-967-3613 for any questions. See you on the trails, Toni Strong, FCHFA Secretary

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HIGHLAND TRAIL RIDERS ASSOC. Greetings from the Highland Trail Riders Association! We hope your year has started well and you are making some fun and exciting plans for the upcoming riding, camping, and equestrian events season. We have a few to put on your calendar! The HTRA board members held a year-end meeting this past December and voted the new board for 2022. We are pleased to have Sally Oberg continue as President, Jacqui McAtee as Vice President, and Roxanne Miller as Secretary. Vickie Banyash steps in as the new Treasurer and Walt Cook is our new Trail Boss. We thank Jim Jurkowski and Dave Snyder for their years of service, hard work and dedication regarding our organization and the equestrian trails at Highland Recreation Area. We also inducted and welcomed new board members Melanie Shipp and Janell Lumbley along with honorary member, Julie Ogg. We are so happy to have them join our team! We set the date for a first of the year goals meeting and the dates for our camping events. The Annual Poker Ride Camp Out is scheduled for May 13-15, ride, lunch, and potluck dinner held on Saturday the 14th. Our Annual Horseshoe ride is scheduled for September 9-11, ride, lunch, and potluck dinner on Saturday the 10th. As always, the campsites fill up quickly. Day riders are always welcome at all our events. Please get your registrations in early. Information is sent to members in March. All others can find registration information on our website at www.highlandtrailriders.com. You can also find information regarding HTRA on our Facebook page at “Highland Trail Riders Association.” Specific questions regarding our camp outs and other events can be answered by emailing Sally Oberg at: highlandtrailridersmi@gmail.com. We have goals to add a few more events this year and will keep them posted here in Saddle Up, on our website, and on our Facebook page. We hope you have a cozy winter, an early spring and a busy fun filled riding season. Stay safe, ride often and join a local trail association. Equestrian trail groups make it WWW.SADDLEUPMAG.COM

HORSE ASSOCIATION & TRAIL RIDERS NEWS HIGHLAND TRAIL RIDERS ASSOC., CONT. possible for all of us to ride safely through our beautiful parks. Help is always needed. The Highland Trail Rider Assoc. would love having more members. Come ride with us!

onstrations, versatility activities and public relations divisions. She accumulated her points while riding Spy and Jigs. The topscorer in the Under Saddle division was also Jodi, riding Spy. They participated in a number of Dressage shows, took many lessons, participated in clinics, performed many versatility activities, camped, and traversed many trail miles in organized rides. Susan Williams was the high scorer in the Not Under Saddle division. This division is for MFTs of any age who have not yet been saddle broke. They can earn points in general training, clinics, as well as showing in MAYBURY STATE PARK TRAIL RIDERS hand. 14 members worked all year on doing ASSOCIATION (MSPTRA) as many different things as they could with Greetings, trail riders, Happy New Year! A their MFT(s). A milestone was achieved by new year means it's time for a new 2022 two members: Jodi on Spy, and Carrie on MSPTRA Membership! Join and pay online, Moo, who both have reached the 1,000 plus or print the membership form and mail it in. mile club on their horses. This is a category We appreciate the support! in which the accumulated miles are rolled over into the next year. They each earned a Our annual meeting that was originally scheduled for November 10, 2021 was resche- decal to mark their accomplishment. If you duled and did take place on December 1, would like to participate in this very popular 2021. All open board positions have been program in 2022, go to: www.michigan foxtrottinghorse.com to learn more about it. filled. We look forward to the coming year! Print off the forms to send in and become We will be hosting a fall ride this year in the involved in this very popular program. It is park. It is scheduled for October 23, 2022 so very motivational by encouraging you to do mark your calendars! more things with your Fox Trotter. You will Check out all the new updates to the web- have fun experiencing a wide range of activsite at www.mayburytrailriders.org ities to prove how versatile your horse is. Continue to follow us on Facebook for up- There are Youth and adult categories. Get dates on the trails, events and general news your friends with Fox Trotters to join and do going on in the park. Feel free to post pic- this with you – it's fun and Fox Trotters can do ANYTHING! tures from your rides! A big welcome goes out to new member, Happy Trails – Mary Nader Susan Williams of Morning View Farm in Ionia, MI. Susan comes from the QH world. She has competed very successfully in Training Challenges and is now an MFT halfowner and 3-year Director for the MFHA. The Events Committee has been hard at work finalizing the details on our annual MFTHBA National Trail Ride, clinics, and MI FOXTROTTING HORSE ASSOCIATION other trail rides. Go to our website and Congratulations, you made it through the Facebook page for periodic updates. snowy and cold January! February is upon We have a number of unisex stone-washed us, which means we are inching our way to blue short-sleeved 100% cotton limited SPRING! I am sure you are looking forward edition MFTA t-shirts available for only $15 to warm weather again as much as I am! (plus $6 shipping unless you want to pick it The results are in for the 2021 Versatility up in Mason, MI). Email MIFoxtrot21@ Challenge! Congratulations go out to Jodi gmail.com to place your order. Make your Myers for being the most ambitious MFHA check out to MFHA. The sales of these member in the Horsemanship Challenge in shirts will help provide funding for clinics which the rider participates the most in and other promotional activities. We appretrails, lessons, showing, clinics, breed dem- ciate your help. FEBRUARY 2022 • C & C PUBLISHING, INC. ©2022 (19)

We are the Michigan affiliate of the Missouri Fox Trotter Horse Breed Assoc. (MFTHBA). Go to www.mfthba.com to register your horse and become a member. There are a wide range of interesting activities to become involved in. The MFHA’s mission is to promote the Fox Trotter horse in and around Michigan. We are a member-led group who work together to promote, plan, and carry out educational and fun activities that owners and riders are interested in. Become a member now by visiting our website at www.michiganfoxtrottinghorse.com and send in your membership. Make your check out to MFHA. Our meetings are held remotely the 3rd Thursday of the month in the evening. You are invited to attend. Send in your membership so we can send you an invitation. By Marilyn Mannino

MICHIGAN

WESTERN DRESSAGE ASSOC. OF MI Winter is showing her limited array of colors as we patiently await spring's arrival. I have a few important announcements to make. First some good news: Sue Hughes' book should be out soon! I expect to have more information on this next month. The WDAMI Board recently had its annual election of officers. There will be no change in the Executive Board – I will continue as President, Sue Hughes as Vice President, Carol Baldwin as Treasurer, and Joann Coy as our Secretary. Thank you ladies, for your dedication to WDAMI. And now the not so good news: the WDAMI Awards Banquet has been canceled due to the current high number of COVID cases in Michigan. WDAMI has also decided not to have our usual table at the Michigan Horse Expo this year (March 11-13) for the same reason. We are hopeful that next year things will have settled down and we will be able to resume our participation in these events. In the meantime, the WDAMI Award committee will be meeting this month to come up with a plan for our 2022 Awards Banquet, for it seems that COVID is here to stay. On a happier note, we do plan to go forward WWW.SADDLEUPMAG.COM

HORSE ASSOCIATION & TRAIL RIDERS NEWS WESTERN DRESSAGE ASSOCIATION OF MICHIGAN, continued with our WDAMI 2022 show series. Our first show is Dressage at Waters Edge (April 22 – May 13, with videos due by June 10). That will be followed by the Sunflower Horse Show (June 10 – July 1, with videos due by July 15) and the Battle of the Saddles (July 15 – August 12, with videos due by August 26). All three shows are WDAA recognized. We have added a versatility award and kept our door prizes for all three shows. And we will once again offer our Harmony award for all three shows, plus a Grand Prize drawing for those who show in all three events. In addition to these three shows, Wyn Farm will be hosting two USEF Lite/WDAA shows this year. And Central Michigan Horseman's Association will also be offering WDAA recognized shows throughout the summer too. WDAA has announced the judges for the WDAA World Championship Western Dressage Show scheduled for September 27 – October 1, 2022. The Judges will include Gail Hoff, Nena Denman, Jodi Ely, Ida Norris, and Heather Stalker. Karlan Downing will judge the Rail and Equitation Classes. There will be four full days of Western Dressage tests and one full day of rail classes. All Levels of freestyle will be offered and there will be an exceptional rider division including both Therapeutic Riding and Physically Challenged classes. WDAA Horse Lifetime Points and Awards Program award triple points at this show. Other fun events include competitor's parties and a silent auction. In order to compete at the World Show, you must qualify by showing in at least one WDAA Recognized show between January 1, 2022, and September 20, 2022,

and you must earn a 60% or higher in any test. Online shows do count for purposes of qualifying. Riders who showed at the 2021 World Show are also deemed qualified for the 2022 show. Tip of the month – “Test for lateral movements: If the rider is able to stop his horse in every lateral movement so that he halts in the same angle and lateral bend as before quietly and without swaying, and to move off again without hesitation on a volte on a single track, it is proof that the horse was well between the hands and legs and that the movement was ridden correctly on two tracks.” (Waldemar Seunig, 1965) WDAMI is looking for sponsors for our yearend awards and educational events. If you would be willing to help by sponsoring or by helping us to find sponsors, please contact us by email at: infowdami@gmail.com. If you would like to volunteer or offer other services we need, please contact us. We can always use the help. Please don't forget to renew your membership. Thank you for your support. Be safe, have fun, enjoy your equine partner and exercise acts of kindness to all. Until next time – Safe Riding, Suzanne Morisse, WDAMI President

YANKEE SPRINGS TRAIL RIDERS ASSOCIATION Your yearly membership matters to YSTRA! Each membership or donation goes right back into keeping your trails maintained. In recent years, we have been able to add corrals to camp sites. Upgraded our obstacle course. Add trail systems around the campground. Our future goals are to expand day parking. Potentially bring electricity to camp and other great amenities! Yearly Membership dues are only $20! You can use the “donate” button on our website homepage at: https://ystra.org/ ($1 PayPal fee) or email Sarah: sarah@grcarvers.com for more information. You can also mail a check payable to YSTRA for your yearly dues to: YSTRA, 10370 W. Parmalee Road, Middleville, MI 49333. Attention: Travis Buehler. Join us online at: https://ystra.org/ or you can also find us on Facebook.

HORSE ASSOCIATION & TRAIL RIDERS NEWS is Free of charge! Keep your association’s members up-to-date by including your news in Saddle Up! Magazine. Join us monthly or bi-monthly, it’s your choice. To get started, just email us your logo, and your news (Word docs work great) and we will include it at no charge to your association or group! Email: saddleupmag@gmail.com | Deadline: 18th of the month for the following

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Shockwave Therapy By Dr. Joanna Bronson | http://bronsonvetservices.com/ Equine lameness can develop in any horse at anytime. Just as with human athletes, strains, sprains, and related injuries affect a horse’s physical performance and his ability to perform daily tasks. Some problems can be genetic in nature, others develop from trauma, and still others might follow an illness. Traditionally, there have been several standard ways of treating these conditions. However, basic treatments that include the use of steroids, surgery, and corrective shoeing are typically invasive and often take a long time for results to appear and may not provide long-term solutions. One of the newest and most effective therapies for treating humans and animals is ESWT (extracorporeal shockwave therapy). This procedure can be used for treating muscle and skeletal issues, soft tissue conditions, and even bone injuries. ESWT can be used to treat chronic, infected wounds that have not responded to traditional therapies. The primary benefit of this form of therapy is that it is non-invasive and does not require drugs or other extensive measures for effective treatment. Shockwave therapy uses sound waves that are higher than ultrasound waves to penetrate deep into the body and compress the denser body tissues such as ligaments, tendons, and bones. The effect is an inner-body massage that distorts the deeper body tissues at the cellular level. A shockwave can be compared to the ripple effect when a stone is thrown into a pond. The waves are transmitted through the skin, fat, and muscle. When the waves hit the area of higher acoustic mass, such as a bone, the waves slow dramatically and a large amount of energy is released into the surrounding tissue. The waves trigger the body’s natural repair mechanisms into stimulating immune-competent cells. These cells then release beneficial bio-chemicals that stimulate the growth of a new blood supply to the injured areas. These shockwaves are called acoustic sound waves and are approximately 100 times higher than the energy used in ultrasound machines. This therapy is at the forefront of joint therapies for treating the early stages of degenerative joint disease and can actually interrupt the progression of arthritis and alter the process of cartilage degradation. ESWT is commonly used to treat suspensory injuries and is also effective for treating injuries of the soft tissue within the hoof. During treatment, high-pressure sound waves stimulate the growth of new blood vessels in the tissues while providing pain control at the site of injury or distress. Shockwave therapy has been shown to stimulate new bone growth for fractures, stimulate the in-growth of new blood vessels, and increase cell permeability, while stimulating fibroblast formation for cells which is especially important for repairing tendons and ligaments. Reducing inflammation is particularly helpful in horses suffering from arthritis. Treatments produce a localized analgesic effect at the treatment site which usually lasts around 3 days following treatment. During the procedure, the horse is usually mildly sedated so that he will stand quietly and not feel the effects of the stimulus which can be mildly uncomfortable. FEBRUARY 2022 • C & C PUBLISHING, INC. ©2022

On the cleaned site, contact gel is used to conduct the shock wave. An external probe is set to an exact depth dependent on the need and then shockwaves are applied for a prescribed amount of time, usually a few minutes. Treatments vary with each animal and individual condition. Treatments are generally repeated in two to three week intervals for between three to five sessions total. Progress can be checked through ultrasounds. Ideally, the horse should be rested for the first week after the first treatment, but then can gradually be returned to mild work, if the case is not severe such as a deep laceration, fractured or broken bone, or tear. The benefits of shockwave therapy in equines are numerous. Foremost is that it's a non-invasive technique with virtually no sideeffects. It also leads to a rapid reduction in pain and a decreased healing time. Being a great alternative to drugs and their side effects, shockwave therapy works on both acute and chronic conditions to promote healing. Since it requires no deep sedation, medication, or anesthesia, it is ideal for both clinic and on-site treatments, although the clinic setting is preferable. Another benefit is that this type of therapy helps to reduce scarring at the site of an injury as it recruits stem cells that can grow locally. This is especially helpful with injuries that produce proud flesh. Bronson Veterinary Services has been offering shockwave treatments for cats, dogs, and horses with great success. Dr. Joanna Bronson graduated from MSU College of Veterinary Medicine in 2000 at the top of her class. Following graduation, she worked as an intern at a large equine referral practice in Cleveland, OH, specializing in lameness, surgery, and racetrack medicine. In 2005, she opened Bronson Veterinary Services in Coldwater, MI. What started as an ambulatory only practice, quickly grew to a fullservice equine, small ani-mal hospital and surgical center. The now three doctor practice provides medical, surgical, reproductive, and preventative care services for Branch County and the surrounding area.

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Cost-Cutting for Horse Owners, part two By Lisa Skylis | email: skylisli@msu.edu As any horse owner could tell you, taking proper care of a horse is a significant investment in both your time and money. Whether you are encountering tough times fiscally or just want to stick to the budget, the beginning of a new year is the perfect time for horse owners to explore and implement options to reduce the cost of keeping their horses. When times get tough financially on the farm, the tough get creative! Last month, you covered methods to reduce costs on your horse’s health care, hoof care, and travel expenses. This month, expect to learn about cost-cutting practices when considering feeding, grazing, housing, bedding and more! Feeding and Grazing Ask any former or current horse caretaker, feeding is undoubtedly the most expensive aspect of horse ownership. Saving money while maintaining a healthy herd should not be done by cutting corners on hay quality or by skimping on grain portions. Instead, consider some of these cost-cutting methods for your horse’s feeding and grazing habits: · When the weather warms, keep your horse on pasture and save yourself the cost of hay during the summer months. Be sure to practice rotational grazing methods to get the most out of your pasture and avoid over-grazing. · To stretch your forage supply, think about slow-feeding your horse’s hay. This method is especially recommended for any horse that is prone to colic, choke, or other gastrointestinal issues. · Invest in high-quality hay that is free from dust, mold, or weeds. Although more expensive, higher quality hay will meet your horse’s nutritional requirements, will be more digestible, and will require less flakes to maintain your horse’s current body condition. Lower quality hay may initially spare the budget, but eventually the added supplements to make up for lower nutritional value, increased likelihood of health issues, and increased volume of hay you will need to feed will prove it to be a poor monetary choice in the long term. · Buy your feed, supplements, and quality hay in bulk whenever possible. If storage proves tricky, split your bulk order with a friend and ask to store it at their barn. · Take simple steps to reduce the amount of hay wasted. Consider investing in hay feeders in stalls or in pastures rather than feeding in a hay net or on the ground. Feeding hay on the ground can result in losses up to 57% and, after about two years, many feeders will have paid for themselves. Avoid storing hay directly on the ground, in poorly-drained areas, or uncovered if outside. As always, it should be noted that drastic changes to your horse’s nutrition are not advised. You should never cut costs at the expense of your horse’s health or safety. That said, there are even more measures for reducing feed costs than the examples listed above. Ask your fellow horse lovers about any actions they have taken during tighter budgetary times. Whether they are eager to admit it or not, all horse owners have experienced times of financial strain and any true friend would jump at the chance to help you and your herd succeed. Housing and Bedding Unless they are bunking with you, affordable housing for your horse FEBRUARY 2022 • C & C PUBLISHING, INC. ©2022

can be a serious strain for anyone experiencing financial hardship. Based on a 2011 survey, horse owners reported spending a minimum of $3,520 annually for their horse’s housing and bedding. As costs have skyrocketed since then, it is understandable that many horse owners feel over-burdened with the expense of housing their horse. Before you pick apart your already rigid budget, keep these cost-saving horse housing and bedding tips in mind: · The top tip for sparing your budget and saving on housing is to keep your horse outside with access to shelter. If you are boarding your horse, switch to pasture board only. Most horses thrive on pasture and only need to be stalled in some instances of excessive heat, intense cold, or freezing rain. Living outdoors or optimizing turnout is typically the best option for your horse’s physical and mental health and, even only for a few months, it will save you a lot. · If you are boarding your horse, see if your barn will allow you to self-board or semi-self-board to reduce the cost of boarding. This way, you will be responsible for your horse’s chores (including feeding, cleaning, blanketing, turnout, etc.) and trade your time for a discounted boarding rate. You could even see if other boarders were interested joining you and you could alternate chore shifts among the group. · For those with the extra space, taking on a few boarders yourself might be advantageous. Boarding operations are the most challenging way to make a profit in the horse industry, very few do just that. However, a successful boarding barn should be able to cover the costs of their own horses, utilities, arena expenses, and more. · Keep an updated list of fence and building repairs that need to get done and don’t delay fixing them. Repairing a few split boards as soon as you notice them may be less convenient, but it will be incredibly less costly than replacing the entire fence a few weeks down the road. · Just like with feed, hay, and supplements, buy your bedding in bulk whenever possible. Similarly, the next time you are headed to a show, bring your own shavings. · Be particular about which horses you pair together in your pastures and bear in mind: age, temperament, activity level, food aggressiveness, current health conditions, etc. A happy herd will have a lower chance of obtaining injuries from fighting or stressrelated health conditions like ulcers. For the Record Another, less obvious, method to save money during times of financial hardship is to keep track of your horse’s medical records and implement an organizational system that works for you. As a (22) WWW.SADDLEUPMAG.COM

horse owner, it is your responsibility to maintain current medical records and help the professionals you rely on to maintain your horse’s health, so they can do their job all the better! Without a comprehensive care record, it would be tough for different horse health professionals to efficiently communicate in the event of a health emergency. Proper record keeping might even help you avoid the gut-wrenching experience and expense of emergency veterinary care because you are more likely to take notice of subtle health changes in your horse before they become catastrophic. These are some basic categories to keep up-to-date in your horse’s health records: · Medications · Deworming · Vaccinations · Dental Work · Farrier Work · Veterinary Visits · Significant Injuries or Incidents Apart from the bare minimum, here are a few other categories to consider adding to your horse’s records: diet changes, breeding records, chiropractic visits, massage visits, acupuncture visits, and first aid protocols. Your record organization options are limitless; you could keep track using a box of index cards divided into sections, a 12-month hanging calendar, or a three-ring binder complete with folders, zippered pouches, and notebooks. The technologically savvy might prefer to keep records digitally on your computer and set appointment reminders on their phone. No matter the method, choose a system that is simplest for you and suits your management style. After all, you will be the one updating, organizing, and maintaining the records.

Lisa Skylis graduated from MSU with a degree in Animal Science. She is a professional freelance writer and Lisa’s work largely focuses on the equine industry. When she’s not writing, Lisa can be found doting on the horses at her local therapeutic riding barn or entertaining her mischievous Golden Retriever, Roy. Freelance inquiries can be sent to skylisli@msu.edu and a collection of her freelance work can be viewed online at: https://muckrack.com/lisa-skylis-1 Sources for this article include an article written by Krishona Martinson and Julie Wilson, DVM from University of Minnesota Extension titled “Caring for horses on a budget”, and a presentation by Carissa Wickens from the University of Delaware titled “The Economics of Horse Keeping.”

Lapeer Equestrian Team Fundraiser

TACK SALE Saturday, March 19, 2022 | 10am-2pm No Early Entry | Admission $3 | 10 & Under Free (cash only)

NEW LOCATION: Lapeer Center For Innovation (Old Lapeer West High School), 170 Millville Rd., Lapeer, MI Use South parking lot near gymnasium and cafeteria

Let us feed your horses & all your other farm animals

VENDORS WELCOME $30 per 10x10 space (before March 11), $45 after. Bring your own tables and chairs. Set-up starts at 8am. Vendors allowed two workers per space. Additional people must pay admission. No sale of food or beverages allowed. Make checks payable to: MIHA Lapeer Equestrian Team and mail to Kaitlynn Tuckey, 1412 Farm Lane Rd., Lapeer, MI 48446. Include: business/club name, contact name, phone, email, number of spaces, $15 late fee if after March 11th. Once payment is received, you will receive a conrmation email.

Stride Rite Feed Your Local ADM Feed Dealer

734-274-0903

Questions? Kaitlynn Tuckey 810.614.1468 or Amanda Dixon 810.614.3691 Email: lapeerequestrianteam@yahoo.com

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Leading for Leadership By Robert Eversole | https://www.trailmeister.com/ Doing groundwork is not busywork for groundwork’s sake; it is about finding and correcting minor issues before they have a chance to become major problems. Fixing these minor snags sets you up for success in the saddle and on the trail. All groundwork, and indeed all horsemanship, is about having our horse focus on us and not the myriad of distractions surrounding us. A horse who will not lead well tends to be less accommodating when ridden. Skills that are rough on the ground do not get better when you are in the saddle. Having your horse lead easily beside you rather than lagging or racing ahead sets both you and the horse up for success in all your endeavors. What I look for when leading is a horse that walks willingly alongside me, whether I am walking, jogging, or running, with no tension on the lead rope. I want the horse to keep pace with me without pulling the lead. Achieving this requires that we focus on our timing and consistency. We need to release pressure immediately when the horse responds to our cues. Consistency in our cues and expectations is critical. Even if you do not mind when your horse creeps forward or occasionally gets too far behind, once the horse learns that you will give an inch, and when it matters, he may take a mile. I used to think that it was OK for my horse to have lousy ground manners because he was fine when under saddle. I was wrong. He was not fine, and I did not know any better. Here is how I work on leading skills with my animals: The Preparatory Command Early in my Marine Corps career, I learned the value of close-order drills, i.e., marching. In the military, one purpose of teaching parade deck skills is instilling discipline by creating habits of precision and automatic response to orders. Although it takes time to get to the point where units move as a fully coordinated element, the results were astounding when we were proficient. The key is practicing and training regularly so that the commands become second nature. In the military, orders are typically given in two parts: the preparatory command, which gains your attention and readies you for action, and the command of execution, which tells you when to act. An example is when a drill instructor wants a group of recruits to move from one place to another: “Forward, march!” In this case, forward is the preparatory command, and march is the command of execution. When these words are spoken, or perhaps yelled, the Marines know what they are supposed to do and when they are supposed to do it. This also works with horses. To begin leading, I stand at the pony’s shoulder. The preparatory command is “walk,” and the execution command is “on.” Initially, the horse will not know what you are asking with the cue and will simply stand there. That is OK at the beginning. When the horse does not move, I will tell him to move by applying pressure on the lead rope. As soon as the horse moves, release the tension. If you are consistent with releasing pressure, your horse will quickly learn that “walk-on” means moving with you without stress. If you are inconsistent with the release, you will teach him to rely on pressure to move, which means you will constantly be pulling, which is no fun for anyone. I use the “Ask then Tell” method with my animals. If the ask does not work, I tell them what will happen. Another way to describe this is FEBRUARY 2022 • C & C PUBLISHING, INC. ©2022

CPR – cue, pressure, and response. The cue is the ask, pressure is the tell, and the response is what we want our horse to do. Our goal is to remove the tell, or pressure, as quickly as possible to have only the cue and the response. If the horse moves past your shoulder, the first thought may be to pull back on the lead, and I try not to at first. In the beginning, it is normal for the animal to move ahead; after all, that is what you have just asked it to do. The horse is just trying too hard, which is much better than not trying at all. As we progress together, we will both find the happy medium where we are both moving at the same rate, side by side. The finished product is us moving together with an utterly slack rope. There should be no pressure on the lead as we are both moving alongside each other. We will get to that goal much quicker if we take the time to get the first steps right. Once you are moving forward nicely, it is time to up the ante and focus on refinement. When leading, I want my animals to stay even with their neck at my shoulder. Once we begin packing, we will move that spot behind me. If the horse should go past my shoulder, I can ask him to get back with a verbal "back". If that does not work, I can give the lead a bump to slow him up just a touch. Every horse is an individual and has a different threshold for the amount of “Tell” they respond best to. I find the personality differences between my girls fascinating. Ellie is quite reactive and guarded, while Cocoa is much more laid back about life in general. I can push Cocoa a bit, whereas we will suffer for my eagerness if I ask too much of Ellie. Horses and mules are not one size fits all creatures. Each is a beautiful individual that brings a unique set of traits to the party. It is my job to use the appropriate training style to help them realize their potential. A tendency that I had when I started my equine affair was to pull back on the lead to keep my horse in check and beside me. That taught him to rely on that pressure and gave me a sore arm. The horse should be responsible for staying in the proper position. After walking has progressed and is going well, it is now time to incorporate transitions into the mix. Shift from a walk to a jog to a run and back down again. I use verbal cues such as “trot” just before shifting speed to give the animals a heads up that something is about to change. Soon your horse will be cueing into your body signals as you move from one gait to another. Eventually, you will make a change in direction while leading. There are several ways of doing this; I prefer to have my horse move away from me and push him into the turn. This makes him think about my (24) WWW.SADDLEUPMAG.COM

Find Ayla! Ayla is a Leopard Appaloosa mare, and she is the mascot for our “Youth Spot” section featured in Saddle Up! Magazine.

Find Ayla & Win $30! Each month, we hide a smaller image of Ayla within the pages of Saddle Up! Magazine. When you find her, mail us a letter or email us with the page that you “spotted” her on and you will be entered to win a check for $30.00!

personal space, which is important for our continued education. If you pull your horse into you while turning, he does not have a choice but to enter your space, and I don't want that to become a habit. For me, these many words on the simple act of leading a horse are the foundation of everything that he and I will do together. Whether we are on a backcountry pack trip or closer to home, these basic exercises carry over into every part of our lives together. The better our horses become at “follow the leader” on the ground, the better our relationships will be on the trail. Visit our website at: https://www.trailmeister.com/ for more information. You can also find the best-selling book: “The ABCs of Trail Riding and Horse Camping – Essential Knowledge for Trail and Camp” by visiting my page on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3CuErid

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From The Starting Gate INDIANA THOROUGHBRED HORSE RACING NEWS By Megan Arszman | Indiana Thoroughbred Alliance | http://www.indianatb.org/

Fundraising Efforts for Springcliff Farm Fire The Indiana horse racing industry suffered a great loss in early January when Springcliff Farm, Martinsville, was destroyed by an early morning fire. Springcliff Farm was home to Thoroughbred broodmares preparing for a busy foaling season. Some horses were able to be rescued, unfortunately, many were not. Fundraising efforts to help the Cagle family recover and rebuild are still ongoing. Donations are being accepted through GoFundMe (search “Help Springcliff Rebuild”) and t-shirts featuring Springcliff Farm’s logo are being sold, with proceeds going directly to recovery efforts. If you are interested in ordering a t-shirt, you can order and pay online at: https://springcliffstrong.link/or4ebg2

SLEEPY EYES TODD | Standing: Swifty Farms, Seymour, IN (Paddy O’Prado – Pledge Mom, by Wild Rush) More than $2 million earned, Multiple Graded Stakes Winner. SOMBEYAY | Standing: Swifty Farms, Seymour, Indiana (Into Mischief – Teroda, by Limehouse) Multiple Graded Stakes Winner, Earner more than $480,000. SPEIGHTSTONG (ON) | Standing: Midwest Equine & Veterinary Clinic, Trafalgar, Indiana (Speightstown – Song of the Lark, by Seeking the Gold) First foal crop due 2022, Hit Equibase Speed Figure of more than 106 at four separate tracks.

2022 Race Dates for Indiana Grand

The Indiana Horse Racing Commission (IHRC) approved racing dates for the 2022 racing season. Indiana Grand will host a total of 127 racing days with 12 Saturdays set aside for live action. Breeding and Foaling Season Ramps Up Racing is set to get underway Tuesday, April 19 and conclude All across Indiana, farms are busily readying for foaling season Wednesday, November 23, 2022. and breeding season. Most stallion farms are still accepting “We have established a great spot for our racing cards during mares for breeding, especially with new stallions joining rosters the week and wanted to keep those intact, but we also wanted and incentives through the Indiana Thoroughbred Breed Devto accommodate our local racing fans with some Saturday racing elopment Program enticing mare owners. cards,” said Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager The Indiana Thoroughbred Alliance has a list of member farms of Racing. “We feel our racing schedule offers a great balance and their stallions standing. View available stallions online at: that will appeal to a wide range of racing fans in 2022. We want http://www.indianatb.org/category/stallions/ to thank both the Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing organizations for their input and assistance with finalizing the QURBAAN SLEEPY request for dates.” EYES TODD The bulk of the schedule will fall on Monday through Thursday. First post Monday through Wednesday will be at 2:30 p.m. with racing beginning at 3:30 p.m. on Thursdays. A total of six days are dedicated to Quarter Horse racing beginning at 10 a.m. with an additional day set aside for the AQHA Bank of America Challenge Championships coming to Indiana Saturday, October 22, 2022. Five Saturdays will include Thoroughbred racing with Some stallions of note in Indiana: the first set for Saturday, May 7 on Kentucky Derby, historically a AMERICAN PASTIME | Standing: Swifty Farms, Seymour large day of activity for Indiana Grand. (Tapizar – Ryan’s Inheritance, by Valid Expectations) The final Saturday of racing is set for Saturday, October 29 Earner of more than $280,000 lifetime, Graded Stakes Winner. featuring Indiana Champions Day. The event will play host to 10 CALCULATOR | Standing: Breakway Farm, Dillsboro, IN stakes races with purses exceeding $1 million. The afternoon (In Summation – Back to Basics, by Alphabet Soup) card, which begins at noon, showcases the top Thoroughbred Grade 3 stakes winner, First foals born in 2022. and Quarter Horse athletes in the state surrounded by numerous giveaways, contests, and promotions. CHARMING KITTEN | Standing: Breakway Farm, Dillsboro (Kitten’s Joy – Iteration, by Wild Again) Indiana Grand will offer holiday racing programs for Memorial Stakes winner at 3, 4, 5 & 6, First foals born in 2022. Day Monday, May 30 and Monday, July 4 beginning at 12 p.m. QURBAAN | Standing: IN Stallion Station, Anderson, IN The racing season will conclude Wednesday, November 23 with (Speightstown – Flip Flop (FR), by Zieten) a special racing program the day before Thanksgiving. Dates for stakes races next season, including the Indiana Derby, will be Earner of more than $850,000, announced at a later date. Two-time graded turf stakes champion. FEBRUARY 2022 • C & C PUBLISHING, INC. ©2022 (36) WWW.SADDLEUPMAG.COM

eters after foaling compared to control mares. Interestingly, DHAfed mares had greater uterine echogenicity scores. Low echogenicity is generally related to increased estradiol, which induces edema and estrus behavior, so researchers expected lower scores as mares readied for re-breeding. No treatment effects were observed for the other parameters evaluated. Researchers concluded that “supplementation with DHA during peripartum may benefit uterine involution process and odds of early conception.” “This research adds to the emerging volume of work that indicates omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA, is a useful nutritional supplement for broodmares,” explained Catherine Whitehouse, M.S., a nutritionist with Kentucky Equine Research. Studies in other species show omega-3s have beneficial effects on reproduction by modifying prostaglandin synthesis and metabolism, and by regulating genes integral to uterine function. “The source of omega-3 fatty acids is important. Choose a highquality supplement that delivers DHA directly, such as marinederived EO-3,” Whitehouse advised. *Ferreira, J.R.D.M., S.B. Villela, C. Bianconi, M. Ormieres, G.D. de Melo, G. Pugliesi, and A.A.D.O. Gobesso. 2021. Uterine involution of mares supplemented with dietary algae-derived omega-3 fatty acids during the peripartum period. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 106:103733. Kentucky Equine Research is an international equine nutrition, research, and consultation company serving horse owners and the feed industry. Visit www.ker.com

Omega 3 and Foaling Mares By Kentucky Equine Research Staff | https://ker.com/ When compared to cows, ewes, and sows, mares experience a short interval between birth and their next heat cycle. After foaling, the uterus undergoes involution, a process that reduces uterine size, repairs uterine tissues, and restores the uterine environment to a nonpregnant state. Supporting uterine involution is critical because the 11-month gestation of the mare often makes it difficult to maintain every-year foaling, which is typically preferred by commercial breeders. In a recent study, researchers set out to determine the effects of feeding DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid, on uterine involution in the weeks after foaling.* Eighteen pregnant mares were used in this study. The mares were assigned to one of two groups, a treatment group in which a microalgae rich in DHA was fed daily at 0.6 g/kg body weight or a control group. The treatment was fed from 90 days prior to the expected foaling date until seven days after first postpartum ovulation. Otherwise, the mares were fed similarly to maintain moderate to moderately fleshy body condition, including access to Bermudagrass pasture and a commercial concentrate at a rate of 2.2 lb/day before foaling and 4.4 lb/day after foaling. Reproductive health parameters were ascertained through rectal palpation and ultrasonographic examination, including uterine and endometrium diameters, intrauterine fluid, uterine tone, and uterine echogenicity. Echogenicity measures the ability of a tissue to reflect an ultrasound wave. Mares fed the DHA-rich supplement had smaller uterine horn diam-

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EQUESTRIAN NEWS BRIEFS

4-H YOUTH IN ACTION AWARDS It’s that time of year again – time for all 4-H youth ages 15-19 to apply to be a 2023 4-H Youth in Action Award winner! Now is the chance for 4-H’ers across the nation to tell us how they’re impacting their communities through service and leadership. Four selected recipients will each earn a $5,000 scholarship and an opportunity to serve as a national youth spokesperson. The 4-H Youth in Action Program recognizes four confident young leaders with diverse backgrounds and unique perspectives in our core pillar areas: agriculture, civic engagement, healthy living, and STEM. Each year, Pillar Winners will experience an exciting year of telling their 4-H story and celebrating their leadership. Winners receive: • $5,000 higher education scholarship • Opportunities to showcase their 4-H impact story • All-expenses paid trip to National 4-H Council event • Networking opportunities with 4-H celebrities and other prominent alumni • Recognition as the official 4-H youth spokesperson for their pillar Learn more about the application process at www.4-h.org and set your calendar to apply by March 28, 2022.

erce Committee, to hold hearings to advance the PAST Act of 2021 on Capitol Hill. The letters also encourage Congressional leaders to engage with the American Horse Council for expert information and potential testimony. The bill has overwhelming support in both the House and Senate (247 cosponsors, 50 cosponsors respectively). “The PAST Act addresses the practice of soring horses. The soring of horses includes various actions taken on horses’ limbs to produce higher gaits that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness. More specifically, the bill expands soring regulation and enforcement at horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions, by establishing a new system for inspecting horses for soring. In addition, the bill increases penalties for violation” commented Julie Broadway. An identical bill was passed by the House on July 25, 2019 in the 116th Congress. The American Horse Council will keep members and the industry up-to-date on any and all developments. For more information, find the AHC at: https://www.horsecouncil.org/

A RECORD $115 MILLION BACK TO 27,000 CUSTOMERS, MARCH 17, 2022 St. Patrick’s Day will feel even luckier this year for GreenStone Farm Credit Services members. The GreenStone Farm Credit Services board of directors has approved $115 Million in patronage dividends to be paid to its 27,000 member-owners on March 17th, of 2022. This record-level of patronage, nearly 45% of GreenStone’s net profits, brings total patAHC URGES IMMEDIATE CONGRESSronage payments to $720 Million over the IONAL CONSIDERATION OF THE 17 years of the program – that makes 2022 “PREVENT ALL SORING TACTICS ACT” Lucky 17! (PAST ACT) OF 2021 “We are so excited and so fortunate to be American Horse Council President, Julie sharing these profits with our customers,” Broadway, recently sent letters to House said GreenStone President and CEO Dave and Senate leadership of committees of juri- Armstrong. “As a member-owned coopersdiction on the “Prevent All Soring Tactics ative, our success is a direct result of our Act” (PAST Act) of 2021. members’ strength and commitment. Along More specifically, the letters urge the Sen- with ensuring financial stability to being a ate Commerce, Science, & Transportation partner for our members, returning these Committee, and the House Energy & Comm- earnings to them is one of the many key benFEBRUARY 2022 • C & C PUBLISHING, INC. ©2022 (38)

efits we can provide to affirm our commitment to them.” GreenStone has always been committed to seeking additional ways to provide added value to customers and stockholders. This program makes the cooperative unique, as it is a financial institution that not only is truly competitive in interest rates and sound in capital, but also hands back a significant portion of the interest its members have paid to them. This year’s patronage check back to them averages 1.25% of their loan balance. In addition to the dividend return to members, GreenStone will also be showing appreciation through GreenStone’s Member Grown Outreach program, with a total of $20,000 in donations given to local organizations and charities. To connect our members to our effort to strengthen our support of the local communities, money will be directed to groups based on member votes at their local branch. “We’re honored to have earned this level of trust from our farmers and rural consumers in Michigan and northeast Wisconsin,” Armstrong said. Though Patronage Day is taking place on March 17, he added, “It’s not luck; it’s our commitment to do everything we can do to support our members.” The ability to provide this value of cooperative partnership is a result of strong loan growth, operational efficiencies, and members’ continued commitment to their own personal and businesses obligations, which all lead to these strong net earnings. The cooperative continues to build and grow for the future in support of its members. GreenStone continues to diversify the company portfolio by increasing involvement into country living and rural homeowner products and services. GreenStone members are invited to visit their local branch on March 17 to participate in the Patronage Day celebration. For more information about the Patronage Program, visit our website: www.greenstonefcs.com

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EQUESTRIAN NEWS BRIEFS

20TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON, IEA HITS ALL-TIME MEMBERSHIP RECORD The Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) is celebrating their 20th Anniversary Season which runs July 1, 2021 to May 1, 2022. This season officially marks the largest membership season in IEA history with more than 14,135 active members nationwide riding and coaching Hunt Seat, Western and Dressage. Since its inception in 2002, IEA has experienced a steady growth in overall membership until the beginning of the pandemic (2020-2021) which saw a significant drop in membership due to cancelled collegiate and secondary school riding participation as well as other national shutdowns. Despite the extreme challenges brought on by the Coronavirus, IEA was able to successfully conduct a full show season in 2020-2021 which included over 900 individual horse shows and three National Finals over the course of 11 months. “We are delighted to announce this bounce back in membership numbers for our 20th Anniversary year,” says IEA Executive Director, Roxane Durant. “In past seasons, we have hovered near the 14,000 mark, but this is a significant milestone for IEA to exceed that benchmark number. We are so appreciative of our riders, coaches and contributing members who have stuck with us during these trying times and those that have returned to participate in 2022, our celebratory year.” “One of the upsides of the pandemic, if you can say that, has been the significant increase in social media engagement with our members,” says IEA Director of Marketing, Kimber Whanger. “Because so many of our riders were forced to be online this past year – we found new ways to engage, educate, and inspire riders to become more involved in IEA and their equine communities. We can't help but think this effort has had a direct effect on this year’s membership surge.” IEA offers affordable riding opportunities for student athletes in grades 4-12 using a

draw-based competition format whereby riders do not need to own their own horse or tack. IEA show hosts provide horses for every level of competition from Beginner walk-trot through Varsity Open. Riders compete on teams and as individuals, accruing points throughout the season to qualify for regional, zone and national competitions. For the first time ever and as part of their 20th Anniversary season, IEA will host a combined National Finals with all three disciplines: Hunt Seat (Flat and Fences); Western (Horsemanship, Reining and Ranch Riding); and Dressage (Test and Dressage Seat Equitation) on April 28 - May 1, 2022 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. IEA Membership is open year-round for riders, coaches, teams and show officials with most regular season shows happening between August and February. Registration for the 2022-2023 season will officially open in May 2022. Visit us online for more details at: https://www.rideiea.org/

SHAWNEE STATE FOREST EXPANDED BY MORE THAN 1,200 ACRES! Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Director Mary Mertz announced that the Shawnee State Forest will expand by more than 1,200 acres. ODNR's Division of Forestry acquired the property with a federal partnership grant through the Forest Legacy Program. The 1,252 acre tract in Scioto County is approximately 75 miles south of Columbus and 65 miles east of Cincinnati. The land, located near Shawnee State Park and The Nature Conservancy's Edge of Appalachia Preserve, is now part of the state forest. This purchase will allow ODNR to partner with the Buckeye Trail Association and reroute a section of the Buckeye Trail off the road and through the wooded area. In addition to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service's financial support provided with grant cost-share from the state, the Ohio Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, and the Ruffed Grouse

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Society both contributed funds to support the acquisition. To learn more visit the ODNR website at: www.ohiodnr.gov

GET READY, GET ON YOUR MARK, AND GO FOR 2022! This is the time of year to apply for the YEDA scholarships. One of the major reasons for YEDA is to offer scholarships to students in the equestrian field. Just like any youth sport we want to see student athletes pursue their dreams, whether it be in college, in an apprentice program or professionally. YEDA is here to promote that dream. $1000 McHugh Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat Dealership Senior Achievement Scholarship One (1) $2,000 Senior Scholarship, and One (1) $1,000 Junior Scholarship from Ross Junior and Senior Scholarships $1000 Lakota Of Ohio Senior Achievement Scholarship $500 YEDA Scholarship for EWD Riders $1500 (winner) and $500 (runner Up) YEDA Founders Leadership, Senior Achievement Scholarships The due date is April 1st and the finalists and the scholarship award winners will be announced and presented at the National Championship Show. The winners will receive the award and a certificate in recognition of outstanding achievement. YEDA Scholarship Incentive Fund Program 2021-2022 The YEDA Scholarship Incentive Fund was designed to provide a vehicle for competing members to grow their continuing education dollars based on their own individual performance. Dollars collected from members are placed in the designated YEDA Scholarship Incentive Fund account and coupled with additional scholarship contributions. Funds will be awarded to graduating seniors based on the cumulative number of points earned during the years in which the member was enrolled in the YEDA Incentive Fund. Learn more about scholarships that YEDA has to offer by visiting our website at: http://showyeda.com/ WWW.SADDLEUPMAG.COM

Keeping Farm Dogs Healthy By Valley Vet Supply | https://www.valleyvet.com/ Our dogs are often by our side as our best companions, watching over us without even being asked. They selflessly just do, and they are more than deserving of the same protection and care in return. He went to open the gate toward another pasture on the family’s South Texas ranch, and his dog Hilda, an Australian shepherd, would not let him take another step – soon, he learned why. Underneath a tumbleweed-like shrub known as Barba De Chivo, was a rattlesnake. “Hilda kept me there long enough that when I made my way to the gate, the rattle snake was gone. She was protecting me,” recalled President of Valley Vet Supply, Omar Hinojosa. “She was always with me and was my second set of eyes, watching over me – we had some very protective mama cows. Our dogs are always there for us, and we owe it to them to shield them from any potential health risks.” For key dog health advice, we turned to Paul DeMars, DVM, DABVP, clinical associate professor at Oklahoma State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, who said especially for ranch dogs, “The biggest risks are parasites and tick-borne illnesses, of which most are preventable. There are great, easy-to-use and cost-effective preventatives for heartworm, flea and tick control, and parasites.” Risk No. 1: Heartworm disease Transmitted by mosquitoes, heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease affecting a number of mammals. Dr. De Mars warns, “With heartworms being spread by mosquitoes, dogs that spend more time outdoors will get more mosquito bites.” Heartworm risk remains throughout the year, as mosquitoes will shelter from the colder months indoors or other protected areas. Dr. DeMars said, “Every dog should be on a year-round heartworm preventative.” Heartworm preventatives can cost an average of $10 per month, compared to heartworm treatment, which can cost more than $1,000 or the priceless cost of a dog’s life. Make sure dogs never miss an annual heartworm test and keep them on a heartworm pill to protect against the risk. Unlike other worms that are detected in a fecal sample, heartworms are detected through a blood test in a yearly, scheduled veterinary exam. Ensure heartworm testing is included in your pet’s annual exam with your veterinarian, as the earlier heartworm disease is detected, the better the chances for survival, should your dog test positive for heartworms. Early on, most pets do not demonstrate symptoms, but as heartworm disease progresses, infected dogs may develop a persistent cough, fatigue, decreased appetite and weight loss. Dogs with increased numbers of heartworms are at risk for cardiovascular collapse, as the worms suddenly block blood flow within the heart. Risk No. 2: Fleas and ticks Fleas can transmit harmful bacteria and tapeworms when ingested during a pet’s self-grooming. Fleas also cause anemia and intense itching in pets. Some dogs may also develop flea allergy dermatitis, which results from an allergic reaction to flea saliva. Like fleas, ticks also transmit harmful bacterial pathogens. One of the most dangerous and common tick-borne infectious diseases in dogs includes Ehrlichia Infection, which can cause lameness, eye issues such as blindness, neurological problems, weight loss and swollen limbs. “The most commonly recognized sign is low blood FEBRUARY 2022 • C & C PUBLISHING, INC. ©2022

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platelets (colorless blood cells that help blood clot), which then cause bleeding if the platelets are low enough,” warned Dr. DeMars. Among other diseases, ticks also transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease. It could take as long as 21 days for a pet to show signs of disease. In the case of Lyme disease, it can take as many as five months before signs become recognizable. Watch pets closely for changes in behavior or appetite, if there is any concern they have been bitten. Common tick- or flea-born disease symptoms: lethargy, weakness, fever, enlarged spleen or lymph nodes, weight loss, gum discoloration, joint pain, swelling or stiffness of joints. There are several types of flea and tick control products, including oral or topical medications, powders and sprays, collars, or shampoos and dips. “While older topical products exist, newer products are even more effective. New Seresto collars are safe for dogs and cats and have a repellent activity, as well. Nexguard and Simparica are excellent at stopping fleas and ticks. The disease prevention way out pays for the cost,” said Dr. DeMars. Risk No. 3: Intestinal parasites There are many different types of worms in the environment that can affect our dogs. Regularly deworming with a wormer that is specifically developed for dogs is the safest option to relieve their parasite burden. The four most common worms in dogs are Hookworms, Roundworms, Whipworms, and Tapeworms. Hookworms attach themselves to a dog’s intestines and generate thousands of eggs within days. Your dog can come in contact with them just walking through contaminated grass and soil. Signs include diarrhea, weight loss, poor coat, slow growth , dehydration. Roundworms thrive in contaminated soil and feces and are often found in young puppies, as well as adults. Signs include diarrhea, blood in stools, weight loss, poor hair coat, vomiting, lethargy, swollen stomachs and even colic. Whipworms reside in infected soil and especially present risks when dogs dig in the dirt. Signs can include severe diarrhea, weight loss, bloody or mucous-covered stools, blood loss, dehydration, anemia, or worse. Tapeworms can be seen caught in a dog’s fur around their rear. Often, they are transmitted through fleas, as the flea ingests the worm larvae and then the dog ingests the flea; they are also transmitted through infected soil. Signs can include diarrhea or bloody stool, change in appetite, poor coat and weight loss, abdominal pain, and scooting (less common). (40)

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Dr. DeMars also shared the importance of arthritis acknowledgement and prevention. Watch for signs of arthritis like limping, abnormal posture, reduced activity or mobility, decreased muscle mass or abnormal grooming, as arthritic pets often lick, bite or chew on painful areas. “The older pets get, the more likely they are to have arthritis problems; however, arthritis can occur earlier in life and happen at any age,” said Dr. DeMars. “Do not wait until your dog has a serious arthritis problem to discuss the issue with your veterinarian.” “Sometimes, people have a misunderstanding they have to wait, but if an animal is no longer moving or rising as well as they once were, there are effective medications their vet can prescribe to help with mobility issues. Even if they think it is just normal behavior from aging, like a change of attitude, appetite or mobility, bring it up with your veterinarian. It never hurts to say, ‘What do you think about this, Doc?’” Special diets such as Purina Pro Plan Joint Mobility can support aging, arthritic dogs; joint supplements also help improve mobility. “We’re lucky to have many more tools available today than when I was growing up, so we can give our dogs the best in preventive health care,” said Hinojosa. “We can take steps to keep them healthy and happy so they can live out as many days as possible alongside us on the ranch. They are part of the family.” Visit veterinarian-founded Valley Vet Supply at www.ValleyVet.com for your every pet, livestock or equine need, including: prescription pet food, medications, wormers for dogs, treats and more. Continue learning with health tips and more for your animals large or small at www.ValleyVet.com/education.

Drop the Feeling of Failure By Kim Cardeccia | https://confidencethroughconnection.com/ Owning a horse can be a beautiful, wonderful thing. There can also be those moments when we feel like we are not getting anywhere. We can feel like we are failing. It happens to all of us. Feeling confused, uncertain, or frustrated. Because our horses are so important to us, they have the ability to take us on quite the emotional journey. Here are a few ideas and tips for those days that are far less than ideal. One of the reasons that I am sharing them here is because when we are facing a challenge, we often feel isolated. As if everyone else is experiencing wild success with their horses and we are not. Most likely, if you are reading this, you are not working with your horse in the present moment. That is fabulous! Doing a little mental and emotional groundwork before we extend invitations to our horse will be very helpful in influencing the quality of time we spend together. Practicing how to guide our thinking when we are away from our horses will build a habit so that it is easier to do when we are with them. A powerful starting place is to remind ourselves of what we are seeking in working with our horse. Not necessarily the goal in the moment, but the overarching “why” that guides us. The north star that keeps us going. For many of us, it is that desire for a true partnership with our horse. We want a bond built on trust that allows for heartfelt connection. When we get back in touch with these reasons, it allows us to be a better listener. We can observe what our horse is telling us through FEBRUARY 2022 • C & C PUBLISHING, INC. ©2022

Teaching An Equine Focused Mindset Confidence Coaching & Counseling

Kimberly Cardeccia, MA LPC 517.898.5094 ConfidenceThroughConnection.com Compassionately partnering with horses to heal both horse and human, Hidden Promise uniquely offers opportunities for empowerment.

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their body language and behaviors. We can think about what they are experiencing and ponder how to help them feel more secure or understand better. These are two of the biggest reasons horses do not accept our invitations. As we stand rooted in what we are seeking with our horses, we can then look at the specifics of the task or goal at hand with an open mind and heart. If we define success as moving toward building trust and partnership with our horses, it becomes less important how quickly we complete tasks. We move even farther away from the trap of demanding compliance or feeling like a failure because we do not get that compliance. When we are rooted in what is most important about interacting with our horses, we can have a softer attachment to a goal. When we soften that attachment, we can drop the weight of feeling like a failure. This brings our focus away from the problem and directs it toward the solution. It also allows us to feel lighter, more optimistic, more hopeful. More like a success! I am always appreciative of the opportunities horses give us to become better humans. A message they repeat to me often is to hang on to what matters. From this vantage point, the perception of the problem changes, and a solution can emerge. Permission granted to drop the feeling of failure. Your horse will thank you for it! Kim Cardeccia is a Licensed Professional Counselor who has loved horses for as long as she can remember and has over 35 years of horse experience. She combines her professional skills with her passion for horses in order to help individuals surpass the mental and emotional blocks that continue to limit their experience of life. Visit Hidden Promise online: www.ConfidenceThroughConnection.com (41)

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Colic For Christmas By Paula Stevens | Former MSU Horse Mgmt. Program Student Let us talk about owning livestock and dealing with holidays, a topic that I am sure has been covered but does not hurt to be mentioned again. There are no such things as real days off or holidays when you have livestock relying on you to take care of them. Oh sure, you can pay someone to watch the animals for you so you can get away, but even then you are just one phone call away from potentially having to cancel and come home early for an emergency. I am not one who likes to have a whole lot of down time, so working on off days and holidays to take care of the horses in my charge does not bother me, but others might not feel the same way. Maybe you would like to just be able to get away for a weekend here and there but every time you check your calendar, an animal colics or dies, or sticks a leg where it doesn’t belong. This Christmas was my first Christmas away from my family and I spent it working on one farm, while watching another farm. I had plans to go to a friends house from church for lunch and those plans were quickly cancelled when a horse decided it would rather spend the day colicking. I did not send out text messages and phone calls full of “Holiday cheer”, instead they were full of status updates and instructions from the veterinarian and various members of the team of how the mare was doing. I checked her every half hour, administered meds when needed, and kept the veterinarian updated, and in between that I checked horses at the other farm and treated weanlings, brought mares up to go under lights and put more haybales out in pastures that needed it. I had a frozen dinner for Christmas dinner and called it a night. Was I devastated because Christmas did not go how I had hoped it would have? No, mildly disappointed, but not devastated. Why? Because it could have gone so much worse than what it did, the mare’s condition could have worsened and she either would have needed to go to the clinic or could have died and lost the foal that she’s carrying. The horse has recovered and is good to go back outside because it was caught early and treated in a timely fashion, you could call it a Christmas miracle if you wanted to. Those who do not own livestock or work on farms would read this and probably think to themselves “thank God I don’t have to deal with that” and that is fine because this is not a lifestyle that is cut out for everyone. It is brutal with brief moments of awe and beauty, but brutal is how I would describe it. Animals get sick, break legs or flat out die and at some point you have to just compartmentalize it all and move on to the next animal in need or job needing to be done. There is time to cry and be upset about it later, when you are done for the day and can let it all out. The thing that makes the biggest difference when dealing with livestock during holidays or any day really, is the attitude you choose to take. I could have either sulked over a “ruined Christmas” or I could choose to celebrate the fact that the mare passed three piles of manure, had an increased appetite, drank water, and did not want to go down anymore by the end of the day. I can celebrate the fact that I was not having to call managers to tell them either she goes to the clinic or gets put down because her condition worsened. I was able to breathe a sigh of relief because she was so much better. Was it the Christmas I wanted, no, it was not a Christmas anyone wants to deal with. It was just another day in farm life. Livestock does not quit or take days off or decide to do things at a more convenient time just because we want to go to dinner or hang FEBRUARY 2022 • C & C PUBLISHING, INC. ©2022

out with friends. We adjust our schedules to meet their needs, it was a contract we signed when we chose this way of living. I do not regret for a minute choosing to work in the horse industry or on a horse farm, and I am not mad about how Christmas turned out either. Paula Stevens is a graduating student from Michigan State University, manages blog and Facebook page CitifiedCowgirl, as well as manages and operates CitifiedCowgirl Photography. She is currently employed at Silver Spurs Equine in Oklahoma. https://citifiedcowgirl.wordpress.com/

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From “Unwanted” to “United” changing the way we think about horses. Source: United Horse Coalition | https://unitedhorsecoalition.org/ Since its inception in 2006, the United Horse Coalition (UHC) was created with one goal in mind – to create a neutral coalition and safe setting, in which all organizations within the equine industry, no matter their background or role, could discuss the plight of what was then known as the “unwanted” horse population. The coalition was tasked with bringing everyone together to create programs and initiatives to help the “unwanted” horse population, including those at risk for export and potential slaughter. The mission of UHC continues today, including a recent name change from the “Unwanted Horse Coalition” to the newly branded “United Horse Coalition” – a better reflection of the need to change the way in which we discuss the equines who need our help the most. In the age of social media, words can mean everything, and we understand the importance of conveying the right message. With that in mind, a movement has been started in which the “unwanted” horse has now become the “at-risk” horse, or one in “transition.” To further define these words: AT-RISK: An equine that has an increased possibility of experiencing a situation of neglect, abuse, or general poor welfare. IN TRANSITION: Any equine that is currently in transition from one home, vocation, opportunity or owner to the next. Throughout its lifetime, most horses will have multiple homes and owners. Often, these horses find themselves in transition due to no fault of their own, rather as the result of a change in the owner’s circumstances (time, location, finances, need, etc.) Although these horses are considered at-risk, or at a transitional point in their lives, there are options available to them: For a variety of reasons, there comes a time in many horse owners’ lives in which they are no longer able, physically, or financially to provide care for their horse. Sometimes the horse is very much wanted, but an owner’s circumstances do not allow them to keep their beloved horse. It is important to note, that not all horses at-risk or in transition have suffered from neglect and/or abuse. Owners may become ill, or have a change in their financial capability to care for a horse. A rider may outgrown their horse both in size and skill, and in turn a horse may also be better suited for a career change depending on age, temperament, and soundness. It is incredibly common for various reasons for a horse to change hands frequently throughout their life. *If you find yourself in a situation, in which you want to keep your horse, but need temporary assistance until you can get back on your feet physically or financially, there are various safety net programs available to help. Please visit UHC Safety Net Programs and Resources at: https://unitedhorsecoalition.org/database Horse owners should feel a moral obligation to make sure their horse in transition ends up receiving proper care and treatment. Legally, as a seller, you must share anything important you know about the horse’s behavior and physical condition. If the horse is healthy and of a reasonable age, it is always best to find a suitable new vocation, owner, or home, rather than have to euthanize the horse. On the other hand, if the horse is old and not in good health, or suffering, then the most humane decision may indeed be euthanasia – this is a decision between you and your veterinarian. FEBRUARY 2022 • C & C PUBLISHING, INC. ©2022

In most cases, there are four options available to owners: sale, donation/gift, surrendering to a rescue/sanctuary, or euthanasia. The options available to you may be based on the health, soundness, age, training level, and temperament of your horse. Some options have strict criteria for qualification; not every horse is suitable for every job. Fore more information, visit our Resources for Owners section of our website at https://unitedhorsecoalition.org/ Owning Responsibly: The United Horse Coalition is a broad alliance of equine organizations that have joined together under the American Horse Council to educate the horse industry about the issues facing horses at-risk or in transition. We seek to provide information for existing and prospective owners, breeders, sellers, and horse organizations regarding the long-term responsibilities of owning and caring for horses, as well as focusing on the opportunities available for these horses. Our Mission: Through industry collaboration, the UHC promotes education and options for at-risk and transitioning horses. Join the Cause Today! Our members are the heart and soul of the United Horse Coalition, and they are the driving force behind the work we do. As a collaborative effort, it’s important that the United Horse Coalition be comprised of many different organizations that can come together as one collective voice to help at-risk horses and those in transition. We cannot support and sustain the wonderful work UHC does without its members!

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Horse Products for Valentine's Day By Lisa Kiley | https://www.cashmans.com/ When you love horses, there are quite a few things that are way more fun to get than chocolates and roses for Valentine’s Day. Even though they might be practical, there is nothing that makes a horse person happier than getting something for their horse or for their barn. So, whether you want to get something for the horse you love, need an idea for the ones you love who love horses, need to leave a hint out for your partner to find, or even treat yourself to a special Valentine’s Day gift, here are our top 10 suggestions for the horse lover in your life: 10. Buckets of Love – This one is not even going to break the budget, how about giving your farm a quick facelift with new buckets? Consider getting buckets in your barn colors or a different color for each horse. Buckets filled with horse treats (or other small items) make a great valentine for the young horse lovers in your life. 9. Horse Enrichment Products – Show your horses you love them with some fun boredom busters. This time of the year can mean more time in the stall or less ride time, but you can help break the time up by adding stall snacks, slow feeder balls, and even adding a mega ball to the outdoor or indoor arena to engage their curiosity. 8. Stall Gates - The addition of stall gates to a barn provides several benefits. Increasing ventilation and sunlight, some gates will also allow the horse to put their head out for socialization and enrichment. Your horse will feel the love and appreciate the extra face time with his stable mates. 7. Stable Organization – It is shiny and silver and she will LOVE it, but it’s not diamonds or jewelry. Most horse people have plenty of tack, so what better gift than something to hang and organize all their prized possessions? Saddle racks, bridle hooks, blanket bars are all great suggestions. Rolling carts and baskets are the crown jewel of the collection! 6. Load Dumper – If you have not heard of this handy wheelbarrow (that is so much more than a regular wheelbarrow) you need to check it out. It comes in a couple different sizes and allows you to dump the load of manure or whatever you put in it with the ease of one hand. There is even a hitch option so it can be pulled with a lawn tractor or ATV. 5. Stall Mats – While not the sexiest gift on the list, this one may be the agreed upon ‘barn gift’ for horses and humans. Well placed stall mats are great for your horses and will make stall cleaning easier every day. Want to make the job easier? Throw in a few Mat Movers that will make them much easier to move and adjust. FEBRUARY 2022 • C & C PUBLISHING, INC. ©2022

4. Mud Grids – Mud is miserable, mud grids provide an easy solution and will help keep your horses legs and your new boots clean this winter into the spring. Put them around your gate areas, feeders, and loafing sheds. They are easy to install and can be moved where you need them most. 3. Hay Elevator – It may be winter now, but we will be putting up hay before you know it. Make that job as easy as can be with a new hay elevator. There are lots of options in length and if you already have one, think about adding a transport kit or a bale chute. As a bonus, they come in RED! 2. Round Pen – There are few gifts that can top this one! A round pen is one of the best training tools for horses and has many different uses from groundwork to riding. Get a versatile round pen that is made of horse safe panels and can be moved and expanded as needed. A 60' round pen is a great size for most uses. This is the perfect time to invest so you will be ready for starting horses this spring or getting your horse back to work after a long winter. 1. Spread the LOVE – We saved the best for last! While manure is not very romantic to think about, manure spreaders are often top on the list for horse lovers of all backgrounds and disciplines. It is something that you can use daily to make chores and manure management a breeze at the barn and it is something you will love having for years to come. For more information on these wonderful valentine’s gifts for the horse lover in your life, you can find us on Facebook or can visit our website at: https://www.cashmans.com/ Lisa Kiley is a lifelong horse enthusiast who has worked in the equine industry and shown horses for many years. She is also a proud member of the Cashman’s Horse Equipment Team located in Delaware, Ohio. Cashman’s Horse Equipment has been proudly providing top quality products to the equine and agricultural community for over 40 years, with a commitment to sourcing environmentally conscious merchandise and items made Lisa Kiley and her in the U.S.A. horse, Cotton (46)

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Saddle Fit Do-Over By Julie Goodnight | https://juliegoodnight.com/ Assessing your tack – in terms of its condition, fit to the horse, and appropriateness for the horse’s discipline and level of training – should be ongoing, but doing a thorough assessment should happen at least once a year. For me, New Year’s Day is the time I like to plunge into my horse’s saddle fit, consider what goals I have for the upcoming season, and plan for any changes I need to make. My Quarter Horse mare, Annie, is going to be 15 years old in 2022. It is a big leap away from prime time, landing her squarely in middle age (and there’s no need to discuss the middle-aged spread we all experience). Let’s just say that with every year of a horse’s life, its body undergoes significant changes. This year, my evaluation of Annie’s saddle fit revealed that it is time for me to make some major changes. Annie is small, very short-coupled, and round as a 55-gallon barrel. At 14.0 hands, she is the perfect size for me, and being shortbacked and quick-footed makes her super-fun to ride. Even though Annie is round, she is still a very little horse – a pony, really. She is also quite short from withers to loins, presenting additional challenges with a Western saddle. Low withers, short-backed, small stature, round barrel – these are the challenges I face in finding the best saddle fit for her. Because her withers are not prominent and her physique is rotund, her saddle is always prone to slipping – no matter how tight the girth. This has been her nemesis since she was a youngster, and she is grown quite weary of being cinched up tight. In the past few months, I have seen increasing resistance from her when I am saddling. I can tell she dreads it. She bows her back, steps backwards, and makes sour faces, which make her opinions quite clear. These changes in her behavior made me suspicious, so I scheduled my vet for a thorough examination of her back. Dr. Casey Potter is a performance horse and lameness specialist, who treats world champion horses for lameness and structural unsoundness – including the spine. I was tremendously relieved when Dr. Potter found no signs of soreness or abnormalities in Annie’s back, giving me confidence that her spine is strong and healthy. Still, I knew that my saddle fit needed improvement, because a tight girth was clearly creating her discomfort. She was telling me she had reached her limit, and resentment was building. My first step was to re-evaluate her saddle fit, starting from scratch. First, I set the saddle on her back without a pad or cinch and pressing down from the top, I slipped my fingers under the bars of the tree, running them down her back from front to rear, feeling the amount of contact the bars of the tree had with her back. As I suspected, the bars were not making even contact down the length of her back and it was bridging, causing pressure in the front and rear, but not in the middle. My next step was to try various small bridging pads that are designed to adjust for the contours of the horse’s back that cause the bars of the saddle tree to bridge. I have been using a shim pad on Annie for years, to mitigate asymmetry and bridging, but it was beginning to look like that wasn’t sufficient anymore. The short shoulder pad seemed like the right shape for her back, but it was too big for her compact frame. FEBRUARY 2022 • C & C PUBLISHING, INC. ©2022

Whether a horse is short-backed, long-backed, hip high, sway backed, thin of flesh or prominent of withers, it can affect saddle fit. Depending on the length and shape of the horse’s back, the bridge pad, shoulder bridge pad, or long shoulder bridge pad may help improve saddle fit. Throughout this process, it became increasingly apparent to me that the fit problem was less about the shape of her back and more about the length of my full-skirted Western saddle. That’s not an easy pill to swallow when I have a tack room full of fabulous saddles, but improving Annie’s saddle fit means buying a different saddle. My full-skirted Monarch with a 16” seat is simply too long for her short pony-type build, and the bridging is related more to the saddle length than any dip in her back. The Wind River saddle, of all the saddles I designed, is for just this sort of situation. It has got the eye-appeal of a classic Western saddle, the same close-contact, comfort features, and functionality of the Monarch, but with a rounded skirt that significantly shortens the overall length of the saddle to 27 inches. Conveniently, I am of small stature, too, so I will order a 15 1/2” seat (which is big enough for me) to help shorten it even more. I guess both Annie and I will be getting a late Christmas present this year! Like many things in the supply chain these days, saddles are in high demand and low supply, so I know I need to order now, to enjoy my new saddle this summer. This saddle comes in three colors, but personally I prefer the natural oil over walnut and black, because it eventually turns to a beautiful mahogany patina, which accentuates Annie’s deep red color. New Year’s is also the time of year I like to plan for the upcoming riding and training season – while there’s plenty of time to get organized, leg-up my horse, and invigorate my training plans. This year, my husband and I have an ambitious schedule of clinics and versatile ranch horse competitions we want to attend. Although my role will be more as a groom and coach rather than as a competitor, I still need my little mare to be fit, happy and comfortable in her tack. Far better to bite the bullet now so I have time to order the saddle, get it fitted, and for her to get comfortable in the new saddle before the busy riding season begins. In the meantime, the snow and cold has driven us indoors to ride, and since I am without a well-fitted saddle, I have decided to focus on riding bareback until my new saddle comes. Surprisingly, riding in the bareback pad also gives me the opportunity to train the habitual cinchi-ness out of Annie. Even though the bareback pad girth is soft and never pulled tight, she is still resistant when I go (50)

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SERVING MICHIGAN, OHIO AND INDIANA through the tightening motions – more evidence that it’s an ingrained habit and not a true reaction to pain. As I slowly snug the soft girth of the bareback pad, if she tenses and bows her back up, I gently send her forward in a circle around me, one way then the other, waiting for her to relax. After just a few days, already one behavior is replacing the other and when she begins to tense, she then relaxes and steps forward. By taking the time to work through her resentment now, by the time my new saddle comes, I am hopeful this habit will be long gone. Of course, riding bareback will also help my riding skills. Honing my balance, building core strength, and increasing my endurance are just a few of the benefits of riding bareback, and these are all essential to staying strong as a rider, particularly as I age. It helps me stay in better riding shape from using my abdominal and leg muscles more, and most importantly, it hones my balance on the horse. Remember, balance naturally deteriorates as we age, so riding bareback is a good way to combat aging! On some days, I shed the bridle and ride Annie bareback and without the bridle, with just a neck rope. This brings a refined subtleness to my riding and cueing that seems like pure connectivity. It is harder work for the horse without the bridle, since she must pay rapt attention to my cues so as not to miss something. But it brings us together and makes our shared language more fluent. Now that I have bitten the bullet and made the decision to buy a new saddle for Annie, I am excited about it and I can’t wait to try it out. I am working on my patience too, since it will be a couple months before my new saddle arrives. In the meantime, riding bareback makes my indoor arena seem much bigger than it really is, and I am confident that I am improving my stamina and balance. FEBRUARY 2022 • C & C PUBLISHING, INC. ©2022

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February 2022 Saddle Up! Magazine

Articles inside

Norma Agnew Memorial Show

Michigan Horse Expo 2022

News Briefs: Equine Related

Association/Trail Riders News

Kiley, Lisa: 10 Essential Products

United Horse Coalition News

Bronson, DVM: Shockwave Ther

IN Horse Racing: Megan Arszman