Horse Country 5-14

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High School Rodeo Graduates of 2014!

JUDITH VOTH PHOTOGRAPHY.

Clydesdale Conformation

ISSUE 5•2014 Display until September

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Despooking – Part #2 Dealing with Navicular Disease

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Features 4 Welcome with Tara Reimer 11 Never Too Old 12 Horses Are My Therapy 14 Safe, Effective & Fun 16 Youth Enjoying Their Horses 26 High School Rodeo Graduates of 2014 31 Horses in Life’s Biggest Moments – Graduation

Hello fellow horse enthusiasts!

By Patrick Collins

By Tara Reimer, Cloud 9 Ranch

HEALTH & TRAINING

6 Clydesdale Conformaton 8 Dealing with Navicular Disease 18 Despooking – Part #2

By Monty Thomson

By Dr. Chris Bell BSc, DVM, MVetSc, DACVS

By Jennifer Mack

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NEWS & DEPARTMENTS

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Marketing & Editorial Manager: Tara Reimer

Advertising Art: Dana Jensen Subscriptions: shawn@sgbennett.com

ON THE COVER: Elle Branfield a recent graduated from Morden Collegiate (Morden).Ella is holding her hands out to her two horses, Quincy (red roan) and Charlie (her rescue horse). PICTURE TAKEN BY JUDITH VOTH PHOTOGRAPHY.

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20 Office Politics ~ with Diamond Doug Keith 21 Equine Canada 24 Saskatchewan Reined Cow Horse Association News 33 Upcoming Events 33 Index to Advertisers 34 Subscription Information

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Hello fellow horse enthusiasts!

My heart goes out to all of those affected by the above normal rainfall amounts that wreaked havoc on our roads, bridges, and land at the end of June. Even in eastern Manitoba there was water in places we have never seen it stand before! Our show season is short enough and now competitions were cancelled, extra miles driven because of washed out roads, and less riding hours because of either no where dry to ride or too busy cleaning up! And yet, it could be much worse.

With 2014 graduates on the loose I am excited to feature some from High School Rodeo. Without a doubt, it is a valuable association changing lives for the better. The personal stories of the graduates are filled with gratitude for the volunteers and families involved, as well as the scholarships awarded for the hard work put in. Although I am not directly involved with High School Rodeo, I also commend the volunteers, organizers, hosts, sponsors and parents for supporting such an association that does so much good for the youth! You are an integral part of their lives.

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Attention graduates! I have been thinking a lot lately about how something can seem too big for us and yet when we overcome those fears of the unknown, by trying it, it’s not so bad and can be quite enjoyable! We offer vaulting and gymnastics on horseback, at our facility and have been using a 16.1 HH gelding Arnie and 15.3 HH gelding Blair or Guido. Arnie’s size intimidated vaulters until they rode him and found it quite enjoyable and not so scary after all. It amused me to see the vaulters’ reactions with our recent purchase of 18 HH Belgian gelding Pete. Now Arnie seemed so small and Pete was overwhelming to them! They all overcame their fears and thoroughly enjoyed the extra space and consistent trot of Pete, allowing them the confidence to stand and maneuver quite easily abroad the broader back. Funny how their perspective changed!

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Some of my students experienced the same fears when considering horse showing for the first time. Our grassroots competitors quite enjoyed the Miami Fair and found it to be an excellent venue for learning with the opportunity to actually place and earn trophies and ribbons! Now the local fairs feel more comfortable to show at so CWHA shows are the next step for them. So long as we gradually progress at a comfortable pace, some of these students may stay involved long enough to become competitive at National and World show levels.

I am proud to say that one of my first students from many years ago, Quinn Brandt, was at the AQHYA Youth World Cup in Texas July 3 to 13, competing for Canada for her second time. (Coverage of the event will be in our next issue.) It is true that is takes a community to raise a child just as well as it takes a community to raise a World champion! We all play a part in planting a seed, watering, weeding, nurturing, pruning, and protecting the youth of our future! Not one of us is expected to do all these things and not every seed grows to be an oak tree, however, just like a gardener, it is gratifying to do all we can to watch the youth take on their own bloom and impact the world around them in a special way only they can.

I encourage you to recognize the people in your life that have impacted you in a positive way and then pay that forward by encouraging those around you! It is incredibly gratifying to know you made a difference, for the good, in someone else’s life.

For the horse’s sake,

Tara Reimer

Editor and Marketing Manager y

VAULTING

CLINICS

LESSONS

TRAINING

JUDGING

BOARDING

LET YOUR DREAMS

SOAR

REGISTER

TODAY

SPACE IS LIMITED July 21-25 Beginner Rider Day Camp – Sign Up August 18-22 Intermediate Rider Day Camp – Sign Up August 30 – CWHA show here, Day 1 of Southern Tour

For more details visit: cloud9ranch.ca TARA REIMER 204-392-6308

September 26-30 CHA Standard Instructor Certification Clinic – Sign Up August 17 deadline to register for Fall lessons that begin the week of September 15th for 10 weeks.

AT CLOUD 9 RANCH, we’re all about the horse so our teaching and training reflect a deep love and respect for this powerful animal. Whether you are a beginner, wish to brush-up on a few skills, or want to take your riding to the next level, we have a well-rounded program to fit your interests and goals.

Tara Reimer, CHA, EC CERTIFIED, 2013 CHA INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR CLOUD 9 RANCH, STEINBACH, MB

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Clydesdale CONFORMATION

By Monty Thomson The Clydesdale was developed in the early 18th century when two breeders, tried to breed a heavy horse specifically suited to heavy industrial farm work. They had tried to do this by crossing imported Flemish stallions with strong, heavy, but relatively small, native mares (shires) of the area; the Clyde valley in Scotland. Thus how the new breed was named. The Clydesdale is noted for its high-stepping and showy action, which makes it one of the most elegant heavy horses.

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The Clydesdale Horse Society of Great Britain was formed in 1877 and its American counterpart in 1879, with a stud book published the following year with over 1,000 Clydesdale stallions registered in the first volume.

The Conformation of the Clydesdale Horse Uniformity of type has long been a marked characteristic of the Clydesdale and there is no breed of heavy horse so famous for its quality, cleanness of joints, hardness of bone, cleanness and correct setting of hock and length and slope of pastern, whilst as for action, the Clydesdale is unrivalled.

The general appearance of the Clydesdale can be assessed whilst the horse is standing in the optimal position of supporting itself equally well on each leg. The Clydesdale is also observed when in motion, at walk and trot.

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The height of the Clydesdale horse should range to over 17 hands. When the horse is fully matured it should be evenly balanced. Viewed from the side, the body should show plenty of depth and from the front or rear should appear broad and thick. The depth of the body, through the chest and length of leg, should be approximately the same. Such proportions allow the Clydesdale’s weight to be used to the best advantage.

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Quality in the horse is manifested especially in the bone, skin and hair. As well, the general conformation should indicate a degree of superiority. The bone of the Clydesdale should be hard and dense, with strong, compact cellular structure. The hair or ‘feather’ down the back of the cannon is an indication

D HEALTH w of the quality of the bone, and should be long, fine and straight.

Reference: An article printed in August 1928 by the CCHS in their “Horse News Annual” in relation to a description of the Clydesdale- it was found in 1982 in the Mitchell Library, Sydney, by Ian S-K. These Breed Standards were approved by the Federal Council in September 2001 Big and animated with correct, balancedconformation and movement, that is what people look for when shopping for hitch horses. I will give you a few of my thoughts on the horses in these photographs. I seldom buy an animal from photos, but they can help direct you to where you may find something that will suit your needs. A photo doesn’t show you the horse’s movement, temperament, or character.

Gelding number 1 looks to be a good sized horse with a nice turn to his top. His hind leg looks to have a nice set, but appears to be a bit puffy in his right hock. His wither looks to be a bit flat and front legs set too wide for nice fluid motion.

Gelding number 2 looks to be a youngster that stands on a lot of leg, with a nice high wither. He has nice depth although he appears a bit flat in his rib which will make it harder for him to look attractive at a long show or at a series of shows without time to fill up in between.

Gelding number 3 strikes me as a horse that would be quite active on the move. He is a nicely balanced horse that could have a little more set on his hind leg and a little higher hock.

Monty Thomson raises Clydesdale Horses and Shorthorn cattle south of Gladstone, Manitoba. Since 1992 he has been raising Clydesdales at Hatfield with nine nice foals this spring. He has judged from Pennsylvania to Los Angeles, and San Diego with several shows in between plus the CNE in Toronto and the Calgary Stampede. q

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Gelding 3 would be the first horse that I would go to see if I was looking for a hitch horse based on these photos. I would expect that he would look quite attractive on the lead of a hitch with a horse of similar type.

Gelding 1 looks like a horse that would have the top and substance to do a lot of work or attend several shows and maintain his condition well. Perhaps he would not have the fluid movement of the other two geldings mentioned here. So I placed these Clydesdale geldings 3-2-1.

Apply your judging skills at the next local fair or Clydesdale show this summer!

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How would you place these horses based on what you see, what you know and what you have read here?

Gelding 2 would be my second stop, although a horse of a different type. I would expect that he would fit in the swing or the wheel of many hitches quite well.

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DEALING WITH

Navicular Disease

Dr. Chris Bell BSc, DVM, MVetSc, DACVS

Navicular disease is a degenerative condition of the navicular bone and soft tissues in the back of the foot. Over the years there have been many names given to the condition including navicular syndrome, podotrochlitis, caudal heel pain or foot pain. The current accepted vernacular for the condition is caudal heel pain.

Although a diagnosis of ‘navicular disease’ can be devastating to hear, there are options to treat your horse and in many cases, with some work, these horses can return to athletic work.

When we talk about navicular disease, we are dealing with a large number of structures that are located in the back of the foot (Figure 1). It is not as simple as saying the navicular bone is damaged or inflamed. The navicular bone is an anatomical fulcrum – it functions to provide a smooth pivot point from the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) to travel over the back of the foot and insert onto the bottom of the coffin bone (P3 bone). The DDFT is very tight and puts pressure against the navicular bone as it courses over the back of the foot. If the heels are low and/or the toes are long, then the force exerted by the DDFT against the navicular bone increases. This is a simplified ideal of the situation but helps to illustrate the function and possibility for dysfunction of the navicular bone.

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Figure 1

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occur. This may be from an overextension or a medial/lateral imbalance, twisting or torqueing of the foot. The research to date has not advanced enough to determine exactly how the disease begins, but a soft tissue injury in the back of the foot is thought to occur before the changes to the bone that we see on the xrays begin to appear.

Diagnosing Navicular Disease The diagnosis for navicular disease consists of several important procedures. First, a thorough history should be taken and then the horse will be palpated over all the limbs and back. A hoof tester exam is performed. This is where the vet will pinch on the bottom of the foot with a set of instruments called hoof testers.

Horses with navicular pain or caudal heel pain will often flinch when the testers are applied over the frog and sometimes the heels. The horse will be evaluated at a trot in a straight line and both circles on a lunge line. If a forelimb lameness is identified, then the process of nerve blocking would begin. With lameness, the goal of the veterinarian is to isolate lameness to a specific area of the limb. With caudal heel pain, the first nerve block performed (palmar digital nerve in the front legs) will usually drastically improve the degree of lameness. Many horses will then switch to a lameness in the opposite limb. Unfortunately, navicular disease is often present in both front feet. There are specialized pressure tests and partial nerve blocks that may be performed to help determine the exact location of a lameness (such as a specific collateral ligament injury) but those are often skipped as they require a revisit of the patient at a later date and often do not add to the diagnosis and treatment plan. Once the limb has been ‘blocked to the foot’, then the diagnosis moves to imaging of the foot beginning with xrays.

Xrays and MRIs Courtesy University of Missouri and modified by Dr. Chris Bell

When conformational unsoundness, farriery, genetics and injury collide, we have the making for inflammation and degeneration of the navicular bone and all the associated soft tissues. In most cases of navicular disease, a soft tissue injury is first thought to

The more common soft tissue injuries seen on MRI are DDFT tears, impar ligament strains and tears, suspensory ligament of the navicular bone strains and tears and collateral ligament of the coffin joint and navicular bone strains and tears. There are other structures which can be damaged as well but those are the main ones we see on MRI. When there is injury and early

Figure 2

When treating a horse with caudal heel pain, the simplest change to make is shoeing/farrier work. The goal of the farrier is to decrease the tension on the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) during movement and decrease the pressure over the navicular bone where the disease exists. Many horses that are diagnosed with caudal heel pain can be improved by shortening

The next avenue to explore when treating these horses is anti-inflammatories. Since caudal heel pain results from inflammation/injury of the structures in the back of the foot, we can modify the degree of discomfort with medications. The standard anti-inflammatory offered is phenylbutazone (Bute).

Bute is an excellent anti-inflammatory for musculoskeletal pain and works well in mild to moderately affected caudal heel pain horses. There are some side-effects to chronic Bute use including gastric ulcers. Not every horse will develop gastric ulcers, but with that concern, there are some alternative options on the market. Firocoxib (Equioxx/Previcoxx) is an anti-inflammatory that has been gaining popularity as it has a more specific enzyme activity and is thought to decrease the side effects of Bute while providing similar anti-inflammatory/ pain suppression qualities. Other anti-inflammatories used are banamine (flunixin meglumine), anafen (ketoprofen), metacam (meloxicam) and others. The typical first line treatment for horses diagnosed with caudal heel pain is therapeutic shoeing and anti-inflammatories.

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Treatment Options

or squaring the toe. The goal behind this is to create an early point of breakover in the stride. By creating an early breakover point, this decreases the tension on the DDFT. Another technique used, in combination with creating an early breakover, is to elevate the heel with a wedge (either a pad or wedged shoe) or by working to establish more heel wall. By lifting the heel, this decreases the tension along the DDFT over the navicular bone.

There are a myriad of shoes designed to specifically treat caudal heel pain and a whole article could be dedicated to shoeing recommendations. The current starting point recommendations in my practice are to shoe the horse in a wide webbed, full fitting, flat shoe with a rolled toe and early breakover and extend the heel by ¼ inch. As your farrier work is very important in treating these horses, ensure your veterinarian and farrier work together to find the best options for your horse.

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degeneration of these soft tissue structures, the blood flow to the foot increases. Increases in blood flow in response to inflammation results in dilation of the blood vessels. As these dilated vessels push against the base of the navicular bone, the bone begins to resorb in response and we get the pathognomonic ‘lollipop’ lesions seen on xrays at the base of the navicular bone (Figure 2). These are the most common finding on xrays in horses with navicular disease. This also results in inflammation of the navicular bone itself and we see this on MRI. In some horses, there is injury to suspensory ligament of the navicular bone. In response to this strain or tear of the ligament the body attempts to stabilize the injured area. The body does this by mineralizing the ligament to help prevent further movement of the injured ligament. These are seen on xrays as ‘spurs on the wings of the navicular bone’ (Figure 3). Occasionally, there will be avulsion fractures of the impar ligament at the base of the navicular bone as well but these are generally only seen on MRI. The other main findings that might be seen on xrays are arthritis of the coffin joint, irregular or scalloped margins of the navicular bone.

Sclerosis (hardening) of the navicular bone and loss of the cortex on the flexor surface of the navicular bone. Xrays are limited to problems with the bone. In order to diagnose soft tissue injuries, MRI or ultrasound must be employed. Ultrasound of the foot is possible but is not very sensitive for picking up small tears and limited in the scope of the area that can be examined through the bottom of the foot. MRI is the gold standard for evaluating the foot for injury.

Figure 3

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When the first line treatments fail, the next step your veterinarian will often suggest is to administer anti-inflammatories directly into the joints/bursa affected – the coffin joint and navicular bursa.

These are called joint injections or intra-articular injections. The goal is to squelch the inflammation in the foot and provide a better degree of soundness for a period of time. The anti-inflammatories used are often corticosteroids such as methylprednisolone (Depo-Medrol or similar) or triamcinolone (Vetalog, Kenalog or similar). Other steroids also can be used. These are powerful anti-inflammatories that block the inflammation production in the region they are injected. The choice of navicular bursa versus coffin joint injection may be guided by a veterinarian’s preference, clinical signs (coffin joint effusion) or based on a specific diagnosis (MRI, contrast CT, or ultrasound based). With joint injections, the joint or bursa is sterilely prepared and the injection performed in a sterile manner. There is a small risk of joint infection and many veterinarians will include a small amount of antibiotic with the injection. The steroids generally take about 1014 days to produce noticeable improvement and you can generally expect between 3-12 months of soundness depending on the severity of the disease. An important caveat to navicular bursa injections is that the xrays should be closely evaluated to ensure that a flexor cortex lesion is not seen as research indicates that those horses will not respond to injections and should be retired rather than continued in athletic work.

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There are numerous other medical treatments out there for caudal heel pain. Some of the more common treatments are hyaluronic acid (HA, Acid etc.), Tildren (Tiluronic acid) and shockwave therapy. Hyaluronic acid is a joint medication that is injected into the joint or given intravenously to help decrease inflammation of the synovial lining of the joint as well as provide some support to the joint fluid. It can be combined with steroids in the joint/bursa injection or can be used alone in the joint or administered intravenously. Tildren is a human osteoporosis medication that gained popularity about 3-5 years ago for use in horses with suspected navicular bone resorption lesions as a result of inflammation. The medication works to suppress bone loss and thought to decrease inflammation as a result. It is administered either IV or by regional perfusion into the foot.

Tildren can be effective if used in very specific situations but can be very expensive and ineffective if not appropriately used.

Shockwave therapy aims to provide pain relief and increase healing of tendon and ligament injuries. It is applied directly over the heels and coffin joint as necessary and repeated at 2-3 week intervals for 3-6 treatments.

More recently, regenerative medicine or biologics have begun to be used in horses with various caudal heel injuries and inflammatory conditions. These include stem cell therapy, platelet rich plasma therapy and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein

(IRAP) treatments. Most of these therapies remain unproven in the treatment of caudal heel pain but can be used successfully in specific cases to target treatment of specific lesions or conditions.

In my practice, we have had success with the use of biologics when combined with rehabilitation programs and targeted treatments.

Surgical Treatments There are some surgical options for horses with caudal heel pain. The main surgical option discussed is a neurectomy. This is a procedure where the nerves supplying the back of the foot are severed and sensation removed. This will generally produce soundness in the foot, however, there are some drawbacks which make this option a salvage procedure that should be reserved for when medical management fails. The main drawbacks are the horse could sustain injury or infection in the foot and not alert you to the problem until it’s too late, rupture of the DDFT, neuroma (painful post-operative complication) and nerve regrowth – usually over 3-5 years. Once nerve regrowth occurs, second neurectomy becomes very difficult or not possible. This option can provide pain relief but generally only for a 3-5 year period of time. Horses can perform athletically, however, careful monitoring is required and can be discussed with the surgeon. Recent MRI research has also given some more definitive timelines for the length of time soundness can be expected following neurectomy and this can be discussed with your surgeon as well.

There have been some recent advancements in the surgical management of particular lesions in caudal heel pain. Surgical debridement of DDFT adhesion between the navicular bone and the DDFT within the navicular bursa has shown some promise as well as transection/cutting of particular ligaments of the navicular bone may be an option for some horses. An MRI or contrast CT diagnosis is often needed for these cases.

Conclusions By whatever name it is known, caudal heel pain or navicular disease is a chronic condition of the foot that results in pain and performance limiting lameness in the horse. It most commonly affects the forelimbs only and can appear to be a ‘shoulder’ lameness. Accurate diagnosis is very important and consists of a thorough exam with appropriate imaging (xrays to begin with). The treatment options are good and can produce a sound, athletically useable horse for many years to come following an initial diagnosis in most cases. If all options fail, surgical removal of sensation to the feet can allow for a 3-5 year period of pain free life to allow for retirement or modified athletic work.

Research on the causes and treatments for this condition is constantly evolving and there is hope for even better outcomes in the coming years. v

R E V NOEO OLD T

By Patrick Collins Once we seniors had made the mental leap that convinced us to try riding lessons, we asked a knowledgeable friend who suggested an instructor. We contacted her, watched a lesson for older ladies (all of whom were younger than me), and then made an appointment for a lesson. Or rather, for our FIRST LESSON! So some days later, on a weekday morning, we arrived at the stable. The first thing I noticed were two horses tied to what looked like a fence, but was actually a hitching rail. What I remember most is that one of the horses looked bigger than I had expected, and the other one was much bigger. Not like in the movies.

But this was really Hélène’s day, so here is her experience in her words.

Well, the horses were enormous. The smaller one was assigned to me, which was something of a relief. She was beautiful, and I had right away a strong sense of this being an individual ready to interact with me. We were shown how to groom a horse and told to go ahead and do it. Just the prospect of touching such a big animal up close was daunting. I kept wanting to say ‘But I don’t know her!’ And the feet! I was going to pick up a horse’s foot and not get hurt?! Somehow knowing that other people did it all the time did not mean that I could do it too. I had a silly belief that only people who knew the secret of handling horses could do this. But time to get the saddle pad and saddle on – an incredible amount of time was spent correcting the placement too forward, too back, too far left, too far right.

pommel, cinch… My favourite is ‘off billet’ – sounds like a name made up in Australia. Mercifully our instructor bridled them for us the first time. Watching this, I was thinking ‘what in the world makes this large animal want to cooperate to the point of opening its mouth and getting a metal bar put in there for us?’

The cues and signals for making the horse go, stop and turn were explained and seemed simple enough until it was time to do it – then it seemed like everything was happening at once, and what seemed simple was suddenly very complicated. Thank goodness these horses did not do anything suddenly. I have wondered how lesson horses put up so patiently with know-nothing humans giving them wrong signals and confused signals, over and over. I am told they are tired after a couple of hours, and no wonder!

We walked the horses – that felt wonderful. We stopped them – reassuring. We turned them on the rail – what a sense of accomplishment! We even, with a lot of apprehension on my part, jogged a bit before the lesson was over. I couldn’t believe we were doing this so soon. I was over the moon. I was also very stiff and had muscle soreness in places I won’t mention. A small price to pay to be over the moon! j

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And what’s up with all the names for saddle parts: latigo keeper,

Next was to lead the horse to the arena. ‘Go ahead, hold her like this, she will stay beside you.’ Just like that. I was still not over the strangeness of a large animal doing what I wanted. And then of course, after tightening up the cinch and walking around the arena and tightening it again and getting the tightness checked by the instructor, there was no more delaying tactic available – it was time to get on! This took a leap of faith that the horse would not take off with me hanging from a stirrup or half way on. The amazement of sitting on the horse for the first time, holding the reins, supposedly in charge of this animal, is something I can still feel vividly. I think young kids take in new experiences much more readily and ‘go with it’ with much less resistance than a ‘mature grandmother’, and surely advance much faster in lessons.

However – I consider the sheer wonder at what I was doing to be my reward for waiting 50 something years for this first lesson.

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somehow four feet got cleaned and I was not kicked. Next was

Now with the perspective of hindsight, I think one of the key points about horses, and why horse people keep saying horses are social animals, is that horses like their familiar humans, like being around them and doing things with them and for them. If they didn’t, I don’t know that any of it would work.

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Horses

Are My Therapy

Animals have always been a passion of mine. They have been constant, loyal, non-judgemental companions throughout my life. Growing up with a disability I was often misunderstood. I struggled to relate to people because I often felt that they judged me because of my disability rather than who I actually was as a person. I found acceptance from animals, most recently horses, who are some of the most gentle creatures I have had the privilege of spending time with.

If possible, therapeutic horseback riding for people with disabilities should start at a very young age. My mom was told riding would be beneficial to me, as a confidence builder, but also for helping me with my balance issues, and to support proper muscle strengthening and toning. Unfortunately, I was not able to continue riding during my childhood. However, almost three years ago now, I was given the opportunity to get back into riding, and I jumped (in my heart at least) at the chance. I strongly encourage people who are afraid of horses to overcome their fear in order to experience the benefits of horses. Therapeutic riding would benefit anyone who feels overwhelmed with negative thoughts, disability or not, to do what they feel is impossible. Challenges are a part of life but, for a person with disabilities, challenges seem like lifetime barriers.

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People with disabilities have different limitations. Horses used for therapeutic riding need to ignore any cues they are accustomed to responding to. My limitations prevent me from using my legs, and my issues with dexterity make it difficult to handle the reins properly; therefore horses have only my voice commands and body language to rely on, which at times may be confusing to them. Horses should be professionally trained to remain calm and patient regardless of the rider’s ability to guide them.

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There are many different kinds of disabilities. Each one should be assessed for the individual rider’s personal needs. The setup that works best for me is a set of sturdy stairs with a platform and high railings on both sides to hang on to for balance. Using a surcingle atop a thick pad, instead of a saddle, allows my body to move naturally with the horse and it relieves pressure, that I would otherwise feel, because I have difficulty positioning my feet to comfortably fit in the stirrups. Whether riding is taking place outside or in an indoor arena, make sure the sand is as level as possible and there are no tripping hazards. I require the assistance of two people to hold my hands while walking up the

stairs of the platform as I climb onto the horse. While one person ensures the horse stands still, the other person needs to help push my right leg the rest of the way over the horse, because I’m not able to lift my leg very high or wide. Getting off requires the same assistance in reverse.

Personally, therapeutic horseback riding symbolizes happiness and freedom, especially freedom from the difficulty of my daily life. Cerebral Palsy affects each individual differently. My muscles in my legs and thighs are very tight the majority of the time. This makes sitting on a horse extremely painful, but so worth it, for the few days of pain free and loose muscles I get afterwards. For those few days I feel like I can conquer the world. The benefits of horseback riding far outweigh the pain and discomfort. For me, it is an emotionally and mentally calming experience. The sense of accomplishment I feel after riding is very rewarding and most importantly brightens my day. I look forward to my next riding day with joyful anticipation. q

We are giving away a $5,700 Butet saddle at the end of September, 2014.

Custom built, custom fitted, French made saddle of the highest quality.

Spend $200 in our store on a single visit gets your name in the draw.

Get an additional ticket with every increment of $200 purchased.

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Westgates Horse & Country 5421 Portage Avenue Headingley MB R4H 1H8 Ph: 204-897-0740 Fax: 204-897-0741

Issue 5•2014 |

You can accumulate chances by purchasing throughout the summer.

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SAFE, Effective &

By Tara Reimer, Cloud 9 Ranch

In order to keep people, especially youth, involved with horses, we need to reduce risks to keep people safe, we need to educate so that time spent with horses is effective and we need to keep it fun! Each issue we will provide a safety tip with pictures, an educational piece and pictures of youth enjoying their horses.

For Safety, Secure Your Horse when Bridling or Haltering

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It is extremely important to always have control of your horse at all times, especially when changing from halter to bridle or vice versa.

ALWAYS have a set of reins or a lead rope around the horse’s neck so you can grab a hold if they lift their head up, turn away

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or go down to eat. Many times I see people quickly removing the halter or bridle without the horse being secure, as seen in picture 1. In that split second, especially at a show or outside, a noise grabs their attention, they lift their head and free themselves from your grasp! Off they run! A loose horse is not safe so take the extra second to secure the horse first.

Even slipping the halter off and then over the neck is not safe as there is that moment when they can lift their head away from you. When using English reins simply unbuckle the reins to place them around the horse’s neck, while the horse is still tied and haltered. Then buckle them again and keep them close to the head so you can grab for control if needed, as seen in picture 2.

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Proper Placement of a Western Saddle Pad As seen here, often western saddle pads are placed too far back on the horse’s back, covering more of the hind end than the

shoulder. Most saddle pads have a stitching around the edge and so when placed this far back, pressure is placed on the edge of the pad where there is no padding. Even worse is when the saddle tree pushes on the edge of the padding within the pad creating a pressure point. When a pad is too far back and the pad is stiff, the pad will push into the horse’s hip and create pressure there.

For proper placement of your western saddle pad, first place the pad high up on the horse’s neck and then slide it so that the front edge of the pad is two to four inches ahead of where I am showing final placement to be here. This is so the pad doesn’t slip back on its own before you get the saddle on three to four inches back from the front edge of the pad. Once the saddle is on, slide the pad with saddle into position so that the front edge of the pad

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For the comfort of your horse and better fit of your pad on the horse, before tightening your cinch place your hand under the pad and push the pad up into the gullet of the saddle to create a pocket, as shown.

When doing so, pull the mane hairs sideways so they are not being pulled.

This pocket lessens the pressure over the withers that is created when tightening the cinch and then sitting in the saddle. Not only will your horse appreciate the relief but your saddle will sit better, especially on a poor withered horse.

Issue 5•2014 |

September 13 & October 25

is in the centre of the horse’s shoulder as if you would draw a line straight down the center of the horse’s front leg. The back edge of the pad just needs to keep the back of the saddle clean. If the pad does extend beyond the skirt of the saddle, ensure it doesn’t interrupt the movement of the hip.

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Youth enjoying

THEIR HORSES

Please email pictures of your youth having fun with their horses to tara@cloud9ranch.ca and include a brief description including name of youth and horse, breed of horse and where they are from.

“The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a person.”

~T. Roosevelt

Ava Fargo Ruthven free riding ‘Berdie’ a three year old Clydesdale owned by Fargo Clydes in Langbank, Saskatchewan.

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Sarah Smith won Taffy. One day after she had spent time visiting her and then went to put Taffy back in her pen, Taffy told her what she thought of that! Ninette, Manitoba

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James Wolfe was in a lesson when his QH mare Summers Sassy Lady ‘Daisy’ thought she would rather sit down. She was quite alright and continued on after the photo shoot! James is from La Broquerie, Manitoba.

• Lessons • Training Trailering • Boarding • Coaching for recreational & competition riders www.bluebearent.ca • 204.736.4433 • bfeller@mymts.net

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AUTHORIZED REPAIR CENTRE FOR

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M TRAINING N A desensitization lesson isolating fire, which is mainly visual.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TAIS KULISH PHOTOGRAPHY

DESPOOKING PART #2

By Jennifer Mack In this second article I will explain how I like to organize my desensitization lessons. This method has worked well for me and I hope it may be of use to you.

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No two horses respond to stimuli in the exact same way. One horse is more likely to respond negatively to noise, another to tactile touch and yet another may be sensitive to things behind it.

I have found that organizing and isolating stimuli cannot only help your horse learn to cope with it, it also helps the person know what to expect when their horse spooks at something. A few horses may be sensitive to nearly everything, in which case they may not be well habituated in general as discussed in the first article, and thus lessons should progress very slowly.

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Assessing how your horse perceives its environment can give you insight about how to help it become more confident.

Currently, I categorize and isolate stimuli by breaking them down into these groupings based on their natural senses; Noise, tactile, spatial, visual, balance, smell, and energy. I realized that horses that had a tough time becoming solid police mounts were likely to be highly noise sensitive. In addition, I began noticing that even our quietest horses were sensitive in one way or another and had specific things that bothered them.

The first type of stimuli is noise or sound. All horses react occasionally to noise. They jump forward, look around and usually as the noise ceases they settle in again as if nothing has happened. Most horses will react negatively to a novel sound if they are in a state of tension. Horses that are overly

sensitive to noise will not recover to their original state of mind in a reasonable time frame. This stimulus is the most difficult for the rider or handler to control because it usually occurs spontaneously in the environment. I have found horses react mostly to popping, screeching, and hissing noises.

The next type of stimuli is tactile (touch). Horses may become tense when touched with something unfamiliar. They may kick at something that touches their leg unexpectedly such as a back cinch that becomes loose and dangles about. If a horse is truly hypersensitive to tactile stimuli it will require a number of sessions for it to learn to accept the feel of different materials.

I am very careful that the sessions go slowly and smoothly, so that the horse will look forward to being rubbed with the stimuli.

Some examples of tactile stimuli are; branches, blankets, clippers, and plastic bags.

Horses tend to want to know where they should be in relationship to everything around them. Certain horses feel more claustrophobic then others do, which makes them more responsive to spatial surroundings. These horses are likely to get distressed when anything rushes into their protective space. The size of the area that the horse is protective about varies with each horse. If your horse gets troubled riding in an arena around other horses, with bicycles zooming past on a trail or if a vehicle parks close, your horse is likely concerned about his personal space.

Equines are incredibly aware visually because self-preservation requires it. They pick up quickly and astutely when you buy new

M TRAINING N

ground poles that are a different colour, an object has a reflective quality to it or if the paint on the road has been refreshed. They tend to gawk at obstacles on the ground and become unsettled when asked to move from bright sunlight to dark areas. It is advantageous to notice if your horse reacts to stimuli that is low on the ground, under his chin, overhead or near his tail. These areas represent blind spots in which objects are harder for the horse to discern.

A number of horses are more inclined to be afraid if they feel off balance. This is something to think about for trail riders or anyone competing in obstacle courses. Setting a foot on something that moves or is squashy sometimes causes a scrambling panic.

They may not have much confidence negotiating steps or steep inclines.

Less frequently, horses may be disturbed by a bothersome smell.

Some smells are downright offensive such as fish markets, smoke, or sulfur. Certain animals will elicit an odor that bothers horses such as coyote, pigs, or bears.

All horses have a great ability to change. To facilitate this change, if the stimulus is offered in smaller doses, it is typically more successful. In the next article I will tackle how to set up a desensitization session with tips for success and pitfalls to avoid. y

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A large percent of the stimuli that one may use during a desensitization session may combine multiple categories of stimuli. It is helpful to spend some time contemplating the root area that your horse could use the most help. If you first tackle trouble areas, you can address the other areas more simply.

One example was a Portland police horse named Ceader who, though one of the most level-headed horses around, was not

fond of large plastic banners, the type of banners that protesters use during a demonstration or that you might see at a parade.

Banners were not novel to him and he did not have a specifically negative experience with them. Tight spaces in the trailer, rushing through gates and things overhead were also problematic. He didn’t care at all about being touched with plastic. So this was not a tactile problem, this was a spatial problem and an issue visually with the blind spot overhead. Ceader didn’t like to feel trapped or cornered and the large banners made him feel this way. If I had assumed the problem was tactile I would not have addressed the root issues.

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High energy may key horses up. Most horses respond to the energy of a situation or place. Some are more acutely aware of the energy around them particularly if the energy is tense or heavy.

Adding firecrackers to the barrel, combining the stimuli of fire and smoke with noise, makes this lesson more challenging.

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Office Politics Copyright Diamond Doug Keith, 2014

I had a sneaky horse once Who never did play fair Constantly up to dirty tricks Of course she was a mare She would kick, push and bite Then act innocent as can be The other horse would wonder Who the heck kicked me

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She would reach over and nip The second horse to the right In a game of Office Politics She played day and night Her target would never know Who bit it on the back And in confusion look both ways She wouldn’t acknowledge the attack

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She’d always push her head Into another ponies pail Eating all the horse’s feed Then wink and wag her tail At the old metal water trough She had to selfishly drink first Squeezing her way through the herd She’d smile and quench her thirst She’d nastily swing and whip her tail Across a young colt’s face Apparently just swatting bugs and flies Though that simply wasn’t the case She had dirty tricks by the dozen And would use them on a whim The herd never caught on to evil ways She’s just as sweet as ever bin

Of course when I walk in the pasture She’d have a look of “What who me?”

And be on her best behaviour So I was sure to see But I had this horse’s number So I nicely sent her down the trail See I’m no fan of Office Politics And I shouldn’t of bought a horse named “For Sale”!

IN MEMORIAM

Canada Loses Top Industry Investor and Businessman – George Tidball Ottawa, ON, June 5, 2014 – The Canadian equestrian community is saddened to learn of the loss of a Canadian equestrian industry icon, George Tidball, who passed away June 3 at the age of 83.

George was born October 4, 1930 in Carstairs, Alberta, and upon graduating high school became a chartered accountant.

Furthering his education at Harvard University in Boston, George became a successful business man with incredible vision.

Recruited several times to work for various companies, George decided to venture out on his own and his first success was bringing the McDonald’s franchise to Canada in 1967. His second restaurant chain was one he created called The Keg (n’Cleaver), which opened its doors in 1971 in North Vancouver.

George and his wife, Dianne, purchased 26 acres of land, and with the same incredible vision and customer service that made them so successful in the restaurant business, they built the original Thunderbird facility in 1973 on a site that housed one of the first Keg restaurants. In 1998, the first Thunderbird Equestrian Centre had out grown the site and was closed down and plans were quickly put in place to redevelop the centre as a much larger venue. In 2000, the Thunderbird Show Park opened its doors at the more spacious location. The 85-acre park features six competition rings, five warm-up rings, three indoor arenas, five covered stables, a golf course and riding trails, and hosts competitions of all levels and disciplines throughout the year.

and treated by George as a member of his family. This is something I have never – or will ever forget,” said Craig Collins, Sport Organizing committee chair, Equestrian, 2015 Toronto Pan American Games, and managing partner of Equestrian Management Group Inc. “George’s contribution to everything he touched made a difference in the most positive way imaginable.

My own father had an odd old English phrase he reserved for only very special people. He would refer to them as a ‘good egg.’

George Tidball was the very best good egg.”

Equestrian sport has been a family passion of George’s for many years. While his daughter Laura was a two-time member of the Canadian’s Olympic Show Jumping Team, his sons were avid ropers and Dianne bred, raised and showed the first British Columbia bred AQHA champion. His daughter, Jane, is Thunderbird’s president and tournament director. b

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“George Tidball will be greatly missed by the equestrian community,” said John Taylor, chair of Jump Canada. “He was a driving force in establishing horse shows at Thunderbird and was a mentor to many. As a patriarch of a great family, his sense of humour was renowned. Jump Canada sends their sympathy and condolences to the Tidball family.”

“Great families have great fathers. In my opinion the entire Tidball family is living proof of this. From the time of my arrival at the old Thunderbird, as an easterner of course, I was welcomed

PHOTO CREDIT - MICHELLE DUNN

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In 2009, George and Dianne Tidball: Thunderbird Show Park were inducted into the Jump Canada Hall of Fame in the category of Builder (organization) for their incredible vision, contribution, and passion for equestrian sports in Canada.

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IN MEMORIAM

Canada Loses Equestrian Supporter, Owner and Business Woman – Dianne Tidball Ottawa, ON, June 27, 2014 – The Canadian equestrian community is saddened to learn the loss of Dianne Tidball, on June 21 at 81 years of age, so shortly after the passing of her husband, George Tidball, also a Canadian equestrian industry icon, who passed away June 3 at the age of 83.

Dianne was born in 1932. In her early years, she attended private school in England where she took riding lessons and fell in love with horses. Dianne and her young children moved to the United States to accompany George while he attended Harvard University.

While there Dianne discovered a new type of restaurant that served fast-food called McDonald’s. Dianne suggested to George that the restaurant be brought to Canada when they moved home.

The first McDonald’s franchise was brought to western Canada in 1967 courtesy of the Tidballs. The family then started a second restaurant franchise, called Keg (n’Cleaver), which opened its doors in 1971 in North Vancouver, BC.

McDonald’s franchise for Canada. It was Dianne who managed the horse shows at the old Thunderbird site in Langley, and when that property was sold, it was Dianne that insisted that she and George buy and develop a much larger acreage, this at a time when most people would be thinking of retirement,” said David Esworthy, past president of the Canadian Equestrian Federation (now Equine Canada) and who judged jumpers, as the president of the jury, for many years at Thunderbird. “Due to her vision we now have Thunderbird Show Park, one of the premier hunter/ jumper facilities in North America. Her vision is now a legacy being carried forward by their four children.”

“It is not surprising that the passing of George earlier this month did not break up this team,” continued Esworthy. “Dianne just moved on to join him. She will be missed by all of us in the sport and long remembered for the tremendous contribution she made to the horse industry in Canada and beyond. It has been an honour to have known her.”

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With their incredible forethought and business acumen, Dianne and George purchased 26 acres of land and built the original Equestrian sport has been a family passion of the Tidballs for Thunderbird facility in 1973, which quickly started to outgrow its many years. While daughter Laura was a two-time member of the location. In 2000, the Thunderbird Show Park opened its doors at Canadian Olympic Show Jumping Team, their son was an avid the more spacious location at 72nd Avenue roper and daughter, Jane, is Thunderbird’s PHOTO CREDIT - THUNDERBIRD and 248th Street in Langley, BC. The venue president and tournament director. Dianne is now one of North America’s premiere bred, raised, and showed the first British show jumping locations, hosting FEI level Columbia bred AQHA Champion. b competitions.

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In 2009, George and Dianne Tidball: Thunderbird Show Park were inducted into the Jump Canada Hall of Fame in the category of Builder (organization) for their great vision, contribution, and passion for equestrian sports in Canada. For the past three years, the Thunderbird Show Park has been ranked among the top three equestrian facilities in North America.

“While we mourn the passing of Dianne Tidball it must be done in conjunction with her recently deceased husband, George. They were a team. It was Dianne who encouraged George to obtain the

Editor’s Note: Many years ago when I was a marketing rep. for HiQual Manufacturing looking for suitable HiQual dealers across BC, I spent some time getting to know the Tidball’s. George was a very kind and joyful man, driving his golf cart around laughing, joking and visiting with people. Dianne was in the office calling out orders to show management as she was focused and determined to pull off a successful event. This couple reminded me a lot of my husband Derek and I. I will forever remember being invited to their home for a fabulous dinner with Jumper judges, stewards and Ian Millar. George treated me with outmost respect introducing me as the HiQual rep., which hardly seemed important in this group of people! I can only imagine how many other lives he touched in a special way treating them with dignity and respect, truly an inspiration! Dianne, without ever knowing it, encouraged me in life as I learned that a woman needs to be a little tougher to be successful in the business world. A lot of great things happened because of this great couple!

Canada Wins Bid to Host 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games

Ottawa, ON, June 9, 2014 – Today, members of the Bromont Bid Committee, along with Equine Canada President Al Patterson and CEO Eva Havaris, are extremely pleased to announce that the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) Bureau has unanimously awarded the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games™ to Bromont/ Montreal as host city, with the Games to be held at the Bromont Olympic Equestrian Park.

This will be the first time in the history of the World Equestrian Games that the prestigious event has ever been held in Canada and only the second time outside of Europe, with the first time being in 2010 in Lexington, Kentucky.

“This is an exciting announcement and a great opportunity for equestrian sport, and will make an outstanding economic impact on Bromont, the province of Quebec, and the horse industry in Canada,” said Al Patterson, president of Equine Canada. “On behalf of the Equine Canada board of directors and members, I would like to thank the WEG Bid Committee for their tireless work and efforts in raising the funds needed to secure the 2018 bid.”

WEG 2018 will be the largest single sporting event ever held in Canada with 4,500 accredited participants, from 65 Countries, with an estimated 500,000 spectators.

The FEI World Equestrian Games are held every four years, in the middle of the Olympic cycle. The eight FEI disciplines are all included on the competition schedule. The inaugural FEI World Equestrian Games were hosted in Stockholm (SWE) in 1990.

Since then the Games have been staged in The Hague (NED) in 1994, Rome (ITA) in 1998, Jerez (ESP) in 2002, Aachen (GER) in 2006, and Kentucky (USA). The 2014 Games will be held in Normandy, FRA, from August 23 to September 7. b

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“This is an incredible opportunity for Canadians to watch the best in the world compete right at home,” said Eva Havaris, Equine Canada’s CEO. “Hosting two major Games – 2015 Pan American Games at the Caledon Equestrian Park and 2018 WEG at Bromont – is a gift to Canadian equestrians that will enhance the industry at all levels.”

“We are thrilled with the decision from the FEI today,” said Paul Côté, president of the Bromont Bid Committee. “We believe that the impact of this event in Bromont in 2018 will be felt for decades to come and will represent a significant time for Canadian equestrians.”

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Already a world-class facility, the Bromont Olympic Equestrian Park currently hosts FEI jumping, dressage, eventing, and driving competitions. The Games will significantly boost the local, provincial and Canadian equestrian communities, as well as the local and provincial economies.

To accommodate the best in the world coming to Canadian soil to vie for the podium in 2018, the Bromont Olympic Equestrian Park will also be expanded and enhanced so the eight FEI disciplines of jumping, dressage, eventing, para-dressage, reining, driving, endurance, and vaulting will have top-notch, world-class competition facilities. This will leave the already outstanding equestrian venue in Bromont as a legacy to Canadian equestrian sport.

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SASKATCHEWAN

REINED COW HORSE ASSOCIATION NEWS The Saskatchewan Reined Cow Horse season is in full swing with three of the seven shows complete. There has been fine food, fellowship and hot competition. We have seen a number of new competitors come out to play and compete with the seasoned veterans of this awesome circuit.

The first show of the season May 10 and 11, 2014 was hosted

by Barry and Brenda Clemens, Beaver Creek Ranch. There was a great turnout and the competition was fierce. The youth competitors were just as tough as the adults, as this great picture of Jaret Farrow shows. Dallas Pole of Diamond Willow Ranch was on hand and took some amazing photos.

Diamond Willow Ranch and Kevin and Dallas Pole, will host the August 9 and 10 SRCHA show at Mortlach, Saskatchewan.

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Then it was on to the OK Corral at Martensville May 24 and 25 hosted by Clint and Krista Kowalski. The sponsors for this

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show were PCS Patience Lake, SCM Ranch, Checkered Flag Automotive and BNJ Ventures Inc. There were High Point Blankets awarded in each division.

Another example of how capable our youth competitors are is Connor Wonko who won both the Junior Horse Four and Five Year Old High Point award, as well as the Senior Youth High Point award at the Martensville show.

June 14 and 15 was the Melfort Show at the Creekside Arena, Melfort, SK, hosted by Ken and Raylene Carlson. Ken and Raylene are hosting another SRCHA show at Melfort July 26 and 27.

Next stop for the SRCHA was Swift Current Frontier Days June 27 and 28.

We cannot thank all the hosts enough for their hard work.

A big thank you goes out to our fellow competitors willing to spend long hours in the saddle to turn back and herd hold, to make sure we all get the chance to have a great run and to the sponsors for these events, they help it make it all happen.

Four shows including the Futurity/Derby in Saskatoon is left to go. All show information is available on the SRCHA website www.reinedcowhorse.net

e

They give us so much and ask so little...

You have provided a lifetime of loving care

for your horse, now we would be honoured to provide the dignified and respectful aftercare that your horse deserves.

Please contact us to arrange for cremation. For more information on our new facility, which houses the only agricultural capability sized crematoriums in Canada.

T: 204-633-6088 F: 204-632-5446 www.preciouspetcremation.com

E: pets@preciouspetcremation.com Entire large animal cremation available.

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Precious Pet Cremation

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We are located in Rosser, Manitoba at Santana Kennels, just north of Assiniboia Downs.

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Congratulations High School Rodeo Graduates of 2014!

The National High School Rodeo Association is an international, non-profit organization dedicated to the development of sportsmanship, horsemanship and the character in the youth of our country through the sport of rodeo. Created by Texas educator and rodeo contestant Claude Mullins, the NHSRA held its first finals in Hallettsville, Texas, Aug. 25-27, 1949. The NHSRA membership consists of over 10,500 members from 41 states, five Canadian provinces including BC, AB, SK, MB and ON and Australia.

Students must be in good standing; not ruled undesirable for misconduct at school. A High School Rodeo Association student member must be under 20 at the first of the National High School Rodeo year, and are or have been enrolled in the 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grade the year just preceding the National Rodeo the contestant is entering as long as they (minimum requirements) have made passing grades in 4 subjects.

Let’s meet some of Canada’s 2014 High School Rodeo Graduates

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Alex Park - 18 years old – Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School in Brandon, MB

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I grew up around horses and rodeo alongside my little brother.

When I was nine I remember I was in a western pleasure class and would rip around the ring as fast as I could, then deciding I should move on to speed events. Graduating high school early and being able to go to HJW equine studies college

and becoming a certified equine therapist is one of my greatest achievements. I started out with 4-H, local fairs and MGRAs, then moved on to barrel racing and high school rodeo which has now led me to move on to Heartland and MRCA rodeos. Not many things non-horse related interest me other than fitness, which I believe plays a huge part in owning horses. I believe us as riders should be in as good physical shape was we wish our horses to be. ‘Blackstar’ an old roping horse, who led me to speed events and my love for rodeo is my favorite horse. He gave me the confidence and persistence that has led me to be the rider I am today. ‘Tommorrow is a new day’. Every time I have a bad day whether it be riding or in rodeo events, my mom is the first to give me a pat on the back and say “Tommorrow is a new day, you win some you lose some.” I appreciate the people the most in MHSRA. There is Always someone wishing you luck, cheering you on and there to give you a hand when needed. MHSRA has given me lifelong friendships and lasting memories. It has taught me to be sportsmanlike, competitive and responsible. I received the finals buckle in Barrel Racing and was also the runner up year end winner in Barrel Racing. I received scholarships from the Cathcart Family, MB Horse Council, Peaceful Valley Pet Crematorium, MHSRA Adult and Student Associations, Weatherby Rifle/Dodge Ram NHSRA, NAERIC and Rollup Funds. Virden rodeo is my favorite rodeo because my crazy barrel horse loves to run indoors and the facility is great. I plan to continue with my equine therapy while attending college in the fall and of course I will continue to keep busy with my horses and rodeo as well.

Brooke Helmeczi - 17 years old – Esterhazy High School in Esterhazy, SK My dad is a rough stock contractor so we have bucking bulls and raise bucking horses. My mom times at some rodeos and both my sisters compete in MHSRA doing multiple events. I was put on horses before I could walk or crawl. Rodeo was a big part of my life since I was born. My biggest achievement that means the most to me is winning my hometown rodeo ladies Barrel Racing

buckle. I have been a part of 4-H, MHSRA, MRCA and some SBRAs and MBRAs. I enjoy being with my friends and family and helping dad on the family ranch. My horse Tusco, that I have rodeoed off of for the past 7 years, is my most memorable. He and I have done everything together. I trained him since the day I got him and he has taught me so much and made me the rider I am. I’ve always been told to never give up on what you want. If you want it you have to work for it. So many people have made a difference in my life like my parents, friends, family, fellow competitors, other rodeo parents, pickup men and many others. I most appreciate the friendships and people who have made an impact on my life. Without MHSRA I wouldn’t have met the people I have and wouldn’t have the friendships that will last a lifetime. HSR has impacted my life by making me a better rider, helped me come out of my shell, meet new friends and allowed me to do what I love with the people and horses I love. I earned scholarships from the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association, Kristie Bridgeman Gilchrist, Neepawa Tire, MHSRA Adult and Student Associations, Weatherby Rifle/Dodge Ram NHSRA, NAERIC and Rollup Funds. My favourite rodeo is Selkirk not only because it’s where provincial finals is held but because of the great grounds, committee and beautiful area. My future plans are to attend Vermillion Lakeland College and get a degree in agriculture business. Naturally I will continue to ride and rodeo.

Devin Boitson - 18 years old – Springfield Collegiate Institute in Oakbank, MB

Katie Hunter - 18 years old – Elton Collegiate Institute in Forrest, MB

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My family is not as involved with horses as much as I am but they do enjoy the occasional trail ride in our pastures. When we lived in Wales, UK I was about 3 years old and one of my first horse memories

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My family has always owned trail horses for pleasure riding. One of my first horse related memories was when I was a toddler my dad would put me on the back of our pony named Pepper who is now 29 years old. I worked extremely hard to graduate from PHOTO BY RICK HIEBERT. grade 12 with honors so I am very proud of this achievement.

For my first two years of 4-H I was in the Moonlight Riders Horse 4-H club. I have taken riding lessons with Tara Reimer and Lisa Cafferty which helped me to be a competent rider and improve my horsemanship skills.

For 12 years I was a member of the Selo Ukrainian Dancers.

I enjoy playing the fiddle when I can. I am a member of the

Broken-Spring 4-H Beef Club. I love working with cattle and improving my genetic pool in my herd. My calf and team roping gelding horse named “Little Willie” is my most memorable horse.

We have gone through a lot together because he is the horse that I learned to rope on. He is the first horse to ever buck me off but he also took me to the Canadian High School Rodeo Finals in my first year of competitive team roping. He is the horse that I experienced the most on throughout high school rodeo.

I have received lots of useful advice throughout my life from many different people. But in my rodeo career people like Lisa Cafferty, Bryan Gillespie, Rich Skelton, The Reimer Family and many other have been instrumental in helping me sharpen my horsemanship and roping skills. I have appreciated the friendships that I have made over the years and the competition level of the MHSRA. The association has also provided the opportunity to earn scholarship money to help finance my University education which I greatly appreciate. I have learned that hard work will pay off over time. The MHSRA has encouraged me to work harder in school because I can’t rodeo unless I maintain good grades. I have also worked hard to increase my roping and riding abilities and year after year these skills have improved. Through High School Rodeo I received $1800.00 in scholarship money. At our HSRA graduation ceremonies I received the Cowboy of the Year award – the recipient of this award is chosen by fellow MHSR competitors, as well as the Sportsmanship award. I was honored to receive these awards. My favorite rodeo is the Selkirk rodeo because they have the best arena set up and they also have very neat and clean grounds with nice covered stalls to keep our horses in. I am enrolled at the U of M for the fall and I will be taking Pre-Vet courses so I can fulfill my dream of becoming a vet. I also plan to continue rodeoing and my goal is to qualify for the Canadian Cowboys Association Finals Rodeo in Regina.

I plan to get married and have children and also own a herd of purebred Black Angus cattle.

27 MB High School Rodeo Cowboy of the Year.

was with our white Welsh pony which mom would lead us down the road on. My biggest achievement has been knowing that I have done all of the work with my horse to achieve the things that we have. (Including winning the youth MBRA NAERIC 2D saddle) and to know that together we are a trusting team that haven’t given up on each other. My involvement in horses includes the Manitoba High School Rodeo Association, Manitoba Barrel racing Association, Manitoba Gymkhana Rodeo Association and 4-H including its’ Young Horse Development Project. I often move cattle at home, trail ride, parades, clinics, carry flags and work with my young horse. My interests outside of horses include snowboarding, hunting, fishing, singing, quadding and helping out on the farm. My most memorable horse is the one that I ride today. Cheyenne Challenge ‘Bella’, is a pretty, black, Quarter Horse. She is the most memorable horse as she is very obliging, will do anything that I ask of her and she always puts her all into it. She has been a huge part of my life. I will not forget all of the awesome friends and memories, and being able to compete at such a competitive level as MHSRA. I will truly miss this association and the people but I know that we will cross paths again. MHSRA gave me something to look forward to. It is a competitive environment to have fun in and that helped me reach my potential. The following are all greatly appreciated scholarships: Rapid City Rodeo Association, MHSRA Adult and Student associations, Weatherby Rifle/Dodge Ram NHSRA and NAERIC. I had so much fun at each rodeo, that I can’t decide which one was the best! My future plan is to attend Assiniboine Community College to take Agribusiness and continue to rodeo locally.

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Kayla Lowry - 18 years old – Carnduff Education Complex in Carnduff, SK

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My family has always been around horses since I could remember. My dad, old brother mike, my older sister Jen and my younger sister Jenna all travelled to rodeo since we were old enough to control the horse ourselves. When I was little, dad would always pony us from the ground and lead us around the yard. My sister Jenna and I would always ride double because we couldn’t wait to get in the saddle. Jenna and I also had a little black pony named Buddy and he was our first horse

to call our own. There wasn’t a day gone by that we weren’t with him. My mare Candy has never liked to turn first barrel and would always blow by. She had 2 years off and I finally got her back doing the pattern and back into rodeos. And these past few rodeos she has turned every barrel without even trying to blow by it. Turning those barrels meant the world to me because felt like we could get back to normal again and get fast times! I have always been involved with horses since I can remember. Dad would take me to most of his Team Ropings and I would always be there helping him with his horse. I always have to be involved if it involved being around horses. My most memorable horse would be Dawson. I started him on barrels and poles when he was young. He was my first high school rodeo horse for that year. He was so special to me because he was something I could call mine. He was always the first one at the gate to say hello and was always waiting for me after school. He always put all his effort in for me no matter what, he had a big heart for such a young horse. But sadly I had to put him down due to a foot injury a couple years ago. I still wish to this day I had him because there will be no other horse like him. I have received a lot of advice from many different riders over the past couple of years. I try to practice what they told me and deliver in my next barrel run. The people who have made a difference in my life would be Nicole and Linette Lanski and the Helmeczi family. They have been hauling me for the past year around to rodeos, giving me advice and helping me become a better rider. I don’t know what I would have done without them in my life. I appreciate MHSRA because they do so much for all of us kids and don’t think we see that.

They are setting us up for the future and as rodeo contestants.

They take the time to help every kid out and want us to succeed in whatever we may do. And most of all they are all supportive no matter if we have a bad or good day! MHSRA has made a big impact on me because I had to work hard to make it to most of the rodeos and pay for entries myself. The friends I have today I wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for MHSRA. We are all like a family and all love one another and I’m going to miss that. I would have to say Brandon was my favourite rodeo of the season because we got to run in a nice big fancy arena like the pros. I was running Linette Lanski’s horse Jo at the time and that was the best run we have had and the best time. I was really proud of both of us and what we have accomplished in those few rodeos. I plan to take a year off, keep working and apply to Lake Land College next fall to become a vet tech.

Kirstin Fenwick - 18 years old – Dryden High School in Dryden, ON My whole family is involved in horses. My mom enjoys riding in local gymkhanas and showing in English and Western Pleasure classes, my dad likes trail riding, has recently started Team Penning and is planning on learning to rope. I have two

having received almost $900.00 in scholarships from MHSRA. Selkirk was my favourite rodeo. I like the facility with the warm up arena, the stands and the racetrack. It is also one of the closer rodeos for us. I am going to Carleton University in Ottawa in September to study Criminology, and hope to end up working for the RCMP.

Riley Cross - 18 years old – Virden Collegiate Institute in Virden, MB

Trevor Vodon - 18 years old – Virden Collegiate Institute in Virden, MB

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My family has always been involved with Draft horses and Standardbreds. I remember already riding ponies as a child. My greatest accomplishments are all my young horses that I get started to ride. Showing Draft horses and rodeoing are my interests. Away from horses I enjoy

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sisters, Jenna, who rides and shows for fun on occasion, and my youngest sister Kiya, who has been competing in the junior high division at MHSRA. She has been riding in gymkhanas and showing since she was 6. My first horse related memories are setting up barns and pastures on my uncle Butch’s property.

They had purchased two horses and I enjoyed them so much that I convinced my parents to buy two horses. My biggest accomplishments have been finishing my grade 12 MHSRA season in the top 10 in Barrel Racing and qualifying for the AQHYA world show in Performance Halter with my first show horse “Never Been Blue.” I have been involved in several aspects of horses since I started riding at 10 years old. I have competed in English and Western Pleasure at local and AQHA levels, competed in local gymkhana shows, done lots of trail riding, Team Penned, and the past two years competed on the MHSRA circuit.

The past few summers I have taken in some green broke horses just to put time on them. Away from horses I enjoy hanging out with my friends, playing badminton, hockey and soccer. My first gymkhana horse “Rodeo” was the most memorable for me.

She had a huge heart and even though I was just starting out in barrels and poles at that time, she would always try her hardest for me. I have received so much advice from so many people.

Bob Olyarnyk taught me a great deal about softness and feel from working with show horses and I learned some great techniques in Barrel Racing from Michelle Davey and Sharra Sage. Some things I appreciate about MHSRA are the time we spent as a family travelling across Manitoba, spending time at the rodeos with old and new friends and having the opportunity to compete at a higher level. MHSRA has taught me a lot about responsibility.

It’s up to me to get my entries in, teacher’s forms signed, keep my marks up, and have my horse and myself ready for the start of the rodeo. It’s also taught me a lot about the value of helping out as well. Without all the great parents and volunteers at every rodeo, we wouldn’t be able to compete at all. I would like to thank every one of them for what they do. I very much appreciate

Over the years my involvement with horses included rodeos, casual riding, MRCA and MGRA. My barrel horse, Mr. Smooth Toad, ‘Toad’ is my most memorable horse.

He means the most to me because I bought him just to fool around on and he started running within the 1D and 2D within the first few months of his barrel training. Everyone in the association is very caring and will do whatever it takes to help you reach your goal. I received scholarships from Manitoba Association of Agricultural Societies, MHSRA Adult and Student Associations and NAERIC. My favorite rodeos would be a tie between Russell and Selkirk. I plan to take a year off of school to work and then go to a college or university to pursue an education to become a veterinarian technician.

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farming, hunting and fishing. Short Go is my most memorable horse because he is just a great all around horse. Some of the best advice I have received is from a good neighbour which is who I rope with lots. His advice to me was it’s not what you drive it’s what you unload and ride. The best thing about our association is that everybody gets along and we are all like a big family. Our association has taught me to always speak my mind and after being part of this association I am no longer a shy person. I received scholarships from the Manulife Securities, Cochrane’s contribution to MHSRA, Souris and Glenwood Ag Society, Teskeys Top Hand, MHSRA Adult and Student Associations, Weatherby Rifle/Dodge Ram NHSRA and NAERIC. My favorite rodeo is wherever finals are because it’s where you see everyone’s real try hard talent. My future plans are to become a heavy duty mechanic. I am currently an apprentice in the heavy duty mechanic field.

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Wade Unrau - 18 years old – Boissevain School in Boissevain, MB

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Our family has always owned horses for pleasure riding and showing. My sister also competes in HSR. The accomplishments that mean the most to me include moving up to A bulls and winning the Parkland rodeo buckle and high point season standings jacket.

My interests are hunting, fishing and farming. The influential people in my life are Kelly Millard, an outstanding bull fighter and mentor. He truly cares about the kids, helping them learn and challenging them to move forward. He is a guardian angel in the rodeo arena too. Aaron Roy is also one of my bull riding heroes. I was privileged to take a clinic from him this spring in Grunthal. What I most appreciate about the MHSRA is the friends, how it is family oriented, the good mentors and teaching and that it is lots of fun! HSR has shown me the value of rodeo and developed a passion for bull riding. This year from MHSRA I received the high point season jacket, an MRCA membership and a grade 12 scholarship. All our rodeos are great however Selkirk and Gilbert Plains are my favorites. I like the ones closer to home too. My future plans are to pursue heavy duty mechanics at Assiniboine Community College and take over the family farm.

Cassandra Peters - 18 years old – William Morton Collegiate Institute in Plumas, MB My mom and sister are both very much involved with horses.

They both rodeo and train horses and horses are a part of their daily lives. I’ve been riding and in love with horses before I could even walk. I used to show a Bay Welsh pony named Chico when I was just a youngster and he taught me so much. One of the greatest achievements I’ve had was with my barrel horse Malibu Rum that I trained on my own. I made it to Canadian Cowboys Association finals in 2012 and am hoping to make it there this year in the Ladies division. Over the past few years I’ve been taking on a lot of outside training horses from starting colts to barrel training. Last year I barrel futuritied two 5 year olds that I trained myself and this year I am rodeoing CCA and MRCA. I’ve been having a great season so far. Outside of horses I love building things and am really big into carpentry and making smaller western decorations. My life pretty much revolves around horses. My most memorable and loved horse is my 9 year old grade cross Quarter Horse/Thoroughbred/Morgan gelding, Malibu Rum. I’ve owned him since he was 4 years old and he was completely wild and wide eyed when I got him. He is now my best friend and one of the best things that ever happened to me.

The best advice I have received is to always keep taking steps forward. Do what you love and don’t let anyone tell you, you can’t.

HSRA was a great experience for me. I met so many new people and improved and learnt so much about rodeo and how to be a team with my horse. HSRA has helped me become a stronger more independent person and help me have the confidence to do what I love, which is riding and training horses. My favorite rodeo I have to say was Virden indoor rodeo. It was always a blast and such a fun time. The facility was great and everything always ran smoothly. I also made some of the best barrel and pole bending runs I’ve ever made there. My future plans are to keep training horses and start to travel and work for some different trainers and see what kind of opportunities are out there in the horse training world. c

Horses in Life’s Biggest Moments –

GRADUATION

Most of us that have the privilege of having a horse to spend time with, value the friendship that our horses’ provide. They are our friend when no one else seems to be, they are the stress release from life and they are there to celebrate our special moments. Thank you grads for sharing your special moments with us!

Kody Reid & Scotty - Wawanesa School

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MacKenzie Purdon - Rosetown Central High School in Rosetown, SK - Her horse is Garth (QAR You Dreaming) the chestnut and Dexter (See Spots Run) is my horse. Both are Appaloosa’s.

MORE

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Kylie Birmingham - Elton Collegiate in Forrest, MB – Horse is Decked To Be A Star “Dexter”

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Cassandra Peters - William Morton Collegiate Institute in Gladstone, MB - Her 5yr old Quarter Horse Frazel.

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Gage Fouillard from St.Lazare Mb and I go to school at Birtle colligiate Institute. me and my horse Sabres Playin High aka annie!

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Lane Mychalchuk of Swan Valley Regional Secondary School with Rainy Day Pal. Ali Hammond and Gray Graduated Grade 12 from Dryden High School from Eagle River, ON

In an issue later this year we will share wedding photos with horses from 2014. If you have one to share with us, tell us who the bride and groom are, the wedding date, wedding location and where the couple will reside. Send high resolution picture and info to tara@cloud9ranch.ca

UPCOMING

ABBREVIATIONS:

EVENTS

AERC - American Endurance Ride Conference BHP – Birds Hill Park CWHA – Canadian Western Horse Association KeyC - Keystone Centre MCHA – MB Cutting Horse Association MQHA – MB Quarter Horse Association MTRC – MB Trail Riding Club

DON’T MISS OUT MANITOBA July 25-28 MHJA The Marcy Schweizer Memorial Derby Show, Silver.

RREX, Winnipeg. www.manitobahunterjumper.com or www.horseshowtime.com July 26 CWHA & MCHA Shows celebrating “100 years of horses” at BHP. 50 year celebration. Spud & Steak BBQ $15/person. Rena Scott 204-422-9585 or 204-998-9235(cell) or renajscott@yahoo.ca July 26-27 Draft Horse Show *Prize Money with no entry fee *Driving and Line classes in Virden. Jack Chisholm 204-722-2371 July 26-27 MCHA show at BHP. Rena Scott 204-422-9585 or 204-998-9235(cell) or renajscott@yahoo.ca July 26-27 CLINIC on General Horsemanship with Jeff Spencer www. spencertraining.com. In Oakbank. Open to all levels/disciplines. $350/2 days, limit of 10 riders. $25/day to audit. To book/deposit text/ call Amelia Herrmann at (778) 999-3383 July 30-August 3 MHJA Heart of the Continent, Gold. RREX, Winnipeg www.manitobahunterjumper.com or www.horseshowtime.com August 2 MTRC at Spruce Woods 15/25/40, Janine Thompson 204-344-6002 or C: 204-228-2609 hrisjanfarms@mymts.net August 2-3 DRM ride, Spruce Woods 15/25/50 miles. Maura Leahy 204-795-1915 or Maura.Leahy@live.ca August 3 NISC Show in Eriksdale August 8-9 MCHA show at Richer Rodeo in Richer. Rena Scott, 204-422-9585 or 204-998-9235 or renajscott@yahoo.ca August 15-17 Hanover Fair in Grunthal www.hanoverag.com August 15 CWHA Show at Hanover Fair in Grunthal. nsinkarsin@mymts. net or Karen Ross 204-224-4427 or call/fax 204-878-9673

August 15-17 MHJA Summer in the City & Manitoba Pony Club Regional Dressage & Show Jumping Championships, Bronze. RREX, Winnipeg. www.manitobahunterjumper.com or www.horseshowtime.com August 16-17 CCRHA PineRidge Summer Sizzler. PREP in Oakbank. www.ccrha.com or ccrhashowdirector@ccrha.com August 22-24 MHJA Fall Harvest, Bronze. BHP. www.manitobahunterjumper.com or www.horseshowtime.com August 22-24 MLHA All Breed and Challenge Show, KeyC in Brandon.

Jodi Anderson 204-720-4108 or Roberta McLaughlin 204-720-2916 August 22-25 Peter Campbell Horsemanship Clinic at Murdock Stables in Winnipeg. FH, H1,CS. 204-222-6295 or gailcornock@yahoo.ca August 23 MTRC at Lavenham 15/25/40. Wendy Carnegie 204-963-9015 optionsweet@hotmail.com August 23 Ashern Show in Ashern 9 AM NISC & NAERIC. Laurel Meisner 768-3476 August 23-24 MCHA show at Meadowview Ranch in Anola. Rena Scott 204-422-9585 or 204-998-9235 renajscott@yahoo.ca August 29-31 Northern Lights Barrel Futurity and Derby, KeyC in Brandon. www.nlfuturity August 30-31 DRM ride, Souris Bend 15/25/50 miles. Myra Cryderman 204-534-2390 or myna@goinet.ca ONTARIO August 8-10 Borderland Quarter Horse Show at Emo Fairgrounds. Jan Halvorsen 807-274-9002 janhalvorsen@bell.net www.nsqha.com August 15-16 Rainy River Valley Agriculture Fall Fair Horse Show at Emo Fairgrounds. Jan Halvorsen 807-274-9002 janhalvorsen@bell.net www.emofair.com

NAERIC – North American Equine Ranching Information Council NISC – North Interlake Show Circuit PREP – Pine Ridge Equine Park RREX – Red River Ex SHF - SK Horse Federation SLR – SK Long Riders SRCHA – SK Reined Cow Horse Association

SASKATCHEWAN July 26-27 SRCHA show at Creekside Arena in Melfort August TBA SLR Old Wives Trails endurance ride around Old Wives Lake August 3 Priddy Farm Hunter Pace & Trail Ride Series, Saskatoon. de.priddy@asktel.net or find us on FB August 9-10 SRCHA, Maple Creek. www.reinedcowhorse.net August 9-12 Peter Campbell Horsemanship, High Country Quarter Horses, Eastend. CS, H1, RR. 306-295-3844 August 14-17 Peter Campbell Horsemanship, Orchard Ranch, Jansen.

CS,H1. 306-364-4735 or aorchard@live.ca August 23-24 Twin Valley Riding Club’s Bullarama & Rodeo at Lee’s Rodeo Grounds in Esterhazy www.twinvalleyridingclub.ca August 30-31 SPHC Harvest of colours/SQHA All Novice Quarter Horse Show. Prairieland Park, Saskatoon. Ronnie Nordal infor@ saskpainthorseclub.com or www.saskpainthorseclub.com August 30-31 Saskatchewan Cowboy Dressage. Lyn Ringrose-Moe Cowboy Dressage Clinic, Moose Jaw. skcowboydressage@gmail.com ALBERTA August 1-3 Wild Rose Welsh & Open Pony Show at Westerner Park, Red Deer. Karen Podolski 780.850.1101; e: piper_p13@hotmail.com www. facebook.com/WildRoseShow INTERNATIONAL August 23-September 7 World Equestrian Games, Normandy, France.

INDEX TO advertisers 2014 FALL SALE Saturday, August 30th, 2014 Keystone Center, Brandon, MB

Preview of sale horses – TBA 12 Noon Saturday, August 30 – Horse sale Consignment forms are available @ www.rockingw.com, and can also be faxed or mailed upon request.

Please also check and like our Facebook page for consigned horses.

Rocking W Horse Sales Cell: 204-325-2950 PH: (204) 325-7237 FX: (204) 325-5043 rockingw@xplornet.com

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We look forward to seeing you, Rick Wiebe.

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Biovalco Innovative Products Inc..................13 Bluebear Farms................................................17 Canvasback Pet Supplies................................14 Chrysler Canada...........................................OBC Cloud 9 Ranch.................................................... 5 Diamond Doug Keith.......................................20 Diamond Shelters...........................................IFC Eddies Sharpening...........................................17 Elder’s Equine Veterinary Service (2012)...15 Fort Distributors Ltd........................................17 Greenhawk (Winnipeg)....................................17 Grunthal Auction Mart.....................................15 Horsepower Productions / Chris Irwin......34 Landmark Feeds Inc........................................13 Manitoba Superhorse 50/50...................... IBC Miracle Ranch Equipment.................................7 One Insurance.................................................. 24 Penner Farm Service......................................13 Poco-Razz Farm...............................................17 Prairie Truss Ltd. / Wizer..............................25 Precious Pet Cremation.................................25 Rocking W Ranch............................................ 33 Stone Creek Western Shop............................14 Westgates Horse & Country..........................13

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The Manitoba Superhorse 50/50 Sale and Futurity has been around since 1991 and has become Canada’s Richest Western 2 year old Futurity!!!

FUTURITY

The Concept

October 24 & 25, 2

014 @ 8 a.m.

Of the Superhorse Organization is to promote and enhance the versatility and quality of today’s young horses.

SALE

The Purpose

October 25th, 201

4 @ 3:00 p.m.

To train and develop all horses in a humane manner, protecting at all times, their physical and mental potential.

Keystone Centre o f Excellence, Brandon, MB

The 50/50 Explanation • 50% of selling price goes to the consignor of the foal • 50% of the selling price of the weanlings sold is retained to be used as follows: • 40% goes into 2 yr. old Futurity purse • 5% goes to Breeder/Consignor Awards • 5% goes to operating expenses

* Only weanlings sold through this sale are eligible to compete here. Two year olds are eligible to win a guaranteed $10,000 for first place in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

NEW FOR THE 2014 SALE NEW! The ghost slot, sold as second lot in the sale, is open for any breeder of a 2014 foal to purchase. 100% of the sell price goes into the prize pot and the foal is eligible to show in the 2016 Futurity.

For more information contact Julie Bridgeman at 204-847-2112 or kjbridgeman@inetlink.ca

www.manitobasuperhorse.com

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