Horse Country 6-14

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Rocky Mountain Horse Conformation

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What’s limiting your riding ability?

Despooking – Part #3

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Marketing & Editorial Manager: Tara Reimer

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

Hello fellow horse enthusiasts!

By Patrick Collins

By Dr. Shameer Kamani D.C.

By Tara Reimer, Cloud 9 Ranch

By Pat Davis

By Crystal Horn

By Quinn Brandt

By Tara Reimer, Cloud 9 Ranch

By Janet Kehler

By Darrell Nesbitt

40 Endurance Riding at WEG Finals for Canadian Vaulters at Alltech FEI World 42 Fabulous

Equestrian Games 2014 44 Ride For Life Marks 19 Year

By Jessica Manness

By Darrell Nesbitt

th

Health & Training

6 Rocky Mountain Horse Conformaton 8 A Pain in the Back 20 Despooking – Part #3

By Don Kallusky

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

By Jennifer Mack

By Patricia Bogart-Head

25 When is a Student Ready to Jump?

NEWS & DEPARTMENTS

28 Office Politics ~ with Diamond Doug Keith 46 Upcoming Events 46 Index to Advertisers

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Art Director/Design: Kathy Cable

Features 4 Welcome with Tara Reimer 11 Never Too Old 12 What’s Limiting your Riding Ability?

14 Safe, Effective & Fun 16 Youth Enjoying Their Horses 18 Trying a New Breed...the Rocky Mountain Horse

29 Virden Draft Horse Show 30 Youth World Cup 2014 32 Arabian Nationals 36 Manitoba Miniature Horse Club 38 Southeast Manitoba Draft Horse Association

Student Claims Canadian 39 Landenburg

Bareback Championship

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Hello fellow horse enthusiasts!

As the evenings cool off and daylight is shorter it becomes inevitable to accept that fall is approaching. For me, summer goes by much too quick and I am left wondering how it is that I continuously run out of time to relax. No beach, only four bonfires, no picnics and only fired up the bar b que once! But, for the first time while at a horse show, I enjoyed bonfires and swimming. Spending time with my students outside of the show ring has become precious to me as we talk more about the extracurricular activities than of our placings.

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Having no children of our own, I quite enjoy hosting Day Camp at our Ranch and this year’s two weeks of campers were an absolute delight! I was fascinated to see their riding and personal development throughout the week. I suppose because I had to work hard as a child and showing horses was a privilege that came with a lot of hard work, I expect my students to also put in an effort and work hard. When I hear students say “I can’t” I am quick to say “Yes actually you can.” I encourage them to problem solve and think the situation through to find a way to do it. I confidently tell them that I will give them the tools to do it and I know they and their horse are capable. They can say, “I don’t remember” or “I don’t understand” but not just “I can’t.”

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Those people living out their dreams and goals don’t say “I can’t.”

Quinn Brandt shares her Youth World Show experience this issue, she didn’t say “I can’t.” Jessica Manness competed in France at the World Equestrian Games, she didn’t say “I can’t.” Pat Davis went out of her comfort zone and province to try a new breed, she didn’t say “I can’t”. Danny Vandenameele rode hard to be named the bareback champion at the Canadian High School Rodeo Finals, he didn’t say “I can’t”. All the dedicated Arabian competitors at Nationals, driving from all across Canada and USA, didn’t say “I can’t.” Every one of you who does chores at all hours and temperatures, works horses in all types of conditions, budgets for the horsey things, functions without sleep and proper meals, sacrifices time with friends and family, drives for hours to a competition, inflicts pain upon themselves hoping to improve another horse’s usefulness in life … all don’t say “I can’t” and good for you!

With that I give credit to every horse person who betters themselves in order to better communicate with their horses.

With the many futurities still to take place this fall, all the best to those competing as they put themselves out there to showcase their abilities of being able to train a youngster and show them well. I, for one, am very excited about my two year old and

yearling futurity horses and hope that I am capable of showing them to their full potential. Thank you to the breeders who year after year dedicate themselves to improving the breed or discipline and lay down the foundation for the next generation of horses.

For anyone in the Winnipeg area on November 8th, come to the Viscount Gort hotel for the Showing Up Cancer Gala where I, along with Blue Bombers Alumnus and former CFL Executive Lyle Bauer, are guest speakers. This is quite an honor for me to speak, as a cancer survivor myself. All funds raised will support the Never Alone Foundation as well as the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada with a portion of the proceeds going to the Cancer Care Manitoba Foundation. Tickets are $75 and tax receipts are available. To purchase a ticket, please contact showingupcancer@gmail.com. There are only 80 tickets available!

Stay safe and enjoy the change of seasons!

For the horse’s sake,

Tara Reimer

Editor and Marketing Manager y

D HEALTH w

Rocky Mountain Horse

CONFORMATION

By Don Kallusky The Rocky Mountain Horse is a certification trade mark issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark office to the Rocky Mountain Horse Association. Only those horses registered by this association can be called a Rocky Mountain Horse. The breed is defined as having a medium height from 14.2 to 16 hands.

They should have medium sized bones with medium size feet in proportion to the body, a span between the forelegs, a wide chest sloping 45 degrees on the shoulder, bold eyes, well shaped ears, and a face that is neither dished nor protruding, the head should be of medium size in proportion to the body with a medium jaw. The neck should be gracefully arched, medium in length, and set on an angle to allow natural carriage with a break at the poll. The horse must have a solid body color. There should be no white above the knee or hock except on the face where modest amounts are acceptable. Excessive facial marking such as in a bald-faced horse are not acceptable.

All horses must be DNA tested and examined for breed characteristics prior to breeding.

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The Rocky Mountain Horse naturally demonstrates a smooth, ambling gait that glides forward. The horse moves out with a lateral gait in which one can count four distinct hoof beats that produce a cadence of near equal rhythm. The speed may vary but the four beat rhythm remains constant. Each hoof strikes the ground independently. The gait is initiated by the hind leg.

The length of stride for both the hind and foreleg should be nearly equal. The Rocky Mountain Horse moves its feet with minimal ground clearance and minimal knee and hock action.

Because this gait does not waste motion, it enables the horse to travel long distances with minimal tiring. Each individual horse

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has its own speed and natural way of going, traveling anywhere from 7mph to 20 mph. This is a natural occurring gait present from birth that does not require any training aids or action devices (i.e. chains, soring, or built up shoes). Even though the Rocky is best known for the smooth four beat gait, it is also quite capable of performing other gaits such as the trot, canter and gallop. These horses are very athletic and versatile.

I chose these particular horses to judge for you because all three have great conformation as per RMH conformation guidelines. Also, you will note a variety of color which meets the guidelines.

I placed Black Watch First, Clay Second and Parker Third.

Black Watch has a short back and he has the most correct conformation for the breed. He is our breeding stallion. Clay is very similar to Black Watch in conformation but he is a bigger boned horse and taller which makes him less desirable for the breed. Parker has a longer back and is taller than both other horses making him least desirable.

Don Kallusky owns and operates Betkal Rocky Mountain Horses Breeding farm in Edson, AB. Don was born and raised on a farm near Grandview, Manitoba and used horses for transportation to school and doing farm work. He got into the breeding of the Rocky Mountain Horses 3 years ago as a hobby. Today they have 12 breeding mares and 2 stallions and in total 45 head of Rockies, one of the largest herds in Canada. Don does all the training with the help of his brother-in-law. They always have about 8 to 12 horses trained ready to go for sale. www.betkalrmhorse.com b

Horse Country; your all-breed, all-activity publication from the heart of Canada.

Published eight times a year (every six weeks) Horse Country provides you with news, informative articles on equine health and training; profiles on horse people; news and reports from a wide variety of horse clubs and associations, not forgetting regional and national advertisers with products or services of interest to horse people.

If you have any comments or suggestions, we’d love to hear from you.

D HEALTH w

Black Watch

Clay

Parker

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D HEALTH w

A PAIN IN

THE BACK

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

When we think of the many unsoundness issues that we encounter in horses, the back is not often thought of as a primary area of potential pain. Although true that back pain can be a secondary issue to other lameness problem, primary back pain does occur and can be difficult to determine in some cases.

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The horse’s back consists of many muscle groups and vertebrae that make up the composition of the core of the horse.

There are 7 cervical, 18 thoracic and 5-6 lumbar vertebrae that make up the core bony column of the neck and back. From those bones, and surrounding them, insert and originate many muscle groups with the longissimus and epaxial muscle groups

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running alongside the spine that make up the strength and flexibility of the back.

Many ligamentous structures also course the length of the spine and provide further structure and support to the back (Fig. 1).

An extensive anatomic, conformational and physiologic discussion could be had on simply the structure and function of these individual muscles and ligaments but for sake of brevity that will be for another article.

Since the back’s function is intimately intertwined with the function performed by the rest of the body, it is no surprise that horses will get sore backed from many causes. The most common reason for a sore back is compensatory muscle

strain resulting from, most typically, hind limb lameness. Hock and stifle pain, either unilateral (one sided) or bilateral (both sides), results from the differential transfer of limb forces into the lumbar region of the back. As the horse unevenly loads the hind limb to relieve pain, particularly at the hock joint, the lumbar muscles undergo increased uneven loading and tension.

This results in lumbar and sacral back pain. In the case of stifle associated back pain, the location of the compensatory pain tends to be located at the sacral and croup region but lumbar pain can be quite common as well. From an examination point of view, this lumbar and sacral pain can be palpated with hand pressure through the lumbar musculature and the point of maximal intensity for the pain to be found. As mentioned, this lumbar and sacral pain may be secondary to orthopaedic pain in the hind limbs and when this type of back pain is found, a thorough examination of the hind limbs is recommended. In practice, the most common cause for lumbar pain is osteoarthritis of the hocks – lower hock joint arthritis. As it is a compensatory pain in the lumbar muscles, blocking of the hock may eliminate the hock joint pain, but the back pain persists. However, with the hock joint pain appropriately treated, the back pain will generally subside as well.

The sources of primary back pain are less common but no less detrimental to the horse’s overall soundness and in many cases can be very limiting to athletic performance if allowed to become chronic

in nature. The most common type of primary back pain is called impingement of the dorsal spinous processes or ‘kissing spines’. This is a condition where the long bony spines or processes, that protrude upward from the top of the thoracic (mainly) and lumbar vertebrae, begin to rub together (Fig 2). The result is significant pain and inflammation of the bones, ligaments and muscles and a horse that is described as ‘cold backed’.

In horses that are refractory to physiotherapy and medication alone, the next option is injection of the interspinous ligament and surrounding back musculature with corticosteroids.

This has the effect of dramatically decreasing inflammation and allowing relaxation of the interspinous ligament.

The interspinous ligament runs between each process, connecting one process to the next in a train like fashion. The trouble with this condition tends to occur as these ligaments become more chronically irritated and the ligaments begin to contract or shorten. The effect of this is the pulling together of the dorsal spinous processes and resultant interference between them. With steroid

Horses refractory to steroid injection or those with overriding spinous processes on x-ray are candidates for surgical relief of the interspinous ligaments. There have been many different surgical treatments attempted for relieving impingement of the processes over the past many years.

The more modern approach involves severing the interspinous ligament between the affected processes. This relieves the tension of the contracted ligament and allows the processes to go back to a more normal anatomical position – not in contact with each other. Recently, a veterinary paper was published on the outcomes of this procedure in a variety of sport horses and showed very good results and good prognosis with this approach.

The procedure is called an interspinous ligament desmotomy (ISDL). This is the procedure used in my practice for surgical management of these horses.

It is performed with the horse standing under heavy sedation and thus the anesthesia risks are significantly reduced.

It has proven beneficial in several horses and looks to be a viable treatment for horses that cannot be treated by conservative means.

It would be remiss to not cover the benefits that can be provided from alternative medicine modalities.

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The diagnosis of kissing spines is performed by your veterinarian. A multifacet diagnosis requires specific palpation of the dorsal spinous processes and determination of point pain over each process. This is followed by x-rays of the processes and identification of overriding processes (Fig 3. Red Arrows) and/ or sclerosis (hardening; denser white color on the x-ray – Fig 3. Blue Arrows) of the processes where they have been touching each other and causing bone on bone irritation. With the diagnosis confirmed, treatment options available include physiotherapy in combination with anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxants for the back as the primary technique.

The physiotherapy should consist of back

injection, physiotherapy will be continued and improving results should be seen within 3-4 weeks.

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Saddle fit problems are the common excuse for the cause of many back sore horses. Unfortunately, the saddle fit is often secondary to the primary back problem and plenty of money can be spent on saddles and fitting before coming to the realization of the primary issue.

Saddle fit may indeed play an important role in gaining soundness of back in some of these horse but ruling out primary back pain should come prior to changing saddles.

strengthening and rounding exercises to improve a more convex back position and thus separating the processes from interference with each other. This can be achieved with a pessoa or surcingle and tie down to work the horse into a rounded position and increase longissimus muscle strength which in turn will pull the processes apart and prevent rubbing of the bone on bone. Working the horse up hills can also help to round the back.

The work will usually need to begin without rider as the processes are prone to deeper interference with rider. Usually the first 4-6 weeks are without weight.

The physiotherapy is the cornerstone of all the different management options to be discussed.

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D HEALTH w Whether the horse is being managed via a conservative approach or postoperatively, alternative medicine techniques and therapies can be beneficial. Shockwave therapy is used often for back pain as it provides rapid but temporary relief via a number of therapeutic mechanisms and can allow for a more thorough and complete rehabilitation program. The shockwaves improve blood flow to the back and relieve nerve/sensory pain in the muscles while allowing for relaxation of chronically inflamed backs. It is ineffective or only temporary in relief if not combined with an understanding of the primary cause and thus the specific goals of the rehabilitation program prescribed. Acupuncture is another beneficial modality that can provide for relaxation of the muscles in the back and allow for a better rehabilitation. The results of an acupuncture treatment may be temporary but when used in

combination with the prescribed program, again, the results can be very rewarding.

Chiropractic and massage therapy can play a role in some programs depending on the application of the therapy and the providers understanding of the goals that are hoped to be attained in combination with the prescribed rehabilitation program. A good working relationship between the veterinary professional and the alternative therapy provider is key as some techniques used by the therapy providers may be detrimental to healing.

The other main source of back pain in the horse relates to the sacroiliac region or SI joints and this will be covered in a future article as the topic is large and deserves its own dedicated review.

In brief, sacroiliac pain results from inflammation at the intersection of the sacrum to the ilium (a part of the pelvis) as the vertebral column runs through the pelvis. At this intersection are two ‘joints’ – one of each side of the sacrum

connecting to the ilial wings. Inflammation of these joints results in significant pain and can produce a moderate to severe lameness in the hind legs. Sacroiliac pain, also known as SI pain, is a mixed type of back pain with some primary source pain combined with secondary issues resulting from hind limb dysfunction and lameness. It is treatable but can be frustrating to diagnose, treat and rehabilitate depending on the chronicity and severity of the condition.

There are several other more minor primary back pain conditions and of course neurological conditions that will not be covered and reinforces the importance of a thorough veterinary exam when dealing with a potential back issue. Many types of back pain are treatable and can allow your horse to get back to a athletic, pain-free level of performance, whatever that may be, provided the condition can be identified and time taken to rebuild a strong back. 5

Wrangler Bull Riders Canada Finals presented by The Patchwork Group in Lloydminster, SK For more information, please visit www.bullriderscanada.ca

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Bull Riders Canada Inc. (BRC) is pleased to announce their 2014 Finals Venue scheduled for October 10th & 11th at the Lloydminster Exhibition.

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The top 30 bull riders in the BRC Standings will make their way to Lloydminster the second week in October to compete for the second ever season title, finals event title and over $20,000 in added prize money. This includes the $5000.00 Fox Drilling Grudge Match which features the top five bull riders of the season against the top five bulls, following Friday’s long go.

“We are very excited to move our finals to Lloydminster. Lloyd has a history of bringing out the best bull riding fans in

the country,” said BRC Finals Coordinator and Vice President Chad Pighin.

forward to growing the BRC’s impact all across Canada.”

With 35 events already completed in 2014, 5 more are still on the schedule before the year end. The move to Lloydminster runs through the BRC’s third year of operation which provides a finals venue for 2015 as part of this agreement.

BRC Finals Coordinator Chad Pighin concluded.

“This is the single biggest event for Bull Riders Canada in 2014 and I’m very proud we are at this stage in only year two.”

The BRC feels the move to Lloydminster will only help grow the organization “We think it’s a great move for Bull Riders Canada. Working with The Lloydminster Exhibition and 3D Bullriding’s Inc. Jason Davidson and will only add to the quality of the show. We’ve seen the success he’s had in Lloydminster and look

The host hotel

er v e Noo Old T

By Patrick Collins

So we went for our first riding lesson.

Neither of us got kicked, walked on, or bitten (by anything or anyone). We didn’t fall off, aggravate the horses (well, they didn`t complain that I heard) or discourage the instructor, or ourselves. Hélène was, as she described in the last issue, over the moon. I figured that must have made it a success.

My most vivid memory from that lesson is of my very first dismount. I am at best an awkward man, but I swung my right leg back across the saddle, twisted around smoothly and slipped my left foot out of the stirrup. Then I let go. Ben (the horse) is 16.3 hands. I must have made some kind of a noise when I landed, but all I heard was the instructor`s gasp of alarm.

From that I learned to keep a hand firmly on the saddle horn when dismounting. But that was not the hardest, or worst thing that I learned. That was when I learned to accept that Hélène was a quicker student than me.

I couldn’t remember how to tie the lead rope to the rail. I couldn’t remember any correct terminology, horse, tack, saddle, gaits; you name it. I did succeed in getting a lot of upper body exercise through removing and correcting the saddle position. I recall feeling very smug about getting Ben to take the bit in one smooth (and silent) motion, only to realize that it was upside down and he had the chinpiece chain across his nose.

I remember that look in his eyes from a couple of my high school teachers.

But my ego survived,( at my age I have been humiliated before, and more than once) and I was enjoying the experience.

People asked “Is it fun?”, and my reply was “NO. Not yet, but it is really interesting”.

We went riding yesterday, three years later, and now it is fun. A lot of fun and so much more.

P.S. Hélène here. We watch the series Longmire when we can. In the last episode we saw, Walt was riding his beautiful black horse through the back country (a pretty picture in many respects!) I said to Pat, “You know you ride better than that”. If he had been on a horse right then, I think he would have fallen off. n

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What’s Limiting Your Riding Ability?

By Dr. Shameer Kamani D.C.

To most riders the ability to physically adapt to the horse’s movements is a fundamental nuance of riding. The overall geometry of the rider changes as he or she maneuvers with the horse. Anyone who has ridden a horse casually, or for competition can tell you that comfort is determined by the rhythm our bodies get into while being on the saddle. For some this is an easier task than for others. There is no such thing as being a “natural” at it. Instead, we should be looking at what helps one rider adapt and become more fluid than another.

There is a combination of essentials every rider should be looking at to maintain comfort in the saddle, while preserving an injury free experience.

Understanding form and function can make the experience more enjoyable and safe. Riders who display excellent form likely haven’t mastered the horse; they have mastered the use of their body and are achieving optimal geometry.

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Geometry is an underlying fundamental that gives balance to the human actions that involve dynamic response. Riding a horse is no different. The main way to assess our geometry is to look at our symmetry. Do we stand, walk, or sit with a relatively good degree of symmetry? None of us were made on an assembly line, so human variances are normal. We need to look at obvious asymmetries that may be caused by poor habits, old injuries, or possible pathologies. My experience as a Chiropractor, when treating riders, has not involved pathologies (e.g. Multiple Sclerosis); therefore focus will be directed towards injuries and repetitive actions causing asymmetry.

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We adapt to physical changes through movement in our spines. The curves in our spine enable us to do this in every aspect of motion. Our skeletal frame movement is interconnected with supporting ligaments and muscles working together. If there is enough of a deficiency in any of the above, then we are not optimally adapting at a dynamic level, compromising our body’s geometry.

Injuries and or repetitive habits create physical stress in one or more areas of our anatomy and limit our ability to respond dynamically. Looking at posture and specific examinations of these asymmetrical regions can determine underlying causation.

Once these areas are determined, attention to normalizing the functional integrity through alignment, then rehabilitation should be the focus of treatment. Muscles and ligaments all have to anchor to the skeletal frame. If the framework is uneven the muscles and ligaments will continue to work, but asymmetrically. This imbalance limits our overall ability to dynamically respond to actions such as horse riding. Once skeletal asymmetry is addressed, then soft tissue (muscular/ligament) rehabilitation follows.

Chiropractors look at asymmetry of your spine, determine deficiencies and formulate corrective treatments. Some also provide specific rehabilitative exercises.

For those of you who are riding at a casual or competitive level and are finding it difficult to achieve fluidity with your riding, symmetry may be the limiting factor.

Happy riding!

Dr. Shameer Kamani practices out of Winnipeg, Manitoba at Osborne Chiropractic Office. Email: dr.s.kamani@gmail.com y X-ray 1: Rib cage and thoracic spine rotation from trauma of horse fall; can create spinal imbalance if left untreated after such fall.

x-ray 1

X-ray 2: Pelvis and low back dysfunction from trauma.

x-ray 2

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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 risk 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, Tie Horse Securely and at Proper Height

1. Use a quick release knot 2. Tie the horse at whither height and only as long as so its nose does not touch ground level, but at least the length from your elbow to fingertips.

3. Always tie with a halter and lead rope, never with the reins.

Tying with the reins can damage the horse’s mouth and break your reins.

4. A horse that pulls back is better tied with a rope halter and bungee with quick release snap.

5. Do not tie to an object that moves or makes sounds so that you avoid spooking the horse.

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A horse is MUCH stronger than you think so always, when tying your horse, only tie to a sturdy and secure object. I have seen or heard of people tying to box stall doors, panels, picnic tables, wooden planks, branches, etc. where the horse pulled back and the object broke, coming along with the horse, spooking it and injuring the horse. In a few of these incidences the injuries were so severe that the horse had to be put down! That is a high price to pay for our carelessness. Horses are flight animals and we can not predict their reaction to everything, so always assume the worst to be safe!

Some other safety precautions when tying are:

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Picture 1 ‘You can see the frightened look on this horse tied to bleachers, obviously a warning sign that this is not a safe place to tie.’

Picture 2 ‘This same horse is now securely tied at a hitching rail with posts cemented into the ground. The horse is obviously much more comfortable here and securely tied.’

Proper Mounting Position

Correct mount.

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For more safety tips and educational pieces you can watch these YouTube videos from CHA, Certified Horsemanship Association http://cha-ahse.org/store/pages/212/CHA-Horsemanship-Videos.html

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More often than not, riders mount holding the saddle with both hands, one in front and the other in the back, as shown in picture. This is both unsafe and uncomfortable for the horse, especially without the use of a mounting block. When mounting, with a mounting block or not, placing the left hand on the pommel or horn and the right hand on the cantle is incorrect for the following reasons 1.

It pulls the saddle sideways, loosening the fit of the saddle and causing pressure to the horse’s back 2. You need to let go of your right hand on the cantle in order to swing your leg over and sit. If the horse moves suddenly or quickly, the last thing you want to do is let go! As shown in this picture, rather mount up by keeping your left hand on the reins, with closer contact, and grasp the horse’s neck while ideally holding the pommel on the off side, with your right hand. In this way your weight will be counterbalanced by grabbing the off side (right side) of the neck and pressing down on the pommel. If you are not used to this mounting position it will take more effort to bounce more upwards but it is for the better. For the horses’ sake teach yourself the proper way! 7

Incorrect mount.

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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

Nikolas Cremer of Dufresne, MB sharing his carrot with his family’s Appendix Quarter Horse, Made in Detail (Jag).

Olivia Bland of Mitchell, MB ( 5 years old) led her brother Greyson (3 years old) in leadline class on My Sweet Performer at Hanover Fair in Grunthal.

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Riley Loewen of Mitchell, MB cooling off with a swim on Styled By Invitation (Blair) an AQHA gelding.

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Steinbach area girls Kiera Lamoureux (left) on My Sweet Performer (Mini) and Karalee Reimer (right) on Bucks Mortamer (Guido) enjoying their horses with a swim!

Trying a New Breed… the Rocky Mountain Horse

By Pat Davis I have always been interested in the Rocky Mountain Horse breed and when looking for a new horse I came across the website for Betkal Farms. I sent Don an e-mail expressing interest and explaining that I had never ridden a gaited breed and he replied immediately with an invitation to go to his ranch in Edson, AB, stay for 2 - 3 days and learn to ride a Rocky, by all means bring along a friend for company. He suggested I read a book Rocky Mountain Horses by Bonnie Hodge before our visit. The book was very informative and a great read!

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We brought the prospective gelding in from the paddock for me, Don chose a Tennessee Walker mare for my friend Marion MacLeod while Don rode Parker, pictured in this issue’s conformation article, and one of his boarders Darlene rode her Rocky named Marshall. Hills, rocks, trees, mud, through the fast running creeks, branches in the face, small trees under his belly, nothing seemed to worry my mount, G.S. Johnny Boy. It was a very different ride and so smooth. I told Don I hadn’t ridden for a while so I’d probably be stiff the next day but he assured me I would be fine. Some Rockies have a high head carriage and others are quite collected, JB is very collected. I’m told the gaits can feel very different from one horse to another.

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On the second day, Johnny was sleeping in the paddock and stayed laying down while I put his halter on, very trusting of a complete stranger. We had a good ride on sheltered trails and came home in a snowstorm. The Rocky Mountain registry is fairly new and their goal is to breed the ultimate trail horse, small size, good feet and most of all, a quiet mind. They are known as the Golden Retrievers of the horse breeds. They would love to live in your pocket and are very easy keepers.

Rocky Mountain mares are great mothers and are very protective of their foals.

Pat and GS Johnny Boy getting aquainted.

As with any other breed, there are those who breed for the show ring and those who are breeding for the all around trail horse so it is important to check the bloodlines. They come in all colours but my Johnny is referred to as a chocolate with a flaxen mane and tail, a sought after colour in the Rocky Mountain Horse world.

I rode Johnny in the arena to gain some experience in what the true gait feels like and how to achieve it. With coaching from Don it came very easily. Rockies can get a little trotty but I learned to just vibrate my hands and he would settle back into the gait. I concentrated on riding Johnny while one of Don’s boarders rode Marshall who was every bit as calm as Johnny.

Don takes these guys to the mountains at least once a year and alternates between riding and using them as pack horses so they have lots of trail experience. If a horse does spook, it’s usually a quick stop, look at the ‘obstacle’ and calmly walk away.

After four days of riding I was not the least bit stiff nor was my back sore!!! There is no up and down movement so you just feel a little shuffle side to side.

I purchased Johnny and had him shipped to our farm. GS Johnny Boy arrived on Saturday night and Sunday night my brother came to visit and jumped on him bareback. He was a little ‘tight’ for a few minutes but gaited off beautifully with just a halter and a complete stranger on his back. His lope is fast, compared to a Quarter Horse, but very smooth to ride, even the cowboy has to admit what a smooth ride he is.

We spent a great weekend with Don and Betty in their beautiful home and I am looking forward to riding my Rocky Mountain out on the trails! z

VAULTING

CLINICS

LESSONS

TRAINING

JUDGING

BOARDING

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SOAR

REGISTER

TODAY

SPACE IS LIMITED September 15 begins Fall session of lessons and vaulting for 10 weeks th

Spring 2015 - CHA Standard Instructor Certification Clinic Book Tara now for 2015 Clinics, Judging and Training.

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

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

M TRAINING N

Despooking Part #3

By Jennifer Mack Police horse Major following a baby carriage during a lesson at our stables.

In this article I will explain how a person might set up a desensitization lesson. I will also discuss some common mistakes and trouble areas. Desensitization should follow some basic principles or guidelines. I will share some thoughts and ideas that I have learned working with horses.

To begin with, I find it helpful to use the concepts of distance, duration and intensity.

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Distance is used in this context to refer to how close in proximity you are to an aversive stimulus. Distance is critical to survival and often times it is the difference between an equine feeling safe or needing to defend itself with self preservation measures. The horse uses evasion techniques such as shying, to create space to get to a safe distance. Distance can also be purposefully created by the handler to help the horse relax.

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Some key points relating to distance; • The rider or handler should decide at what distance from the stimulus the horse begins to show a flight response and work from that reference point.

• It is easier for a horse to accept a stimulus by following it. Try to use this whenever possible. For instance, if you are riding your horse on a trail and the horse is unsure of a bicycle that just passed by, ask the horse to follow it a bit, that will help restore some of the lost confidence.

• If the stimulus is coming directly at the horse the horse may be more likely shy sideways or backwards. It is much more difficult for the horse to tolerate a stimulus coming at them particularly if the horse is not moving.

• You are most likely to have a full fledged flight response if the stimulus is behind the horse and it pops up quickly. This brings up a flight response because the horse likely feels that it is being chased or herded by an aversive stimulus. It is wise to keep the horse facing and following as much as possible until the stimulus has been introduced and the horse is coping well with it.

• There is a good possibility that the horse will respond differently to a stimulus at varying distances and angles. For instance, the horse may seem calm with a stimulus in front of them but if the same stimulus is presented at a 45 degree angle the horse may have a different response. It is prudent to present the stimulus from all angles if possible.

Duration is the length of time that the stimulus is presented to the horse. Duration is important because the horse may feel claustrophobic if the duration is not appropriate for the level of tolerance the horse is exhibiting.

Some examples include; • How close in proximity you remain to a novel object • How long a noise lasts such as a live band playing non-stop

Major has less confidence when the baby carriage is pushed towards him while he is standing still.

for a long set with no break period (long duration) versus the

Intensity can be described as how loud, strong or quick moving

‘Jake breaks’ of a semi truck which is short in duration (a few

a stimulus is. This is vital to understand because horses become

seconds)

overly sensitive at different ranges of intensity. I like to think of

• How long something is touching the horse

intensity on a mental sliding scale on a range of 0-10, this could

• The length of time that the horse is in same space as a stimulus

be a noise or mph concept. The idea is to keep the intensity high

(regardless of noise) such as the first time a horse is introduced

enough to elicit a reaction but low enough to keep the horse under

to a herd of cows

control of the handler.

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If you are attempting to habituate a horse to a stimulus using desensitization, you want to keep the intensity and duration at the same level long enough that the horse is no longer responding to it before increasing either.

Some other key points to contemplate are; • Horses have sensitive areas on the body. Be sure to recognize if your horse is ticklish or touch shy in any of the usual areas such as the flank area, girth area, above the head, ears, the blind spot behind the horse, underside of the body and under the chin. These areas need to be identified prior to introducing stimulus to keep the handler safe. The horse may be inclined to kick, paw at or spin away from stimulus in these areas.

• Beware of flooding. Flooding is a sink or swim approach where the horse is saturated with a stimulus and is not allowed to escape. Flooding could cause the horse to become overexposed causing a hyper specific fear memory. Flooding is not the same as desensitization because it provokes more fear rather then less fear. The horse should not feel trapped or forced during desensitization sessions. Tying or hobbling the horse during these sessions may cause flooding, which is why I do not advocate using them in this context. I also do not recommend tying anything to the horse or any tack. The tied

b If you are attempting to habituate a horse to a stimulus using desensitization, you want to keep the intensity and duration at the same level long enough that the horse is no longer responding to it before increasing either.

b

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object may not break away if needed and the horse has no escape from it.

• It is easy to assume a horse that prefers standing still is automatically accepting a stimulus. This is not always the case as many horses freeze and stand still even if they are scared or before they explode into a flight response.

• It is critical that the rider keep the horse focused, asking simple familiar requests. The handler or rider ought to be able to maneuver the horse either from the ground or when being ridden, without inconsistent responses from the horse. The horse will resist the aids if it is invested in a fear response. The

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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.

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

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M TRAINING N intention of the rider or handler should be to continue to ask that the horse respond to their requests and also become less reactive to the stimulus at the same time.

• The point of desensitization is that the horse eventually gives no response (habituation). This means that in order for you to have a high success rate you will need to repeat the lesson frequently. It is not likely to habituate after one session of desensitization. However, the lessons will become shorter in length and the horses’ responses will become more and more predictable.

• Be mindful of timing. At the moment that the stimulus discontinues the horse may make an association. If the stimulus retreats or ceases in conjunction with the horse moving away from, or giving a spook reaction to the stimulus the horse will likely get the impression that the way to make it stop is to continue the unwanted response. This has the undesirable effect of sensitizing the horse and potentially making it more likely to spook, not exactly accomplishing the preferred response. The person in charge of the stimulus, in some cases the rider and other cases a helper from the ground, needs to be able to interpret when a horse is making this type of association. As an example, let’s imagine that the horse begins to startle when drumming starts and the helper stops drumming every time the horse startles. The horse may

begin to think that the way to get the drumming to stop is to startle. In this case the startle will most likely be repeated and perhaps with a stronger effort.

As an illustration, imagine that you want to start a session with your horse to prepare him to go to a parade. Based on his history, it is probable that your horse is not going to be composed if there are loud and unfamiliar noises. Since marching bands with boisterous drumming will likely happen, you want the parade to be a positive experience for all involved. I would recommend limiting the first lesson to ‘noise only’ and not add other stimulus so that you do not risk ‘flooding’.

I would consider which exercises or school figures that I want to use to help the horse focus on basic cues during the session.

This way I am prepared with a plan before I begin the session.

Next, I would make some drumming noises and judge the horse’s reaction. This will give me a guideline for the session. Then I would slowly increase the intensity, in this case decibels, and see how the horse responds. If I noticed the horse was worried at an intensity level 4 on a scale of 0-10, I would start at the intensity level of 3. I could also change the intensity of the noise by adjusting the distance from it if I needed to at any time during the session.

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Major on patrol following a streetcar to help gain his confidence. The streetcar is not only large but also quite loud.

I would then consider the duration of the drumming. This

slowly decrease the time of the breaks which will increase the

means if the horse accepts 30 seconds of drumming and

duration of the noise. After the horse is coping well with the

then a 30 second break, the helper can be briefed on how to

increased duration (more constant noise and fewer breaks between) I would then consider increasing the intensity to a 4 or 5 and adjust the duration as needed. If the horse begins to give a flight response, start again at an easier step in the lesson as quickly as possible so that you do not get too many repetitions of the unwanted response. Begin to reintroduce the stimulus in the same manner as above. Usually you can identify distance, intensity or duration as the culprit to problems. Temporarily tone down one of the three areas and then recapture the response slowly and more methodically.

When problems develop during the session, usually the intensity and duration increased simultaneously, this is beyond what the horse is able to cope with. After the horse has had a few sessions with a snare drum, I would add other sessions

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with stimulus such as flags and banners to help prepare him

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better for the upcoming parade debut.

In conclusion to the past three articles, I hope that you have a clear understanding of desensitization and habituation and that you are able to identify some of the areas your horses could use some despooking. I hope you remember to isolate and then later combine your stimulus based on different categories of sensory stimuli. In this last article, I have supplied a basic outline for how to put the information to use so that your horses can become calm reliable partners. g

M TRAINING N

When is a Student

Ready to Jump?

By Patricia Bogart-Head Most students believe that they are ready to jump when they are not. I tell them that they must have a solid foundation of leg strength/balance in order to be successful. I put the burden of proof on them so they won’t think that I’m holding them back.

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1. They have to be able to do a 2-point at jumping stirrup length (2-3 holes above flat work) for a minimum of 4 minutes without holding on to the neck of horse. I usually start out with about 30 sec. to a minute and progress from there. I have them suck in their stomach in order to protect their back. Otherwise, the stomach will sag down and pull on the small of their back and then their back will hurt. I can tell when they are using their stomach, because their back

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Here are the steps I give them:

will flatten and may even roach up a little. To explain I have them put their thumb on their belly button with fingers below and tighten/suck in those muscles. A visual I use is to pull in those muscles and roach their back like a Halloween cat. This usually works, but remember to remind the student often.

Obviously, this is not the two-point posture for a horse show, but is designed to strengthen the rider’s core.

2. Another essential component is to make sure the upper calf (approximately a hands width below the knee) is in contact.

This keeps the leg in the correct position. I test this by placing a piece of paper (dollar bill size) between that part of the calf and the saddle. If the leg is moving too far forward or back, the calf is not engaged correctly and the paper will fall.

3. When the student completes steps 1 and 2, I shorten the

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stirrups by 2-3 holes and repeat the process. Remember to start out doing less and work up to the 4 minutes. Challenge each student accordingly. As the student progresses, I continue to shorten the stirrups until they reach the mid-calf with riders leg out. This approach over time will give the student strength, balance and confidence. I learned this trick from exercising Thoroughbreds at the track. I thought I was in good shape. Then they shortened my stirrups. I thought I was going to die after one time around. The next day every muscle hurt from my shoulders to my ankles. But after a few weeks I could really tell the difference in my legs. Just remember to go slow.

4. When the above steps are completed, the student needs to be able to ride a posting trot without the stirrups for at least 5 minutes. Again, start out slow, yet gauging the students ability. Then with each lesson do more. Remind the student to keep hands close to the saddle. Better to grab the saddle or the mane than yank on the bit when balance is lost.

5. The student must successfully maneuver the trot poles at the 2-point. Remind the student to hold on to the mane in case they lose balance. This prevents pulling on the horses’ mouth. Additionally this helps to train the student to use their leg/weight aids to steer and not rely solely on the reins. Of course, there will be times when the reins will have to be engaged. Most students tend to hold their breath over the

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poles which can cause lots of problems (i.e. horse speeding up or stopping, difficulty using aids). Remind them to BREATH! I tell them to ‘talk’ to their horse while going over the poles. Use a drawn out ‘steeeaaady/eeeaasy’ to slow a fast horse or a series of ‘clucks’ to speed up the slower ones. At the end of each lesson, during cool down, I have the student post at the walk without the stirrups and with no hands on horse or saddle. Be sure to remind them to engage the calf and inner thigh and not just pinch at the knee. As always, HEELS DOWN.

This article has been reprinted with permission by the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) – www.CHA-ahse.org a

www.horsecountry.ca

Patricia Bogart-Head is a CHA Certified Clinic Instructor and has been teaching almost all disciplines for over 40 years. You can reach Patty at headj005@hawaii.rr.com

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Years ago when I was learning to jump, I ate a lot of dirt. So over the years it has become my experience that exceptional leg strength/balance is paramount for a jumping student.

Completing the above four steps prior to allowing the student to ‘jump’ will help ensure their safety and success. View a video on this topic at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_7-j58btj4

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The Secret to Yodelling!

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Copyright Diamond Doug Keith, 2014

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I’ve spent many long days Mounted upon a cowey steed There packed on it’s back Is everything I’d ever need But all that time spent alone Can play tricks on your head You start yakking to yourself And arguein’ with what you’ve said

It was then I stumbled on the secret So strange it’s hard to believe In the dark I wandered out of camp My bladder I had to relieve I leaned on an old fence post And began to sigh and let it go Instantly I felt the most severe pain Just a travellin’ up the flow

Most times I’d lose the argument Be left feelin’ somewhat defeated That’ s when I hatched up an idea Right there where I was seated I’d teach myself to cowboy yodel Like Montana Slim or Wilf Carter I’ll learn all their secret tricks like Yodee-ol-lady-who for a starter

I opened my mouth and to my surprise A yodel popped out beautiful as can be Just like those singing cowboys of old Who would of thought from little old me I yodelled in pure cowboy style And the secret I will now dispense Though trust me it’s a real shocker I just peed on that electric fence!

So I worked on this yodel business For pert near a month and a half Practising at every opportunity Though the boys did have a laugh I wasn’t to be deterred from my dream Even when cats screeched and ran for cover Or windows would spontaneously crack They say life’s not easy for a yodel lover But even with all the time and work The nuances of the yodel eluded me Even after wedging up my underwear To hit those higher notes you see And though I practised day after day Folks would still cry and cover an ear Herds of animals would stampede From horses, dogs, gophers to deer

Virden Draft

Horse Show

By Crystal Horn Over the years we have had anywhere from 130 – 150 draft horses. This was known as one of the largest draft horse shows in Manitoba. It’s been a part of Virden’s history for the last 120 years. We have great interest from competitors across the prairies to come to Virden to compete in this Draft Horse Show. The 2014 Virden Draft Horse Show took place on July 26 & 27 at the Virden Fairgrounds. We had 17 exhibitors from across Manitoba and Saskatchewan, with a total of 76 horses of Clydesdales, Percherons and Belgians. Many changes were made to make this Draft Horse Show a success! A big come back for the small town fair that took a year off. With the continued support of many people, we feel this show will thrive. It was one of the biggest shows this summer in Manitoba with 10 Four Horse Hitches!

Judge Mark Hill of Goodsoil, SK placed these classes as follows:

Supreme Champion Draft Horse - Charleswood Percherons.

Supreme Champion Draft Horse

Six-Horse Hitch (5 entries)

Slate Acres King’s Impulse, Charleswood Percherons

1. Lone Oak Percherons 2. Delgaty Clydes 3. Wallace Clydesdales 4. Morsky Roselea Belgians 5. Bourns Family Percherons

Four-Horse Hitch (10 entries) 1. Lone Oak Percherons 2. Charleswwod Percherons 3. Morsky Roselea Belgians 4. Wallace Clydesdales 5. Bourns Family Percherons

Best Driver of the Show Breanna Bourns

Check us out on Facebook - Virden Draft Horse Show and also at www.virdendrafthorseshow.com

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Please recycle

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Youth World Cup 2014 Bryan/College Station

By Quinn Brandt

TEAM CANADA Karen Westerback (manager), Quinn Brandt, Haley Stradling, Madison Steed, Hanna Buijs, Haley Franc, Paige McNally, Shayley Beaton, Jenna Salmon, Laura Berensci, Haidee Landry (CQHA President) , Della Cryderman (Coach)

There were 16 countries competing in Texas July 3-13, 2014 in the events of Showmanship, Horsemanship, Western Pleasure, Trail, Hunter Under Saddle, Hunt Seat Equitation, Reining and Cutting. Some events have two riders per country and others have three. Some classes are split like western pleasure and hunter under saddle and the top 15-20 horses get a call back for the final. In horsemanship and equitation roughly 15-20 horses get called back to do rail work after the patterns are complete.

There are clinics during the week for each event and on the last three days are the show days. The exception is cutting which is

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held earlier in the week right after the clinic as that event uses a

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different set of horses.

Canada had five riders competing Haley Stradling (BC), Shayley Beaton (Alberta), Jenna Salmon (Alberta), Madison Steed (Alberta) and myself Quinn Brandt (Manitoba). We also had alternates and leadership members who are an important part of the team as they help with all the work. They were Hannah Buijs (Ontario), Laura Berensci (Ontario), Paige McNally (Ontario) and Haley Franc (Saskatchewan). Our coach was Della Cryderman (Ontario) and manager Karen Westerback (Ontario).

At the Youth World Cup we ride and show horses donated by the host country, not our own, which makes the event more challenging. Groups of five horses are matched with the various countries by random draw. We only have a few days to familiarize ourselves with the horses and get them shown. Coaches are not allowed to ride any of the horses, only the competing riders are allowed on the horses during the event. In the days leading up to the competition there are clinics for each event and both the clinicians and coaches offer helpful advice to the riders on how to best show the horses.

Of the five horses we were assigned, the coach selects which rider will ride which horse in each event. Sometimes a horse will be moved from rider to rider, depending on the event, and sometimes a rider matches up really well with one of the horses and will use it for most of the events. Since there are five horses and, at the most, three riders per event, two horses might get limited use. The rules of the event are that each horse has to be shown at least once.

You can read more about the event on my blog http://www.pleasurehorse.com/latest-show-news/ meet-our-daily-pleasurehorse-com-blogger-from-the-2014-american-quarter-horse-youth-world-cup/#.U_OZVbFCyxV

Quinn Brandt on Chex, Jenna Salmon on Leo and Shayley Beaton on Richard just before the equitation clinic.

Medal ceremonies for showmanship on the first day: Shayley Beaton (with Richard) taking silver, Laura Weber of Germany taking gold and Quinn Brandt (with Leo) receiving bronze.

I got to use two different horses; for showmanship and western events I was paired with Leo. He was a difficult horse to ride but amazing in the showmanship. In my English events I was together with Chex. He was a great horse but very green and had not been shown much.

The first event was cutting. In Germany two years ago, Haley Stradling won gold under both judges for team Canada. In Texas, Stradling drew a horse that was difficult to ride and Steed had a good ride but neither placed.

In showmanship the first judge placed Beaton 2nd, myself 3rd and Salmon 8th. Beaton was also 9th in hunter under saddle, 8th in hunt seat equitation and 6th in western riding.

In reining it was Steed and Stradling showing, with Stradling

During the second day of competition our placings were Showmanship - Beaton 2nd (winning the overall highpoint), and I both made the finals with Beaton placing 2nd. Then we both also made the finals in Hunt Seat Equitation with Beaton finishing 8th. Beaton also placed 7th in Western Riding.

In the end the top 5 countries were First - USA Second Germany Third - Australia Fourth - Canada Fifth – Norway. 1

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myself 7th and Salmon 6th. In Hunter Under Saddle Beaton

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placing 4th and 5th.

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Arabian Nationals A Show, Not Just a Competition

By Tara Reimer, Cloud 9 Ranch

With over 600 horses and approximately 1000 exhibitors in attendance, the Canadian Nationals stands alone as the only AHA championship show offering a full range of competition with Canadian flair. This horse show is unique in that it offers classes for all ages of riders; from youth to amateur and amateur to professional. There were 187 different classes in youth, western, dressage, hunter and english disciplines traveling from all over the U.S. and Canada, striving towards the title of Canadian National Champion. It was Brandon, Manitoba’s fourth year to host these Arabian enthusiasts for a chance to win red roses!

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I met up with some of the Canadian exhibitors to hear their success stories and learn more about the Arabian breed. In order to compete at Nationals all exhibitors and horses must first qualify through other shows first. At this show each competitor in the Top Ten receives recognition and awards but placings are not announced except for Reserve and National Champion.

Class results are posted later with actual placings under each of the three judges and overall. Overall the atmosphere was fun, relaxed, welcoming and friendly with beautiful stall decorations to marvel at and majestic horses to admire.

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Jodi Powell-Bourdon drove over 20 hours from Fort St. John, BC with her eleven year old gelding “Who Spotted Who” to be crowned National Champion in Open Half Arab Sport Horse Hunter. This is quite an accomplishment for an amateur who did her own training on him and has to drive six hours to the nearest show, not to mention her courageous battle with cancer that took her out of the game for a few years. Jodi grew up with the family Hunting and Guiding outfit using pack horses in Hudson’s Hope, BC. At 13 years old, she switched to the English discipline and especially enjoys the friendship with her horse.

Cheyenne Cook of Langley, BC looked quite elegant on her 11-year-old purebred “Dhejavu” in the English Side Saddle class.

Now 16 years old, she started riding at just four years old and competed in the Hunter Jumper circuit for eight years before

Jodi Powell-Bourdon on Who Spotted Who, Champion Open Sport Horse Hunter, with her husband.

Cheyenne Cook in the English Side Saddle.

moving to the Arabians, strictly for the love of the breed. She loves the adrenaline rush from being in the show arena with others and appreciates dad’s help to tack up and mom’s help getting her ready.

Dawn breeds for world class halter and performance horses that are useful, selling as far as Saudia Arabia, Brazil and Mexico. Their breeding program is working as we saw “RD Habanero” become “Bey Ambition’s” first offspring to be crowned National Champion in Performance!

Riding and showing in her mom Sherry Dewan’s steps, is 15 year old Alexa Christopher of Hope, BC on Conley Driediger’s 2001 gelding C Sir Madre.

Trainer Michelle Hanson of Spiritwood Farms in Sherwood Park, AB has been riding Arabian’s for 22 years. Originally from Hepburn, SK she rode Pony Club and Gymkhanas in her younger years. Michelle trains and teaches both the English Hunter and Western horses for her mostly adult amateur riders. They show throughout Alberta, some in Idaho and Washington and also in Arizona in February. Her crew really likes this show because the exhibitor’s are friendly, laid back and it is fun.

With them was trainer Erica Milligan of Regina, SK who enjoys the main ring events like English and Western Pleasure. Erica started out assisting other trainers and now shows only Arabians as she appreciates the versatility of the breed and how the horse is specific to an event. She particularly enjoys training young horses for the 3 year old Futurities. I learned that the most common half Arab crosses are to Saddlebreds, for their upright neck, size and big motion, to Quarter Horses, for western, and to Dutch Harness horses, for the high motion.

Well known endurance rider Prue Critchley of Hamiota, MB was quite proud to show me her 1995 purebred stallion, “Empres”.

With pride, Prue shows her stallion in Sport Horse in Hand.

www.horsecountry.ca

Bey Ambition, herd sire for Rae-Dawn Arabians.

Mother daughter team of Cheryl Kingdon-Chartier of Binscarth, MB and Sara Miller are fourth generation in the horse industry with Cheryl’s parents showing Saddlebreds then Arabs and Sara’s two year old son enjoying his Miniature. Many years ago the family trained and bred horses and recently, with Cheryl retiring from work and Sara finished her schooling, the timing was right to get back into showing Arabians. Cheryl showed in the Country English class while Sara was in Hunter.

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Rae-Dawn Arabians was a major sponsor and also exhibited at this National show. Owner and Breeder Murray and Shirley Popplewell are quite proud of their 2006 bay herd sire “Bey Ambition” who is the first Canadian owned colt to be a USA Futurity Champion.

Owners of Prairie Machine, builders of underground mining equipment, they started into horses in 1997 when they bought a mare to ditch ride on. They didn’t know she was in foal but subsequently showed the foal in halter and the rest is history, building up to 80 horses on 200 acres in Saskatoon, SK. For 12 years, Claudinei Machado from Brazil has been their trainer helping move horses to their Scottsdale property in October for the February show. Arabhorse.com for eight years has organized a tour of fifteen farms in the Scottsdale area where visitors stop at three farms a day and share a luncheon. The Host’s show off their new babies to potential buyers and market their breeding programs. Rae-

I met Faith at ring side as she watched her mom Kim Seward of Fort Saskatchewan, AB ride their 9 year old Half Arab, “City Boy”. Kim began teaching riders at an early age and trains Arabians, Quarter Horses and Saddlebreds, but prefers showing the Arabian circuit. Of her youth and amateur clients, five were showing at Nationals. In 2013, Faith was Canadian National Champion JTR (Junior To Ride) Country Pleasure and Reserve Champion Half Arab Show Hack. Just turned amateur, Faith is 3rd generation on the farm as she helps with the training of young horses and in the barn while her grandparents run the Rocking Bar Ranch boarding stable.

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He was was born in Poland, traveled the world in the Western Pleasure show ring and then settled in Manitoba, with his new owner Prue four years ago. Prue was enamored with his bloodlines and appearance, and she should know, having been involved with Arabians and Morgan crossbreds for over thirty years. Two years ago, Empres was started in dressage and is trained and shown by DJ Cairns. DJ’s 11 year old son, Casey, has shown him in Western and English Dressage as well. Visit www.empres.ca to learn more about this beautiful horse. He will continue to be shown and bred, as he loves shows and has a fantastic work ethic!

BH Sandman HA/AA Western Pleasure Junior Horse National Champion.

tears as they played the song Mr. Sandman over the speaker to announce that her five year old Buckskin stallion BH Sandman was crowned HA/AA Western Pleasure Junior Horse National Champion. Bought as a yearling, the goal was to win Nationals as a Junior Horse, and the goal was accomplished! It was

DJ Cairns on Vimy Ridge in level 4 Dressage.

At Cairns Ranch in Grayson, SK trainer DJ, her husband and 11, 12, and 14 year old children run a cow/calf operation with 160 mother cows, yearlings on grass plus 300 sheep. Although her training program is dressage based, her own horses also do ranch work. As a perfectionist herself, she loves dressage as she can cater the training to each horse to attain the next level. There is the ongoing challenge to achieve a high standard. DJ likes to give horses a chance that other riders would give up on. You can see her and son Casey at Dressage and Breed shows across western Canada.

An especially exciting Canadian moment at the National show was 21 year old Katelyn Carter of Fort Saskatchewan, AB bursting into

Arabian Country Pleasure Driving.

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NEW iMRS fauna by Swiss Bionic Solutions

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Judges score Arabian 2-year old fillies, in both conformation and movement.

Stunning show outfits complete with bling on chaps and saddle blanket.

Judges check bits on riders in Arabian Country English Pleasure.

certainly out of the norm for a young Canadian woman to win this prestigious event. Katelyn’s mom show jumped as a teenager in England so horses were in the blood yet, Katelyn’s dad Terry says, “The whole thing started with a $20 lesson!” Katelyn started showing Arabians at 10 years old and has also shown open circuit Hunter/Jumper, some combined driving and cowboy trail. She plans to show side saddle next year. Enrolled in the Equine Science program at Olds College, Katelyn is majoring in Breeding and Production, starting colts for others in her spare time. BH Sandman does have one bay colt on the ground already

and Katelyn wants to continue showing and breeding her special stallion. BH Sandman is a 99.65% Arabian buckskin colt, making him the highest percentage dilute colt in North America and possibly the world. He is a 5th generation cross to the original buckskin Quarter Horse that gave him the color. Visit www. shantyarabians.com to see him at liberty!

There were many more special stories and accomplishments of the Canadians involved in the Arabian Nationals and we look forward to following these new friends in their future endeavours! q

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a 1 Wellink Drive, Lockport MB e Our New Store will feature: • Dog Grooming • Doggie Daycare • 2x the Amount of Horse Products: Including more Tack, Saddles, Clothing and Novelty Items.

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STONE CREEK WESTERN SHOP

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Manitoba Miniature Horse Club

1st Annual Family Fun Day What can you do with a Miniature Horse? That is the perennial question put to Miniature Horse owners! An enthusiastic group of Manitoba Miniature Horse Club members got together at the Miami Fairgrounds on August 9, 2014 and spent the day having some fun with their Miniature Horses and enjoying each other’s company at the first annual MMHC Family Fun Day. Fun Day organizers Sharon Brown and Brenda Kroeker had spent considerable time researching for activities that were appropriate for these small equine as well as for all ages of participants, who ranged in age from 6 years old to over 60. There were 14 horses and 16 members present to make this day a tremendous success.

Miniature horses are very willing animals, and they proved this time and time again as they were asked to do many different exercises and activities. Some timed events included weaving in and out between poles, or barrels. There was lots of cajoling and maybe even a little bending the rules, which resulted in good natured competition!

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Agility type of driving activities included driving between cones, driving with one wheel on a 2x4, pivoting with one wheel in a hula-hoop, backing into a box to ring the bell, transferring flags from one bucket to another and maneuvering through an L shaped channel. Halter activities consisted of different levels of jumping, walking over a bridge and a tarp, stepping over logs and backing through an L shaped path.

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Participants enjoyed a pot luck lunch & Barbeque with plenty of watermelon and Freezies to take the edge off the hot day. Door prizes provided by the club were a barbeque, won by Theresa Early and a barbeque tool set won by Russell Early. Everyone left anticipating next year’s event! e

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.

Visit us on Facebook and see the La sellerie BUTET. The BUTET SADDLERY video.

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

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You can accumulate chances by purchasing throughout the summer.

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Southeast Manitoba Draft Horse Association

3rd Annual Plowing Match

By Janet Kehler

The Southeastern Manitoba Draft Horse Association was formed over 30 years in SE Manitoba by a group of like minded farmers!

Its purpose is to increase awareness and promote the use of the draft horse breeds for recreational and agricultural endeavors.

The Horse Club participates in a wide variety of projects each year, designed to introduce the public to draft horses and to help new draft horse owners learn work with their teams.

On Saturday August 9, 2014, the Southeast Manitoba Draft Horse Association held its 3rd Annual Plowing Match near Steinbach, Manitoba. It was a very successful event with approximately 300 visitors coming to watch participants plow either with a horse or tractor drawn plow. The annual plowing matches goal is to preserve the art & skill of working with draft horses and to give an opportunity for the public to experience first hand this age old tradition.

Winners of the day were:

Jr Jr Sulky 1st Leah Hildebrand, Steinbach

Jr Sulky 1st Eric Therrien, La Broquerie area (pictured below) 2nd Megan Lupky, Steinbach

Senior Novice Sulky 1st Tom Williams, Pansy area 2nd Harold Kehler, La Broquerie area 3rd Mark Bergen, Vita area

Senior Sulky 1st John Hildebrand, Steinbach 2nd Bruce Gilmore, Kelwood 3rd Art Gibson, Neepawa

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We are looking forward to seeing everyone again next year !

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Langenburg Student Claims Canadian Bareback Championship

By Darrell Nesbitt

Danny Vandenameele of Team Manitoba has three solid rides in Alberta.

(Photo by Darrell Nesbitt, Shoal Lake)

“I’m extremely proud of our bareback riders, who showcased the passion for the event and dedication to the sport of rodeo, at their finest riding ability,” said Art Cochrane, Manitoba’s National director.

While hailing from Saskatchewan due to the closeness of his home to the Manitoba border, he was a member of the Manitoba High School Rodeo Association that travelled to the three-day show in Alberta.

High point cowgirl was Rachel Kerr of British Columbia while Cole Churchill, also of British Columbia, was the high point senior cowboy.

While the provincial associations bid farewell to a number of graduates, they also welcomed a number of rookies in August, which kicked off a new high school rodeo season. t

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All-around a fine group of talented students represented their associations well including Bailey Plaisier of Oak Lake and Mason Helmeczi of Esterhazy, SK who finished second and third respectively in the bareback event.

In the Junior High division, High point honours went to two Alberta contestants Mikenna Shauer and Quade Kozak.

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By achieving scores of 71, 77 and 74 on his three draws, Danny Vandenameele of Langenburg, SK was named the bareback champion at the Canadian High School Rodeo Finals last month in Nanton, AB.

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Endurance Riding at WEG – Experience of a Lifetime!

By Jessica Manness

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www.horsecountry.ca

We had an amazing ride. I’m so proud to represent Canada.

Yes, we gave it our best and had an awesome experience.

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Glider was really on his game and managed himself well through the first loop where we sat in the middle of a pack of 30 horses. The hazards were unbelievable with horses kicking and bumping then skidding and slipping down the muddy hills in the pouring rain. At one point we were forced off the track and Glider slid on the side of a hill, barely keeping his balance.

Then I knew we needed to get to the front of the pack. We led the herd for most of the remainder of the loop, and each time we encountered a hazardous situation through the race, I followed the same tactic. It was definitely better to be in the front than risk injury by the other horses. We kept ourselves right on the planned pace through this first loop, and Glider recovered quickly, as I expected.

In the second loop there were more muddy slippery hills, and then huge swamped-out areas where the mud was up to a foot deep. Like the first loop, if we weren’t in the mud, we were on pavement. I was so worried that the pavement would take its toll, but the pavement didn’t affect him. In this loop, it was very difficult to keep the pace, but Glider knew his

pace and kept on track. The mud was taking its toll, and he recovered a bit slower after this loop, but still was in prime condition.

In the third loop, half the course was sticky muddy hills and swampy plateaus, plus a section of beach. The tide was just turning out, so the beach was firm and generally good footing. In this loop I could feel Glider’s attitude changing, and it became more difficult to hold him back. Because this section had more open areas, he could see the horses in front and behind him and he wanted to race them, not realizing he still had 40 miles to go. On the other hand, I could also see these horses too, and I began to realize that the number of competitors was greatly diminished. I also learned that the minimum pace had been reduced from 15 kph to 14 kph and warnings were ringing in my head. Nevertheless, my horse was stronger than I had ever seen him, so I held him to the plan.

In the mud on the trail just before the vet check at the end of the third loop, one shoe was sucked off and two others were loosened. He proved to be sound in the trot-out, although his attitude was slightly different. During the 50 minute hold,

his one shoe was replaced and the others were tightened.

Moreover, he ate and drank better than on the previous loops and I hoped that this would correct any issues that were developing.

We set off on the fourth loop a few minutes behind schedule with the intent of running slightly slower than the last loop.

75 miles into the race, we were back on the beach again, this time with the tide out. The firm sand footing was now quicksand that he sank into with every step. As he lifted a foot, each would be sucked back into the sand. It wasn’t long and Glider told me he had had enough of sticky trail.

In the year previous, I had seen other horses and riders stuck, immobilize in this sand. I knew we had to continue, and encouraged him to do his best. Along the way, we again encountered other horses who were also giving up in the quicksand. With the Canadian attitude that “no one shall be left behind,” I encouraged the others to follow my horse.

Together, we did what we could to get through this section, leading the horses and walking as necessary. 5 miles later, we reached the solid ground again.

At the last crew spot I learned that we were still within the allowable time and only had 2 miles left to the vet check.

Glider seemed to be in an improved spirit, so I decided we would cautiously proceed, still aiming for a completion.

However, I did not realize there was another mile-long section of foot-deep mud and several rolling hills that had to be traversed. I got off my horse again and tried to run / walk / slide to the vet check, but I could tell that something was increasingly wrong with Glider. We arrived at the vet check still within the allowed time, but it was determined that he had an electrolyte imbalance that could not be corrected with the type of electrolytes that we had brought to France. With 12 miles left, we could not continue.

Only 21% of the competitors finished the competition (that’s 38 out of 167 competitors) and only 3 countries (out of 47 countries) were able to get 3 riders across the finish line. u

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Moreover, I am thankful for the assistance of the team that supported Glider and I in France; especially my crew, Sharon Lancaster, Wendy Carnegie, Dione Peech, and Abby Manness, and the support of the team vet, Glenn Sinclair, and team manager, Maura Leahy.

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This competition was an experience of a lifetime. I am so proud of my horse and his amazing spirit that allowed us to guide the others safely through sections of nearly impassible trail. This track pushed my horse and I to our limit, and if we could have supplied Glider with the electrolytes he needed, I am sure we could have finished the course. It was a huge learning experience for us.

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Fabulous Finals for Canadian Vaulters at Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 Photos by Cealy Tetley

www.horsecountry.ca

Normandy, FRA, September 5, 2014 - The Canadian Vaulting Team will be making a proud return home after finishing out the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 on a high note on September 5 in Normandy, FRA.

relatively new team, they decided to join up as a Pas-de-Deux pair less than a year ago. Together, they brought down the house with a repeat performance of their high-energy choreography set to swing music.

Griffiths and Boyd were delighted with

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Todd Griffiths and Brooke Boyd

Todd Griffiths of Cardston, AB, and Brooke Boyd of Olds, AB were Canada’s highest placed Pas-de-Deux pair. A

The duo scored 7.676, bringing their two-round total to 7.674 for eighth place overall.

Games overall, but his first for Canada,

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their result, “Yesterday was great, but today was even better. Everywhere that had some little tiny sticky spots yesterday felt fantastic today,” explained Griffiths, who was attending his third having represented the United States twice before obtaining Canadian

Angelique and Jeanine van der Sluijs

but also for leasing the team her eightyear-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, Bankey Moon, for the Games. “It was awesome having a horse that we trust and a Lunger who let us use her horse, even though we are such a young team.

Becca really gave us the stepping stone to actually represent our country, and we wouldn’t have been here without her.”

“I think we exceeded a lot of expectations people might have had for us as a brand new team. So, I think the most exciting part of making it into the finals was showing that when the Games are hosted on our home ground in four years, we are going to be ready for it,” commented Jeanine in light of the recent announcement that Bromont, QC has been officially awarded the next FEI World Equestrian Games in 2018.

citizenship in 2014. “We were able to show the full freestyle with all of the excitement and fun that it is. So, I was really pleased with that. Ecstatic, actually, is really the better word at this moment.”

Once again bringing their portrayal of Disney’s Sleeping Beauty to life for the full house of spectators, the Canadian Squad earned a score of 7.728 to keep their 10th place finish against the world’s best squads on a total two-round score of 7.256.

Pavan was also grateful to Becca Hewit of Great Britain, not only for stepping up to the plate as Team Canada’s Lunger,

Full results and current news from the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games can be found at www.normandy2014.com.

The FEI World Equestrian Games are held every four years, in the middle of the Olympic cycle. The inaugural 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) in 2010. The next FEI World Equestrian Games will be proudly hosted by Canada in beautiful Bromont, QC. 6

To access in-depth information on the Canadian Equestrian Team members, visit www.equinecanada.ca/cet.

www.horsecountry.ca

Later in the evening, the six-member Canadian Vaulting Team entered the arena one last time for an encore of

The first full team to ever represent Canada at the Games, the six vaulters were invited forward into the Freestyle Final after finishing 10th place in the round one Freestyle on September 3.

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Finishing the Pas-de-Deux in 10th place overall were two-time VaultCanada National Pas-de-Deux Champions, Angelique and Jeanine van der Sluijs of Olds, AB. Together, the sisters finished the two-round Pas-de-Deux championships on a total score of 6.904 for their rain-themed performance set to piano music. Jeanine, who qualified and competed in an impressive total of three events during this year’s Games: Individual Female, Squad, and Pas-deDeux. “We got to compete together as sisters, and that was our goal.”

their stunning freestyle in the FEI World Squad Vaulting Championship. Joining Griffiths, Jeanine, and Angelique were Haigen Pavan and Shianne Hofer from Olds, AB, as well as the team ‘flier’ for many of the lift components, Dallyn Shields of Didsbury, AB.

Taking the Gold Medal in the Squad competition was Germany. Switzerland brought home Silver, while France earned Bronze. In the Pas-de-Deux, Jasmin Lindner and Lukas Wacha of Austria won Gold, followed by Germany’s Pia Engelberty and Torben Jacobs in the Silver Medal position, and Joanne and Hannah Eccles earning Bronze.

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Ride For Life Marks 19th Year

Special Horseback Ride Has Meaningful Purpose

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By Darrell Nesbitt

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Aaron Kachan assisted his brother-in-law Marcel Rozdeba of Strathclair with his team that pulled one of the approximate 12 wagons on the 24 kilometre Ride For Life trail on Saturday, Aug. 9, north of Elphinstone. (Photo by Darrell Nesbitt)

The Ride For Life is the sustaining fundraiser of a group of people with similar interests – a love for horseback riding and by doing so, helping others in need due to a serious setback including medical expenses.

With the non-profit charitable organization looking forward to their 20th anniversary in 2015, it has been blessed by donors, sponsors, volunteers, friends, family and loved ones who have given their support over the past 19 years in making this event grow substantially.

Not including funds generated earlier this month, a total of $133,209.90 has been generated through the charity and dispersed to a number of people in various parts of Manitoba – locally and as far south as Boissevain.

While one talks about Ride For Life, the weekend get-together is more than sharing fellowship with horses in mind, as a large contingent of people, often numbering upwards of 800 take in the supper, auction and dance, which featured Clint Dutiaume this year.

o or pork pit barbecued enjoyed. For the roasts not eaten, they become a featured auction item later in the evening.”

With a goal of transforming personal lives – lending assistance to individuals struck by hardship as a result of illness, disability or disaster - the first Ride For Life had 65 riders and generated $3,000.

The 19th Ride For Life had approximately 150 riders and 12 wagon masters, who lent a seat to those who were interested with picnic cooler in hand, as they ventured forth on Provincial Road 354 to a beautiful landscape, a chance to see wildlife known to the area, and above all, enjoying nature’s tranquility over a good hearty laugh.

While it’s a lot of work to host the event, organizers are seeing people coming from further afield each year. The peacefulness of the weekend has seen interest from the neighbouring provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario, and a host of friendly Manitobans to welcome those who may camp on site along the Little Saskatchewan River.

“The committee is very thankful for the support shown over the years that constitutes as a great group of people in making the event grow to what it has become today,” shared Gladys Ryback of Lake Audy, who has been involved since day one. “Based on the support this year, organizers are truly looking forward to

the 20th celebration, and welcome all to ride along.”

Ryback added while it’s a lot of work, it’s a lot of fun as well. “The event is more than a horseback ride, as many supporters come solely for the supper, auction and dance, which in itself is wonderful.”

Ride For Life can be described as a weekend putting forth the values of down home hospitality, along with friendship and fellowship in a very heartfelt and caring manner.

Darrell Nesbitt writes from Shoal Lake, Manitoba. s

Eddies Sharpening The Case Amber Bone Equestrian Folding Clip Point Knife w/ Hook Pick.

This Folding Pocket Knife from Case is made with Tru-Sharp Surgical Steel.

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Available at Eddies Sharpening in Winnipeg.

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“Personally I donate 100 dozen perogies, and we have an additional 50 dozen on hand,” shared Yanchycki. “Then there is the meat side of the meal with the beef

The Ride For Life is the sustaining fundraiser of a group of people with similar interests – a love for horseback riding and by doing so, helping others in need due to a serious setback including medical expenses.

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Taking a break away from the oven in the Horod Hall mid-morning of Aug. 10, Eleanor Yanchycki of Elphinstone shared some insight in how the supper plays an important role in generating funds, with those sitting down for the meal coming from different communities within the South Parkland region and further afield.

o

Horseback riders of all ages and levels of experience, along with wagon hitches, travelling trails through pasture land along Riding Mountain National Park left the settlement of Horod, 14 kilometres north of Elphinstone, over the dates of Saturday, Aug. 9 and Sunday, Aug. 10, united in their passion of helping people that have a need.

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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 Sept 13-14 Westman Dressage Fall Festival, EC bronze Dressage show at KeyC in Brandon.

204-824-3447 tammy_mckenzie@hotmail.com Sept.18-21 CCRHA Central Canada Slide ‘n Spin at KeyC in Brandon. www.ccrha.com or ccrhashowdirector@ccrha.com Sept 19-21 MHJA Jump into Fall. TBD, BHP. www.manitobahunterjumper.com Sept 20 CWHA Open Light Horse Show in Selkirk. nsinkarsin@mymts.net or Karen Ross 204-224-4427 or call/fax 204-878-9673 Sept 20 TBC. DRM ride at MB Equestrian Championship. MHC, BHP. 25/50 miles.

Jessica Manness 204-330-1773 or northranch@hotmail.com Sept 20-21 MHCA East-West Challenge at BHP. Rena Scott 204-422-9585 or 204-998-9235 or renajscott@yahoo.ca Sept 21 MTRC East-West Challenge at BHP 25/40.

Iris Oleksuk 204-792 -4125 irisolek@rainyday.ca

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

October 10 AQHA/MQHA Versatility Ranch Horse Show at KeyC in Brandon. Larry Clifford 204-727-3661 scotiaopt@wcgwave.ca.

SASKATCHEWAN

Oct 11-13 MQHA Thanksgiving Classic Quarter Horse Shows at KeyC in Brandon. Larry Clifford 204-727-3661 scotiaopt@wcgwave.ca.

Sept 21 Priddy Farm Hunter Pace & Trail Ride Series, Saskatoon. de.priddy@asktel.net or find us on FB

Oct 24-25 2014 Manitoba 50/50 Superhorse Futurity, KeyC in Brandon. In conjunction with the Wheat City Stampede. Julie Bridgeman 204-847-2112 or kjbridgeman@inetlink.ca or www.manitobasuperhorse.com Oct 25 2014 Manitoba 50/50 Superhorse Futurity Sale, KeyC in Brandon. In conjunction with the Wheat City Stampede.

Nov 8 Showing Up Cancer Gala at Viscount Gort hotel in Winnipeg. $75 fundraiser tickets at showingupcancer@gmail.com Nov 8 MCHA Year End Awards Banquet at Club Regent Casino in Winnipeg

Sept TBA SLR Hillbilly Highways endurance ride in Prince Albert

October 4-5 SK Long Riders Stockholm ride (Distances and sanctioning TBA) in Stockholm.

Jade or Robin - ja112001@hotmail.com.

October 11-12 Thanksgiving Show Featuring Canadian Appaloosa Jackpot Classes. Karen Bedford 306-868-4526. Saskapp.ca November 7-9 Peter Campbell Horsemanship, Saskatoon. FH, H1. 204-847-0077 or coyoteridge@xplornet.com

ALBERTA November 1-4 Peter Campbell Horsemanship.

Cochrane Ag Society Arena, Cochrane. FH,H1.

403-246-6205 or sharoncrawford@shaw.ca

Nov 22 CWHA Year End Awards Banquet at Giroux Hall in Giroux Linda Lamoureux 204-299-9327

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INDEX TO advertisers

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Biovalco Innovative Products Inc............................ 37 Bull Riders Canada Inc...............................................10 Canada West Boots Factory Outlet........................IFC Canvasback Pet Supplies..........................................35 Chrysler Canada........................................................... 5 Cloud 9 Ranch..............................................................19 Diamond Doug Keith........................................ 29 & 31 Diamond Shelters........................................................17 Eddies Sharpening.....................................................45 Elders Equine Veterinary Service............................21 Fort Distributors Ltd..................................................24 Greenhawk Harness & Equestrian Supplies........34 Grunthal Livestock Auction Mart.............................21

Landmark Feeds......................................................... 37 Merial Canada Inc................................................... OBC Miracle Ranch Equipment Ltd................................... 11 N.A.G. Bags.................................................................26 One Insurance.............................................................23 Osmond Graham........................................................34 Poco-Razz Farm......................................................... 27 Prairie Truss Ltd. / Wizer Buildings Inc................ 37 Precious Pet Cremation............................................22 Royal LePage Riverbend Realty............................ IBC Stone Creek Western Shop......................................35 Westgates Horse & Country.................................... 37

Don Rudko’s Training Stables For Sale $475,000.

In the HEART OF HORSE COUNTRY! 150’ X 60’ indoor riding arena.

Attached insulated and heated 18 box stall barn – 124’ x 32’ with rubber mat floors, tack room, tool room, office and bathroom.

24’ x 36’ hay shed with attached loafing shed.

16’ x 30’ shavings bin.

300 bush hopper bottom bin with auger feed to barn.

Hot water system.

250’ x 250’ outdoor riding arena with the best natural sandy loam footing anywhere.

2 acres of pasture, 4 individual turn out pens & 1 round pen. Lots of shade in a park like setting.

A first class equine facility just 3 miles from Birds Hill Park.

8.67 acres accepted and grandfathered for 24 horses.

Hubert Labossiere 204-326-9844 (Office) 204-471-4447 (Mobile) hubertl@royallepage.ca Royal LePage Riverbend Realty 10 Brandt Steinbach, MB R5G1Y2

What Else Is Your Horse Carrying?

• Effective. Treats 63 parasites, more than any other equine dewormer.1 • Safe. Approved for foals as young as 2 months of age.2 • Convenient. One tube treats up to 600 kg (1320 lbs).2

EQVALAN® Gold effectively treats worms, bots, and tapeworms.

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Canadian Product Labels.

EQVALAN Gold Product Label.

®EQVALAN is a registered trademark of Merial Limited. ©2014 Merial Canada Inc. All rights reserved. EVLG-14-8106-JA (Eng)

For more information on targeted deworming, Visit eqvalangold.ca