The Southwest’s Equine Sport & Lifestyle Magazine
Vol. 15, No. 9 September 2008 Priceless
Up Close and Personal with
Linda Parelli Telepathic Communication by Gary Douglas Those Pesky Skin Problems by Dr. Angela Chenault The Art of the Trail Ride by Jessica Jahiel Is Texas Racing at its Zenith by Jay Rembolt
Diane Holt A Play Ground Built for Horses
Wes White Returns For Breaking News it’s www.texashorsetalk.com
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September 2008
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK by Steven Long I was sitting with a couple of friends the other day. They had just acquired a new mare, a good horse no doubt, but indistinguishable from millions of other sorrels and scores of them right there in the pasture of the urban boarding stable where we were passing the time. The indisputable fact is that backyard breeders are causing a tremendous problem in the horse world The couple’s first thought after acquiring the horse was to breed her. Why? There was no need whatsoever other than their own pleasure in bringing a foal into the world. What they hadn’t thought about was the next 30 years or so of that foal’s life. You see, in an urban environment, be it at a stable, or in a back yard, there is virtually no good reason to breed a horse unless you are attempting to perpetuate an elite bloodline – and even then, what would be the plan for the foal’s future? Would it race, be a great eventing horse, perhaps prime bucking stock for rodeo, or be among the elite performance horses in the cutting arena or racing around barrels, or simply a great using horse such as the superb ranch geldings Texas produces. There are plenty of really good horses already in the world. We don’t need more. There is absolutely no need to breed more pasture ornaments, trail horses, or just pleasurable rides. We need to leave the breeding of quality horses to the professionals, period, end of story. Amateurs should be satisfied to just enjoy the animals they own unless there is a damned good reason to perpetuate its bloodline. Much of the bitter debate that has divided horsemen for the last several years over the controversial issue of horse slaughter has been brought about by over breeding. It has reached such a point that we are told of the need for an Unwanted Horse Coalition sponsored by the Washington based American Horse Council and sponsored by an industry that would perpetuate the status quo rather than attempting to make reasonable change on behalf of horses – in short, to stop breeding needlessly. The fact of the matter is simple. There are just too many domestic horses (wild horses are another matter altogether). Backyard breeders need to throttle down their efforts and practice birth control in the pasture and paddock. The simple economic facts are that the market has dried up for excess horses, and even if it hadn’t, the public overwhelmingly supports animal birth control and the end of horse slaughter. That trend is not likely to change. The polls done on the issue suggest it. We have friends in the auction business. We totally trust what they tell us, and they tell us that the bottom has fallen out of the market for sales of average and below average horses while the market for outstanding horses has remained constant. They see the reason for equine birth control on a weekly basis at their sales. After all, we neuter our dogs and cats, and they don’t live 30 years.
Volume 15, No 9. Texas Horse Talk Magazine, P.O. Box 681397, Houston, TX 77268-1397, (281) 447-0772. The entire contents of the magazine are copyrighted September 2008 by Texas Horse Talk Magazine. All rights reserved. Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Texas Horse Talk Magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and other material unless accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope. Texas Horse Talk Magazine is not responsible for any claims made by advertisers. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or management. Subscription rate is $25.00 for one year. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Texas Horse Talk Magazine, P.O. Box 681397, Houston, TX 77268-1397. Fax: (281) 893-1029 Email: news@texashorsetalk.com
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10 HORSE BITES 12 THE TEACHER - Wes White 14 THE HEALTHY HORSE - Dr. Angela Chenault 16 TACK TALK - Lew Pewterbaugh 18 TALKIN’ CUTTIN’ - Gala Nettles 20 Q&A ~ HORSE SENSE - Jessica Jahiel 22 ON THE ENGLISH FRONT - Cathy Stroebel 24 TELEPATHY - Gary Douglas 26 LINDA PARELLI - Diane Holt 28 PLAYGROUNDS & PAINTS - Diane Holt 34 HORSE LAUGHS - Elizabeth Kopplow 36 BUSINESS BITS 38 HAPPY TRAILS VACATIONS 44 OF HORSES AND KINGS - Jay Remboldt 50 COWBOY CORNER - Jim Hubbard TEXAS ADVERTISING OFFICES BRAZOS VALLEY BUREAU
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Dr. Angela Chenault Jim Hubbard Dr. Jessica Jahiel Elizabeth Kopplow Steven Long Vicki Long Gala Nettles Lew Pewterbaugh Jay Remboldt Cathy Strobel Gary Douglas Diane Holt CLASSIFIEDS
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HHHHH Government Wild Horses Safe – For Now
By Steven Long The federal Bureau of Land Management has put off the euthanasia of tens of thousands of Wild Horses in the American west after the public outcry reached almost epic proportions causing the agency a public relations meltdown. At their peak, millions of horses roamed the vast western wilderness. Today, the number of free roaming Mustangs is estimated at 33,000. The government planned to make a final decision on whether or not to kill some of the animals after the upcoming fall meeting of the agency’s Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Council in October. The controversy arose over the summer after the BLM reached budget shortfalls and was unable to support the estimated 30,000 wild horses it is holding in pens, the result of “gathers” in western states. Another 8,000 are held in facilities awaiting adoption. BLM deputy director Henri Bisson sparked the controversy during the June meeting of the advisory council when he raised the option of a final solution. The council will meet in Reno in October. The agency is also undergoing an audit by the General Accounting Office, presented annually to the House Natural Resources Committee. The results of that are due in December. The public outcry, deafening in Internet chat rooms and blogs, was sparked when word got out the agency would consider killing the horses it couldn’t care for. Critics say the horses should never have been captured in the first place and were healthy and happy grazing on government land. Critics have also claimed the horses compete with cattle on land leased to ranchers at bargain basement rates. The herdsmen say the equines destroy natural resources such as grass and watering holes. Environmentalists and animal rights activists counter that a horse is no more destructive than a cow. The decision by BLM on use of the lethal alternative to maintaining the horses in pens is expected late in the year or even next year. After inviting public comment, BLM was targeted with 11,000 emails. The public outcry in them
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ran 2–1 in favor of allowing the wild horses to live, according to a BLM spokesman. Last year the agency spent $22 million of its $39 million budget to hold, maintain, and care for the horses. The costs are expected to rise in 2009. That cost to the agency budget would evaporate to almost nothing if the horses being held by BLM were to be repatriated to the wilderness on the millions of unpopulated acres managed by BLM. The agency says the horses if left on their own would suffer privation, starvation, and often agonizing deaths. Critics say the horses have lived wild and free for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. They also have flooded the Internet with photos of fat, healthy, and happy Mustangs living unfettered on the public lands. They say nature and natural selection should be allowed to take its course without government interference. Wild horse advocates have begun a relief fund to be held in trust for BLM use to care for the horses. HHHHH Cornyn Not Committed to Saving Wild Horses
In a letter to a constituent, Texas Sen. John Cornyn was non-committal regarding his position regarding re-enacting protections of America’s wild horses and burros. A longstanding law was repealed in an 11th hour sneak attack by former Montana Sen. Conrad Burns. He was defeated in the next election. Cornyn was asked by the voter to clarify his position on re-enactment of the law which gives federal protection back to wild horses. He said: ”Thank you for contacting me about the Bureau of Land Management’s Wild Horse and Burro program. I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this matter. The Wild Horse and Burro Act (P.L. 92–195) requires the Bureau off Land Management (BLM) to sell horses and burros that are over ten years of age or that have been passed over for adoption at least three times. The BLM makes every possible attempt to ensure that horses for sale are placed in good homes. Although there is no restriction on who is eligible to purchase these animals, the BLM has entered into a national partnership with the Ford Motor Company and the Take Pride in America initiative to re-enforce its efforts to place horses and burros in good homes.
Furthermore, legislation introduced in the House of Representatives, House Bill 249 (H.R. 249), would restore the prohibition on the commercial sale and slaughter of wild free-roaming horses and burros. H.R. 297 was approved by the House of Representatives on April 26, 2007, and was referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for further consideration. Though I am not a member of that committee, you may be certain that I will keep your views in mind should relevant legislation come before the full Senate. I appreciate having the opportunity to represent the interests of Texans in the United States Senate. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.” HHHHH Aggies Archive Buffalo DNA
COLLEGE STATION (TAMU) - Few wildlife species stir our emotions and reach the iconic status of the American bison, and for generations this species has symbolized the strength and spirit of the American west. From its rapid demise over 100 years ago when animal numbers fell from millions to just a few hundred survivors, to the spectacular recovery that now allows thousands of animals to roam throughout many US and Canadian federal lands, bison have proven to be an ultimate survivor. Over the last 10 years, scientists from Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences have conducted genetic studies to help ensure the long-term conservation of bison by identifying critical issues affecting germplasm (DNA) integrity and diversity. Through the course of these studies, Drs. James Derr, Natalie Halbert and Joe Templeton have amassed one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of DNA samples from any wildlife species. A majority of their work has involved the US Federal bison herds and has been funded through the National Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the US Geological Survey. Working with personnel from these Department of Interior agencies, Texas A&M University scientists have collected DNA samples from blood and/or hair follicles from well over 4500 individual bison. These samples were
Horse Bites - Con’t. on pg. 37 www.texashorsetalk.com
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The Teacher By Wes White
Wes and Jimmy B, the Mustang
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WINNING ISN’T EVERYTHING Although we have all heard that winning isn’t everything, we also all know that it sure is a good feeling when you do. However Jimmy B has taught me that winning isn’t everything. It’s about becoming a better person and a better horseman. Ya’ see Jimmy won’t be able to do any tricks or fancy stunts, but he will have the best start out of any of the other horses at the Extreme Mustang Makeover, that I am confident of. I have taught Jimmy quite a bit about being what we all desire in a horse. Jimmy has taught me even more about what being a good horseman is, and what it’s not. Being a true horseman is doing the right thing for the horse, not for the man. In order to achieve this, I have had to put my ego on the shelf and listen to the Mustang. My desire has shifted from one of being focused on winning to the desire I have claimed all along--that it’s not about me it’s about becoming the best horseman I can be. Keeping Jimmy B calm has been a chore and I don’t know how he will react when we get in the coliseum. My job is not to try and impress the folks that will be there, but it will be to look out for the welfare of my new pard. Keeping Jimmy calm and cool is the newfound desire I have. Now I know that this sounds like I am making excuses prior to the show and that I’m trying to cover my ass. Well if that is what you think then so be it. I can’t change your perceptions. However that is not how I see it. I have some friends that all they ever ask me is “how are you gonna
The Teacher - Con’t. on pg. 36
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MIND THAT SKIN Throughout the summer, I am frequently called upon to look at skin. It’s either too hot or too wet or both and either can spell trouble. Horses manifest a lot of their allergies in their skin. Common causes are food or hay allergies, mosquito allergies and environmental allergies such as molds or plants. Determining the actual causes or causes can be difficult. If the affected skin is confined to certain locations such as the neck and chest, mosquitoes are likely the cause. However,
some skin conditions are not that simple. Rawness and itchiness in the ears alone can be allergies or it can be ear ticks. Rubbing the tail head could be pinworms or it could also be allergies. A good exam by a veterinarian can often decipher this. Rubbing raw spots on the belly could be caused by a parasite that is responsive to ivermectin dewormer but it can also be allergies. Often a good place to start in diagnosing skin allergies is just deworming with an
ivermectin dewormer. If this seems to help then deworm again in 10 days with the same ivermectin dewormer. This will identify any skin parasite problems and may help with pinworms although there is some pinworm resistance to ivermectin. If there is no response then other methods can be tried such as keeping the horse stalled with a strong fan to keep mosquitoes at bay. Also if your horse may be allergic to something on the pasture, then keep him off the pasture for a week or two to see if that helps. Some horses are allergic to hay or corn or oats or even alfalfa products which are present in a lot of feeds. Try removing one thing at a time to help locate what your horse may be allergic to. Of course this requires a lot of time, effort and patience. For faster results, you can have your horse allergy tested via skin testing or blood testing. Skin testing is considered the gold standard but is more expensive and may require a trip to the university. Blood testing is simpler, slightly cheaper and can be used successfully as well. Using these results, you can then eliminate the things to which your horse is allergic. If this is not effective or if you cannot remove the items that he is allergic to i.e. that large beautiful oak tree, then the same company that tested your horse can custom make allergy shots. These shots are given in weekly increments until you are giving them just once monthly. It may take six months to a year to get up to full effect and if successful will have to be given the remainder of the horse’s life. Side effects are usually minimal although there is always the potential for a reaction as with any injection. Most horses do not seem to mind as the needle is very tiny. Even if allergy shots are given it is still best to try to remove then offending allergy from the horse’s environment. Skin fungus is also a frequent summer occurrence. Overheated, humid days weaken the skin with excessive sweating then add a little rain and dermatophilus can invade. Although not technically a fungus, most owners refer to it as a fungus so the name stays. Common areas affected are the back, rump,
Healthy Horse - Con’t. on pg. 40
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THE SLANT ON STIRRUPS There’s quite a bit of interest today in slanted stirrups. That is, stirrups that actually slant from the outside of the stirrup tread upwards to the inside. It’s a revolutionary new idea that has basically occurred naturally for perhaps a hundred years. Why naturally? Because wood under stress will eventually form to the shape that the stress puts it, Naturally. Let’s examine what happens when we sit in a saddle, English or Western. With our legs hanging somewhat bowed over the saddle, with our feet directly under our hips, most people will find the outside edge of their feet lower than the inside. If we are riding with a traditional stirrup, that means we have to twist our ankles to get the balls of our feet flat in the stirrups. This compresses the ankle joint at the outside of the ankle and stretches ligaments and tendons on the inside of the ankle. The same thing happens to a slightly lesser
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extent to your knees, and a little less to your hips. That’s why riding is so uncomfortable for a lot of us, especially as we get a little long in the tooth. My favorite cure for this problem is ox-bow stirrups. The round ox-bow is meant to be ridden with your foot all the way in the stirrup against the heel block of your boot. Wherever your foot rests inside that circle is where the pressure is, and if you have a good pair of riding boots with a steel shank arch support, the pressure is carried by the arch of your foot and there is no stress to your joints because your foot is hanging naturally in the stirrup. The main problem with ox-bows is having your feet all the way home in the stirrup. You may not feel comfortable not being able to slide the ball of your foot off of the stirrup tread in an emergency. If you are really secure on your horse, or you are a really good rider, I think ox-bows are an excellent choice, but make sure you use the heavy iron ox-bows as they tend to hang straight and won’t “follow” your foot when you try to get out of them. Now, for those of you who want a traditional stirrup but have knee and ankle problems, the slanted stirrups are definitely the way to go. When you look at these stirrups, you’ll see that the outside is much longer than the inside. Since they’re designed to hang crooked, your feet will sit flat. Is this really new? Well, yes, kind of. It’s new in the fact that they are made that way new, rather than changing to that shape with time. In today’s plastic, nylon, composite world, most of our stirrups won’t change shape. In the old days of steam bent hickory stirrups, either metal bound or not, the stirrups of well used saddles would eventually assume the shape of being longer on the outside where there was more pressure. I had a wonderful old N. Porter saddle years ago that the stirrups had assumed that shape and they were so comfortable I developed an idea! I started building leather wedges into the stirrups for people that were having ankle and knee trouble. If I’d been smarter, I would have “designed” the slanted stirrup that is becoming so popular today. Well, it’s a great idea. I’ll soon have them in the store. In the meantime, I’ll keep doing my leather wedges in existing stirrups and getting the same effect. I think I need to look at some other wear patterns that make saddles and riding more comfortable and see if I can come up with an idea that I can invent and patent. Back around 1980 someone invented a round bosal, I believe it was called a vosal. It was patented and heavily advertised and a lot www.texashorsetalk.com
of trainers jumped on it and said how great it was. Sales were real strong and a friend of mine in Indiana started making them and distributing them through his tack manufacturing company. He got a “cease and desist” order from an attorney in California saying that he was violating patent rights and would be sued if he continued to market these vosals that were a copy of the patented product. Not one to take casually to being told what he could or couldn’t do, my friend sent a photograph of his father, a noted horse trainer, using a vosal in a photograph taken in 1930, fifty years before the patent was issued. The lawyer rescinded his order and the U.S. Patent Office pulled the patent on the vosal. I just thought that last paragraph was an interesting segue from the initial story, because, really, there doesn’t seem to be that much new that we can come up with that is truly revolutionary. Sometimes we just don’t catch on to what time tells us. Lew Pewterbaugh is the proprietor of Bandera’s famed Bunkhouse Leather, just off Main Street in the Cowboy Capital of the World.
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SADNESS AND GLORY CONTINUES IN CUTTING WORLD Texas was well presented in the winners circle of the Summer Spectacular. Boy Rice of Spearman, and Peptos Stylish Sue, owned by Barry and Kim Syra won the open division with a score of 224. The mare’s winning run earned $75,000. Non professional cutter Justin White showing Wild Hickory Bob took home the non pro title. The pair won the limited age Futurity Championship last December. White, 21, who is the son of Chappell Hill cutting horse trainer Jon White and his wife Ellen, scored 225 to win the event and pocket $17,774. Royal Red Pepto, a mare owned by Clay McCullar of Baird and ridden by Shannon Hall, scored a 222 to win the Classic/Challenge Open,
which won the pair $50,000. Jim Vangilder, Jackson, Mo. then won the Classic/Challenge Non-Pro and $19,615, with a score of 223 on his mare which had placed 3rd in the open with Roger Wagner in the saddle We have some newlyweds in the cutting horse industry! First, congratulations to saddle maker Joey Jemison and Connie Klug who tied the wedding knot June 25. The couple flew to Maui and were wed in a beautiful sunset ceremony on the beach. By the way, Joey and Connie have two sets of wedding rings. The rings they picked out and which were supposed to arrive in Maui in plenty of time didn’t make it as planned. Undeterred, Joey and Connie opted for plan B, found a jeweler and bought some more! Send your congrats to them at 1700 Sandy lane, Weatherford, TX 76088. Then congratulations to cutting horse trainer Scott Brewer and cutting horse trainer Cara Barry. The two were wed May 20, while in Las Vegas for the Breeders Invitational cutting. Cara is the daughter of Tim and Sue Barry of Byron, Illinois. The newlyweds will be making their home in Jay, Oklahoma, where Scott lives, and yep, both are training horses at that facility. Send your congrats to them at 37601 U.S. hwy 43, Jay OK. 74346. A roller coaster of emotions overshadowed the recent NCHA Summer Spectacular, held July 11-August 3 in Fort Worth. Interspersed with the ecstasies of winning runs and coveted championships were the deaths of two well-known competitors. The legendary cutting horse trainer, William Freddell “Bill” Freeman, whose name is synonymous with Smart Little Lena, died July 29, from complications of chronic asthma and pulmonary fibrosis. Freeman, who had entered Denton Regional Hospital almost a month earlier had been moved July 17 to Baylor Medical Center in
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Dallas because of the need for more specialized asthma physicians. Freeman and Smart Little Lena became the first Triple Crown winner in NCHA history. They won the 1982 NCHA Futurity, the 1983 NCHA Super Stakes and then the 1983 NCHA Derby. Today, the Derby is a part of the Summer Spectacular. Ironically, Freeman passed away on the 25th anniversary of his NCHA Triple Crown Victory, The Futurity championship on Smart Little Lena, however, wasn’t Freeman’s first time to win that event. In 1979, three years earlier, he won his first futurity on Doc’s Diablo. He won the Futurity again in1988 on Smart Little Senor. In addition he won six other NCHA major aged events and was a member of the National Cutting Horse Association Riders Hall of Fame. Freeman’s obituary in the Quarter Horse News stated, ‘Mr. Freeman is the No. 2 cutting horse rider of all time with earnings of more than $5.4 million. His total of three NCHA World Championship Futurity titles is second only to the five earned by legendary trainer Buster Welch.” Fitting for a competitor who had spent so much of his life in the Will Rogers Coliseum, Freeman’s memorial service was held there Sunday morning August 3, prior to the NCHA Derby Finals that evening. Cards can be sent to his wife, Jill at P.O. Box 27, Rosston, TX 76263, and to his sister Sharon Riddle and her husband Terry at RR 2, Box112, Wynnewood, OK 73098. Cards to Bill’s older daughters Tina, Erica and Kim Freeman can also be sent to the Riddle address. Only three days following the death of Freeman, non professional cutter Catherine Patricia “Bucki” James lost her battle to cancer in the early morning of July 31. Bucki was at home cared for by her family and during the last two weeks of her life, visited by numerous NCHA members in Fort Worth for the Summer Spectacular. She was even able to watch part of the NCHA Summer Spectacular via her laptop. In a show of encouragement NCHA hosted a ‘Tough Enough To Wear Pink Day” during the second week of the show. Services for Bucki James were held Monday August 4, at Riverside Church in Norman, Oklahoma. She was an NCHA Non Pro Riders Hall of Fame member and at one time the chairman of the non professional committee. Until next time, it’s still hot out there, so don’t head to the barn without your water bottle!
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GOOD READING FOR TRAIL RIDERS know that endurance riding is an ofQ Ificial sport with rules and all, and I’ve
heard some about competitive trail riding, but I’m just not all that interested in learning about those things even though I love trail riding. Here’s my question: I’ve been wondering if there is some way to learn more about regular old ordinary trail riding for people like me (“just folks”). I’m out on the trails a lot, have been for more than fifty years now, and it seems like I am seeing more
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and more riders who don’t have a clue what to do and are really messing up their horses. This bothers me but I don’t know what I can do about it. If somebody is having trouble with a roping horse or a reining horse or a barrel horse, I know where to send them to get help, but with trail riding it’s not like you can send your horse to a trainer or study up on the subject! Trail riding isn’t something you take lessons to learn to do, you just go out and do it. Some people do it better than
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others is all, but I do feel sorry for a lot of the horses I see out on the trails. Did you ever think about writing a book about “How to Trail Ride”? I think a lot of people could benefit if you did. Thanks for the thought! It would be great fun, and I might write something like that some day, but right now I truly don’t think there’s really any need for me to write a “how to” book about trail riding. The information you want is available and you can study the subject. I’m glad you brought this up, because I’ve heard from quite a lot of trail riders who would love to learn more, know more, and who would really enjoy reading about trail riding. There are some very useful books in print right now, and I’m going to list some of the best ones here. There are probably a hundred books on the subject of trail riding, including many statespecific books about all the various trails that riders can enjoy. I won’t go into details about those here, although I will provide a URL for a web site where anyone who’s interested can go and find a long list of such books: www. extendinc.com/twohorse/books.htm Books can help you prepare, whether you’re looking forward to your first trail ride or your one-hundredth or your onethousandth trail ride. They’re also a wonderful way to help you do “virtual trail riding” when the season or the weather won’t allow you to go out on the actual trails. Here are six good books on the subject of trail riding. Any one would be a dandy gift for a trail rider, and all of them together would make a great “starter set” for anyone who wanted to develop a really thorough understanding of the subject.
A
Happy Trails by Les Sellnow The Complete Trail Horse by Dan Aadland (Lyons Press, 2004) Trail Riding by Rhonda Hart Poe Everyday Trail Riding by Eliza McGraw (Sterling, 2005) Trail Training For The Horse And Rider by Judi Daly Horse Sense For The Trail Rider by Melinda Codling
Horse Sense - Con’t. on pg. 41 www.texashorsetalk.com
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DEMYSTIFYING THE OLYMPICS Are you confused about the equestrian portion of the Olympics? If you are, it seems that you’re not alone. For those people who are not accustomed to following the world of equestrian competition, the breakdown of disciplines can be perplexing, so allow me to enlighten you. First of all, this sport is unique in many ways. It is the only Olympic sport where men and women compete against each other on equal ground and the only sport where animals are involved. In this sport, injuries can be a highly critical factor given that both horse and rider must remain healthy throughout the entire competition. Because of this, backup horses can be brought to the games since there is not enough time to replace an injured horse on short notice should one go lame.
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Like track and field, these athletes have specialties. There are three disciplines that comprise the Olympic equestrian sports. Each of these disciplines holds both team and individual competitions. Each country provides its own horses and equipment. The horses must qualify for the job just as the riders do. To partake in the games, the horses are transported by plane and quarantined for a time before they are allowed to arrive at the competition site. The trip, in itself, can be hazardous for the horses due to the sheer logistics of traveling. The 2008 equestrian games were held in Hong Kong, away from the main Olympic Village in Beijing. The Chinese hosts provided incredible state of the art stabling in air conditioned barns
to help the horses tolerate the high heat and humidity. After the horses arrived, they were allowed a period of time to acclimate before the games began. The three disciplines; show jumping, dressage and eventing, repeatedly filled the stadiums with thousands of spectators. The show jumping teams competed over
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difficult courses with large jumps. The object of show jumping is to clear all of the jumps within a specified time limit without refusing or knocking down any obstacles. The obstacles are designed to challenge the adjustability of the horses’ strides and test their braveness at a rather fast rate of speed. The riders’ skill and intelligence combined with the strength and fortitude of the horses makes this an incredibly exciting sport. A combination of athleticism and art, the Grand Prix dressage competition is performed in an outdoor arena that measures twenty by sixty meters. Each ride consists of a compulsory pattern that is ridden from memory. The ride is judged on the quality of each movement and the ability of the rider to communicate with the horse in a manner that is nearly invisible to the spectator. The horses are also judged on all three of their gaits and their ability to remain relaxed, supple, focused and balanced. The most difficult of the gymnastic movements performed are the flying changes every stride, pirouette, passage and piaffe. Expressiveness and energy shown by the horse also play a large factor in the scores earned with each ride. This sport is considered by spectators from all walks of life to be one of the most beautiful sports in the games.
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Eventing, also known as combined training, makes up the third discipline in the equestrian games. Comparatively similar to the triathlon, the eventing competition is held in three phases performed by the same horse and rider combinations over a period of four days. Placings are determined by cumulative scores acquired during all three phases. In the dressage portion, the horse and rider must demonstrate the ability to work together accurately with harmony and elegance. The degree of difficulty is not as great as what is demonstrated by the dressage teams but is still impressive by anyone’s standards. The second phase of eventing is known as the cross country competition. This is one of the most difficult, controversial and dangerous competitions of the Olympic sports. The horses are required to travel at speed over a course of many simulated natural obstacles. Ditches, banks, walls and water obstacles create a tremendous test of strength, bravery, trust and endurance for horses and riders. The course stretches for a couple of miles through uneven terrain which can be absolutely grueling. Mistakes on the cross country portion can easily result in injury to horse or rider. The final phase of eventing is the stadium jumping. Similar to the jumping teams, the
horse and rider combinations are tested for their strength and agility as they negotiate a difficult course of jumps that must be jumped without refusals or knockdowns. Striding, balance and control of speed play a big factor in success during this phase as it is ridden at a slower pace than cross country. Just as in dressage, the difficulty factor for the stadium jumping portion of eventing is somewhat less demanding than that of the show jumping competition. The rules however are the same for both disciplines. Horses that are exceptionally good at all three phases are rare and highly coveted. However, if you had a chance to see any of these Equestrian Games when they were televised or on-line, you undoubtedly quickly realized that any and all of the horses and their riders in these three disciplines are exceptional. More information, results and video recordings of the 2008 Olympic Games can be seen by visiting the official website at NBCOlympics.com. Cathy Strobel has over 30 years of experience as a trainer, judge and clinician and can be reached at Southern Breeze Equestrian Center at (281) 431-4868 or www.sbreeze.com
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COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR HORSE TELEPATHICALLY By Gary M. Douglas
When I was younger I went out to Death Valley to go camping with some friends. I noticed these horses going by and somebody said, “Those are the wild horse herds that exist out here,” and I went, “Really? Wow, I’ve never seen a wild horse herd!” so I grabbed a can of juice and my two dogs and we went tromping into the desert following the wild horse herds. I watched the herd as one horse would flick an ear and another horse would start to bolt. Then a horse would swing its head around and try to bite, but the target was always gone once the horse moved his head. I kept wondering, “What’s going on here that I’m not getting?” They weren’t screaming at each other, they weren’t nickering and all of a sudden one would put both ears back and the other horse would start to move away and then that horse would kick at him. I was wondering how horses communicate? Obviously they have to, they are a herd animal. Then the entire herd of young male horses all of a sudden their ears came up, all of their heads pointed in the same direction and they all started to act strange and they turned around and bolted in the opposite direction. Just as they did a big black and white pie balled horse came screaming out of the canyon with his ears laid back chasing them away. I went, “I wonder where he came from?” So I started trying to figure out where he came from and I had to creep up some canyons and some hills to see what was going on. Finally I got to the top of this ridge and looked down and here was this stallion with his three mares, a pretty Pane, a Palomino, and a Sorrel Chestnut with a flax mane and tail. He had all the pretty girls in his own stable and he wasn’t letting the other guys get around. I thought, “Wow, isn’t it amazing that these horses knew to run away at the right moment because this guy was big, he could have trashed them all.” At that moment I realized horses communicate telepathically. They put out energy, a vibration and they communicate telepathically. So how do we communicate with horses? We need to be able to listen for the tele-
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pathic communication. We need to be able to learn how to telepathically communicate with them. So I went back to my job training horses and I started trying to “think” at my horse. And of course I started thinking in words and that got me nowhere. Then I began to think in pictures and that got me somewhere, but not where I wanted. Then I began to use everything because what I had seen as these horses you know like, twitched an ear and I went, “Oh, maybe they actually portray something with their body language too.” So I began to work with, “How is my body? What does my body tell the horse? What do my thoughts tell the horse? What am I communicating with the horse?” Having already established that there is this zone that they live in, I suddenly was able to get an awareness of what they were having a problem with, what was ease for them, what was difficult for them and I began to realize all I had to ask of them was to do what I wanted, move my body a little bit and they would start to react and they would start to do what I requested. I was able to train horses that were cold bloods (not real high end grade horses) being the expendable rider, I trained one little junk horse to canter in place, canter away
from the fence, change leads, canter back to the fence, change leads, canter in place, go forward, canter around her back legs, canter around her front legs and all of this just by moving my body and asking her and giving her a picture of what I required of her. And as I began to telepathically communicate with this horse, she became more and more aware. She was aware of what the rider desired and needed and was willing to give it to him. Why did she do that? Because that’s what a horse is and that’s what the rider had asked for. She asked for the horse to take care of her so the horse took care of her. We don’t ask enough of our horses. We demand of them, we force them, we try to train them into doing things and in truth if we will just request, they will give us everything we desire and more. Good ridin’ folks!
Gary Douglas is known worldwide as a phenomenal horse whisperer. Gary is the founder of Acess Energy Transformation, and facilitates seminars worldwide including Conscious Horse Conscious Rider. www.accessconsciousness.com www.texashorsetalk.com
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The Parelli USA Tour stops in Texas this month on September27-28, at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth. What you should know is that when I requested an interview with Linda, she seemed delighted…even thrilled to share her perspective and knowledge, in spite of her already packed schedule! Linda continues to inspire me with her down to earth personality and willingness to always put the horse first. When she is performing, it is all about the horse she is working with. Her communication and deep level of understanding the horse’s nature go way beyond what is ‘normal’. She is real, and she is a sensitive, caring, human being – with a mission! TEXAS HORSE TALK: We all know the story of how you met in Australia after you saw his video in the store and went to the clinic. But what were the first words you said to this man who would become your husband? Were you attracted to him from the beginning? LINDA PARELLI: The first words I said to him were “Hi, my name is Linda”. He was the first ‘clinician’ that came up and introduced himself to all the participants before the clinic. I was pleasantly surprised. And yes, I was attracted to him... to his energy. He was really different, charismatic and compelling. I had no idea it would become a romantic attraction. THT: How did you correspond as the relationship grew? Was it over questions about horses, or other common interests? LINDA: At first it was over horsemanship questions because he was the only one who could answer them. So I’d call him every couple of months if I got stuck. And the following year I went to two of his clinics and when he said he wasn’t coming back because his promoter couldn’t do it anymore in Australia, I said “I’ll do it” I knew I had to keep this thing alive in Australia but I really had no idea what I put my hand up for.
Up Close and Personal with
Linda Parelli
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THT: Would you call yourself a “groupie” at first? LINDA: No. But really, I’m not sure what you mean by ‘groupie’. I was a seriously dedicated and voracious student, I wanted to become savvy. As a learner I’ve always been a bit different, I dive in deep and do whatever it takes to get good at the things I’m interested in. THT: Did Pat invite you to ride his horse when you were getting to know each other?
By Diane Holt Photos by Coco
LINDA: I rode one of his school horses when I did a one month course at his ranch in California in 1991. That was an eye-opener. He www.texashorsetalk.com
had me doing a Clover Leaf Pattern (it’s in the Parelli Patterns now) and when approaching X he told me to sit down and say ‘whoa’. Well, the horse did a slide stop and so did I... straight up his neck! Pat smiled at me and said “that’s why you can’t stop your own horse, YOU don’t stop”. THT: Moving on to today’s Pat and Linda story. Do you ever get tired of constantly being on the road, being celebrities? LINDA: No. We love it. And I don’t think of us as celebrities. It still shocks me to be recognized in airports! THT: What do the two of you do for fun during alone times? Do you have an interest together other than horses? LINDA: We love to cook, to talk, to dream up better ways to help people and horses. We ski (but not often) and enjoy great restaurants and movies. And the occasional sleep in! THT: What books have influenced you? LINDA: Using Your Brain for a Change and Frogs into Princes were huge for me in terms of understanding how easily you can get yourself out of negative or useless behaviors. And then
two books called The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged by Ayne Rand. Her philosophy of objectivism was very empowering for me when I read them while in my 20’s. THT: Do the two of you have any causes you support? You don’t seem to be particularly political? LINDA: We are involved in a lot of philanthropy but it’s not well known. They are all focused on helping people and horses on both small and large scales.
It s the tough change that needs to happen to cause people to think about the horse s future and so their responsibility in owning, selling, competing or breeding horses, right from the beginning. It will take a little while for that to happen but I think it s a courageous move on the part of the HSUS, to start it, and they have a very solid view of where they are going. THT: Pat’s motto is ‘good, better, best…never let it rest!’ so what is new with the Parelli Program?
THT: What ‘s your view on the horse slaughter?
LINDA: After 25 years I think we’ve finally nailed it! The Parelli Program: puts the relationship first; studies horsemanship in Four Savvys; and is the quest for never ending self improvement. With our Success Series, the new Parelli Patterns and Savvy Club, our students can now do exactly that, and we actually reveal Levels 1 through 4 in each of the Four Savvys. (The Four Savvys is how we describe the four areas of study and development: two on the groundOn- Line and Liberty; and two when riding – Freestyle (no contact) and Finesse (contact). The Levels packs we used to have were basically our one week courses adapted for home study.
LINDA: We support the HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) on their move.
Linda Parelli - Con’t. on pg. 42
THT: We are increasingly seeing women enter the top tier of clinicians and trainers. Do you think you have been an influence on making that happen? LINDA: I don’t know how to answer that. I think that Parelli has helped that because it’s empowered so many women, and also because these days there are way more women involved with horses than there are men. So I think it’s a bit a sign of the times
Playgrounds & Paints A Playground for horses? What are you thinking? By Diane Holt
Lucky confidently backing through a squeeze focused on me as the leader.
Asking Lucky to place his feet all four on top of the tires.
Zappa at 14 months going up the playground steps with my leadership.
Water is a big thing for horses...Lucky calmly walking through the water obsticle.
Water is a big deal for some horses, Zappa on playground with all four feet placed in water. Lucky feeling safe with my leadership atop the tires with all four feet.
Confidently completing what I asked him.
Lucky being ask to go over the log, saddle on, which adds some pressure.
In the horse world, many people feel stuck with what they got or bought. To the common way of thinking, unless you ‘broke’ the horse’s spirit there seemed to be very little that could be done about changing a horse’s attitude or emotions. Today there is another way that is challenging that outdated belief. It approaches the issues with your horse from a point of understanding the horse’s needs and his nature. And it is simple enough for people like you and me to do ourselves at home. I have often wondered what my horse sees when it is ‘just’ a plastic bag, or a garden hose on the ground, or a plain old log. It’s rather simple once you understand the nature of a horse as a prey animal. They don’t reason or consider all of the options. What they see is danger and that can quickly equal death in their mind. I have learned that horses are prey and this makes them panic-aholics, claustrophobic’s, and generally emotional animals! Being prey means that they are eaten by other animals which is why they are always on alert and why they need to be in a herd (two or more make up a herd) to be comfortable. They become very nervous being alone and hate being locked in a stall! Like many folks out there, I didn’t grow up with horses of my own. I begged and borrowed rides whenever I could. I did not get my first horse (Lucky) until my late thirties. I quickly became scared to death of Lucky as I determined he wanted to kill me. Yes, I rode him - or rather he gave me several exciting rides! Soon I started to make excuses of why I didn’t feel like riding …it’s too cold, it’s too hot, it looks like it might rain. When pushed, I would get on and make a go of it. You know what I mean. Lucky soon became a painted pasture ornament, or as my husband likes to say, a freeloader. I love horses and was disappointed it wasn’t working out as I had dreamed. So I kept trying and eventually found someone that helped me. Cindy Deaton, my teacher and mentor, is a Level 3 graduate of the Parelli Program. Her solution was not to fix my horse; it was for me to learn about horse behavior and become the leader of my ‘herd’ by instilling confidence and trust. She
Playgrounds & Paints - Con’t. on pg. 30
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Playgrounds & Paints - Con’t. from pg. 28 advised that horses don’t need to be broke, or forced into tolerating unfair handling just because people aren’t educated. They need people to become aware of what they are actually saying to horses with their body language, energy, and tools. You can force an animal to do just about anything but if you ask them in a way they can understand, they will WANT to do what you ask…and that is truly magical. That is how my playground and round pen came into being. It
Asking Zappa to come play ball with me a true friendly game.
Let’s play!
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Zappa playing with me....watch this...
Zappa on play ground tossing the cone up....
Zappa asking me a question, “do you want me to go through here?”
My answer yes. All the way please.
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Final...A relastionship without strings attached....
is where I learned to play and build a language with Lucky and my other horses. Everything set up on the playground is specifically designed to have fun, build curiosity, confidence, and safety through simulation. I discovered that horses are playful, intelligent, animals and they enjoy things that stimulate their mind as well as their body rather than boring repetitive arena work. My dogs don’t even play to the degree that my horses now do! This playground started out with only a few obstacles but continues to evolve with new ideas and now all of my horses enjoy it. Many of the obstacles were designed to help the horses become confident in a specific setting like a water crossing. However, the real benefit is that working with a horse on the ground builds my confidence, rapport, and skill. Before long, I was no longer afraid of Lucky and I had a partner to play with. Lucky also became confident being alone with me rather than needing the company of the other horses. Once I developed a language, I could even ride with confidence instead of fear because I understood when he had a concern and knew how to address it before it became a wreck. Lucky became a more willing and relaxed partner as I developed my leadership skills. The playground wasn’t my idea. I would still have painted pasture ornaments (freeloaders!) My teacher, Cindy Deaton, suggested the obstacles as tools to develop my horse partnership. Cindy uses the Parelli Program as a guide in her teaching. Pat and Linda Parelli have shared a better way of looking at a horse with the world and I for one will never look at them the same way again. In fact I have a very hard time being around folks with horses if they are not natural (meaning considerate of the horse and his nature.) I was recently appalled when a well known clinician made the statement, “If you want to play games with your horse- get a dog.” I say, “If you only want rides (rather than a relationship) get an ATV!” When folks come to our ranch, the first thing they say is “let’s go ride!” My reply is, “I don’t have horses that you can ride.” They look at me like I am crazy or something. You have horses and can’t ride them? Well… I can ride them and I allow a few others with savvy to ride them. But they are not machines or pieces of equipment! You have to develop some skill and basic communication to ride them fairly. People tend to define riding as kicking and pulling and
Playgrounds & Paints - Con’t. on pg. 32 www.texashorsetalk.com
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Playgrounds & Paints - Con’t. from pg. 31 generally having their way with my sensitive, intelligent partner. One of the funniest things I love to say when they have this kind of puzzled look on their face is, “You don’t ride your dog do you? We have ATV’s you can ride.” As Linda Parelli has said, ‘these are feeling, thinking, emotional creatures; they are not motor bikes.’ It is an art to be a natural horseman instead of using force and devices. I discovered that when I was having problems with my horse, I was usually not clear in my communication. Heck, I didn’t even know he had a language so how could I communicate clearly with him? It is like going to China and asking for directions in Spanish! I used to kick my horse to go, pull on the reins to stop, and used what I discovered was a severe bit. I held on using my legs and balanced on the reins. My body was saying one thing but I wanted something else. This resulted in my horse being confused, terrified and running crazy! It was very dangerous! Many times over, I recall barely hanging on to survive. I now ride Lucky with confidence. According to Cindy, the strategy for building confidence for the horse and the human is to be relaxed and successful! I learned how to break my request into small steps I could easily accomplish. I start with what we can do and built it slowly. I have a type of checklist
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to follow as we proceed and if things start to regress, I back up to what is working, reinforce that and then focus on being more clear in each additional request. Relaxation is also a requirement before asking for more! And there is no better way to relax than to play! So whether you’re afraid or just not as confident as you want to be; learn how to play with your horse! Playing with your horse develops your relationship. Your horse will look at you differently and want to spend time with you. Think about what you are currently teaching your horse and teaching yourself before your next trail ride, competitive event or show. Whatever your interest, it is all about building confidence between you and your horse and having fun together while being safe. If nothing else, the looks your neighbors give you on your playground will make you laugh. It is worth it. My horses and I are much safer now and we are having fun for the first time ever. Once you go natural you’ll see that natural is the only way! Are you and your horse having fun? “Thank you” Pat & Linda Parelli and my mentor Cindy Deaton for all you have taught me. You are helping many horses by helping their riders. Go to www.Parelli.com or www.CindyDeaton. com or www.h2oranch.com for more information.
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Horse Laughs by Elizabeth Kopplow
Pack Rat Well, we have almost made it through another hot Texas summer and it is time to start thinking about the great fall trail riding season ahead. There are many ways to enjoy several days out communing with Mother Nature on horseback, some folks like to rough it and some like to have most every creature comfort from home along with them. I expect most folks will fall somewhere in between those two extremes. So where do you draw the line ? How do you decide what items are necessary and what items are a luxury ? Do you pack what will fit in every available nook and cranny of both your trailer and truck, knowing full well you will never remember you have even brought those items, let alone be able to locate them, because now they are buried under 2 feet of other essential items ? Or do you pack sparsely and only bring what you know you will use for this particular trip, right down to leaving out your rain slicker because the meteorologist says there is no chance for rain in the forecast ? What about bringing spare tack ? If you are a minimalist,
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you might trust that one relatively new mohair girth will be adequate, but if you are a pack rat, the thought of traveling with only one girth might make the hair stand up on your neck. How much work do you want to engage in once you are out trail riding ? Extra buckets can make life easier when you have a spare to bring water to the bucket that is fastened where your horse is tied. But that would mean bringing an extra bucket and that extra bucket will certainly gather some other loose items inside it, making it totally useless for carrying water when you arrive unless you can find a new home for all those other items first. This type of work saving move can actually increase your work load. Do you bring a comfortable camp chair that has a built in footrest and pillow for your head or trust that the campsite will have a nice comfortable log you can drag over to sit on ? Now as far as food goes, this is a no brainer. Everything tastes better when you are camping. You could probably clean out your refrigerator and bring all the foodstuffs you have been avoiding by pushing them to the back of the www.texashorsetalk.com
shelves and they would taste great after a long day of riding. To be on the safe side it is probably a good idea to make sure you have covered all of the three main food groups which I consider to be…. meat, snacks and some sort of adult beverage. My answer is to be a pack rat and bring everything you can possibly think of that you or anyone else camping with you might need, even a total stranger. This will ensure you will gain a reputation for always being prepared and you will always be welcome in camp no matter how poorly you sing at the campfire. Just make sure you leave enough room in the trailer to bring your horse. And toilet paper.
Elizabeth Kopplow
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B USINESS B ITS Old Wood, New Ideas
Ranch Antiques, located in the historic downtown district of Brenham, Texas, is not your usual furniture store. “Our customers aren’t looking for cookie-cutter, mass-produced furniture,” says Tootie Rixman, who co-owns the store with her husband Ken. Their fast-growing business instead offers an array of Brazilian antiques, reproductions, and architectural elements. Each piece is hand-picked by the Rixman on one of their many buying trips to Brazil. The antiques offer an insight into Brazil’s colonial past, with many of the pieces colorfully painted in traditional style. Reproductions are made from heirloom woods, salvaged
from 18th and 19th century Brazilian haciendas, ranches, and churches. Each beautifully crafted piece carries with it the patina and imperfections of history unique to its original heritage. Every touch of the hand offers a sense of Brazil’s history, of its people and their lives. One of the most rewarding aspects of the business for the Rixmans is their work with a talented array of Brazilian craftsmen and artisans, whom they have discovered during their travels. “Among the most popular items we offer from Brazil are magnificent single-plank tables of almost any size, custom made from forest-salvaged certified “dead-standing” trees. These trees would otherwise be left to deteriorate, “says Ken. Customers can order tables with widths up to 40 inches and lengths to 16 feet. The store also features lighting fixtures, western art and one-of-a-kind accent pieces such as antique Brazilian clay jars, sugar-cane grinders, cheese tables and much more. “Our customers want a piece that makes a statement, something that communicates a sense of history, craftsmanship, and quality,” says Tootie. Everything imported and offered for sale at Ranch Antiques is selected with an artist’s eye to perfectly complement today’s contemporary ranch décor. Their close relationship with artisans and craftsmen in Brazil means that anything special a customer might want can be custom crafted, down to the last beautiful detail. The Rixmans make regular trips to Brazil in search of the “the extraordinary” and to add to the every growing group of talented craftsmen and artisans with whom they work. When asked for a parting thought, the Rixmans were quick with a response: “Old wood has much to tell us,” they said. “All we have to do is be good listeners.” Ranch Antiques is located at: 117 W. Commerce St., Brenham, TX 77833 979-277-0008 • 800-544-2126 • 979-277-2302 www.RanchAntiquesOnline.com
The Teacher - Con’t. from pg. 12 win”? My reply has changed from one of special feats of trickery with flash and glamour to one with sense and honor paid to the horse for what he can become – a trusted partner that is willing to give his life for you. Now that is devotion, sealed with respect. Who could ask for anything more? Now I don’t remember if I read this or heard him say it but, Buck Brannaman states, “It’s not the destination but it’s the journey that matters.” That is so true. I have grown so much as a man as well as a horseman from the experience of training a horse for the Extreme Mustang Makeover. Regardless of my placing, the journey has been awesome. Ray Hunt never cared about what people thought about him as a person or a horseman. He always put the horse’s needs first. That’s what I plan to do. I plan to start practicing what I preach. Calmness is the first and foremost ingredient that any horse needs to become a skilled and well qualified mount a person can enjoy. All the tricks and fancy stunts are a wonderful sight to behold and require a skillful hand to teach to any horse in just one hundred days, much less a wild one. I hope to see all ya’ll there, September 18-20. I know there will be some exquisite demonstrations of true horsemanship. But regardless of who wins the competition, everyone who competes is a winner. They just have to be, because if they have learned half as much from their horses as I have from mine, they have received a true education. God Bless Wes
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Horse Bites - Con’t. from pg. 10 collected from five National Parks (Badlands NP, Grand Teton NP, Theodore Roosevelt NP, Wind Cave NP and Yellowstone NP) and five Fish and Wildlife Service herds (Fort Niobrara NWR, National Bison Range, Neal Smith NWR, Sully’s Hill National Game Preserve and Wichita Mountains NWR). This valuable repository of bison genetic material and a tremendous amount of associated scientific data were recently accessioned into the Museum of Southwestern Biology, Division of Genomic Resources, at the University of New Mexico. HHHHH The Jockey Club Projects 2009 Foal Crop
The Jockey Club is projecting a 2009 North American registered Thoroughbred foal crop of 35,400, a decline of 3.3% from the revised estimate of 36,600 registered foals for 2008. The foal crop projection, traditionally announced the day before The Jockey Club Round Table Conference, is computed by using Reports of Mares Bred (RMBs) received to date for the 2008 breeding season. RMBs are to be filed by the beginning of August of each breeding season.
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“After mirroring historical trends during the first three weeks of August last year, the pace of 2007 RMB submissions slowed noticeably thereafter and that prompted us to reduce our previously announced forecast for 2008 by 900 foals,” said Matt Iuliano, The Jockey Club’s vice president of registration services. “Based on RMB returns to date for the 2008 breeding season, the foal crop contraction is likely to continue in 2009.” The Jockey Club encourages stallion owners and managers who have not yet submitted their RMBs for the 2008 breeding season to do so as soon as possible to avoid delays in receiving their Service Certificates. Submission of RMBs can be accomplished quickly and easily through Interactive RegistrationTM (IR), the online service that enables registered users to perform virtually all registration-related activities over the Internet. IR is available at http:// www.registry.jockeyclub.com. Foal registration is to be completed within 12 months of the birth of the foal. However, late registration is available for additional fees, making actual foal crop counts problematic before Dec. 31 of the crop’s 2-year-old year, the time by which the vast majority of the foal crop has been registered.
Additional foal crop information is available in The Jockey Club’s Online Fact Book, accessible at http://www.jockeyclub.com/factbok.asp. HHHHH Andersen Named Director of the Unwanted Horse Coalition
WASHINGTON, D.C. (AHC) - The American Horse Council announced the appointment of Julia Andersen to serve as the Director of the Unwanted Horse Coalition. Andersen came to the UHC with a versatile background in communications and life-long passion for horses. While receiving undergraduate degrees in Rhetoric/Communications and Fine Arts from Mount St. Mary’s University, Andersen also founded the school’s Equestrian team and club. She went on to earn her master’s degree in Journalism from Emerson College. Andersen gained strong experience in writing, creativity and deadline management throughout her professional career in the television industry, while working in program development for the Discovery Channel and as an Associate Producer for Court TV. Most recently, Andersen worked for Maryland Life Magazine as an Account Executive.
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Happy Trails Destinations of Choice
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Happy Trails Destinations of Choice Looking for a safe place to ride during deer season this fall? Spend the Day or Weekend Riding 600 Acres Near Cleveland, Texas “Competitive Trail Challenge” November 1st 2008 (ACTHA. US Affiliate)
• Trail Rides • Family Reunions • Birthday Parties • Cowboy Weddings • Camping • Rustic Bunkhouse that sleeps 12 • Bring Your Horse or Ride One of Ours Read What Happy Trail Riders Say About Our Ranch at:
www.tcranch.net 936-767-8111 • 3281 Dabney Bottom Road, Cleveland, TX 77327
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The Healthy Horse - Con’t. from pg. 14 cannon bones and back of the pasterns. In order to treat you MUST remove all the crusts. This is where the fungus lives. You may not be able to remove all the crusts in one day as this can be painful. Use a fungal shampoo and soak the affected areas for 10 minutes to soften the crusts then gently remove. Rinse well and let the horse dry completely before putting him away. There are many different antifungal shampoos out there and nearly all work well if you remove the crusts. Consider the crusts contagious and throw away and disinfect any equipment that comes into contact with those crusts such as brushes and saddle pads. Iodine based shampoos can be harsh on white skin that is already raw from the fungus so you may want to consider a tea tree shampoo on white legged horses. If legs are swollen from fungus, you may consider putting a thick snug standing wrap on the leg. If you are not familiar with wrapping legs, have a qualified person show you how to do this without harming the leg by getting the wrap too tight or uneven pressure. Swollen, raw ears are commonly seen this time of year because of ticks. They seem to have an affinity for the ears and are very, very painful. If your horse suddenly objects to having his ear touched or even looked at you may want to consider looking for ticks. Be careful because some horses can become violent if they have a lot of ticks in their ears. Some may even have to be sedated in order to remove them. Cattle ear tick medicines containing pyrethrums can be applied to the inside of the ears and they will fall out when they have died. You can try to pick them out individually if you are skilled. If one of you horses has ticks you may want to check the rest of the herd. You may have to recheck weekly since there is only brief residual affect with the sprays. Dr Angela Chenault practices at La Paloma Equine Clinic in Waller County and the surrounding counties.
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Horse Sense - Con’t. from pg. 21 Each book addresses most or all of the important basic topics which include: • Preparing your horse and yourself for trails – slope, footing, water, and trail obstacles • Conditioning so that you can ride the trails all season long without harming your horse • Selecting and adjusting your tack, gear, and clothing for maximum comfort on trails • Packing and carrying your emergency/first-aid kit • Monitoring your horse’s condition so that you can avoid fatigue, injuries, and heat exhaustion • Riding alone and riding in groups • Riding at different times of year and in different weather conditions • Riding different types of trails • Trouble-shooting (how to recognize and deal with the various problems you’re likely to encounter, from bears to ATVs) • Trail manners for riders and horses • Trail-related subjects such as trailering and horse camping If you know someone who needs some trail savvy and could benefit from good advice but isn’t eager to take advice in person and doesn’t really enjoy reading “chapter book,” you might consider giving him or her one of these two very short guides:
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101 Trail Riding Tips by Dan Aadland (it’s only 150 pages long and in a small-sized, very portable format) Backcountry Horsemen Guide Book by the backcountry Horsemen of America (this is only 44 pages and sized to carry in your pocket!) A lot of people think that trail riders and trail horses are born, not made, but the truth is that they are all made. People aren’t born understanding how to ride trails; horses aren’t born understanding how to be ridden on trails. There’s a learning curve for riders and another one for horses. Reading can enable riders to help themselves and their horses, smooth out that learning curve and have more fun. This is important for all trail riders and especially important for those who may not be interested in (or have access to) lessons but who can appreciate and make good use of the tips and suggestions provided by trail riders with years of experience. People who take the time to read, listen, think and learn are going to have much more enjoyable trail rides – and they’re also much more likely to bring their horses back from those trail rides in good condition and ready to go again soon. To real horsemen, that’s the key to any kind of good riding. It doesn’t matter whether you do your riding in the ring or on the trails, your real performance and the quality of your horsemanship isn’t about the competitions you enter or the ribbons and trophies you may or may not win, it’s all about your horse’s training, condition, and comfort - and the shape he’s in when you bring him home. www.texashorsetalk.com
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Linda Parelli - Con’t. from pg. 27 Now the program is way simpler and specifically designed for self directed learning. I think our students are going to make much faster progress and avoid getting stuck, mainly because they can always see where they are going as well as be proud of what they’ve achieved. THT: The new Parelli Patterns… how do they fit in? You mentioned that Language + Exercises + Support = Savvy…exactly what does that mean? LINDA: The ‘language’ is accomplished via the Seven Games from basic to advanced levels of natural horsemanship. We begin by understanding the relationship between horse and human, how to communicate in a way that is natural for them using intention and body language and by playing the same leadership games they do. In our Success Series, we explore this language from ground to riding, at liberty, in collection and for flying changes. The new Parelli Patterns are the exercises to do with your horse. Once you have this new language and a better understanding, the exercises provide a way to practice and develop your new skills. Many people who are not professional trainers don’t really know how to develop a horse, and many professionals use the same exercises for every horse
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and find that some horses fail to succeed. Over the years Pat Parelli developed patterns that exercise horses mentally, emotionally and physically. So not only do the Parelli Patterns give every horse a nice work out, they shape behavior, plus they turn you into a good leader. The Patterns are also set up in levels, from Level 1 – Level 4… in all Four Savvys. Then there’s the support. Our Savvy Club is all about continuing education. It gives students access to four lessons from Pat and me on DVD each month, a quarterly Savvy magazine, on line instant access to problem solving, huge buyer discounts, community network, the Levels architecture and much more. Feeling supported is critical to reaching your goals. In fact most people never reach their goals. They give up as much due to lack of support and motivation as they do lack of information, and that’s awful! To be supported by people who are living their dream, who have been through tough times, who’ve been there… that’s hard to beat. The Parelli student body within the Savvy Club is an awesome community to be part of. THT: And how will this change the Level’s concept and how will the Official Assessments be conducted? LINDA: Being able to assess what ‘level’ you are is an important part of
Linda Parelli - Con’t. on pg. 47 www.texashorsetalk.com
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THE NAME STILL HANGS ON Many years ago in a land far away Americans used to buy American made products because these products were the best. One company even had a slogan that emphasized this: “The quality goes in before the name goes on.” That company was Zenith they made televisions and other electronics. Zenith lost out to lower priced foreign products. The Texas racing scene is a lot like Zenith except in reverse. We are losing to surround-
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ing states not because of lower prices but higher purses for horseman. In recent years the states surrounding Texas have seen new tracks open and flourish while Texas tracks maintain their status quos. A total of 14 tracks exist in the West South Central area, Louisiana takes the lead with four, Texas has three, New Mexico has two, Oklahoma has two and Arkansas has one. These numbers reflect tracks that run on a continuous basis. Texas does have
Manor Downs and the Gillespie Fair meet, and Oklahoma has Blue Ribbon Downs and Fair Meadows, Tulsa. Manor, Blue Ribbon Downs and Gillespie don’t offer schedules as extensive as the larger tracks. One way of checking on the quality and purses of any race track in North America is to consult the Daily Racing Form’s Purse Value Index. It is published for all to read and it will open your eyes. The way the system works is the number represents the average
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net purse value per race rounded to the nearest thousand. So here are the numbers for your comparison: Fair Grounds, LA. - 38 Oaklawn Park, AR.-28 Zia Park, NM.-25 Delta Downs, LA.-21 Louisiana Downs, LA.-20 Evangeline Downs, LA. 18 Remington Park, OK.-18 Lone Star Park, TX.-17 Sun Ray Park, NM.-14 Will Rogers Downs, OK-11 Sam Houston, TX.-11 Fair Meadows Tulsa, OK.-11 Retama Park, TX.-10 It is obvious Texas racing has become a Zenith; we rank in the bottom half for purse values and two of Texas’ largest tracks are in or near the cellar. If I were a horseman and wanted to make money, take one guess as to where in the West South Central area I would be racing. If you guessed anywhere but Texas you would be correct. As a Texan I would race at any of the surrounding state’s tracks begrudgingly and at the same time wonder what is wrong with my home state. Each of the neighboring states has become the foreign manufacturers of racing; they saw a way of improving their product and offering a better price. The way they did it was using common sense and facts as opposed to emotion. They all have some form of casinos or slots. These states looked at the issue and determined there is a market for this type of entertainment which works hand in hand with horse racing. Based upon facts this makes sense. Just look at the numbers. On the emotional side the naysayer always use the notion that casinos or slots will ruin the communities where these evil devices are allowed. That is pure nonsense, I have been to many of these race tracks and their surrounding cities, I have not seen a massive increase in crime or those destitute people naysayer claim are spending their last dollar on a slot machine. As a matter of fact the last time I went to Oaklawn in Arkansas the players looked and behaved like average people and the folks away from the track told me they have no problems with slot players. Let’s face facts. Texas is becoming the Zenith of horse racing. The state needs to improve the product and offer a better price or else the slogan may be: “The quality has gone but the name still hangs on.” See you in the paddock. www.texashorsetalk.com
Join! Next Meeting Monday, September 15 7:00 PM Visitors Always Welcome *Dinner Available (For Purchase) @ 6:30
The Carriage House Cafe 7955 Fallbrook, Houston TX
www.GHHC.com September 2008 - TEXAS HORSE TALK
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Red Headed Rita Sire: Mr. Zippo Jack Bar Dam: Sailette
(bloodline of Barton Jewel Zippo, Pine Bar, & Painted Jewel) Sorrel Tobiano mare, this 12 year old beautiful double registered APHA 342445 & PTHA 83410, is western pleasure trained, extremely gentle under saddle, trained with natural methods of horsemanship and would make a great show horse for a youth. Proven breeder. This mare is the total package for showing. Rita has worked through most of the Parelli safety level 1, and ready to work with a natural rider into and beyond level two. Offered For Sale $7,900 (Serious Inquiries Only) Call (936)-878-2678
OO Mark Her Smoke Sire: RR OverWhelmer Dam: Sarah Tee Beggar This beautiful APHA black Overo mare 10 years old has produced two incredible foals, both splashy black & white paints with blue eyes! She has the athleticism to work cattle and the quality to be a show horse. She is sweet and easy to handle. She is sensitive under saddle and with a confident natural rider/teacher, needs someone to make her their main horse, and spend the time with her to get her through level 1 and on to level 2 and beyond with a true partner. Offered For Sale $6,500 (Serious Inquiries Only) Call (936)-878-2678
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Linda Parelli - Con’t. from pg. 43 growth and development. Interestingly, when we launched the Parelli Levels Program in 1991 it was the first (and still is the only) non-competitive measurement system that involves both ground skills and riding. Students can self assess or take official assessments with our Certified Instructors (auditions is what we now call them) via video, DVD, live or YouTube. And people who hate taking tests can self assess so they have an idea of where they are at. THT: What do you feel is your most important role in the ‘industry’... and where do you want to take it? And what do you dream about? LINDA: Hmmmm. I think I give people hope that you can become really savvy with horses even if you are not a professional or only got into horses late in life…there are probably a lot of people these days that don’t know how hopeless I used to be with horses. Many mothers tell me I’m a role model for their daughter, and women all over the world thank me for what I do because it empowers women, and that’s very touching for me. I take these responsibilities very seriously. I know what horses can do for girls and women and I know what they’ve done for me because horses are about way more than riding. And then there are the demonstrations I do with my horses. A happy horse is very important to me and I don’t care how cool a maneuver I can do with my horse, if he’s not enjoying it too I don’t want it. I’ve been there. And you see it everywhere. So it’s a statement when I can get a standing ovation because people are overwhelmed by the relationship I’ve built with my horse while still achieving advanced levels of horsemanship. That was always my dream. As a bigger dream, I want to help Pat change the world for horses and the people who love them… to make it safer, more fun, happier horses, happier people living their dreams and excelling in every way. THT: Although the movement toward being more natural is growing each day …how do you explain it to the folks that don’t get it? LINDA: I wish I knew! This movement needs to spread a lot faster than it is. But I think that people being the change, being the good examples will cause the change. Talk is cheap. THT: You state that “Parelli Natural Horsemanship” really dips into the personal development side of things. What have horses taught you? LINDA: I think two really valuable things horses teach us about ourselves are to be 100% present and truly humble. We often find it really hard to be present because we’re thinking about the future (what’s my goal, where do I need to be, I need to call so and so…) or we’re anxious about the past and bring that baggage with us; and humility is what you learn when you realize the horse has got you figured out and accept that you might be the cause of what’s going wrong. THT: What is next for “PNH”? LINDA: Savvy Club will be the big focus… continuing education and support for people dedicated to the horse and their horsemanship. It can’t be bought in one package because it’s a never-ending quest for self improvement.
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GAGE Howdy, welcome to Cowboy Corner. Well the rain came, too little too late, but some, to ease the drought. Like the ol’ cattleman’s saying, “will always take an inch of rain, and a new calf ”. Amen. And thank you Lord, for small favors. Understand from the Publisher and Editor of Texas Horse Talk that Cowboy Corner has a lot of women readers, now, that is interesting, never thought of myself as a ladies man! So, cowgirls, got a little something just for you. There are all kinds of jokes around the ranch
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about women and measurements. “Honey, hand me a 9/16 inch wrench out of the tool box”. “Well which one is it”? Just bite your tongue and say, “well it’s the one with 9/16 stamped on it”. We’ve all been there and done that. Wrenches and sockets are easier than bolts, nuts and washers, since the size is on the tool as either fractional, or metric. Fasteners, such as bolts, nuts, and washers, as called in the hardware business, are also fractional or metric. As a general rule at the ranch, metric fasteners are going to be found on late model engines and equipment and fractional fasteners are on everything else. Some tractors for example may have metric on the engine and fractional on other parts including implements. Not all tractor makers manufacture engines, therefore the tractor and engine can have different fasteners. Let’s leave tractors and implements for another time and focus on everyday at the ranch, bolts, nuts, and washers. I like “rules of thumb” which seem to save a lot of time. As an example, most ranch gates are hung with a 5/8” or 3/4” bolts. Standard size and weight gates of 4 feet to 16 feet use 5/8” and 20 feet gates use 3/4”. The bolts are either lag or through bolt type for attachment to the post. Lag bolts screw into wood and require no nuts and washers. Be careful in drilling the post for a lag bolt. I like
an at least 1/16” undersize bit. In other words a 9/16” hole in the post for a 5/8” lag bolt. Most 3/4” J bolts are going to be the through bolt type, requiring a hole through the post and nuts and washers. For through bolts I like to use a 1/64” larger bit than the bolt size or a 49/64” hole for a 3/4” bolt. The 5/8” through bolt J’s, use a 41/64” hole. Most extra long bits don’t come in the 1/64”oversizes, however the holes can be enlarged after the post holes are drilled. Through bolt “J’s”, which are my favorite, require nuts and washers on both sides of the post, and are the most adjustable. To aid in the “Honey, hand me two 3/4” nuts and washers” from a bucket of whatever, I came up with a sizing guide”. This “sizing guide” is just a collection of flat washers, fractional size, from 1/4” through 1”. Ten washers all marked with a permanent ink pen and tied with a hay string. Easy to size, bolts, nuts and washers. Since washers are made a little oversized most of the time, to size a bolt, you don’t even have to take the washer off the string loop. Standard grade fasteners in sizes 1/4” through 1” are sold at hardware stores, agricultural supply stores, and lumber yards by the pound, so for less than two bucks your cowgirl can have her own sizing guide, washers on a string. Works on partially bilingual ranch hands too. Happy Trails!
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