Irresponsible Horse Owners

(Tucker gives his opinion on ignorant horse owners!)

The movie Parenthood is a favorite of mine. Not only does it boast a great cast, but it was filmed here in Winter Park and Orlando. There is a great line in the movie, that to paraphrase, goes something along the lines that "unfortunately, they don't require parents to get licensed". In other words, anybody can be a parent. The same holds true with horse ownership (yes, I know, replace horse with any animal..dog, cat, rabbit, etc...but this is an article about horses!). Unfortunately, as we all know, there are people who should not own horses. We encounter them all the time, I am sad to say.

For example, at a pony club rally...the last place on earth I would expect to see an example of poor horsemanship, a boy presented a skinny horse for the vet jog. This horse desperately needed some groceries. When questioned about the weight, giving him the benefit of the doubt, afterall, the horse was older (not that that justifies a skinny horse), the parents, who were watching the jog chimed in that they were trying to cut back on expenses! Seriously? You are cutting back expenses so you don't feed your horses as much? Yet you have the audacity to spend money to come to a rally? I was reeling all weekend over this.

I am always a little surprised when I encounter a clueless horse owner. Yes, even after being involved in horse rescues. Afterall, horses are expensive! They consume time and money. I do not take horse ownership lightly. I read all I can. I keep up to date with the latest news in my chosen discipline, in horse care, vet care, nutrition and more. I work solely to support my horses and I do not want to waste any money on unnecessary vet bills, feed, supplements, or tack, because I did not do my part to make sure I was knowledgeable.

For instance, based on latest research, did you know that you should not be deworming your horse every 8 weeks? Our dewormers are fast becoming ineffective and instead, we need to be relying on fecal counts and deworming only when necessary!

This is information that is not only in magazines like Equus, but it is available on line, at such sites as The Horse and the Chronicle of the Horse!

So I am always a bit baffled by horse owners who don't properly care for their horses. They don't feed them proper nutrition, subscribe to wacko training methods, purchase ill fitting tack, don't learn how to properly warm up and cool down, and so on and so on.

We all have stories of idiot horse owners. The owner who over bits their horse; jumps a 3' fence the first day back after the horse has been rehabbing for 6 weeks due to an injury; the owner who doesn't know how to properly apply polo wraps, leaving them sagging and twisting. And those examples are from the same owner and horse!

My new barn neighbors are not only clueless, but downright dangerous. They have a 2 year old colt. Of course, he lives with a mare, who is now in foal. The property is small, and of course, they turn them out in a small paddock, which shares my fence line. I have put up hot wire 8 feet in from my fence line, so there is 9 feet between the horses. Of course, the owner tells me that her colt is so sweet and well behaved! It's ok that you have a mare. He won't mind! Of course, the first night that mine are turned out in the adjoining pasture, her sweet colt paces the fence line the entire time. A few days ago, a new horse joins her two. She has the smaller paddock divided from the bigger (now their property is maybe an acre, so we are talking small parcels) paddock by round panel fencing, that she has reinforced with posts in the ground. Which I totally don't get. I mean, if you are going to put posts in the ground, why not put up fence boards, that cost about $7-8? Why spend about $40-50 per panel? I just don't get it. The first night, her colt and mare are in the small paddock... of course, why not put the colt next to my mare? Soon, he starts attacking the round panel fencing, trying to get to the new horse. Then, he starts charging my fence line. Soon, I realize why the sudden aggressiveness. The new horse is also a colt! My guess, is he is about a year-year and a half. The older colt is so upset and out of control, that we move my horses to the other pasture. This is an accident waiting to happen, and I don't want my horses to be blamed for having any part. Sure enough, the next morning, half of the round panels are half down, despite having posts in the ground for support! I don't know how her horses fared, but the poor colt must have spent all night and all his energy trying to attack the new colt. By that evening, the fence panels were put back up and the horses were returned to their former turnouts.

I have left my horses in the other field!

In todays age of technology, there is no excuse not to expand your knowledge base and learn what is best for your horse. Magazine subscriptions and riding lessons are expensive, but there is so much free information out there on the web...of course, alot of it falls under the ludicrous category and we have to be smart enough to decipher it and use our common sense. Go to big competitions. Watch the pros warm up their horses. Watch how they care for their horses afterwards. Talk to them...in the the eventing world, just about everybody is approachable and they love to help out one another. Ask about nutrition. Talk to your vet. Talk to your farrier. Talk to your feed store owner. Become an educated and informed horse owner! There really is no excuse for ignorance.

Disaster Planning

Barn damage after Hurricane Charlie, 2004

Horses still wearing their ID's on their sides!

Make sure that horses cannot escape to roadways or downed power lines.

Note ID around ankles.

With the recent devastating events across the southeast, not to mention the wildfires in Texas and floods in the midwest, as well as the upcoming Hurricane season for Florida, I thought it would be a good time to address your disaster plan for your horses.

Don't have one? Well, you should. No matter where you live, you may sooner or later be faced with a natural disaster. At least in Florida, we have the luxury of advanced warning, although as the 2004 hurricanes showed us, that warning may come just 6 hours before landstrike. Unfortunately, in the event of tornadoes and fires, you do not have much, if any forewarning. Nobody could have predicted how horrific these string of tornadoes last week would be and no amount of preparedness could have done any good. You have to place your faith in God or Mother Nature or whomever you believe will save you, and hope for the best.

Have a Plan!

To paraphrase the Clash, " should I stay or should I go?" should be the first order of your disaster planning.

In the event of hurricanes, you will have several days to decide this. As Hurricane Charlie in 2004 proved however, hurricanes can change their paths at the last moment and therefore, any chances of evacuating are gone. So if you decide to evacuate, leave days beforehand to avoid traffic snarls, long line at gas stations and the risk of becoming stuck on the highway as a hurricane strikes. It is better to evacuate for no reason, then to wait until it is too late.

If you evacuate, know alternate routes. Make sure your truck is gassed up.

And of course, if you are evacuating, take your animals with you!

That is the reason for evacuating, right? If you leave animals behind, there is no telling how long it may be until you can return. It is absolutely heartbreaking to see the photos of animals left behind in the radioactive zone of Japan, including horses. Those animals which are stalled or locked indoors, are dying a cruel and slow death of starvation.

• When evacuating, take enough feed, hay and water for at least 3 days.


• Now is the time to make sure your horses are up to date on coggins and vaccinations. In the event of emergencies, the state will not require health certificates.


• Now is the time to locate potential evacuation sites. Contact now to find out requirements.


• Make sure you take your equine emergency kit with you (listed below).

Remember that if you evacuate, there is a good chance that the storm will follow you! Unless you head north and then turn west towards Tennessee or Kentucky, there is a very good chance you will at some point find yourself stuck in the storm. So ask yourself if you want to risk being stuck in a strange location when a storm hits. In 2004, horses that were evacuated to Central Florida from south Florida actually endured more of Charlie's wrath than if they had stayed at home. Barns were damaged, and while there were reports of trapped horses, there were no reported fatalities. And farms that evacuated to Georgia, also ended up bearing the blunt of the storm after it passed over Florida. Sometimes, staying home and keeping your horses in their familiar surroundings is better.

My personal plan is to stay put, unless it is a category 3 or higher and the storm is coming in around the Melbourne/Cocoa Beach area. Being less than 50 miles from Cocoa Beach, I feel that devastation from such a storm would be catestrophic.

So you decide to stay! What should you do to prepare?

• Secure all loose and potential flying objects. Knock jumps over and pick up jump cups that are lying on the ground.


• Fill every bucket and trash can with water. After Charlie, the barn that I was at was without power for over a week. Thankfully, we had filled every bucket and trash can and we also had access to a swimming pool, which we used to rinse off sweaty horses. The day the power came on was the day we were about to start hauling water in. A tiny amount of bleach added to water will keep it purified.


• Stock up on hay and feed. Make sure it is high off the ground and covered. Even throw a tarp over the hay inside, in case of roof damage.


• During the storm, leave halters on the horse. ID them with at least 2 methods (see below).


• Take the following into consideration if you are staying: elevation, flood zone, type of building construction and category of storm.

To leave in or leave out, that is the question

This is a hotly debated subject. It is a personal decision and sometimes there is no right or wrong answer. In last weeks tornado, one farm that had horses both inside and out, lost all of the horses that were outside. Only one horse inside died, despite the barn being destroyed.
If you leave your horses inside, you risk subjecting them to collapsing roofs and walls. If you have runs off the stalls, it is a good idea to leave the doors open, so that in the event of a collapse, the horses have an escape route.
Horses that are left outside will be subjected to flying shrapnel. The smallest of objects become flying missles. Don't kid yourself...horses left outside cannot outrun a tornado! Tornadoes are moving much faster than a horse can run, follow an erratic path, and may be too wide for a horse to avoid its path. Downed fences make for escapes, so if you turn out, make sure that you do so in an area that is contained by at least 2 fence lines. Many horses that survived Hurricane Andrew in 1992, were killed when they escaped through broken fences. They were either hit by emergency vehicles in the middle of the night, or electrocuted by downed power lines.

Types of ID for horses

• Microchips


• Freeze markings


• Tattoos


• Front and side view photos of your horse. Have at least one shot with you in the picture. This is to prove ownership.


• Bill of sale. Again, to prove ownership.
  
  Emergency ID's:


• Painting info on hooves


• Body marking with livestock crayons. Include phone # and address. Make sure phone # belongs to a friend or relative out of the area. Many times, cell phones and land lines don't work immediately after a disaster.


• Neck banding.


• ID tags on halters.


• Braid ID tag into mane or tail. Use a small baggie to include emergency info. Luggage tags are also good to use.


• Tape or velcro strips around ankles with information.

Do not include your coggins anywhere on your horse! Somebody who finds a horse that with its coggins, can remove this horse from the area and sell it.

Also, use more than one method of identifying your horse!

Equine Emergency Kit:

• 3-7 days supply of feed


• Bandanas (blindfolds)


• Batteries for flashlight and radio


• Blankets


• Copies of vet records and proof of ownership


• Duct tape and hay string


• Emergency contact list


• First aid kit


• Flash light


• Fly spray


• Heavy gloves


• Hoof instuments


• Instructions for feeding and medications


• Knife


• Leg wraps and bandages


• Maps


• Medications (might be good to include Ace or other sedative as well as Banamine)


• Non-nylon halter and cotton leads


• Paper towels, rags


• Plastic trash cans with lids (to store water, feed)


• Radio


• Rope


• Shovel


• Tarps


• Trash bags


• Twitch


• Water and feed buckets


• Wire cutters


• Water purifier (bleach)
  

Wildfires


Nothing scares me more than fire, because all it takes is for one careless idiot to throw their cigarette out their car window to start a fire. If wildfires are prevelent in your area, leave your horse trailer hooked up to the trailer and have the trailer loaded and ready to go at a moments notice. If you have to work, leave contact numbers for your neighbors, as well as displayed visably for firefighters. A recent dramatic rescue played out recently on the internet, as firemen rushed to a farm to save a horse and a herd of goats in Colorado. Filmed by a news crew in a helicopter, the firemen bravely battled the approaching fast moving flames, saving the animals. A followup news story revealed that the owners were at work and rescue crews would not allow them to go home and save their animals. This is why it is a good idea to evacuate ahead of time. Better to be safe than to have to risk the aforementioned scenario.

In addition:

• Keep tranquilizers on hand. A friend of mine was in a situation where she tried to load her horse as a wildfire was approaching the barn where she boarded. The horse was so spooked by the fire, helicopters and fire trucks, she was very difficult to load.


• And now is a good time to make sure that your horses will load!


• If you do not have a trailer, or have more horses than trailer space, have a list of people you can contact to help.
  
  To protect your property from fires (both wildfire and otherwise):



• Trim palmettos, shrubs and trees. Keep at least a 50' clearance around your barn.


• Install ground rods.


• Use metal conduit for wiring inside the barn and underground use pvc.


• Use industrial extension cords.


• Inspect cords regularly for signs of chewing from rodents.


• Do not use indoor box fans. Use industrial fans. Lasko fans have been recalled due to starting fires.


• NEVER use a heater. A tragic fire in Ohio last month killed several horses and was the result of a heater being left on in a barn.


• Install smoke detectors.


• Install fire sprinkers...costs less than you may think!


• Have fire extinguishers every 40' and at both ends of the barn. An extinguisher may not put out a fire, but it can help buy enough time to evacuate animals.


• Store hay and shavings in a separate barn. Do not store fresh hay on top of old hay.


• Keep cobwebs and dust to a minimum. This is not just for aesthetic reasons!


• Do not store gas cans or lawn equipment in the barn. Do not store anything flammable!


• Use a metal trash can instead of rubber. If a fire starts in the trash can, the metal will help contain it.


• Make sure your driveway is clear for a firetruck to reach your barn Trim the trees and bushes. The closer a truck can get to your barn, the faster they can start to extinguish the fire.


• Install easy to read street numbers at the road.


• ABSOLUTELY NO SMOKING IN THE BARN!!!!!

In the event of flooding, you need to evacuate as soon as possible. As with wildfires, you cannot afford to wait.

After Tropical Storm Faye, in 2008, our farm was about a foot under water for weeks. I was initally concerned about snakes. The real threat however, were ants. Did you know that ants float? I didn't. Fireants will attach to each other and form a floating island. I quickly discovered that leaning on the fence was a painful experience, as ants sought refuge here. Sadly, a man died near my barn after coming in contact from a floating ant island.

In the event of tornadoes, I really don't think there is much you can do, other than to seek shelter and pray. One house may be totally destroyed, leaving their neighbor unscathed. Just as in hurricanes, I will take my chances and leave my horses inside. I will risk my barn being destroyed over having my horses impaled or electrocuted.

Now is the time to plan and prepare. Know your options and devise an emergency plan now!

Thank you to the Chuluota Fire Department and Dr. Jennifer Fowinkle for their contributions that allowed me to write this blog!

Yes, a new barn!

Yes, the rumors are true...I have moved the horses again!

And the horses are now just 10 minutes from my home! I love going to the barn in the mornings again (although Nikki, who came with me, does feed during the week in the morning...she is 5 minutes away!). Now that summer is here (what the hell happened to spring? 98 degrees and it is only April...oh, fall, please hurry here!), I love having the option to ride in the mornings again before it gets too hot.

So besides the distance, why did I move? Well, for one thing, I didn't appreciate finding people smoking in my barn. It is a cardinal sin in my book. Do I need to explain anymore? Enough said!

The barn is adorable...small, but charming with potential! Potential, as in yes, the owner is talking about selling in the near future and it is in our price range. Peter likes it, it is close to town and doesn't need much to meet our needs.

The property is small..smaller than I would like, at just about 2 and a half acres. But it is set up so all land is usable. Most is high and dry. I don't plan on having more than 3 horses on it, even if we do buy it, so it is simply a doable setup.

The barn, as I said, is small! Originally built to accomodate ponies, the concrete barn has a low roof. One stall is small. The aisleway is narrow. We had to build a washrack/grooming area outside of the entrance. But if we should purchase it down the road, it has the capability to be added onto.

The best thing, it is peaceful! Imp, who had stopped eating her grain for 6 weeks at the last 2 barns (did I mention there was a brief boarding barn after the barn in Apopka? We didn't stay....bears and bugs kept the horses on edge the whole time), has now resumed eating. At the last barn, the horses lost it if one of them was out of their sight...that was very unusual behavior for them. Nobody at this barn seems the least concerned if one steps out of sight for a ride. We have no bears here and the bugs (at least the biting bugs that left Nikki covered in welts) are at a minimum. The barn is heavily wooded on one side and heavy brush surrounds most of the other sides, making it pretty private. The barn is on a dead-end road. Only one end of the property has neighbors that back up to us. We decided that Imp prefers a peaceful setting with not a whole lot of horse activity. All I know is, she is happy again, something that she hasn't been in a while.

We have 2 pastures. There is a pond with ducks, herons, turtles and egrets. To enter the property, one has to walk past sweet smelling jasmine lining the front fence. I love taking deep breaths as I walk past them.

Did I mention that the barn is 10 minutes from home? Yesterday I forgot my cell phone. I knew my farrier would be calling me, so I simply returned home and retrieved it. No big deal! Peter, who is used to it taking me a good 45 minutes to get home from the other barns, is slowly getting used to seeing me just a few minutes after I give him my heads up phone call to get dinner started (yes, he cooks dinner!). Possible chance of rain? No problem...simply leave the horses out in the pasture with the barn, and if it rains, I can run out and bring them in...no more leaving them inside because it might rain, only for it not to rain.

I feel like my life is finally getting back to normal after a rough year with lots of changes. I set up a riding lesson for my birthday in 2 weeks! While it is to hot to go to a horse trial until fall, I hope to go cross country schooling soon. My eventing plans did not materialize as I had hoped this past spring, but there is always the fall. I feel pretty confident that it will happen too. The horses are happy. Hobbs, the barn cat, is happy. Everybody is happy and life is good!!

It is Official..Imp is retired

USPC Champs, Lexington, Ky 2004 (above and below)

Jane Brownlow and Imp

Imp and Jen sharing peppermints

Imp and Jen cross country

Show Jumping Rally

Jen's senior portrait

Competing at Poplar Place

Rocking Horse

Jen trying Imp out

Today was a bittersweet day, as Kevin Young, my farrier extraordinaire, removed Imp's shoes. Imp is now formally retired from all riding, including hacking and dressage.
When Jen was home a month ago, she rode her and Imp performed so well, despite having not been ridden in months, she probably could have gone to a dressage show the following day and cleaned up. Since retiring her from jumping in 2008, Jen has pretty much allowed Imp to decide what she wants to do while under saddle. Sometimes she wants to just hand gallop. Other times Imp wants to do nothing but her extended trots which never fail to give me goose bumps. On this day, she was doing her extended trots and they were doing lead changes every few strides. Hard to believe she had not been ridden but maybe twice in the past 6 months!
The following week, Kevin came out to reset her shoes. It was difficult for her to bear weight. Her knee, that had been operated on when she was diagnosed with multiple bone chips and fragments as well as extensive DJD, was wobbling with the extra weight. Kevin, always careful and sensitive to Imp's special needs, took his time with her, but was concerned.
Last week, I decided to ride her. She had not been ridden since Jen's last visit. Amanda wanted to ride Tucker, so I decided to tack Imp up. Although she was her normal fresh and forward self, her knee kept giving out at the walk. An attempt at the trot was very lame. It felt like it was coming from her knees. After talking with Jen and Kevin, we decided to formally retire her. We have nothing to prove or accomplish by riding her. So today, Kevin pulled her shoes and gave them to me. No retirement ceremony, no fanfare, no bottle of champagne or bunches of carrots. A simple gesture of handing me her shoes. A symbol of what this horse has meant to my family.
We got Imp in 2003. Jen's pony, Z-Z, had died in May, from complications of epiglottis and aspirate pneumonia. An unexpected death, it was devastating to a 13 year old girl, who loved her first pony very, very much.
I was enrolled in on-line classes at St. Pete College in the Vet Tech program. It was about a month after Z-Z's death and I was discussing his death with my professor. Class had not started yet, and there were a few other students logged on, who could follow our conversation. During class, I received a PM from one of the students.
Jane Brownlow, had been following our conversation. In her PM, she asked if we were looking to get another horse. We had communicated a few times before and she knew that Jen was eventing. She mentioned that she might have a horse for us. She asked me to contact her after class.
Jane had moved to Florida and had a Thoroughbred mare named Impulsive that she was boarding in Ft. Meyers. She had evented her extensively, but was no longer doing much riding and the mare was doing nothing. "Perhaps your daughter would like her?" she asked. As we talked, I discovered that this mare had competed at the advanced level. Thirteen years old, she was Jen's age. Jane wanted to give her to us! I was stunned that someone I had never met could be so generous.
Incredibly, I did not immediately take Jane up on her offer. Jane told me that Imp's hocks had fused, so she would never compete at advanced again. Having retired my beloved Sir Tally to hock issues, I was concerned that this would mean expensive monthly treatments, something I didn't want to tackle. After Tally was diagnosed with bog spavin, I was able to only ride him for another year before he was retired. I didn't want to get Jen a horse, only to have to retire her in a short time.
After a few more weeks of driving around the state, looking at potential horses for Jen, all which were disappointing and did not live up to their seller's description, I mentioned Imp to Dave and Lisa Sumner of English Acres. Lisa was Jen's instructor. When asked why I didn't get her, I voiced my concern about her hocks. Dave then proceeded to give me an education about fused hocks, and letting me know that Manny, their school horse that Jen had been riding and jumping 3'6, had fused hocks. I learned quite a bit! Dave suggested I call my vet to get more information. In the meantime, he was going to research Imp's record with the USEA.
Dr. Pultz pretty much said the same things that Dave and Lisa told me. He wanted to see Imp's x-rays, which Jane graciously sent. After reviewing them, he told me that we had nothing to lose. "Go get her and bring her home" he told me. By now, Dave had researched Imp's record and was pretty excited at what he saw. He and Lisa could not wait for us to go and try Imp!
Jen and I make a trip to Ft. Meyers. We met Jane and followed her to the exotic farm where Imp and another horse lived...along with kangaroos, llamas and and assortment of other exotic animals.
Jane had sent us pictures of her competing Imp, and she was even more stunning in person! A plain bay with not a speck of white on her, she was exquisite. Refined, well mannered and obviously well bred, she had a noble look to her.
Jane explained her quirks to Jen (like her being sensitive around her udder) as they tacked her up. We headed out to a field with llama's where Jen mounted Imp and rode her. Their flat session went well and Jen loved her. After an hour or so, we cooled her out and made arrangements to meet Jane the next day for a jumping session.
The next day did not go quite as well as the flat session. Imp, not having done much jumping in a while, was bold, fresh and strong. But Jen handled her well. We decided to take Imp, on the condition that it would be trial. I wanted to get her back home and see how she did once she was worked on a regular basis. I also wanted to experiment with her bit.
We brought Imp home 3 weeks later. Not only had we lost Z-Z, but I had retired my Thoroughbred, All That Jazz about the same time, when he was diagnosed with a calcified coffin bone. I gave him to a woman that wanted to just trail ride and do lower level dressage with him. In addition, we had just bought Amanda her first horse, Dolly. I had not replaced Popcorn as we called him, but was looking for a new horse. Needing 3 stalls meant that I had to find a new barn. So with new horses and a new boarding facility, emotions were a bit high for all of us!
The first few days that we had Imp were disastrous! Jen would end up crying after every ride. It was difficult transitioning from a 14.1 hand Arab pony to a 16.2 hand TB mare. Jen mistook her big strides for going too fast. She told me to return her, that she would never be able to ride her.
Instead, I called Lisa, explained what was happening, and scheduled a lesson for that coming Saturday. When we arrived at English Acres, Lisa asked to ride Imp first. After about 15 minutes, she dismounted, handed Jen the reins and proclaimed that if we didn't want her, she would gladly take her off our hands! Forty five minutes later, Jen dismounted with a HUGE grin on her face! Lisa had explained what she needed to do to ride a horse of Imp's talent. If I had the money, I would have gladly paid Lisa a thousand dollars for that lesson! The transformation was amazing and it was the start of an incredible partnership!
That first year, we made Jen compete in the novice division. Imp was not too happy about jumping such low jumps, and she decided to jump every fence as if it was at least 2 feet bigger! Everyone would comment about how big she would jump everything! The two qualified for the UPSC Championships in Lexington, Kentucky. It was a great experience, and one to be blogged about another time. Their team finished 6th, with all members finishing on their dressage scores. Jen was 3rd individually, out of 80 riders!
When we returned to Florida, I let Jen move up to training. We were selective in how many events we went to. With the miles that Imp had, I didn't want to waste whatever amount of jumps she had left in her. We attempted one schooling show, which they won, but it was obvious that competing in all 3 divisions in one day was too demanding and we stuck with only recognized and USPC events. Her hocks held up just fine. We kept her on supplements and later added Adequan and if we traveled out of state, she got Legend. Her legs were poulticed after cross country and she got at least 12 hours of turnout every day, weather permitting. She was treated like a rock star...perhaps we pampered her too much, but she demonstrated that she could extract her and Jen from difficult situations and she made sure to always take care of Jen. It was my pleasure to bow to her every whim!
They did training level for several years. I wanted to make sure that Jen was really prepared before she moved up. They competed at pony club rallies, Rocking Horse and Poplar in the winter, spring and fall. Summers were off season. They never finished out of the ribbons, and all but once, placing on their dressage score. Their only fault occured in show jumping at Poplar, with a rail down. A pretty impressive record!
In December of 2007, the pair were ready to move up to Preliminary. They would be tested at back to back clinics at Rocking Horse. First, a clinic with Young Riders coach Kyle Carter, followed by another clinic with Jen's new instructor, Jennie Jarnstrom. Dave and Lisa had relocated English Acres and were to far to travel to on a regular basis. Eventually, they moved back to their native England. We felt that Jennie, who had competed at Rolex, was a perfect fit for Jen with her outgoing and positive personality.
If Imp could stand up to the rigors of 2 back to back clinics, then, we figured, she would be able to move up to prelim. They had already been schooling prelim for some time. At Kyle's clinic, they schooled at the Intermediate level. Imp and Jen were both up for the demands, and Imp was so fresh and bold, that I decided that she easily had another 10 years ago. I realized that if Jen was going to make the big move, then this was the horse she needed to do it on. Imp was going to continue to take care of her as well as teach her. Kyle was equally impressed and invited Jen to join the Young Riders program
She returned to Rocking Horse for Jennie's clinic, just as fresh and bold. She proved her athleticism by performing an amazing contortionist act over the intermediate corner, which left everyone gasping and wondering how she did not crash. The only concern was raised when Imp had her first refusal on xc, at a bank jump, which after 1 stride on the bank, required a jump over a tree limb. Jennie was very pleased with their overall performance, and suggested that not only should they move up to prelim after doing one more training, but they should aim for doing a 1 star in the spring. We were pretty excited!
Imp recovered from her strenuous outings with flying colors. Christmas and New Years came and went. Then, one day in the middle of January of 2008, Imp came in from the pasture lame.
Dr. Pultz knew after examining her what had happened, and xrays confirmed his diagnosis. The damage was severe and her prognosis poor. We were stunned. We were so focused on Imp's hocks, positive that that would be what ended her career. She never gave any indication that her knees bothered her. She had never been lame.
We shipped her to Ocala Equine Hospital in February. Dr. Maddison could not believe she had been schooling at the intermediate level just a few weeks prior to her onset of lameness. What should have been a 10 minute procedure took 35 minutes. He told us that based on the amount of damage, her knee had been bad for quite some time. For whatever reason it was that caused her to suddenly go lame, it was a blessing. That much damage was an accident waiting to happen. It was just a matter of time before the knee gave out on landing after a cross country jump, with disastrous results to Jen and Imp. He was truly at a loss to explain how it was she was able to go as long as she did without a lame step. I attributed it to her being a Thoroughbred mare who loved her job and loved her rider.
I suppose the timing couldn't have been better to retire Imp. Jen graduated from high school that year and attends the University of South Florida as an engineering major. There is not a whole lot of time for riding. They had 5 wonderful years of competing and learning that had it not been for Jane's generosity, Jen may never have had the opportunity to do...certainly not on a horse like Imp! Imp was a very difficult horse to ride, and Jen made it look so easy. I used to forget what she was like until I would get on her. Bold, strong, fast and brave were all good descriptions of her! And still are. We are sad that Imp's riding days are over, but we are so grateful for the memories.

Chosing the Perfect Riding Camp

With proper instruction, nothing is impossible!

Kids and horses= Teamwork

An instructor should always be close at hand.

A group of properly turned out students, waiting for instruction.

Summer is almost here, which means that parents will be scrambling soon to find camps that will entertain, educate and keep their children happy for any where from a week to several months.
If you have a horse crazy child, then finding them a riding camp may be the perfect solution. If your child is already taking lessons at a local stable, chances are, they already have a camp program lined up for their students.
But if you are new to the world of horses and are over whelmed by the options that are available, here is a guideline to help you chose the perfect stable. These guidelines will also aid you in chosing a local riding instructor, even if you are not looking for a camp at this time.

How to find a camp or instructor?

1. Ask for recommendations. Chances are, there are students in your childs school that ride. I frequently am about town in my riding clothes, whether I am shopping at Publix, running into Target, or even popping into the mall. It is amazing how many strangers stop to talk to me about horses, and ask for recommendations for instructors and boarding.
2. If you can't get recommendations, use the internet and phone book. Call around and ask what they offer. RED ALERT: If you visit a barns website and they show pictures of children riding WITHOUT helmets, please, quickly exit out of this website and cross their name off of your list.
3. Once you have a list of barns that offer camps and/or lessons, you need to visit each barn.

Once you are at a barn, here is what you need to do and ask:

1. First, inspect the barn. Are the stalls clean or are horses standing around in piles of manure? Stalls should be cleaned at a minimum, once a day. Are water buckets filled with clean water or are they dirty and smelly?
2. What is the overall condition of the horses? Are they fat with sleek coats or are their ribs and hip bones protruding over dull coats? Are their hooves trimmed or are they over grown and jagged?
The way a barn treats their horses, which is how they make a living, says a lot for a place. Barns that do not treat their horses well, really do not care about what type of service they are providing to you.
3. What is the overall condition of the facilites? Is the farm manicured and clean? Does it give the appearance of a safe facility? Is the fencing secure, the footing in the arena appear safe? The facility doesn't need to be a million dollar piece of property to be safe and secure and well maintained. All possible safety measures should be taken to avoid unnecessary accidents.
4. What are the safety requirements of their students? They should require ASTM approved helmet and paddock boots at the minimum. Helmets can be purchased for around $45 at the local tack store, as well as a pair of paddock boots for the same price. Bike helmets are not acceptable substitutes for a riding helmet, as the type of fall and potential injury to a person riding a horse is much greater and more significant than a fall from a bike. Sneakers are not acceptable either. Children need to be in a boot with a heel that covers their ankle and provides protection from a horse stepping on their foot.
5. What is the qualification of the instructor? In many instances, especially with camps, the barn will employ older teens, who have riding experience, to assist with the camp. How long has the instructor been riding and teaching? Are they ARIA (American Riders Instructors Association) or BHS (British Horse Society) certified, or are they a U.S. Pony Club graduate or USPC instructor?
6. What type of riding will be taught? What are the goals of the camp? You and your instructor need to be realistic here about goals. If your child is new to riding, your instructor should not be making promises that your child will be jumping a 3'6" course in 2 weeks. If they do make that claim, then they are taking serious shortcuts in your child's riding education, and compromising their safety. This applies to riding lessons as well. Unfortunately, we are a country that wants instant gratification. It is not uncommon to find students who within a few short months, are already going to horseshows and competing in jumping competitions at heights over 2'6". Unfortunately, what happens is that these children have not been taught the basics. In order for one to learn to properly jump, they must be taught how to have the proper seat and to give a proper release. These are things that take time to learn. If your child is going around a large course in a very short amount of time, chances are, they are riding what is known as a schoolmaster..a horse that is very educated and is going to take care of his young and inexperienced mount, no matter how much bouncing around and grabbing at his mouth they do. But disaster occurs when that parent tries to put that child on a horse that is not so forgiving, and suddenly, they discover that the thousands of dollars they have invested for their child's riding lessons have been a total waste, because in the long run, their child really doesn't know how to ride!
Goals should be realistic. If your child is participating in a 2 week camp, and has never ridden before, then he should be grouped with other children of the same riding skills. By the end of the camp, at the very least, they should be able to post at the trot and be able to guide their horse through some cavaletti's, which are small jumps at 6" to a foot above the ground. Some children may be able to canter by the end of 2 weeks and possible be able to trot around a small course within a confined arena.
7. And what about the suitablitly of the horses? Beginner riders should be riding horses that meet their experience level. The best horses for beginners are going to be horses in their teens or even in their 20's, that have been used for lessons and are used to kids bouncing around on their backs. Breeds such as Quarter Horses and draft crosses are the best for the inexperienced, because they tend to be more laid back and forgiving. Breeds such as Thoroughbreds and Arabians, tend to be more excitable and not as forgiving. As your child learns the basics and is commited to riding and wants to progress with their learning, they should learn to ride horses such as Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods, and younger and more green or inexperienced horses, that will teach them to progress from a beginner rider to an intermediate and finally, become an advanced level rider.
8. Another important element to consider, is what is the schedule of the camp? Most camps offer riding twice a day, once in the morning, and again, later in the afternoon. What will the campers be doing inbetween? There are many aspects to becoming an equestrian, and only a small portion of it involves actual riding. Campers should learn to become all around horseman. When they are not riding, they should be learning about the parts of the tack and how to care for it. They should learn about what horses eat and the different types of feed and hay. They should learn about the horses anatomy, health issues and about the care of their hooves. A good camp will bring in guest speakers, such as a Vet and a Farrier (Blacksmith). Campers should learn how to muck their horses stall, but make sure that your camp is not planning on using your child to provide free labor during their time when they are not riding. It is acceptable for your child to muck his own mounts stall, but he should not be expected to clean the boarders horses stalls or clean out the hay loft! By the end of 2 weeks, the student should know how to tack up his own horse (and untack), rinse him off and cool him out after each ride, clean his tack and provide basic care such as feed and water and know how to groom him.

Camps may provide more options for the child who is more experienced. Some camps will schedule outings to go cross country schooling or will take their campers to horse shows. Trail rides, fox hunting and mounted games are other options.

So camp has ended. Hopefully, you were invited to the last day where your child was able to exhibit what they learned! You now realize that you have a hopelessly horse addicted child who is going to spend every waking moment asking for a horse of their own! Now what do you do?

I suggest holding off the tempation to run out and buy a horse! Horses are expensive and require a lot of time. Enroll your child in regular lessons. Your child needs to prove that he is committed to horses, through hot and cold weather, bug season, and even when the horse he regularly rides is suddenly sick or lame and cannot be ridden for several weeks (will your child still want to go out and groom and pamper the horse, or totally ignore the animal now that he cannot perform?). Is your child willing to perform all aspects of horsemanship? From tacking up a horse, to cleaning the tack (which is very expensive but with good cleaning, will last forever), grooming the horse and mucking the stall? Or does your child expect somebody else to do all the dirty work and they just show up to a horse that is already tacked and ready to be ridden? These are all important considerations before making that big leap into horse ownership.

The United States Pony Club (which despite its name, most members own and ride horses), focuses on horse management, team work and their Proficiency of Standards. You may want to consider a youth organization such as the USPC for your child to become involved with, which will also ensure that they are dedicated and commited to riding.

Riding horses is rewarding. Children who are involved with horses learn compassion, empathy, patience, responsibilty and so much more. These are all life long skills which are important to a child's development. With the proper research, finding the perfect barn will enable that these skills are developed and nurtured.

Eventing Derby at Rocking Horse

Rocking Horse Stables, in Altoona, Florida, has to be one of the best places for me to spend a day! In years past, I have been there in a supporting role, as horseshow mom, driver, photographer and groom, as daughter Jen competed Impulsive at numerous pony club and USEA recognized events, not to mention clinics, ratings and schoolings. I dreamed of the day that Tucker would be old enough for me to be able to ride him there, rather than me walking around the 100 plus acres on foot! The facility is perfect...endless acre after acre of soft rolling terrain, massive grandfather oaks, flocks of sandhill cranes, the occasional deer and the multitude of cross country jumps, each one a marvel in design.

Yesterday, Jen, boyfriend Travis, new puppy Duke and myself and Tucker, loaded up for a cross country adventure, called an eventing derby. The idea behind a derby is for each rider to go around a course twice. Scores are based on time, with the rider closest to the optimum time getting the most points for the round. The course is comprised of cross country jumps and a few stadium jumps thrown in the mix. Any refusals or rails down amount to time being added to your round. The points are added together to determine the placings. And unlike other events, there is prize money! Best thing? It is strictly cross country...no stuffy dressage tests to perform, just pure bliss of galloping and jumping! Isn't this what eventing is all about?

Of course, with all good intentions thrown out the window, we were late in arriving. Difficulties with the hitch, low air in the tires and Tucker throwing a tantrum at having to trailer alone made for slow going. In the end, with Jen riding in the back of the trailer to riprimand Tucker for his heaving pawing and weight shifting, we arrived just in time for me to get my number! Jen and Travis tacked Tucker while I ran to the office. I grabbed a copy of the map..no time to walk the course, and ran back to Tucker, mounting him and doing our warmup while making our way to the back of the property where the warm up jumps and start box were located. When I arrived, I was told to relax, they were very casual, and even though I was first to go in the beginner novice division, they were not adhering to the order of go and I could just let them know when I was ready. Whew! I studied the map, watched a few trips and then warmed up. After a few jumps, I knew we were ready to go and so into the start box we went. Tucker is so different in the box then Imp ever was...Imp could count backwards and at 3,2,1, she would rear and bolt out of the box at 1. Not so with Tucker. He waits for me to squeeze his sides and ambles out of the box! The first jump, a flower box, was going to come up pretty quick and we had to get our butts moving. We settled into a nice rythmn, but as we approached, Tucker seemed to be a bit caught off guard that we were supposed to jump, and at the last stride, started to stop, but then hopped over it. I momentarily thought we were having a rare stop, but once I realized we jumped it and were moving forward, off we galloped for fence 2. After the 3rd jump was a port-a-pot. For some reason, upon landing after the 3rd jump, Tucker spooked at it and bolted! I was able to pull him back into a collected canter, in time for a stadium jump. We continued around the course, spiraling out, then back in, across the water, which he wasted no time splashing into, out and over a coop, and spiraling back out, to finish on a stadium jump. After a brief rest, we went again for the 2nd trip. Our times were pretty good, we knocked a rail pretty good, but it apparently did not fall, just rattled the cups pretty good. It was a total blast! Our conditioning schedule has really paid off, as Tucker seemed pretty fit and up for the job! Wish I could say the same for me! I felt that I was huffing and puffing! Jen told me my form looked good, that we were forward, consistant and unlike some others, there was no flailing or flapping going on! My leg held up pretty good with the Kinesio taping that my boss applied..since applying it, I have had no pain in my leg from the blood clot when I ride. Who knew that taping could be so good?

Back at the trailer, we untacked, rinsed and cooled Tucker off. With it being winter season, the lower show barns are full with snowbirds. Riders and grooms were busy preparing horses, multitudes of dogs were lying around, enjoying the breezy mid-morning, and there was also a dressage show going on, so the dressage arenas had alot of activity. We decided to go ahead and head for home and loaded the beast in the trailer. He behaved this time...probably was too tired to protest, and we arrived home all in one piece! A little while later, I received a phone call from Alice, the manager of Rocking Horse, informing me of the good news...we had placed 3rd and had won $30!

Our Senior horses..an update

Amanda and Dolly at a pony club meeting. 2004

Jen and Imp, Rae and Bubbi after receiving the news that they qualified for the USPC Champs in Kentucky! 2004

In an earlier post, I wrote about the senior horse and how much they have to offer.

I would like to post an update and a tribute to two of those horses I wrote about.

Dolly passed away on December 30. She was approximately 30 years old. I always thought that she would live to be in her 40's. And she probably would have if it weren't for a kick to her knee in the summer of 2009. She was never lame despite the knee remaining swollen. But then last spring, she started to have intermittent lameness and a couple of times there was a discharge from the knee. Then this past fall, she developed laminitis out of the blue. There was really no reason for it..her diet was the same, her pasture was the same...nothing was different. We attributed it to pain from the knee. She got through the worst of the laminitis, but in December, her usual trim was extremely painful for her. She could not stand on either front leg long enough for Kevin to trim her. By this time, the soft swelling of the knee had become hard and calcified. She was having mild colics, which were quickly resolved with some Banamine. However, on December 30, a mild colic bout took a very fast downhill turn and we made the decision to euthanize her.

I didn't realize how many lives she had touched until I heard from many pony clubbers who had memories of her. While Dolly and I didn't agree on too much...she really just wanted to eat and not work at all, the truth was, she really accomplished alot after the age of 20...she learned, quite well, eventing, games and dressage. She attended all these rallies, plus show jumping. On the cross country course, she was often the lead horse, because although she really didn't want to be there, she did do as she was asked. I really don't remember her refusing anything that was in her comfort zone....just don't ask her to trail ride alone! Yes, she was stubborn and really gave Amanda fits at time (but all I had to do was yell at her from the barn in a deep voice "DOLLY" and she would stop being a brat and move on), but she really taught Amanda quite a few things while at it. Yeah, I probably could have put Amanda on a push button school master, but would she have learned as much? I doubt it.

Bubbi, the 33 year old TB/Percheron cross, passed away this past Monday, from a freak accident. How tragic. I cried when I read the news from Rae and Dawn, his owners. Bubbi also touched many lives, especially in pony club. The fact that he was still competing at his age is a testimony to the wonderful care that Rae and Dawn gave him. I will never forget how he and Rae were teammates of my daughter, Jen and her mare Impulsive, for the 2004 USPC Champs in Lexington, Ky. At the age of 26, he gamely made his way around the novice xc course. Imp and Bubbi had traveled the 17 hours to Lexington together, and spent the week prior to the competition working out together twice a day. On the official move in day, we had paid for paddock space to turn the horses out. Imp went in one paddock and Bubbi was several paddocks away. Imp, who quite easily gets attached to other horses, became so frantic, at being separated from Bubbi, we were afraid she would jump the fence, so we had to forego the full turnout time and put her in the stall. She was so mad, she took her teeth and raked them across the wall of the stall. I am sure those deep grooves are still on the wall, and I imagine some famous horse being stalled in that particular stall at the World Equestrian Games, and its rider wondering what could have caused such a mess! By the next morning, Imp was "over" Bubbi, we kept them separate the remaining week as much as possible, and thank goodness, Imp settled down to do her job!

Ironically, 2 days before he died, a copy of Young Rider arrived to the Thomas' residence. Jane Thomas, had competed Bubbi at last falls Dressage rally. He had been chosen as the Absorbine Senior Horse Star. Their beautiful photo is featured in the article! What a lovely tribute.

I am sure that Dolly and Bubbi have joined their friends...Princess, Pilgrim and Teddy, to name a few, and are enjoying the green lush grass to their hearts content. They deserve it.