Two more days to until the show

Maddie is so excited to be showing her new horse in two days.  She has been counting down the hours.  I love seeing her have so much joy over her horse. 

Pinto Spooktacular is one week away

We are one week from Maddie's first show on her new horse.  I can honestly say I'm a little nervous.  He's such a good boy, but a long ways from being 100% finished.  He's a walk/trot rock star and since that's all she does they should do great.
I can say since she has started riding her new horse her horsemanship skills are way above anything I could have imagined for her for such a green horse

She has followed her trainers lead and they are making a pretty fantastic team.
As soon as the show is over I'll post pictures of Maddie and her new baby.  She wants me to keep it a secret until after the show.  So lips are zipped, but man has it been hard!
If your at the Spooktacular Pinto Show in Albany, Oregon next weekend come say hi and give my baby girl a big hoop and holler when you see her in the ring!

Happy showing,
Horse Showing Mom

GIVEAWAY ALERT!!!

Horse Showing Mom has teamed up with Uniquely Different Tail Extensions and we are giving away two $20.00 gift certificate towards any item you choose from their website.

Here's the details on how to get a chance at this giveaway:

 

Youth rider giveaway:

 

Write me a quick comment on my facebook page (link is below) about your youth rider and I'll let my youth rider, Maddie, chose one person from the comments to give the gift certificate to. You have until Monday Oct. 7th at 8:00 PST to write your comment. (A youth ride can be anyone college age to birth!)
 

Adult rider giveaway:

 

Share Horse Showing Mom Blog facebook page and write a comment about how your horse has given you the ability to fulfill your passion for riding.
I will pick one winner Oct. 7th at 8:00 PST. 

 

Here's the link to my facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/HorseShowingMomBlogPage

Head over to Uniquely Different Tail Extensions website and see what's on your wish list.  She has many products from tails to sleazy's.
http://www.uniquelydifferentextensions.com/html/home.html

 

You can also like her facebook page to get all the latest deals!

https://www.facebook.com/uniquelydifferenttails

 

**Maddie's new tail..Looks amazing and matches perfect!

 **A few examples of her work.  Quality, quality, quality!

 

**She also makes custom hoods, body sleazy's and tail bags.

 

 

When to call the vet

I belong to many facebook forums and see people post health issues about their horses.  Some are minor, but others are things you need to call the vet about.  It concerns me people see the vet as the second call not the first. 
I can appreciate individuals bouncing ideas off each other.  There is hundreds of combined years of experience on forums.  I do though feel strongly about calling the vet for serious issues.  That being said what constitutes a serious issue. Here's a list of a few I found when doing research on the topic.

• Any injury with profuse bleeding that won't stop.
• Obvious or suspected fractures.
• Any cut or injury that requires stitches
• Sudden lameness, often accompanied by heat and swelling.
• Respiratory distress. Obvious difficulty in breathing, noisy labored breathing.
• Choking. obvious distress and choking, neck stretched out. Saliva
  and food particles may exit through nostrils.
• Horse having seizures.
• Watery diarrhea. If left untreated, the horse could become severely dehydrated.
• Any apparent eye injury. Lack of treatment or incorrect treatment could mean loss of vision.
• Learn to recognize the signs of colic. Can range from mild belly ache that will pass on its own to excruciating pain caused by a twisted gut that will require surgery.
• Abnormal vital signs, such as elevated pulse that does not return to normal at rest.
• Temperature over 102 usually indicates an infection or disease process.
• Pulse over 80 beats per minute is considered a sign of trouble in a non-exercising horse.
• Elevated respiration rate in a resting horse can be caused by excitement, pain or infection.

One of the most important thing you can do it recognize what your horses norm is.  You know your horse better than anyone.  You will be the first one to recognize when they are not themselves.

Also it is very important to collect all the necessary information before you call the vet.  Those would be:

• Vital signs
• Location of injury if there is on
• A brief description of what happened

If you are unsure on how to take your horses vital signs here is a YouTube video I found which was very informative for someone like me with limited experience in this area.

This is a great topic and there is so much to take away from it. 

For more information on these topics please visit the following websites:
http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/health/first_aid/emergency102801a/
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/12386/when-should-i-call-the-vet

What you can do to help your vet

I was going through facebook forums like I normally do and found a article I had to share. 

I have always been blessed with horses which were very good for the vet, but I'm guessing not all horses are like mine.  I never thought about how difficult it would be for the vet to effectively exam your horse if they are not  properly exposed to a few simple every days things.

-How is you vet supposed to look in your horses mouth with a light if your horse has never been exposed to a light??

-How can your vet give a shot if your horse kills everyone within 100ft with a syringe??

-If you your horse has colic and the vet can go no where near his back end, how can he help your animal??

-If your horse can't lead or tie, well that's an easy one!!


Trust me this article by Erica Franz over at Equestrian Blog is worth the read and your vet will thank you for it!!

http://www.writingofriding.com/observations/avoid-killing-your-vet/

Improve your fitness level while bonding with your horse

I don't know about you but I think all I do at horse shows is sit and eat when I'm not getting Maddie ready to show.  I even find myself snacking when watching her ride at home. This horse showing mom needs to get healthy again.  I've written before about how to exercise while riding and had found a great article with awesome tips.  Today when doing some more research on the topic I found a wonderful article about how to exercise with your horse on the ground.  Not only did I find these simple exercises to be effective, but also its a great way to connect with your horse on the ground. 

Paul Dufresne give detailed instruction from stretching to jogging.  The bonus is all this is done while spending time with your horse on the ground.  Your developing fitness and bonding with you horse at the same time. 

Because Maddie is the primary rider in our household right now I don't ride all that much.  Only a few times a week just to keep Indie tuned up.  I can honestly say when I'm done I'm really starting to feel my age.  These exercises will help to the stretch before I ride and help prevent injury from not being as in shape as I was years ago riding.

To read the full article and get great tips from Paul Dufresne go to http://www.pkequestrian.com/fitnessarticle.html

What to do in case an emergency happens and you don't have a vet to call

 

I always hear these awful stories about people out trail riding or moving cattle and something happens to one of their horses.  I realized if I had an emergency with my horse in a situation as these I would have no idea what to do.  At home I call the vet, but what if I didn’t have a vet just a phone call away what would I do.

I found an outstanding article with suggestions for when an emergency situation arises with your horse and you don’t have a vet to call.  Cynthia McFarland and Linda Tellington-Jones give great on how to use TTouch for specific scenarios.

Would you know what to do if your horse ties up or colic’s on the trail?  McFarland and Tellington-Jones give step by step instructions on how to effectively do belly lifts to relieve the symptoms until you can reach a vet.  They also give suggestions for shock, injury, gas colic, exhaustion and fatigue. 

I hope the information in this article can help save the life of your horse and give you tools to better prepare you in case of an emergency.

The full article can be found below:

http://www.equisearch.com/horses_riding_training/training/general/ttouches-for-trail-emergencies/

Myths on cooling down your horse

I recently wrote a post about how to properly cool down a horse.  After some great feedback from very experienced riders and trainers I realized there are many myths out there concerning cooling down.  Here is a list of a few common myths:

1. Hosing a horse with cold water will cause muscle spasms or a heart attack.
Completely false. Cold water won't hurt the horse one bit, and the cooler the water, the more efficiently it will cool him down.

2. Letting a horse drink all he wants after exercise will cause founder (or colic Completely false. Water cannot make a horse founder, no matter how much he drinks, or when.

3. Cold water will cause founder or colic. It won't. But studies have shown that horses given warmish water will drink more. So it's a good idea to draw a bucket of water and let it warm up a bit if your water supply is very cold.

4. Horses cool out faster when wearing a cooler.
 False.  Never put any kind of cooler on a horse in hot weather. When you're hot, do you crawl under a blanket or take off extra clothes? The same thing goes for your horse. You want his body heat to transfer to the air and blow away, not be trapped close to him.

5. Never clip a horse because his hair helps him cool out quicker.
Very false!  Common sense alone will tell you that the less you have between skin and air, the quicker cooling will occur.

How to properly cool down a horse

It's been pretty warm outside lately and our poor Indie is a giant sweat ball after Maddie gets done riding.  Maddie walks him out and then we normally hose him down before we put him up.  I started wondering the other day if how we are cooling him down is healthy for him. I decided to do some research on how to properly cool down a horse.  Here's a few points I felt everyone should know.

1.) Begin cooling down with a 15 min walk.  Loosen the saddle to help with airflow up the back to help prevent cramping.

2.) Give your horse a minimal amount of cold water.  To much water can create cramping in the stomach.

3.) A curry comb or towel to dry them down is sufficient.  You may choose to hose them down, but dry afterwards.

4.) It is more important to cool your horse down in the winter than it is in the summer.  Cool down in the winter can consist of not only the above, but also a large flake of grass hay.

For more information you can read the complete article by Horse Magazine at the link below.

http://www.horsemanmagazine.com/2008/08/cooling-down-a-horse-correctly/

Looking for a way to spice up your helmets?

Maddie is one of those kids who likes to stand out a bit.  When showing western she can really let her personality shine, but in english there isn't a lot of room to individualize your looks.  I was doing some research on how to help her stay within the guidelines for showing yet make her English outfit her own.  I found a really fun website that offers just this.  Bling Bands!  So fun!  I had the folks over at Bling Bands do a little write up for me about their products.  Which I posted below.  Other than their fun products they offer wonderful opportunities for groups to fundraise through selling their products.  Check out their website for information.

 

Bling Bands for Helmets & Hats 

Just in time for the busy show and recreational riding season, Bling Bands' innovative, stylish accessories personalize helmets and hats for English and Western show and pleasure riders. Swarovski crystal Bling Bands in clear, pink and blue, gold plated curb chains, silver plated rolo chains, and silver conchos add bling from subtle to smashing for every rider!  Bling Bands are one size fits all stretchy bands with bling on the front to dress up a helmet or hat.
Made in the US and spotted in the dressage, rail, performance and showmanship rings, Bling Bands are at home on a helmet or a hat - and can make the switch from one to the other in 10 seconds! Match a Bling Band to your tack, your outfit, your style or your mood. They're simply fun for lessons, show, trail.
Are they appropriate for all shows? No:  not hunter classes at recognized USEF Hunter/Jumper shows. They are appropriate and seen in dressage, jumpers, eventing, showmanship, 4H shows, rail classes, breed shows, and more - on helmets and hats. One size fits all helmets and hats.
Who wears Bling Bands?  Girls, women, and even guys wear them! Silver conchos on a helmet-wearing guy at a 4H show.  Clear Swarovski crystals on a helmet wearing woman in a dressage test.  Pink Swarovskis on a girl in a Western pleasure class - coordinating with her outfit, tack and horse's color!
Bling Bands are $36/each for silver, gold and crystals, and $50 for concho designs.  Shop by phone at 206-304-1049, online at www.BlingBandsForHelmets.com and be sure to visit Bling Band's Facebook page:  www.Facebook.com/BlingBands  Add some bling and personal style to your next ride and stand out in the crowd!
 

Bling Bands For Helmets & Hats   •   206-304-1049

BlingBandsForHelmets@gmail.com   www.BlingBandsForHelmets.com

 

*** Do you have a business you would like me to feature on my blog?  Send the information to horseshowingmom@gmail.com and I'll write about you on my blog!***

Fireworks can be scary for horses

We recently moved to a boarding facility which is directly behind a baseball stadium.  After every Friday night game they set off fireworks.  On the 4th of July they put on a huge fireworks display.  While many are getting excited about the show I am very worried about our horse and his response to the fireworks.  I did a little research on how to help your horse through the anxiety of a fireworks show. 
One of the greatest things you can do for your horse is put them inside during a fireworks show. If the sound doesn't scare them the lighting from it may.  Also is recommended you give them a little extra feed to keep them busy.  It will help calm their nerves.  Also you may choose to put a radio on to muffle the sounds.  If your able to be there with your horse, do it!  Your horses trusts you and looks for your reaction.  If you are clam and speak to them in a calm manner it will help them to not be anxious during the fireworks.

Check out this article on what to do for your horse during a fireworks show.

http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/Fireworks

What to look for when buying quality horse hay

I bought hay for the first time in my life yesterday.  I know what your thinking....how is that possible.  Well my parents have always had a farm and I've never had to get hay anywhere besides the barn.  This last year my parents sold the farm which left me to look for hay on my own.

I've never had to think about what it takes to find good quality hay.  I started looking at the feed store and realized I would need to win the lottery to buy hay from them on a on going bases.  I started looking on Craiglist and found about a million ads for "Quality Horse Hay".  What did that mean.

I had reached another point in my lack of knowledge concerning something horse related.  So what do I always do, that's right research it.  I found an article explaining everything related to picking quality hay for your horses.  The article located at horsetalk.co.nz is titles Horse hay: how to identify the good stuff by Neil Clarkson.

I always understood looking for mold.  Mold and horses a huge no no! But I never thought about looking for lots of leaves.  It makes perfect sense.  Indie hates it when his hay has lots of stems.  I also didn't know  hay should be baled when the moisture content is around 15 to 17 per cent and if hay sits out in the sun to long it loses it's vitamin A.  There is so much more but I'll leave that for you to discover we you read it.  Here's a link to the article:
http://horsetalk.co.nz/2012/11/04/horse-hay-how-to-identify-the-good-stuff/#axzz2XkNdJ06v

I feel very confident with the hay I purchased.  Indie's not so sure about it.  He stuck his nose in the feeder and then looked back at me like, "What is this?" He's so spoiled.  I know he'll get use to the change and am so grateful I was able to find a farmer who has enough for the entire year so we didn't have to change hay on him again.


A little hay hauling humor!

 

Horse behaviors and what they mean

There have been so many times I have wished God gave me the ability to talk horse.  What I wouldn't give to just know what Indie is thinking.  Could you imagine what a team we could make with our horses if we understood them. 

I have been riding for over 25+ years and I can honestly say I learn something new every day when it comes to horses.  For example just recently I learned that when Indie pins his ears he isn't necessarily mad, he might just be listening to me.  Wish I would have known that years ago when I thought my horses was just being naughty.

After learning about the pinned ears I started doing some more research on Indie's behaviors.  I found an awesome website that gives you the inside scoop on horse behaviors http://www.esc.rutgers.edu/publications/general/fs525.htm.  The article written by Carey A. Williams, Ph.D. covers everything from the 10 natural horse trait to body signals your horse can display and what they typically mean.  Even if your a professional in the horse world I believe there is something for everyone to learn from this article.

Fly control using Sweetlix

We just moved Indie to another barn and the owners use Sweetlix to keep the flies down.  Its a block the horses eat and it really does work.  There is not a fly in the barn.  I was shocked.  Why did I not think of something like this.  Flies are awful!  My poor 4 year old son makes me cover his face as we enter the barn to keep them away from him.
I honestly didn't know a lot about the product so I did a little research for everyone.  Here's a link to everything you need to know about it.
http://www.sweetlix.com/media/documents/articles/Cattle_FlyControlStrategiesforCattleHorseOwners.pdf

What are your thoughts.  Do you use Sweetlix?  If so how do you feel about it?  What is the down side to using it?

Here's another link to the companies website
http://www.sweetlix.com/default.aspx

**I do not endorse products nor am I selling anything.**

First time in the new pasture

It's was so nice to put Indie out in the pasture today.  I put the chain on him to lead him out there because I knew he was going to be excited.  When I got him into the pasture and let him go he ran over to the other horses and said hi then found the only dirt spot and rolled.  It's was so funny.
After he rolled he headed back to the other horses to have a pow wow.  It was really cute because there is one pony in the pasture with the four big horses.  He just scooted right in the middle over everyone to see what was going on.
I was s nervous we wouldn't catch him tonight because he was in heaven, but he ran right to us.  Tomorrow he goes out again after Maddie's lesson.  We are so blessed to have him at the new barn!

down time

When we aren't showing we're a normal family. We love hanging and enjoying time together. Today we are at Super Bounce having an awesome !

new arena

first ride down in the new arena . he did awesome

first ride in new barn

Wondering if it would be safe to let Maddie ride at the new barn tonight or if we should just let him turnout and check things out. Hes used to new arenas because of showing so much.

Find the right boarding facility

We moved out horse tonight to another boarding facility.  It was hard moving him.  He was in a wonderful barn where they took exceptional care of their horses, but our Indie needed to get out more often and unfortunately do to the amount of horses in the barn they were unable to turn him out daily.

When you are looking for a boarding facility what do you look for?  Our first priority is safety first for our horse and child.  We also look at the condition of the facility.  We want to make sure he barn is well kept and the horses there are taken care of.  An indoor arena is a must.  Living in Oregon the weather is unpredictable and if we had an outdoor arena only we'd only ride about 4 months out of the year.  Because I have a  young daughter the environment is very important.  I want to make sure the other boarders and the owner is respectful and there is limited drama.

I did a little research on what to look for when researching a boarding facility.  I found an article which laid everything out.  There were things I never thought of for example the type of riding done in the barn. Maddie shows Pinto and she had a hard time relating to the kids in our old barn because they were all 4-h kids and didn't understand the importance of practicing. 

For anyone looking for a facility here's the link to the article I found:
http://voices.yahoo.com/finding-horse-boarding-stable-303659.html

It's exciting to make changes and scary all at the same time.  I know our move is the best thing for our Indie, but its always hard leaving things behind especially the wonderful people we met and formed relationships with.

How to fill classes up at horse shows?

Since the first show I took Maddie to there has been this passion inside of me to see more youth at the shows.  Her first breed show she was the only one and this last show she was one of two.  I have also noticed that the other classes for old youth are combined a lot because there is a lack of participants.

I fear breed shows are starting to fade away and I really don’t want to see that happen.  I know there are shows out there that a very successful and would love to brainstorm and bounce ideas off of other horse show participants on how we can get these classes fill up and make breed showing successful again.

Some of the things I have thought about are: breed show clubs hosting a show at the end of the show season that will be just like a breed show but not require a card (this will help people to see what a breed show is all about), going to the 4-h clubs and presenting to them what breed showing is all about, starting a mentoring program for individuals wanting to breed show but don’t know how to get started, ect. 

What ideas do you have on how to fill these classes up?  If you're someone wanting to show but haven’t what is keeping you have jumping in there?

We show Pinto but there are many different types of breed shows out there.  Lets all become one  horse show family and help each other to have successful shows!

research a post

Collecting some information and would love reader feedback . I've been talking to several other show people and we are brainstorming on how to fill up classes at shows. If you have any suggestions for the struggling clubs we'd love to hear them.

Hair styles

I've been working on a post on hair styles at horse shows.
Whats everyones thoughts on how you should finish your look with a great hair do at shows.

lesson Saturday

Every Saturday morning Maddie takes a lesson.  Its amazing how much she can learn in one hour. Shows what awesome trainers she has.

Helmets

When I was 19 year old a good family friend was killed on a horse. She was at a cutting and her horse started getting naughty in he arena.  He bucked her off and her foot became stuck in the stirrup.  Everyone ran to help and and catch the out of control horse.  He was running around the arena spooked by the riding attacked to his side.  Someone opened a gate to run in to help her and didn't think to close it.  Her horse ran out the gate continuing to drag her by her foot.  He ran through the gravel parking lot at a frantic speed.  He eventually bucked enough to get her foot free.  When people were finally able to get to her she was already gone.  The impact on her head caused her to die on impact. 
I had always been a fearless rider up until this point.  It really made me realize how unpredictable horses can really be.  This event made a large impact on my life.  I miss her dearly even though its been almost 20 years. 
When Maddie started riding there was no question as to whether she would ride with a helmet or not.  If I started her young it would just become part of her tacking up routine and it is.  Its always brush her horse, put pads on, put saddle on, helmet on and then bridle. 
In 4-H it is a requirement for all riders to have a helmet on, but in breed shows it is optional.  I think we will begin to see this change for the younger riders in the next few years.  Even in English they only wear a cover and not a full helmet. 
I started doing some research in helmets and the benefits of wearing one.  Here's a few points a found in addition to some references for you to read yourself.

"Equestrian Helmet Facts

1. Between 12 to 15 million persons in the United States ride a horse or pony every year.
   
2. Approximately 20 percent of horse-related injuries occur on the ground and not riding.
   
3. Most riding injuries occur during pleasure riding.
   
4. The most common reason among riders for admission to hospital and death are head injuries.
   
5. A fall from two feet can cause permanent brain damage. A horse elevates a rider eight feet or more above ground.
   
6. A human skull can be shattered by an impact of 4-6 mph. Horses can gallop at 40 mph.
   
7. According to the National Electronic Surveillance System figures the most likely ages for injury is at 5-14,
   
8. and 25-44 years with each decade having about 20 percent of the injuries.
   
9. A rider who has one head injury has a 40 percent chance of suffering a second head injury. Children, teens and young adults are most vulnerable to sudden death from second impact syndrome: severe brain swelling as a result of suffering a second head injury before recovery from the first head injury.
   
10. Death is not the only serious outcome of unprotected head injuries. Those who survive with brain injury may suffer epilepsy, intellectual and memory impairment, and personality changes.
    
11. Hospital costs for an acute head injury can be in the range of $25,000 per day. Lifetime extended care costs may easily exceed $3 million. There is no funding for rehabilitation outside the medical setting.
    
12. Helmets work. Most deaths from head injury can be prevented by wearing ASTM (American Society for Testing Materials), SEI (Safety Equipment Institute) approved helmets that fit correctly and have the harness firmly applied. Other types of helmets, including bike helmets, are inadequate.
    
13. Racing organizations require helmets and as a result jockeys now suffer fewer head injuries than pleasure riders. The US Pony Club lowered their head injury rate 29 percent with mandatory helmet use. Britain's hospital admission rate for equestrians fell 46 percent after helmet design improved and they came into routine use.
    
14. The American Academy of Pediatrics, The American Medical Association through the Committee on Sports Medicine, Canadian Medical Association, and the American Medical Equestrian Association/Safe Riders Foundation recommend that approved, fitted and secured helmets be worn on all rides by all horseback riders. "

Source: Equestrian Medical Safety Association

Here's a great article about the arguments around not wearing a safety helmet.  http://www.horsechannel.com/horse-exclusives/horse-helmet-argument.aspx

Here's an articlr about concussions.
http://web.archive.org/web/20080705030524/http://www.emsaonline.net/pdf/ConcussionMgmtCard.pdf


When  I sent an email to Troxel about my upcoming post they generously sent a Victory helmet for Maddie.  She loves it.  Other english helmets she has worn were either to big or not very comfortable.  The Victory is adjustable so she has a perfect fit no matter what style her hair is in or if she grows.  The Vicotry helmet to very pretty and made of fine quality materials. Because of it being so light fit she will be able to wear it for her riding events as well as  english showmanship. 
This is the third Troxel helmet we have owned and have always been pleased with the feel of them.  Troxel makes helmets to fit a young child to an adult.  Check out their website at: http://www.troxelhelmets.com/

**A special thank you to Troxel!

Spurs...how, when, why

 

When my daughter started riding Indie she had a really hard time communicating with him as to what she was asking.  He was primarily trained using your legs.  We’ll she being only ten struggled to get enough pressure into him to tell him what she wanted.  Besides the fact that before her his primary rider was an adult.  When Maddie asked him with her legs her leg position is in a completely different location than an adult.  We found the best way to remedy this was for her to use spurs on him with a very long shank.  She was taught from the moment she put them on how to respect the spurs and how to properly use them on her horse.  It took her a while to get the hang of them and know the correct pressure to use, but once she figured it out she and Indie really started to become a team.

Spurs are a very controversial topic in riding and training.  I myself was very anti spur until I learned the proper way to use them.  I was very afraid I would harm my horse.  I quickly learned with proper training spurs can be very helpful when working with your horse.

There are two key points to using spurs: understanding when is the proper time is to use them and what type of spurs to use. 

First when to use spurs.  Martin Black a former write for, America’s Horse, wrote about using spurs he said “You can relate it to a child disregarding your warning of something being “hot” in order to touch it for themselves until they feel the burning sensation. A squeeze with our leg or legs is the warning “Hot!” and the contact with the spur is the burning sensation.” 

Secondly what is the best option for spurs.  There are many things to consider such as what you are using them for, what type of riding you are doing, your experience with spurs and will you have guidance on how to use them properly.

There were to websites I located which had wonderful information on these two topics.

http://americashorsedaily.com/to-spur-or-not-to-spur/

http://www.wikihow.com/Choose-the-Correct-Type-of-Spur-for-Horse-Riding

Spurs can be a very useful training aid if you train yourself properly on using them as well as find the right fit for you and your horse.

 

 

 

Camping with your horse

The weather here in Oregon has been just wonderful this week.  We were able to put our Indie out to pasture to just let him be a horse.  I think part of being a good horse owner is recognizing your horse, just like you, needs a break to from the show ring.  One thing I have always wanted to do was take our horses camping with us, but I can honestly say I wouldn’t know the first thing about how to do it.  I started doing some checking around, just like I did for our first show.  I knew there had to be a website out there with a list of everything to take with you and what to do when you are there.  I found a website just like this called Camping and Horses.

Camping and Horses has everything you can think of when it comes to camping with you horse.   There are three separate lists: What to take with you, first aid kit supplies and a check list for your ride.  Great information!

Here’s a link to the website:   http://www.campingandhorses.com/checklist.html

Another great link they have on the website is for horse lodging.

 Here’s the link:  http://www.campingandhorses.com/find_a_horse_campsite.htm

 

Buying your first horse

Since I started my blog and my friends are watching Maddie grow in showing, they now are asking questions about buying a horse for their children.  That is a loaded question which can be very difficult to answer.  I never want to crush someone’s dreams but I also want to give them information which can save them and the horse in the long run. 

I found a great article on buying your first horse as a beginner.  It’s a great resource for anyone looking at getting a horse for the first time.  Some of the points which I really appreciated were how the author warned about buying cheap and also getting a rescue horse for your first horse.  We lease our Indie and it was great the author included this option.  Two other things she pointed out was don’t buy a baby and always take someone who knows what they are doing with you.  Horses are not like puppies.  Having a pet to grow up with isn’t a good idea with a horse.  Children will grow bored quickly and being inexperienced is not best with a young horse.

To read the full article click on the link below:

http://www.erikashorses.com/2011/the-beginner-horse-person/buying-a-horse-as-a-beginner/

What are your thoughts on buying a first horse??

Flies, flies go away!!

I love facebook.  I get some of the most awesome ideas from others.  Today I was looking through some posts and came across one I thought everyone would love.  A lady gave a great remedy for flies!  Flies!  I hate flies.  Every time we walk into the barn they are hanging out by the door.  My poor 4 year old son makes me cover his face and run him through them.  When I read this solution I couldn’t wait to tell everyone.

Here’s the picture and the description is below.

 

 

Take a barrel and drill hole around the top like seen in picture.  This reader drilled 50 ¾ inch hole in the barrel.  Fill the bottom of the barrel with water.  Drill a hole in the top middle of barrel and hang a piece of meat from wire.  The flies will attract to the meat.  Once they are full they cannot fly out and will drowned on the water. 

 

If you try this please let me know if it works.  I’m curious.  The reader stated within a day the flies were all gone.  She also checks the meat daily to make sure it hasn’t fallen into the water.

 

Pinto show this weekend

Got to the show quick. Trailer all hooked up and ready for bed tonight. Maddie is already on her horse working with her awesome trainer. Mommy is at Costco getting pizzas. Great start to this weekend .

Pinworms what are they?

Showing horses doesn’t start in the arena it is a 24/7 commitment to yourself and you horse.  This includes exercise, nutrition and proper health maintenance. 

Within the last few weeks I have noticed a large amount of horses coming down with pinworms.  I know nothing about pinworms other than just the thought really grosses me out.  I decided I needed to educate myself on these yucky little creatures in order to possibly prevent our Indie from getting them. 

Here’s what I learned:

Pinworms have the most efficient life cycle of all the parasites that infect the horse. They don't migrate through any organ tissue, and they have developed a means of reproduction by which the eggs don't leave the herd of horses.

While the horse is relaxed or sleeping, female pinworms crawl out of the horse's rectum, deposit eggs and a sticky substance on the perianal region of the horse, and crawl back into the rectum. Infective pinworm eggs are ingested orally and, once in the colon, the larvae develop through various stages before becoming sexually mature in about five months. As horses migrate, they take the eggs and adults with them.

About the only damage that pinworms cause is itching of the tail head. This annoys the horse but doesn't threaten its life. Because pinworms spend their entire lives in the lumen of the intestine and don't migrate, they cause very little physical damage to the horse. Horses can have massive pinworm infections without exhibiting significant health problems.

To treat pinworms you will need to find a wormer with the active ingredients such as ivermectin, moxidectin, oxibendazole, pyrantel pamoate, pyrantel tartrate and fenbendazole.

To get an idea of what pinworms look like see the images below.

 

 

Humans cannot get pinworms, though you can spread them from horse to horse without proper washing.  Wash, wash, wash your hands as well as any other it items you have used between horses.  I currently have all my brushes in a bucket of bleach water soaking.  You don’t need to panic by all means just be aware of cross contamination.

A great article on pinworms can be found at:

http://www.parksidevets.com/news/article/54/Pinworms-in-horses.html

 

**I am not a veterinarian and all information I provided was taken from different web sites and books. If you believe your horse could have pinworms or any other health concerns always contact your veterinarian.

Getting those winter blankets clean and ready to store for summer

As winter is coming to an end we are all putting our winter blankets away and bring out our spring sheets.  We are thinking about getting them clean and how to store them until next year.  There are so many options for cleaning and storing blankets.  Me being a thrifty mom wants to get the biggest bang for my buck so I started doing some research on the easiest way to wash a horse blankets.  You’d be amazed at the different ideas on washing blankets.  Some take them in to professionals, others wash at home, some just brush off the dirt and shake out the hair.  There are also others that have different ideas on whether to use at home laundry soap or to get expensive stuff from the tack store.

With all these different ideas out there I wanted to give everyone a chance to decide for themselves.  Below are a few articles I found on this subject.  Some just make sense.  Obviously fabric softeners can cause irrigation to your horse skin.  Also if it’s not dry when you go to store it for the summer it will rot.  But I didn’t think about how soap can break down the waterproofing on a blanket.  I’d be curious to know if this is true.

 

http://www.petplace.com/horses/how-to-clean-horse-blankets/page1.aspx

http://www.beginninghorsemanship.com/?page_id=384

 

Now for how I do it (please note I hum the Mission Impossible song the entire time):

How to wash a horse blanket Summer style...

Step 1:

Wad messy muddy blanket into a ball of ick, put in back of my car.

Step 2:

Drive by laundry mat... scope out any witnesses.

Step 3:

Drive by again. Drop off  Maddie who will load the supersized industrial washer with needed coins.

Step 4:

Park, unload icky wad of smelly horse blanket... run to said washer and stuff it in. Have Maddie standing at doorway ready to fake an illness if spotted.

Step 5:

Hit Start, make sure it locks... and run back to car, go for 30 minute coffee.

Step 6:

Arrive 5 minutes before washer finishes. Have Maddie at car/doorway opening back of car.

Step 7: Once it finalizes the last Spin and unlocks... Grab damp blanket and run like hell! Stuff it in the car and DRIVE!

Step 8: Take blanket home, Toss over fence to dry in sunlight.

Giving Andis Clippers away while supporting a passion of mine!

I wrote a post on the Horse Showing Mom facebook page yesterday about how using positive reinforcement as a trainer can make a youth rider excel in their riding abilities.  I received so much feed back to support this way of training.  There was one though that stood out to me.  It opened my mind and heart to a whole new way of applying this idea to riding.  The message was below:

“Horse rehab for cancer patients:

 
Healing Reins is a national accredited horse-centered therapy program in Central Oregon.

The program helps more than 100 riders a week including those suffering with autism, traumatic brain injuries to even at-risk youth.

Now, add cancer patients.

The High Hopes Cancer Survivor Program started six months ago, through St. Charles-Bend.

The program helps patients who are six months to a year into their recovery.

The program has six riders this term, teaching them the basic level of grooming to riding.

"It's really exciting, because this program can help everybody," said Polly Cohen, Healing Reins program director. "Men, women, young kids -- even older adults can help by being in this program."

The 8-week session costs the program about $240 per rider. But for these riders, it's all free.

It's a way for the program to give back to the community, staff members say -- especially since just about all of us have been affected by someone with cancer.

If you would like to help contribute to the High Hopes program, you can donate by calling Healing Reins at 541-382-9410. Learn more about the programs of Healing Reins at http://www.healingreins.org/”

I was so selfishly thinking about my daughters experience while riding and I never thought about those whose lives are changed every day just by getting on a horse, touching them, caring for them, loving them.

Since I started my blog I have never said 100% I believe in this, but I will say I 100% believe in what these people are doing.  Because I do believe in what they are doing I am dedicating an awesome giveaway to help support them.  Andis sent me some pretty nice cordless clipper.  I will be giving these to one reader who sends a donation to this program.  It doesn’t have to be big.  If you can only do a dollar that’s ok.  For that dollar donation you can not only help make a difference in someone’s life giving them the opportunity to ride like we do, but you are have an opportunity to win the Andis Super AGR+ Professional Rechargeable Animal Clippers with Sensa-Charge. 

Here’s how to be entered to win:

1.)   Send your donation to:

Healing Reins Therapeutic Riding Center
60575 Billadeau Road, Bend, Oregon 97702

2.)   Either comment on the blog page under comments, email me at horseshowingmom.com or comment on the Horse Showing Mom facebook page.  Just let me know you did it.  (It’s the honors system.  No proof needed)

That’s it.  It’s that simple!

I will be closing the giveaway in one week.  It will run from 4/21/13- 4/28/13.

 

**I do not know the individuals who run this organization and the person who contacted me is not affiliated with them.  I hope someday they will allow me to spend some time working with them and to give them all hugs thanking them for what they are doing.  Prayers of thanks for the folks at Healing Reins Therapeutic Riding Center.**

How to get the white, white!!

I had the opportunity to speak with the founder and owner of Luck Braids.  I found Ruthann Smith to have a true passion for making your horse show at his very best through a proper grooming regiment.  Her knowledge was very in depth.  She gained this knowledge though extensive research on her products and by using them on the show ring.

As many of you have seen our Indie is a very white boy.  Keeping him white is a challenge.  When looking though the Lucky Braid website I found an article I think was written just for us.   It outlines exactly what to do to maintain you white and grey horses. 

Here's a link to the article:

http://luckybraids.com/edu/WhiteLies.pdf

We could learn something from our horses

I was at the barn last night helping Maddie get Indie ready to ride. One of the other boarders came in looking very sad. I asked her what was wrong and she told me she had just lost her daughter. She was 36 years old. How difficult it must be to lose your child at such a young age. She had come to the barn to hug her daughters horse. Its amazing how our horses can bring such comfort in our times of need. He was just eating his hay, but just his presents meant everything to her. Maybe we can learn from our horses. When someone is hurting we don't need to say anything we just need to be there.

It's Q and A time. Let me find the answers to all your horse questions

My blog has primarily been about my questions, but I bet there are questions out there I haven't even thought about.  So what are your biggest horse questions?  What have you learned recently you know others would benefit from.  No questions are to big or small and remember like we have all been taught no question is a dumb question.

Some examples could be:

What bridle to use for what riding discipline?
How to pick the perfect horse for your needs?
Feeding to get the best from you horse?
Breeding to get a potential winner?
How to save money when spending money on your horse?
Why all the bling when showing?
How to get the biggest bang for your buck when buying a trailer?

You know whats so cool about my blog and reaching out with social media. Myself and all of you have hundreds of thousands of expects at our finger tips who all love their horses and want to see each one of us be our best. These are been there done that people.

What do you want to learn?  I'll take all the questions and dedicate a post to each of them over the next few weeks until we get all your horse questions answered.