Indholdsfortegnelse for Winter 2022 i Horse & Rider

ONE YEAR AGO, I rode my horse for the first time. It’s hard to believe that one year ago I was introducing her to a saddle and saddle pad. Now, she knows her leads, can perform the basics of a sliding stop, understands leg and hand cues, and I’m even starting to prepare her for more advanced maneuvers like flying lead changes. But one year ago, I wasn’t sure where this journey would take both of us. I’d be lying if I said every day was an easy day as a do-it-yourselfer, but it sure is rewarding. Here are some of the things I’ve learned this last year. Stop comparing yourself to others. I’m a competitive person, when I see videos of someone riding a horse that’s similar in age…

TRAVEL / HEALTH / SOLUTIONS / STYLE / HORSEKEEPING TRAVEL Florida WHERE Kissimmee WHAT The Great Florida Cattle Drive WHEN December 4–10, 2022 A Cowboy Experience Take a break from your fast-paced life and experience the cow culture ways. During this week-long event, you’ll help drive 1,000 head of Cracker-style cattle through scenic central Florida cattle country. Each day you’ll ride and drive the herd around 10 to 15 miles, so get ready for a week full of riding. At the end, you’ll be met with a trail’s end celebration frolic to celebrate another successful cattle drive (greatfloridacattledrive.com). TRAVEL Florida Participants will be divided into “circles” that are managed by a circle boss and assistants. You’ll ride with your circle and might even be able to help the cow hunters…

When you’ve been riding your entire life, getting back on the horse after a fall has probably been drilled into you since the first time you stepped a foot into a stirrup. But when you’re raising a young rider, you’ll have more luck helping them grasp that concept with a little more nuance, a sense of humor, and fundamentals that become part of their muscle memory. Taking a tumble from horseback can best be handled in three phases. I’ll cover each of those phases in detail below, all of which I use to teach my riders, from the smallest to the most mature. Phase 1: Preparation When your child begins riding, I suggest teaching him or her to be ready for an emergency dismount. This means practicing a dismount at…

I confess: I was born a Western stock-horse snob. Other than the pony I took my first lesson on, my mounts consisted of Quarter Horses, Paints, and a lone Appaloosa. Being a predominantly Western rider, this made sense to me—I naively felt I had no reason to consider any other breed. Sure, I could see the beauty in a Thoroughbred racing down the track at the Kentucky Derby or a warmblood traversing a cross-country course, but I never thought owning anything other than a stock horse was for me. That’s until recently, when my friends and I started getting curious about a breed we were surprised to see in Western tack. One that’s relatively new to the United States (they were first imported in the mid 1990s), requires even more…

In high school, did you ever ask your teachers or your parents, “When am I ever going to use this information?” Math and English have obvious connections to daily life. However, physics class is probably the last thing you think would apply. But riders—especially cow horse or versatility ranch horse riders—relive some physics lessons out in the arena. Understanding the connection between the two can help you improve your performance and increase your scores. In boxing and cow horse events there are two objects running side by side—the horse and the cow. Both are in a uniform state of motion until one, ideally the horse, controls the cow’s speed and ultimately forces the cow to stop and turn. Think back to science class and Newton’s first law of motion. Every…

Unwanted Weight Loss Unwanted weight loss in horses is a vast category, and it’s usually secondary to another condition. Causes span the spectrum from inappropriate dentition and poor-quality feed to herd hierarchy issues and a wide array of infectious diseases and cancers. A veterinarian will assess your horse’s history and circumstances and will most likely perform a physical examination. After an exam a vet may decide to draw blood to reveal inflammatory reactions or perform deeper diagnostics like abdominal radiographs, ultrasound of the abdomen and thorax, or an abdominocentesis to help diagnose your horse’s weight loss. Basic Causes of Weight Loss Dental Appointments Annual dental care is one of the first lines of defense against weight loss. Dental abnormalities such as hooks, ramps, and waves can lead to less effective…

Is He Stocked Up? Or Is It Cellulitis? Learn the signs of cellulitis and the steps to quickly treat and manage it. One day your horse is fine, the next day he’s lame. He has a swollen, painful leg and won’t let you get near it. If you’re alarmed, you should be. Your horse may have cellulitis. Cellulitis is a bacterial infection that causes painful inflammation just beneath your horse’s skin. The infection can cause extreme swelling and usually happens in a hind leg. It’s usually pretty apparent if your horse has cellulitis or is simply stocked up and swollen. First, there may be an initial condition or injury that you’re treating that could provide an opportunity for infection to develop. Secondly—unlike stocking up—a limb affected will be hot, firm,…

There are many ways to go about desensitizing your horse. The most common method is by exposing him to anything and everything that you can find. You can have him walk over a big blue tarp, take him on a new trail ride, or simply bring the object you’re exposing him to right up to his nose. While these methods will most likely desensitize him in some way, the most important thing to focus on is his experience when being exposed. When you first walk your horse up to a big, scary tarp, he might be totally OK with it. However, he could also work himself up by snorting, jumping, and trying to get away from it. If he has a negative reaction, he’s most likely going to remember that…

I’M JUDGING THESE APHA GELDINGS as a performance halter class, a division at stock breed shows that is open to horses that have qualified by earning points in performance divisions of their breed association. In performance halter, I’m looking for a horse with qualities that make a good performance horse—overall balance, correct structure, and sufficient muscling to get the job done. A horse that does well in performance halter will look like an athlete, with all the structural components that enable agility and power, lightness of movement and length of stride. In my career, I have come across some good performance horses whose conformation would not indicate their athletic ability, but far more often, good conformation leads to better performance, as well as soundness and longevity. In these three geldings,…

Southeastern Arizona’s Saguaro National Park is a place of timeless beauty. Even though we’ve ridden here before, we never tire of the magnificent display of saguaro against the Sonoran Desert background. This tree-like cactus species is an iconic symbol of the Sonoran Desert and the American Southwest. It has been called the monarch of the Sonoran Desert, renowned for its size and unusual shapes. This national park preserves the saguaro, as well as other members of the Sonoran Desert community, including different kinds of cacti, desert trees, shrubs, and wildlife. In fact, the Sonoran Desert surpasses all other North American deserts in terms of lushness and variety of life. Saguaro National Park consists of two units: the Tucson Mountain District (Saguaro West) and the Rincon Mountain District (Saguaro East). These…

Let’s Get Cozy A good blanket is essential for keeping your horse warm and dry all winter long. The key to finding the perfect blanket is to buy one that caters to your horse. Is your horse rough on blankets? Look for a fabric that’s durable and tear-proof, so you aren’t stuck buying a new one every season. Are your winters wet and cold? Find a blanket that can withstand moisture and the below-freezing temps. A blanket like Horseware Ireland’s Rhino HexSTOP ($339.95; horseware.com) is made with a ripstop polypropylene fabric to prevent tears and uses vari-layer technology to place fiberfill in key areas for heat retention. Plus the Aquatrans Barrier Technology will keep your horse dry regardless of the weather conditions. Must-Have Winter Solutions Keep warm all season long…

Congratulations, you’ve decided to take on a new challenge! Learning a new hobby or a new skill within an existing hobby is a great way to stretch and discover things about yourself. It’s also a great way to re-ignite your passion for something you already enjoy. While the adventure is exciting, it can also come with some frustration as you manage expectations, practice, and gain mastery. To make the process enjoyable, which is usually part of why you’re choosing to try something new in the first place, it pays to be a good beginner. At the core, a good beginner is coachable. They’re open and receptive to information and they’re engaged. You can break it down even further into specific practices or skills that a good beginner embodies. Learn and…

Equine rescue organizations are overwhelmed with taking care of the ever growing homeless horse population. While the equine rescue situation remains dire, there are some truly wonderful moments and partnerships forged during the process. The rescue organizations involved with A Home for Every Horse are provided with many great benefits from the generous sponsors involved with the program, like Purina, Absorbine, WeatherBeeta and Tractor Supply. In addition to providing substantial donations throughout the year, these sponsors provide many great donations to rescues that are featured at events attended by A Home for Every Horse staff each year. For example, Purina Animal Nutrition, a business of Land O’Lakes, Inc. has donated more than 1,500 tons of feed to equine rescue organizations. “Purina Animal Nutrition supports multiple organizations, including those that help…

‘Sometimes I like being around horses more than people. I just think horses can be such a reflection of you and what you’re going through and what you bring to the ring or choose to leave outside of he ring. Riding has really pushed me on a journey to be my best self. They’ve taught me to breathe, relax, and bring the right energy when I’m around my horse.’—James Landry Hébert, rider and actor on the hit television show 1883 on The Ride, a podcast by Horse&Rider, available to stream or download wherever you listen to podcasts.…