Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2017 i Horse & Rider

Show-Horse Maintenance Understand more about icing your horse’s legs following a hard workout after reading about caring for your show horse at home in Bob Avila’s Winning Insights on page 35. Rider Fitness Improve your riding ability by staying in shape. Learn exercises you can do at home or in the barn on page 60, then go online for more fitness advice. Vaccine Advances Get updated on vaccinations in this month’s Horsekeeping, then see how advanced technologies are making vaccinations safer and more effective. Upcycled Feed Sacks Before you toss your feed sacks, read about different ways you can re-use them online. See what one reader likes to do with her feed sacks on page 24. Healthy Feet for Trails Your horse’s feet require extra attention when you’re out on…

I read “My Soft Spot” (From the Editor, February 2017) and agree—I, too, have a soft spot for senior pets. I’ve had my mare JJ (Johanna’s Joy) since she was born; she’ll be 31 this May. She was born on my grandmother’s ranch in Michigan in 1986 and has been the love of my life since that day. She’s now retired, but was the best trail horse ever and even won a few ribbons here and there. She showed signs of arthritis the last couple years, so I have her knees injected, which helps her immensely. She’s unable to chew hay because she’s lost some teeth. So twice a day I feed her a mix of sweet feed, beet-pulp shreds, senior feed, rice bran, flax seed, rice bran oil, two…

Q I have a gelding with low heels. My farrier boosted his heels with wedge pads for years. I’ve moved to a new area, though, and as I search for a new farrier, I find some don’t believe wedge pads benefit low heels and can actually inhibit proper heel growth. What are the latest farrier teaching methods for low heels? CAROL PRENTIN, Texas A This is difficult to answer specifically without being able to see the horse in question. I’ll give a more general answer, but be aware your horse may be an exception to the rule. When a horse has sloping, collapsed, or underrun heels (all names for the same problem), there’s often more than enough heel growth. The problem is the heel tubules (inner hoofhorn structures) are growing…

What if I told you that you’ll be running a marathon tomorrow. Over various terrain. In the heat. No matter if you consider yourself in fair shape or haven’t exercised in months, you’d probably panic. Your body isn’t ready for that kind of exertion! The same holds true for your horse when you decide to take him on a long, challenging trail ride without preparation. Just like you, a “soft” or out-of-shape horse not only becomes tired on a long ride, but is at risk for problems and injuries such as cinch and saddle sores, strained/sore muscles, pulled joints, dehydration, heat stress, colic, and other potentially dangerous conditions. Here, I’ll offer eight essential tips for legging your horse up for the season’s trail rides so you won’t miss out on…

Horse people are busy, and some days it’s impossible to make it to the gym. Here’s a quick and effective full-body, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout you can complete at home. Use a tack box, tractor tire, bale of hay, water tank, or any sturdy implement that can hold your bodyweight for your step-ups and dips. Start with three rounds of the first circuit, and then three rounds of the second circuit. Rest one minute between each round and between each circuit. Complete as many repetitions of each exercise as you can in the allotted time. Circuit One 60 Seconds: Toe Taps Get warmed up with one minute of toe-tapping to prepare your body for exercise. 30 Seconds: Push-Ups Start with your hands shoulderwidth apart and directly below your shoulders,…

WE HORSE OWNERS ARE HYPER-AWARE OF OUR stock’s health. At the slightest sign of a problem, we jump to action, whether it’s as serious as a call to a vet or putting our best home remedies to work. We watch for every “off” step, lethargic head-hang, or uncustomary stance. Horse health is at the top of our list of concerns. Conversely, we often put our own health to the side. We eat horse-show and trail-ride junk. We push through aches and pains that deserve a closer look. We ignore colds that get worse instead of better. All so we don’t miss time in the saddle. In this “wellness issue” of H&R, wd have a lineup of articles to help with both your health and your horse’s. Fitness = Winning Winning…

We asked our Facebook fans what they do to stay in shape for riding. Here are a few responses. For a helpful saddle-fitness routine, see page 60. To join the fun on social media, “like” us on Facebook. William Perry My wife and I both turn 70 in a few months and have been riding since we were small. Yoga is part of our secret to maintaining strength, flexibility, and balance, which enables us to ride daily. Fitness is important for every rider, regardless of age, and is particularly critical for mature riders. Whether for daily activities, leisure sports, or a main passion (riding), getting the most out of your body means managing all aspects of your health more closely. Glenda Willis I walk and do wall push-ups to get…

Whether you hit the trails, run barrels, or are riding around the ranch, the Booma Rein keeps your reins safely within reach at all times. Place your reins through the O-ring carabiner and attach the Booma Rein to the pommel of your saddle to keep your reins from slipping over your horse’s head in case you accidently lose grip when he tries to sneak a snack, for example. It’s made with a bungee-like material. Bonus: The Booma Rein is adjustable to fit any horse and rider, and works great for kids who are still learning how to keep a steady hold on their reins. More info: $24.95; boomarein.com. Cooling Wraps The situation: You need to ice your horse’s legs after a long competition or ride. Solution to try: CoolAid icing…

Step 1: Fold scarf corner to corner, then edge to corner. Place scarf around back of neck, and cross the two ends. Step 2: Keeping scarf flat, wrap scarf around to the back of neck. Scarf should be snug to look tidy, but comfortable, and long enough to tie. Step 3: Tie scarf tails into a square knot, and tuck ends into fold of scarf to hide them and keep a seamless look. Stick to basics: If you’re wearing a patterned, buttondown shirt, stick to a solid, basic scarf (like black). You don’t want to have too many prints, or bright colors be a distraction in the horsemanship.…

You, your horse, our environment—the health of all are interconnected, and every action has a consequence. We dare you to make a difference with our Six-Month ‘One Health’ Challenge. MY ASSIGNMENT WAS TO WRITE A FEATURE about something called the One Health movement. “Interesting,” I thought. “Wonder what that’s all about.” A little research revealed that the concept of One Health isn’t new. In fact, like so many of the ideas moving to the forefront of medicine these days, One Health is more of a back-to-basics, holistic approach to wellness. Simply put, it encourages cooperation among human health-care providers, veterinarians, and environmental scientists (see “One for All, All for One,” page 54). How does it work? Professionals committed to a One Health approach are collaborating in many ways. At the…

Your Senior Tips I’ve learned a lot in my first year owning my senior horse, Athena. I’ve raised and shown horses all my life, but never owned a horse past the age of 15, let alone a 24-year-old rescue in poor condition. I’ve had her for a year, and she’s as healthy as any young horse, and still has so much to give. She helps young people learn to ride and gives those with physical and mental limitations an opportunity to enjoy horses. She loves it. My senior-care tip: Listen to your older horse. And I mean really listen. If you’re in tune with your older horse, and in tune with his or her subtle body language, you’ll know what’s needed, and what he or she can and can’t handle.…

Trainer Jordan Larson will present an educational session on rundowns and stops at the 2017 Wild Card Reining Challenge May 23–27 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Sponsored by Horse&Rider, Larson’s free-of-charge session takes place Friday, May 26 at 9 a.m., Pacific time, at the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa’s indoor arena. (If you can’t be there in person, watch it plus a popular judging seminar broadcast live at horseshow global .com.) Now in its second year, the Wild Card event features a $65,000-added futurity for 4-year-olds that haven’t competed in reining futurities as 3-year-olds, a concept designed to benefit the long-term soundness and career longevity of performance horses (wildcardreiningchallenge.com). Giddy-Up and Enter The contest: H&R’s Win a Wyoming Ranch Adventure, sponsored by Weaver Leather. The prize: A two-night stay at the…

Sidepassing an Lshaped obstacle is common in trail classes and improves your horse’s handle when working at home. For this exercise, your horse’s hind feet will be inside the obstacle, between the poles. It’s more challenging than with your horse’s front feet inside the L. To practice this, you’ll need four 8-foot poles or garden timbers. Set them in an ‘L’ shape with about 3 feet between the poles. If you’re up for a tougher challenge, set the poles closer together. Use a bit your horse responds to, and ride with one or two hands for practice, depending on your sidepass skills. Take your time as you work through this obstacle, using the lightest cues possible to get the desired response. It’ll keep your horse light and reduce frustration. 1…

You’re likely familiar with the one-rein stop, as it’s a trusted horsemanship basic taught by most clinicians. But do you know the best way to practice it to make sure it’s truly “there” for you when you need it, in a real emergency? I’m going to explain that way to you; it involves enlisting a helper to prompt you to perform the stop on his or her command. First, though, I’ll explain why this maneuver is so important, and review its basics. Ready? Let’s go. Why you need this. Horses are unpredictable animals. With a well-practiced one-rein stop in place, however, you can predict how your horse will act in an emergency, because you can control it. If you’ve trained yourself to perform a one-rein stop the instant something starts…

RIDING TAKES COORDINATION, BALANCE, STRENGTH, AND STAMINA; riding well asks even more of you as a rider. It requires horsemanship skill, as well as a foundation of overall fitness so you can keep up with your horse, cue and steer, and school him. If you’re not physically and mentally up to the challenge, then you hinder your horse’s growth as an athlete and your own development as a rider. This holds you back from achieving your riding-related goals. If you want to step up your riding, or just get back to baseline after a break, taking your personal fitness seriously gets you there faster and safely. Here we identify the five most common fitness-related inhibitors that stunt riding success. You’ll learn how each affects your in-saddle effectiveness, and then how…

I grew up in the South where our horses went barefoot over the soft ground. Now I live in Colorado with a flatfooted mare, and the harsh, rocky ground demands that she wear shoes. Anna Dominy, Colorado My two 20-plus mares have been barefoot since they came to me, and the young ones I bred have never been shod. Natural barefoot trims keep them comfortable and healthy in the pasture, in the ring, or on the trail. Carmel Ann Sperti, New York At age 14, my Quarter Horse/warmblood cross, Bubba, was determined to need front shoes because of a lameness issue. He’s been sound since and I love the sound he makes coming down the concrete isle. “Fancy show horse coming through” has been called out a few times! Amanda…