Fireworks Safety and your horse.

We board out, and twice a year (thank you, New Year's and Independence Day) we have issues with fireworks and injury.  This past New Years celebration saw my horse with a damaged hock that rapidly got infected, we really thought he could be at the end due to his age.  Fortunately, twice daily antibiotics and some really good wound care cleared it up, but not without some ugly scarring.

How can you protect your horse from yahoos with fireworks?  My new rule is to close him into his inspected and well-bedded stall overnight.  Usually he has free access from inside to outside whenever he likes but that injury January 1 really scared us!

Some friends who board at a different barn patrol their property line to discourage fireworks, with the police on speed-dial since setting them off is illegal here.

I recommend a well-inspected enclosure, plenty of hay, and full water buckets.  If your horse is spooky you may want to put cotton wool in the ears to block sound.  I don't know about Ace, I think woozy horses can be more of a problem that clear-headed ones! 

Get there early and check carefully for new wounds before you turnout, also check turn outs for firework debris!

Happy Fourth!

Pony Club!

I encourage everyone to get involved in a service organization.  Pony Club, 4-H, Horsemasters, all these are examples of horse-related clubs designed to improve horsemanship and horse management skills.

I am a former Pony Clubber and am happy to support local Pony Clubs and Horsemasters groups.  We don't have a local 4-H but I would support that too if it were around. 

Giving youngsters the opportunities to grow as horse lovers is priceless.  Get out there and be involved!

Summer Schooling Shows

I encourage everyone to get out to the local schooling shows.  These shows are low-stress, and usually low-cost, ways to practice grooming, showmanship, sportsmanship; and they are a great way to meet like-minded enthusiasts.

Before you go spending hundreds on classes at your recognized shows, practice showing at the schooling shows.  This is how you will learn that your horse doesn't like braids, and will rub them out at every opportunity!  Much better to buy the Sleazy neck wrap BEFORE you shell out for the professional braid job.

Also, this is how you will discover that your docile little Dobbin turns into Diablo the Horse in the show-ring. I have seen quiet schoolmasters turn into fire-breathing dragons in the show ring.  The horse who NEVER refuses will suddenly turn into the Artful Dodger...and so on...

Making these discoveries at $5-$10 per class is much better than making them at $50 plus association memberships and fees.  Figure out your horses show issues cheaply, and then work on them BEFORE you visit the big name recognized shows.

Your horse, your blood pressure, and your pocketbook will all benefit.

Trail Ride = Fun Times

It's always fun to get out of the arena and onto the trail.  Especially with an old campaigner like my gelding.  He never twitches an ear, dogs, kids, bikes, whatever, he just struts along. 

Just enough fizz to keep you interested, but never dangerous.  I love my trail buddy.  

Sorry for the long gap - it was a crazy winter!

We struggled with injury, weather, and barn drama this winter!

Not only did I not lose the weight I wanted, my horse lost over 100 pounds because he didn't like the new barn.  I had to stop riding (obviously, since he was dropping weight) and I had to deal with barn drama!

I am glad all that is behind us now.  We love our new barn and he has put back on all the weight he lost.

Onward!

Work - Horse Balance...an impossible dream?

It's fall.  Crisp, cool, and starting to get frost in the mornings.  My weekly trail ride with other "riders of a certain age", which for us means any one who isn't a teenager, has been going on without me for two weeks.

My job has been particularly demanding lately, and I am very cranky about it. Also, I don't like to be cold, and so that doesn't help.  I am trying to figure out how I am going to balance the barn and my job and my children, it seems impossible.  

I joined Livestrong for their calorie-counting application.

Maybe this will help me keep tabs on my eating.  Trying to drop 70 pounds by June, 2011.  That works out to about 40 weeks from  now.  So, an average of 2 pounds per week (1.75, but I rounded!).

It will be FANTASTIC if I can actually accomplish this.  I will be much closer to my goal of competitive horsemanship if I am fit enough to actually ride with a competent seat and quiet hands.

Woo hoo!