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HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 3

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HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 5

June 2014

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK Going Down the Wrong Trail, How do You Say, “Fat Chance”

arents are facing a dilemma. Do they let their kids slumber away the summer sleeping late or sit in front of endless television shows, video games, phones texting, tweeting etc., – or do they make By Steven Long them go outside, particularly if there is a horse around. Around our house, there is a newly minted high school sophomore. The bare mention of going to the barn, much less saddling up a horse and riding, is frequently met with sneers, derision, and only slightly concealed anger. In the end, adults prevail and suddenly that sullen grouch of a teenager transforms itself into a cheerful beautiful young human being. And the difference? She is on the back of an equally beautiful horse. The adventure of riding a horse seemingly never fails in this transformative process. This metamorphosis is universal. Unless you are forcing a kid to ride an outlaw that will buck them into the turf and break a limb, riding a horse is better than just about anything else imaginable. Yet we’ve even seen riding become drudgery for some kids. We’re talking about children who are forced by over -zealous parents into the rodeo arena or show ring. A kid should never be forced to ride a horse – gently prodded yes, but forced by a parental wannabe reliving their own youth through their child, well to that parent, we give an emphatic, no. We recently spent days sitting in the Horseback booth at the famed Pin Oak Charity Horse Show – an altogether delightful experience. There, we saw people and horses groomed to perfection. Most were smiling, but some, a very few, had a sullen expression on their faces, a driving, pushing parent standing in the background. Horse owning, and horsemanship, are two of the most delightful pastimes imaginable. But they can be pure agony for the kid who just isn’t in any way blessed with what we call the “horse gene.” For those that are so blessed, well, there is just no better way to spend a summer and at the same time put parent’s mind at ease about their kid straying down the wrong path. That just won’t happen on the back of a horse – unless you mistakenly take the wrong trail, literally.

On the Cover:

Bride Joy Vierra with D IMPRESSIVE SURPRISE, Kathy Higgins Photography www.kathyhigginsphotography.com

6 HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 2 June 2014

Cover Story:

12 Dr. Allan Hamilton - Steven Long 22 Rustic Weddings - Kelsey Hellmann

Features:

24 Dental Care - Randy Riedinger

Lifestyle & Real Estate: 20 Barn & Garden 26 Real Estate Roundup 30 Advice for Land Buyers - Dr. Charles Gilliand

Columns: 8 18 34 40 46

Horse Bites Tack Talk - Lew Pewterbaugh Speaking English - Cathy Strobel Hooves N’ Horses - Jaime Jackson Cowboy Corner - Jim Hubbard

Horseback Magazine is profoundly sorry that we erred and published an incomplete photo credit in the May edition on the Jamie Jackson article. The photograph on page 42 of one of the horses living in the Paddock Paradise was taken by Marijke Schimmelpennink

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Staff PUBLISHER Vicki Long

EDITOR Steven Long

NATIONAL NEWS EDITOR Carrie Gobernatz LIFESTYLE EDITOR Margaret Pirtle 832-349-1427 Horsebackmag@gmail.com EVENTS EDITOR Leslie Greco

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jim Hubbard, Steven Long, Vicki Long, Dianne Lindig, Roni Norquist, Pat Parelli, Darley Newman, Kelsey Hellmann, Lew Pewterbaugh, Cathy Strobel, Cory Johnson, Margaret Pirtle, Jaime Jackson Volume 21, No. 6 Horseback Magazine, P.O. Box 681397, Houston, TX 77268-1397, (281) 447-0772. The entire contents of the magazine are copyrighted June 2014 by Horseback Magazine. All rights reserved. Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Horseback Magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and other material unless accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope. Horseback Magazine is not responsible for any claims made by advertisers. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or management. Subscription rate is $25.00 for one year. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Horseback Magazine, P.O. Box 681397, Houston, TX 77268-1397. Fax: (281) 893-1029

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June 2014 2

HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 7

“Horse Bites is compiled from Press Releases sent to Horseback Magazine. Original reporting is done as circumstances warrant. Content is edited for length & style.”

Canada’s Lauren Barwick Ranked Number One Para-Dressage Rider in the World OTTAWA, ON (Equine Hippique, Canada) 2008 Paralympic Gold and silver medalist and three-time Canadian Paralympian, Lauren Barwick, is currently ranked as the number one para-equestrian rider in the world. Barwick topped the recent standings, with a total of 1264. At the beginning of May, the Federation Equestre International (FEI) released the current Para-Equestrian Riders’ World Ranking List, which is compiled on a monthly basis. The list includes results from January 1 to April 30, 2014. As a member of the Canadian ParaEquestrian Team, Barwick, of Aldergrove, BC has just completed a four-country tour in preparation for the 2014 World Equestrian Games, which will be held in Normandy, France later in the summer. Starting with wins in all her Grade II tests at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival 10 CPEDI 3* in March, Barkwick continued to top her classes in Europe with wins in Germany at CPEDI 3* Mannheim and in Belgium at CPEDI 3* Moorsele with her two horses, Equine Canada’s 13-year-old Oldenburg mare, Off to Paris, and her own mare Ferdonia 2, a 15-yearold Oldenburg. “I love what I do with my horses, and as long as I feel I am going into the arena with integrity and a willing partner, I will keep seeking equestrian excellence,” said Barwick who is also a four star Parelli Professional. “The ranking is a moment in time. What is important is that my horses know they are number one to me. I believe when they know I am putting our relationship in the fore front, and they in turn go the distance for me.” “This accomplishment could not

8 HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 2 June 2014

have even come close to happening without the sponsors, funding partners, endless volunteers, friends and family that go beyond the limit to help me get in the arena. I look at being an international athlete as spending each day earning the right to be Canada’s first choice as a representative who is honoured to wear the maple leaf,” added Barwick. “It feels fantastic to have one of our Canadian athletes on the top of the list,” said Andrea Taylor, Canadian Para-Equestrian team coach. “Lauren has dedicated herself to this sport, and has put in countless hours of hard work to make this happen. We are all very proud of her.” “It is wonderful for Lauren to have reached the top spot on the FEI ranking, I am very proud of her achievements,” said Mary Longden, Canadian Para-Equestrian team coach. “I have never had any doubt that she is capable of being the best.” Barwcik’s teammates on the tour also hold down top spots on the ranking list. Jody Schloss of Toronto, ON is currently in third with 953, while Robyn Andrews of St. Johns, NL is fourth with 941. Two-time Canadian Paralympian Ashley Gowanlock of Surrey, BC is in seventh spot with 874. Canadian Roberta Sheffield, whose home base is in Lincolnshire, UK, is in 12th place with 688 points. As a result of a very successful spring competition season in North America and Europe, Canada is currently sitting in top spot in the FEI world para-dressage team rankings. Both the team and individual rankings may be viewed here.

Commentary: NY Vet Calls for Shelter for Mustangs From BLM, Horseback Joins in the Request By Holly Cheever, DVM I wish to express my concerns regarding the holding of captured wild horses in bare pens without shelter of any kind on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) properties. To introduce myself, I am a veterinarian with a lifetime of experience in horse husbandry, both privately

and professionally, and have been sought on numerous occasions nationwide for input on proper horse care and humane treatment issues. I was asked to provide my professional opinion on the need for shelter for equine well-being, specifically in the BLM’s holding pens. My concerns about this lack of shelter are as follows. • Without shade from the searing heat, whether dry or humid, horses experience great discomfort that can progress to heat prostration if the heat is excessive or if the horses are not well-conditioned or provided with adequate and easily accessible water sources. Please note that domestic horses seek shelter in the form of run-in sheds or trees when they are on open pasture in hot weather. Wild equidae do as well: beyond a certain temperature limit, horses eschew constant exposure to intense and inescapable sunlight and heat. • In inclement and cold weather, all horses seek to escape from the driving wind, rain, and snow—domestic equidae seek the protection of their barns and run-in sheds, while wild ones seek the shelter of a stand of trees or hillsides that afford them a lea in which to find relief from the harsh elements. If any shelter is available in a driving snow storm, all horses will avail themselves of it. • The constant irritation of biting flies also drives horses, both wild and domestic, to seek shade which acts as a barrier to many species of flies. My own horses stay under their shed to escape the irritation of flies during the sunlit portion of the day, emerging to graze only when the dusk falls and daytime pests disappear for the night. If they are inadvertently closed out of their shed and paddock area and are exposed to daylight, they pace and stamp and shake off the persecution of biting flies, expressing stress and discomfort and strong physical irritation at the torment that fly strikes afford them. Again, when given the opportunity to escape this persecution by seeking shelter in the shade, they eagerly choose this option. It is an important precept that anyone managing the care of horses look first to their natural evolutionarily-honed behaviors, and wild mustangs show us that they prefer shelter from heat and inclement weather, and also as a means to escape the misery of fly attacks, and will travel to tree stands, the lea of a hillside, or higher terrain in order to find relief. I respectfully request that the BLM provide shelter for their corralled horses in the interests of providing a humane environment for the horses enclosed therein.

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June 2014 2

HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 9

BUSINESS BIT

Introducing Koop Clean Chicken Bedding powered by Sweet PDZ

weet PDZ is pleased to announce the introduction of Koop Clean Poultry Bedding powered by Sweet PDZ. It is a product collaboration between Lucerne Farms and Sweet PDZ, and will be sold under the Lucerne Farms name and be added to their group of premium forage and mulch product offerings. This unique bedding product blends short chopped hay and straw, with Sweet PDZ to make a truly all-natural and complete chicken bedding. Rich James, Lucerne Farm’s President, explains that before going to market the product was tested with many backyard chicken enthusiasts where “the real magic in our product was found to be in our specially formulated short chopped hay/straw blend working in concert with a fantastic deodorizer component in Sweet PDZ. Our two products blended together is simply a real natural fit.” They reported Koop Clean to have, both, greater absorbency, and superior odor control than traditional

10 10 HHORSEBACK ORSEBACKM MAGAZINE AGAZINE2 2June May2014 2014

shavings and other products. Additional benefits they observed was the fact that the coop cleanout was made easier because of the short cut blend, and “spent” bedding and waste provided exceptional nutrient benefit for gardens and compost because Sweet PDZ allows for greater nutrient retention and release. Tom Menner, from Sweet PDZ, acknowledged “we have been looking for the right partner for this product concept for some time as we observed the ground swell of backyard chicken enthusiasts around the country. More and more of our Sweet PDZ customers were telling us how great Sweet PDZ worked in their coops and brooders, that we knew with the right bedding combination we would deliver a real winner. We learned that our friends at Lucerne Farms were thinking along the same line as us, and so now we’ll bring it to chicken lovers coast to coast.” Lucerne Farms is a producer of high quality forage and mulch products.

Sweet PDZ is the #1 horse stall deodorizer on the market. Both companies are family owned and operated businesses and have been selling superior products for thirty years. Koop Clean Poultry Bedding will be available at retailers nationwide. For more information or to locate a retailer near you please visit, www.koopclean.com or contact Lucerne Farms at 800-723-4923. You can learn more about Sweet PDZ products at, www.sweetpdz.com. Contact: Rich James, Lucerne Farms, Inc. (800) 723-4923 ∙ grjames@ainop.com Contact: Tom Menner, PDZ Company, LLC ∙ (800) 367-1534 tommenner@sweetpdz.com

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June 2014 2

HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 11

The Equine Assisted Brain Surgeon – Dr. Allan Hamilton

Author, Zen Mind, Zen Horse – The Science and Spirituality of Working With Horses

A HORSEBACK INTERVIEW By Steven Long, Photo’s © Amber Lea Russell, www.amberleaphotos.com

The

ashes of three of his patients are mingled with the Arizona sand of the round pen at Dr. Allan J. Hamilton’s Rancho Bosque in the Arizona desert. That doesn’t prevent him from bringing still more people with profound illness to work horses there where others have gone before. Hamilton is Harvard trained, and at the end of his Harvard residency he and his wife could have settled anywhere from the Hamptons of Long Island, to Nob Hill in San Francisco. Instead, they chose to return to Tucson, to breathe the desert air and sniff the

12 HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 2 June 2014

sweet grass like smell of horse manure. You see, Allan Hamilton is a cowboy. He could no more remain in the northeast than he could abide a desk job. Before settling at his parched Arizona ranch, Dr. Hamilton starting his working life as a janitor, and went on to become a brain surgeon and equine author. He holds professorships in Neurosurgery, Radiation Oncology, Psychology, and Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Arizona. He was recently featured in the documentary film, Playing With Magic by director Wayne Ewing. He and his wife Jane, a clinical psychologist, designed the largest equine-assisted

therapy program in the country for at-risk youth in the juvenile justice system, operating in seven states. His latest book, Zen Mind, Zen Horse—The Science and Spirituality of Working with Horses, won the Nautilus Gold Award for spiritual nonfiction. His equine work has been showcased on the NBC “Today” Show, ABC News, CNN, and PBS. He is a frequent guest on NPR, and has been featured in Western Horseman, Equus, and Horse & Rider. Dr. Hamilton is also the medical script consultant for more than 130 episodes of the ABC TV series “Grey’s Anatomy.” Alan Hamilton talked with Horseback from his Arizona home. www.horsebackmagazine.com

HORSEBACK MAGAZINE: You are a Harvard cowboy. DR. ALAN HAMILTON: That’s it. I think the horse is in you before the Harvard is in you. You are bringing the horse there, and they are never going to get it out of you. When I finished training there, my wife and I knew we had to get back to some place where I could raise and train horses. You are not, unless you are a multi-millionaire, going to do it in the environs of Boston. HORSEBACK: I watched your video and it showed you working with two women who were suffering from cancer in a round pen. How are they doing, by the way? HAMILTON: Actually, both alive and well. Both have love interests in their lives which I think is critical. One of them with a brain tumor has a couple of spots, but they haven’t grown, so they’re keeping an eye on it. She’s done very well with her surgery, amazingly well. HORSEBACK: Do you think the horses had anything to do with that? HAMILTON: I think the horses are just sort of a reflection of an attitude which is wanting to reach out to things that are bigger than themselves. It’s sort of my definition of spirituality. It’s an innate desire to reach out to something bigger than yourself, whether its horses or painting, whatever it is, there’s just this drive. It’s a spirit that says, ‘Not only am I going to enjoy life, not only am I going to be thrilled by it, but I’m also going to draw strength from it. HORSEBACK: Which brings us to a pretty important question? Since we’re talking about spirituality – are you involved in the church? HAMILTON: No. I was born a Lutheran, was an alter boy and all the rest of it, but I walked away from organized religion and I’ve never looked back. You know my mother is very religious, and she’ll scold me saying ‘I want you to come to church.’ I’ll www.horsebackmagazine.com

answer her ‘I already was in church.’ She will ask me if I went to the early service, and I’ll answer ‘No, I was in the round pen.’ You know, that’s my church, and people connect in different ways. It’s all a matter of personal choice. HORSEBACK: A point of view certainly shared by millions, worldwide. HAMILTON: You know, when I check into the hospital and they ask what my religious choice is, I answer, ‘American Buddhist.’ They go what? And then I go, ‘I’ll take anybody. It can be a medicine man, a Zen monk, it can be a priest, I don’t care. Just have ‘em come by and say, “Hi. But I just don’t really believe in organized religion, at least for me. HORSEBACK: So it’s your relationship with the animals? How do you spiritually relate with them? HAMILTON: Absolutely. HORSEBACK: I noticed you had some Native American rituals that you did in the video I watched. HAMILTON: Yep. We try to do that. A medicine man from the Crow Nation taught the ceremony to me and said I had permission to use it. We all have stuff that sticks to us from our lives – anxieties, fears, selfishness, or whatever it is – all that baggage we bring with us every day. It’s lurking behind us. It’s just like those cars that say “Just Married” that have all those tin cans trailing and rattling down the street. All that stuff’s with you, and you want to leave it behind in the round pen. You’re washing all that stuff and you are in a state of mindfulness where nothing is going to hurt you. It’s not something you are going to share with anybody else because you are in a protected area. HORSEBACK: Then the round pen becomes a sacred place? HAMILTON: My round pen has the ashes of three different patients who asked that some of their ashes be buried there.

HORSEBACK: The ashes of people who had worked in the round pen with you? HAMILTON: Absolutely. So you really are stepping onto hallowed ground. So going back to the original question – you have these animals that are so incredibly sensitive. They are looking at everything around them, and what they are saying is, ‘You may not be aware of how connected you are to those around you, but I can remind you. I can re-connect you. I can show you those connections that when reaching out to the universe – those little things are all atrophied, but they are still in there. HORSEBACK: I frequently go back to this question in my interviews after a personal experience several years ago of my own that made me pause and think – do you believe that horses use telepathic communication? HAMILTON: Yes. I don’t have the ability to tune into it, but I know a lot of animal psychics that have. I always put them to the test. I don’t tell them anything about my horses. I just want to find out what they can tell me. I’m shocked sometimes at their ability to identify what’s going on. A couple of months ago I had one out as part of an animal communication program and I had him ask one of my horses if he’s okay and about his role here. You know, she came back and said, ‘You know, he loves his role, he’s the boss, he’s the king of the heap, what’s not to like about that? I wanted to ask if he was okay with it, and he turned around and asked, ‘Are you okay with it’ I said, ‘yeah, we’re okay. I just want him to know that we’ll never replace him and this is his home.’ She laughed. He replied, ‘Of course I do.’ It reassured me. Sometimes I worried about using the horses, training them and using them for demos that they worry, ‘oh gosh, they’re going to replace me.’ It was one of those things that made me feel a lot better. HORSEBACK: You fully embrace animal communicators. June 2014 2

HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 13

HAMILTON: If you’ve seen them, you’ve been around them, and you’ve seen some of the stuff they do, you can’t question it. We don’t understand things. How does a dog get 3,000 miles across the country to find his family who moved to California? But they do. We know it’s some unseen, unknown force, that guides that dog to find them.

with other things. It’s one of the big dangers that society faces. It’s one of the things our children and grandchildren are getting more and more distant from. For example, we are a lot farther away from nature than my grandfather was. A friend of ours, a Native American poet was staying with us and he wrote a poem about a hawk. He’s reading the poem to me and I say, ‘Hey, look at that, there’s a hawk right over our head. He looked at me and said, ‘Of course! I wrote a poem about him. It was like to him, there was an entirely different set of expectations. To me it was ‘Man, this is so cool!’ To him, it was a matter of course that we are connected and the hawk responded to the poetry he

HORSEBACK: These animals have been around this Earth a lot longer than man has. HAMILTON: I think it’s sort of that idea of animals being able to say, ‘We were once all connected. You stepped aside because you are humans. You got language, and you got involved

wrote about. It’s just like he said, ‘Of course he’s overhead.” We’ve screwed ourselves up but animals are constantly reminding us of the way back – and the horse especially. Horses are a gift, and not everybody responds to horses the same way, but to those of us who do, the horse is a gift that opens up our souls that says ‘When you’re ready to tackle the next problem, I’ll be there and I’ll know what you need.’ Sure enough, day in and day out, they surprise me…They have helped me correct a lot of deficiencies and self involvement in my personality. HORSEBACK: How much do you use equine assisted therapy in your practice? Dr. Hamilton - Con’t. on pg. 16

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HAMILTON: I use a lot. The biggest problem is that people are unimaginative on what you can learn from horses. We now have a course on bedside manner (at the medical school) that runs the whole semester. It’s what your body is saying that we learn (as doctors) from horses. If you think about integrity, it is nothing more than the words coming out of your mouth that match what I am reading from your body. When they do, I trust you and I believe you. If they don’t, I know you’ve got an

16 HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 2 June 2014

agenda…On rounds now, we say, no iPads. Why, because everybody’s looking at their iPads instead of talking and looking at the patient. All this came from horses. I started looking at my behavior with patients and concluded I would never do that with a horse because the horse is so tuned into what you are saying with your body. There are now programs like this for veterinarians. We want the animals to be able to talk to their owners in a way that’s sincere and in a way they know what their body

language is saying. HORSEBACK: What’s the next book going to be about? HAMILTON: The next book is going to be about the brain – spirituality, and how we find a common pathway to interact with the universe. It is about this incredible three pounds that edits every experience that we have – saying I’m the interface between your inner world and the physical world.

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HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 17

General...

“Coming Back”

Horseback Magazine’s Saddle & Tack Editor

t’s been almost 4 years since I made the foolish mistake of selling Bunkhouse Leather. To say things did not work out like I planned would be an understatement. After 4 years of trying to find my place, I’m coming back, in a smaller, more laid back way. Saddles and horse gear are what I love, and that is what I plan to concentrate on. There’s a huge satisfaction for me in bringing an old saddle back to life, and so, no more custom leather work, trying to do everything everybody wants. Saddle and tack repair always kept me busy, and I would hire people to do the cleaning and oiling, while I tried to do custom jobs, usually after store hours. There were times when it was fun, to close the doors at 6:00 P.M., crank up Bob Seger on the

CD player, mix a double rum and coke, and go to work on a tooling project, or buckstitching a deerskin bedspread, but now I want time to spend walking my new dog (a Black Mouth Cur named “Tucker”), and riding my favorite horse, or playing my guitar and learning some new songs to play at “Cowboy Camp”. Last year, I helped my long time partner, Pat, open a little retail store in the iconic little town of Medina, just west of Bandera. Poor Pat, with all her head injuries from flying dismounts, flailing feet, and flying doors, just could not get her head around keeping track of numbers, and she hated being stuck in a little shop that no one stopped at. She did a pretty good business in cowhides, but it was lonely seeing only one or two people a day. Well, I’ve been paying the rent for 6 months and figured, that’s perfect. With little traffic, I can work quietly and get a lot done between customers. I can go home at 5 P.M. and work on the ranch or ride. My plan is to offer my services as a saddle fitter, saddle restorer, and seller of fine used saddles and vintage western tack. I will probably have a few essentials on hand, but have no plans to build another big retail store. Most of you readers probably

know how to reach me via email, and I always try to answer; saddlerlew@gmail. com. My cell phone doesn’t work in Medina, and if I change to the only service that does, that one won’t work at the ranch. Eventually everything will get worked out. Trying to think of a name for new shop. I like “Western Reincarnation” but it doesn’t really tell what I do. My thought is that old saddles believe in being born again. A good logo would be an old saddle rising on wings from the grave, with a toppled marker that says “Rest in Peace”. Lew’s Saddle Shop would be more descriptive. Often, when I hear customers talking on the phone, they would say when asked where they were ,”I’m at Lew’s”, so that would probably be the best name. Heck, maybe I won’t even name it. No matter what it’s called, it will be a saddle shop where you can get your saddle repaired or maintained, and this time around, the work will be done personally and lovingly by me, not someone I’m trying to teach, at least until I get too old to lift a saddle onto a work stand! I won’t be forgetting my English friends either. I save wool for reflocking, and have a good source for billets, and can do most English saddle repairs. With Pat as a riding instructor, I would be in real

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trouble if I did not take care of her students! The problem is, although an English rider may love the feel of their favorite saddle, the English saddles are almost never collectible, and seldom appreciate like a finely carved vintage western saddle. An English saddle is much more complex to build, although I see in newer ones more and more signs of mass production. Still, the English saddles are somewhat complicated for the repairman. There are a lot of hidden stitches and everything seems to be built inside out compared to a

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western saddle. An English saddle, it seems to me, is like building a house from the roof down. The most expensive thing to do to an English saddle is to put a new seat in one, usually not worth doing. Besides English and Western saddles, I even have a couple of Canadian Trooper saddles to rebuild, at least two Buena Vista plantation saddles, and several McClellan army saddles. I think the new shop will be as much museum as work shop, so it will be a real interesting place to visit. If you are out and about in the Hill

Country, come on out to the peaceful little town of Medina, Texas, have lunch at the famous Apple Store, and stop in and say “Howdy”. Don’t mind me if I work while we visit.

Bandera’s Lew Pewterbaugh has been called the most knowledgeable saddle and tack authority in the Southwest. For private fitting consultation call (830) 328-0321 or (830) 522-6613 or email: saddlerlew@gmail.com.

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By: Margaret Pirtle, Lifestyle Editor

“When I hear somebody talk about a horse or cow being stupid; I figure it’s a sure sign that the animal has somehow outfoxed them” -Tom Dorrance, True Unity: Willing Communication Between Horse & Human

Barn &

9 Cheap & Easy Backyard DIY’s You Must Do This Summer

1. Cover the springs of your trampoline with sliced up pool noodles as an extra safety precaution and it just plain looks good. 2. With a few long pieces of wood and some cinder blocks you can create an impromptu couch. 3. Use latex floor paint to color cement tiles on an outdoor patio. 4. Repurpose an old chandelier as a bird feeder. 5. Sew together a giant pillow quilt for picnics, sleepovers, or outdoor movie viewing. 6. A bucket table provides a storage space for things you don’t want to leave out in the rain, like citronella candles and pillows. 7. Replace the light bulbs in an old chandelier with inexpensive solar lights. Hang it from a tree branch 8. Put diapers in the bottom of your hanging baskets. They’ll help your plants retain their moisture and keep them looking fresh longer 9. Sugar water or apple juice in a milk jug will trap bees, wasps, and hornets. 20 2014 20 H HORSEBACK ORSEBACKM MAGAZINE AGAZINE22June June 2014

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Garden Lost Dog

Seasoned Hunter’s Tips for Finding Your Best Friend lmost everyone has had the sinking feeling that comes with the sudden knowledge that your dog has disappeared from your sight. You grab for old photo’s and rush to all the available utility poles, tacking up signs and hoping that someone nearby has spotted your best friend.

Sometimes it just takes a tip from an unexpected source, in this case a group of experienced hunters who also lose dogs in unfamiliar surroundings, to help lost dogs and families reunite. Find a piece of clothing, one that you or another family member has worn all day and has a body scent well saturated within the material. Take this piece of clothing to the last place you saw you dog and leave it there. You may also place with the clothing a chew toy the dog likes or any other item that the dog is fond of. Next place a large bowl of water with the items. Your dog will probably be in need of water if he or she has been lost for more than a couple of hours. Do not leave food, as it will just attract a whole host of other critters to your site. Now just keep checking back until your dog shows up. Hope this helps anyone who has lost their best friend and the results have shown to be much better than a picture on a pole.

Summer Deals!

Summer is heating up and it’s time to go searching for some hot deals.

Horse Tack International - Like overstock.com - this site offers a wide variety of tack with substantial discounts and a wide variety of products that change weekly, sometimes daily. Before you pay full price, check and see if you can get it at a nice discount. www.horsetackinternational.com/overstock-horsetack-specials.html Cavender’s - Free Shipping on all orders over $50 - plus they have nice selections of sale clothing online. www.cavenders.com

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Farnam Horse - Go online to download and print, or save to your phone, this $2 Off Coupon on SuperMask II Horse Fly Mask. www.farnamhorse.com Horse Health Products - This website has a list of coupons you can use for your horse. Check it out and see if there is something here that you need. www.horsehealthproducts.com/Coupons

June 2014 2014 2 2H HORSEBACK ORSEBACKM MAGAZINE AGAZINE

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Lifestyle...

Weddings Gone Rustic! By Kelsey Hellmann

estern boots, horseshoes, hay bales and cowboy hats…no, we are not talking about a rodeo. Oh no! We are talking about the life event many girls dream of, - their wedding day - and it has surely gone country. Welcome to the era of the rustic themed wedding! There are many variations on the look and theme of a wedding. The rising trend is a celebration with a rustic feel. How about western boots with a vintage lace wedding gown,(check out Mimi Bella at MimiBellas.com for that special dress). For the reception try outdoors with the natural scenery of horses and cattle, or a religious service inside a chic refurbished barn with hay bales stacked to serve as seating. Have candles in mason jars and a horse drawn wagon for the bride and groom to ride off into the

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sunset. Everything from the engagement photos to the reception decorations can be customized with a rustic feel. A country bride’s dreams can run wild! Many couples start their theme with their engagement photos. Photos can easily take on a western feel by featuring the couple sitting on bales of hay in a field of wildflowers, or leaning against an old classic pick-up truck with a pasture of horses in the background. A weathered porch swing or a gorgeous old tree with a tire swing can be fun outdoor settings for the bride and groom to be. Couples lucky enough to own their own horses can have them featured in the photographs too. And don’t forget man’s best friend, the dog, can take a seat with the happy couple too. Even outside of the rustic wedding theme, including the couple’s pet in their photography has increased in popularity in recent years. What’s important is that the couple’s engagement and announcement photos reflect their lifestyle. And it can

give a clue as to what is to come at the wedding – country style! This photography trend seems appropriate for the wedding itself, with bridal portraits being taken with her beloved steed. Photos of flowing white gowns and shiny horses are no longer just seen in magazine advertisements, but are being seen at weddings around the country. Keeping with the same feel, wedding party photos might have horses or cattle in a pasture in the background or the group leaning out of the bed of a vintage pickup truck. Photography incorporating livestock or pets has become its own art form, so be sure the photographer has plenty of experience with the style of photography you want. Of course the weather must be considered for those great outside photos. Don’t expect a horse to cooperate in the heat of the day, and nobody wants sweat stains in their pictures! Weddings - Con’t. on pg. 45 www.horsebackmagazine.com

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HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 23

Dental Health...

The ageing equines mouth…… WHAT ARE YOUR HORSE’S TEETH SAYING……BESIDES HIS AGE?

he older horse, the horse with a blind owner to the overall health of his horse, the neglected horse, I’ve seen it all when I look inside the horse’s mouth. I’ve seen upper teeth hooks in horse’s mouths that were up to an INCH AND A HALF LONG GROWING DOWN INTO THE GUMLINE of the lower JAW with the horse’s teeth wearing a hole into the gums of the horse because his owner had no clue and just didn’t think about the horses teeth. How many people have you heard say oh she is just skinny because she is old, that mare has been around. May be true but do they have any clue about what is going on is that old mares mouth? Can she even eat that tough old hay? Or is she starving to death slowly because the owner might mean well but has no clue that this faithful mare has no teeth to chew anymore because she had no dental work over her life so her teeth were gone before she is and all she is being offered to eat is tough hay? This may very well be why she is skinny or why her ribs are protruding out her sides. One very important thing a person should do first that has an older horse with poor body condition is to get a vet involved to make sure there

are no underlying problems. Blood work may need to be done; there could be problems with liver, kidneys, heart problems, infections etc. Horses that have loose teeth from feed packing in and around them can cause periodontal and gum disease which can cause infection in their system through their mouth. There are a number of health issues that may need to be addressed prior to doing dental work. Sometimes you may need to change their diet prior. The horse may not be strong enough & healthy enough to be able to work on its teeth. If these things are not checked out first & then someone works on its teeth it can put them over the edge and put them in worse harm. An overall evaluation should be done first. And always consult with your veterinarian to be on the safe side. An older horse can also develop a wavy mouth caused by caps that were stuck, refusing to fall off, preventing the teeth from coming in to wear evenly. This type of wear will in turn make the other teeth misaligned. A wavy mouth causes some teeth to wear too soon. A simple float once every six months to a year will eliminate a lot of problems and allow the horse to have healthy teeth throughout its life. Horses that roam and graze,

without anyone feeding them, can wear their teeth out by the time they are 1722 years of age. This means the entire reserve crown below the gum line has moved into the mouth and is worn away, leaving only the root portion of the tooth. In today’s world where horses are fed processed and softer feeds and cut/baled hay, they have a much better chance of having their clinical and reserve crown last well into their mid to late thirties, some even longer. The key to longevity in the length of the tooth is to slow down the eruption process. There are some tell-tale signs when horses have developed teeth and mouth problems. Wadding hay up into balls then spitting them out is a definite indication something is wrong. Leaving hay the horse once enjoyed eating is another sign a problem may have developed. There are extreme lengths some horses will resort to. I’ve seen horses with teeth problems that have dunked their hay into the water trough to make it easier to swallow. Horses are so smart. Most people have no idea how smart they are. The mind of the horse is sensitive, complex and individualistic in nature, very keen and well aware of what’s going on in its environment at all times. You must enter this world and environment if you want to become a

11 year old balanced mouth with years of reserve crown left. The portion above the gum line is clinical crown. The portion below gum line towards the bottom where root starts to separate is called the reserve crown and the last part of the tooth is called the root.

25 year old unbalanced mouth. Notice the unbalance of the molar tables. There is very little if any reserve crown left, only the roots of the teeth are visible in the cut-away section

This is an “upper #8” tooth. Right to left age definition: 5-6 year old, 10-12 year old, 17-22 year old, 27-30 year old This shows the stages of life of the length of the tooth. Balancing of the mouth is highly important to preserving the length of tooth by slowing down the eruption process.

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great horseman, a man or woman’s horses are the mirrors to their souls. They reflect the manner and temperament of the handlers and owners or people they come into contact with. I believe a person’s worth can be seen in their horses. I also believe light hands are the greatest for working with a horse. Yet even the very lightest hands cannot make up for pain created by bad teeth. When horses reach the age of 19 or older, his back teeth might not touch and in some cases there might even be a large gap between the molars. And if the horse has not had good dental care over the years his mouth could be expired meaning he no longer has the ability to eat hay. He needs to be on soaked pelletted diet or cubes or chopped SOAKED hay/Alfalfa grass, but MUST BE SOAKED to soften it for them to eat it and get nutrition out of the food since they can no long chew and grind the food for maximum nutrition. Look at the pictures and view the differences for yourself. If food is ground properly the nutrients go to correct parts of the body. A horse’s top line withers and hip

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areas are hard to keep weight on. In our intelligent world we feed senior to the aged horse that probably just has bad teeth and can’t process the food correctly. The condition of your horse’s teeth young and old not only affects how he eats but also affects his performance. Riders often mistake equine dental problems as “training” problems. In fact, many soundness problems are rooted in poor dental care. If your horse can’t carry his head correctly, he can’t carry his body properly. Sometimes people call me to age a horse or check its mouth. I get calls when a horse isn’t eating or performing. I see about 2500-3000 horses per year, some cases minor some tragic. Just about every time I do a dental job, the owner is astounded at the results that follow and the knowledge they gain. I’m always getting responses from people telling me how their horse can eat now or how much weight it’s gaining and how much better its acting or performing. So the next time you see or hear someone say to you oh that mare is just skinny because she is old maybe

plant a seed for that owner to think about her teeth and get them checked or at least suggest to them to soak her hay, or better yet feed her some warm soaked hay cubes or warm soaked alfalfa pellets rather than watching her starve to death because she can’t chew that tough hay anymore. Do your homework, ask questions and get second opinions! Once you see a horse through his eyes you will no longer see him through human eyes. The horses’ mouth is incredible, it is the gateway to their health, longevity and the owner’s enjoyment but then again horses are pretty incredible animals.

Randy Riedinger Weatherford Texas 814-304-0610

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HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 25

REALTOR Roundup TAMMY FOREMAN REALTOR Hodde Real Estate Co. 112 W. Main Street, Brenham, TX (O): (979) 836-8532 (C): (979) 451-2945

DEITRA ROBERTSON REALTOR Deitra Robertson Real Estate, Inc. 38351 FM 1736 Hempstead, TX (O): (832) 642-6789 (C): (832) 642-6789

DEE ANN BOUDREAUXREALTOR Texas First Real Estate 1116 FM 109 New Ulm, TX (O): (903) 322-3379 (C): (979) 583-7305

(E): tammy@hodderealty.com (W): www.hodderealty.com

(E): deitra@IKnowRanches.com (W): www.IKnowRanches.com

(E): deeboudreaux@windstream.net (W): www.texasfirstre.com

SPECIALTIES: Farms/Ranches, Equestrian, Residential, Country Homes, Land. TERRITORY: Texas

SPECIALTIES: Farms/Ranches, Horse Properties, Land TERRITORY: Texas

SPECIALTIES: Residential, Equestrian, Farm/ Ranch, Country Property TERRITORY: Texas

ANETT MIER REALTOR Coldwell Banker Properties Unlimited 31315 FM 2920 #24 Waller, Texas (C): (832) 876-8875 (E): info@AnettRealtor.com (W): www.Anettrealtor.com SPECIALTIES: Ranch, Land and Horse Properties TERRITORY: Waller, Montgomery, Grimes & surrounding areas. WILLIAM “BOO” CHRISTENSEN BROKER/OWNER RE/MAX Advantage 110 E. Alamo Brenham, TX

YOLANDA FUSILIER BROKER Peak Realty 17515 Spring Cypress Rd. Suite # C260 Cypress, TX (O): (979) 921-9530 (C): (713) 417-7567 (E): peak@wt.net (W): www.peakrealty.sbuilder.net SPECIALTIES: Farms/Ranches, Land Commercial TERRITORY: Waller, Harris, and surrounding counties. CASH MCWHORTER PARTNER Hortenstine Ranch Company, LLC 10711 Preston Rd, Ste. 100 Dallas, TX

(O): (979) 251-7500 (C): (979) 277-8426 (E): boo@realtorboo.com (W): www.realtorboo.com

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SPECIALTIES: Farm/Ranch, Hunting Property, Country Homes TERRITORY: Texas

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WENDY CLINE BROKER ASSOCIATE RE/Max Realty Center 13611 Skinner Rd., #100 Cypress, TX (O): (281) 213-6271 (C): (281) 460-9360 (E): wendy@wendyclineproperties.com (W): www.wendyclineproperties.com SPECIALTIES: Equestrian, Luxury Farm & Ranch, Residential TERRITORY: Texas

26 HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 2 June 2014

Attention Realtors & Brokers! JOIN HORSEBACK’S ROUNDUP! Only $35/month includes both online & in print!

SASSY STANTON BROKER Stanton-Pinckard Realty 2010 Commonwealth, Houston, TX (O): (713) 861-4097 (C): (713) 824-8387 (E): sassy@stanton-pinckard.com (W): www.stanton-pinckard.com SPECIALTIES: Farm/Ranches, Land TERRITORY: Texas MARY GARBETT BROKER ASSOCIATE Right Time Real Estate LLC at KW Farm & Ranch 950 Corbindale Rd, #100 Houston, TX (C) (713) 213-2420 (O) (713) 470-2055 (E) mary@marygarbett.com (W) www.har.com/marygarbett SPECIALTIES: Equestrian Estates, Farm & Ranch, Residential TERRITORY: Ft. Bend, Waller, Austin, Washington, Grimes, Harris Counties YOUR NAME HERE!REALTOR/BROKER The Best Real Estate Co. 1234 Main Street Houston, TX (O): (123) 456-7890 (C): (123) 456-7890 (E): info@bestrealtor.com (W): www.bestrealtor.com SPECIALTIES: Ranches, Hunting & Horse Properties, Acreage TERRITORY: Texas

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Carrie Schwager

REALTORÂŽ ALHS

Luxury, Ranch and Equestrian Properties

I can find the perfect ranch for your family or the perfect family for your ranch

As a Texas ranch property owner, I have been ac vely involved in showing and raising performance horses, racehorses and Texas Longhorn ca le. My equestrian knowledge is an asset to understanding the needs of those buying or selling property.

281-960-5190 â&#x20AC;˘ carrieschwager@a .net www.texasluxurypropertyrealtor.com

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HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 27

Real Estate

Your own personal playground

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Real Estate

Advice for Rural Land Buyers

you are looking to buy land, you probably have a purpose in mind: You know how you want to use the land and the type of land you need. Even before the closing documents are signed, you start making plans for converting it from its current state into your vision of the perfect use. However, those plans may be derailed by a variety of obstacles, if you miss the critical first step in the land-buying process — to buy the correct site. That’s the advice of Dr. Charles Gilliland, of the Texas A&M University Real Estate Center. “Buyers typically base their decisions on a set of assumptions about the future,” says Gilliland. “Buoyed on a tide of emotion, the careless buyer may fail to foresee potential threats, until after the deal has closed.” A careful buyer identifies his or her assumptions upfront, Gilliland explains. Doing so forces the buyer to think about the assumptions and the “what if ’s” involved. These can be as mundane as assuming unfettered access to the land, or as specific as anticipating that a particular well can provide sufficient water for irrigation. The buyer should review each important aspect of the property related to the assumptions, collect information and ask key questions. Then, he or she can determine if there’s anything to worry about, or if the site should be eliminated from consideration. No buyer can completely avoid taking a risk when purchasing land. However, a savvy buyer using a systematic process can increase the probability of taking the right risk, according to Gilliland. To reduce your risk when buying land, Gilliland recommends gathering as much information as possible about the property. “A buyer should approach the landbuying process with a plan to systematically evaluate each candidate property,” he says. Land investment represents a substantial financial commitment. Therefore, when buyers think they have found the right site, they should consider the following factors before making an offer. 1. Focus on Specific Locations To locate the right property, begin by specifying a list of particular property attributes. 2. Understand Property Rights Property characteristics define potential physical uses, while property rights define legal ownership. Combined, the two create conditions supporting a

30 HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 2 June 2014

market value for the land. 3. Lease Provisions Most agricultural leases run for short periods, and many are renewed annually. However, lease provisions may exert a decided influence on the purchase process when they specify a right-of-first-refusal. 4. Undivided Interests Difficulties can arise when several individuals own undivided interests. Although it does not automatically guarantee problems, undivided interests complicate the negotiation process, especially when not all owners wish to sell. 5. Mineral Rights Mineral ownership can be important for land buyers. A potential buyer should not purchase property without inquiring about the possibility of mineral exploration. 6. Restrictive Covenants Some land titles contain restrictive covenants that constrain use. Restrictive covenants are sometimes called deed restrictions, and the buyer needs to be informed. 7. Environmental Regulations Environmental regulations may signal potential problems for landowners. Consequently, buyers should identify possible issues prior to closing the deal. 8. Property Taxes The appraisal method used to determine taxes is yet another potential stumbling block that could affect price negotiations. Buyers who are unfamiliar with properties in their target area, property values or the legal documents involved should gather facts and seek help from competent legal and rural real estate professionals before completing a transaction. Dr. Charles Gilliland is a research economist with the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School.

Kacy Mills | Marketing Manager | Texas Farm Credit 3210 WNW Loop 323, Tyler TX 75702 O: (903)-593-6609 | F: (888) 650-8001 www.horsebackmagazine.com

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HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 31

Real Estate

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HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 33

LEARNING TO SPEAK ENGLISH By Cathy Strobel

ou are unquestionably the best parent in the world! Your daughter has been horse crazy for years and you have finally given her the riding lessons she’s been asking for. You have diligently researched your options and have chosen the stables that you feel are best. You load your excited daughter into the car and drive out to enroll her into a lesson program that will fulfill her need for her weekly “horse fix”. As you speak with the instructor, you can’t help but notice the amount and variety of equipment in sight. Then you notice all the riders wearing gear that you haven’t even thought about yet. Your daughter is shyly clinging to you with wide eyes that can’t hide her excitement. As the instructor tells you about the program and shows you around the facility, you realize that you are in over your head. You don’t have a clue what she’s talking about and you know your daughter can’t wait to get you alone and ask you a million questions that you won’t know the answer to. Relax. You’re not the first parent to be in this awkward situation and no, you are not stupid. Good instructors will help educate the parents along with their young riders and will be happy to explain things to you. But if you are like most people and want to walk in with a little bit of a head start or if you are getting totally left behind as the rider in your life starts to speak a different language, perhaps this little collection of English terminology might help your confidence.

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TERMS AROUND THE BARN:

Tack Room – The room where all of the saddles, bridles and various equipment for the horse is stored.

mark specific points used for a variety of exercises. EQUIPMENT FOR THE HORSE:

Stall – The individual enclosure where the horse stays in a barn. It is his “room”.

Close contact saddle – A jumping saddle, typically for experienced riders with a shallow seat and minimal padding around the rider’s legs.

Wash Rack – The “wet” area where the horses are bathed. It can be undercover or outside, with or without partitions.

Dressage saddle – A deep seated saddle with a long flap under the rider’s leg, designed for the rider to stay in an upright position for the purpose of riding dressage.

Jumping Arena – A large, fenced in area with jumps for horses and a groomed surface such as sand or synthetic turf. Dressage Arena - A 20 x 60 meter arena with a low fence (under 2 feet) and a groomed surface. There will be letters around the arena to

All-purpose saddle – A deep seated jumping saddle with plenty of padding at the knee. This saddle is a good choice for beginner riders and can also be used for lower level dressage work. Bridle – The headstall used to conwww.horsebackmagazine.com www.horsebackmagazine.com

trol the horse when being ridden. It will have reins for the rider and typically has a bit.

legs hit the ground simultaneously (right hind / left front and left hind / right front).

Bit – The metal mouthpiece that attaches to the bridle. Bits can be made out of plastic, rubber, steel, copper or other similar materials and can be mild or severe. The most common material is stainless steel. Only simple, mild bits should be used by beginners.

Canter – A 3 beat gait that’s normally faster than a trot.

Halter – A headstall used to control the horse from the ground. A lead shank (lead rope) is usually attached. Sweat pad – A thin fabric liner placed under the saddle pad to extend the life of the pad and keep it cleaner. Sweat pads are not bulky to wash and dry quickly. Lunge line – A cotton or nylon “rope” approximately 20 feet long, used for exercising horses on a circle. A handler can also use it for controlling a horse for a rider from the middle of the circle. Crop or bat – Approximately 2 feet long, the crop is used to reinforce the aids for jumping. A bat is a shorter version that’s great for kids on ponies, too. ATTIRE:

Breeches – Pants specifically designed for riding, made with small seams and knee patches for jumping or “full seat” patches for dressage. Paddock Boots – Short, ankle boots with low heels made for riding. Half Chaps – These are leg protectors that look like spats. Leather or synthetic, they wrap around your legs and are secured with Velcro or zippers to fit over your paddock boots. ABOUT THE HORSE:

Walk – A slow, but regular 4 beat gait. Trot – A quicker, rythmic 2 beat gait where the diagonal pairs of www.horsebackmagazine.com www.horsebackmagazine.com

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Equitation – The art of sitting and using the aids correctly to control the horse with finesse. Hunt Seat – The style of riding that is used for jumping horses. Dressage – Classical riding that resembles Ballet on horseback. It is both a sport and an art where the horse performs a variety of gymnastic movements with great control and accuracy. Posting – When trotting, the rider rhythmically rises from the saddle on one beat and then sits on the next beat. Diagonals – When posting to the trot, the rider rises with the outside (next to the fence) front leg. Two Point – The rider stands on his stirrups in a squatting position. It is commonly used when jumping or racing. Natural Aids – the rider’s use of his hands, legs, seat and voice to control the horse. Although these definitions may not make you an expert, perhaps they will enlighten you and familiarize you enough that you can comfortably engage in an intelligent conversation with your rider or even another parent as you proudly watch from the sidelines.

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HORSEBACK ORSEBACK MAGAZINE AGAZINE 35

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CONSUMER: Limit one coupon per transaction. Redeemable only on brand and size indicated. Coupon not valid if transferred, reproduced, purchased, sold or bartered. Coupon cannot be combined with any other offers. Consumer pays sales tax. RETAILER: We will reimburse you the face value of this coupon plus 8¢ handling provided you and the consumer have complied with the terms of this offer. Invoices proving purchases of sufficient stock to cover presented coupons must be shown on request. ANY OTHER APPLICATION MAY CONSTITUTE FRAUD. Coupon void where prohibited, taxed or restricted. Consumer must pay any sales tax. Cash value 001¢. Good only in U.S.A. Coupon may not be reproduced or transferred. Offer expires 9/30/14 and must be received by 12/31/14. MAIL TO: Central Garden & Pet, CMS Dept #71859, One Fawcett Drive, Del Rio, TX 78840. ©2014 Farnam Companies, Inc. All trademarks are the property of Farnam Companies, Inc.

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June 2014 2

HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 37

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June 2014 2

HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 39

Hoof Health...

he idea of what it means for a horse to be “natural” is a notion I have thought about for as long as I’ve worked with horses. Indeed, the word natural has been exploited to such ends that it can mean just about anything. As one who has been in the trenches for fifteen years with domestic horses, it was clear to me that the concepts of nature have been shaped by hearsay, advertisements, or the intimidating harangues of experts who profess to know everything there ever was to know about horses. What all of this boils down to is that the meaning of “natural” has been held hostage to a reign of unsubstantiated opinions - derived entirely from horses in captivity! For years, I had been aware of wild horses roaming in America’s

The Spirit of the Natural Horse THE SPIRIT of the NATURAL HORSE, an article written by Jaime Jackson nearly 10 years after he first set foot in wild horse country, is as relevant to the horse world in 2014 as it was when first published in the American Farriers Journal in 1992. Only when those in charge of the care and management of domestic equines make the ‘wild horse/natural horse’ connection and provide what is truly natural for these animals will they have the opportunity to achieve optimal health, happiness and soundness. The following is an abridged of that article. outback in the high desert country of the U.S. Great Basin. I, like many horse enthusiasts had allowed my thinking about these animals to be influenced by rumor, myth and Old West stories. On one level, my understanding was that the vast majority of wild horses were poor, unsound, inbred, equines. But my intuition told me this view was problematic. And with further reflection, I began to see beyond the stereotypical illusion into the potential reality that perhaps nature has provided us with a living model of the horse’s natural world. I remember this day well, for not long after, I packed up my belongings and headed alone into the outback. I was going to wild horse country to see for myself what was going on out there and I was about to make the “wild horse/natural horse” connection. My first day in the outback was one of my most memorable. After driving all day in my four-wheel-drive truck, I

(AANHCP Mustang Cadaver Hoof ) Cutline: “Their health shows up in their hooves! A typical representation of the hoof of a wild, free-roaming mustang (this mare had been euthanized following an injury during a gather) is the picture of health, thus the reason they are worthy of our emulation.” (Photo by Jaime Jackson)

40 HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 2 June 2014

reached the area where locals had told me I would find wild horses. I fell in love immediately with my new surroundings and noticed an immense butte a short way off in the distance. This would provide me with the perfect vista I needed to find the wild ones still beyond my view. But two steps toward the butte’s western flank. I realized immediately that the desert floor beneath me was a carpet of abrasive volcanic rock. My mind reeled, ‘How could any horses, especially unshod ones, possibly cross such terrain, when I could barely walk through it myself wearing thick-soled hiking boots? I also discovered that its steep, craggy, boulder-strewn slopes, surrounded by deep canyons, sparse stands of twisted juniper, and an endless sea of bush, would provide no easy path. Nevertheless, up I went, at times climbing on “all fours” to keep my balance. Halfway to the summit, I stopped to catch my breath, and there in the cracks and sparse patches of earth, I began to notice that some kind of plant had rooted itself upon the slope of the butte. Amazed by the plant’s tenacity, nature swooped on me again in another frenzy of stark awareness, for there, scattered in between the sharp rocks, large smooth boulders, and plants, was dried horse dung! Those horses Unfortunately, many domestic horses suffer from igno- had climbed up the rance and myths about horse care and a typical horse out on rich, sugary green grass pasture ends up suffering from side of this steep, a host of metabolic and immune system disorders - such rugged butte to eat as laminitis - whose symptoms show up in the hooves.” this plant life. Finally, Photo by Jill Willis of a client horse who will soon be when I reached the summit, I saw them. moving ‘on track’ and into a large Paddock Paradise. hooves - Con’t. on pg. 42

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HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 41

Hoof Health...

In virtually every nook and cranny were small “bands” of horses. There were probably several hundred of them in all. It was like watching a movie about horses made just for me. There were buckskins, grullas, one albino, paints, chestnuts - every color combination I’d ever seen. There was so much interesting activity below me that I didn’t know how to take it all in. With my binoculars, I could see clearly their immaculate hooves and vibrant, healthy coats. I have been among them now, off and on, for ten years. They have taught me what the meaning of Domestic horses can achieve the outstanding health and “natural” is for their species. In fact, soundness of their wild cousins through an understandit is through them that I have been ing of the natural horse connection! The four pillars of able to make what I call the “wild natural horse care include a reasonably natural diet, natuhorse/natural horse” connection, ral trimming, a natural lifestyle/boarding environment natural horsemanship.” Photo by Jill Willis at the a mental bridge that spans the real and AANHCP headquarters in Lompoc, California world of the wild horse and the abstract paradigm of the natural horse. It is the philosophy by which his species can speak for itself of the I now gauge all my activities with real meaning of the natural equine state. Here in the outback, there is no humandomestic horses. As history will show, all breed, based opinion to muddle one’s thinking conformation, and temperamental about the horse’s natural world. Horses types are represented in the wild horse simply do what is natural for horses to population. By virtue of his natural do-whatever that might be. We have way of life, the wild horse provides us only to observe and learn ... simple as with a working model through which that.

And I had many questions. What are the natural front and hind hoof shapes supposed to be? What range of toe angles and toe lengths might I find? What forces come to bear to shape the hooves? Does laminitis occur in the wild? And, if so, are you able to treat it effectively with what nature provides? What means of veterinary care do you provide for yourselves- for it is apparent that they are almost always healthy and seldom lame. These horses know nothing of the distressing confusion that pervades, troubles, and numbs the lives of domestic horses everywhere. What is more, lameness - the archenemy of all domestic horses - is virtually not found among them But it does no good to describe what I’ve learned unless the reader is prepared to abandon all previous beliefs. Once this is done, the magic of nature will help answer the tough questions. Opening oneself thoughtfully and cautiously to the mysteries and uncertainties of the unknown will not jeopardize one’s relationship to the horse. The horse instinctively will sense this effort and respond in kind. Believe me if you can: It is within the nature and

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spirit of the horseto acknowledge and affirm this kindredship when possible. “Take the trouble to find your way into your horse’s mind,” wrote Richard Watjen, “without trying to make it human. Only those can become experts who are in tune and as one with their horses both physically and mentally.” We owe it to ourselves and our mounts to look into that special difference to see clearly what nature has breathed into the soul and being of the horse, then to develop an orderly and intuitive system of honest, compassionate horsemanship around that understanding ... one system that applies to all horses equally. A horse is a horse. But let’s not start where horses are forced into the image of man. Jaime Jackson is the author of 5 books, a hoof care professional & natural horse care consultant. He is the founding member of the non-profit equine advocacy organization, Association for the Advancement of Natural Horse Care Practices (www.aanhcp.net) & the principle instructor for the Institute for the Study of Natural Horse Care Practices (www.isnhcp. net), which he and his business partner, Jill Willis, created in 2009. He can be contacted at jacksonaanhcp@gmail.com and his website is www.jaimejackson.com

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HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 43

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A seasonal shift in timing for weddings is happening. Where summer is traditionally known as ‘wedding season,’ many in the south know it’s just too sultry to have an outdoor wedding. Most rustic themed outdoor weddings are scheduled in the cooler months of spring and fall. And with cooler climates, the outdoor wedding might even feature activities for the guests, such as bocce ball and washers, for entertainment. With twinkling lights strung through the trees and mason jars with candles, the outside setting can have a casual elegance. Seating might consist of hay bales instead of dining chairs and the scenery could be the Texas Hill Country in lieu of a ballroom. The country wedding can be casual or upscale, depending on your tastes. Of course, a western wedding is not required to be out side! Many venues now offer a refurbished church or chic rustic barn, complete with air conditioning and a dance floor for the reception. A standard reception hall can easily be converted into a beautiful western-style get away with the right decorations. Consider burlap and lace to serve as tablecloths, place cards can be tied with twine to a rusty horseshoe serving both as the placeholder and gift for the guest, and mason jars with simple flowers as centerpieces. With rustic becoming the most popular theme in weddings today, DoIt-Yourself blogs, websites, and Apps such as Pinterest can provide inspiration and even instructions for just about every western style decoration imaginable. In 2013, the average number of wedding guests was 138. With this manageable number of guests, many brides have turned to crafting their own decorations and favors. A crafting shower can be hosted by the bridal party as fun way to have the bride’s closest friends and family assist in the making of decorations or favors. While DIY is not for everyone, customizable western decorations can easily be found from personal shops such as those on Etsy.com. One of the best parts about a rustic wedding is that it can be a complete reflection of the couple. Their love for their life style and animals can easily be seen along with the celebration of their love for each other.

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June 2014 2

HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 45

General...

Supports! Howdy!

Welcome to Cowboy Corner.

Had a short meeting with the “Horseback” Publisher the other day and leaned that the June issue was to focus on health. “Jim why don’t you share a little Brazos Bottom wisdom about health” was the suggestion. Well, I ain’t no vet, but can share a few health tips from the long road of life. Our tips all have the same things in common, available, simple, and affordable. First thing that comes to mind is the use of bleach as a disinfectant. Bleach is very available and affordable and directions are on the jug. Like to mix some solution, say half a cup of bleach to two quarts of water, place in a recycled liquid laundry detergent jug, and carry with me in the truck. Years ago wrote about recycling liquid detergent jugs as carry around hand cleaners, and rinse water containers. Nice thing about laundry detergent jugs is that they come in colors according to makers. So, one color jug is disinfectant, another is soap and water, and the third rinse water. Say we have to doctor a horse or cow or whatever, and have dirty hands. Start with the disinfectant, then the soap, then rinse. If still not clean, start over. Bleach/water mix of one cup per one or one and a half gallons of water makes a great spray disinfectant for stalls or pens or barns. Use a one and a half gallon pump sprayer, wet

46 HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 2 June 2014

the surface, and let stand a few minutes, then rinse with fresh water. Using the pump sprayer also works well on trailers with mildew and stains. As mentioned before, directions are on the jug for the multi-use, cheap, and great for a ranch use product. Second favorite health aid on the ranch is lime. Lime is widely used in crop and forage production to reduce acidity in soils. Lime is a calcium based product, calcium is a base, and bases are used to neutralize acids, Chemistry 101. Animal waste is acidic and can be neutralized with lime. Lime also acts as a deodorizer and disinfectant. Your local feed store or garden supply department of discount stores should have lime in fifty pound sacks, and lime is affordable. Say you really want to clean a horse stall. Start with the floor, remove all manure, spray the walls with bleach/water mix, then use lime on the stall floor. The spray mix is also good on feed and water troughs. If you use shavings on the stall floor, put the lime down first. Shavings are not in our budget, so I use bank sand

in stalls, pens, and corrals. Lime will also help dry pens and corrals that are wet, and reduce the odor of wet manure. If you are a shavings user and after cleaning the horse stalls pile the used shavings in one place, lime will help with odor and as a disinfectant. Bank sand from our barn area with manure is limed, and then used in the soul food garden. As mentioned before animal waste is acidic and will increase acidity in a soil. Lime, a base, will reduce the acidity to a more neutral Ph or measure of acidity/alkalinity, desired by most plants. Our sand, manure, lime mix will make the greens grow and also great on the pasture. Lime applied to manure seems to also help with flies. Flies are a carrier of all kinds of health hazards, and spraying our animals really helps, but we can’t spray the manure piles. A little lime should help so give it a try. Since lime is white, it’s easy to see what’s been treated.

Happy Trails...

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June 2014 2

HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 47

48 HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 2 June 2014