TERA Summer 2015

The Official Newsletter of the Texas Endurance Riders Association

Volume 15, Issue 2 Summer 2015

www.texasenduranceriders.org

Trail Markers is published Quarterly in January, April, July, and October.

In This Issue:

It is distributed solely to members of the Texas Endurance Riders Association, and is comprised of both their input and the opinion of the editor, neither of which represent the organization’s views or official stance. Of course, if there is no input from members, then you’re pretty much stuck with the editor’s opinions. Which don’t amount to much, really, but they can sometimes make interesting reading. Other times … well, the term “bird cage liner” comes to mind.

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We are also offering a classified section free to TERA members. Non-TERA members -.50¢ a word.

Deadline for the next issue is September 26th, 2015.

Editor’s Musings - p3

Ride Managers Clinic 2015 - p5

Reminiscing Through the Rides- p6-7 Get Rid of Mosquitoes - p9 Mortl Challenge - p9

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Advertising rates are as follows (these are for black and white. Call or email for color rates): Full page - $80 Half page - $55 1/4 page - $32 Business Card - $22 These are one time rates. Contact Todd for yearly rates.

Note from our President - p3

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Ride Calendar - p2

Maintaining a Good Body Fat Score- p10-11

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Wanna be published? Get it in!

Many Thanks! - p11

Riders pass the windmill out on trail at this years Spirit of Texas ride at the LBJ National Grasslands.

Trot Out - p12

2015 -2016 TERA Sponsored Rides Wacky Waco Wide

Oct 3-4, 2015 C Bar Stables, Valley Mills, TX Valerie L. Bixler 214-514-3618 bixlerdvm@gmail.com

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Armadillo

Oct 17, 2015 Davey Crockett NF, Kennard, TX Bo Parrish 936-852-3532 indapparab@valornet.com

Old Glory

Oct 31 Nov 1, 2015 Parrie Haynes Ranch, Kileen, TX John Nowell 972-672-8250 jcnowell@msn.com

Shuffle Away the Summer Nov 14-15, 2015 Trace Trails, Athens, TX Jamie Lemon 281-732-0629 jamie.lemon@yahoo.com

Heart of the Hills

Nov 28-29, 2015 Hill Country State Natural Area Bandera, TX Eron Howell 830-537-4604 eronh@gvtc.com

River Run at Los Caminos Naturales

April 9-10, 2016 Priefert Ranch, Mt Pleasant, TX Khristin Seymore 903-563-6639 HorizonAggie@aol.com

S O C I AT I Dec 5, 2015 Land Heritage Institute San Antonio TX Eron Howell 830-537-4604 eronh@gvtc.com

Heart of the Hills

Mar 5-6, 2015 Hill Country State Natural Area Bandera, TX Eron Howell 830-537-4604 eronh@gvtc.com

Racing Stripes

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Spirit of Texas

April 23, 2016 LBJ National Grasslands Selena Copeland 214-793-0311 spirittxarabians@aol.com

2015 Board of Directors President Vickie Roden 373 Langston Ln. McKinney, TX 75069 972-978-0072 Vickier_is@yahoo.com

Ride Manager Director Valerie Bixler 3598 CR 406 McKinney, TX 75071 214-514-3618 bixlerdvm@gmail.com

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Publicity & Awards Director Khristin Seymore PO Box 559 Daingerfield, TX 75638 903-563-6639 HorizonAggie@aol.com

Secretary John Nowell 3651 White River Dr. Dallas, TX 75287 972-672-8250 jcnowell@msn.com

Membership Director Hope Finan 1560 Rogers Hill Rd. Waco, TX 76705 254-339-0012 HopeUrban@hotmail.com

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Vice-President Caryne Edwards 311 Hunters Creek Dr. New Braunfels,TX 78132 830-660-5552 cedwards23@satx.rr.com

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Education Director Selena Copeland 2219 County Rd 2690 Alvord TX 76225 214-793-0311 spirittxarabians@aol.com

Editor, Todd Hezeau 7259 CR 3223 Lone Oak, TX 75453 469.261.8733 maccwall@yahoo.com

See you on the trail...

Safe Riding, Todd

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Treasurer Russell Betts 6101 FM 1374 New Waverly, TX 77358 832-331-3164 rzbetts@aol.com

Howdy folks, We are full throttle into summer at this point which for someone, who’s kidney decided it needed my vacation time, will not be riding at any rides during this time. I do still keep my horses in shape though through out the summer so they will be ready for the myriad of rides we have around the area coming up in the fall, mainly because of all the cancellations that we had during the wet winter and spring. So here’s wishing those who are going to rides this summer somewhere cool, the best of luck and I shall see you, hopefully, at ride in the fall. Stay cool and be safe in the heat.

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The Editor’s Musings...

A Note from our President….

I hope all of you are enjoying the Summer. With the rains of the Spring, and the subsequent number of trails that have been closed, I also hope you are finding some places to get out on your horses. The temperature has certainly cooperated lately.

Let me announce that we have a TERA-sponsored NEW RIDERS CLINIC in the planning stages. We are shooting for Saturday, September 5th, which is part of the Labor Day weekend. Details regarding the final date, location, cost, agenda items, etc. will be on our website shortly (TexasEnduranceRiders.org). We will cover some basics, as well as “next-steps” for riders who are new to the sport and ready to learn more. So, if you are interested in being part of the clinic, know someone who should attend, or interested in helping out with the clinic, please keep your eyes and ears open for further details.

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We have our usual great rides planned for the Fall. The TERA Ride Managers are working hard on details even now. Many of them attended the recent Ride Manager clinic to learn new information and hone their skills at managing our rides. Look over the “Ride Calendar” and start planning your schedule. I’ll see you there.

Vickie Roden

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Ride Manager Clinic 2015 A R N U C D E N E

by Caryn Edwards

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went over several budgets, and emphasized the importance of where the break -even point is. Howard Polden is back in the Central Region! He is a Registered Nurse/Paramedic, and presented a very informative power point presentation on Ride Managers having a safety plan, and even a safety officer. This segment really opened our eyes on ways to improve the safety for our riders. Finally, Linda went over multiple scenarios of issues that can occur at a ride, and how the Ride Manager should handle it.

This made for great discussion! We ended our day with a yummy pot luck dinner and meat provided by TERA. If anyone would like to try your hand at managing a ride, remember, you are not in it alone! You can even manage Old Glory ride with financial backing from TERA! Dr. Val Bixler is the new Ride Manager Director, and she is a wealth of information. And, of course, the entire TERA board and our experienced Ride Managers are also happy to help.

We hope we will see some of you at the 2016 Ride Managers Clinic!

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and critiques led by Linda and Bo. Bo spoke about marking trails for night riding. We all picked up some information about how to improve our trail marking skills, which of course is the mainstay of our ride!

Val Bixler led a hands-on demonstration on constructing LED lights for trail marking in the dark. These lights were constructed originally by Alanna Frank who graciously sent us a short supply list of items needed with instructions.

These lights are very visible and will last from 3 days to a couple of weeks!! This can be a huge breakthrough for our longer distance riders, and enable RM’s to mark their trail days before their ride.

Vickie Roden went over dos and don’ts that several Ride Managers submitted on what they considered will help make a successful ride. This was followed by the meat and potatoes of a pre-ride briefing, and what it should and should not entail, presented by myself. Following this, Val Bixler reviewed the new rules/ procedures for 2015.

Robin Howze had some wonderful ideas on how to cut costs at a ride. She

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The 2015 Ride Managers Clinic took place Saturday June 27 at the C Bar Ranch at Valley Mills just outside of Waco. This is the wonderful ranch that will host the Wacky Waco Wide again this October. We were fortunate to have nearly perfect weather. It rained Friday night after those that attended were able to get a ride in on their horses. Saturday afternoon showers were welcomed and cooled us off while we stayed dry underneath a large shelter with many picnic benches to accommodate us. The cabin that sleeps about 8 also has a shower and a kitchen. Those who brought their horses enjoyed a ride Sunday morning before heading back home.

This year attendees were Kerry Lowrey, Lee Bateman, Thomas Robichaux, John Nowell, Robin Howze, Linda and Bo Parrish, Cindy Kovalchuk, Eron Howell, Amy Bray, Margaret Dawson, Val Bixler, Vickie Roden, Howard Polden and myself, Caryne Edwards.

After a yummy breakfast, the Parrish’s spoke with a show and tell about marking trail. Then everyone hit some marked trails in the woods, with discussion

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Reminiscing Thr

Shanghai Trails Mar 28-29th 2015 Pierce, TX

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Racing Stripes April 11-12th 2015 Mt. Pleasant, TX

Spirit of Texas April 25th 2015 Decatur, TX

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Photos courtesy: John Nowell http://www.remuda.smugmug.com and Jim Edmondson http://www.opticalharmonics.com

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Llano Estacado June 5-7th 2015 Amarillo, TX

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Off Road Warrior II May 9-10th 2015 Athens, TX

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Get Rid of Mosquitoes to Reduce Disease Risk for Horses

By Kentucky Equine Research Staff · August 8, 2014

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note anything that holds water. Empty and store buckets, pick up unused tarps, and cut drainage holes in tires and other objects that can’t be moved.

Remember to look high (clogged gutters, rain standing on flat roofs) and low (rainwater pools under sheds, areas leading to drains or culverts).

Established ponds, dammed streams, and wetland areas may be treated with larvicidal chemicals in some areas, while this step is prohibited by law in other areas. Check with the Department of Natural Resources in your region to see which guidelines apply.

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Several equine diseases, including West Nile virus, are spread when horses are bitten by infected mosquitoes. These insects lay their eggs in standing water, but not in moving streams. By making a careful property survey and eliminating places were mosquitoes breed, owners of horse farms can reduce the insect population and lessen the chance of disease. It takes only a very small amount of quiet water to support life cycle of a mosquito, so it’s important to be diligent about seeking out and emptying every place that water is being held.

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Small rainwater puddles that drain within hours are not a problem, but if water stands Water troughs for horses, wading pools for for several days, such as in a birdbath or children, drinking bowls for dogs, and birdbaths swampy area, mosquitoes can make use of it. should be emptied, cleaned, and refilled at least every three or four days. This breaks the cycle For ditches, wheel ruts, or deep tracks in areas of egg laying and larvae development as well where heavy equipment is parked, consider filling as preventing a buildup of algae in the water. the areas with gravel that will let the water move but won’t allow mosquitoes access to its surface. Using fly spray, turning barn lights off at night, Tiling, using perforated pipe, or constructing keeping horses in from dusk to dawn, and avoiding a French drain are other options. Check with grazing areas adjacent to wetlands are steps that a geotechnical engineering firm or the local can minimize mosquito contact for your horses. agricultural extension service for instructions. Mosquitoes like quiet air as well as quiet water, so breezy areas are best for equine turnout. Stall-front fans can Walk around the barn area, along fence lines, also keep the air moving, discouraging mosquitoes. and near sheds and equipment storage areas and

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Mortl Challange Mortl Challenge has been a challenge this year!!! Just getting to ride has been a challenge.

I am in the process of sorting through those who have already completed the challenge-Congrats to you riders!-as well as those who are still in the running to complete it this fall. I will contact each of you in August to verify we understand where you are at in the challenge and what you need to be successful to complete it. This has been a tough year on all of us and I appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding. Thanks for being a part of this wonderful fund raiser.

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ity to have it erected on the property. They are fundraising at this time and the arena should be completed by September so they can continue their fall classes without having to cancel due to weather. This is a true blessing and all of you who have been part of the Mortl Challenge are making it come true. The name will be the” April Mortl Memorial Arena”. They have their first Horses for Heroes student. This is a program for Veterans and I am very excited about it. I believe it is nationwide. We are so blessed to have men and women put their lives on the line so we can live a life of freedom. And our wonderful Equine partners get to be the real heroes by helping those in need!

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Horsefeathers has been given a beautiful Coverall arena. They are incurring costs because it was a donation so they have the responsibil-

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MAINTAINING A GOOD BODY FAT SCORE

By Selena Copeland

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their feed is adequate. You can have your vet scope your horse and treat them with Ulcerguard. The active ingredient is Omeprazole, which is the same as the human version – Prilosec.

We have found a generic made by a Canadian company that ships from Florida at www.horseprerace.com.

There are probably other sources too.

So, you can just treat your horse and see if they get better. If they start eating better with the treatment, then you should lay them off for 1 to 2 months, treat them daily and if at all possible have them on green grass for most or all of the day.

Endurance horses need a high calorie, high fat, high fiber diet with adequate protein for muscle development.

The protein level of your grain or pellets should be 12%. If your horse is still growing or a senior horse the protein level should be 14%. The fat content should be 6% to 10% depending on whether your horse is an “easy keeper” or a “hard keeper”.

Exercise also increases the need for antioxidants, such as vitamin E, C and selenium. The most important part of the diet is good quality grass or hay. The smaller your pasture the more important pasture management becomes. You need to fertilize and control the weeds. Grass provides, fiber, constant calories, and is a good source of Omega 3 fat, which is why horses on good green grass have shiny coats. Alfalfa will provide a higher level of protein and calcium and is higher calorie than grass hay. We feed it at rides and to our horses that need to gain weight. We have always fed commercial feeds because they are formulated to have the correct

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6. MODERATELY FLESHY – the horse will also have fat deposits along the spine (a crease), ribs, neck, withers and behind the shoulders. (think slightly less feed – more exercise) Studies have shown this is the best weight for breeding horses and the beginning of winter for outdoor pleasure horses. If your horse has a firm crease down his spine, but not the other fat locations, you are looking at muscle on the top line. If the crease is spongy it is fat. If your horse has a large belly, but no fat on the tail head, spine or neck, he is probably just slightly bloated from eating a lot of forage. He is not fat, he has a “grass belly”. If your horse has a crest, a spinal crease, fat on the tail head and you can see his ribs, this is a symptom of a chronic medical condition and he needs to be evaluated by your vet.

We like our horses to be a 5, but with horses that are doing multi-days, running up front, competing in 75s or 100s or just poor eaters at rides a score of 4 may be the best you can do.

Keep an eye on your horse’s weight, it will fluctuate with changes in the grass, temperatures and the level of exercise, requiring feed changes. You should always make sure your horse has their teeth floated annually, is on a regular worming program and does not have ulcers. Make sure each horse can eat in peace without having their food taken by more aggressive horses. All of those problems can cause a horse to lose weight. Ulcers are common in horses that exercise heavily, are transported or are in competition. Signs of ulcers include eating slowly, not finishing their feed and simply not doing as well when

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The Henneke horse body fat score is a numerical system developed by Henneke in 1983 at Texas A&M, which is now used nationwide. You should have noticed it has been added to our ride vet cards. The scale ranges from 1 to 9. Studies from Tevis Cup finishers have shown that horses are most likely to complete the ride with a body fat score of a 4 or 5. Horses with a score of 3 do not have enough body fat to maintain strenuous activity, especially over a long period of time and will begin to lose muscle.

Horses with a body fat score of 6 or more will have similar difficulties to an overweight person trying to complete a 10k or a marathon.

3. THIN – the ribs and the spine are visible, but you cannot see individual vertebrae, the hip bones will be visible too and you may see a dip just in front of the top of the hip.

(The hip bones sticking out are not as good an indicator, because some horses simply have a wider pelvis than others.) (This horse needs less exercise and more feed – I would not compete this horse until they gained weight.)

Do not confuse a “hunter’s bump” with a dip in front of the top of the hip.

4. MODERATELY THIN – a lean horse in fit condition. The ridge of the spine is visible and you can just start to see some of the ribs. You may notice them more if the horse is turning just right, has a short summer hair coat or they catch the sunlight right.

5. MODERATE – you can no longer see the ribs, but you can feel them. The horse will now have a spongy fat deposit, just above the tail, about the size of your palm or hand. It looks like a slight lump.

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place of proper conditioning. Joint supplements are good for horses as they age or start to have arthritis from old injuries, but be very careful because most contain ingredients that are not allowed by AERC. Read the label carefully on all supplements – natural does not mean it is not on the AERC drug list. At a ride give your horse a choice of grass and alfalfa hay and feed him his regular feed even if he doesn’t eat it, but more importantly let him eat as much green grass as possible. Green grass is nutritious and will help with hydration. Also it is usually better to electrolyte just before you go back out, otherwise your horse may not eat and drink in the hold because of the taste in his mouth.

And the most important part of your horse’s diet – fresh water at all times.

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that are easy keepers we feed Strategy Health Edge, which is again high fat and high fiber, but lower in calories.

If you want to add fat to your diet, you need to add a fat that has more Omega 3 than Omega 6. Omega 3 is anti-inflammatory while Omega 6 can aggravate an inflammatory condition, such as arthritis or allergies.

Rice bran and flax seed (which is mainly found in coat supplements and weight builder supplements) are good examples of Omega 3. Corn oil is Omega 6. We supplement protein pre-ride and during the ride by feeding BCAA – Branch Chain Amino Acids according to the directions. BCAA provides the specific types of protein needed by hardworking muscles and will help reduce muscle fatigue and lactic acid. Calcium is good at rides to help rid the body of lactic acid build-up that causes sore muscles. Of course no supplement can take the

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vitamin and minerals for horses. If you find your horse needs more than 4 lbs at one feeding, you can feed them 3 times a day or move them up to a higher calorie feed. If you feed them more than that at one feeding they will reduce the amount of hay they eat and probably not be able to eat it all at once. We have always fed Purina feeds, but we feed less than the bag suggests and more hay. We like Ultium for horses competing heavily or that have trouble maintaining weight. You have to introduce it gradually because some horses don’t like the added fat. You can also feed it mixed with a feed that they prefer. We also like the Equine Senior Active, it is also high fat and fiber with a 14% protein. It also includes pre-biotics, has a smaller pellet and is easy to digest. We feed it to our older horses and also to horses that come into our barn that are underweight and need to gain muscle. For horses

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Many Thanks to all

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Recently, as some of you know, I had an accident on a horse. I am doing very well and will be back to riding and working as soon as possible.

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In the mean time, I received many letters, cards, texts, emails, and gifts from people all over the country and I am very thankful for the well wishes as that is always a big part of the healing process.

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TERA has always been an extraordinary organization, I appreciate it very much. I hope to see everyone on trail soon.

Sincerely, Chris Lewis 11

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%Hope Finan 1560 Rogers Hill Rd. Waco, TX 76705

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Trot Out

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