HORSE MANAGEMENT NEWSLETTER AND MORE!!!
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Topics in this issue:
1) Comments from readers
2) Feature: To clip or not to clip?
3) Recommended products and services: Andis UltraEdge A5 blades
4) Rally and rating tips: Anti-static dryer sheets
5) Questions and answers: Rushing horse, bits and nosebands for C3 tests
6) Recommended books, videos, and CD-ROMs: The Allen Illustrated guide to
training aids
7) Fun and educational websites
8) Featured rule: Jog out procedures

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Comments from readers
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Hi Stormy,

Just wanted to write and say that out of all the excellent newsletters, I
found this one [September 2004] to be the most informative, and absolutely
fascinating! Loved the "Boarding Rules".

Keep up the good work,
Margot Szabo, former RS of the Sierra Pacific region and PC mom

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To clip or not to clip?
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by Stormy May

As a professional body clipper for the past 9 years, I always found it
amusing that I never clipped my own horses. I had a good reason though, in
all that time I never had a place where I could ride consistently through
the winter. Now that I'm in my own place with an all weather arena, it's
time to clip!

To clip or not to clip is always a very personal choice. The main factors
to consider are your winter riding and showing schedule, your horse's coat,
and your ability to be at the barn to blanket and unblanket as needed.
Let's look at each of these factors in more detail.

If your winter riding is restricted to walks up and down your driveway, or
the occasional weekend hack, you are probably best off not clipping. As a
general guideline, if you aren't working your horse into a sweat regularly
over the winter, you really don't need to clip. By not clipping your horse,
you will save a lot of hassle with blankets as long as your horse has at
least a two sided shelter to get out of the worst weather. Please be
advised, I'm writing this from a lifetime of California experience, your
weather in other parts of the country will vary widely!

Interestingly enough, I've noticed that different colors of horses tend to
grow different lengths of coat. This doesn't take into consideration
stallions, who tend to keep a relatively short coat year round. Horses who
don't grow much coat tend to be chestnuts, and the ones that end up the
fuzziest are nearly always grey. If you have a spotted horse, you may find
that the different colors grow different lengths of hair! Now there's
always the super fuzzy chestnut, or the sleek grey, those are just my
general findings after so many years of clipping. Again, if you find that
you are regularly working your horse into a sweat, it's time to clip.

It's not healthy to leave a horse wet with sweat in damp weather and your
schedule might not allow time to cool him until he's totally dry. If you
clip though, do you have time to get out at least every morning and evening
to check your horse's blanket needs? If your horses are at home, this may
be an easy task, but if they live at a boarding facility it might be
impossible. Before you decide to clip, find out if the manager, trainer, or
a group of boarders are willing to work together to keep everybody's horses
snug. You may have to pay for this service, so be sure to budget it in.

Ok, so you've decided to keep working over the winter and clip your horse.
Which clip is best? There are 5 main types of clips, 4 of them are shown in
the USPC C manual.

Strip clip: Just clip a strip on the bottom of the neck, the chest, and
under the belly. In my opinion, this clip is a waste of time. It doesn't
clip enough to keep the horse cool while really working. The advantage is
that you don't really need to blanket with this clip. If you're unsure, try
it and then if it isn't enough, switch to the trace clip.

Trace clip: Clip about 1/3 of the way from the bottom of the neck towards
the mane, and then the shoulders, belly, and hindquarters up to about the
level of the bottom of a dressage saddle pad (or where the traces would be
if you have a driving horse). Don't clip the legs or head although you may
want to trim under the jawbones. This clip does well for horses who work up
a sweat about once a week. You may have to blanket lightly for the first
month, but then your horse should be fine without one.

Blanket clip: Same as the trace clip except clip all of the shoulders, neck,
and face or back half of the face if desired. This is a great compromise
clip. You get all of the areas that really sweat, but still leave the
saddle area and top of the hindquarters so you won't have to be as
fastidious about blanketing as with a full or hunter clip. This is the one
I'm doing this year!

Hunter clip: Clip everything but the legs. You may or may not want to leave
the saddle pad area unclipped. If you have a saddle that rubs, or your
horse's back is very sensitive, leave the hair as extra protection.
Otherwise just clip it off and it will make it much easier to keep that area
dry and clean. In all of the clips I've done taking off the saddle pad
area, only one horse ever showed signs of getting rubs. This clip is good
for horses in regular work but that aren't showing or aren't in conditions
that makes their legs attract mud. The hair left on the legs will help
protect your horse from brush if you're foxhunting or trail riding, and will
help his legs shed water when it's raining.

Full clip: Take it all off! Great choice for stabled horses in heavy work
and ones that show over the winter. You will have to make sure your
blankets all fit because they will be worn pretty much every day.

In order to get the best looking clip, bathe your horse before clipping
thoroughly with shampoo and let dry. The bathing can be done a few days
before the clip if necessary. Two or three baths may be needed if your
horse has a lot of oils and scurf in the coat. Clippers will not clip
through mud, heavy scurf, manure or scabs. Bathing will make your horse's
clip look better, extend the life of your blades, and take less time to
clip. If it's cold, wash your horse in sections keeping a blanket or cooler
on the sections you're not working on. Be sure to pay special attention to
the top of the hindquarters, under the tail, around the feet, and the hind
cannon bone area.

You can expect your clip to last about 2 months, or until spring shedding
begins, whichever comes first. If you only want to clip once, wait until
about Thanksgiving. If you clip earlier, you will probably end up needing
2-3 clips to get you through to spring.

If your horse is stabled, an alternative to clipping is to use lights. Keep
the lights in the barn on so that your horse gets 11 hours of light per day.
The lights need to be bright enough that you could read a newspaper in all
corners of the stall. This works because it tricks the horse's system into
thinking that it's still summer because of the long daylight hours. For
this method to be really effective, combine it with blanketing.
Unfortunately, you would have had to start with the lights before the horses
got fuzzy, at the beginning of September. Maybe next year!

So now your horse is clipped. How can you tell when he's too cold or too
hot with your current blankets? Take a look back at last December's Horse
Management Newsletter for tips and tricks on blanketing. The link below
will take you there.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HorseManagementNewsletter/message/9

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Recommended products and services
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Getting ready to clip? If you have an Andis, Oster, or other brand of
clipper that uses replaceable A5 blades, I highly recommend Andis brand A5
UltraEdge replacement blades. These blades are cheaper and last at least
three times longer than the comparable Oster blades. Best of all, they work
on any brand of clipper that uses A5 blades.

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Rally and rating tips:
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Is static cling making your horse's tail look more like a science experiment
than a fly swatter? I've got a quick and easy fix for static woes. Just
grab one of your dryer sheets (yes, the sheet you put in your clothes dryer
to soften clothes and prevent static cling) and rub it vigorously all over
the horse's tail. It also works on the rest of his coat if you can't seem
to brush him without a shock. Shocking but true!

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Questions and answers
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Dear Stormy,

My 9 year old Morgan is very high-strung under saddle. We are jumpers and
do some dressage for training. My training has taught me that if you can't
get the response you are looking for with a snaffle, than you're not getting
it. I have tried every type and snaffle that exists, and none of them seem
to encourage any more respect than the previous. I have worked hard to
encourage halting from the seat and to soothe by petting his neck and
speaking softly while cantering, but as soon as I transition above the trot,
all I can get is a gallop. Oh, we have decent days, but not many of them.
Then there's no settling down; it's nervous horse city. (And this is not a
nervous horse in general - he is the most well-behaved and quiet horse on
the ground.) My coach suggested trying some running reins or draw-rein type
apparatus, but I hate paraphernalia! It goes against everything I've been
taught (a real less-is-more mentality). What would your suggestion(s) be in
regard to finding a kind bit that my horse will pay just a smidgen of
attention to? Thank you so much for your time and great website.

Frustrated in Frankfort, Illinois

Hi Frustrated,

I am so glad to hear that you want to fix the problem without resorting to
paraphernalia like draw reins or harsh bits.

Of course I have to say first of all to make sure that nothing is hurting
him. Since he's quiet on the ground, and high strung under saddle, it may
in fact be the saddle that is uncomfortable to him. What happens when you
run your hand firmly along his spine? Does he flinch or pin his ears?

I'd say the bit might be a problem too, but since you said that you've tried
every type of snaffle, unless he has sores in his mouth, that probably isn't
it. Have you tried snaffles that don't have any joints like a mullen mouth
or unjointed rubber bit (dog bone snaffle)? If it turns out that pain is
not a cause, then it's probably confusion. As far as bitting goes, if you
don't notice a relaxation with one bit over another, then I'd suggest going
with a french link snaffle of average width (not particularly fat or thin).
These are very forgiving bits but they still afford enough communication for
most situations. If he relaxes better with an unjointed snaffle, then use
that, it's even milder but less precise. Typically, I avoid single jointed
bits because of their strong "nutcracker" feel. Of course, whatever bit it
is, make sure it's the correct size for his mouth. The correct size will
leave 1/8-1/4" between his lips and the bit ring on each side. Unjointed
bits can err a little on the smaller size, but they shouldn't be pushing in
on his lips.

In my experience, the nervousness you're describing comes from the horse not
truly understanding what is expected of him. There's an exercise I do in
clinics where one person has a list of things they are supposed to teach to
another person who is playing the "horse". To teach these, the "trainer" is
not allowed to tell the "horse" what to do, and they can't gesture, point,
or demonstrate. The person who plays the horse typically gets very
frustrated with the trainer because they have no clue what they are being
asked to do.

Take an honest assessment of your own riding skills. Since I have no idea
about your background or abilities, work with a trainer you trust to
evaluate how much might be coming from you and how much is the horse. A
horse with a problem like yours can really be a great teacher if you look at
it from that viewpoint. Does he get as nervous if the best rider you know
rides him? If another rider gets a better response, try to emulate that
rider when you are on.

Next, try stepping back in your training to the point where he is
comfortable with what you're asking. How about just walk, trot, canter?
Does he stay calm if no jumps are involved? You mentioned that when you
transition above a trot he only gallops. If you are a secure enough rider,
try an experiment. Ask for the walk and trot, then gently encourage or
allow him to canter. As he starts speeding up, just let him go without
urging him on or holding him back. Keep a loose rein and just let him play
himself out. If one lead is more difficult for him, do that one first, then
switch and do the good one. If you need it, use a strap between the dee
rings of your saddle to hold on to. Do this exercise for a few rides and
see if you notice him settling down more quickly each day. Be sure that
your legs and hands stay quiet and allow him to come back to a trot whenever
he feels like it.

Once you've found where he is comfortable, then start building him back up
again. One tiny jump on a loose rein, coming back to a relaxed halt on a
circle afterwards, then a couple of jumps before relaxing to a halt. The
more you can let go of your expectations and just make the rides about play
and discovery, the more you should feel him relax and want to be with you.

Keep it relaxed,
Stormy

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Hi Stormy,

When I went to the C3 proficiency assessment some of the riders did not know
how to correctly use double reins and I use a jointed Pelham bit on my horse
for jumping riding mainly off the snaffle rein and for the switch rides the
other riders were very heavy on the curb rein and it scared my horse when he
would take off and the was A) no release, B) lots of curb action. Since the
PA I have been working very hard to regain my horse's trust, but I'm afraid
that when I go for the testing that all of the work I have been doing will
be undone because of another rider who has not used double reins. I've
tried jumping in all sorts of bit and martingale combinations and have found
that the Pelham has worked the best because it is very clear to the horse
what action I am trying to effectively use. What should I do for the
testing over fences?

Thank you,
Christina Brennan, C2, English Hills Pony Club

Hi Christina,

You're in a tough situation there. I know your horse needs a very sensitive
ride over fences and the reality is that he won't always be able to get that
with the switch rides, especially at the C3 level. The positive part, is
that at the C3 test, hopefully the candidates will be better prepared than
at the proficiency assessment so they might be better able to handle him.

Since it is a requirement that you must make your horse available for switch
rides at the test, here are your best bets:

First of all, make sure you tell each person that gets on him to pretty much
only use the snaffle rein. You might even suggest that they knot the curb
rein and not use it, depending on if the examiners agree.

Alternatively, you could find something that is milder and more forgiving to
use for the test. For the jumping portions, there aren't many bit
restrictions. You could use anything from the bitless bridle to a Myler
combination gag bit and still be "legal". You may not have the exact feel
you want, but if it saves you from having to regain his confidence at the
end, it might be worth it. You could still switch to the jointed Pelham for
the cross country portions since you will be the only one riding him then.

I wouldn't suggest trying to change the bit between your stadium ride and
the switch rides, that would look unfair to the others who will be riding
your horse.

The last thing to think about is that it may not just be that the other
riders aren't using the snaffle and curb reins correctly. Riders,
especially jumping in a testing situation, often feel nervous on their
switch rides. This tension will surely pass to a sensitive horse, no matter
what is in his mouth. Plan to do a certain amount of reschooling after the
test to re-attune your horse to your own style. Just like a trainer can
tune your horse up for you, less competent riders will un-tune your horse.
It's just a matter of being able to fix him up again afterwards.

Keep him tuned,
Stormy

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The following question was originally sent to Mouse Terstegge, the Mid Cal
regional HMO (Horse Management Organizer). She answered the question very
well and then sent it along to me for further comment, read on...

Hi Mouse,

I'm Pat Crowley and my daughter, Katie, is re-taking her C3 proficiency
assessment (PA) this weekend. I wanted some clarification on the jumping
bridle/bit combination that she should/would be using....yes, we're the ones
that got fouled up with the bi-metal bit issue at her last PA so we're being
very careful about a number of things.

Katie normally rides "Kelpie" in a loose ring gag (double reins) in
combination with the figure-eight noseband. There are some good reasons for
this but I wanted to make sure that this combination is OK since it has
raised both "yes' and "no" in conversations over here.

As I understand it, the rules for bridles/bits for the jumping phase of a
rating devolve to the rules for eventing. I can't find where this
combination is specifically negated but there is a lot of leeway in the
"Abuse" section where we could possibly get into trouble. We do have a
straight noseband for him but Katie has not ridden in it enough for us to
judge his reaction in a situation other than his home barn.

Should we bring both to the PA and discuss the issue with the examiner(s)??

Thanks for all of your help.

Pat and Katie Crowley
Saratoga Pony Club

Hi Pat,

Good questions. I wish I had completely definitive answers for you. I'm
CCing Stormy May, a National Chief from Sierra Pacific on this, because she
knows way more than I do about bitting & stuff. Hopefully, she'll email us
with corrections if my answers are incorrect.

My take on it is that if the combination of noseband & bit are not
specifically forbidden in print, then it should be acceptable, especially if
Katie knows exactly why she rides with the combination, and can explain it
to an examiner or instructor.

According to the Eventing Rules 2004, for the Dressage phase you may ride
in:

"A snaffle made of metal, leather, rubber or plastic material is permitted
for all tests (see diagram 3a). It may have a cavesson noseband, dropped
noseband, crossed noseband or flash noseband. The noseband must be made
entirely of leather or leather like material, except for a small disc of
sheepskin, which may be used in the intersection of the two leather straps
of a crossed noseband (see diagram 3b)."

They have changed the wording on the bit material so that bi-metal bits are
no longer forbidden, in accordance with the changes made in the USA
Equestrian (Now USEF, United States Equestrian Federation) rules. So you
shouldn't have a bi-metal bit issue at this PA, even if you came with a
bi-metal bit. It's been a while since this change came out, and if Katie's
last PA was recent (within a year) then I'm not sure why it became an issue.

As to jumping bridle specs, which is your real question, the rules state
that:

"The type of saddlery is optional with the exception of any form of
blinkers, which are forbidden. Only unrestricted running martingales with
rein stops or Irish martingales are allowed. Reins must be attached to the
bit(s) or directly to the bridle. Gags or hackamores are allowed. In the
interest of safety, the stirrup iron and stirrup leathers must hang free
from the bar of the saddle and outside the flap. There must be no other
restrictions or attachments of any kind."

Going by this wording, and based on the specs in the Dressage section, I
feel that it is perfectly acceptable for Katie to ride in the combo she's
been riding in. I see no restriction for it. However, I don't have my
manual easily accessible, and there may be an explanation for a prohibition
on the combo. There may be a comfort/safety issue for the horse, that I'm
not aware of, as I have never ridden with a gag.

It is always safe to bring along a more "conservative" noseband, if there is
a question on the issue, because, as we know all to well, no matter how hard
National tries to get all the examiners to agree & be on the same page with
things, you can still run up against two different examiners allowing or
disallowing two different things. It stinks, but it seems to be a fact of
life.

It's great that you're doing your best to make things safe & in accordance
with rules!

:) Mouse

Hi Mouse and Pat,

Mouse, good work on all that research! The "no mixed metal" in a bit
mouthpiece rule has been abolished since the USEF (United States Equestrian
Federation) changed their standing on it. I can't remember the year, but
it's been quite a while. If people are still getting into trouble for that,
the examiner needs to be brought up to speed.

The gag with a figure 8 (a.k.a. crossed) noseband is specifically forbidden
in the 2004 USPC Show Jumping rulebook p. 5:

"If a dropped or a crossed or flash noseband (a combination of a cavesson
noseband with a drop noseband attached) is used, it may only be used with a
snaffle, and it must be in the right place, properly adjusted and made
entirely of leather."

As per the Eventing rules that Mouse quoted above, the combination would be
allowed, and therefore should be allowed for the jumping portion ratings.
Ratings are conducted under the Eventing rulebook guidelines for tack and
attire.

This creates an obvious discrepancy in rules between the Show Jumping and
Show Jumping phase of Eventing for Pony Club rallies. The reason for this
discrepancy is most likely because the committees in charge of the Eventing
and Show Jumping rulebooks are comprised of different people with different
opinions. In most cases they try to base all the Pony Club rules on the
governing organization of the disciplines (for example, USEF) however,
consistency between disciplines is not always achieved.

Pat and Katie, if you have further trouble with the use of this combination
at ratings, I would refer your questions to Wayne Quarles, USPC Activity
Services Director (activities@...). He has the authority to
educate the examiners about the allowable use of this combination, and he's
quite a bit expert himself.

As you pointed out, there's a lot of leeway in the "abuse" section. An
examiner may feel that the combination of a gag and figure 8 noseband causes
undue pain to a horse, in which case they could disallow it. Personally, I
would look for bruises, scars, cuts, or indentions on the horse's nose,
tongue, bars, lips, or palate before determining that the bit and noseband
might be too severe for the situation.

Cross your nosebands,
Stormy

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Dear Stormy,

This isn't a question, but a "thank you." No response is necessary. My wife
is in the process of re-entering the riding world after a 10 year break
caused by a riding-related injury. Her instructor advised her to switch from
a snaffle to a pelham for foxhunting. She was overwhelmed by the idea of
double reins until she watched your video [Understanding Bits]. I bought and
watched everything from Richard Shrake to Jimmy Williams before I decided
your video was the ideal one for my wife.

Thanks again from a former Pony Club dad in Augusta, Georgia

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Recommended books, videos, and CD-ROMs!
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Hello Stormy,

Sometimes I get questions about tack fit for things I do not use
often...mostly recently someone asked me if I knew about figure 8 bridles.
Do you have any specific tack books you recommend on the subject of tack
fitting and tack?
Thanks!

Susan Ferreira
former DC - Devil Mountain PC in Mid Cal Region

Hi Susan,

It took me a while to find some good titles on tack fitting, and please, if
any other reader out there has suggestions, feel free to chime in!

In the latest USPC bookstore catalog there are a few tack fitting books. My
first recommendation would be the Allen Illustrated Guide to Training Aids
by Hilary Vernon. I have not seen this particular one, but the Allen Guides
are typically very comprehensive.

Second choice would be the Fitting Tack booklet in the Threshold Picture
Guide series. It's by Jane Holderness-Roddam and probably has most of what
you commonly see but may not be as complete as the Allen Guide.

One word of caution on the Allen Guide though, don't use it to find a quick
training fix for a horse. Many of the items can do more harm than good in
the hands of someone other than a very experienced trainer. If you're using
it to learn how to properly fit items that you see Pony Clubbers using, then
you will be well served.

Also, don't forget that all of the USPC manuals, D through A have sections
on tack fit that can be very helpful for the basics.

Keep it fit!
Stormy

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Fun and educational websites
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www.horsefun.com

The name says it all, hours of fun geared towards pre teens. (Or any
still-horse-crazy-adult with hours to kill on a rainy day.)

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Featured rule
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2002 Horse Management Handbook page 37 section 31: Methods of horse
presentation for jog out

The reins are held with the bight (slack) in the left hand with the right
hand about one foot below the bit allowing full freedom of the mount's head.
The judges inspect the mounts at a standstill and in motion. When trotting
out in hand, the mount should move straight away from the judges, turn to
the right (handler keeping mount toward the judges) and go straight back to
the judges. Other figures may be requested, such as a circle or a figure 8.
Safe and neat attire (no jeans) is appropriate, and must include hard hat
and proper footwear. Gloves are recommended. Mounts should be kept moving
until the inspection begins to ensure enough warm-up. Mounts should also be
kept moving in the holding area if a second inspection is required.

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Call for submissions
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Help make this newsletter the best it can be. Do you have any issues you'd
like to see addressed here? How about ideas for recommended products, books,
or videos? Want to submit your own article, or a question for the questions
and answers section? Send them to: stormy@... and I'll keep a log
of topics and articles for upcoming issues.

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