HORSE MANAGEMENT NEWSLETTER AND MORE!!!
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Topics in this issue:
1) 2005 Horse Management Handbook changes
2) Feature: Hunting in England
3) Recommended products and services: Pinchless curb chain hooks
4) Rally and rating tips: Lacing field boots
5) Questions and answers: Preparing for EBTH, wrapping, bits, HM seminar,
and more on grants
6) Recommended books, videos, and CD-ROMs: Riding Between the Worlds by
Linda Kohanov
7) Fun and educational websites: Free listing websites, Welsh ponies, and
riding tours
8) Featured rule: Lead lines
9) Free item exchange

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2005 changes to the Horse Management Handbook!
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HORSE MANAGEMENT SPRING NEWLETTER FOR 2005

Compiled from comments from Lynn Anthony, Instruction Services Director and
Sarah Adams and Mike Ragland, Co-Chairs of the USPC Horse Management
Committee

As a result of meetings with the discipline chairs at the Annual Meeting in
New Orleans and as we prepare to issue a new Horse Management Handbook,
there have been some changes made which need to be considered by everyone.

BRAIDING: Braiding is now governed solely by the discipline rule books.
The current braiding rules in the Horse Management Handbook are to be
disregarded. The provisions for the disciplines that allow braiding are as
follows: (1) All braids must be removed immediately after the last ride of
the day and before the turn-back at the end of the day; (2) Horse Management
will not assess points based upon the quality of the braiding; (3) Braiding
must not interfere with other chores and braiding will not be accepted as a
excuse for not having other tasks completed in a timely manner; (4) if an
object is going to be stood on to braid it must be safe, solid and capable
of holding the competitor's weight, it must have no holes in which the mount
may get its foot caught. Mounting blocks and milk crates will be acceptable
for braiding. Buckets and pails are NOT acceptable to stand on.

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT: These lists have a number of changes and we will have to
make some corrections to what is shown. Under Extra Equipment there is a
note in italics - to that note will be added the phrase "all items are to be
turnout inspection clean" that wording was added to the "Bridle" when it
should cover everything in that section.

Secondly, there is confusion over whether the Competitor's name is
sufficient or you need their Pinnie number as well. Labeling is done for
two reasons - first and foremost is to get lost items back to the person
they belong to and the second is to penalize the correct individual who left
items in an unsafe place - center of an aisle etc. There may be many Jones
or even Mike Jones at the rally - so a Name should include their home club
and Region - hopefully that will eliminate duplicates. Having the Pinnie
Number is sufficient in itself since the program will then give us all the
other information. Where the old form said Competitor's Name and/or Number
that meant that the Pinnie number was ALWAYS required and was sufficient by
itself - a Name needed to also have the Pinnie Number added.

We feel that this may be over kill and requiring the use of the Pinnie
Number usually requires tagging everything after arrival at the rally. So
for all individual items the new form will say you may use the Pinnie Number
and that is encouraged. However, the items may be labeled with the
Competitors' Name and Club and Region and will be accepted as satisfying the
requirements even without the pinnie number.

The team/region creates the teams name so all team items (utility box, etc)
must have the Team Name which can be done before coming to the rally.

Those wishing to put their Pinnie Number on all of their items - should
consider buying some different colored dots (available at any office supply
store) each team member can have a different color. After you arrive and
know your pinnie number simply write in on a sheet of Dots of the same color
- then as you set up your items simply put a dot on the item - they are
generally easy to remove, should not leave any residue on the item and this
is a lot faster than trying to write the number on all of the Name labels
already attached. But pinnie numbers are only recommended - they are not
required where the Rider's Name and Club and Region are shown on a label.

Small items may be marked on the container - each individual nail, etc. need
not be labeled.

The issue is - Does the label identify the competitor well enough that we
can return the item? If yes the requirement has been satisfied.

FIRST-AID: Latex/Vinyl gloves are a part of the human first aid kit. Vinyl
gloves are being listed as an approve alternative to latex gloves due to the
number of people who have allergic reactions to latex. This does not mean
that heavy cleaning gloves may be used - the gloves have to be thin enough
to allow for handling a wound and/or bandage.

CHAPERONES: The Chaperone Duties form now requires that the Chaperones name
be printed neatly in addition to the Chaperone signing the form.

INFORMAL ATTIRE: Informal attire includes a jacket of any conservative
color except solid BLACK and dark grey (CHARCOAL). The Pony Club Manual
says that dark blue may not be used as an informal jacket but horse
management will allow dark blue jackets for informal attire.

STOCK TIES: Pre-tied (fake) stock ties are not acceptable. Wearing a stock
tie indicates that it could be used in an emergency as a temporary bandage.
Since pre-tied stock ties can not be used as a bandage they create a false
impression. If not using a real stock tie then choose one of the
alternative neckwear listed in the Horse Management Handbook.

EVALUATION FORMS: The New Competitor's Evaluation forms for Horse Management
must be used by all competitors, Assistant Horse Management Judges, Rally
Organizers. The old forms for the Chief Horse Management Judge and or for a
Mentor Judge shall continue being used. Rally and Facilities Evaluations
are for the benefit of the Rally Organizer and should be delivered to the
Rally Organizer at the end of the rally: they should NOT be sent into the
National Office with the other evaluation forms. THEREFORE the Rally and
Facility Evaluation form should NOT be copied on the back of any other
evaluation form. HMOs should review the Chief Judge's Evaluation form to
see how each assistant was rated. If an assistant is recommended for the
Provisional Chief Program, the HMO should notify the HMO Coordinator of that
fact and the assistants contact information.

STALL CARDS: Effective immediately stall cards must list the competitor's
rating. The sex of the mount must be near the mount's age on the form.
Hotel room numbers are not to be filled in. We want the name and telephone
number of the hotel and the name of the person registered in the room where
the chaperone will be located. Cell telephone numbers are permitted and
encouraged for the stall card information on the competitor/Chaperone. The
Competitors and/or Chaperone's room numbers should NOT be listed. If we
have the hotel's phone number and the name of the person to whom the room is
registered then we have enough information to contact the Chaperone's room
and then they can get the competitor. Listing actual room numbers is an
unsafe practice in view of the fact that we have no idea who may be looking
at the cards trying to search for that person. If we reach the hotel and
give them the name of the registered guest - the hotel will connect us to
the room and then we can find the right person without advertising their
particular room number on the stall card.

HOW TO MAKE A STALL CARD:

Whenever a mount is on competition grounds, a stall card must be posted on
the stall or near the tie area with the following information:

• Rider's name, pinnie number and rating. (For Tetrathlon, ALL riders using
the mount)
• Competitor's rating level
• Mount's name
• Mount's Age and Sex (these must be next to each other on the card)
• Mount's temperature, pulse and respiration at rest
• Owner's name and telephone number
• Home veterinarian and farrier with telephone numbers (including area code)
for consultation
• Any known allergies the mount may have (or N/A)
• A picture or physical description of the mount
• If mount is insured, list name of insurance company, phone number
(including area code) and policy number (this information can be put on the
back of the card if you wish to keep it private. Put N/A if not insured)
• A list of any stable vices the mount has (or N/A)
• Chaperone's name and motel phone number (including area code)
• Where rider, owner, and chaperone may be reached when they are not on the
rally grounds. If housed in a motel or hotel, the phone number (including
area code) must be on the stall card
• Any supplements or nutraceuticals administered to the mount

The National Horse Management Committee

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Feature: Laurel Ball's Hunting Debut in England
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by Heidi Ball and Alexandra Buxton

(Laurel Ball is a C1 rated member of Panache Pony Club in the Sierra Pacific
Region who is currently on sabbatical with her family in England.)

Fox Hunting started about 300 years ago in Melton Mowbray, a town about an
hour's drive north of Cambridge, England. The sport caught on, growing
strong in popularity. In recent years, it has been a point of contention
for being a sport of Kings and enjoyed only by the well to do. It has been
an emotionally charged political sidebar for many years, with animal rights
activists leading a call for a ban on Fox Hunting. This past autumn, the
animal rights activists finally brought the Fox Hunting ban through the
governmental system in a way that the Tories could not over rule the ban.
This ban on Fox Hunting is to start on February 19th. It has been
challenged, resulting in the ban being upheld. While I do expect to see an
eleventh hour postponement of this ban, (it is an election year), I do
expect that the Fox Hunters will still be appealing this ban in the European
Union World Court under the preservation of ancient sports laws.

Participation in a Fox Hunt was quite high on Laurel Ball's list of things
to do while living in England. Obviously, I felt just a little pressure as
her mother to help her experience this, February 19th is looming all too
closely on the calendar and no identified fit horse on the horizon! Keeping
caution on my side, we started out this quest by attending a Boxing Day Hunt
with the Thurlow Hunt meeting at an estate in Thurlow. This hunt was one of
about 300 Fox Hunts held on the banking Boxing Day holiday (Monday, December
27th) throughout England. This particular hunt that we went to watch had
about 200 plus horses in it. It was quite a spectacle, and the perfect hunt
to be a follower (an observer who usually follows on foot, sometimes
hitching a ride to another site that the hunt has gone to) and not a mounted
participant. Contrastingly, Laurel felt she should have been in this hunt
and saw no reason or need to attend as a follower! I can understand her
strong desire to be part of this dazzling display of horses and riders. We
saw all sorts and ages of riders, from grandchildren riding in the company
of grandparents, to couples out to enjoy a day off work, all dressed in
their finest. Horses were groomed, clipped, braided and banged to
perfection. Tack was cleaned to perfection, as if competing in a turn out
class. I saw many men in tails and top hats and one woman riding side
saddle, dressed in all the finery including a veil over her face. Hunts are
interesting in that a Fox Hunt is much slower than a drag hunt. There is
plenty of hurry up and wait times as the field is kept sequestered from the
hounds, allowing them to work a scent. Also, it is anyone's guess as to
where the fox will take them, so there is no checking of fences and courses
are at the whim of the fox. Drag hunting is very fast as the course is
already chosen and the hounds have a heavy scent to follow (It is damp here,
the scent does not dissipate easily) so the horses go fast and there are no
down times for them, thus the drag hunts usually are shorter in duration.
Fox Hunting usually starts about mid morning and the avid members bring two
horses to allow them to ride till dark, or later!

We were lucky enough to have our friend, Alex, lend us a fit pony to hunt.
"Fizz" is a large Welsh cross. She is on loan from a rescue center (in the
UK, once rescued, the animal is never given to a home, it is owned by the
rescue center and loaned out, with the rescue center holding surprise
inspections to make sure the animal is cared for in a manner acceptable to
the rescue center). "Fizz" got her name for being "fizzy," an English word
for hot. She is a safe pony but quite forward, not a beginner's mount. She
has issues with standing still, but she loves to jump and will jump anything
with elegance and verve. "Fizz" had participated in a drag hunt but never a
fox hunt. So, here we go, breaking all kinds of family rules, taking a green
hunter with a green hunt rider on board to a real hunt, leaving mom as
ground crew, not as an accompanying rider.

We had several practice cross country rides, some with natural obstacles to
jump and some with open space to allow for a full on gallop, just so rider
and pony could get to see what each other was all about. (I will tell you
what it was all about, exhilaration and adrenalin!) Through our friend,
Alex, we checked the dress code to find out that Laurel, being a junior
rider, needed to wear Jodhpur boots with half chaps. I overruled that one
as she had tall boots and I thought tall boots were safer than the half
chaps. Because she was a junior rider and a member of the Cambridgeshire
Hunt Pony Club, she needed to wear a tweed coat, not a black jacket, and her
Pony Club pin and tie. And we put a green ribbon in "Fizz's" tail so people
would know they were beginners. Adult riders wear black jackets unless they
have been a member of the hunt for a few years, then the men can wear a red
jacket, if they chose. (in another hunt, the member jacket color is green)
The men also must wear tall black boots with a brown cuff on top. Women wear
back boots, only. It all makes for very classy turn outs.

We chose to go Fox Hunting on Monday, January 17th. We rode with the
Thurlow hunt again, this time they were to meet at Woodside Farm in Balsham,
a short ride from the farm where "Fizz" resided. The Thurlow Hunt dates
back to the 1770's and covers the area we live in, Cambridgeshire and
Suffolk counties. Currently, they hunt on Mondays and Thursdays. This
particular Monday was a cold, rainy, sleeting day with lots of wind,
sometimes such a wind that the rain seemed to go horizontally, not
vertically! It was a day of stereotypical British winter weather! Our
friend, Alex, turned out to be a sterling mentor and advocate for us. She
called the hunt secretary ahead asking for a mentor for Laurel as I am still
not allowed in the saddle. A Mrs. Servaes volunteered to be Laurel's
mentor, she had brought both her now grown sons up by taking them hunting
and welcomed the opportunity to have another young person under her wing.
Alex supplied Laurel with a topographical map of the area, we carried our
own copy of that map and I gave Laurel a cell phone and some chocolates to
keep in her pocket and pondered my senses as to why and how I let Laurel
talk me into letting her ride in a Fox Hunt in a foreign country.

By and by, all the mounted riders gathered in the farm yard, finishing their
port and sausages while the Masters finalized their plan for the day (what
else besides "find a fox?"). I had a good time watching the participants
balance a port glass, a sausage or canapι, their reins and their hunting
whip, knowing that it would take some practice before I could ever have the
grace to keep everything upright and clean, while I sat on a hunter eager to
start his day! Then, off they all trotted, down a lane, picking up the pace
in the excitement to be off. They circled around a patch of woods to jump a
few warm up fences: two pasture fences, a ditch and an ordinary jumping
fence in the middle of a pasture. Once that was done, off into the woods
they went to wait for the hounds to pick up a fox's scent. This was a
smaller group of riders, about 35-40, so they did not have to stay so far
away from the hounds that they could not see them work. In this hunt, the
riders could see the hounds work. Laurel's observations of the hounds and
their Masters are that the Masters love their dogs, know them by name and
expect them to respond on an individual basis. She enjoyed watching the
relationship between the Masters and their hounds.

On this estate, foxes were in abundance, as were deer, pheasants and
partridges. This is because there are subsidies paid to the farmer to
maintain headlands (headlands are planted food and cover plots for wild
game) along the sides of the cultivated fields. These usually are the areas
an American would ride along side of the farmer's field. But don't do that
in the UK, that is a way to get a strong scolding from the Master! It did
not take long to find a few foxes but it did take a while to encourage one
to leave the woods. Finally, one did, but cleverly ran right through a field
of rape, which has a strong odor and threw off the hounds. But the Master
of the Field took the field off to the other end of that rape field to take
a hedge jump! It was huge and wide and formidable and Laurel and "Fizz"
were first of the field, after the Master of the Field, to take it. They
were stunning! (to use a British expression.) They set the pace for the
others to successfully jump. (Sometimes I think horses are like dogs: the
bigger they are, the wimpier they are!) So, there I stood, exhilarated,
watching the riders and listening to Alex and the secretary of the Thurlow
Hunt cheer at Laurel's very excellent first hedge and laughing at myself for
I had worried that "Fizz" would be outrun by these giant hunters. Well,
"Fizz" would have none of that, out front is where she liked to be and
fences were what she was looking for! She also spent her resting time
looking for hounds, as she had figured out that the hounds were to be
followed!

That hedge turned out to be the biggest jump there was. There were not a
lot of jumps on this hunt, though there were ditches. This land was arable
soil, suitable for grass hays and row crops. The field would stick together
and ride right down the middle of some fields, using the tracks of the farm
equipment and spread out in others. This was in accordance to each farmer's
individual wishes, some liked to have the hunt stay in the middle using the
farm equipment tracks, others liked to have the hunt spread out over the
planted field. We followed the hunt by car and hiked into several spots but
after about 3 hours of hunting, we called Laurel to call it a day, both
rider and pony had a great experience and that is just how we wanted to
leave it. After three hours and several foxy foxes, the Thurlow Hunt had
nothing to show of their efforts but grins and mud! Lots of mud!

I am sorry to see the ban on Fox Hunting. The ban does not mean that more
foxes get to coexist with the farmers. The country and towns are over
populated with foxes and they are frank pests. I have seen, on two
occasions, healthy foxes stroll right past my bedroom window, in the middle
of the day, off to raid a rubbish bin, I am sure. I cringe at the articles
debating lifting the ban on leg traps, once the hunt ban is in effect. I
don't like to read about the "best" way to poison foxes, a paper presented
in a recent veterinary wildlife journal. These methods do not promise
accuracy in a quick death of a fox. In the case of poison, the
administrator is banking on the assumption the animal consumes a lethal
dose, not a partial dose. In the case of the traps, the animal has to wait
until a bigger predator comes along, or the farmer, to finish him off. And
the most obvious, these methods offer no discretion between foxes, the
target, and other animals, which are in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I do not want people to think that a ban means foxes’ lives are spared. It
just means that they will have to be culled in a different way. And if the
farmer does not do the culling of an over populated population, it will be
done by nature through starvation or a lethal infectious disease outbreak.

A great website for more information about fox hunting in England is
http://www.mfha.co.uk/index.html . It is informative in a practical sense,
offers interesting historical information and is educational in regards to
the ethics of fox hunting.

I need to recognize and thank Colonel Tom Ogilvie-Graham MBE, the Commandant
of the Defence Animal Centre in Melton Mowbray and his colleague Commander
David Boyd for the conversations I had with them in regards to the history
of Fox Hunting. I am also indebted to my co-conspirator, Alexandra Buxton;
Mrs. Pat Thomas, the secretary of the Thurlow Hunt and to Mrs. Servaes, who
rode with Laurel and gave her the confidence and permission to move ahead
and go for it!

My cohort, Alex, is a free lance writer and volunteered to write her views
of Laurel's Day Off. I was so enthusiastic about this offer that there was
no room for her to back out (not that she would)! As I send this off, Alex,
her daughter, Ros, Laurel and Fizz and Cindy, the second pony, have taken
off an hour's drive south to Ros's grandmother's farm for a few days of
riding the public bridle paths, a cross country riding/jumping lesson and a
lesson in a riding school that caters to Pony Club. (It is mid term break-
the girls have a week off school) Lucky, lucky girls!

Alexandra Buxton writes:

I was brought up on a farm and we always had ponies. Fat, naughty, hairy
ponies that were covered in mud all winter and in summer time grew lazy and
stubborn in the heat. It was what my mother wanted: as a child she'd longed
to ride but had been forced to learn the piano instead.

It was my mother who taught us to ride, and when I was about 13 I went
hunting for the first time on my pony, Argent. The night before, we scraped
off the mud, washed his tail and cleaned his tack. Early in the morning my
mother plaited his mane. Off I went to the meet, in a Harris tweed jacket,
serge jodhpurs and my brother's school boots, so shiny you could see your
face in them.

That evening, as Argent munched his bran mash and I lay in the bath, I
thought: I did it, I survived. And dozing in the steamy warmth I re-lived
every second of the day: the mud flying up, the terror of galloping down
hill, the crush of horses dashing through gateways, the cry of the hounds,
the jumps we did just clinging on: the thrill of the hunt.

When, almost 40 years later, I heard that an American girl (a girl called
Laurel that I'd glimpsed across the room at a party) wanted to go hunting, I
thought: that's quite remarkable. And then I thought: well, if she wants to
go hunting, she should be able to go. And finally I thought: I have just the
right pony for the job, so - why not? And so it was that Laurel, her mum
Heidi and I hatched a plot.

But the plot, of course, would have been nothing without the pony: Fizz. A
stocky native pony with a white blaze, Fizz had a bad start in life. Aged
two or so, or maybe younger, she'd been taken in by the International League
for the Protection of Horses: a case of neglect. From there, she was adopted
by a couple as a companion for an elderly horse.

Aged three or so, Fizz was broken in but threw her first young rider off.
Her adoptive owners contacted us when they saw a postcard we'd put up in a
riding shop offering to help exercise other people's ponies. She was totally
green, almost wild, and full of character. Early on, it was evident that
Fizz loved jumping and always wanted to be in front. She could look after
herself.

Two years after my first encounter with Fizz, we got Laurel ready to take
her hunting. I tried to think what Laurel should know, what she should be
able to do, how she could be safe and feel safe. I asked her to ride round
tight corners, I told her to go up and down steep banks, I challenged her to
go as fast as possible and see how it felt. I watched her jump a water-tank,
some bales, and a big log with a run-up of just three strides.

Don't ride past the master, don't ride over the hounds, I said. Be polite
and if you do anything wrong, smile and apologize. Don't expect to be in
control and don't expect to keep clean for longer than two minutes. Don't
drink too much water, as there won't be a chance to pee for hours and here's
a map to put in your pocket in case you get lost.

Laurel passed all my tests with flying colours and wearing just the right
kind of smile to win the heart of even the most irascible field-master. She
had even read books about fox hunting and wondered what call she should
make, should she see a fox. Keep quiet and let him get away, I suggested.

Seeing Laurel at the meet, getting her and the pony there, and seeing
Laurel's mum look so proud, so happy, was (to borrow a phrase of Laurel's)
"beyond fun". For me, a circle had been completed; what my mother had done
for me, I'd helped Laurel's mum do for her.

And it didn't end there. A month later, someone I hardy knew offered me her
horse a wonderful 17.2 hh horse called Halifax and said: "take him hunting,
you'll be fine". My daughter, 14, came too - on Fizz, of course. But it was
Laurel 13 years old and a visitor from northern California - who was our
inspiration.

[To see a picture of Laurel and Fizz ready to hunt, go to:
http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/HorseManagementNewsletter/ and sign in,
then click on the "photos" link.]

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Recommended products and services: Pinchless curb hooks
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Panache Pony Club DC, Clair Spackman has found that a lot of Pony Clubbers
who use curb chains (with pelham, kimberwick, and curb bits) don't realize
that the curb hooks that come with these bits are inadvertently poking and
rubbing their horse's jaws whenever they use the reins. At the mildest,
it's just an annoyance to the horse, but if not corrected, the horse's jaw
can get rubbed raw of hair and even skin! There are 3 easy ways to fix this
problem. An immediate fix if the bit ring is large enough, is to run the
curb chain through the bit ring and attach the curb chain to the curb hook
on the outside of the bit, away from the horse's jaw. The second fix is to
use a pair of pliars to bend the lower part of the hook away from the jaw.
The best, and most highly recommended fix is to replace the regular curb
hooks with "flat curb hooks" sold in specialty tack stores such as dressage
extensions. To get a look at the difference between regular curb hooks and
the flat curb hooks go to: www.dressageextensions.com and under "Quick Find"
type in: curb hooks. This will show you both types. For a visual depiction
of the problem you can refer to the "Understanding Bits" DVD available at:
www.horseandriderbooks.com .

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Rally and rating tips: Lacing your field boots
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At every rally I go to, there are always a few competitors with their field
boots laced like tennis shoes. It seems like the obvious way to lace them
back up after you polish them thoroughly but it is technically incorrect!
It's tricky to try to describe to someone how to lace them correctly without
being there to do it, but here's a great website that actually gives a color
coded diagram and a photo of a properly laced field boot.

Go to: www.dehner.com and then click on "Field boot lace diagram".

After you've got your boots laced correctly, you can learn 15 different ways
to tie your bootlaces or any shoelace. There are even easier and more
secure ways to tie your laces than how your mother taught you. Go to:
http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/knots.htm and then click on each diagram for
complete instructions. My new personal favorite is "Ian's secure shoelace
knot".

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Questions and answers
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Hi Stormy,

We are trying to prepare our D1/D2's for the Everything But The Horse (EBTH)
rally. I have the study guide questions for the D manual, horse management,
and eventing. I know I can go through the manual to figure out which
questions would be appropriate for the D1/D2 test, but can you suggest any
guidelines for figuring out how to help these little guys study for the
test. We have one team going, younger kids. 3 D2s, 1 D1 and a new member
only 8 years old. We went back into some of your previous newsletters and
The D2s did the nutrition test, and did great on it. I know last year we
were sunk because we didn't know that the D1/D2 test was combined and didn't
prepare properly, so I want to get them better prepared this year.

Thanks,
Laurie Pringle, Sierra Gold Pony Club

Hi Laurie,

The study guides that you have are the best place to start. [They are
available at: www.ponyclub.org click on the "forms" link and then look for
the "D study guide" link and also the study guides for the various
disciplines, for example "Eventing study guide".] The other form to study
from is the appropriate standard. If you have access to an upper level Pony
Clubber that the kids look up to and who would be willing to donate some
time to quiz the competitors, that will be more fun and productive than a
parent trying to do it. If you have a kid who is still gung-ho to study
after all that, I would just set them up with reading assignments from the
manual. If they are already balking about all the studying I would let them
off the hook and then just chalk their test score up to having fun and
learning through experience.

Happy studying,
Stormy

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Hello Stormy-

I want to make sure I pass on correct info about wrapping materials, not
only to our kids but also for the upper level Pony Clubber who will conduct
a rating for us.

At the D3 level we know they have to apply a protective boot on their own
mount (with supervision) and a stable wrap (with assistance if needed).
Any kind of protective boot?
Do they apply a whole set or just demonstrate one?
What is the current suggested materials for a stable wrap? You can imagine
the array of materials we all have...and I'm the first to get confused.
Can they choose to apply a no-bow, and if so what wrap do they use with
that? What is your suggestion?

Thank you
Patsy Sisco, Duham Chico PC

Hi Patsy,

The protective boot(s) they must apply can be any style such as galloping
boots, splint boots, ankle boots, sports medicine, open front, etc... The
main point is that they can tell the right boot from the left, that they put
them on right side up and with the proper tension. They may need to apply
two boots to show the left and right side. Also have them practice putting
on bell boots so they are familiar with the correct size and fit.

The easiest and safest materials for a stable wrap in my opinion is "pillow
wrap" material for the padding (commercially available, cotton cloth sewn
over polyester batting) with the ponte polyester 6" width wraps with velcro
(usually just sold as "standing wraps").

No-bow padding is acceptable but sometimes these are too thin so you would
need to use two together which makes it awkward to put on. The best bet is
to have an upper level member check the wrap with a single no bow pad and
see if it looks thick enough. Definitely avoid the "quilted cotton"
padding, it is too thin for a standing wrap. Pony Clubbers can also always
use sheet cottons and flannel to do the wrap but it takes more skill and
practice. They are a good alternative if you have a horse or pony that is
hard to fit with commercial wrap sizes.

For more wrap information, look back at the May 2003 issue of the HM
newsletter at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HorseManagementNewsletter/message/2

Wrap away,
Stormy

*******************************************************************

Hi Stormy,

My name is Lauren Burwell. I am a C-2 from Fresno Pony Club interested in
testing for my C-3 this year. I have a question that regards my horse. My
horse Chance is an 18 year old Arabian that I have had for almost 5 years.
He tends to become easily distracted by almost anything. He also tends to
get quite strong out in the open, almost to the point of pulling my arms out
by the sockets. I was wondering if I should change bits on him. The
current bit is a Mullen Mouth Egg-Butt. I have thought about trying a bit
that is made by Mik-Mar Bit Co. I think it is the Mik-Mar Pelham bit.

Thank you so much,
Lauren Burwell C-2, Fresno Pony Club, Mid Cal Region

Hi Lauren,

You are lucky that you are starting out with what is typically the mildest
bit available. It will probably be easy to find something that you and your
horse can communicate better with out in the open.

I would suggest going to a simple mullen mouth pelham with a curb chain for
cross country work. The beauty of this bit is that you can use the snaffle
rein for basically the same control that your horse is used to on the flat.
If you need it though, you have the curb rein for a little more leverage.
The other good thing about the pelham is that you will learn to use 2 sets
of reins which you may have to ride with during switch rides at the C3 test.

I'd like to address a couple of other points that you touched on in your
email. Arabians tend to get labeled spooky because of their sensitivity to
their rider and surroundings. What this translates into is a horse that
demands a very sensitive rider. As a C2 looking to do the C3, you are on
the threshold of proving yourself to be a rider with dependably independent
aids. When I get a spooky horse in for training, I start by removing the
bit completely and riding in the bitless bridle (www.bitlessbridle.com).
What I have found is that often, the spookiness increases when the horse
worries about something, then the rider snatches the reins and the horse is
punished in the mouth. Or, if the horse actually does jump and the rider
catches him in the mouth, it's another confirmation to the horse, that his
fear was real. The bitless bridle allows for a much wider margin of error
on the rider's part.

If you watch a horse spook in the wild or in a pasture, the most typical
spook is initially just a tiny jump to the side, or even just a snort. If
the rest of the herd then starts running from an actual danger, it's no
longer a spook, but an evasive measure. The same thing happens while
riding. The initial spook is nothing more than a tiny jump or snort at
something surprising. If the rider starts snatching at a painful bit, then
the horse will start choosing more evasive measures like bolting, bucking,
or continuous spooking.

If your horse has already learned to start running (bolting) as soon as he
spooks, then you may want to try a bit that gives you a little more control.
The code word of "control" (which we all want, right?) in bit terms,
translates to pain. The more pain the bit can cause the horse, the more
control the bit-maker will say that it will give you. Initially, most
horses who feel more pain in the mouth will give you the illusion of better
control. This is not true control, it is the horse trying to avoid pain.
True control comes between a horse who is willing to see the rider as a
respected leader and a rider whose first concern is the horse's well-being.

A bit about selling products.
If you look through catalogs of bits, especially Western ones, you may
notice that any specialty bit is marketed as the "cure" for every problem
your horse may have. The smaller a niche the bit maker fills, the more they
will claim that their particular patented design can do. I have not used
Mikmar bits myself, but in evaluating the design and their claims, they
certainly fall into the specialty bit category. [Take a look at:
www.mikmarbit.com] Often these companies will sponsor big name riders in
exchange for the riders using their equipment. It looks like the special
equipment (in this case, the special bit) is what makes the person
successful. Remember though, these riders were already successful before
they started using these bits, saddles, or other pieces of equipment and in
their very sensitive hands, they can continue their success using a wide
variety of equipment. What the companies want you to think though, is that
this particular bit is the key to the success and/or that this discerning
horseperson who could pick from any piece of equipment, chose their
products. The reason that there isn't anybody singing the praises of the
mullen mouth pelham bit is that there are so many different makers that
nobody will get rich in promoting it. Current Mikmar bits all have a
mouthpiece with a port and a roller which would likely be quite
uncomfortable in an Arabian's mouth because of the breed tendency to have
low palates. Arabians tend to do better with a bit that is small and
comfortable to carry, or no bit at all. The other serious design flaw that
I see in the Mikmar mouthpiece is that their ports don't offer any tongue
relief. A port was originally designed to give the horse's tongue a place
to go to escape the pressure of the bit. The way the Mikmar bits are
designed doesn't allow this.

A more reliable source in finding an effective bit for your horse is an
experienced horseperson whose opinion you value.

Keep those arms in their sockets,
Stormy

*******************************************************************

Stormy,

How goes it in sunny California? You and Mouse have helped me so much and I
am grateful. We are planning our Standards and Ratings Clinic and usually
also do our Horse Management Seminar in conjunction on a weekend. This
year, our Regional Supervisor wanted in lieu of the usual, for me and some
of the upper level kids to visit clubs and do individual clinics with them.
Does this satisfy our national requirement to have a HM seminar every year?
Should I push for a "real" HM seminar in our region? I want to do the
"correct" thing, but am flexible, and understand that our region is very
spread out geographically. I would appreciate your thoughts.

Thanks,
Marcy Neher, Inland Empire Region HMO

Hi Marcy,

I don't have the ultimate authority to answer that but I can always chime
in! As HMO for the region you have two facets to fulfill with a regional HM
seminar. First, the 2002 HM handbook pg. 99, says the HMO must "Develop
Regional level HM seminar for club members." Note that it doesn't specify
that it has to be every year, although I seem to remember that it specifies
either yearly or every other year somewhere else. Secondly, you must
"Organize and facilitate Regional Horse Management Judge's (HMJ) seminar
with the assistance of the Regional Instruction Coordinator. This should be
held once a year to include all current and potential HMJs."

So we're talking about two different seminars which can be combined or held
separately. One for club members, the other for HMJs and potential HMJs.

I can't see any problem with holding a traveling HM seminar to fulfill the
"regional level HM seminar for club members" requirement. This has the
advantage of less travel for more people so you would probably have better
attendance. I'm not sure how cost effective it would be for the region
unless you are doing the traveling for free. If you can get the individual
clubs to subsidize your travel costs then it might work for the region.

I'm not sure how long your standards and ratings clinic goes, but it may be
possible to hold them both on the same day, 3-4 hours for one in the AM, and
3-4 hours for the other in the PM, or something like that. There isn't any
requirement as to how long or extensive the HM seminar has to be. We
typically hold the HM seminar for club members in the earlier part of the
day and then an HMJ seminar afterwards. I don't think we've ever held the
standards and ratings clinic and HM seminars together, but we have held the
HM seminar for HMJs in conjunction with rallies, especially the "Everything
But The Horse" (EBTH) rally early in the year.

In years that there's a new HM handbook, it is a good idea to use the HM
seminar to get everybody up to speed on the new changes. In years where it
seems that nothing is changed, I remind myself is that every year there are
new members, or members who haven't rallied or owned a horse before. Even
though it seems repetitive, it's good to go back over the old basic rules
like not sitting down while holding a horse, keeping water buckets clean,
and even how to tie a quick release knot. This is where your older pony
clubbers can take charge and each teach a subject or two. At our last
regional seminar, we had older PC'ers, CHMJs and AHMJs each teaching a 10
minute lesson. We divided the attendees into small groups and sent them
around to the lesson stations. At the end of 10 minutes, they would fill
out a quick evaluation of the lesson and then move to the next station. We
had all sorts of good topics from how to tie a stock tie, to what to label
in a rally tack room. By the end of the day, the teachers had gotten the
experience of teaching the same lesson at least 10 times and the attendees
got information on some great horse management topics.

If you decide to hold the traveling HM seminar I would start by sending out
a poll to the clubs and seeing what types of topics they feel they need the
most help on. I would make a list of options like: bandaging, longeing,
trailer safety, nutrition, conformation and lameness, nutrition, rally
expectations, record books, and stable management. Basically, just take the
topics right from the standards. I'm sure you will get the most support
from the clubs if you are coming to teach what they feel they are weak in.
In my opinion, the most useful topics you could provide instruction on are
ones that require hands on practice such as bandaging and longeing. If you
then get together with your upper level "experts" in the topics, you can
plan your road show and get out there. I would also allow a little time to
go over new rule changes in the HM handbook with each club.

You may choose to charge the clubs at least a minimal fee to cover food and
gas for your crew. Something like $5.00 per participant is very reasonable
and what I have found is that if the people know that there is a fee
involved, they value the instruction much more. It's similar to auditing
clinics, there will be great instructors that you can watch for free, and
other great ones who charge an auditing fee. The perception is always that
the ones who charge the fee are more worthy of your undivided attention.

Happy travels,
Stormy

**************************************************

Hi Stormy-

I hope you're in the mood for answering questions cause I have oh so many!

* since I should be practicing bandaging regularly, is it possible that my
horse could become 'immune' to bandaging since I'll tend to bandage after
work and leave on for the night. Or is it possible that he'll start
'needing' bandaging regularly if I bandage him all the time? For example if
you feed a horse a supplement regularly-they can sometimes feel the need for
it if you take it away?

* It says in the bandaging guide that I am supposed to wrap from OUTSIDE to
INSIDE, and place beginning of wrap in groove behind cannon bone? I normally
wrap INSIDE to OUTSIDE? Must I do it the other way and why?

* I have a loose ring snaffle, loose ring-French snaffle, copper roller
d-ring snaffle, full-cheek french snaffle and I just ordered a
rubber-covered egg-butt snaffle. Other than size (which we'll have to see
about) which do you think might be best for my horse at this time?

* I looked at my record book and in the past 11 days, my horse has had only
1 day off! When I school at home, I rarely jump and I rarely work over 45
minutes. Am I working him too much?

* Would you recommend Vitamin E and Selenium as a supplement for my (or any)
horse? I heard it was good stuff and necessary-what do you think?

Thanks again-
Ariana Prusa, C2, 49er Pony Club

Hi Ariana,

1) A horse can become dependent on wraps. I have seen this in horses whose
owners always wrap their horse's legs to keep them from stocking up. Once a
horse is wrap dependent, they will often have to be "weaned" off by
gradually reducing the wrapping time and providing more turnout or work if
possible. If your horse is only wearing the bandages because you need the
practice, then I'd just take them off after you put them on. It is helpful
to leave a stable bandage on all night just once or twice for the ultimate
test, to see how your wrapping techniques stand up to real use.

2) I think you might have misunderstood the bandaging book. Usually we
teach to wrap from front to back, which means if you look down as you're
wrapping the left legs, you will be bandaging counterclockwise and clockwise
for the right legs. The reason for this, is that as you come around from
the inside of the leg to the outside, you will be pulling the wrap material
snug against the horse's cannon bone, which is less likely to be damaged
than if you pulled too tightly on the tendons at the back of the leg.

3) You might as well narrow your bit choices down to what you'll be able to
use during your upcoming rating and rallies. For the flat part of ratings,
the legal bits that you listed are: loose ring snaffle, loose ring french
snaffle, full cheek french snaffle, and rubber covered eggbutt snaffle. The
copper bit isn't legal, not because of the copper, but because of the
rollers. All of the bits, including the copper with roller, are legal for
the SJ and XC portions of ratings. Your horse seemed very soft on the bit
when I gave you a lesson so I would suggest either of the french link bits
or the rubber eggbutt snaffle. It really depends on how he goes in each.
The full cheek would be good if he tended to be hard to turn but I didn't
notice that.

4) I would give your horse at least 1 day off per week, preferably two. If
you give him this time off make sure he has turn out (I'm not sure if he
lives in a stall or outdoors). If you notice that he comes back more
stiffly after a day or two off then he might do better with regular light
work like you've been doing. The best gauge is your horse. If he's happy
to come and work each day, you're fine. If he seems grouchy, give him some
space.

5) Vitamin E and selenium are good supplements for horses who tend to tie up
(azoturia) or have other nutritional imbalances. I haven't heard of
selenium problems in this area, but if your horse grazes on land that has
too much selenium, or his hay is grown where there is a lot of selenium in
the ground, he can develop selenium toxicity. Your best bet is to talk to
your vet about it. He or she will have a better idea of the selenium
problems (if any) in this area. If you're going to supplement, I would
choose a broad spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement that includes Vitamin
E and selenium (if needed in this area).

Keep the questions coming,
Stormy

*************************************************

Stormy, in your January 2005 newsletter you mentioned that there is a lot of
money available as grants for nonprofit groups. Could you give some more
information on that? Such as, where to find them, what the qualifications
usually are. As a nonprofit group, can you get enough money in grants to
stay financially sound? How reliable is it? I have a horse boarding
business and I was trying to cater to older horses. I offered a reduction
in board because I wanted to encourage people to retire their horses instead
of selling them at auction. Now I'm getting away from that. I can't offer
enough of a discount to be of any benefit to the horse's owners. But if
there are grants available, I might be able to go back to that. If I have a
barn full of retired horses, can a grant be suddenly taken away and I'm left
with the cost?

Mary Fedorchak, Midland, PA

Hi Mary,

I haven't gone through a grant application process myself but I can
certainly head you in the right direction. If you already have a non-profit
set up for your business then you're ahead of the game. I would suggest
writing to some equine facilities who are currently supported by grants and
donations to ask them about the pros and cons of this source of funding.

A good overview article about applying for horse related grants:

http://www.equiworld.net/uk/services/grantsmanship.htm

An article about a horse rescue facility that is funded through grants and
donations:

http://www.defhr.org/press/snyderpr.htm

Funding ideas including grants for animal based organizations:

http://www.fundforanimals.org/animalfunding/

Grantwriting tips:

http://www.npguides.org/

Here are some sites of places that offer grants to get you started. Many
more can be found by going to a search page (like www.google.com) and
searching for "grants equine non profit" or something similar.

Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation - "A society more humane-a world more
liveable"
http://www.grdodge.org/

PETsMART charities
http://www.petsmart.com/charities/index.shtml

The Summerlee Foundation - "To fund programs to relieve cruelty to animals
in all its manifestations" (They also fund educational projects on the
history of Texas, but the animal cruelty funding is not state-specific.)
http://www.summerlee.org/

I hope that gets you started on the path,
Stormy

**********************************************

Hi,

I don't own or use a horse, but I'm wondering what happens if a bit is used
incorrectly on a horse?

V. Cooper via Internet

Hi V.,

Incorrect use of a bit on a horse can have any number of consequences both
for the horse and rider. A few of the more serious ones are listed below.

Consequences for the horse include:
pinched or bruised tongue, palate, bars, lips, poll, nosebone and/or chin
groove
bleeding tongue, bars, or lips
scarred tongue, bars, or lips
broken jaw or nosebone
permanent bone spurs on the lower jaw (bars)
being pulled to the ground
getting scared by the bit and running into dangerous situations
permanent or temporary nerve damage to the tongue, bars, nosebone, or jaw

Consequences for the rider include:
getting bucked off
getting run away with
being pulled out of the saddle
pulling the horse off balance and throwing him the ground
getting scared by the bit and running into dangerous situations

The most important factor in determining the severity of a bit is the
rider's hands. The more independent and sensitive the hands, the milder the
bit will act.

At its best, the bit is a very useful tool for communication with the horse.
Often horses are more clear about what the rider is asking when the rider
uses a well fitted bit along with sensitive hands. I remember the well
known trainer John Lyons discovering that even after training his Appaloosa
stallion Bright Zip to go bridleless, he noticed that the horse was more
sure of himself when John communicated through a bit.

At its worst, the bit can be nothing short of a torture device, capable of
inflicting unimaginable pain on the horse and rider alike.

Keep it soft,
Stormy

*******************************************************************
Recommended books, videos, and CD-ROMs!
*******************************************************************

Riding Between the Worlds by Linda Kohanov

I am a huge fan of Linda Kohanov's but the subjects she delves into with her
"Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy" practice can leave people in a state of
disbelief so be forewarned.

One reviewer writes:

"Daring, deep, and right on target! Kohanov's work with horses and healing
may be startling and challenging to many mainstream horsetrainers and
psychotherapists, but it is a head-nodding, knee-slapping affirmation to
those who have experienced -- over and over again -- the astounding
potential of the human-animal relationship. Beautifully done!"

*******************************************************************
Fun and educational websites
*******************************************************************

We are listing free give away items at the end of this newsletter, but if
you have items that you'd like to get some dollars for, here are a few
websites where you can list your items for no charge:

Bay Area Equestrian Network: www.bayequest.com

Southern California Equestrian Network: www.socalequest.com (free photo
limited time)

Dressage Extensions (not just for dressage stuff) dressageextensions.com
(free photo ads link)

Sierra Pacific Regional Horse Exchange (includes vehicles, tack, and
miscellaneous categories):
http://sierrapacific.ponyclub.org/horse_exchange_new.htm

************************************************

Here's the website of one of our newsletter subscribers in Saskatchewan,
Canada. She runs a breeding farm specializing in Welsh ponies, Cobs, and
part-breds. Be sure to check out the "Value added training program" link,
it's a novel way to give future trainers experience.

http://www.ch-equestrian.com

************************************************

Thinking of an equestrian getaway? Here's a fun site to help you dream.
Whether you want to ride ponies in Mongolia to meet nomadic reindeer herding
families, or maybe a safari in Botswana is more your style, this company
offers it all. (The India Himalayan ride sounds fabulous to me, you may
even get to see the Tibetan Wild Ass. I kid you not!)

www.ridingtours.com

********************************************************************
Featured rule: Lead Lines
********************************************************************

2002 Horse Management Handbook page 29 section 10: Lead Lines

Cotton lead lines are recommended for safety reasons. Flat nylon lead
lines, with or without chain shanks, may not be used for tying mounts
because nylon tends to slip. If the mount pulls back, the knot may get too
tight to be untied. Round nylon lead lines are discouraged for the same
reasons - but not forbidden. If a nylon shank is being used for leading the
mount, it is recommended that gloves be worn to prevent hands from being
burned, should the mount pull away. If a lead rope with a chain shank is
used, the chain must be threaded over the mount's nose or attached to the
halter in some other safe, appropriate manner, so that neither child nor
mount becomes tangled in the chain. If the mount does not require the use
of a chain over the nose, a plain lead must be used. Otherwise, it is a
misuse of the equipment.

********************************************************************
Free item exchange
********************************************************************

**FREE**FREE**FREE**

Navy blue polyester blend hunt coat in decent condition, no noticeable
stains or missing buttons. I'm not sure what size it is, but it would
probably fit an average sized 10-12 year old. Buyer to pay only the actual
shipping cost.

If you are interested in this coat, please contact Stormy:
stormy@...


<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Submit your free horse-related items or services here. If you or your club
has items they are willing to pass along to a new family, this is a great
place to list them. Listings can come from any part of the country, or even
overseas!

Free items may include but are not limited to:

riding clothes
rally equipment
horse-related games and toys
tack and training equipment
blankets, wraps, halters
books or magazines
horse-related artwork
and of course...horses and ponies!

The recipient may be expected to handle any shipping costs.

Please provide a phone and/or email contact with each listing. Items will
be listed in the next HM Newsletter and will not be renewed unless an
additional email is sent asking for the listing to be continued.

So...clean out your tackroom and make room for more stuff!

To submit your items, simply reply to this email or write to:
stormy@... .

********************************************************************
Call for submissions
********************************************************************

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.