HORSE MANAGEMENT NEWSLETTER AND MORE!!!
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Topics in this issue:
1) Reader responses: More on hydrating horses
2) Feature: The meaning of horses
3) Recommended products and services: Tevis Cup needs volunteers
4) Rally and rating tips: Waterless turnbacks
5) Questions and answers: Bitless collection?
6) Recommended books, videos, and CD-ROMs: Chris Irwin
7) Fun and educational websites: wild horses, ulcers, and saddles
8) Featured rule: eligibility of mount
9) Free item exchange

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Reader responses: Hydrating Horses
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Stormy,

Wow, that was a terrific article on how to keep horses hydrated when you
take them to strange places, like going to rallies, summer camps,... all
those things we subject our horses to. You suggested many of the things
we've done at our D Camp on Mt. Diablo - except one. Teach your horse to
drink from a hose.

Everyone has heard the old adage about you can lead a horse to water but you
can't make him drink...... well the exception to that is if he is used to
drinking from a hose. With most horses, it's an automatic reaction to drink
when the hose with running water is placed in their mouth.

My daughter's horse Tucker is a duck when it comes to water, and while she
and he were playing around with the water hose one time I realized that
using a hose is a great way to be sure you're getting water into a horse
when you think he might not be getting enough or it's hot and you want to be
sure he's replacing what he has been sweating off.

If you get him used to drinking from the hose you can use that method any
time you're away from home and worried if he's getting enough water. If the
level in his water bucket isn't going down as much as you think it should,
go find a hose and try that to supplement what he's getting from his bucket.
The old gatorade/koolaid trick works if you remember to start doing it at
home ahead of time, but if you've forgotten, you can just whip out a hose
instead. You'll be seeing him ingest water right before your eyes.... and
he doesn't have the time to sniff the water and get suspicious that it
doesn't smell like what he's used to at home.

It's just another idea to have in your bag of tricks to outsmart those four
legged beasties.

Keep those great articles coming.....

Thanks,
Marilynn Terstegge, former PC mom, Mid Cal Region

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Hi Stormy,

A couple of years ago I was in Florida visiting my daughter and riding in a
John Lyons clinic. The owner of the horse I borrowed uses warm water and
PINK country time lemonade to encourage the horses to drink. She had two
buckets next to each other: both with fresh water during the day, at evening
feed she would fill one with 1/3 C (one scoop) lemonade and warm water. The
horse would drink the WHOLE bucket at once. Then she would rinse it and
leave it full of regular water. She said it was very important to only use
PINK lemonade.

Have a great summer,
Joan Hancock, former PC mom, Sierra Pacific Region

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Feature: The meaning of horses
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The following is a very nice article by a 16 year old girl who lives in
Georgia. She has a great connection with horses and I asked if she would
write something for this newsletter.

The Meaning of Horses
By Lana Kubicki

Do you remember what it was like the first time you met a horse? You
probably felt excited, anticipatory, and couldnıt wait to get on its back.
When I was a small child I dreamt of all sorts of wonderful things I might
do one day with horses. Riding around in meadows without saddle or bridle,
swimming in the lake, and being best buds with my horse were visions I hoped
would one day come true. When I looked at a horse, or touched a horse, or
smelled a horse, I felt happy, secure, and like my wildest dreams were about
to come true. That is what being with horses is all about.

In todayıs world of competitive riding, we lose so much of our original
purpose and intentions. When thereıs a ribbon on the line, we can forget
that the horse is our friend, partner, and the only one who wonıt judge or
scrutinize us. Unlike judges in a show, horses donıt care what you are
wearing, what family you come from, or how perfect you appear to be. They
want the genuine you. They want to be someone you can confide in. They
want authenticity.

Itıs our job to never take these wonderful horses for granted. Each
horse has something special to offer us, and we each have something special
to offer him. This is true for every horse you will encounter, and it is
very simple. All horses can give to you is themselves, and all you can give
to them is yourself. Give them love, understanding, and the ability to ³be
a horse². They allow us to be humansŠ

Small children understand this the best, and that is why sometimes the
strongest equine and human partnerships take place at a very young age. If
we can learn to capture the childlike qualities of authenticity, love, and
understanding, then we can build a lifelong friendship with a horse. We can
learn to speak his language, and realize the things he likes or dislikes.
When you ride, you will be like one unit instead of two. Competitions will
be less stressful, and more fluid. Judges canıt help but notice the bond
between horse and rider. Willingness is sometimes hard to come by in shows.

If you treat a horse like a horse, he will stand by you at all times.
He will step up to the plate when you need him to, whether in the show ring,
on a trail ride, or in his own stall. He will develop a ³want-to² attitude
towards work, he will be more robust, happier, healthier, and closer to your
heart. Isnıt that what we always dreamed of anyway? Isnıt that what you
wanted the very first time you looked into a horseıs eyes? You wanted a
true friend for life. You wanted him to love you back. And he will, if you
only try to know him as he wants to be known --- exactly the way he is.

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Recommended products and services: Tevis Cup volunteers needed THIS WEEKEND!
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How about a service you could provide for the endurance riding community
while learning more about what it takes to compete in the prestigious 100
mile Tevis Cup ride?

(The following is excerpted from the Horsin' Around Calendar, a free e-mail
calendar for the Bay Area equestrian community, subscribe or view the
complete calendar on the web at:
http://www.horsenpony.com/news/nchac/index.asp )

BECOME PART OF HISTORY by volunteering to help at the Tevis 100-mile
endurance ride! It started in 1955, and more than 700 volunteers are needed
to support the 200+ riders and their crew, who begin their trek across the
Sierras from the Lake Tahoe area to Auburn. Volunteers get to feel the joy
and hardships of the riders in their quest to master the mountains.
Volunteers are needed for check in at Robie Park on July 22nd (Friday) and
to assist riders with their horses after the vet check-in. Volunteers will
take horses and get them numbered while riders weigh in with their tack, get
event t-shirts, meal ticket, plus root beer floats! Please contact Sherre
Beisel sherre@... or by phone (530) 268-1322.

More volunteers are needed for the vet check at the Lower Quarry location,
on July 23rd, at mile 94, about two miles east of Hwy 49 along the Middle
Fork of the American River. No crews are allowed in at this stop;
therefore, volunteers are especially important. Tasks include setting up the
base area, directing riders to hay, water and the vet line; holding horses
while riders use the porta-potty or take a brief break to eat a snack;
helping take pulse and respirations (P&R's) of horses, holding and watching
pulled horses, helping to take down the area. You are asked to sign up for
at least two hours between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. (meaning the night shift!) It
is apparently quite an experience to watch 40 to 60 horses show up one
right after another in the middle of the night! If you'd like to help,
please call Mary Abbott at (530) 346-7155 hm, or (916) 214-7144 cell, or
email mabbott@...

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Rally and rating tips: Waterless turnbacks
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by Joy Poling, Chief Horse Management Judge, Mid West region

I think kids rely too much on using a hose or water bucket to "clean" their
horse after riding and don't know how to use elbow grease to groom a sweaty
horse. I've seen kids not do a good grooming because they didn't have water
available and thought they could not groom properly without water. At one
clinic where we didn't have the option of using a hose, I let my horse dry
and groomed (without water) and let the kids give me a turnback*. He was
cleaner than the horses that were "groomed" with water. Maybe this is due to
the fact that they board; time is limited so they try to short cut the
grooming.

To clean a horse for a turnback without water, after the horse is dry, I
curry him all over; then use the dandy brush. I then use a medium bristle
brush and clean the brush every 2 or 3 strokes (I use a metal curry comb to
clean the brushes). As the dried salt comes up you can feel the difference.
I just keep brushing until I don't feel the grit/grime on my hands. Your
hands will eventually come back clean when you wipe them across their coat.
I finish off with a body brush. I have a medium bristle and a very soft
bristle body brush and all my brushes are natural bristle. I think they
clean better than the synthetic ones. It does take a lot of time and I know
we don't always have the extra time it takes. I do think it's important
that kids learn that you can groom without water. It just takes lots of
time and elbow grease.

*For non Pony Club people, a turnback is a horse, tack, and rider inspection
one hour after your ride at a rally competition. This check ensures that
your horse and gear have been properly cared for (e.g. no sweat marks, mud,
etc...).

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Questions and answers
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Hi Stormy,

My daughter and I have been using the bitless bridle exclusively for three
years. We recently started lessons with a very competent woman, but she was
not familiar with the bitless bridle. She is willing to work with us,
however, she says that both our older horses need to lift their backs and
round and that cannot be achieved with the bitless. She recommends a medium
weight eggbutt snaffle bit. Both horses are very familiar with bits and I
don't think they would have a problem. My question is, can a horse achieve
the same collected roundedness using a bitless and if so, how can that be
done? Also, do you think that it would be better to use a bit to develop
the collection and then switch back to the bitless?

We are so thankful that you not only know so much about horses, riding,
bits, etc., but that you are open to the "newer" things such as the bitless
bridle.

Thanks for your time.

Mona Johnson in WA

Hi Mona,

In my experience, with most horses there is no problem achieving lower level
collection in a bitless bridle. I started my horse Patrik (6 year old
Hanoverian) in a bit, but he quickly became fussy with it. I luckily found
the bitless bridle when he was 4 and have ridden him in that ever since. He
is now working on second level collection and most of the third level
movements. Since I do want to show him, I normally ride with a KK ultra
eggbutt snaffle over the bitless bridle (2 sets of reins, held like a double
bridle) which allows me to warm up with mostly the bitless bridle, and then
switch to a little more of the bit as needed to keep him from being heavy.
He is still extremely sensitive to the bit, and he will show it by grinding
his teeth when the exercises get difficult or he doesn't understand what I
want. He never grinds with just the bitless bridle on. After about 2nd or
3rd level, it may be useful to switch to a bit from time to time (as long as
the rider has independent aids) to achieve a more subtle form of
communication. If a lower level rider is riding a horse trained to the
upper levels, that would be a good time to switch the horse to a bitless
bridle so the rider doesn't confuse the horse with uncoordinated aids in his
sensitive mouth.

Jessica Jahiel is a very experienced horsewoman, dressage rider and author.
She likes the bitless bridle as well. Below is a question and answer from
her website archives (http://www.horse-sense.org) which is very similar to
your own. If you have some time, check out the rest of her website. I
really respect her opinion on just about everything.

Best wishes,
Stormy

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Hello Jessica,

I know that you think highly of the Bitless Bridle. I just got one myself.
So far so good. I do like it a lot. My instructor is not so sure. She is an
accomplished dressage rider/ instructor. She feels that at a certain point
in a horses progression that you will need the more accurate cues that only
the proper bit for the proper horse and rider team can provide. Not, mind
you, that I have any lofty dressage goals for my horse and myself. I like
working on basic dressage exercises to improve my horse's balance flexibly,
strength and longevity. He is almost 6. At this point we are working on him
stretching out his topline bending properly and shoulder ins and shoulder
outs etc. Mostly we trail ride as an occupation. The lessons are for workout
and training. So anyhow what do you feel are the limitations of finer riding
in a bitless bridle?

Thanks so much. Kate

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Kate! I don't think you're in any immediate danger of encountering those
limitations. It sounds to me as though you are doing all the right things,
and you are absolutely right about the universal usefulness of basic
dressage exercises. The more supple, flexible, and responsive your horse is,
the more fun you will have when you ride, in the ring or on the trail.

If you fall madly in love with dressage for its own sake, and continue to
school your horse according to good dressage principles, you may reach the
point at which you find that you want to participate in dressage
competition. The rules of competition do specify that the horse must wear a
bit, so you will need to find a legal bit that's comfortable for your horse,
and use it IF you choose to compete. Do keep in mind that an occasional
competition takes up very little time, compared to the rest of the time you
spend riding at home and on trails, so your horse wouldn't need to spend
very much time wearing a bit. You could certainly continue to do most of
your schooling without it. However, please don't do ALL of your schooling
without a bit and then add a bit to your horse's bridle the morning of the
competition - neither of you will be prepared!

I do agree that at the top levels of dressage, the aids are more subtle and
much more precise. But by the time you reach those levels, both you and your
horse will be very fit, strong, supple, and responsive, and you should be
riding him primarily from your leg and seat.

In a way, the requirement that a bit be used at every level of dressage
competition is - to my mind, anyway - related to the requirement that a
double bridle (two bits) be used at the upper levels of competition. It is
not so much a test of the horse as it is a test of the RIDER and the rider's
skills.

The horse is half the team, and although the focus of dressage might seem to
be the HORSE'S skills and responsiveness, the rider's skills and sensitivity
are also extremely important, because without an educated seat and hands,
the rider won't be able to provide the subtle signals and tiny variations in
balance and pressure that elicit the desired responses from the horse.

Whether you ride with or without a bit, if you are interested in dressage it
would be a good idea to think in terms of using aids rather than cues. At
the lowest level of dressage competition, you can probably "get by" with
using cues; as you go up the levels, you'll see why it's much more useful to
use aids from the very beginning. When you use aids, you have an entire
language at your disposal, and you can be much more precise and much more
expressive in your signals, which enables the horse to be much more precise
and expressive in his responses. Cues are quick and convenient, but they
limit your ability to communicate - instead of a language, you have a short
phrasebook. A phrasebook is better than nothing, and it can be useful as
long as the only things you want to say are actually IN that phrasebook, but
if you want to say something or ask a question that isn't IN the phrasebook,
or if you want to have a chat with someone, you're stuck. If you want to be
able to begin and maintain a real conversation (and isn't that what dressage
is all about?) you'll want to learn the language itself, and do your best to
become fluent. When you are "fluent" in the language of dressage, you can
say much more with a bit than without one.

In the earlier stages, when you are just beginning to develop your horse's
physique and mind, and when you are working to achieve good basic control of
your own balance, legs, and seat, you and your horse will probably both be
happier if you continue to use the Bitless Bridle most of the time. When
your own skills are at a level that enable you to "talk" to your horse using
your body and balance, and the reins are there to provide reassuring contact
and to allow you to ask the horse to tip its nose to one side or the other,
you can begin using a bit, with the goal of having the horse continue to be
as forward, pleasant, and responsive WITH the bit as it is WITHOUT it. Even
if you decide that you and your horse are very happy to work with a bit, you
should still return to the Bitless Bridle from time to time, just to check
your progress. It's a wonderful way to evaluate your riding and your
communication through the reins.

If you and your horse can go from Bitless Bridle to bit without occasioning
a change in the horse's energy, eagerness, or responsiveness, then you will
know that you are a good rider and that you are using the reins gently,
lightly, and consistently. If your horse goes beautifully without a bit, and
then becomes unwilling, anxious, short-strided, or high-headed WITH a bit,
and if you are absolutely certain that the bit fits the horse and that the
horse has no mouth pain from causes unrelated to the bit (e.g.,from teeth in
need of floating), then you will have to conclude that you may be handling
the reins too roughly, and change your style of riding accordingly.

It takes far more finesse to use a bit gently than it does to ride without
one, just as it takes far more finesse to use two bits gently than it does
to ride with just a snaffle. That's why work with a double bridle requires a
far more sophisticated and adept rider - the horse will react instantly to
any roughness and any mistake on the rider's part. Similarly, work with a
bit requires more coordination and sophistication than work in a Bitless
Bridle - it's much more demanding of the rider, both in terms of knowledge
and technique, and because it is always the rider's responsibility to ensure
that the horse is comfortable and confident.

Since the Bitless Bridle is very comfortable and easy for the horse to
accept, and encourages the horse to be very forgiving of rider mistakes, it
can lead to some self-deception on the part of the rider. If you can ride
horses very well in a double bridle, or even in a snaffle, you can buy a
Bitless Bridle on Thursday, put it on your horse and adjust it on Friday,
and use it for a long trail ride on Saturday. But if you've always ridden
your horse without a bit, you can't just add a bit and head down the trail
(or into the dressage arena). You and the horse with both need a longer,
more careful, and more gradual period of adjustment. The possibilities of
subtle communication increase dramatically with a bit - but so do the
possibilities of discomfort or pain for the horse, so it's essential that
the rider be considerate, skilled, and aware.

From your letter, it seems to me that you could easily do everything that
you're doing now, and quite a lot more, in the Bitless Bridle. It might put
your instructor's mind at ease if you allow her to try the Bitless Bridle
for herself, either on your horse (if she occasionally rides your horse
anyway, that is) or on one of her own horses. I find that riders tend to
begin very awkwardly, clearly worrying about how much control they will
have, but that the good riders quickly discover that they like the way the
horses are moving, and after a little time, those riders will usually laugh
and say "Oh, my, I completely forgot that there's no bit!" Even if she
doesn't want one of these bridles for her own use, it would be good for her
to become familiar with the idea - some day, she may need one for a
student's horse or for one of her own. I lent one of my Bitless Bridles to a
student whose horse had sustained a nasty mouth injury, and although she
went back to using a bit as soon as her horse's mouth healed, the Bitless
Bridle enabled her to continue schooling for those six weeks. Your
instructor may be more amenable to trying the Bitless Bridle if you make it
clear that you aren't trying to "convert" her, you just think that she could
benefit from discovering one more useful tool for her teaching/training
toolbox. ;-)

Jessica

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Recommended books, videos, and CD-ROMs! The Horsepower series by Chris Irwin
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I recently read "Horses Don't Lie" by Chris Irwin and then watched two of
his videos, "The round pen redefined" and "Pro-active problem solving".

I was skeptical at first, you know, is this guy just another self-proclaimed
horse guru saying one thing while doing another? I'm happy to report that
Chris Irwin is the real deal. A sensible guy with some great insights to
add to the collective wisdom of all us horse trainers.

One of the best insights he explained in his round pen video was how horses
communicate with their whole bodies. They use their head as a punctuation
mark to emphasize what the rest of their body is already saying. Humans get
so focused on the heads of people and animals that we forget that horses
will usually start their communication with just a swish of the tail or a
cock of the hind leg. If we don't acknowledge horse's subtle
communications, they often have to get stronger (kicking, bucking, rearing,
going lame, etc.) to get the message through to us.

You can read more about Chris Irwin on his website at: www.chrisirwin.com .

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Fun and educational websites
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CALICO MOUNTAIN MUSTANGS AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION: Some of the mustangs from
Nevada's Calico Mountains and Palomino Valley are still available for
adoption. Assorted colors, all beauties; bays, buckskins, chestnuts, a
cremelo, grulla, pintos, roans $125, call or e-mail to make an appointment.
(775) 475-2222 or e-mail: Michael_myers@... or cguenaga@....
Photos are available of them on the website,

http://www.calicomtns.net/june_18,_2005_adoption.htm

Some very cute horses are still available. They have been shipped to
Nebraska so anyone in that part of the country can have a chance to adopt
them. Of course remember these are wild horses and should only be handled
by professionals until they have been gentled and started.

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A very good article on equine ulcers, including symptoms, prevention, and
many different treatments that are being used today:

http://www.equisearch.com/care/illness/eqhorseulc217/

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Do you know exactly which saddle you want but haven't been able to find it
used or in the condition you want? Try this site, they have a huge
selection of new and used saddles and specialize in sending European saddles
to the U.S.

http://www.thetackguide.com/

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Featured rule: Eligibility of Mount
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2002 Horse Management Handbook page 41 section 40: Eligibility of Mount

Specific horse sports have specific rules or guidelines regarding size of
the mount and eligibility; however, the following guidelines are universal
for USPC competitions:

A: Mounts must be five (5) years of age for any USPC competition.

B: Stallions are not allowed. (See USPC By-Laws.)

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

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

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@... .

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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.