January 22, 2010
Nights at the Museums is an educational, fun night for your kids.
Seize the opportunity for a night out on the town without the worry of what to do with the kiddos.
Let Two Bits baby sit!
Parents Night Out is a collaborative effort between four local museums that gives parents a break and educates the kids with fun activities. Read the rest of this entry »
January 21, 2010
Spring cleaning is just around the corner -- we hope!
AQHA’s community on Facebook is the place to go to discuss current issues, stay updated on AQHA news … and just have some fun!
Our Twitter account is also buzzing with activity.
Recently, our social-media readers weighed in on the welcome change of seasons, telling us that horse people know spring is coming when …
January 21, 2010
It’s commonly thought that horses turned out on pasture are better off than those that are confined, but if grass hay is the only hay they are fed, horses can still get gastric ulcers.
From Dr. Pete Gibbs, AgriLife Research
A change in diet can be good for what ails you – even if you are a horse.
Research from Texas A&M University shows that feeding alfalfa to horses that have the potential to be high performers either prevented or was therapeutic in treating stomach ulcers.
“Something in alfalfa hay tends to buffer acid production,” says Dr. Pete Gibbs, Texas A&M Extension horse specialist.
January 20, 2010
Tina Kaven says you need to break up a horse's exercise routine. She uses five calisthenic exercises that enhance a horse's movement, balance and flexibility.
By Tina Kaven in The American Quarter Horse Journal
This is the second in a four-part series. Need to review Part 1?
Long Trotting
This exercise is a medium working trot with the horse using a full stride. It is more than a jog but isn’t fast.
The purpose of this exercise is to emphasize balance, strength, complete extension of the legs and use of the back while keeping it rounded. Although the horse is in a working trot, he is still expected to maintain a Read the rest of this entry »
January 19, 2010
The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and horsemanship education for the benefit of the horse industry.
So you want to learn how to ride or get better at it? Should you open up the yellow pages to find a barn or riding instructor near you? You could, but then how do you know which people use quality school horses? How do you know that they are safe and the instructors know what they are doing? What credentials do they have?
By visiting www.CHAinstructors.com and searching for an instructor near you, you know that instructor has gone through a week-long hands-on training course where two people have evaluated her on how safe, effective and fun her riding lessons are.
January 18, 2010
Question:I have a coming-on 2-year-old colt. When is the best time to start training a young colt? I have handled him since he was born.
Thanks, Rick
Twenty years ago, we routinely started 2 year olds under saddle, but thankfully, this routine has changed over time. If I had a very compelling reason, like early competition, sales or because the colt was very rambunctious, I might start a horse in the fall of his 2-year-old year. Otherwise, I’d prefer to wait until the Read the rest of this entry »
January 18, 2010
Once understanding has been established, everything becomes simple and possible.
From AQHA’s “Fundamentals of Horsemanship”
Equine ethology was born of a desire to help man in order to help the horse. This quest did not, however, require the invention of a new scientific field of the creation of a new discipline. It is simply a rediscovery of knowledge and experience accumulated over centuries and adapted to modern circumstances
The survival and evolution of the horse have depended on its ability to defend itself against predators. The gap between predator and prey still exists, and any relationship between man and horse that is unnatural must
January 17, 2010
The amateur competition at the 2010 Fort Dodge AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse World Championship Show wrapped up on January 14.
When Colton Daniel’s gray stallion Circle Bar Pistol was called to the head of the lineup in amateur ranch horse conformation – the final amateur class at the 2010 Fort Dodge AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse World Championship Show – it seemed like he had the amateur title sewn up. The two had already won amateur ranch cutting and amateur working ranch horse.
But the word spread that it was a tie, and show officials – including Charlie Hemphill, AQHA senior director of shows, and Alex Ross, AQHA Read the rest of this entry »
January 15, 2010
Improved vaccination programs and control of stray animals have been effective in preventing rabies in most pets.
Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system. The virus is secreted in saliva and is most commonly transmitted by an infectious bite.
Only mammals can get rabies; birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians do not.
Improved vaccination programs and control of stray animals have been effective in preventing rabies in most pets. If you have animals that spend time roaming the land, it is important that you follow these guidelines to help control rabies:
January 14, 2010
Shoebox Barn made at Camp It Up! summer of 2009.
Making sure a horse has shelter and protection from severe weather is important to any horse’s well-being. Shelter to a horse is like a home to a horseman.
Today’s shelters can range from luxurious to simple: from an air-conditioned, well-bedded stall to the old porch of an abandoned ranch house. Here’s a fun activity to make your own simple model of a safe and protective horse shelter using a shoebox. Read the rest of this entry »
January 14, 2010
The 2010 AQHA Fort Dodge Versatility Ranch Horse World Championship Show continues. (Journal photo)
By the end of day Wednesday, January 13, at the 2010 AQHA Fort Dodge Versatility Ranch Horse World Championship Show, Laurie Shelton and Areal Chic Magnet had taken a strong lead in the amateur with wins in amateur ranch trail and amateur ranch riding.
Mike Major and Smart Whiskey Doc had the lead in the open, Read the rest of this entry »
January 14, 2010
Each time a horse is stalled to give him time to recover from an illness or injury, the stress stemming from constant stall confinement can easily lead to equine stomach ulcers -- an added complication for any injured horse.
For riders, stress levels rise each time their horse is injured or hospitalized. However, the stress of equine injuries can take their toll on the patient, too.
Cara Barry-Brewer understands the stresses of competition. She’s a cutting horse trainer, competitor and winner of the National Cutting Horse Association 2004 Open Super Stakes and $599,490 to date, and is listed as one of the top overall riders in 2008. However, after more than 20 years in the saddle and show ring, she also understands the stresses of equine injuries.
“I’ve had horses stalled with suspensory problems,” Cara says. “When that happens, they have to be in a stall for the entire time, and that’s definitely stressful for them. They don’t get to move around — they don’t get to just be a horse.”