This free report teaches you old-time manners.

Paula Cole once asked the very astute question: where have all the cowboys gone? Today’s ropers, ranchers and cattle enthusiasts are more likely to be investment bankers than professional hands. As the ranching population ages and rural youth move to cities, true cowboys are becoming a rare find.

While the natural horsemanship revolution has revitalized the horse-training methods of the old west, what has become of rules for cowboy etiquette?

Cowboy etiquette is defined as proper range conduct when working livestock, with an emphasis on respect and safety. Just as it is important for a cowboy to know how to work around his horse, he must know how to work with his team.

AQHA’s Cowboy Etiquette report, brought to you by The American Quarter Horse Journal, is the perfect guide for aspiring and professional cowboys. This fun and useful guide will help everyone learn how to manage the chaos of a working ranch.

The Cowboy Etiquette report lays out the rules of the ranch, which are generally set in stone, such as:

• When cattle are being sorted outside, hold the herd together in a group. Don’t start sorting without being asked.

• Never assume a position. The “cowboy way” is to say: “I’ll do any job that needs doing.” Be willing to do the job that needs to be done, but don’t take on a task you are not qualified for. When moving cattle, ride drag – that’s located at the back of the herd. Don’t promote yourself to wing or lead.

• Don’t criticize a man’s horse, cattle or dog.

The guide includes a special section for ropers. Learn how you can make the ground crew’s job easier and safer.

• All roper’s go through dry spells, but if you are simply not getting calves, you need to let someone else rope. And always control your temper. Too often, ropers who are not roping well will get frustrated and blame their horses.

• Keep the herd quiet. Don’t get stubborn about getting a particular calf. Rope the one that’s handy.

Download the Cowboy Etiquette report today and impress your crew with your knowledge of old-time manners.

Ease aboard your horse with a homemade mounting block.

It’s always nice to have a leg up when you’re ready to get in the saddle. But there are many times when an able-bodied, strong-backed volunteer just isn’t available to give you a boost onto your horse.

AQHA consulted the expert woodworking skills of American Quarter Horse Foundation employee Ross Middleton for a homemade mounting block that can become a staple of your barn aisle or arena for years to come.

Download the easy directions in our FREE How to Build a Mounting Block report!

This homemade mounting block has a simple supply list and is the perfect project for beginners.

Make this mounting block your next 4-H project, or give the plans to the teenagers at your barn to keep them busy! Best of all, this mounting block is easily personalized with paint and decorations. What better gift to give your horse-loving friends than a homemade mounting block embellished with their name, horse brand, favorite horse club, equestrian team, whatever!

“As the director of a therapeutic riding center, we find our ramp and also a mounting block to be very necessary items. Even my able riders are asked to use the mounting block, as it is easier on our horses’ backs. I can’t imagine living without these very effective tools!”

Leslie

We know you’ll enjoy making this mounting block. Be sure to share your stories of how your new mounting block made your life a little easier and your ride a little more enjoyable!

Training your foal to accept a halter doesn’t have to be a struggle.

Training your own foal is a truly special experience, but not one to be taken lightly. His first experiences will affect the way he looks at the world for the rest of his life. Halter breaking a foal will be his first experience learning to respect you, to give to pressure and to handle new experiences. You need to make sure it is done right the first time. Thankfully, the AQHA’s Halter Breaking Your Foal report will guide you through the process.

Learn how siblings Tom, Wayne and Margo Ball of Ball’s Quarter Horses use old fashion horsemanship in their halter breaking: approaching it with patience, an earned trust and the belief that every foal is an individual.

Tom and Margo say their halter breaking program might take one day or three weeks, and they might spend more time on different steps with different foals. They might start a foal at 30 days old, or they might wait longer; it all depends on the personality and needs of each foal.

In this program you will learn the essential steps to train a sane, well-mannered horse.

In Step 1, you will learn how to tell when your foal is ready for halter breaking.

“We wait until our babies are ready to break,” said Wayne. “We don’t want to fight with them.”

Trying to halter break a foal before he is ready can traumatize him and make training more difficult down the road. So make sure your foal is prepared.

The Halter Breaking Your Foal report also discusses:

• The best way to fit a halter for your foal.

• Strategies for your foal’s first time wearing the halter.

• How to introduce the lead rope.

• Techniques for leading your foal.

• Sacking out your foal for the first time.

Finally, Tom and Margo will guide you through teaching your foal to stand tied. This process can be very scary and dangerous for your foal if not done properly, so make sure that you have the advice of these experts.

The Halter Breaking Your Foal report is essential for all breeders, foal owners, 4-H groups and anyone else who is interested in training young horses. Download it today!

Barn-aisle exercises with AQHA Professional Horseman Brent Graef.

Do rainy days have you chanting “Rain, rain, go away”?

Wet, chilly spring days don’t always provide the most advantageous riding time, but don’t just stay inside and veg; get some training time in – inside the barn.

AQHA Professional Horseman Brent Graef of Canyon, Texas, offered some valuable barn-aisle exercises in the January-February 2009 issue of America’s Horse. Now, he’s providing other groundwork exercises that will help your horse relax, be more supple and trust you more. Still more flexion exercises can help improve your canter departs and lead changes.

Who could say no to that?

And here’s the even better question: Who could say no to that kind of expert training advice – if it’s free and if it comes packaged with the set of exercises that appeared in a previous issue of America’s Horse?

Download the FREE Barn-Aisle Exercises report, including both sets of exercises. You can print them out and take them to the barn aisle with you.

Brent and other AQHA Professional Horsemen and women are valued partners in AQHA’s educational efforts. We all are committed to helping horse enthusiasts become better horsemen.

“Barn Dance” by Brent Graef provides ideas to make down time, like a rainy or stormy day, productive. Brent instructs on one of the most often misunderstood, misused skills of horsemanship: Understanding where a horse’s feet are. I enjoyed his explanation of how he concentrates on one front foot, how to recognize the instant it leaves the ground so you can capture the exact moment you need to achieve – speed up, slow down, go sideways or even backwards.

“Brent’s mention of “soft hands,” to squeeze and lift the lead rope when asking the horse to make a change in that step, is such a very subtle signal, which allows the horse the space and dignity to move its body where/how you want it.

“How many people never learn to know where the horse’s feet are? Many people give a signal at any random time and expect the horse to provide the correct position that they are asking for, not realizing that it takes coordination on the part of the horse to make four feet perform correctly and do what they have been asked to do.”

Maret Watson
Alberta, Canada

Keeping your horse from being fat will help her avoid a number of problems.

We hear everyday about ways to tweak our diet and exercise programs to combat human obesity. But did you know that studies are beginning to show that obesity is becoming a growing problem with horses as well? AQHA’s FREE Chubby Horses report examines some of the findings of a study done by the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech.

“This study documented that this is an extremely important problem in horses that is has been under-reported,” says Dr. Craig Thatcher, a professor who was involved in the study.

Not surprisingly, the No. 1 recommendation is diet and exercise.

Other topics included in this report are:

• Equine metabolic syndrome
• Conditions resulting from EMS
• EMS and Cushing’s connection
• How to manage EMS
• Possible management procedures and medications for EMS

University of Tennessee equine metabolic syndrome researcher Dr. Nicholas Frank breaks down three different components that horses can suffer from as a result from EMS: obesity, laminitis and insulin resistance. Of these three, laminitis can prove to be fatal in horses as it has delivered the final blow for greats like Secretariat and, more recently, Barbero. Find out how these three conditions can impact your horse in the Chubby Horses report.

Dr. Dianne McFarlane of Oklahoma State University also weights in on equine Cushing’s disease. Chubby Horses goes in depth on some of the first signs of Cushing’s disease, so you will be able to spot it quickly and be able to control the onset of this disease, which is comparable to Parkinson’s disease in humans.

“Horses with EMS appear to be predisposed to equine Cushing’s disease,” says Dr. Frank. “The key thing is, because it seems these horses (EMS horses) do transition into Cushing’s, is to be ready to recognize the clinical signs of Cushing’s. And this is going to be potentially at an earlier age than we traditionally think about looking of the disorder.”

The Chubby Horses report lays out three different management plans to combat EMS as prescribed by Dr. Frank. Whether you have an obese horse with insulin resistance, a nonobese horse with fatty deposits or a severely affected horse of either category experiencing laminitis, find out how to get your horse back on the right track. Dr. Frank further explains how you can expand upon a good management system with supplements to bring your horse to a healthy weight and away from any further complications that can come from obesity.

A blue-blooded horse with a blue-collar name begat the modern America Quarter Horse.

Take a trip back in time as Richard Chamberlain, senior writer for The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, turns the clock and tells the tale of Peter McCue, a stallion that 5.1 million of today’s 5.3 million registered Quarter Horses trace their heritage to.

What do Be A Bono and With All Probablity have in common – other than that they both are American Quarter Horses who reached the top of their games, the former as world champion racehorse and the latter as an AQHA World Show Superhorse?

Most likely, you know of a Quarter Horse that is related to the great Peter McCue. Learn everything there is to know about Peter McCue from his humble beginnings, his race career, where he lived, his owners and much more in AQHA’s FREE report, The Gospel According to Peter.

In his prime, Peter was 16 hands and 1,430 pounds. This bay stallion was the fastest 2-year old of his time in America, with his best distance being the half mile. The Gospel According to Peter report includes a reprinted article from a Chicago newspaper during Peter’s 2-year old campaign recounting his maiden race, a tale of the true athleticism that the rookie team of Peter and his jockey possessed.

Trace your way, literally, through the American Quarter Horse’s foundation bloodlines with a diagram of all the foundation bloodlines and the great stallions that have made the Quarter Horse what it is today. This will allow you to not only read about the horses and their bloodlines, but also visualize how all of the old great Quarter Horses paved the way for today’s Quarter Horse.

Where did Peter McCue get his great traits that he passed on? Find out in this report. Just a few to whet your appetite would be Old Cold Deck, Steel Dust and Shiloh. Go further in depth and uncover the stories of generations of great breeding, all linked to Peter McCue, one of the most influential Quarter Horse stallions.

What made Peter McCue such an instrumental stallion in the early 1900s? Determine for yourself in The Gospel According to Peter. Was it the fact that he gave birth to two of the original 19 foundation sires found in the AQHA Studbook? Is it the fact that the first horse ever to be registered, Wimpy P1, was a direct descendent of Peter? Maybe it is the fact that, out of the first 11,510 Quarter Horses to be registered between when Wimpy was registered and the joining AQHA, the American Quarter Racing Association and the National Quarter Horse Breeders Association, 2,304 of the horses traced their male lines to Peter McCue.

2007 Galbreath Award winner R. D. Hubbard discusses his successes in the horse industry and beyond.

R.D. Hubbard has contributed much to the Quarter Horse racing world, and now you can learn about his success. His career as an entrepreneur, both within the equine industry and in other industries, has been remarkable for its achievements.

During the 2008 Bank of America Challenge Championships in Lafayette, Louisiana, Rich Wilcke, director of University of Louisiana’s Equine Industry Program, spoke with Dee Hubbard about his perspectives on entrepreneurship and his own career.

The Hubbard: Success in Business, Horses and Horse Racing report summarizes the conversation between Rich and Dee.

Dee attributes much of his success to three main factors: the people in his life, his willingness to take risks Read the rest of this entry »

Osteochondritis Dissecans affects young, growing horses and causes joint pain.

AQHA’s FREE Young Horse Joint Health report explains why a condition called Osteochondritis Dissecans causes more than just normal “growth pains” in young horses. This condition actually occurs when the bone and cartilage in the joints of a young horse form incorrectly, causing the cartilage at the end of the bone to separate. This leads to an unneeded cartilage flap and inflammation of the joint. The joints that OCD most frequently affects are the hock, stifle, fetlock and shoulder.

Within this report you will learn about all the aspects of this common horse condition, including:

• How OCD occurs

• Signs of OCD

• Causes of OCD

• How OCD is diagnosed

• Treatment of OCD

• Prevention of OCD

• Purchasing advice

Read expert insights on OCD, such as Dr. C. Wayne McIlwraith, the Barbara Cox Anthony University chair in orthopedics at Colorado State University, the leading researcher in equine joint problems.

Although severe cases cause obvious lameness, other minor cases can be hard to detect.

“In less severe cases, horses may go on to have an athletic career and only develop clinical signs when they’re 3, 4 or 5,” McIlwraith says.

Protect your horse and pocketbook with the FREE Young Horse Joint Health report. It will help you understand this condition so you can spot it before it becomes an issue. Treatment for OCD typically requires arthroscopic surgery. If left untreated, OCD can end a horse’s athletic career.

Dr. Paul Edmonds of Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery of Weatherford, Texas, says one of the earliest signs of OCD to watch for in young horses is joint swelling, caused by increased synovial fluid.

Young Horse Joint Health explains different factors that can cause this crippling condition, including:

• genetic predisposition

• fast growth and body size

• nutritional imbalances

• mechanical stress or trauma.

In this report, you’ll learn about the studies pin-pointing these different causes.

McIlwraith breaks down OCD into understandable terms.

“I liken OCD to human heart disease. We all have various levels of genetic tendency toward heart disease. If we’ve got good genes, we can afford to be fat and lazy and not exercise. If we’ve got bad genes, even all the exercise and perfect diet in the world might not protect us,” McIlwraith says.

The No. 1 prevention method is to make good use of a pre-purchase exam, including radiographs and X-rays of a horse’s joints, before you buy him and bring him home.

“It’s not in every horse, but I think it’s out there enough that if I were a buyer and putting a lot of money into a horse, spending some money on taking the X-rays would be warranted,” Edmond says.

First-aid tips to ensure your horse heals as fast as possible.

Cuts and wounds are inevitably going to happen to your horse. Are you prepared? Download AQHA’s FREE Horse Wound Care report so you will be able to properly treat your horse in the event of an injury.

Within this report you will find:

• Components of a first-aid kit
• How to care for a horse’s wound
• When to call the vet
• How to prepare for the vet’s visit
• A five-step picture guide on how to properly bandage a minor leg wound
• And more!

Educate yourself on when it is imperative that you contact the vet and when you can take care of the injury at home.

“Many of the cases that veterinarians deal with, and that I dealt with through my career through referral, are ones that were managed in most cases initially by the horse owners,” says Dr. Ted Stashak, a professor emeritus at Colorado State University. “Unfortunately, because of lack of recognition of how serious an injury it was, it then became serious because if became infected.”

Dr. Stashak wrote “Equine Wound Management,” was the editor for “Adams’ Lameness in Horses” and was the main author and editor for “The Horse Owner’s Guide to Lameness.”

There are some areas on the horse that can appear to be minor injuries but can actually cause more damage than what can be seen on the exterior. These “danger zones” are highlighted for you in the FREE Horse Wound Care report so you won’t make the mistake of classifying a more serious wound for a minor cut. Most of the danger zones lie over synovial structures that are at risk for infection when injured or damaged. These synovial structures are found mainly in the joints and are protective sheaths for tendons. If the wound starts discharging a yellowish fluid around one of these areas, it is most likely the synovial protective fluid and requires immediate care from a veterinarian.

Don’t grab for that hydrogen peroxide and nitrofurazone product too quickly when it comes to your horse’s wound first-aid. The Horse Wound Care report explains why these commonly used first-aid products might not be the best choice for your horse to heal the fastest. This report instead will tell you the best cleaning methods, including which cleaners to use, the dilutions to use them at and the correct cleaning procedures.

Do you know the ideal pressure to wash out a wound with? Did you know that you are supposed to wash out the wound at an angle? The Horse Wound Care report will make you a more prepared horse owner by explaining these tips and much more for you next horse injury.

Get “roped in” with these tips from Pat Hooks.

AQHA’s Versatility Ranch Horse competition is attracting more and more people to the show ring. But for many of them, there’s just one catch: the roping. One of the VRH classes is working ranch horse, in which riders are required to rope a cow or else lose points.

But AQHA Professional Horseman Patrick Hooks of Texhoma, Oklahoma, says that roping shouldn’t be a deterrent to anyone – it doesn’t take magic, just knowledge and lots of practice. You’ll have to provide the desire and the practice time … but Pat is offering to provide the knowledge, through the Roping Basics FREE report.

He’ll start by introducing you to the terminology (what is a “spoke,” anyway?) and the types of ropes that are available. (Does “60-foot 5/16-inch XXX soft nylon with a swivel honda” make sense to you? It will, after reading this report!)

With plenty of step-by-step photos, Pat shows you how to build a loop and swing a rope. And he even injects a little humor along the way, by quoting Will Rogers as saying that as someone was learning how to rope, there would be times he would call his rope anything but a rope.

“If you’re just starting out, be patient,” Pat says. “Roping will eventually become very rewarding and enjoyable as you progress. But know that some shots take years to learn. So please be patient with yourself as you learn the basics and about the many different shots that can be thrown. Recognize your accomplishments as you begin and realize there will be a building-block learning process.”

Start that process now by downloading Pat’s FREE report, Roping Basics.

Insider tips for getting expression from your halter horse.

In a ring full of wonderfully proportioned, beautiful Quarter Horses, the slightest details can make your horse stand out as the winner.

In AQHA’s FREE Halter Horse Expression report, you’ll learn the secrets to completing your horse’s “total look” in the halter arena. AQHA Professional Horseman Kathy Smallwood explains how to get your horse to present the facial expression the judges are looking for.

“Halter Horse Expression helped me understand how important expression is when showing my horse. Learning techniques to train and the timing of ques to show my horse at her peak potential is thrilling! Wow! What a competitive edge!

Each year I show, the competition is tougher. This article explains expression simply, in a way that is easily transferable to my horse, training for expression without overdoing it. This particular article helped me understand the importance of that balance between my horse being overly anxious or too relaxed. It is fantastic to receive tips and strategies from professionals who have been there. I can’t wait for show season to begin.”

AQHA Member Kim Nunn, Greenwood, Missouri

Kathy explains:

• How to train your halter horse at home for good expression

• Tools of the trade

• Grooming tips to help improve and accentuate expression

• How to get good expression from young halter horses

• Ways to get the extra edge by using your horse’s natural energy

Learn it all in AQHA’s FREE report, Halter Horse Expression.

One of Kathy’s secrets:

“At home, give your horse a peppermint and be sure to unwrap it right in front of him so he associates the noise of the wrapper with getting the peppermint. Then, when you go in the show pen, put a little bit of the peppermint wrapping in your pocket and when you want to get expression, take it out and crinkle it through your fingers a little. It’ll get the horse’s ears up because he’s looking for the peppermint.

When you’re done showing, and you’re about to go out of the ring, give him the peppermint. Otherwise, he’ll lose interest.”

Learn the fundamentals of showmanship so your next pattern is perfect.

AQHA’s 2008 showmanship world champion Nicole Barnes knows how to perform a perfect showmanship pattern for the judges. Learn her secrets in AQHA’s FREE Showmanship Basics report!

In this valuable report, Nicole’s trainers, Brad and Valerie Kearns, explain:

• The basics of the quarter system, the established method for inspecting and showing horses at halter
• How to get your horse sparkling clean and outfitted in a well-fitting leather halter
• How to attain the correct positions beside your horse
• The many maneuvers judges can call for in a showmanship pattern
• How to practice a pattern at home
• How to streamline your routine for quickness and accuracy
• And more tips for gaining an edge on other showmanship competitors

Plus, Brad and Valerie explain why showmanship is the perfect event for people who can’t afford an expensive horse.

“Showmanship is a class where you can be on a limited budget, work hard and be competitive even at the national level,” they said. “The class isn’t judged on who has the most expensive outfit or fanciest halter. The AQHA rulebook calls for you to be neatly attired and your horse to be well-groomed.”

The Showmanship Basics report offers numerous full-color photos of Nicole and her Quarter Horse, Zippos Ace Of Spades, modeling correct and incorrect showmanship positions. You’ll also get a detailed practice pattern to help you polish your skills at home.

You’ll also get a good grasp of what judges are looking for.

Showmanship is the perfect starting point for anyone interested in showing their horse in competition. And with a little guidance, you can be on your way to a blue ribbon!

“To win in showmanship requires practice at home,” the Kearns said. “You can’t win if you and your horse can’t complete every maneuver with precision. Think of the show as a job interview, where you and your horse should look your best. In the end, it isn’t the competitor with the most expensive horse or outfit who wins. The gold buckle or trophy goes to the person who was the most effectively prepared on any given day.”

“People often ask me where I learn the many tips I suggest to them. All I have to say is that I am an avid reader of Americas Horse Daily. Americas Horse Daily has proven to be a great resource for me. I especially enjoy the training and showing tips. I am one of those people who likes learning and trying new things with my horses. I love how I can print out the free reports and have a written copy to take out and use in the barn. The articles and tips are brief but detailed enough for anyone to use. This is ideal for my busy lifestyle. I often find myself sharing the free reports with my daughter and her 4-H friends at clinics and other events. The greatest reward is to place in the show ring, and I find satisfaction in knowing that I did the work all by myself, without the use of a costly professional trainer. It just goes to show that you can be successful with good information and the ambition to see it through. The difference between try and triumph is a little ‘umph!’ “

Julie Kunz
Clear Lake, MN