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.

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!

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.

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.

Stomach ulcers can be a hidden cause of poor performance in horses.

Learn the causes, signs and treatments of stomach ulcers, a common problem in horses.

According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, ulcerations have been found to affect 90 percent of racehorses. Their demanding conditioning routines and travel are just two sources of stress that can lead to ulcers.

The FREE Stomach Ulcers in Horses report dives deep into the issues of this condition that’s more common than you might think.

You’ll learn:

• Causes

• Signs

• Treatment

• Prevention

Horses are unique grazing animals as they only have one stomach compared to other grazing animals, or ruminants, which have four stomachs. The structure of the equine stomach is more sensitive, especially in the upper portion of the stomach, which is where most ulcers are found. The FREE Stomach Ulcers in Horses report explains the biology of the equine digestive tract and why it is more prone to ulcers than other species.

Once you’ve grasped an understanding of the structure and function of the equine digestive system, learn more as Stomach Ulcers in Horses breaks down the different causes of ulcers, with most common causes resulting from management issues. Find out why common horse nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs or pain relievers), such as phenylbutanzone (bute) and banamine, can actually lead to stomach ulcers. Also learn about acidity levels in the stomach and how they play a role in creating ulcers.

Find expert advice and insight from two top veterinarians: Dr. Martin Ivey, who practices at Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery in Weatherford, Texas; and Dr. Brain Saathoff of Equine Sports Medicine in Cypress, California.

“In general, your more carbohydrate-loaded grains would probably tend to cause ulcers more than your non- or less-carbohydrate, more fibrous grains,” says Dr. Ivey.

Learn how to identify the signs of stomach ulcers in both horses and foals. Weight loss, poor condition, a long hair coat and change in appetite are just some of the common signs of possible ulcerations. But be aware; Many horses suffering from ulcers will not show any clinical signs if the ulcers are not severe enough. Develop an eye for these signs and others before its too late.

The FREE Stomach Ulcers in Horses report discusses practical treatment and prevention methods.

“Some horses, especially upper-level horses, are routinely given GastroGard medication as a preventive. But for other horses where cost might be an issue, we usually recommend scoping to be sure that we make the proper diagnosis and don’t unnecessarily use expensive medication,” Dr. Saathoff says.

Stomach Ulcers in Horses also informs you about research suggesting that horses who suffer from stomach ulcers will also be prone to further ulcers in the rest of the digestive tract. Read more about Dr. Franklin Pellegrini’s study, where he examined more than 200 horses.

“The reality is that the stomach is really just a small part of the digestive system as a whole,” Dr. Pellegrini says.

Speed ratings give another number to compare speed at the horse race track.

How fast is fast? How do you compare different horses at different tracks running different distances? Find out the newest technology in determining the most-accurate speed ratings in this FREE report from The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal’s library, Horse Race Tip: Speed Ratings.

The newest techniques, research and calculations that determine the newest TrackMaster Speed ratings are all explained and laid out clearly for you to understand. The next time you go to the track to place a bet or are looking for that speedy stallion for your mare, you will have another rating to help you make the best, educated decision.

How is this superior to the Speed Index system already in place?

AQHA Executive Director of Racing, Trey Buck, has this to say:

“The TrackMaster speed rating is based on formulas and thousands of pieces of data for a more reliable number,” Trey says. “Fans, breeders and buyers can be assured that the numbers they see for a horse are more accurate (than the speed index) and a better representation of that horse.”

Horse Race Tip: Speed Ratings, walks you through the history of trying to judge just how fast is fast. Starting with the original letter grade system that was replaced with today’s speed index system in 1970. It also explains how the current Speed Index system works, then goes in depth on how this new speed rating from TrackMaster, a wholly owned subsidiary of Equibase Company LLC, is calculated. TrackMaster’s Quarter Horse speed ratings are broken down into three different components:

• Raw speed rating

• Intertrack Variant (ITV)

• Daily Track Variant (DTV)

Get ahead of the competition and download your FREE copy of Horse Race Tip: Speed Ratings to further explore these elements of the new, accurate speed rating, so you won’t be stumped when you go to the race track. Learn about the careful calculations that configure these different factors and how they are compiled for a final speed rating.

In Horse Race Tip: Speed Ratings, see what TrackMaster is doing to continually make its ratings the most accurate with product enhancements such as including a wind factor, especially accommodating for the direction and speed of the wind, into their ratings.

“For Quarter Horses in particular, we’ve conducted a detailed study on the effects of wind on the speed ratings,” says TrackMaster President David Siegal.

Download the Racing Journal’s FREE Horse Race Tip: Speed Ratings report to see how the new technologies are running away from the competition by producing the most-accurate and up-to-date speed rating system that can be used across any track and at any distance. Don’t be left in the dust.

Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis is one of the most-devastating horse diseases.

According to a 1998 National Animal Health Monitoring Systems study, 60 percent of horse owners were not familiar with EPM and fewer than 10 percent felt knowledgeable about this disease that attacks a horse’s central nervous system.

Don’t let yourself become part of these statistics. Download your FREE copy of The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal’s EPM report to educate yourself and get up to date on EPM for the safety of your horses.

This report will inform you of the following important areas of this disease:

• How EPM is passed
• Maturation cycle of EPM
• How EPM effects your horse
• Symptoms of EPM
• How to test for EPM
• Treatment of EPM

More importantly, the Racing Journal’s EPM report will give you methods to prevent the disease from ever affecting your horse through proper prevention methods. The most important prevention method comes from good horse keeping practices, such as feed storage and management systems. Also, learn about the progress on the S. neurona vaccine available from Fort Dodge.

Dr. Kenton Morgan with Bayer Health gives his knowledgeable insight gained through his experience with the disease.

“Every presentation is a little different.” Morgan said. “It can vary from a horse that’s just not doing right, so to speak, to one that’s got profound neurological disease that is stumbling all around and can hardly right itself.”

Symptoms range from mild to severe and can vary from stiffness, incoordination to paralysis of the face, plus many more.

“I’ve had people report that they noticed when the horse whinnied, it sounded different,” Morgan said about a suspected case of a horse with EPM.

Be a responsible horse owner and train yourself to practice proper prevention and detection methods. It could save your horse’s life, especially if you live where opossums are common. Opossums are the definitive host for the parasite during its protozoa stage. Other intermediate hosts include cats, raccoons, skunks and armadillos. Learn how to take proper precaution from this report if these animals are common in your area as well.

This EPM report will also inform you of treatment actions for the worse case scenario of your horse falling victim to this disease. Approximately more than 50 percent of all United States’ horses have been exposed to the causing organism.

If you are searching for possible solutions to this harmful disease, then download the Racing Journal’s EPM report – FREE. Once a horse has developed the disease, according to studies, approximately only 40 percent are able to come through with a full recovery. Dr. Morgan continues to say that up to 60 percent are able to improve to some degree after undergoing treatment. Learn all about possible treatments currently available and others that are being tested from this EPM report, to rid your horse of the nasty parasite.

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

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

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.”

Follow these easy steps to create your own knotted rope halter for your horse.

Practical and inexpensive, rope halters are a time-honored tradition for many horsemen and a wonderful training tool.

Two experts at Columbia Basin Knot Company shared with The American Quarter Horse Journal their 34-step process for making a quality homemade rope halter. In our How to Make a Rope Halter report, each step includes a full-color photo to help guide you through the process.

Here’s Step 1 of creating your very own rope halter:

When tying halters for the first time, use 22 to 25 feet of rope. Once you become proficient, you can make a halter with about 20 feet of rope. Take your piece of rope and fold it in half. At the center point, tie a simple overhand knot. Snug the knot up. Then to the left of the knot, tie another simple overhand knot. Now you have two simple overhand knots. The knots should be 11 inches from the middle of one knot to the middle of the other knot. Adjust the knots until they are 11 inches apart, and tighten them up. Then take the rope and fold it with the two overhand knots together.

In this valuable report, you’ll master the fiador knot and understand how to cut and whip the rope with a soldering iron or rope cutting gun.

Making your own rope halter will be a rewarding experience. We look forward to hearing how this free report helped you enjoy your horses just a little more! Be sure to use the comments feature to let us know.

“I have tied rope halters for years. In those years, we have seen several methods of doing it. Some of those methods were very crude! These directions are very much the same as mine, plainly stated and simple to follow.

Now when someone wants me to teach them, I can say ‘Go to americashorsedaily.com, and download the free instructions.’ Good job!”

Neva Christensen

Good luck making your own rope halter!

Download the How To Make a Rope Halter report for FREE!

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