With eight organized Nevada Quarter Horse Association trail rides a year, trail riders are making an impact.

Not only does NQHA President Laurel Wachtel compete in AQHA trail classes, but she also organizes eight NQHA trail rides a year. Photo by Don Trout.

From America’s Horse

When AQHA announced plans for a recreational riding program with trail rides around the country, many horse people in Nevada thought there would never be a demand for organized trail rides in their state. They were wrong; the Nevada Quarter Horse Association now hosts about eight trail rides a year, many of which are big fundraisers for charities and nonprofit groups.

Laurel Wachtel, of Elko, Nevada, is the NQHA president and was one of the people who set out to prove the naysayers wrong.

“Nevada is different from many other states because we have so much public land,” Laurel explains. “Many people said ‘You can never have a great Ride program because there’s so much public land that people can ride whenever they want to.’ ”

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These very special American Quarter Horses brighten the lives of hundreds every day.

Multiple AQHA title winner Mr Magnolia Zip has a new calling in life -- as a therapeutic riding horse.

By Andrea Caudill in America’s Horse

When Mr Magnolia Zip – “Ricky” to his friends – was in the western pleasure show pen, his friends and competitors called him “Gangster Rick” because of his intensely focused attitude – and because few of those competitors managed to stand up to his assaults. The Zippo Pine Bar gelding accumulated a rap sheet of championships and top-10s at the AQHA World and Youth World championship shows and All American Quarter Horse Congress that few could rival, most recently with his owner, Dennis Pathroff.

But in 2008, Dennis gave his 18-year-old champion gelding over to a new calling as a therapeutic riding horse at the Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, North Carolina. There, Ricky’s confidence has served him well in his newest and possibly most important job – bringing joy to sick or disabled children and their families.

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Keeping your horses’ feed and hay fresh is crucial to their health, and proper storage ensures optimal freshness.

No matter how carefully you store your feed and hay, always be sure to check for mold.

Heat and humidity plague many regions of North America during the summer months. The higher temperature and moisture levels common this time of year can make feed freshness a challenge, requiring extra attention to how feed is stored.

If you store hay inside, it is important to keep it dry. Make sure there are no leaks in the building or condensation that can accumulate inside the roof and drip on the feed. Also, keep hay off of the floor. A wooden pallet is a good solution, and you can often find these for free.

If you plan on storing the hay outside, you should stack it on wooden pallets or ventilated platforms to keep moisture from the ground off of it. Bales also need to be protected from the sun and rain. Tarps work well for this.

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When trail riding, never hit the trails without a buddy, and never leave a buddy behind.

Lynn Palm offers 40 tips to trail riders as they hit the lush green trails or sandy beaches with their horses.

Trail riding is an excellent way for riders and horses to bond and work on communication aids in a new environment. Training outside the box is something that AQHA Professional Horsewoman Lynn Palm does with all her horses in training, especially the competition horses. It is an opportunity to strengthen the bond by overcoming new obstacles together and encountering situations not found in an arena setting. However, riders must always be prepared to confront the unexpected when out on the trail.

Here is a list of 40 tips for the trail rider to be prepared, confident and successful:

Preparation

• Before hitting the trail, you and your horse should have mastered basic skills in an arena, such as stopping and turning, as well as having control at all gaits.
• Make sure the distance and duration of the trail ride is within your horse’s current fitness level.
• Keep tack in good condition to prevent anything from breaking on the trail.
• Groom your horse thoroughly before trail riding.
• Put protective leg wear, such as polo wraps or boots, on your horse. I love to use Professional’s Choice boots!
• Use insect repellent for both you and your horse.
• Remember to check the weather before you ride and dress accordingly.

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Ten tips on how to get the most out of your online horse sale video.

Even if you’re just taping conformation shots of your horse, it’s still best to put the camcorder on a tripod.

From The American Quarter Horse Journal

Today, videos of sale horses are the norm not the exception. Buyers just expect them.

You don’t have to be an Oscar-winning videographer or a technogeek to create a successful online sale video. Here are 10 tips to get you started:

No. 1 – Capture the Horse

If possible, it’s best to have the video include the horse in the show pen and working at home. Even a video of the horse running around the pasture works well.

You can also have someone lead the horse straight up to the camera and then straight away from it. Buyers can see the action of the knees and look at how straight the horse’s legs are.

No. 2 – Clean Up

If you’re shooting outside a show environment, it is extremely important to dress yourself and the horse as if going to a show.

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Stay safe by keeping your tack in good condition.

Tack maker Dennis Moreland says riders should check their tack every time they ride.

By Dennis Moreland

Editor’s Note: Accidents can happen around horses no matter how careful you are, but being careful is the first step toward preventing disaster, and that includes making sure your tack is in good repair. A few minutes checking your equipment before you ride is an investment in safety. Tack maker Dennis Moreland, who writes articles for America’s Horse magazine and has appeared in AQHA’s “Tack Talk” DVD, offers some tips to keep in mind:

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As the weather heats up and the conditions get dry, learn how to prevent a fire in your barn.

Don’t accept any load of hay that is not completely cured, because heat is generated during the curing process and a smouldering hay bale could combust.

From AQHA Educational Alliance Partner Country Living Association and Laurie Loveman of firesafetyinbarns.com.

Don’t overlook a potential fire hazard in your barn. Take the time to learn about a few common fire hazards that you might miss in your day-to-day barn chores.

Box Fans

Did you know that many barn fires start by trying to cool down animals in the barn? The No. 1 cause of barn fires in the summer is inexpensive box fans that are meant only to be used in your house. Because the motors are not sealed, dust and dirt get into the motors, making them heat up and catch fire, melting the plastic housing.

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Equine Land Conservation Resource brings equine activity and recreational use statutes together for horsemen and landowners.

All riders should visit Equine Activity Statutes and Recreation Use Statutes Directory before hitting the trails. Photo by Heidi Nyland.

Do you want to know what land you can use recreationally in your state? It might depend on the landowner, and the landowner’s choices might depend on your state’s laws.

The Equine Activity Statutes and Recreation Use Statutes Directory, offered by the Equine Land Conservation Resource, can be your guide to the rules in your state.

ELCR created this Web resource because landowner liability protection varies from state to state. In most states, it is governed by two sets of laws, equine activity statutes and recreational use statutes.

The Web directory provides a single source to view and compares statutes by state. The site provides live links to the statutes themselves, and the information will remain current.

In addition to the live links, the directory provides analysis of the statutes. Details provided include things such as whether or not charging a nominal fee for access will reduce or destroy a landowner’s liability protection and whether specific language is required on signage as outlined by a statute.

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They aren’t a foot rest.

One way to judge gauge stirrup length is to measure the stirrup length compared to the rider’s arm, where the length of the stirrup should be about the length of the rider’s arm.

By AQHA Professional Horsewoman Julie Goodnight

Stirrups aren’t just a resting place for your feet when you’re horseback. That’s why appropriate stirrup length is important for safety, balance and correct riding skills.

There are many methods to judge the proper stirrup length, and there are many variables that affect the proper length, such as the rider’s build, the size and gait of the horse, the saddle and the activity in which the rider is participating. For example, dressage and saddle seat require the longest length because the rider is sitting back and is using lots of leg on the horse, while jumping is the shortest.

A lot of people use the “fist” method for determining the correct stirrup length. This measurement is taken by having the rider mount, then stand in his stirrups to see if he can fit his fist or the width of his hand between his seat and the seat of the saddle. Personally, I am not a fan of this technique.

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AQHA Professional Horsemen offer rules for excruciatingly correct behavior in the warm-up arena.

For good warm-up arena behavior, remember that if you disturb a jump or trail obstacle, return it to its proper place.

From The American Quarter Horse Journal

This is the last of a two-part series. Need to review Part 1?

Rule No. 4: Use Common Sense

Common sense is actually not all that common. Matter of fact, it can be pretty scarce in the warm-up arena.

One of the most foolish things seen at horse shows is an exhibitor attempting to longe an overly excited horse in a pen packed with riders. AQHA Professional Horsewoman Renae Dudley points out that unless it is a large warm-up arena, horses should not be longed around horses being ridden.

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AQHA Professional Horsemen offer rules for excruciatingly correct behavior in the warm-up arena.

The warm-up arena is not the place to be on your cell phone.

From The American Quarter Horse Journal

Rule No. 1: Go With the Flow

There is no better way to go than in the same direction everyone else is going.

Many years ago, riders would come into the warm-up arena and go one way until someone whistled and asked the riders to turn the other direction. No one squabbled. No one got their feelings hurt. No one rudely ignored the request. Everyone just turned around and started riding in the opposite direction.

But if you tried this today in the pen, the other riders would look at you as if you had lost your mind.

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Protect our horseback riding privileges on public land.

Crowded trails can create friction between horseback riders, hikers, bikers, motorcyclists and backpackers.

From America’s Horse

Sometimes you have to envy the explorers of the Old West. They wandered the untamed wilderness with only their trusty horses for company. They pretty much had the place to themselves. That’s not so anymore.

It can get pretty cozy when trails are shared between horseback riders, hikers, bikers, motorcyclists and backpackers. And crowding can lead to friction. But with some horse sense, there can be harmony among the admirers of our scenic byways.

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