Just took my new Parelli Saddles Premier Ranch Roper on it’s first ride on my very fun (and fast) RBE around the HUGE bio-solid spreading equipment and had some nice gallops, gaits, jumped, and generally put the saddle through it’s paces.  I’m not sure I can even explain how at the exact same time it’s by far the most secure I’ve ever felt on a horse and yet the saddle that I least noticed while riding.  What an absolute homerun ParelliSaddles!  The horse moved spectacularly and clearly wasn’t the least bit impeded in any way.  Two Thumbs and Four Hooves UP!!

Despite highs only around 30, horses, participants and auditors turned out for fun and learning with 2* Junior Parelli Professional Todd Johnson at the Horsenalities Strategies Workshop at The JBIT Ranch.

We learned ways to read the feedback our horses are constantly giving us and explored lots of new strategies for where to be, when to be, why to be, what to do when we get there and when to stop doing what we’re doing.  We learned that Horsenalities can help us bring out the wonderful qualities of any horse by helping us be the partner and leader they need.  Every horse and every horsenality is wonderful when we learn how to choose the horse for us or learn to read the horse we have, and become the human for them.

Keep your eyes open for new and exciting events at The JBIT Ranch!

Todd

The workshop, which was 3 hours in length, began on the ground and focused on how to use not only man made, but the natural obstacles a trail provides to create a warm up that more realistically simulates for your horse the type and nature of situations he or she will face on a trail ride.  We used large rock breaks and hill sides in addition to log obstacles and the rail-road tie box in The JBIT playground to not only warm our horses up physically, but to mentally help them engage with us and seek our leadership.  Topics covered included herd bound, buddy sour (sweet) and barn sour (sweet) behaviors – the how, the why and the how to move beyond.

Once mounted we used the natural obstacles provided by our woods and stream, log obstacles, tractor tires, and creative changes of order, position and location to help the horses accept that other horses leaving the immediate area was not cause for alarm, but that their safety was wherever their human partner was.  We regularly “horse-shoed up” to talk about the feedback our horses were giving us and allow for regular intervals of time to decompress.

Here is some feedback we received about the workshop:

Todd has a great gift in the way he explains things, offers suggestions, comments, and tells how things should and should not be done.  I always come away with new ideas of ways to work with my horse…. ways of riding, playing games, insight on how horses think, and act.  I have never been disappointed with any clinic, lesson or Playday … I always come away with having learned something.

This acquisition increases the acreage of The JBIT Ranch to over 128 acres with more than 8 miles of trails winding throughout.

We are thrilled with the possibilities and opportunities this will provide for all of the  clients and extended JBIT Ranch “family”!

Z.W. – VA

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With the Washington Metro area just closing the books on the hottest month ever recorded, what is and isn’t safe for us and our horses has been a serious topic.

Running a boarding stable for the past 13 years, one curiosity I’ve noticed pretty consistently is the number of calls from concerned boarders we receive about their horses’ health and comfort in the winter, but the lack of calls even when we are posting heat indices of 120 or more.

It was explained to me by our vet many years ago like this.  A thousand pound animal with an inch of fur is made for staying warm, but can have a lot of trouble keeping cool when the weather turns hot.

Heat and humidity are combined to produce what is called a “Heat Index” or what it “feels” like outside.  In climates with very low humidity a 95 degree day may actually only produce a heat index of 90 or even 85.  Crank up the humidity, though, and you can experience what we did here in the Mid-Atlantic; 95-100 degree days with heat indices of 115, 120, or even like I saw just two weeks ago, 125!  There’s a simple term for this kind of weather – Killing Heat!

In animals that cool through perspiration, the cooling process is dependent on the rapid evaporation of sweat.  As the air becomes more and more saturated with moisture, it can’t readily accept any more, thus no evaporation and no cooling.  Couple this with the fact that for most horses under saddle, a large portion of their evaporation area is covered with a saddle and pad and you’ve got a recipe for an animal that can get very, very hot, very, very fast, and can only cool very little or not at all.  Core temperature can rise in minutes to a dangerous level and no amount of simple rest will allow for enough cooling to reverse the process.

For some general rules of thumb we are going to assume a horse in average body condition that works between 2 and 5 hours a week (the average trail horse.)  You can adjust these guidelines for horses in better or poorer condition.

Through heat indices up to 90 degrees, horses can exercise normally.  From 90 – 100 begin limiting exercise to shorter bursts of trot and canter and longer cooling walks.  Try to stick to the shade when you can.  Between 100 and 105, short walks with little or no trotting and stick close to home in case you need to get you or your horse under a hose.  After 105 I’d avoid anything more strenuous for your horse than grooming or grazing.  This would be a great time to re-watch those Parelli DVD’s you’ve been meaning to get back to.

If you have ventured out, here are some signs that it is time to get your horse cooled out.  If your horse is breathing harder than normal for the activity level, or beginning to pant, or his nostrils are flaring very rapidly, and it doesn’t return to a more appropriate rate in 1 minute.  If your horse is no longer sweating he’s probably already reaching a dangerous temp, and if he/she begins to exhibit a stilted gate, lethargy or any seeming confusion you are in the beginning of a heat stroke and need to get that horse under a hose, possibly packed with ice wraps around major arteries and should be calling a vet.  Your horse may likely require IV fluids at this point.  This exact situation just occurred a couple of weeks ago at a Civil War reenactment that went forward despite a heat index of 110.

Do not fall into the myth that you shouldn’t hose a hot horse.  Remove the hose nozzle and hose the horse quickly from head to toe, spend a little extra time on his back, chest, neck and belly, then concentrate your hose on the major arteries inside the hind legs.  This will allow you to cool the greatest amount of blood in the least amount of time and hopefully drop his core temp before any major organs, including the brain, are affected.  If someone can get a second hose, continue hosing the back, neck, chest and belly.  DO NOT give electrolyte paste to a horse in this condition.  Electrolytes must be accompanied by plenty of fresh water or they will actually pull water from the blood into the gut.  Electrolytes are a great way to pre-condition your horse to hydrate in advance of a ride and also a wonderful way to disguise foreign water when away from home so that your horse will continue to drink, and electrolyte flavored water to can be offered to a horse in heat exhaustion, but NEVER administer a paste.

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke can occur in a horse startlingly fast and can be hard to get back under control.  Take it seriously, and pay attention not just to temps, but to humidity and the heat index.  When in doubt, sit it out.  Before you know it we’ll be talking about winter riding!

Keep it Natural,

Todd

Well, now we can.

I want to hear from you on any topic related to horses with any question you might have on your mind.  I will do my best to answer each one and post those questions and answers here for everyone to search and use at their convenience.  I will only put initials and states on questions, so feel free to fire away!

So, what are you waiting for? Stump the teacher! )

Todd

I was so impressed with the accuracy and in depth thoroughness  of the Humanality report that I am even recommending that my non-horsey friends complete just that part for themselves.  Dr. Patrick Handley is a psychologist specializing in human behavior.  Much of his life’s work has become the foundation of the Horsenality profile that has revolutionized the way humans read and interact with horses and set the Parelli Natural Horsemanship program so far apart and ahead of any other horse development program in the world.

Reading my Humanality report was like reading a book about myself written by someone who knows me better than I know myself.  It was more than spot on.  It described not only my behaviors, but the feelings behind them, how I would react and respond to other Humanalities and what inherent strengths and weaknesses were endemic to people that shared these traits.

The Horsenality portion was equally thorough and precise.  As professional horsemen, what often can create trust and credibility with new horse people is the expert’s ability to very quickly describe what kinds of behaviors a horse is likely displaying, what, when where and why he tends to do what he does and what he’s about to do right now.  Well the Horsenality profile did that to a T without every laying eyes on my horse.

Finally, what we all got into Parelli for in the first place, The Match Profile.  So you know about you and you know about your horse, but are you a match?  The answer is…..you can be!  When you thoroughly understand your horse’s behavior, whether it’s coming from fear or dominance, introversion or extroversion and its intensity level, and you actually now understand the emotions that they are likely to create in you, which natural responses you have that will be helpful and which won’t, you can begin to craft a plan.  The Match Profile will suggest all sorts of games, patterns and ideas to cement your and your horse’s bond while being positive, progressive and natural along with very comprehensive lists of “Do’s and Don’ts”.

Finally, ready to get blown away again?  This type of in depth, thorough analysis of you and your horse could easily run into the many hundreds or even thousands of dollars if Linda Parelli and Dr. Patrick Handley were to provide this service for you directly, but because of the system they’ve developed over recent years, for Parelli Connect members, the entire 3 part package is only $99!!!  Just think, for the cost of a 90 minute lesson with a professional, you can access over 70 pages of in depth, personalized information to take your relationship to levels you’d never dreamed possible.

Not a Parelli Connect member?  Follow the link to join for 30 days absolutely free and with no obligation.  Download and use the entire Parelli Level 1, and create pages for yourself and your horse to track and follow your progress, receive constant suggestions and ideas to keep your relationship fun and fresh, and locate others just like you around your town or around the world to help you on your journey.

For me and the Horsenality/Humanality profile………it’s definitely A Match!

Todd

Thanks to all who came out  for our Parelli Natural Horsemanship play day on Saturday, June 4th at The JBIT Ranch!  We had a great time practicing obstacles for our upcoming Parelli Games Tournament! Please join us for our next play day on Saturday, July 2 at 2pm!!

Have you ever been out with your horse and all sorts of commotions are going on in the area, but he spooks at a bird or a squirrel or the neighbor’s kid coming around the corner of the barn?  Why didn’t the people and the traffic and the rest of the commotion bother him, but the tiny out of nowhere stimulus did?  Because horses are conditioned to hear the Whisper in The Wind.

Maybe you’ve watched the Discovery Channel and seen the zebras grazing out on the Serengeti and the pride of lions on the hilltop just a few hundred yards away frolicking and playing or maybe sleeping and rolling and wondered why the zebras weren’t running, but then one lion rolls into a crouch and looks at them with an intent stare, and – 40 pairs of eyes and ears snap to instant attention.  They just tuned in to the Whisper in The Wind.

Have you ever been stuck in a levels task and the bigger you get the less it works?  The harder you try, the more distracted your horse?  You’ve tried to make effective use of your phases, but all you accomplished was to beat the popper off of your Savvy String?  This most especially could be with a horse that has a terrific friendly game or a horse that has a great level 2 but seems to be struggling to move into level 3.

What’s happened?

For those of us parents of youngsters, we know the answer.  For my little 1 year old Colton, as long as he’s making plenty of noise and I know what the noises are, I can relax – and maybe even type a blog post ) – but if it get’s too quiet, or the wrong sound, even if ever so faint, occurs – I am tuned in!  Just like my horse, I just tuned in to the Whisper in The Wind.

Horses, like us, are conditioned to tune out the big, loud, overt noises and pressures that generally mean nothing at all, but are highly tuned to the slightest sights or sounds that need our full attention NOW!  Many of us can sleep with the TV on and the kids playing but are on instant alert if someone calls out our name.

Next time you play with your horse, try this:  Get Small  —–  Whisper!! Be big and loud and overt in your friendly games (and be creative with them) but when it’s time that you really need your horse to tune in, get physically much more quiet, but mentally far more focused, deliberate and intense – Become The Whisper in The Wind.

We just added a second session for our Young Riders Camp on July 28th!

We also added Vacation Bible School hosted by Christian Congregational Fellowship Church on July 15th!

Please see our calendar of events for dates and times! Contact us for an application!