Hoofbeats & Pawprints

Pet Pictures!

2018-03-01T09:30:00.000-05:00

I enjoy sharing pictures of my pets every week, as they are goofiest animals ever! They make me laugh every day and I like to share that!

After our lesson, Lex was really sweaty! He hates being wet and always wants to roll in the dirt to make himself feel better. This time, I gave in and let him have his roll. I love how he kept trying to roll all the way over to his other side, but just kept getting stuck. Maybe next time, buddy.

Savage has a buffalo horn that he loves to chew on - it's probably one of his favorite toys! He also falls asleep quite often, with the buffalo horn hanging out of his mouth. In case you haven't noticed yet, Savage is weird.

I made Savage a custom dog bed! This thing is as tall as I am, and I can't lift/carry it myself. He absolutely loves it! But, somehow, his head is STILL always falling off the side of his bed. I just don't get it...

Andrew is not going to be happy he was included in this week's post, but, he rode with me the other day! It's literally the best day ever when he takes 20 minutes and rides horses with me. I lunged Comet for awhile before I let Andrew get on, and Comet was an angel for him. We definitely need to get Andrew his own helmet though!

I am continually reminded how lucky I am to have Lex. He is easy to train, he is kind, he is smart...I could go on and on. I always leave with a smile after I visit him at the barn.

Did I mention he's goofy, too? He loves to get into trouble and that might be what I love about him most!

Dealing with Equine Cushing's

2018-02-26T09:30:00.000-05:00

Equine Cushing's Disease, also becoming known by its more technical term, pituitary pars inermedia dysfunction (PPID), is a disease that has recently become more common, but there is still much left to the unknown regarding it. Typically, when we think of this disease, the curly, long coat that doesn't shed comes to mind first. However, there can be quite a few more symptoms and signs that will lead to a PPID diagnosis.

If you notice that your horse has a long, curly hair coat, be on the watch for other indicators, such as delayed shedding (my gelding doesn't start shedding until about June!), change in attitude (this is what prompted me to have blood work done), fat deposits, and increased urination. These are the symptoms that I noticed in my gelding, looking back, and just didn't think anything of it at the time. Sam probably developed PPID shortly after he was diagnosed with EPM. At 28 years old, I'm unsure if an earlier diagnosis would have really helped him at all in the long run.

In order to test for PPID in your horse, the first course of action is to have blood work done. Your vet will let you know if your horse's ACTH levels are in the category to be diagnosed with PPID. The most common form of treatment is pergolyde; the most common brand of pergolyde is Prascend. Typically, a vet will prescribe 1 tablet per day. That's what I started Sam on, and he got very, very sick from it. He stopped eating for a whole week, had a high temperature, and was very lethargic. After consulting with my vet, and doing my own research, I found that most horses cannot tolerate a full tablet of Prascend on a daily basis. Instead, we switched to half a tablet per day and he has been doing very well on that dosage.

There is no actual 'cure' for PPID once it has been diagnosed. In order to help prevent your horse from developing a resistance to insulin (EMS, which can also occur simultaneously with PPID), it is important to closely monitor his diet. Limiting sugar, starches, treats, fresh spring grass, etc. are all good ways to limit his intake of sugar. It's also important to note that wounds will take longer to heal (in my experience, I have a hard time treating thrush and getting it to stay away), your horse's immune system will be compromised, and he may not be able to perform at his previous athletic level.

There has been recent research performed regarding a more permanent solution to treating PPID instead of just managing it. Researchers suggest that surgical ablation of the pars intermedia portion of the pituitary gland has been successful in both dogs and humans; however, the procedure would be much more difficult on a horse. Researchers were able to try a different method of reaching the gland, and they felt that it ended up being a relatively simple procedure that would be cost-effective. You can read more about the actual study done and future developments here.

So what are your thoughts on the topic? Have you dealt with PPID with your horse? What do think of a permanent treatment that would remove daily maintenance, be cost effective, and would be a procedure that the everyday horse owner would have access to?

Furry-Friendz Cupboard Now Has Dog Treats!

2018-02-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

Peanut Butter Crunchies are Here!

Furry-Friendz Cupboard is now offering dog treats! The first flavor being offered is peanut butter! We had 5 test dogs for this treat, and every single one loved it! I had reports of 2 dogs standing in the kitchen whining for more!

Treats are available in the large size, above. 1 dozen of the large treats is $5.00

Treats are also available in a small size, above. 2 dozen of the small treats are $5.00.

The photo above is for size comparison of the large & small treats. They come in fun shapes like paw prints, bones, fire hydrants, and dog houses. An entire batch of treats makes 4.5 dozen (23 large treats & 28 small treats), which sells for $18.00. These treats will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months!

Treats come packaged in a large bag when purchased by the batch!

If you'd like to place an order, please message me on my Facebook page!

Senior Horses & Senior Feed

2018-02-19T09:30:00.000-05:00

Comet turns 18 (!) this year. I really struggle with that number, because most of the time he does not act his age! I've been watching him closely the past year or so to monitor his body condition, how well he is able to consume/digest his feed & hay, and keep track of his dental check ups & how his teeth look each year.

I've been doing some more research on what to watch for in horses that will help me determine if & when Comet is ready for senior feed. When I switched Sam, it was obvious, as he couldn't chew normal feed anymore, or hay. With Comet, I feel like I might have to watch a little more closely. I don't like to assume that just because he is over 15 years old, he automatically needs to be switched to senior feed - I like to watch all aspects of his lifestyle and then make an educated choice from there.

The first main thing I watch for is how he is chewing his grain. I watch to see how his jaw is working (if it's in a normal rhythm or if he seems to be chewing oddly), if grain is falling out of his mouth while he's chewing, and if he is finishing all of the grain in his bucket.

I have my horse's teeth done yearly. I have asked my vet several times if Sam and Comet need to be seen more often, as Sam's teeth are almost worn away, and Comet develops ulcers in his mouth and sharp points on his teeth like no other. So far, I've been told that once a year is just fine. Comet is probably the one I have to watch closest for sharp points and ulcers. When I first got him, he had a pretty nasty ulcer back by his molars, and that one can flare up if sharp points are not taken care of on time.

I keep a pretty close eye on my horse's manure, as it really can help you determine if your horse is not feeling well. If you are finding that large pieces of forage (bigger than 1"), then his digestive tract may not be functioning as well as it could be. This could be because his teeth need to be floated, or it could be that he simply cannot process long-stem forage any longer. In this case, I offer my horses hay cubes/pellets and beet pulp shreds. I have found that all three of my geldings enjoy these types of forage, and it puts my mind at ease that there are options for when senior horses need a different type of forage in their diets. Furry-Friendz Cupboard offers plenty of different, customized forage options for horses of any life stage.

Do you use a senior feed? If so, how did you determine when your horse was ready to switch over to senior feed?

Animal Update!

2018-02-16T09:30:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd do a fun animal update just so I could share cute pictures of all of my animals!

This is the position that Leo & Graybeard assume every evening when we watch tv. I'm not sure how two cats can take up a whole couch cushion?!? They don't even like to cuddle, so I'm not totally sold on having them hog the couch!

Savage has started sleeping with me again, until Andrew comes upstairs! I think Savage is finally learning that the bed is a good, comfy place to relax!

Everyone gathers in the kitchen at the sound of a cheese wrapper! All of the animals are so spoiled - they all wake up from a deep sleep if a cheese wrapper crinkles quietly.

Savage couldn't decide how to wear his bandanna, so he decided to keep his ears tucked in against the winter cold!

Lex finally had a chiropractor and massage appointment and he is feeling good again! We were able to start back into lessons, and obviously, Lex is not too thrilled about that. He is SO overworked.

Sam is still adorable. He wants everyone to know that he does NOT like the blankets that have to go over his head. He thinks they are too scary and too much hassle for an old man like him, even if he does look cute in his new blanket!

Comet is still his goofy, loveable self. However, he is VERY ready to go outside and play! WHERE IS THE WARM WEATHER?!?

Motivation & Self-Drive

2018-02-15T12:00:00.000-05:00

Do you find it easy to set goals, make a plan, and achieve those goals? Or are you more of a dreamer, someone who can see the end goal, but maybe gets lost along the way?

I've always believed that setting goals in life is important, whether it's a professional goal, a personal goal, or a social goal. Setting goals keeps us focused on what we want to accomplish in our lifetime and keeps us inspired to keep plugging away at them slowly. Goals can be both inspiring and frustrating because the end result is exciting, but the process of getting there can often be slow and tedious.

However, just because I love setting goals doesn't mean I'm good at following through on them. It can be very difficult for me to follow through on the goals I set if I don't have someone working with me on a regular basis to make sure I get where I want to be. If I have trouble discerning if I'm making progress or not, I assume I'm not and I lose interest. I have to keep myself in a competitive environment and frame of mind if I am going to follow through on goals and make progress.

Recently, I have been trying to set SMART goals. This system works better for me because I know to set smaller goals that are very specific, with an end goal in mind. Before, I would just make a big, general goal, that seemed unattainable. Then, I would lose interest. By setting smaller, more achievable goals, I am better equipped to make measurable progress and work my way toward the bigger goals.

As of the middle of February, I have started working with Nikki Bailey of Nikki Bailey Show Horses. I've only had one lesson so far, but I'm excited to see how things progress and how our show season goes. I'm really excited to have someone who is invested in my horse and my goals help me along on my way. I feel like after 4 years, Lex and I might actually get somewhere and I'll remember why I've put all this work into insisting on keeping my horses and continuing to show as an adult.

What do you think about goals? Do you think they are important to get things accomplished in life? Or would you rather go through life and see what happens, without having a plan?

Exercising Horses in Cold Weather

2018-02-02T09:30:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wondered if there a specific temperature at which you shouldn't ride your horse because it is just 'too cold'? Let's look at some of the research and opinions from professionals, below.

In the colder months, horses, in general, are not being worked as much as they were during the warmer months of summer. This could be due to less competitions to attend, holidays that disrupt our normal horse schedule, less area to ride due to snow drifts or ice, etc. I typically enjoy riding in the Fall because it is a nice change from the hot summer. However, once we get around 10-20 degrees (F), I turn into a wimp. Add in holidays and traveling and my horses typically are out of shape before I know it.

When I do decide to ride in the winter, I usually keep it to about 20-30 minutes. This is for several reasons. First, I usually get cold quickly (I know, I'm a wimp). We now have an indoor arena that has deeper footing than the one we were previously in, but when it's 10 degrees (F), I'm just not convinced that my horses joints, tendons, ligaments, etc. are warm enough to take the pounding of a canter or the stress of turning a barrel. That being said, with plenty of warm up (I'm thinking at least 20-30 minutes here), all of the previously stated activities could (and should) be just fine. Again, my problem is that I'm frozen after about 15 minutes of warming up.

Second, regardless of how warmed up my horse is, I'm still concerned about the cold air coming into their lungs. When I was in college, I ran every day, regardless of the weather; therefore I maintained a certain fitness level year round. I decided to run a 5k in the winter, when it was 18 degrees (F) out. I ran my fastest race yet, and I had no discomfort. That being said, if I was not already at a certain level of fitness and used to the elements, my lungs would have been burning, my muscles would have cramped, etc. With Lex, if I ride when it is below 20 degrees (F), I can hear him breathing loud and laboring. He sounds uncomfortable, so I don't push him. With Comet, he's ready to RUN. He doesn't care if it's cold or not, so I let him work a bit harder.

Third, for horses who are shown and travel extensively in the summer, the winter months bring a nice break for them. I think it's important to still ride, but maybe not train and push them quite as hard all winter long. I usually start bringing my horses back into shape around March so we can be ready for show season. Horses sometimes need a mental and physical break in order to keep their minds fresh!

Overall, I think it's most important to listen to your horse. Obviously Lex and Comet are very different in their personalities and comfort levels, so I adjust riding and training schedules based on that. I'm not going to push Lex if he's uncomfortable and I'm not going to hold Comet back if he's telling me he's ready to go. It's important to know your horse and be able to make decisions based on what they are telling you.

Now, for some advice from a professional that I follow closely, Stacy Westfall. In her short blog post, she shares the advice of her professors and other research, which all concludes that it's never really to cold for a horse to be working. You can read her exact thoughts here. I agree with everything she says, and I also agree that I'm really too much of a wimp to ride when it's freezing cold!

I would love to hear from you regarding your thoughts on riding when it's cold! I'll be sure to catch up on all responses from my warm house!

The Importance of Extra Forage in Your Horse's Diet

2018-01-31T09:30:00.000-05:00

So many times in the horse world, every retailer, trainer, barn owner, vet, etc. seem to have the cure-all answer for everything. Many horse owners become concerned when they think their horse is not receiving adequate feed or hay to maintain a good body condition.

Each horse is different, and the requirements to keep them in shape are different also. Depending on what you do with your horse, grain may or may not be a part of his diet. For Comet & Lex, I feed them a 12% protein 6% fat pelleted feed. I have used sweet feeds in the past for them, and I felt that they were too hyper & spooky. They could never focus on what we were doing, and they would spook at absolutely nothing. Since switching them to a pelleted feed with no added sugar, I've been very happy with their dispositions & performance. They still have plenty of energy to do their jobs, they've maintained a good weight through the winter, their coats are shiny, and their dispositions are as sweet as ever.

As we start to compete more this summer, I've looked into Purina's new Ultium Gastric Care feed. I like this feed because it offers a higher calorie/fat/protein content, includes Amplify nuggets, and also has the new Outlast supplement built into the formula. I'm interested in this feed because I would like to see both Comet & Lex put on some muscle and develop better endurance. I would like Comet to continue to improve his speed, and Lex to have the muscle structure necessary to hold a frame. I like that this feed offers gastric protection, along with Amplify (I've fed this alone before and have been very happy with the results!). As summer gets closer, I'll be sure to post an update if I decide to switch, and I'll keep track of the horse's progress on the new feed.

I'll definitely be keeping Sam on the Purina Senior Feed, as he has done incredibly well on it and has maintained his weight better than he was previously on other feeds. This feed can also be soaked in warm or cool water to create a mash-like consistency. This is how I feed Sam. It is messy and sloppy, but it doesn't require chewing, so he actually consumes it instead of dropping the feed all over the floor.

Now, as for hay and forage in a horse's diet. I believe that hay is the MOST important part of a horse's diet. I would offer free-choice hay 24/7 if I had control over that (my boys are boarded, so it's not an option right now). When I kept them at home, they had slow feed hay bags in their stalls overnight, and 3-5 hay piles in their paddock during the day when there was no grass. Forage is the basis of a horse's diet, and without it, so many things can go wrong. When a horse's stomach is empty, the stomach acid builds up and can agitate the stomach lining. If you work a horse on an empty stomach, the acid will slosh around in their stomach, causing pain and discomfort.

https://myhealthyhorse.com.au/got-ulcers/

Feeding extra forage in the winter can also offer the benefit of helping your horse to keep warm in frigid-cold temperatures. Depending upon what part of the world you & your horse live in, frigid temperatures can be 40 degrees (F) or -10 degrees (F). Extra forage will keep your horse's gut busy digesting, which will produce additional heat to keep their body warm. Depending on the temperature, your horse's body condition, and their hair coat, your horse can require additional forage to stay warm. Check out the chart from Standlee Forage, which helps illustrate when your horse may require additional forage sources to help him keep warm.

https://standleeforage.com/

Additional forage sources can be offered in a variety of ways, depending on what your horse's dietary restrictions and needs are. For example, if you have an older horse with a sensitivity to sugar (like my Sam), you would want to consider something like Beet Pulp with no molasses added. Beet pulp will give a horse a forage source to break down and will also help him put on weight, without affecting his blood sugar. There are also options such as Alfalfa, Timothy, Oat grass, or a mix of these hays. Standlee Forage offers a wide selection of forage options that are tested and guaranteed high quality. When I'm looking for extra forage, this is usually what I buy.

https://standleeforage.com/products#/

Because my horses are boarded, I cannot simply grab a few extra flakes of hay when I want and feed them to my horses. Instead, I choose to use beet pulp shreds/pellets, hay cubes, and hay pellets. These forms of forage still provide the benefits of keeping your horse's gut active, but are more available to those of us that cannot store hay bales.

When it comes to feeding extra forage in the form of cubes, pellets, or shreds, I prefer to do an even weight mixture of each forage. That way I'm not providing too much of any one forage that could potentially upset a horse's digestive system. Also, I do not use bran in any mashes, as large quantities of bran can upset a horse's digestive system and cause colic.

In the cold winter months, I like to offer a mix of forages, soaked in warm water. I add in electrolytes, and sometimes peppermints or other small candies to get my horse's excited about eating the mash. Mashes can be beneficial beyond offering extra needed forage, also! Horses are less likely to drink the proper amount of water when it's cold outside, so a soaked mash will get at least some water in them. Adding electrolytes will also continue to encourage the horse to drink, even after the mash is finished.

Below is an example of a mash that has alfalfa cubes, alfalfa pellets, and beet pulp shreds as the forage sources. Electrolytes & small candies have been added, also. My horses absolutely love this mash and inhale in whenever I offer it to them! The link below the picture will take you right to my page, where the mashes & other treats are available for purchase!

Furry-Friendz Cupboard

What do you do in the winter to keep your horse's warm? Do you change your feeding program at all, or add anything to it?

Weekend Activities!

2018-01-29T09:30:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend, we decided to take a trip to Menard's for some home improvement items! We already have one project started from our last trip to Menard's - and that is the front door. We haven't installed it yet because I would like to have it painted. BUT, I don't want it painted with a paint brush (I know, tell me I'm high maintenance); I want it to look professional and well done. So, because of my insistence that this front door be painted perfectly, we are waiting until Spring, when we can have it sprayed with a sprayer system. This should give us the nice, smooth look I'm after.

Anyway, during our most current trip to Menard's, we FINALLY purchased a water softener (YAY!)! I have been wanting to have one installed for the 2+ years we have been in the house, but we just haven't been able to have it done yet. We were wanting to have a system installed by Kinetico (HELLO $1,500.00), but we decided that we could just buy a water softener, install it ourselves, and call it a day. When we bought the house, there was a water softener in the basement, but it has never worked. We're hoping that it's something as simple as turning on the water in that area and having the new one hooked up properly (the softener that came with the house is almost 30 years old, so it was time for an upgrade either way!). I'm really, REALLY hoping this is just a quick swap-out and the flip of a couple switches to get this going.

While we were at Menard's we also got a few things for my horse supply shed. Ultimately, this shed will hold all of my saddles, show equipment, trailer supplies, blankets, and other miscellaneous stuff. It still needs painted, saddle racks put up, and some trim around the bottom, but we finally got locks for it today (good starting point?). We started this project about the same time we started our roof last summer, so work on the shed has been rather slow. I'm excited to see how this turns out when it's all finished!

Does anyone else have a specific, dedicated outbuilding for all of their horse gear? I'd be interested to see how you organize it and what you keep in it! Feel free to share pictures or ideas below!

On Friday night, we went to the see the movie, 12 Strong. This movie was about a special forces team that went into Afghanistan after the 9/11/2001 terrorist attacks. The movie was very well done and had a strong, lasting impact. However, I have to say that one of the main things that stuck out to me was the way Middle Eastern countries treat women. I have read and done my own research on the topic, and many of their traditions just don't sit well with me. One particular one portrayed in the movie was that women are not allowed to receive an educated after they reach 8 years of age. If they are taught in secret, the teacher is executed. This physically sickened me while I was in the movie theater. I cannot comprehend how American women are fighting for equality in America, when we still have countries that do not allow women to receive an education and then execute them if they break that rule. I cannot find a way to justify the feminist marches that have occurred recently in America, when I know that things are so much worse in other countries. Yes, I believe that both women and men should be compensated fairly in the work environment. No, I do not believe that men and women are equal; nor do I believe that one sex is 'better' than the other. Each gender has something different and special that the other may not be able to offer to society as well. And I don't think that constantly fighting each other to prove that one is better than the other is the answer. I DO think that we should work to create gender equality in the bigger picture - I believe women should have the opportunity to receive a full education, that they shouldn't be required to wear long veils/face coverings to hide themselves from the world, that there should be no limitations on when/if they can speak in the presence of men, etc. When these basic principles are handled for women around the world, THEN maybe we can move on to equal pay. Perhaps when we achieve basic equality and rights for women all over the world, we can return to fighting for equal pay, job opportunities, recognition, etc. for ALL women. **If you feel the need to comment on this part of my blog post, please be respectful with your words. People are entitled to different opinions & to disagree, but that doesn't give a free pass to be mean or hateful**

I decided to do some baking on Saturday afternoon and made these really quick and easy chocolate chip bars! They were delicious right out of the oven. Of course, Andrew had to have a middle piece. *sigh.

The weather was so nice on Sunday that I decided to ride both of my horses! Right now, I'm working on getting them back into shape. We work on lots of transitions to keep them thinking & paying attention, and we also work on endurance by long-trotting for 10-15 minutes. I rode with the arena door open yesterday, as I also need to get them used to the outside world again. They've spent so much time inside lately due to poor weather, and I always like to re-introduce them slowly when I'm riding. I actually lunged both of them before riding, just to get them used to the new sounds, smells, and sights, before I hopped on. Comet ran around like an absolute crazy horse for about 15 minutes, and Lex actually had a few bucks and head shakes in there too! Let's just say I was glad we got their energy out before I got on!!

I'm really excited to get Comet out this summer & see how he does with all the distractions & new things at a show. I'm just hoping he stays calm, gets on the trailer both times, and doesn't do anything too crazy!

I'm hoping to put Lex in the canter classes this year - we will see how that goes. We still have trouble rating our speed and staying consistent, but I'm hoping to have good rides and go from there.

Is Barefoot Actually Better?

2018-01-26T09:30:00.000-05:00

I have never liked having shoes on my horses - to me, they are annoying (morning of a horse show, someone is ALWAYS missing a shoe!!!) and cause more harm than good. I never had shoes on Sam, and I always received rave reviews from farriers about how great his feet were and how good his hoof wall is. When I first got Lex, he didn't have shoes either, and I tried to keep him that way. Unfortunately, he continually bruises his coffin bone without them, which led to a recommendation of shoes with rim pads (which quickly turned into full pads when I still couldn't keep him sound). As long as he has his shoes and pads on, he's pain free and a beautiful mover. Without shoes, he's pretty painful. When Comet came into the picture, he didn't have shoes, but his feet were in really bad shape. Within about a year or so, his hooves finally resembled a 'normal' shape and I was determined not to have to put shoes on him.

http://www.all-natural-horse-care.com/toe-rocker.html

I've been hearing more and more about the debate between barefoot and shod horses, and I've done my own research regarding the pro's and con's of each. I've been particularly interested in the Easy Care line of products, as I like how the shoes are flexible and move with the horse's hoof. I'm not completely sold on hoof boots yet, because they just seem like a lot of extra maintenance, but I do understand the benefits of the boots (for a transitional period while the horse is becoming accustomed to life without shoes on or riding over rough terrain).

https://scootboots.com/blogs/blog/pasture-vs-barefoot-trim

As I was recently doing more research on the Easy Care website, I came across a list of farriers in my area that either work with Easy Care products or do barefoot trimming. I decided to contact Steve Hebrock of Enlightened Equine. He works out of the Akron, Ohio area and will only do a barefoot trim on horses; under no circumstances will he put a shoe of any type on a horse. I decided to give Steve a call and we talked about the issues that I face with my horses (mainly, Lex. He is the one I'm most nervous about). Steve seemed perplexed that Lex's coffin bone was getting bruised without shoes on and agreed to come out for a consultation.

I am nervous about removing Lex's shoes and trying something new that may affect his soundness right before show season, so I'll definitely have to give this some more thought. I need to contact the clubs I plan on showing in this year to see if showing in hoof boots is an option or not. If I am able to show in hoof boots, I may decide to pull the shoes now and give it a try. It all depends on how competitive I want to be with Lex this summer.

An example of underslung or long heels. With barefoot trimming, I would hope to see an improvement similar to this for both Lex & Comet.

http://www.blue-heron-farm.com/hoofform.html

On Thursday afternoon, I met Steve at the barn for our consultation. We looked at Lex's feet first, as he would be the one that would be most tricky to figure out. Lex has shoes and full pads on his front hooves still and his back hooves are bare. It was hard to determine with his pads on, but Steve noticed a few things that I have been overlooking. Lex's heel bulbs are squished together, with hardly any space in between them. This is not natural, and it is definitely not part of a healthy hoof. We also noticed that his heels were very long and uneven. I am still undecided if I'm going to have Lex's shoes pulled and try to go barefoot, but it's definitely something I'll be thinking about for the next few weeks.

Here is a very good example of what Lex's front hooves look like with shoes on - his heels are very contracted (picture on the left). His back hooves look more like the picture on the right, which is healthier for the hoof.

http://www.blue-heron-farm.com/hoofform.html

We looked at Comet next. His heels were also very long, and his hooves were not trimmed evenly. We also noticed that his hoof walls were wavy - a result of his hoof not being trimmed evenly. His hooves almost look a little splayed due to this abnormal growth pattern, but it's nothing that can't be easily corrected through trimming. When we got to Sam, Steve said that he had the best hooves of the bunch. His heels weren't abnormally long and the trimming was even. Sam has always had good, strong hooves, so I wasn't surprised by the good report!

This is a good example of what Comet's hooves look like now (left) and what I'm hoping they look like later on if we decide to try barefoot trimming.

http://curlyhorsecountry.com/barefootcurly.htm

I still have to decide if I want to go with Steve or not, as I do believe he knows what he's doing, but his prices are double what I'm currently paying. I think it would be worth it, but it's a big change that I have to be confident in. I would love to read about any experiences or input my readers have - it would be greatly appreciated!

Warming Up?!

2018-01-25T09:30:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend, we hit a high of about 35 degrees (F) on Saturday! I planned to ride in the morning, but the horses were outside and I didn't want to bring them in to work since they've been stuck in their stalls for so long. Instead, I visited them in their pastures and fed them cookies.

Lex came from the very back of the pasture for peppermint cookies!

Comet and I both struggle in the selfie department! And Lex obviously didn't think he was getting enough attention (or treats!) because he photobombed most of our pictures!

Sam was enjoying moving around and sniffing in the snow - but for the most part I think he just wanted to take a nap!

I rode Lex on Monday night, but it was just a short ride since I haven't ridden him in a few weeks due to the cold. He chewed off another pair of bell boots, so he was sporting his new, bright blue ones! I give them about a week before they are lost!

I have been working on developing some ideas that I've had for awhile, and things are finally starting to come together. I've started offering a very limited selection of horse treats and as I'm able to test more recipes and products, things will be added to my page. I've set up a Facebook page for the products, Furry-Friendz Cupboard, I make and sell and you can click on the link to view current products, happy customers, reviews, and special promotions. If you've tried one of my products, please feel free to leave a review and feedback for others who are viewing the page!

These three pictures are of my Valentine's Day Special Alternative Bran Mash. Check them out on the Facebook page, Furry-Friendz Cupboard!

As things continue to move forward, I'll be adding dog treats, cat treats, dog beds, all-natural horse products (fly spray, liniment, detangler, etc.), polo wraps, saddle pads, and more! If you have special requests or more fun ideas for things you would like to see, please leave me a comment below!

Furry-Friendz Cupboard Poll & Giveaway!

2018-01-24T09:30:00.000-05:00

Furry-Friendz Cupboard is currently hosting a poll and giveaway for followers! Be sure to like and follow the Furry-Friendz Cupboard page, and then vote on the poll. You will be entered to win a free product once voting is finished!

There are plenty of new product offerings to choose from, but if you don't see something you are interested in, please leave a comment or send me a message so I can look into it!

Thank you for all of your support and I look forward to all of the responses!

Starting off the New Year Right!

2018-01-22T12:00:00.000-05:00

I have discovered that Savage loves the cold weather - he loves to run around and play in the snow. He would probably stay outside for hours on end if I let him! I decided to bundle up and take him on a few walks when it was about 10 degrees (F) - I would not recommend that on a normal basis! He absolutely loved it, and I was about frozen solid when we were done!

Savage has finally discovered how to beg for treats while I am cooking dinner or getting a snack. This face is very hard to refuse!

I haven't been riding the horses as much for the past few weeks, as we were doing a lot of traveling and when we got back we had a couple weeks of 0-10 degrees (F). I don't usually like to ride when it's below 20 degrees (F), as I just think it's too cold for the horses to be worked very hard.

I still go out and visit my boys often and take them lots of yummy treats!

I think they are enjoying their time off!

2018 is Here!

2018-01-20T11:34:00.002-05:00

We had a very, very busy end to 2017, and beginning to 2018! We went on a cruise to the Bahamas on Royal Caribbean, where we spent time in Key West, Nassau, and Pearl Island.

We started off with a Trolley Tour in Key West, which ended up being so much fun! We learned a lot about the history of the area and the tour guides made the whole trip very interesting.

The above picture with the statue was taken at the Southern-most point, 90 miles from Cuba! There was a HUGE tourist line to take a picture with the official marker, so we chose this sailor statue instead.

Our tourist guide on the Trolley recommended Papa Chi-Chi's for lunch. The owner was incredibly friendly and we got a LOT of food for $5! This place was authentic and delicious!

We enjoyed some beautiful sunsets on the ship!

The person taking care of our room on the ship was one of the nicest people we have ever met, and she always took time to make us fun towel animals!

We went snorkeling and had lunch on of the islands we stopped at, Pearl Island. Lunch was delicious and authentic, and snorkeling was absolutely amazing!! I was wishing I had an underwater camera the whole time. As soon as we started snorkeling, we saw a rainbow eel - and then it slithered right into a hole in the sea floor. I was definitely watching out for him to reappear the whole time!

We had a formal night on the ship on Christmas Eve, where I actually got Andrew to dress up and wear a tie! We ate at one of the more formal restaurants for the entirety of our cruise, and the food was always delicious.

Christmas Day was spent on one of Royal Caribbean's private Islands. We spent the day relaxing on the beach and taking a nature hike through the middle of the island. We also saw a very large stingray (in the above picture), just chilling in the sand, right where we were all wading in the ocean. He never moved, but we were definitely keeping an eye on him!

We were walking along the end of the nature trail when this guy just appeared on the tree beside me!

When we arrived back in Key West at the end of our cruise, we visited the Everglades and took an air boat tour. We then saw a nature show with crocodiles. The 3 year old one I got to hold is named Larry.

Andrew tried deep fried alligator bites - I was not a fan, especially after holding my buddy Larry!

We had a wonderful cruise and we are looking forward to the opportunity to go on more cruises in the future!

Christmas is Coming!

2017-12-18T11:29:00.000-05:00

We have been busy, busy, busy the past few weeks as the year draws to a close and Christmas gets closer! I've been picking up some last minute gifts, trying to ride the horses as often as I can, and also spend time with Savage in the snow (he LOVES the snow!).

Comet has been doing so well--I just love this horse! The more time I spend with him, the more I trust him, and the more I realize I love barrel racing. He's always up to learn something new, which makes new experiences fun and exciting. I am working really hard with him to be able to attend some races next year--we will see if everything comes together in time!

I was able to take this weirdo to work with me last week! I love having him with me. If I'm having a stressful day, all I have to do is pet him for a few minutes and I'm feeling better! He has some interesting sleeping positions, which always makes me laugh, too.

I love this guy! He is so sweet, and he constantly makes me laugh. I was putting his halter on after I got done riding the other night, and he grabbed this nasty dirty towel before I could stop him. He was chewing on it for a few minutes before I could get it out of his mouth! He's always getting into something!

Savage has been absolutely loving the snow!! We were outside for almost an hour one day last week, just playing fetch and hanging out in the snow.

Andrew actually went to the barn with me over the weekend and rode Lex! It lasted all of maybe 10 minutes, but it was great. I love having company when I ride, and Lex was the perfect gentleman for Andrew. I was so impressed, and so proud of him for behaving himself. He really is a special horse!

I know this ended up being a really quick update post, but I'm hoping to have more time to share after Christmas and New Year's! We are really busy the next two weeks, but I'm looking forward to all of the fun to come!

Welcoming December!

2017-12-04T10:58:00.001-05:00

This past weekend was mostly spent on home improvements! I am very excited about this, because we FINALLY got our roof finished! The people we bought the house from did a lot of things themselves, but they were just quick fixes to make things look nice--nothing was actually done correctly (for example, last night we found electrical tape on our propane line to the heater in our basement. Hmmm...). So, we have spent a LOT of time at Lowe's and Menards since we've owned the house, working on things like painting the bedroom, painting the bathroom, sealing leaky spots in the basement, replacing gutters, staining the deck, putting new carpet in the living room, repairing a portion of the roof, and painting the living room.

My brother took some time off with me on Friday so we could get to work on the living room. We had some water damage on the ceiling and the top of one of the walls from the leaky roof, we got to work on that first. We used spackling and ceiling paint to take care of damaged areas, and we ended up having to go back for another quart of the ceiling paint!

You can see a lot of the water damage (hopefully fixed!) at the top of the wall where it meets the ceiling, and how much damage the walls had on them in general. The walls in the living room were an interesting orange/tan color, which went well with my western/horse theme. However, I've been wanting to paint it, and I was hoping to go for something darker. Andrew and I both like darker, richer, jewel tones in general. The only place we chose a pastel for was the bedroom because I wanted more of a relaxed, airy feeling since it's more of an open loft than an actual room.

When we were done painting, I decided to do some rearranging with the furniture. I set up this nice table with a lamp my brother and sister-in-law had gotten for us, and some pictures of Stubbs, along with his box of ashes. It may seem a little strange to have an entire table dedicated to him, but I like having his things set out when I see them multiple times every day. I still have some of his collars and toys that I'd like to make a shadow-box with, but I've decided to do things as I feel ready to instead of rushing to get everything done.

Andrew and I made a trip to Hobby Lobby on Saturday morning, where we decided to get a fake Christmas tree! Since we'll be traveling at the end of December, we decided a live tree wasn't a good idea for the cats. I love this one, with the pine cones and cranberries. I definitely need some more snow for on top of the coffee table (and it would be great if Savage quit ripping the snow off the table and trying to eat it). The cats are still fascinated with the tree, so I'm going to need some type of gate or something to keep them away. I can't have houseplants or anything, as Graybeard likes to eat everything. Our animals are so weird. Anyway, in the pictures the color of the walls doesn't look drastically different, but I went with a burnt caramel color. I absolutely love how it turned out! I'm just getting all of the switch plates back where they belong, along with all of the wall art.

Since we were working so hard all day on Friday (it literally took us from 7:15 am to about 4 pm), I decided to get us some lunch from Pizza Hut. Of all the pizza chains, Pizza Hut is one of my favorite! Their hand-tossed crust is delicious. My brother opted for Pepperoni and Banana Peppers, while I decided to go crazy with veggies (I know, it was a moment of inspiration!). I had banana peppers, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, and bacon. I also chose the parmesan garlic sauce instead of marinara. I think one of the reasons I like Pizza Hut so much is because I can customize my pizza to exactly what I want!

Andrew, and my dad, uncle and cousin finished the portion of our roof that needed replaced! We have been working on this for a few months, as it ended up being a pretty detailed project. We had to scrape two layers of shingles off (like I said, the previous home owners tried to patch things rather than actually fix them), level the roof with 2 x 4's and plywood, and then lay down roofing materials and the actual metal roofing. I chose a charcoal gray color for the panels, and I think as we are able to re-do the rest of the exterior of the house, everything will start to come together. Andrew also mounted our TV on living room wall so we don't have so much furniture on the floor. The room is only 16' x 20', so it can get cluttered quickly if there is too much furniture!

I took this goofy dog on a walk over the weekend, after he destroyed yet another Kong Quest Puzzle Toy! I'm not sure he quite understands that he needs to get the treats out of the toy, instead of just destroying the toy! Also, he got pictures with Santa at daycare last week, and also received a Christmas bandanna!

I ordered Savage a pack of treats from Doggie Delicious Treats & More for part of his Christmas present, and the package also comes with a personalized Christmas ornament! The package includes 4 dozen treats, a liver brownie, and the Christmas ornament--I thought this was a great deal for $20! Check out the Facebook page for this business here: Doggie Delicious Treats & More. I met the lady who owns this business at the Paws in Park Pawty a few years ago. Stubbs always loved her treats, and she makes healthy treats and explains why she uses the ingredients she chooses. To me, that is much better than buying treats full of preservatives from a pet store!

We made a short trip into Medina to Medina Christmas Tree Farm to participate in their Trees for Troops program. This program partners with FedEx to bring Christmas trees to military personnel serving overseas during the holidays. All we had to do was go to a participating Christmas tree farm and make a donation. We decided to sponsor an entire tree instead of just making a general donation. The owners of the Medina Christmas Tree Farm were very kind and also very grateful to have people participate in the program. I hope that this is a tradition we can continue to participate in every year! Trees for Troops collections is complete for this year; but please visit the link if you are interested in participating next year!

I took my mom to see Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe at Barberton's Magical Theatre over the weekend. Even though this theatre is catered towards families and small children, we always enjoy the shows we see! Narnia was no exception. We were impressed that the play was able to fit in all of the vital points of the story into 1 hour and 15 minutes! It was very well done, the actors and actresses were outstanding, and the props/set was gorgeous. As usual, the showing was mostly sold out. The theatre has made some recent updates to the building, including new seating, carpet, wall decorations, and restoration of the public restrooms. The building looks wonderful and I can't wait to go back for another show! They have quite a few upcoming shows that look good, including 1984 and Curious George. Check out their list of showings here: Barberton Magical Theatre.

I picked up a new CD a few weeks ago while I was Barnes & Noble. Chase Rice has finally released some new music, and I absolutely loved the whole CD! My favorite tracks include Lions, Saved Me, Three Chords & the Truth, and This Cowboy's Hat. Give it a listen! Lambs & Lions

Thanksgiving Weekend

2017-11-27T11:50:00.002-05:00

We spent the holiday weekend in Pennsylvania with Andrew's family this year. Savage went along with us, as we are still hoping he becomes a little bit more accepting of Andrew's family. I think we made a little bit of progress, but not much. We'll keep working on it though!

We did a little bit of shopping on Black Friday, but not until later in the day, and we only went out for a few hours. We went on a nice long hike with Savage when we got back, which he definitely needed! We went to a place in the Allegheny National Forest, called Heart's Content. We chose a 5 mile path, and it took us about 1.5 hours. Parts of the Allegheny National Forest are open to backpackers and campers, and we passed a few people on the trail. We did encounter two loose dogs, who's owners were WAY behind them, and did not have a good recall. Savage doesn't like dogs/people coming up to him, so it was pretty tense for a few minutes until the loose dog's owners caught up to them and grabbed their collars. These people didn't even have leashes for their dogs, which was incredibly frustrating. Having your dog off-leash and able to explore is a great idea, but owners have to remember that not all dogs are friendly and want to interact. At least keeping their dogs where they could see them would have prevented a stressful situation for us on Friday.

I think we were all a little tired after hiking in the cold!

Saturday afternoon we headed to Jake's Rocks, also part of the Allegheny National Forest. We found a few paved paths to walk on, but there were not a lot of actual hiking trails for us to explore. We ended up driving over to Rimrock to see if we could find a longer path to hike on.

After we made it down a LOT of stairs, it started raining pretty hard, so we had to turn around and head right back up the 500 million stairs we had just gone down. Maybe next time we visit PA we'll have better luck with hiking at Rimrock!

When we got back on Sunday afternoon, we celebrated my Grandma's birthday! My dad made beer-battered fish and homemade french fries, and we also had cheesecake. It was a lot of food to consume after Thanksgiving! But it was nice to spend some time with my family after being away for the holiday.

Now that both Halloween and Thanksgiving are over, I am finally getting excited for Christmas! I started to listening to a new Christmas CD at work today; Dashing Through the Snow, Solo Piano by Michael John Hall. I love piano music and this one is perfect for the work day - Christmas-y but still calming and makes perfect background noise. I got my CD while I was at Equine Affair, but I found it on Amazon if you'd like to give it a try! Obviously, I bought this because there is a horse on the front cover, but it did turn out to be a good purchase!

Dashing Through the Snow by Michael John Hall

Catching Up

2017-11-21T11:41:00.000-05:00

I know I've been absent from my blog for quite awhile. A lot of things have changed over the past year, so this might be a rather lengthy post as I try to get everyone caught up.

Since I last posted, I've moved my horses twice (yes, I know, that's a lot!), and I am finally THRILLED with where they are boarded. I found a place about 10 minutes from me, where my boys spend about 12-14 hours outside on a daily basis. They are fed a pelleted feed and given quality hay. And I am not working myself to death trying to work off the board fees. Everyone is finally happy!

I've found that even though I've cut down on the amount of barn work I do, I am still very busy! I'm happy if I can ride 4-5 days per week (high expectations, I know!), but sometimes life just gets in the way. Comet and I are back in lessons and working on the barrel pattern--he's very smart and responsive, but because of his age, we may have a few issues to work through with some sore spots. Overall, I'm very proud of how far he has come.

Back in May, the 23rd to be exact, I lost my precious Stubbs due to a fatal heart arrhythmia. Nothing can quite prepare someone to lose such a vital member of their family in such a traumatic way. I miss him every single day, and I attribute the lack of doing anything over the show season, or doing anything concerning life in general, to his passing. He was my best friend, and I'll never have another dog like him.

I in no way intend to ever replace Stubbs, but I wasn't handling an empty house very well, so we welcomed Savage in to our family in June. I've never raised a puppy before, and it was sure eye-opening! He's a great puppy overall, and I'm thankful for the life he has restored to our household.

Savage has quickly wiggled his way into our hearts, even though he incredibly ornery! We work with him on a daily basis to remind him that the cats do not like to be chased up and down the stairs, under the futon, or behind the furniture. He'll get it someday, right?

One of my biggest regrets with Stubbs was not finishing our training to become therapy certified. I feel that Stubbs would have made a perfect therapy dog; he was accepting of every person we met and was so happy all the time. I have had Savage in training since he was first able to start puppy classes and we are now in Advanced Obedience. Savage is not nearly as outgoing and friendly as Stubbs was, but I am determined to get our certification and make a difference for those who need a little bit more happiness in their lives. Savage has already come a long way--we receive compliments every week on how responsive he is and how he is also coming out of his shell and becoming accepting of new people. It's not easy by any means, and each class we pass is bittersweet, as I remember doing them all with my Stubbs. But I know in the grand scheme of things we are doing the right thing.

On a much brighter note, I have become a sponsored rider for a tack shop based out of Sheboygan, Wisconsin!! I am very excited about this opportunity! Jamie offers some quality items at great prices. She offers brands such as Tough 1, Professional's Choice, and Weaver, just to name a few. I've already placed an order for a few items, and I will post a review once the items come in and I get to try them out! In the meantime, if you'd like to place an order, Crazy Cow Tack has a Facebook page where you can check out all of the great products for yourself! If you place an order, be sure to use my discount code, nuttall18, for an extra 10% off!

Thank you for sticking through this long post with me! I will be updating my blog much more often in the coming weeks! Stay tuned!

Winding Down from the Summer!

2016-10-17T03:00:00.000-04:00

I know it’s been a very, very long time since I’ve posted an update (I was doing so good, posting every week!), but life has gotten a bit crazy lately. It’s hard to keep up with everything during show season, and when the weather is nice outside, I just want to be outside with my animals. Now that show season is over, I’m hoping to get back in the routine of posting blog updates weekly!

Stubbs has been doing very well-he obviously loves his peanut butter jars! I always give these to him when they are empty so he can try to lick all of the peanut butter out of the jar. We started a new training class together, called Rally-O. It’s kind of like Agility, but it has more commands to learn. The commands are very detail oriented, so we will definitely need to put a lot of work into getting the details right! I love learning new things with Stubbs and watching him become a well-trained dog.

Smooches has also been doing well—we are working with her on a lot of her training issues and are trying to stick it out with her to help her find an adopter. Right now, we are working with Smooches on allowing people she doesn’t know to be where she can see them. It’s going to be a long process, but I’m confident that we can get her through this! She has a lot of energy, so we have been looking for creative ways to help her get her energy out while we wait for a decision about her floppy front leg. We use treat-dispensing toys quite a bit, but with being very limited on physical activity, we are always looking for more ways to entertain her!

I’ve given Lex some easy days and time off to help him wind down from show season. He loves being outside all the time, so I try to put him out as often as I can. Especially with how nice and cool the weather has been lately, I can’t stand to see the horses inside, standing in their stalls! We are really working on transitions this winter. I want to have these down for when we start doing canter classes next year. Lex is still unsure about going into the canter, so we are focusing on that transition the most. We have also started to work on patterns. Lex usually has the pattern memorized after we do it for the second time, so we’ve been breaking patterns down a lot and working on small elements, and then putting all of the elements together maybe 3 times. He’s doing better, but we sure have a long way to go!

Comet has also gotten some time off lately, as I’ve just been really busy. I’m trying to increase the strength in his stifles, while also increasing his overall fitness, so I usually lunge him for about 20 minutes at the long trot before I even get on. He’s getting better with this, and I don’t want him to get burnt out on the other more difficult aspects of training for barrel racing because he is not fit enough. He seems to love his new job and I’m excited to see how he continues to improve.

Introducing Smooches!

2016-09-05T19:59:00.000-04:00

Introducing Smooches!

After much, much, MUCH begging, pleading, and convincing, Andrew finally relented and let me talk him into fostering a dog. I’ve wanted to add another dog to our family for quite some time, as I think it would be good for Stubbs to have a consistent playmate. Sometimes he seems lonely, so I figured adding a playmate might help Stubbs keep occupied.

I applied to many different do rescues local to our area, but I either didn’t hear back from them, or I had to follow-up so many times with them I figured they weren’t organized enough to be a reputable rescue organization. I’ve adopted animals before, through our local Humane Society and through Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary, so I couldn’t understand why some of the dog rescue groups weren’t getting back to me.

A friend of mine recently adopted Pit Bulls through Mercy’s Door Pet Rescue, so I decided to apply to one last rescue organization in hopes of getting a dog to foster. We were approved the day after I applied and were able to get a dog two days later. A few of the directors of the rescue brought Smooches out to us, as she had previously been fostered with other dogs and a cat. She and Stubbs had a decent first meeting and Smooches stayed with us starting that same day.

We’ve only had Smooches for about 6 days, and we’ve been able to learn a little bit about her in that time. She’s about one year old and has a LOT of energy. She loves to sit on our laps and give kisses. Mercy’s Door thinks that Smooches was hit by a car; when they got her she had to have surgery on her back right leg and a cast on her left front leg. Her legs have completely healed, but her left front leg has healed a bit crooked and flops at a weird angle. She doesn’t seem to be in pain, but she does seem to tire easily. We tried to take her running with us this past week, but after our third run, we decided that she just doesn’t like it and it might not be best to push her to run with her past injuries.

Smooches is very protective of her toys, food, and humans. She can get quite snarly and bite-y with Stubbs when she feels she is being threatened by Stubbs. We have been trying to work with Smooches on this bad habit and feeling of being threatened, but it seems that we have a long road ahead of us. We have contacted Mercy’s Door to let them know that we would like an appointment with their trainer so we can properly work with Smooches on this issue.

Overall, Smooches is a very sweet dog and she absolutely loves people! She loves attention and she is very affectionate. Mercy’s Door Pet Rescue is based in Avon, Ohio, and they have quite a few very nice dogs who are looking for permanent homes. If you are interested in fostering or adopting (Smooches needs a permanent home!), you can find more information at http://mercysdoorpetrescue.org/.

Update on Comet!

2016-08-29T03:00:00.000-04:00

I’ve been putting a lot more time and work into Comet lately, compared to what I was before. I really try to ride about 6 days per week, but that still means that each horse only gets worked 3 days a week, as I only ride 1 horse per day. I’m exhausted by the end of the week, but I still feel like the horses aren’t getting worked as often as they should be! I try to balance just the right amount of work for them, as Comet is older and Lex has already had a lot of issues in his five years of life. I think rest days are important, and with how my horses are currently progressing, I do not see riding every day as a necessity.

I had a barrel racing trainer come to the boarding barn where I keep my horses so she could give me some tips on what to work on with Comet. I had already noticed some type of stiffness in him, but she pointed out that it was stemming from his stifle area. She suggested injections and long-trotting as ways to help that stiffness, and I am doing lots (and lots and lots and lots) of long-trotting right now to try to help build up that area of his leg. I don’t want to jump right into something like injections because it can be costly and Comet does need to be in better shape so I figured the long-trotting was a good place to start. The trainer suggested 20-30 minutes of long-trotting per day, so I started with 10 minutes and have increased it by 5 minutes a week and we are currently working on 15 minutes of long-trotting. I incorporate circles, changes of direction, and figure eights into that time to keep both of us from getting bored out of our minds.

We are also working on learning how to do rollbacks to help build up Comet’s hind end strength. We started at the walk and are still working on this at the trot. This seems to be pretty hard for him, so I only work on this about 5 minutes every time I ride. I’m trying to do more spirals with him too, to help build that quick turn mentality and to help him turn easier in general. We’ve incorporated cantering circles around cones or barrels set in a straight line, also. This has really helped Comet to be able to make turns while cantering and he has started picking up speed between the markers on his own. His balance has greatly improved and his brain seems to have figured out what to do, but his body just needs to keep up. When we do the pattern, Comet typically blows right past the first barrel at the canter (going to the right), and refuses to turn. I’m assuming this is because he is still stiff somewhere and we are working to get this figured out.

Comet does not seem to enjoy rail work and really comes alive when we start working around cones and barrels. I’ve added very small ball spurs when I ride and this just helps him to move off of my legs more quickly, whereas before, he was leaning into my legs instead of moving away from them. I’m really impressed with how quickly he is progressing-he is proving to be a very fast learner and wants to please.

Even though I am very happy with how Comet is progressing, I'm pretty sure the look on his face here perfectly sums up his feelings about a heavier workload!

VCSC Show, 8/14/16

2016-08-22T03:00:00.000-04:00

This past Sunday was wet. Very, very wet. The ring at the showgrounds was soupy, not muddy, but soupy. I was a little concerned about Lex slipping and falling, so decided to take it slow with warmup and signing up for classes. Lex already doesn’t really pay attention to where he’s putting his feet, so putting him in a muddy ring made me extra nervous. He did pretty well while we were warming up, so we went ahead and signed up for our 4 classes.

We went ahead and got a stall for this show, since it was very rainy with the possibility of thunderstorms. I must say, it was nice being out of the elements for once and being able to relax in front of Lex’s stall. We were able to set up everything in a semi-organized way, which made getting ready for classes easier. Lex would get a little nervous when all of the horses around him were gone or when it started raining and you could hear it on the roof, but it was good for him to have a new exposure. I’m all about exposing my animals to everything I possibly can, because it will end up making them a calmer, more reliable partner.

Our first class was Hunter under Saddle and Lex was able to pull off another win, even though I felt like he looked more like a giraffe with his head up looking at everything. I wasn’t able to get him in the show pen to practice before the class, so I kept calm during the class because it was my fault he hadn’t been in there to check things out yet. We had a good ride and I was very happy with how that class went overall. The next class we had was English Equitation, and the Judge made us SIT THE TROT. I think it’s honestly been about 2 years since I’ve done a legitimate sitting trot in an English saddle, so I knew this was not going to be a pretty class. We somehow ended up with a second place, and when we came out of the ring, Andrew was very quick to inform me that I looked like I was posting the trot and that maybe I needed to practice the sitting trot a bit more at home. I fully believe him though—it was bad!

Our last 2 classes of the day were the Hobby Horse Pleasure class (if you place first, you win gift certificates to Hobby Horse!) and the Jackpot Walk-Trot Pleasure. We have been entering these classes all year, and either end up with a callback or no placing. Always good rides, but have had yet to impress the judges! I have a video of our Hobby Horse Pleasure class below, and it was probably one of my favorite rides so far! I felt like Lex was consistent and I was ecstatic to not only have placed, but won the class! I do not have a video of the Jackpot class, but Lex also won that one! I couldn’t believe it! I was so proud of him. He is turning out to be one of those horses who really makes me wonder about our abilities outside of the show pen, but it’s like he knows when he’s being judged and he gets down to work. He’s incredibly smart and I am so excited to continue showing him and moving forward!

Masisllon Saddle Club Show, 8/7/16

2016-08-18T10:29:00.001-04:00

We’ve only been to a handful of shows this year, mostly chasing points at VCSC. I was hoping to get to the Ashland Paint & Plain shows, but that just didn’t happen (not having my own trailer is really frustrating sometimes!). So, I decided we could use some extra practice on Sunday. We headed to the Massillon Saddle Club Pleasure show, and I was very happy with how Lex did.

I was very surprised when I got Lex off the trailer-he just looked around once, then started munching through his hay bag. He was completely calm and relaxed. I decided to lunge him and ride around, since there were woods by one end of the arena. He needed a few times going by there before he was completely comfortable with the trees and sounds of the birds! I decided to put him in a schooling class before any of our actual classes started, and I’m starting to notice a few things about our classes. First of all, Lex is learning to listen to the announcer. He will change gaits based on when the announcer starts speaking. This is a really bad habit to develop, and it’s really hard to break. We will definitely have to work on this. Secondly, Lex does not like standing in the lineup after the class is over. He wants to be the first horse to leave the arena, and if he’s not, he starts to get antsy. We definitely need to do some work on this also. Lastly, I need to work with him on maintaining his speed in each gait. He likes to rush, because he thinks the faster he goes, the sooner he will be done. That is not how it works at all, but I have yet to convince Lex of that! He’s so ornery and too smart for his own good. He’s lucky he’s cute!

We still have some work to do, but Sunday was a nice, relaxed, fun show day. Our classes were all bunched together instead of spread out over the whole day, and it was nice to be finished and then able to relax and just enjoy the show day. It was pretty hot on Sunday and there was no shade at the showgrounds. Lex drank one 5 gallon bucket of water, and I kept his full-body fly sheet on him all day. He was still very hot and sweaty, but I was out of ideas to keep him cool. At our next show, I will take a pop-up canopy and try to get him to stand under that to keep the sun off of him. What do you usually do to keep cool on show days?

P.S. Here’s a cute picture of Stubbs enjoying some ice cream after a hot show day!

Also, this is really how Andrew & Stubbs spend show days….

Relaxing with the Boys

2016-07-26T12:06:00.000-04:00

This past weekend was HOT. Lex and I were supposed to show on Sunday, but the show was canceled by the committee due to the high temperature and the heat index. Disappointing, yes, but definitely necessary. I didn’t ride all weekend, but made sure the horses had fans, clean stalls, and fly sheets if necessary. They stayed inside on Saturday when the heat was the worst, but I put them outside Sunday evening and they were excited to run around. On Monday evening, I wanted to ride, but figured it might still be too hot. We’re not supposed to hose the horses down unless we are going to a show for right now, due to not wanting to run the well dry. I always feel bad riding and making the horses sweaty and then not being able to help them cool off with a liniment bath.

Last night, since it was still warm, I decided to just put Lex and Comet outside and just hang out with them in the pasture. I grabbed my sunglasses, Gatorade, and a few horsey magazines and just relaxed with them for a little while. The flies were kind of bad, so we didn’t stay outside very long, but it was nice to spend some time with the horses and watch them. Sitting outside with them is peaceful and it was nice to take about fifteen minutes and just enjoy my horses instead of pushing them to work hard. This was the perfect reminder to take it easy and enjoy simply spending time with my boys in lieu of always having an agenda.

I thought I would share the recipe I use for fly spray for my horses. It doesn’t last a super long time, but I like to use this on a day-to-day basis. Commercial fly spray is very expensive and I go through it very quickly. I only purchase Bronco fly spray for use at horse shows, when we really can’t have any distractions. I also use SWAT on Lex’s face during shows, under his eyes and around his ears. Otherwise, the horses have a fly mask on so we don’t have to worry about flies! Let me know if this recipe works well for you, and share whatever you use for your horses!

Homemade Fly Spray:

1 cup water

1 cup Skin So Soft bath oil

2 cups white vinegar

1 tablespoon eucalyptus oil (optional)

Mix everything together in a spray bottle and spray away! I don’t use the eucalyptus oil because it’s expensive and again, I go through it quickly. It adds a nice scent, but the fly spray will work just as well without it!

2016-07-18T14:24:00.000-04:00

VCSC Show, 7/17/2016

Lex and I are members of the Valley City Saddle Club here in Northeastern Ohio. I decided that it would be best for us to take it easy this year and only enter the Walk-Trot classes this year. I’ve definitely learned my lesson when it comes to pushing Lex too hard before he is ready. We tried Showmanship at our first show of the season, in May, but we definitely have a lot of work to do! I usually stick to 4 main classes, which are the English Pleasure, English Equitation, and two open w/t jackpot classes.

Lex has been doing very, very well in the English Pleasure classes-he is a Hunter Under Saddle machine! It’s amazing to me how he can work so effortlessly. This is always the first class of the day, and I’m usually incredibly nervous and always sure that we aren’t going to place. However, Lex is the type that races around the warm-up ring and has me second guessing myself, but then goes in the show ring and pulls off the class like a champ. He has his most consistent head set and stride whenever we are in the show ring in front of a judge. He’s doing much, much better than I could have ever hoped for this year! I’m excited for what next year holds for us in the English Pleasure classes.

Ah, English Equitation. For some reason, the equitation classes are my absolute worst. I know the class is judged on me and how well I communicate with my horse, but somehow I still cannot score the way I want to in this class! I’ve worked on my equitation in parts-hands, upper body, legs, knees, heels. But I still can’t seem to put it all together at the same time and pull off a win in an equitation class. I’ve been working hard and improving (at the beginning of the season, I wasn’t even placing in equitation, and now we are placing third or lower!), but it’s still frustrating to know that I obviously have a good horse that can win the classes in Pleasure, but I am the problem when it comes to equitation. I guess it’s time to put even more work into using my legs properly and (gasp!) riding without stirrups to improve my leg strength.

The two jackpot classes we enter are always good to measure how well we compare to a field of about 30 horses. Sometimes we get a call back and sometimes we place, but I’m using these classes to try to establish a good feel of how we would place in the larger classes. I would like for us to be able to consistently place in a large class before we move on to bigger show associations or breed shows.

I like to be prepared for my show day, so I usually try to do my hair before I leave the house. I found this great tool called EZ Buns when I was at Equine Affair this past spring. It makes getting a low, secure bun without the use of a million bobby pins, possible! And, I can do it myself, in about 5 minutes. Check out their website to see how easy it is! www.ezbuns.com. I also did my makeup fully before I left. This made getting Lex ready at the show grounds much more relaxed because I wasn’t stressed about getting him ready and then having to mess with my hair and makeup. I decided to do all of my makeup, without any shortcuts, and it was a great confidence booster in the show ring. It made me feel put together and ready to take on my competition! If you think you don’t have enough time to do your hair and makeup fully the morning of a show, try getting up just 30 minutes earlier and I guarantee it will give you extra confidence throughout your show day!

Do you guys have any tips for setting goals for showing with your horses? How about being organized and getting out the door in the morning? Please share any show day tips below!