~Smokey skies~
Well here we are a distance from any active wildfire but engulfed in smoke non the less. Suppose it was a matter of time before we became exposed to everything happening around us. We’re fortunate in the way that our stability isn’t being threatened and we can go about our daily without the fear of evacuation. My love and support goes to those who aren’t as fortunate. It seems like yesterday when we were set up in a high risk area of BC, always ready with a plan in place as soon as the smell of smoke was in the air. I’m feeling a bit nostalgic breathing the thick haze in that we’re currently experiencing, all the while thinking that I intended to leave that part far behind.
Unfortunately there are things out of our immediate control, this being one of them. But there are things we can do to reduce the stress on our horses. Coming from a veteran wildfire smoker here’s what I do to help my horses out…
- Unlimited fresh drinking water. Keep those waterers clean with ample refills.
- I water down my dry pens to reduce dust and momentarily provide cool contact frequently.
- Limit or avoid physical exertion altogether. Your upcoming show is important but not as important as your horses health. There will always be other shows or events.
- For horses with compromised respiratory issues watering down or soaking feed goes a long way. This is helpful for all horses as well.
- For those in immediate high risk areas… don’t wait until it’s an emergency to start preparing. Have a plan to evacuate in a quick min and ensure your horses have some sort of contact information attached to them in the event you get separated.
Thank you to the crews who are working exceptionally hard to contain the 90 + active fires burning in Alberta alone. Your commitment and efforts don’t go unappreciated. Let’s hope for some heavy rain. Until then take care and keep in mind the little extra effort makes a big difference in reducing stress for our horses
No cows to check so we went shed hunting instead.
Around here they get good and quiet with close proximity gunfire, low hovering choppers and earth shaking explosions. Making one stoic ride at a time.
As promised….
For our saddle detail and brand giveaway. I entrusted little helper Milo to pick.
Winner winner chicken dinner goes to Penny Blair.
Since we only had three entries I’ve decided to give Allyssa Dufresne and Kate Foisy an offer for 50% off any detail or branding services. Thanks for supporting ladies!
~New Beginnings~
I talk frequently about how I go about starting colts or focusing on correcting issues but seldom does the discussion in depth arise about changing disciplines. Specifically to the strains horses encounter in career changes.
It really is extremely common that horses are purchased with “potential” for a specific job but not necessarily trained or conditioned for the desired career. So let’s jump into how we achieve that transition.
If your bananas like myself you may have acquired a large, stubborn and rude dressage Warmblood, but hold the phone… I’m a western rider. I absolutely respect and appreciate the athleticism and training in the dressage sport but my preference is to a more relaxed and quiet forward. So how do I combine what my horse is conditioned to and what I as a rider am conditioned to? Compromise on both sides but a consistent direction.
I’ll use my personal experience to explain…. When I met Lorano (better known as Larry) he was 15 and a big spoiled brat notoriously known to throw tantrums and hurt riders. He had big explosions and didn’t quite respect work. I being cheeky was quite confident I could cowboy his explosions but further than that I wasn’t well versed in his training cues. I was given the opportunity by his owner George to try my hand at figuring out the oversized tantrum throwing Larry, only problem was I was mid pregnancy at the time so the riding risk wasn’t a consideration. So I started at the bottom with ground work and basic handling. Here’s where I learnt a ton about him. He wasn’t just spoiled under saddle, he was in fact spoiled everywhere. He would stand for pampering but used his size and stature to intimidate and bully people. He’d mess around and paw in cross ties, he’d assertively pin ears and run you over at feeding time, he was spooky and would plow you over leading him. He was unpredictable and in my opinion similar to breeding stud like behaviour (always keep an eye
My apprentice this year 😆 she shows up everyday, eager to work, doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty and is taking her “training” seriously. Did I mention she’s my mini me?
Chuck living his best life. Give your old horse the respect to retire happily. We bought Chuck last fall as the start to our “cared for until the end” ambitions. He came from a loving owner who was ready to move on so we scooped him up knowing his age and potential concerns. The method to my madness was that he deserved to retire gracefully with full love and care until the end. He still gets exercised but he doesn’t have a “job” to go to anymore. I must say his personality and gentle soul stole my heart and we’re so happy we can share whatever time he has left with him.
Early stages softening ex’s
