Williams Lake Trail Riders Association

10/20/2025

10/18/2025

Today is World Menopause Day, so we're looking at the symptoms that affect riders – and, more importantly, what we can we do about them. Read more below

10/16/2025

I will never be able to describe the power of time spent cleaning stalls.
During this time I have made some of the biggest decisions in my life. I have silently thought my way, step by step, through some of the biggest disasters of my life. I have ugly cried my way through heartbreak all while cleaning stalls. I’ve thrown bags of sawdust in range as I thought about all of the sh*tty things going on in my life. Each stall has oddly given me a place of comfort as I stood, fork in hand, feeling empty during the times I’ve felt so alone. It has taught me to appreciate the serenity of the quiet. Realizing the ones in my life I can count on and the numerous fake people who are only present when convenient for themselves. I’ve enjoyed a free gym membership, as I’ve sculpted my back and shoulders into “he man”, just sifting away. I’ve stumbled my way, dry heaving, with sunglasses ....cleaning stalls through last night’s hangover, because god forbid my best friend be forced to stand in a dirty stall. Today I spend my morning, cleaning stalls and processing my life. I’m mentally making life changing decisions, as I write this post, knowing that whatever I decide, it will be the right one, as it was made in a stall.
I understand that there are those who think us horse people should get “real” jobs. And that all we do is spend our days “playing” around. I’m genuinely sorry that you have never been exposed to a lifestyle that teaches you discipline, how to love unconditionally, put something other then yourself first, bust your ass for the things you want and need, kept humble by a 1200 lb animal, the real meaning of “hard work”, early mornings and late nights spent caring for something other than YOU. Those are things a “real job” will never give you.
Some of you haven’t cleaned stalls .....and it shows.

Story and Photo Credit; Aubrey Burwell

10/16/2025

"I’m taking back the phrase “amateur hour.”

People usually say it like it’s a bad thing. “Wow, this is such amateur hour,” meaning messy, disorganized, not professional enough. But honestly? That’s exactly what I’m going for these days.

Because the more time I spend as an adult amateur, the more I realize that amateur hour is actually where all the good stuff happens.

It’s the early mornings with coffee in hand, trying to convince yourself you have the energy to braid your horse’s mane. It’s the horse shows where you forget half your course but laugh about it all the way back to the trailer. It’s the small wins that only you and your trainer will ever know about. The quiet little moments where something finally clicks.

For me, amateur hour is about taking the pressure off. No one’s paying me to do this. I’m not training for the Olympics. The only person I need to beat is the version of me from last week who couldn’t get a left lead to save her life.

It means I get to decide what success looks like. Maybe it’s getting through an entire lesson without feeling like I’m going to fall off. Maybe it’s remembering all my diagonals in a flat class. Or maybe it’s just having a good, happy hack after a stressful workday. And honestly, sometimes it’s just about getting out to the barn at all. Some weeks, that’s the win.

Being a junior rider felt like constant pressure to impress, to prove something, to stay on the same level as everyone else. And pros have a different kind of pressure. Their clients are watching, their reputation is on the line, and their paycheck depends on results.

But us ammies? We get to choose how serious we want to be. We can show up at 6 a.m. every day to ride before work… or not. We can spend every weekend at horse shows… or pick just one or two that sound fun. We can decide that this year is just for trail riding or that this is the year we learn to jump higher than 2’6”.

The best part is, we don’t have to have all the answers. We can ask the dumb questions. We can put the wrong boots on the wrong legs and laugh about it. We can watch ten different YouTube videos about lead changes and still mess it up—and no one’s career is ruined.

The older I get, the more I think that being a little bit of a hot mess is part of the charm. You can have it all together with a pristine show outfit, a half-million-dollar horse, and hours of drilling and picking apart every piece of you and your horse’s performance. And then it can all be for nothing when your horse spooks in the ring or pulls up lame on show day. So why not have fun with it?"

📎 Continue reading the article by Jessica LaVoy at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2025/10/06/reclaiming-amateur-hour/
📸 © Heather N. Photography

10/15/2025

It’s an unfortunate deal that with the fall weather comes higher risk of colic and we’ve had a lot of cases coming through our door lately. Let’s break down why autumn seems harder on our horses and things you can do to help! 🍂🍁

Feed/Routine Changes 🐴
If your horse is going from pasture to hay the change can be hard on them. Hay has less moisture and fiber compared to grass and they digest it differently. If the change is too abrupt they are at risk of both gas and impaction colic. Make the transition easier on them by slowly adding hay as they nibble at what’s left of the grasses!

Dehydration 💧
As the temps cool horses drink less, especially when their water is cold or starting to freeze. Dehydration slows gut motility and can lead to impaction colic. Adding electrolytes and making sure your horse has access to salt are both good preventatives. Try to keep water lukewarm - that means you might have to drag your heater out a little earlier than expected.

Cold pasture turnout ❄️🌾
After the first frost (last night!) the sugar content of pasture will spike. Not only does this put your laminitic/EMS horses at higher risk but it can also cause gas build up. Avoid turning horses out on heavily frosted grass until it thaws and dries.

Reduced Movement 🐎
Cold weather and shorter days can mean less exercise, slowing gut motility and can result in impaction colic. For stalled horses even just hand walking can help with gut flow.

Temperature Changes ⬆️🌡️⬇️

Rapid shifts in temperature or pressure can alter gut motility and gas production. Sensitive horses may colic after sharp weather changes.

For all cases be sure to watch for the following signs and take action as soon as possible:

〰️Dullness
〰️Dry manure
〰️Bloating
〰️Biting at sides (indicates pain)
〰️Sweating
〰️Frequent rolling, pawing orgetting up and down and overall restlessness.
〰️Refusing to eat

Many horse owners know what to do during the early stages of colic, but if things are progressing or you want to be on the safe side our team is available to get your horse the help it needs!

📞 250-617-3210
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📧 [email protected]