Double Barrel Creek

Double Barrel Creek Double Barrel Creek LLC is an equestrian facility located in Gillett, PA.

12/14/2024
12/03/2024

They keyboard trolls will always find something, lately it's the assertion that “anything that isn’t natural for a horse is bad for a horse.”

11/15/2024

Did you know that a horse with a moderate hair coat starts requiring additional calories for body temperature regulation when the outside temperature drops to approximately 50°F?

As the temperatures start to drop, especially overnight, it's important to remember that cold weather prompts special considerations for your horse's diet and care. This is particularly important when it comes to the older members of the herd; consult your primary horse doctor to formulate a plan to keep your horses happy and healthy this fall and winter!

11/01/2024
10/24/2024

Happy 30th Birthday to BO! 🎉

BO is our oldest resident and thriving! We love watching him run around with his herd mates like a young steed. He is growing in a lovely thick coat as he preps for the winter and we are happy to help him maintaining such great body condition in his old age!

We take the job seriously and are thankful to BO’s mom, Margaret, for trusting us to manage his care. BO’s mom is now an official veterinarian and we can tell he is proud to have a doctor mom! They had a lovely trail ride together just a couple weeks ago. Age is but a number when you have a team with a helicopter barn manager and a vet mom, and we think BO sure looks and feels good for it! ❤️

We have a rare boarding opportunity available!We specialize in retirement and rehab board, but will consider other types...
10/16/2024

We have a rare boarding opportunity available!

We specialize in retirement and rehab board, but will consider other types of boarders as well. We are a small facility and want the perfect fit for the herd!

Here’s what we offer:
- 24 hour turnout year round except for bug season (night turnout only during the summer months). Weather permitting, of course. We won’t put horses out during ice storms or other unsafe conditions!

- Group turnout in grass pastures of various sizes, ranging from 1/2 acre to 4 acres. Pastures are rotated for horses to have enrichment and never be in the same place two days in a row. Hay in front of them 24/7 when the grass is gone or they are stuck inside!

- Access ALWAYS to clean and fresh water!

- Specialized feeding program for each horse’s individual needs.

- Indoor riding arena with dust-free footing.

- Owners on premises with eyes on horses!

- Established relationship with excellent farrier who does everything from barefoot trims to corrective shoeing.

- Established relationship with incredible equine specific vets who are always on call. We are also only 1.5 hours from Cornell and always have trailer available for emergencies!

- Mandated vaccination and deworming schedules for all horses to keep the herd protected and safe!

- Horses are checked and loved on daily! Whether the horse is ours or yours we put hands on them and are known by our herd for having the best treats and scratches in just the right spots!

- We CARE. We are not just a boarding facility. We genuinely care about each horse and we take care of more than just their physical well-being, we make sure they are taken care of emotionally as well!

Please reach out if you are interested in having your horse join our herd!

Northern lights visible tonight!
10/11/2024

Northern lights visible tonight!

A beautiful sunny day with lots of wind (and the benefits of no bugs) made for a great day for the herd, barn cat includ...
09/09/2024

A beautiful sunny day with lots of wind (and the benefits of no bugs) made for a great day for the herd, barn cat included! ☀️🐴❤️

09/04/2024

Always 🖤🐴

08/21/2024

There have been multiple positive cases of EEE in NYS and other states this summer.
All of these horses that were infected were unvaccinated or undervaccinated.

EEE is transmitted by mosquitoes and is nicknamed the "sleeping sickness." It is a viral disease that causes inflammation in the brain and spinal cord "encephalitis."
This disease is not new to the area. Each year there are positive horses, almost every case being unvaccinated. There were 9 cases of EEE and 5 cases of west nile virus recorded in horses in 2023.

It is VERY important to make sure your horses are up to date on their core vaccinations BEFORE mosquito season. This disease is more prevalent in late summer and early fall. Horses that have been vaccinated within the last year should have adequate protection, however if it has been greater than 6 months horse can be have an additional for additional caution. There are also positive cases of West Nile in the area, but they are less fatal than EEE (up to 40%).

Symptoms include:
Anorexia + Depression
High Fever
Lethargy + Drowsiness
Acute onset of neurologic signs - ataxia, tremors of head and neck, head tilt, droopy lip, convulsions, recumbent/paralysis

There is no treatment for EEE and it has a 95% fatality rate.
Death will occur within 2-3 days of onset of clinical signs.

Prevention:
Vaccination
Mosquito control
- Removing any unnecessary standing water
- Applying fly spray liberally and frequently

Other resources:
https://www.equinediseasecc.org/eastern-equine-encephalitis
The Equine Disease Communication Center is a great resource for updates on infectious diseases.

https://aaep.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/EEE_DZ_Guidelines_Final_2023.pdf
The American Association of Equine Practitioners has many client resources on different diseases and disorders.

08/15/2024

Have you ever been told to not allow a hot, sweaty horse to drink cold water because it could lead to colic, founder or tie up?

This notion is actually a myth, and a dangerous one too, because it could lead to dehydration and very serious (and real) consequences. A sweaty, hardworking horse needs to be rehydrated without delay (i.e. don’t wait for the horse to cool down first).

The key, however, is to know how much water to allow at one time — because of the equine stomach’s relatively small capacity, offer small amounts of water every 20 minutes until the horse drinks his fill rather than letting the animal drink it all at once.

Remember that water is the most vital nutrient for a horse. A horse’s daily water requirements are influenced by many factors, but the average idle 1,100-pound horse in a cool environment will drink 6 to 10 gallons of water per day. That amount may easily double or triple in a hot environment! Therefore, it goes without saying that providing cool, clean water to your horses at all times is of paramount importance.

Source: Equus Magazine and AAEP member Dr. Anthony Blikslager. More information about offering a horse water can be found at https://equusmagazine.com/.../offering-a-horse-water...

08/14/2024

For my fellow barn owners/ trainers out there!

Lessons learned long and hard in the horse business as a professional..

1. It's easy to fall in love with your customers. They become a family who you spend a lot of time with. However, in the end they will do what's best for themselves. And, for you and them, those paths may not be the same. Prepare to get your heart broken. Keep business and personal relationships separate.

2. People will not always trust in your experience and will second guess you. They will think they know better because they read it in a book, or saw it online. Don't try to be all things to all people. Do what you are good at. Run your barn in a way that you can sleep at night knowing that you did right in your mind by them and their horses. The clients opinion of that may be different than your beliefs, but you have to live with choices that leave you at peace. That may mean confrontation, hard conversations and even asking people to move on for your own peace.

3. Horses are easy 99% of the time. It's the people who come with them that make things complicated.

4. Remember that horses need to be horses.

5. People will always judge you, and have opinions. The better you are, the more haters will have opinions.

6. Success isn't measured by ribbons and show placings. It's measured in happy animals and the quality of their lives.

7. There is always an exception or quirk that doesn't " follow the rules" in horse care. Do what works, not what the books say works.

8. When you get annoyed by seeing somebody's car pull in to the barn, it's time to let that person move on. Your barn should be a happy place. It literally only takes one bad sour apple to ruin the whole atmosphere and dynamic in a barn.

9. Let it go.... if someone moves on don't be upset by it. Ignore what they say. Don't take it personally. Every barn is not a good fit for every person.

10. This is a business. If a person or horse isn't working for you, or the compensation isn't offsetting your cost, it's time for them to go. The exception to this is your retired horses, see #11.

11. Horses only have so many jumps, so many runs, so many rides. Don’t waste your horses. Teach your students they aren’t machines. You owe it to your retired horses to have a safe, comfortable and dignified end. Your schoolies worked for you. When the time comes they can no longer do that, either give them a pleasant retirement, or put them in the ground where you know they are safe. Do not dump them at auctions or onto other people where you are not 100% sure that they will be cared for.

12. There is no shame in euthanasia for a horse owner. Always better a week too early then a second too late. Do not judge anyone for their reasons for doing this.

13. Most clients fall Into two categories. Those who are "high maintenance", open in their opinions and will confront situations head on. The second is the quiet type who will not say a word and will not openly talk with you about their expectations or issues. You have no idea they have a problem until it's too late. The people in between these two are the clients you want. They will be long term and make life easy.

14. Know your worth. KNOW YOUR WORTH. Your time and experience has a monetary value. Don't do things for free, even if you like the person. Every bit of time or effort you give to clients has value. So when you don't value your effort, neither will a client. They will come to expect "freebies", which always leads to resentment from someone.

15. Be honest. It's not always easy. But in this business it takes forever to build reputation and seconds to destroy it.

16. Remember horses are dangerous. Always use your best judgment and air on the side of caution when working with horses and students. Their lives and your own life can change in an instant.

17. Get paid up front. Keep good records. People don't go to the grocery store and ask for food they will pay for next week. Good business practices keep everyone honest and sets boundaries for clients.

18. Normalize passing on price increases. Service industries, especially ones like ours always "feel guilty " when raising prices. You are not there to subsidize someone else's horse habit. Prices have been going up on costs, so should your fees.

19. The buck stops with you. Your employees mistakes fall back to your responsibility. Always verify and check on important care aspects of daily activities.

20. Make time for family and rest. Too many of us get burnt out from the stress of expectations in this industry. In the end, boarders and students come and go. Your family is who you will have left.

Thanks for reading my thoughts. I hope it can help support some of you feeling burnt out, and maybe help some people who are starting out in their journey into this industry.

Written by Rhea Distefano

07/15/2024

Thank you Buck Brannaman for fixing a “people problem” and for the experience of a lifetime for this horseman.

Address

Gillett, PA
16925

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