Hood River Equestrian | Riding Tours| Training

08/26/2024

07/17/2024

07/15/2024

In case you decide to take a riding trip to Louisiana.

06/24/2024

Free hay ad on Nextdoor. You cut

04/16/2024

You WILL be great, just get started! Baby steps are fine, they still make forward progress!

01/08/2024

Rethinking the hot bran mash.

During these cold winter days you may be thinking about offering bran mashes to your horse as a warm, comforting treat and also as a way to help prevent colic due to the higher fiber content of bran. This, however, is an outdated concept and nutritionists point out several potential problems associated with feeding bran mash too often—namely, an imbalance of the dietary calcium-phosphorus ratio that could lead to bone disorders, and a disruption of the healthy fermentation patterns in the horse’s intestinal tract.

The best way to help your horse stay warm this winter is by increasing forage 🌾 and providing shelter 🏠 during a cold snap. And as far as the risk of colic, your first line of defense is to provide plenty of water to keep your horse hydrated. 💦

As always, your equine veterinarian remains your best source of information; contact them to learn more about feeding mashes (they are typically not an issue if fed as the occasional treat) and colic prevention this winter.
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Brough to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

12/26/2023

Merry Christmas to all.
Hope you had fun!!

12/01/2023

Love the mares ❤️

🙄

11/27/2023

Thoughts on being wise.

𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴!!
• A horse grinding their teeth or behind the vertical or on the forehand does NOT mean the rider is some ethically grey arse who doesn’t care about horse welfare. Riding is hard. There is a huge learning curve. We don’t come out of the womb with perfect horsemanship, but then create tension because we decided draw reins are quicker.
• A horse that’s tense at a show and clearly not having a good time does not mean the horse hates their human or that the training sucks or is lacking. I don’t care how much you work your horse at home- that’s not going to keep them from being nervous at a show. You have to work on that away from home, which requires working through that tension in public.
• Knowing that your hands or seat is causing issues doesnt magically fix the problem. Everyone who learned to ride well spent years riding poorly.

Yes we should be looking to minimize negative effects on the horse while we learn.
Here are just a few ways to do that…..
- gentle tack for green riders
- lunge lessons
- riding with an instructor more often than not
- learning loose rein riding before riding in connection
- fitness program off the horse
- not advancing too quickly (aka, master sitting trot without stirrups before cantering, master 2 point before jumping, etc)

If someone is using a double twisted hack gag combo with a wire tie down to control their horse- THAT is a moral issue.
If someone ties the horse’s head to its girth until it’s in a state of learned helplessness before doing a western pleasure class, THAT is a moral issue.
Botoxing tails is a moral issue.
The FEI continuing to allow nosebands so tight the horse can’t open it mouth a centimeter, none-the-less yawn, THAT’s a moral issue.

Being braced with your left hand is not a moral issue.
A crooked seat is not a moral issue.

Can these things still negatively impact your horse? Absolutely. But these things should be temporary and while we minimize negative impact on the horse as much as possible, learning to ride will never be totally tension free. I have a string of lesson horses and overall they are pretty happy. We do exercises and match horse and rider in a way that allows riders to learn and grow without the horses suffering for it.
Now, if one of those students took a horse to a show, you would probably see some tension. Just like when I show, it’s certainly not always perfect. That’s one ride out of thirty. Seriously, the horses can handle some occasional not-great rides. But the social media keyboard warriors seem to think that if a horse has some mouth issues/ tight neck/ collapsed throat latch in a few show pics, that somehow the rider is a bad person.
The guilt that is cast on riders for not having perfect hands in every picture is ridiculous. Now, if an FEI rider keeps turning horse’s tongues blue, THAT IS A MORAL ISSUE!!! Go get um!!!
But if a 45 yo woman on her OTTB is trying to survive a training level test abd her horse’s face is wrinkled with tension, for crying out loud, she isn’t doing it on purpose!!!! Leave the poor woman alone. She’s working on it! She’s never going to stress that horse as much as the track did and she’s doing the best she can.

All good riders used to be not-good riders. Most riders already judge themselves harder than the trolls do. Stop the hate.

10/26/2023

Be kind to yourself

Dearest Riders,

Please let me remind you of something very important. Horse showing, riding and training are insanely difficult. If you have a crappy ride, a less than stellar show ring result (or if you made your trainer want to pull their hair out today), it just means there's more to learn. The people who had good rides today are not exempt from disappointing rides tomorrow. They also have bad days and, if they're very experienced riders, they've had a whole bunch of bad days.

There will always be someone out there on a more talented horse, someone with a bigger bank account, someone who never struggled to learn to sit the trot...life isn't fair. You probably can't win the lottery or grow 5 more inches of leg. You can, however, wake up every morning and be thankful that you're able to ride horses. Work hard at becoming the best rider you can be with the body and the bank account that you have right now. Work at being the rider your horse wants up there on his back. Your horse's opinion of your riding is more valuable than any judge's opinion could ever be.

10/11/2023

Art of the Cowgirl was created to pay homage to the cowgirls and women who helped shape the culture of the west. To honor women like Betty Kunesh- the grandmother of our founder, Tammy Pate- who instilled a love of horses, art, and the western way of life in not just Tammy, but all whose path she crossed- is a work of the heart here at Art of the Cowgirl.

Betty Kunesh was a cowgirl to the core. Raised in Rapelje, Montana, she grew up horseback. She not only helped break young horses alongside her father, but also learned to tend to her home and care for her family. She became a talented artist, and found beauty in the world around her. Betty became a mentor to many in her community. Betty passed away in 2023, yet her legacy lives on.

In honor of Grandma Betty, we have created the Betty Kunesh Legacy Award. We will bestow this award annually to a woman who has been nominated by someone they have influenced, in order to honor the women who are not always front and center in the limelight.

If you know a woman who is deserving of the Betty Kunesh Legacy Award, we encourage you to nominate them and honor them and their contributions to the cowgirl way of life. Applications are open on our website through November 10, 2023. Use the link below:
https://artofthecowgirl.com/betty-kunesh-nominations/

10/11/2023

𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐤 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐎𝐟 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞

On Friday, Sept. 29, Merck Animal Health announced it is voluntarily recalling 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒃𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑩𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆/𝑩𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆-𝑺 (𝒇𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒙𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒆𝒈𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏) 𝟓𝟎 𝒎𝒈/𝒎𝑳 in the United States, used for injection in horses, cattle and swine due to the presence of particulate matter. These batches are in addition to the three batches of Banamine/Banamine S that Merck recalled in early September due to the presence of particulate matter. Banamine/Banamine S (flunixin meglumine injection) is a prescription product in the U.S.

Particulates were observed during routine quality testing and reviews for the following additional batches:
-- BANAMINE 100mL, UIN 065474, NDC 00061-0851-03, Batch 3511101, expires December 2024 (Distribution dates: May 16, 2023, to Aug. 8, 2023)
-- BANAMINE 100mL, UIN 065474, NDC 00061-0851-03, Batch 3511104, expires December 2024 (Distribution dates: Aug. 4-17, 2023)
-- mBANAMINE 250mL, UIN 065476, NDC 00061-0851-04, Batch 3522101, expires December 2024 (Distribution dates: July 14-Aug. 17, 2023)
-- BANAMINE-S 100mL, UIN 065477, NDC 0061-1838-30, Batch 3511103, expires December 2024 (Distribution dates: May 3-Aug.16, 2023)

The lot number (LOT) and expiry date (EXP) is located in the bottom right portion of the bottle label.

The administration of an injectable product that contains particulate matter may result in local irritation, swelling or infection in response to the foreign material. After intravenous administration in large animals, such as cattle or horses, particulate matter could travel to the lungs which could result in local tissue damage.

Customers who have received Banamine and Banamine-S from the batches being recalled should stop using the products and refer to their recall letter for product return instructions. Merck Animal Health is working with distributors to ensure that unused product is no longer in distribution or with customers. The company is notifying our distributors and customers directly and arranging for the return of all recalled product.

Consumers with technical questions regarding this recall should call 1-800-221-3573 (8 a.m. – 5 p.m. weekdays Central Time). Customers who may need to arrange return of product should contact their point of purchase.

Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product may be reported to the FDA at 1-888-FDA-VETS or online (https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/report-problem/how-report-animal-drug-and-device-side-effects-and-product-problems).

This recall is being made with the knowledge of the Food and Drug Administration.

09/03/2023

Consider the Saddlebred. Versatile, social, athletic. An all around great amateur owner horse that’s reasonably priced.

“There are so many gorgeous Saddlebreds available, and they are my breed of choice. It’s a feeling I get from looking at them, and from riding them. They are my safe place. I am an old amateur. There are lots of ladies out there like myself that want a safe, sweet ride.

Not only do I have a deep, long-standing love for the breed, I have hopes to continue showing the community to please stop throwing these beautiful, loving animals away just because they don’t meet an expected saddleseat standard. I also hope to show the dressage community at large that this is a breed that will help you achieve your dressage, or eventing, or whatever equestrian dreams you may have.”

In the latest exclusive story, a lifelong equestrian in USDF Region 2 shares about her Grand Prix Saddlebred. Read it here: https://yourdressage.org/2023/08/29/going-for-gold-the-road-to-grand-prix/

Photo by John Borys Photography

06/18/2023

Hope you can join us next Saturday, June 24th between Noon - 3pm. Meet the horses, tour the farm, learn about volunteer opportunities and other ways to get involved at SAFE. We'll have a huge tack sale full of new and gently used items for horse or human and a new batch of SAFE t-shirts have just arrived! Full open house schedule at https://www.safehorses.org/open-house/.