Clifford Horsemanship

04/27/2024

It’s been a beautiful week to get some trail miles! If you need any assistance getting your horse trail ready, let us know!

01/29/2023

11/18/2022

We work with every shape and size of equine, this mini is learning to drive well.

11/08/2022

We have gotten a lot of questions about Bute-Less lately… And WE ARE NOT FANS! Here are a few facts that we would like to share with you before you pick up this product or others that contain Devil’s Claw for your horse.

- The primary active ingredient in Bute-Less is the herb Devil’s Claw which contains harpogoside.
- Harpagoside has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects in people. There are no studies of this effect occurring in horses.
- Devil’s Claw is metabolized in the liver using the enzyme cytochrome p450. While this enzyme is breaking down Devil’s Claw, it cannot breakdown other medications down well. This can lead to accumulation of those medications in the bloodstream and toxicity.
- Devil’s Claw can be nephrotoxic by inhibiting processes for filtration, secretion and absorption in the kidneys.
- Devil’s Claw has been shown to be associated with the development of bleeding gastric ulcers and other severe GI disorders.
- There are no long term use safety studies of this herb.

What this means to you as a horse owner:

Administering any drug to a horse that is being given Devil’s Claw increases the risks and side effects of that drug. For example:
- Administering Banamine to a horse with colic who is being given Devil’s Claw may cause liver failure.
- Administering Gentamicin, an important and common antibiotic used to treat a variety of infections in horses, to a horse being given Devil’s Claw may cause kidney failure.

Plus,
- Harpagoside is a FEI controlled substance
- Devil’s Claw is a USEF prohibited substance
- Horses are already quite efficient at getting gastric ulcers… why add one more risk factor?!

If you have questions about your own horse and Devil’s Claw OR finding other anti-inflammatory options for your horse, please contact your horse’s primary veterinarian at Iron Horse Equine.

Addendum: References reviewed for this post are listed in comments. Absorbine the maker of Bute-Less has commented on our post as well and we recommend that you review their comments and contact them directly regarding Bute-Less specifically. We will be turning off comments on this post at this time and recommend that you reach out to your equine veterinarian for questions and concerns specific to your horse.

08/13/2022

The Unspoken "For Me"

We have all seen the ads on Facebook for that perfect all-around horse who leads, loads, clips, ties, trail rides, jumps, schools first level dressage, slides a perfect 10, rocks the cross country course, and cuts a cow like no one's business. The horse is kid safe, blind grandma approved, and loved by all non-horsey husbands. I'm sure we have also seen the stories of people who bought these horses, took them home, and then the horses didn't do any of these things the way they were advertised.

Buyers can be so quick to accuse the seller of lying or drugging the horse, but they forget about the unspoken "for me" in the ad. Yes, sometimes sellers do lie or drug a horse, but more often than not I find an ad was completely honest and the buyer has unrealistic expectations of a horse. Horses are not machines and they do not follow a synchronized, coded process that yields the same result every single time no matter who is in the saddle. The horse very likely does all the things advertised without a problem--for the seller.

Buyers must keep in mind that many legitimate sellers have spent months, maybe even years working with a horse. They've learned all the ins and outs, what works best for the horse, and how to navigate in the mind of the horse they are selling. Likewise, that horse now knows all about the seller and his or her expectations, style, and habits. Once sold, all of that changes and horses, who are very much creatures of habit, can become confused or even scared while they try to figure out the new owner's patterns. This can then hinder a horse's ability to properly perform all of the things it previously knew how to do. Instead of automatically accusing a seller of dishonesty, a buyer who is struggling with a horse should reach out in good faith to the seller with questions and openly explain the problems. Chances are, the seller will be able to offer solutions that will resolve any issues and change that "for me" to a "for you". There must be a grace period though, for the sake of the horse.

The solution could be as simple as repositioning your hands or using a different voice cue, but you might not know it until you talk to the seller. Sliding your heel back half an inch could make the difference between the horse advertised and the horse you brought home. The solution could also be more complicated or time consuming, like taking the time to build trust and establish a relationship with the horse. Roux was a perfect example of this.

Before Roux sold, I could ride her walk/trot in the arena with no problem. She was coming along very nicely under saddle, but she was sold as unbroke. Why? Because I knew she wasn't going to let just anyone climb in that saddle. She was very well trained--for me. Whoever bought her needed to earn her trust before riding her. Thankfully she did go to a wonderful home that understood and completely accepted the "for me" rule.

It is the job of the seller to prepare a horse for many types of riders and owners as best he/she can, but it is the responsibility of the buyer to understand the unspoken "for me" and prepare for any situations that may arise after purchase.

07/25/2022

This is for everyone who is confused about horse weight, this is not to shame you or your horse. These pictures are only to educate you in a way that would be best understood on what a healthy horse should look like. There are a lot of people, and even some veterinary professionals, that would say the last picture represents a healthy horse, but it does not. Today, because there are so many overweight horses, it is hard to recognize when your horse is unhealthy but I hope this picture is able to give you some perspective.

06/28/2022

"There are horse trainers, horse traders and horse whisperers. There are show men, show boaters and show offs. There are fast talkers and would be magicians.

But then there are true Horsemen and Horsewomen, and these are harder to find and sometimes even harder to recognize because they are often tucked away in quiet hidden places, working slowly and silently without recognition or appreciation.

Often times, the true horseman or woman does not have the most horses in training or those horses that are exceptionally bred or high priced. Often times, the true Horsemen and Women do not have access to big money owners or run through dozens and dozens of prospects in order to find the few that can take the pressure of aged event prize money or high profile exhibition. Many times, the true horsemen and women are slow and steady, methodical and patient, training on an individual horse's timeline and not to a rigid show schedule set by the seasons or show management.

These people recognize a horse's physical and mental capabilities and showcase their assets without sacrificing their bodies or minds. Horsemen and women take their time developing their horses' skills and confidence through a traditional steps, one before the next, placing just as much credence in their teaching relationship and equine partnership as they do in show pen results. Horsemen and women are humble because their reward comes from within; from knowing that they have taught through kindness, patience, fortitude, and logic. Their rewards coming from creating a confident horse that works with them and not for them, horses that are not scared or intimidated, horses with solid foundations that last season after season and that carry a gamut of riders from the experienced non pro to the Amateur to the Green Reiner. Always Dedicated. Always Patient. Always Consistent. Whether it be riding young horses, resurrecting older horses, or maintaining the Steady Eddy, a True Horseman is one of the first ones to throw a leg over in the morning and one of the last ones to pull their boots off in the evening.
Horsemen and women are a pleasure to watch in the arena or on the ranch as they diligently and patiently impart their knowledge and logic to both horses and students.

In an era where the horse industry is so economically driven and success is measured primarily in prize money and accolades, the tradition of the true horseman and the process of training horses seems to be changing; giving way to an assembly line mentality where immediate success and financial compensation take precedence over handcrafted quality and longevity. Dedicated to their craft, loyal to their students, ambitious, hardworking and a role model for anyone interested in making their way in an industry dominated by pressure to build great animals in less and less time, old fashioned horsemen are women are now Artisans, assets to our heritage and traditions and harder and harder to find.

A thoughtful teacher, a thorough instructor, a gentle hand, a firm guide, a rational yet fearless showman, the greatest compliment that I think could ever be given to someone who works with horses, is to be thought of as a Horseman."

(Original post by Becky Hanson)

05/09/2022

Shoes are not the enemy.

Shoes are not natural, right? Here’s the thing: nothing we do with horses is natural. Confining them, riding them, feeding them hay, interacting with them at all, frankly — not natural. Horses themselves are not even natural. How long do you figure a warmblood or a thoroughbred would survive a harsh Canadian winter with no human intervention? Our domestic horses are not the result of generations of natural selection for surviving harsh conditions with little food on varied terrain. They are the result of generations of selective breeding for various traits that appeal to humans. None of these traits humans are selecting and breeding into horses have anything to do with surviving in nature without human intervention.

That said, I think that for everything we do with horses that takes them further from nature, it is our job to make up for it as best we can by replacing what the horse has lost. Horses don’t jump cross country in nature, or do sliding stops. Horses are not confined to small paddocks or fields in nature. They can’t roam a grassy paddock for many miles on varied terrain to wear their feet, so we trim them. Horses don’t pull carriages on paved roads in nature, so we shoe them so they won’t wear their feet off. Horses in nature grow thick, wooly coats for winter. Some domestic horses do not so we have to blanket to to make up for our selective breeding, or our decision to keep a horse in an environment their bodies are not designed for. Want to keep an arkal teke in Canada? He’ll probably need a blanket in winter. Want to keep a friesian in a hot desert? He’ll probably need extra help to stay cool because his body is adapted to the cold. You see what I mean. I’m sure there are exceptions. This post is not about arguing the minutiae of those exceptions.

Getting back to shoes: we work horses excessively on surfaces they would not be on in nature. We ask them to do things they would not do in nature. Sure a horse might jump a log to continue on their way in nature, but would they jump a course of 1.3m stadium jumps? Obviously no. A thoroughbred with typical cruddy thoroughbred feet would probably not survive in nature long enough to procreate. So what do we do about this? We add something to make up for what we took away. It may not be a perfect solution, but the question is whether or not it solves the problem without causing undue harm.

The horseshoe is not innately bad. The idea of attaching hoof protection is not wrong in theory. The traditional way we shoe does, in my opinion, need some updating, but shoes themselves are not bad. Stating that shoes are bad is black and white thinking that does the horse no service. No disrespect intended here, but most people who think shoes are the root of all evil for horses are pretty green horse people. I was once one of them, which is how I know this. Whenever I read anything horse-related that includes the words “always” or “never” I do so with careful skepticism, because the only thing that is always true with horses is that there is always an exception.

Shoes get a bad reputation because the way we tend to shoe does not support the foot structurally, so the foot collapses. Again — not always. But often. So instead of deciding shoes are always bad, we have the opportunity to learn how to shoe in a way that better respects the nature of the horse. It may not be perfect but the question is not, “What is perfect?” The question is what is best under the circumstances in order to optimize the health and wellbeing of the horse in an unnatural situation.

If we add frog support to traditional shoes, we bring the foot closer to the way it would function in nature while also providing protection, traction, support. We can shoe horses to change the mechanics of their feet to help treat an injury, too. We can add support or change the mechanics of the hoof in order to treat hoof pathologies such as navicular syndrome or laminitis. We do not need to chuck out the baby with the bath water. To do so is no service to the horse.

**Please review the pinned post before commenting on this or any other post on this page. Comments that do not respect the rules laid out in the pinned post will be ignored and deleted and may result in a ban. My policy for inappropriate commenting is one strike and you’re out. Please be respectful. You do not have to agree with me but in order to be welcome here you do need to behave appropriately and respectfully. Thank you.**

05/03/2022

I went for a little walk around the local show park yesterday during the season opener hunter/jumper show. I try not to look down at horse feet unless someone asks for my opinion, but despite my best efforts, I couldn’t stop noticing that most of the horses there, from the low level hunters to the 1.20m jumper class I watched for a while are very obviously NPA and/or showed obvious signs of caudal failure. NPA means “negative palmar angle” on front feet or “negative plantar angle” on hinds. It means that the back of the coffin bone is lower than the front. It is supposed to be the other way around! A normal palmar/plantar angle is 2°-10° yet soooo many horses work on feet with palmar/plantar angles of less than zero. It is so common that by most people it is seen as normal. Caudal failure means structural collapse of the caudal (back) part of the foot.

Horses may not be obviously lame with this condition, however there are often subtle signs. Reluctance to go forward, forging (stepping on or hitting the backs of the front shoes with the hind feet), overreaching, not tracking up, refusing jumps, bucking after jumps (because landing hurts), lack of hindquarter engagement, decreased gait quality all around, behavioural issues under saddle, etc. These symptoms can be easily mistaken for other things or riders and trainers can tend to use punishment to try to change some behaviours that have their root in hoof pain. It is also very hard on the legs and most specifically the DDFT (deep digital flexor tendon) and navicular area of the foot because of the biomechanics of a foot with an improper angle cause increased friction where the DDFT runs under the navicular bone to attach to the back of the coffin bone. This is why low heeled horses are at increased risk of developing navicular syndrome.

We need to retrain our eyes to know what is normal. We also need to realize that asking horses to work hard when their feet are a mess is not fair and causes sometimes irreparable damage, both to their feet and to their opinions about working.

How do we fix it? First we need to acknowledge that NPA is a systemic issue in farriery and we need to change the way we trim and shoe. Owners need to recognize NPA and find a farrier who recognizes NPA and knows how to fix it. Farriers need to stop trimming off the back of the foot and add frog support to our shoeing packages. Frog support needs to be normalized. More than one client has remarked to me that if we put frog pads on the horse, potential buyers will think there is something wrong with the horse. This is because what is normalized currently in farriery are open heeled regular metal shoes, which are a huge part of what causes NPA. When we lift up the foot off the ground and provide no structural support to the frog, the center of the foot collapses. This is a very simple concept, yet we are still doing things the same way we have always done and expecting a different result. This is the definition of insanity and it is killing our horses slowly. If I help to change only one thing in my time as a farrier, I hope for it to be this.

For reference, normal/ideal angles are generally as follows:
Hairline: about 20°
Dorsal wall (toe): about 50-55°, steeper on some breeds
Heel: equal to toe angle or perhaps 5° less than dorsal wall

This horse’s toe is close to 50° however the heel is 23° lower than the toe and I could not even measure the heel at the back because the bulb is sitting on the shoe! I had to measure it where I could see the angle of the tubules on the wall. The hairline is far too low. This foot is not helping this horse at all and this horse is one of many. I might get some angry messages for this, but we need to acknowledge that most of our performance horses are NPA and/or have some degree of caudal failure and then then we need to do something about it.

——-

Addendum: This post has pi**ed off some people. Fair enough. It’s also been shared all over the world, which has been great and also quite the experience. Wayne over at Progressive Equine has been writing about caudal failure and NPA for a few years now, as have others. This topic is not new. For whatever reason, this post in particular has caught peoples’ attention.

What I ask of those who are angry about it, or indignant that I dared to challenge the status quo is this: if you think I’m wrong, ok. Go prove it. If I’m wrong, why are you angry? If I am wrong, then this post is irrelevant to you and irrelevant to your work and there is nothing to be angry about. I did not (and will not) name any particular farrier. Who did the job is not even relevant, because this problem is not about one person. I am not trash talking anyone. I am saying that there is a systemic issue in how farriers are taught to trim and shoe and that it is on us, as a group, to correct it by continuing to learn and grow. That is my perspective. If you think I’m wrong then disregard it. And yes, some horses manage in regular shoes and to the owners and farriers of those horses I am glad for you. For everyone else, maybe what I wrote here will help you. That is all I am trying to do.

04/02/2022

02/02/2022

Do you ever wonder why some people have truly happy horses ? Horses that never colic, bang on stall doors, misbehave while with you on the ground and under saddle ? It's not all due to training.
Its because some horses are allowed to be horses. The absolute very best thing you can do for every horse is let them live outside in a herd with constant forage. Let the horse decide with his group when to eat, when to nap under the shelter, when to drink and when to play. Let him learn his place in the herd. Horses do not need humans or our ideas. They need forage, water and oxygen .I hear almost daily from horse owners they they are scared to let their horses outside because they will hurt themselves. So you turn them out 1 hr a day and they go nuts. Meanwhile 23 hours a day their minds are going nuts as you lock them in a stall with "enrichments". Then they act like fools while you are trying to groom and ride. It's not the horse, it's the human routine
Stop feeding your horses at 8 am and 5 pm on the dot everyday. These types of routines create anxiety in horses that leads to stress colic, ulcers, bad behaviors and more. Feed one day at 8 and the next at 820. Mix it up a little and stop making them live on a humans routine that you think is best. Also quit feeding them sweet feeds. They don't need the sugar. Feed them quality alfalfa and a few minerals. That's all they need. Let your horse be a horse , living out not only is mentally healthy but also keeps them in great physical health as well. Humans are too quick to cage everything.. horses, dogs and children for lord's sake. Let these things roam free. For the love of horses, let them be horses. They will literally give you their whole hearts . 🐎

Cope and shared

01/24/2022

Halters should come off!

Take the Halters OFF.

This has been said before, but it is so important that it needs being said again.

In regards to your horses, one of the most dangerous ( and deadly ) things that can happen is leaving the halter on your horse. This is because it is easy for the halter to get caught on something like a tree branch, T-Post, gate latch, getting a back foot caught in it, etc . When it does, the horse will panic and could very easily break it's neck trying to get loose. I understand that many of you will say that your horse has worn it's halter for years and never gotten hurt. You have been luck "so far". There are many horses that wore their halter for years until the time that they got it caught on something and broke their neck.

I also understand that many of you will say that you can't catch your horse without it wearing the halter. "Yes" you can. If you can get close enough to catch the halter you are close enough to catch the horse without it. Also, for those that say that you board and that it is a rule that every horse wears a halter, then I would be moving your horse. You should care as much about your horse's safety as you do your children's safety. It is depending on you to take care of it. So Take the Halters off

Last, NO using a "breakaway" halter isn't an excuse. They don't always break , so the horse still breaks it's neck, or if it does break, it teaches the horse that if it pulls back that it can break any halter.

You need to remember that your horse is depending on you to do your best to keep it safe, the same as you do for your children. Therefore, their is NO excuse to leave the halter on so, don't try to make one.

01/20/2022

Baxter Black's final column: A horse matters

Posted Wednesday, January 5, 2022 2:58 pm
By Baxter Black
I like living someplace where a horse matters.
There is just some country where horseback is the only way to get the job done. Places where the four-wheeler is a poor second, not to mention a noisy, track-leaving unnatural conveyance. Besides, it’s hard to throw a rope from.
Helicopters can spot and scare, if that’s what you need, but it’s helpless when you have to doctor a calf. It is a great feeling to be pushing a cow out of a mesquite thicket, packing a dude down the Grand Canyon or tracking a mountain lion on a high ridge, knowing you’re on the perfect tool for the job. You look at a horse different when he’s on the payroll.
I like being a person to whom a horse matters.
It puts me in such good company, Robert E. Lee, Teddy Roosevelt, Rudyard Kipling, Ray Hunt, Queen Elizabeth, Jerry Diaz, Casey Tibbs, cowboys, Mongols, Gauchos, teamsters, Lipazzaners and vaqueros of all kinds. Granted being a horse person doesn’t make me easier to get along with, better at spelling or richer. It simply gives me a direct connection to one of the most ancient, mutually beneficial interspecies relationships on the planet.
Winston Churchill said, “There is something about the outside of a horse, that is good for the inside of a man.”
I like being there when a horse matters.
When you can’t do the job alone; a cow in the bog, a race against time, a boulder to move, a detour to take, a mountain to cross, a crevice to leap, a war to win, a sweetheart to impress, or...when you’ve gone too far to walk back.
Shakespeare’s King Richard III said when fate hung in the balance, “A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!”
I’ve also come to believe that you either are a horse person or you aren’t. Many who are, never know it because they never have the chance. It’s a primitive acceptance, often mutual. A lack of fear. You see it in some children when they are first introduced to the horse. It always gives me a sense of wonder to be there and help them make their acquaintance. I believe the horse can sense the child’s innate trust. It is the beginning of a natural bond.
I count myself very lucky that I get to be a part of the wonderful world of horse sweat, soft noses, close calls and twilight on the trail.
I like living a life where a horse matters.

11/23/2021

11/21/2021

Train your eye with these tips!

10 handy facts about lameness

1. A forelimb lameness is identified by looking for the head nod. The head will go up when the lame limb hits the ground and down when the sound limb hits the ground. It is easier to notice the 'head nod', therefore when the head nods, it is the opposite leg that is lame.

2. Check for heat and a pulse. Inflammation brings blood to the area.

3. A horse with arthritic wear and tear (common in older horses), will often get better as he goes, which is known as 'warming out of it'. The lameness will usually be less obvious after a few minutes. Additionally he will often be worse on hard ground (tarmac) in comparison to the ménage. This is due to more concussion on his joints.

4. A horse with soft tissue damage will often get worse as he goes and is often lamer on a soft surface (ménage), as the tissue such as an affected tendon or ligament is being stretched more than it would be on a hard surface with no give.

5. A horse with bilateral forelimb lameness will be harder to detect as the head nod will now be apparent when both limbs hit the ground. However he will show a shorter cranial phase (his forelimbs will not come out very far from underneath him resulting in a 'choppy' gait).

6. If you are struggling to detect lameness get the Slo-Pro app for your mobile phone and record your horse. This will slow everything down until you train your eye into detecting lameness.

7. A hind limb lameness is more difficult to detect. If you watch the horse trotting away from you, the lame leg usually has more movement at the hip. It helps to attach white sticky tape to both hip bones to make this more obvious to the eye.

8. Putting a horse on a circle (lungeing), often shows up a forelimb and hindlimb lameness more easily.

9. If the horse looks lame on one limb, but has a stronger pulse in the opposite limb, it is usually because the sound limb has taken more weight to allow pressure relief of the affected limb.

10. A horse can look completely sound without a rider, and then almost three legged once someone is on board. Therefore if your getting a feeling that something just isn't quite right, do not just jog him up on the straight or on the lunge and assume all is well.

** Shoeing/trimming intervals should be kept as short as possible. Studies have shown that as the toe grows, the foot 'shoots' forward (long toes, low heel), putting excess strain on the flexor tendons. If your horse always looks slightly 'off' just prior to shoeing, then this is a very probable cause and it may be worth shortening your shoeing cycle.

As a horse owner, developing an eye for lameness is one of the greatest skills you can learn. This will not only allow you to have your horse treated more quickly, but will hopefully nip smaller issues in the bud before they escalate into far bigger ones.

E. J Westwood.

10/19/2020

Make sure your rope halters are tied right!

Tying a Rope Halter

10/01/2020

Confidence makes such a difference when it comes to horses!

I was scared today.

I was scared to get on, scared to walk out the yard because I had a bad ride the day before. One bad ride, and it made me scared.

I didn’t know why. I’ve had 1000 bad rides. I’ve had 1000 falls. I’ve broken bones and bruised my pride on countless occasions, but today I was scared.

Why? Because confidence is fragile. It takes months and years to build and seconds to lose and yet we are so careless with it.

When we get on a horse, we wear a hat to protect our head. We wear body protectors, gloves, boots...

We pay so much attention to protecting ourselves physically, we forget that our minds are not invincible, and our confidence certainly is not.

Your bank of confidence needs regular deposits, not just from others... but from you. Self confidence is the most valuable currency in life.

When you go to get on, and you hesitate, you falter and you start to ask yourself “can I do this?”, chances are, your account is almost empty.

Every time you laugh and say “oh no, I’m no good” or “so and so is 10x better than me”, you make a withdrawal from that account, and before you know it, your account is empty and you’re scared to get on.

But every time you say “I’m really pleased with how that went” or “I think I rode that really well”, your balance increases.

We need to learn to give ourselves a break, pat ourselves on the back and allow ourselves to feel proud of where we are - after all, most of the time we’ve worked bloody hard to get there!

Recognising your strengths is just as important as recognising your weaknesses. Never allow yourself or anyone else to empty that account.

Confidence is valuable, don’t bankrupt yourself.

04/03/2020

“You’re not working on the horse, you’re working on yourself.” ~Ray Hunt”

There’s this thing about working with horses… it’s one of those things that is responsible for making working with horses difficult, soul-shattering hard work. And I don’t want to be Debbie Downer …