Crescent Moon Ranch & Stables, LLP

09/28/2024

"No. 1. Get your tack and equipment just right, and then forget about it and concentrate on the horse.

No. 2. The horse is bigger than you are, and it should carry you. The quieter you sit, the easier this will be for the horse.

No. 3. The horse's engine is in the rear. Thus, you must ride your horse from behind, and not focus on the forehand simply because you can see it.

No. 4. It takes two to pull. Don't pull. Push.

No. 5. For your horse to be keen but submissive, it must be calm, straight and forward.

No. 6. When the horse isn`t straight, the hollow side is the difficult side.

No. 7. The inside rein controls the bending, the outside rein controls the sp*ed.

No. 8. Never rest your hands on the horse's mouth. You make a contract with it: "You carry your head and I'll carry my hands."

No. 9. If the horse can't learn to accept what you're doing, what you’re doing isn't any good.

No. 10. Once you've used an aid, put it back.

No. 11. You can exaggerate every virtue into a defect.

No. 12. Always carry a stick, then you will seldom need it.

No. 13. If you`ve given something a fair trial, and it still doesn't work, try something else—even the opposite.

No. 14. Know when to start and when to stop. Know when to resist and when to reward.

No. 15. If you're going to have a fight, you pick the time and place.

No. 16. What you can't accomplish in an hour should usually be put off until tomorrow.

No. 17. You can think your way out of many problems faster than you can ride your way out of them.

No. 18. When the horse jumps, you go with it, not the other way around.

No. 19. Don`t let over-jumping or dull routine erode the horse's desire to jump cleanly. It's hard to jump clear rounds if the horse isn't trying.

No. 20. Never give up until the rail hits the ground.

No. 21. Young horses are like children—give them a lot of love, but don't let them get away with anything.

No. 22. In practice, do things as perfectly as you can; in competition, do what you have to do.

No. 23. Never fight the oats.

No. 24. The harder you work, the luckier you get."

~Bill Steinkraus

📸 Sister

09/23/2024

I copied this from another private page and it is worth the read...
The word "euthanasia" comes from the Greek words, "Eu" (good) and Thanatos (death), with its meaning to be death without suffering. Domesticated horses innately live in the present and don't really concern themselves with much other than when they will be turned out to pasture or when their next meal is coming via their caretaker. A horse's brain is wired with a strong flight instinct that has them flee when they feel they are in danger. They run in herds to utilize a collective instinct that is ruled over by a dominant horse whose job it is to keep them all safe. The herd benefits from a leader whom all other horses submit to. Often, in domesticated horses you will find a lead mare that is the dominant horse, where in the wild a stallion would hold this protective position. In either scenario, it is the horse that has proven itself by temperament and physical prowess to be the one most capable of watching over the herd that gets the job. When wild horses travel together and one may be old or ailing, it is common for the herd leader to expel that horse from the healthy herd in order to increase the survival of the overall herd. This may seem very brutal to us, as ostracizing the compromised animal is likely to cause it to fall prey to a predator thus increasing the chances of the herd's survival. But this is instinct and that is how it is in the wild.
Horses in captivity do not run the risk of this kind of outcome but their fate may be less than kind at times because modern veterinary medicine can keep an sick horse or a horse in pain alive longer than they would in their natural herd environment. Humans think in completely different terms and our ability to understand the concept of the future can at times influence our judgement on what really is in the best interest of our horse's quality of life. When we make the decision to euthanize an animal, where does our emotional pain actually arise from? Are we heartsick because our animal will be released from suffering and/or pain? Does our emotional pain come from the fact that we are the ones to make the decision and plan for our animal's mercy killing? Or, is it that we really don't want to remove that animal from our own life because it is too painful for us to look at the future without them? My guess is that the irreversible decision and the personal loss is simply more than many of us can handle. So we fill our horses with all manner of drugs that relieve pain and suffering, possibly prolonging its life for a time, but knowing full well that it is likely a band aid solution on a terminal condition that will never be remedied. This we do for a horse that has no real concept of the future.
I have heard the phrase more times than I can count, " I'll know when my horse will have had enough" or " I'll be able to tell by the look in his/her eyes", "I'll know the time has come when my horse can't get up or doesn't want to eat". I fail to understand why people have to wait for their horse to have trauma and drama in order to let them go humanely. Why can't the decision be made to let our beloved horses go before it gets horrible for them. We know they are hurting or ailing, we know it isn't going to ever get better. We also know that most of the pain medications are hard on a horse's stomach yet many keep on pushing medicine into their equine loves because they (the human) cannot handle the day their horse's death becomes a reality. I have a great deal of admiration for those of you that decide to let your old or ailing horse go before the harsh winter comes or before the scorching heat of the summer beats down upon them. This is what I think love is all about. It is putting the word love into action and knowing that you are able to make a decision that is in the very best interest of an animal that has willingly carried you through streams and over bridges, up and down hills and brought you home safely.
In the world of horse owners, we are the ones that make the final decision that would have been made by the herd leader in the wild. We have the ability to schedule a time and place, to make sure our horse is pre-sedated so that the final syringe can be given more precisely to a calm animal, thus ensuring a death with no unnecessary drama. Please think about what your horse has meant to you and be willing to advocate for its peaceful passing before it becomes a traumatic situation for you both.
,

09/20/2024

🐴 DRESSAGE SOLUTIONS: To maintain your balance ... 🐴

Imagine that your upper body is like a broomstick and your horse is a hand trying to balance it. If your body (the broomstick) starts to tip, your hand (horse) will automatically move underneath to keep it up. You cannot lean right and expect your horse to go left.
~ Great Britain Olympic gold and silver medalist Laura Tomlinson

09/19/2024

09/13/2024

SUCCESS DEMANDS THESE 6 THINGS:

1. HARD-WORK
Don't believe in luck, believe in hard work.
Stop trying to rush the process or searching for a shortcut. There is none.

2. PATIENCE
If you are losing the patience, you are losing the battle. First nothing happens, then it happens slowly and suddenly all at once. Most people give up at stage one.

3. SACRIFICE
If you don't sacrifice for what you want, then what you want becomes the sacrifice. Everything has its price. The question is: Are you ready to pay it for the life you desire? Are you willing to sacrifice the easy and the comfortable now for the results you want....the results you NEED?

4. CONSISTENCY
Consistency is what transforms average into excellence. Without consistency, you will never achieve greater success.

5. DISCIPLINE
Motivation gets you going, but discipline keeps you growing. There will be days when you don't “feel” like doing it. You have to push through those days regardless of how you feel.

6. SELF-CONFIDENCE
Confidence is, I'll be fine if they don't like me.
Love yourself is important. Take care of yourself. Learn to say NO. If it's a NO to you, it needs to be a NO to them. The right people will stick around and the wrong will disappear. Confidence comes from taking care of yourself and from being true to yourself.

YOU DESERVE THE LIFE OF YOUR DREAMS!

We only get one chance at this thing called life....
MAKE IT COUNT!

📸: Jared H Searcy

09/04/2024

Crescent Moon Ranch & Stables, LLP has immediate openings in our Main Barn, Shed Row Barn, and Field! All stalls are 12' x 12' with 12' x 24' attached runs. Board costs include feeding/watering (alfalfa and/or bermuda) 2-3 times daily, stall cleaning, on site security, etc. Other amenities include 2 hot walkers, outdoor arena, covered arena, turn outs, round pens, wash rack, and miles and miles of open land to trail ride and condition your horse. Visit our website for more information and prices. Quiet facility with no drama.
www.CrescentMoonRanch.net

08/27/2024

http://stories.endurance.net/2000/10/beating-metabolic-pull-part-i-hydration.html?m=1&fbclid=IwY2xjawE6JvNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHeZDUTtjCTX5navq2dbFT6Bz-Y-knhoW5jlIx0Z-NFKX_NdKu-P1k-qVJQ_aem_lEMWB_EPFhGxsfU18hsnXw

Reprinted from Endurance News, June 2000 Susan Garlinghouse, MS My belief has always been that if a rider understands some of the why in nut...

06/25/2024

Worth the 2 minute read...

A bit of a rant today in attempt to encourage riders to use their critical thinking skills and not do something because 'so-and-so told me' or 'big name rider' does it.

I have been meaning to voice my concern about nosebands for a very long time. Thanks to Becks Nairn who posted a great video on her public page about the anatomy of the Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) today, with even deeper detail on her Patreon, to give me a reminder to voice my concerns. If you're squeamish it's a dissection video so beware.

I am literally gobsmacked at the number of educated and well meaning equestrians who still insist on tight nosebands and flashes on their horses. This is not limited to newbies to the sport, but encompasses those at the highest levels and education. In this day and age of easy access to evidence based, scientific documentation of virtually any topic you can imagine, how is it that equestrians fail to recognize the importance of a horses need to mobilize their jaw in order to have full proprioception of their legs, not to mention the strain created as they are trying to open their mouths against this forced closure. Read - Headache, TMJ pain amongst others.

If you ride with me, one of the first things I will do as a conscientious coach is check your tack. I will always remove flashes and loosen nose bands with the riders permission - educating them on why this is important. When I ask why the rider feels the need to have the noseband and/or flash too tight, the number one response is, 'my coach told me to have it this tight'. The second, 'my horse fusses with the bit and opens his mouth' or my favorite, 'to hold the bit in place'. Just think about that one for a moment.

A couple things. Bit fit and acceptance needs to be taught from the ground. Few are skilled enough to teach it from the saddle. If your horse chews softly on the bit it's not a bad thing. I would far rather have a mobile jaw than a clamped shut, tense jaw.
If you think tying the horses mouth shut is going to save you from a horse running off with you by getting the bit between his teeth - that is a huge training issue. A good stop is a must before we ever get in the saddle. We need to go back and train the halt from soft pressure from the ground and then add from our seat in the saddle.

Having taken a considerable amount of body work and energy work courses with horses over the years, I have developed the ability to 'feel' the horse. Call me woo-woo or a quack or whatever you like, but many more horses than we realize have headaches and jaw pain from trying to escape bit pressure with their mouth tied shut. The very least I can do, and I feel it is my responsibility as an ethical coach, to relieve the horse from that pressure and educate the rider as to why it's detrimental. Control comes from the seat not the hands, (except in emergencies, then all bets are off).

So, try this. Hook your thumbs under either side of your jaw and loop your fingers over the bridge of your nose. Clamp as tightly as you dare, then try to open your jaw. My guess is that you will let go of the fingers across your nose before very long. If you are able to hold it, your jaw will begin ache and you will very likely get a temporal headache from the strain. Not to mention the discomfort on the bridge of your nose.

The ability of humans to have cognitive dissonance when it comes to the equipment we use on our horses just boggles my mind. I know we love them. Why then can we subject them to such a cruel practice of tying their mouth shut??

Google 'hyoid', 'TMJ' in horses. Look at the images and read about their function. Education is power and education can make us more empathetic to the harm and ultimately dis-function we cause to our horses.

I was going to include one of the many horrific photos of dogs with their mouths tied shut for impact. I just can't do it. Think of these images when you're tightening that noseband or flash next ride. I highly doubt you'd do this to your dog.

Instead, I'm going to leave you with a lovely image of my friend and colleague who visited recently, Lauren Phelan-Rivard, owner/operator of Bellrock Stables in Kingston, Ontario on my mare Gracie. Note there is no noseband yet the horse looks relaxed and effortless. ❤️

06/24/2024

🐴 Aquí hay 15 hechos interesantes sobre el cerebro de un caballo:

1. El cerebro de un caballo es relativamente pequeño comparado con el tamaño de su cuerpo, y representa sólo alrededor del 0,1 % de su peso total.

2. A pesar de su pequeño tamaño, los caballos tienen cerebros muy complejos, con una corteza cerebral altamente desarrollada, la parte del cerebro responsable del pensamiento consciente, la toma de decisiones y la memoria.

3. Los caballos pueden aprender y recordar tareas complejas, como navegar por un curso de salto o realizar una rutina de doma, a través de un proceso llamado aprendizaje asociado.

4. Como los humanos, los caballos tienen un hemisferio izquierdo y un hemisferios derecho en el cerebro, cada uno con funciones especializadas. El hemisferio izquierdo es responsable del procesamiento de la información lógica y analítica, mientras que el hemisferio derecho está más involucrado en el procesamiento emocional y el pensamiento creativo.

5. Los caballos tienen una gran memoria y pueden recordar personas, lugares y experiencias concretas durante muchos años.

6. Los caballos pueden aprender por observación, y a menudo pueden adquirir nuevos comportamientos y habilidades simplemente observando a otros caballos o humanos.

7. Los caballos tienen un sentido del tacto muy sensible y pueden detectar incluso la más mínima presión o movimiento en su piel. Esto les ayuda a responder a las sutiles señales de tu motorista o guía.

8. Los caballos pueden procesar información visual muy rápida y precisa, permitiéndoles evitar posibles peligros y navegar por su medio ambiente con facilidad.

9. Los caballos son animales sociales y dependen de la comunicación no verbal para interactuar con otros caballos de su manada. Esta comunicación es facilitada por el cerebro del caballo, que puede interpretar cambios sutiles en el lenguaje corporal, expresiones faciales y vocalizaciones.

10. En última instancia, como todos los animales, los caballos tienen una personalidad única y rasgos individuales que se moldean por sus experiencias, genética y entorno, todo lo cual se refleja en su función cerebral y comportamiento.

11. Los caballos tienen un fuerte sentido del olfato y su bulbo olor, que procesa los olores, es relativamente grande comparado con otras partes de su cerebro.

12. El cerebro, que es responsable de coordinar el movimiento y el equilibrio, también es relativamente grande en caballos. Esto se debe a que los caballos deben ser capaces de moverse rápida y eficientemente para escapar de los depredadores o navegar por terrenos difíciles.

13. Los caballos tienen un umbral de dolor muy alto, que se cree que está relacionado con cómo sus cerebros procesan las señales de dolor. Aunque esto puede ser beneficioso en algunas situaciones, también puede significar que los caballos no muestran signos obvios de dolor, lo que hace más difícil para sus cuidadores detectar y tratar los problemas de salud subyacentes.

14. El hipocampo, una parte del cerebro involucrado en el aprendizaje y la memoria, está particularmente bien desarrollado en caballos. Esto les permite recordar no sólo experiencias concretas, sino también conceptos y patrones generales que pueden aplicar a nuevas situaciones.

15. Finalmente, los estudios han demostrado que los caballos, como otros animales, son capaces de experimentar emociones como el miedo, la felicidad y la ira. Se cree que estas emociones están mediadas por el sistema límbico, un grupo de estructuras cerebrales interconectadas que juegan un papel clave en la regulación del estado de ánimo y el comportamiento .

05/30/2024

Hannah and Tim have been working with this gelding to get trimmed without sedation. He's not 100%, but he's getting there.

05/28/2024

If your horse lives in a community field with other horses and is losing weight, don't immediately blame the facility. Are all the horses losing weight?When was the last time you dewormed your horse? When was the last time your horse's teeth were done? Horses should be fed +/- 2% of their body weight in roughage a day, depending on the horse. I know, in our field of 16, they get 200 # or more of hay twice a day, in piles enough for all and then some. That's more than 2%. We can't dictate how much each horse gets in a community situation. We can only provide sufficient amounts. If your horse is still having issues, move into one of the stalls with attached paddocks and figure out why the weight loss.

04/30/2024

I love it when the Ladies come out to work with the horses and all I have to do is bark orders🤣

04/27/2024

Training day at the Ranch. No lessons this morning so we are breaking out the horses in training before it gets windy again.

04/25/2024

Lately I've had several folks reach out about hauling their horses longer distances...

Here's just kinda a reference for me. Not everyone has to agree but idk much about the subject. :)

Cameras. Get them. We install them pm me if you want one. Worth every single penny. Your entire perspective will change. Wire them into your running lights, it'll act as an on/off switch and won't run batteries down. https://a.co/d/582ihv4

Horses appreciate box stalls IMHO. If you can haul as such, do it. In the same breath, some horses cant tolerate the room and get anxious. Load accordingly.

Nervous horse?
I have a loud yet small portable speaker too. Let's listen to Mozart or Beethoven! You have no idea how much it'll drown out road/trailer noise and give them something else to focus on. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTLu1tYRd/

Never ever hard tie. Ever. I have tie blockers attached with hay string at all tie points in my trailer. There has been exactly 3 times that has really saved my ass (and spared the horses injury). I really prefer not to tie at all if I can get away with it. They need to be able to get their heads down or at least lower it some to clear their lungs or you risk shipping fever.

Stop every couple hours and rest legs. They get fatigued more than other body parts. I stop every 3 hours ish for about 20/30 minutes. I also take this time to use the bathroom, grab a snack, walk my trailer and top off fuel. I absolutely do not make unnecessary stops. I have a 100 gallon drag tank too which I really appreciate.

I bed deep, 8 inches or more long distance and 6 inches or so local hauls. Helps keep them comfy but also absorbs waste more efficiently and deeper (also a insulation to keep the road heat at bay). Take note of how much they're p**ping and if they p*e. I scoop p**p when I stop if I can safely. I've had horses that absolutely will not p*e on the trailer and that needs to be kept in mind for travel time as well. Double mats are good too! I invested in the spray floor from Texas Floor Skinz and I can tell it's also made a huge difference in the cushioning. I also don't have to pull the stupid mats out anymore and it's super easy to disinfect.

I also invested in a air hitch from https://shockerhitch.com It takes so much of the jerk and rough ride out! It's like night and day on any trailer but y'all with those heavy LQ? Order ya one, you'll thank me later. They're also commonly listed on FB Marketplace as well. I average around $550 used. I swear by this and that cushioned spray floor for legs.

I never park my trailer in the direct sun either, once it starts to warm up. If you feel like it's really heating up, buy 60/80 pounds of ice and throw on the floor. Imagine the heat coming from the road, the ice melts but it does help. Ventilation is key. Keep that trailer open.
I ordered a custom screen from this place for the window above my side ramp. Its made a huge difference while still being safe!
https://www.horsetraileraccessorystore.com/Trailer-Safety-Screens-with-Straps-CUSTOM-SEWN-New-or-Replacements_p_575.html

Don't ever unload at a truck/rest stop/questionable area. Find an arena or barn or even a quiet back road if nothing else. I try hard to not have to unload at all but I have the luxury of the nicest barns to let my passengers walk it out at (thanks you guys).

How long can I travel? That's such a loaded question. How's your horse/s traveling? Again, cameras are just such an invaluable tool. If they're drinking, comfortable, p**ping and happy I'm good going 12 hours or even more if client wants straight through, keep your breaks consistent. I feel 6/8 hours or so is a good days haul. If there's any question just stop and layover somewhere. https://www.horsemotel.com/ is a great resource and many public arenas are available as well. Give your horses 8/10 good hours of rest off trailer if you're going to layover. Make sure they drink.

I keep water in front of them long distance or if it's hot. You have to. If it's a 3 hour trip and 70° they aren't thirsty and they're just going to make a mess. Make sure you hang the bucket high enough to keep feet out but low enough to be accessible. Pay attention to what direction your clips are too. You don't want a halter getting hung up on a clip holding a water bucket in a tight area. I appreciate actual bucket straps, they'll break if they needed to.
I also use these to keep splashing to a minimum. Some horses just really don't appreciate it. They learn fast how to use them.
https://teskeys.com/products/rockin-road-lid?variant=40161967865919&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw26KxBhBDEiwAu6KXt2mu3QWkzH-BVxMn_aVC2gsSY4g79uyrPBWTXWeeGh2m8xriU0D7oxoCzlAQAvD_BwE
Keeping hay bags full is important too. Smaller the hole in slow feed hay nets the better. You don't want them to just pig out bored, you want to keep tummy acid at bay and horses content while traveling. I don't like feeding horses during travel either. Grain really weighs the gut down. Soak it really good if you do. This will help reduce colic. See my ulcergard comment below.

If they're struggling to drink, keep in mind you're filling their gut with dry hay in an already stressful situation. Then add to that you're restricting the digestive process by them standing still. There's a lot of things to help with this. I like https://www.whinnywater.com/ but you can also use Gatorade, a handful of alfalfa pellets and full bucket of water or whatever your horse likes but they really need to drink, esp in the heat. If you can start ulcergard a few days prior to, during and a few days post travel that really seems to help too.

I hate shipping boots for a lot of reasons, mostly because they trap heat in the legs and thats no bueno.

Walk. Your. Rig.
Every single time you stop. Walk. Your. Rig. Things I look for.. cracked/busted welds, door/window hinges, lug nuts, secured latches, kick the tires, quick visual of my hitch, head gates/drops (those aluminum bars can break) and whatever else is in-between. Don't forget to look under it occasionally as well! There's so much under there that can break too!
Make this second nature and you can potentially save yourself a lot of headache later.
My trailer is professionally inspected every 3 months and repairs made immediately when found needed. Stuff breaks, it happens.

There are companies that are like Triple A for horse people. I really like www.trailguard.org They have a lot of features they offer and help get horses and equipment safe. Do this ahead of time, don't want until you have an issue.

Know your maintenance schedule. Can't recall the last time you had your bearings/brakes/tires inspected? Then it's time. Over a year? Then it's time. Have a blow out? Then it's time. Tires over 4 years old but still have lots of tread? It's time for new ones. This heat kills tires. I buy mine at Trout Tire and they've always done me right. Same goes for your truck.

Carry two spares, that trailer aid ramp is worth every penny and so is a good impact. I can change a tire in under 8 minutes. It's invaluable in the stupid Texas heat. I recently added a tire temperature/pressure system. I'm certain those is going to amazing. https://a.co/d/euhYmgF
I also have enough spare s**t to build a space ship in my tool box. Tools, hay string, electrical tape, extra lights, fuses, zip ties, straps, bailing wire, coolant, you get the point. I also carry wraps, vet wrap, extra halters/ropes, spray and tie blockers blah blah blah. I could be a hauler or a serial killer turns out it looks the same. I have a fridge in my center console so I can safely carry drugs as well. Bought that here! It's an amazing human comfort too. Cold drinks/snacks and I don't have to make another stop! https://www.dometic.com

FIRE EXTINGUISHER and a knife. You just never know. I put out a car fire one night, it was like 11pm. Peeps were super grateful. I replaced it the next day. Have a good sharp knife close and handy too. **tyouseeasahauler

This is just me and my observations over the last 8 years of hauling. I strive to evolve into the absolute best hauler I can be and it comes from experience for sure. I really do love the horses I haul and want nothing but safe travels every time I load a horse.

Haulers and individuals all do things different and that doesn't make (most of) it wrong.

I'll add to this as I think of more :)

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