Category:

Speaking of Colic Season ...

10/12/2018

Izzy's water intake has definitely fallen over the past week. I had been adding a lot of water to his trough each afternoon, but the past few days, the water level hasn't dropped much. I am not worried about it, but I like to know what's normal.

He is really turning out to be a love bug.

Since Izzy has really mellowed over the past year, he can now be trusted to stand tied at the trailer alone. The trailer has never moved in all the time I've been at the ranch, so it's a convenient place to tack up. As a bonus, it's pretty weathered, so I don't worry about him banging into it or scratching the paint.

Now that he isn't anxiously pawing or flinging himself about, I can hang a filled hay net as well as leave a rubber feed pan. I've also started leaving a freshly filled two gallon bucket of water for when I am done riding.

He loves a quick drink after he demolishes his LMF.

After he eats his LMF Senior, he always drinks down the bucket of water and waits for me to bring him more. This was something I taught my endurance horses: fresh feed and water were always within reach. Speedy simply expects there to be hay and water along with treats when he's tied up anywhere. I make sure to be consistent about it because they then start to eat and drink out of habit.

It's sort of a Pavlovian thing. Maybe you can lead a horse to water and teach him to drink?

1 Comment

Speaking of Feed ...

10/5/2018

2 Comments

Or, I was last week. What I forgot to mention was how I scored an awesome feed scale completely free.

Teachers are notorious for saving every box, container, or random thing that might prove useful for a lesson someday in the far future. I admit that I am especially guilty of this as I teach a lot of hands on science that requires ... stuff. My classroom drawers are filled with things like Q-Tips, popcorn, and even chopsticks - don't judge. Someday those chopsticks will be just what I need.

Now and then, one of my colleagues will take an honest look at what is in her maybe someday cupboard. She will realize that someday is really never. The worthless items will then get deposited in the teachers' lounge for some other "resourceful" teacher to carry back to her own classroom. With a frequency that I am loathe to admit, I am more than occasionally that crazy somebody.

Who's crazy now?!

What the original owner did not realize was that the scale has a uniquely awesome purpose to the right somebody - me, and that that purpose has nothing to do with the classroom. Too late now, my dear colleague. No take backs! The second I saw this beauty sitting on the table, I scooped it up knowing that it was headed straight to the barn. Classroom be damned!

That Folgers can is a classic by the way. No one makes the metal cans anymore.

And that is how I came be to the proud owner of this awesome feed scale!

2 Comments

Speaking of Cooler Weather

10/2/2018

4 Comments

I've been watching Izzy's coat change and darken for the past several weeks. His winter coat is easy to spot as it comes in nearly black while his summer coat is an unattractive faux buckskin color.

I love the beginning of his winter coat!

Speedy's winter coat is very hard to see because it's actually whiter than his silvery summer coat. It's so white that the majority of his fleabites (the reddish brown freckles that many grey Arabs sport) will disappear until next spring.

I am sure it didn't actually happen over-night even though it feels as though it did, but Speedy's winter coat made an appearance this weekend. As soon as I rubbed the jelly scrubber over his coat, his summer hair simply let loose. Where he had had a smooth thin coat last weekend, this weekend he started to show signs of his polar bear winter look.

Bye bye, summer!

While I'll miss the ease of caring for their summer coats, I won't miss the heat of summer. I am ready for some cooler afternoons. What's it like where you live?

4 Comments

Fall Feeding

9/28/2018

8 Comments

Every few months I like to reevaluate what my boys are eating. I am sure you do the same thing, so chime in with your feed protocol.

Grass

With property values so high and water so limited here in California, there aren't many facilities where horses get to live on grass. If they're lucky enough to get grass, it's usually pretty short, and not plentiful enough to live on. The ranch owners where my boys live have several large lawn areas in front of the house reserved for occasional grazing. After riding, I nearly always let one of them loose to graze for 20 - 30 minutes a day.

This part of the front lawn is grown for snacking.

Hay

The ranch owner buys excellent quality hay which is good since that's mostly what my boys eat. This year's alfalfa is particularly nice with fine stems and lots of green leaves. The grass hay is so good that Speedy prefers it to the alfalfa. Since it's not calorie dense enough, he only gets it while I am tacking up.

Speedy gets up to three weighty flakes of alfalfa a day, depending on how much he eats. If he hasn't cleaned up most of the hay from the previous feeding, he only gets one flake. He likes to eat, but when he's had enough, he walks away.

Izzy gets up to three large flakes of grass hay and two very thin alfalfa flakes a day. Right now, he's in a hoover it all up stage. After a while, he'll slow down on the grass hay, but he'll always finish the alfalfa. When he slows down on the grass hay, the ranch owner makes the flakes a bit smaller. He's such a chunk right now that if she gave him any more he might pop, but I like him nice and round.

Grass in the back for Speedy, alfalfa in the front for Izzy.

Supplemental Feed

Speedy's a hard one to feed. He could live on just hay, but he simply won't eat enough of it to get a rosy bloom. I can't get his corners rounded on just hay. If I give him too much supplemental feed, he feels satiated and quits eating the hay. I've landed on a good balance this year with all the alfalfa he'll eat and five pounds of LMF senior split into two feedings.

LMF on the left, shredded beet pulp on the right.

To add even more calories to his diet, I also feed a half cup of Platinum's Healthy Weight flaxseed oil. Price-wise it's cheaper than the LMF. I go through three bags a month of that (at $20 a bag) while the flaxseed oil lasts nearly two months (for around $62). The oil is very convenient to feed, and Speedy likes it enough to eat every drop.

Healthy Weight Flaxseed Oil

Izzy is much easier to feed. Combined with the hay, he gets about three quarters of a pound of shredded beet pulp with an added pound of LMF senior. The LMF is really just to treat him after a ride. If he doesn't get ridden, he gets about half a pound of the LMF.

Speedy's bucket is on the left, Izzy's is on the right.

Supplements

I used to scoff at supplements. And even today, I still question their efficacy. If money were really tight, the first thing I'd get rid of would be the supplements. But since my budget allows for them, I give them with fingers crossed that they're actually doing something helpful.

Both boys get two scoops daily of Platinum Performance Equine, the wellness and performance formula. Since both of my boys were healthy and fit before I started them on Platinum Performance, I never saw a sudden bloom develop. Of the two horses, Speedy already had a silky coat and lovely feet before I started the Platinum Performance supplement, so it's hard to say whether it has done anything other than make up for any nutritional deficiencies.

I get twelve of these a year.

Since Izzy's feet need some help, I am also feeding Platinum Hoof Support once a day. None of Platinum's products are cheap, but I feel better knowing that the formulas were created by a veterinarian and that there is research to support the product claims. If anything, I know the products aren't hurting my horses.

Treats

I've mentioned this about 10,000 times already, but Speedy loves hard candies. He gets two of them after every ride and anytime I think he's earned it. There are not enough of those times in his opinion. I've also started tossing two peppermints in his morning bucket which the ranch owner feeds. He hadn't really warmed up to her, so I suggested she give him some candies every morning. I haven't heard whether it's working or not.

Speedy's morning bucket.

Izzy like the LMF and grass, so those are his treats. He's not as big on the candies, and cookies are only meh. LMF works for me since I already keep several bags on hand.

I know this sounds like a complicated feeding regimen, but it takes me less than five minutes to fill up my buckets. It's the first thing I do when I get to the barn. I feed as the last thing I do, so my buckets are always rinsed and waiting for me the next day.

So, what's in your horse's bucket?

8 Comments

Fly Control: Use a Barrel

9/27/2018

2 Comments

Poor Izzy. He is having a devil of a time with the flies. Late summer is the absolute worst time for flies here in Bakersfield. Most of us joke that the flies are getting in their last hurrah before the cooler weather sets in. They come out in force, and they're particularly sticky and bothersome. They go for your eyes and ears and land on places from which you can't shoo them.

This barrel is his fly control.

Summer lasts a long time here in the Central Valley, and so does fly season. It won't get cooler for a while yet. And when fall finally does arrive, it will last approximately three days, and then winter sneaks in. The flies will be gone though.

The ranch owner uses Fly Predators, and I apply my fly spray liberally, but the flies still torment poor Izzy. When I showed up the other day, he was perched over his barrel gently rubbing the flies away from his belly. At the same time, he was nodding his head up and down trying to dislodge the flies that had made his noggin their home.

It's a toy again!

I grabbed my fly spray and climbed through the fence. I sprayed every inch of his body and let him rub his face on my shoulder until he was satisfied. He went back to his barrel, but this time it was to play. He grabbed it a few times and rocked it off the ground. He likes the thunk sound it makes as it stands back up.

No longer interesting.

And then he was over it. Once the flies had left him alone, he ditched his barrel in favor of standing by the fence, waiting for the stallion to come over and chat.

I know both of us will be glad when summer is over.

2 Comments

ArenaKleen

7/16/2018

12 Comments

On the day before we left for Canada (blog post about that coming soon), the ranch owners did another application of their dust control product, ArenaKleen (by Dirt Glue). I blogged about this process before (and here).

Pretty much everything you'd want to know about the product is on the label above. If you read the label, you'll see that it's an organic blended severely hydrotreated dust suppressant. Yeah ... doesn't help me out much either, but who cares since the stuff really and truly works.

So glad the ranch owners care about dust control!

For such a hi-tech product, the application is super simple. You just spray it on with a garden hose. Getting it out of the container is the hardest part. The ranch owners used a portable, high powered water pump.

Just like hosing down dust.

When the ranch owners treated the arena nearly two years ago, they applied four containers. Since it has held up so well, they only needed to apply two containers this time. With two hoses dispensing, both containers were emptied in under two hours.

When they were finished, the footing looked wet, but it was rideable that same day. Even when dragged, the footing will continue to be darker than the dirt outside of the arena. Before this new application of ArenaKleen, there was no dust in the air when I rode, but some low-hanging dust was beginning to form with each footfall. No more. I rode yesterday and there were absolutely zero dust poofs.

Completely dust free!

Since the arena didn't need all of the second container, they sprayed the round pen as well. I don't use it very often, but since Izzy hadn't been ridden in two weeks, I started him in there yesterday so he could blow off some steam. That footing was also dust free. Not just mostly, but completely dust free.

Since DirtGlue's website doesn't list the price per container, you know it's expensive. But really, what equine related product isn't? This is probably not a feasible dust control solution for most backyard horse owners, but if you run a larger facility, the price of ArenaKleen might be cheaper than your water bill - especially if you live in California where water is in short supply.

Price per gallon? A lot.

After years of dragging sprinklers around to ineffectively water my riding space, it is so nice to just hop on without having to water or deal with dust. My ponies better mind their manners because I am not getting kicked out of this place! I'll get new ponies if it comes down to it. Kidding. Not really.

Since it only rains about 6 times a year here, the wait for rain strategy doesn't work for us. What do you all do for dust control?

12 Comments

My Five Things: Around the Barn

6/14/2018

2 Comments

It's getting hot here; nothing like it will be, and so far nothing like it was last summer, but I just didn't feel like riding yesterday. Speedy and I are in frenemies territory, and Izzy is once again being a jackass - bit issues, but nothing that I can't overcome. Anyway, instead of riding, I started packing for this weekend's two-day show.

#1
As I pulled in, I spotted a mama skunk with a bunch of babies in tow. It seemed a little late in the morning for them to still be out, but you know how kids are. It's hard to get anywhere on time when you have to take the whole family. I drove by slowly, I am cautious when it comes to stink bombs, but despite their ability to ruin my day, they were very, very cute.

Walking stink bombs.

#2 & #3
My dogs almost never go to the ranch with me as the arena is up by the road, and I don't trust them to stay on the property while I am riding. When I tugged on a pair of shorts (instead of breeches) and grabbed my purse, tails started wagging in excitement; they knew they were going. Even though it was unusual for me to take them, they didn't care. Cars and trucks are magical things, and they are always up for an adventure.

Brienne of Tarth (aka Yellow Dog) and Tobias (although we call him Tobi or Tobes for short)

I parked my car and let them run around for a bit, but then we hiked over to my truck and trailer so I could hook up. I didn't want to call my husband telling him that I ran over a dog, so I loaded them in the truck with me while I backed up to the trailer. That really threw them for a loop, but like I said, cars and trucks are wonderful things and not to be questioned.

With heads hanging out the window, I pulled around to the barn to load up some of my stuff for the show. Dogs aren't always the smartest crayons in the box. When I opened the door, they leaped out excitedly, eager to check out someplace "new."

Done with checking stuff out out. It was hot for those who can't take off their jackets.

#4
After I stuffed Speedy's hay bag with grass hay, I moved on to the alfalfa. As I was filling my half bale bag, I actually looked at it. I've owned that blue bale bag since 1997, but I never see it anymore. It's become as old and familiar as the 27 blue buckets I have laying around. Okay, maybe not 27, but close.

This baby is 20 years old.

After I wedged it into the trailer, I caught what was written on the top and smiled.

Not hard to figure out why it caught my attention.

Back when I was still competing in endurance races, and I am sure things haven't changed that much, ride managers had a lot of creative ways to entice riders to come back. For our winter desert rides, the three different race managers put together a three-show series. In order to compete for the series prize, you had to pay a small entry fee declaring that you were "in" for the Triple Crown.

If you got pulled from any of the three races or you weren't able to compete at all, you lost your money. If you completed all three races, you earned the prize. In 1997, it was a half bale bag. You'd think it would be an easy accomplishment, but it was much harder to do than you would think. I was really proud of that bag and the accomplishment that it represented. Seeing it yesterday brought back some fond memories.

#5
I've already shared how Izzy's coat fades pretty dramatically over the summer. I am not sure my strategy to prevent that is working very well, but his coat did catch my eye yesterday.

Early morning with no grooming.

His barrel is definitely lightening up, but that's not what I noticed. Izzy is registered with the Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) warmblood registry and sports their brand on his left hip. I can rarely see it unless he's all shed out.

The bridge with the last two digits of his personal ID number.

I always think of his brand as a secret tattoo that only I am allowed to see. He's actually the third branded horse I've owned. Montoya DSA, an Arabian, was freeze branded on her neck, and Sydney, a New Zealand Thoroughbred that I previously owned, was branded on both shoulders.

Now everyone can see it.

In general, when I am at the barn, I ride. I have to say though that it was kind of fun just puttering around without riding. There's a lot more going on than what you'd think.

2 Comments

Signs of a Concussion

6/5/2018

0 Comments

Wow. Yesterday's post about konking my noggin generated a fair amount of discussion. I am glad for that actually. Nearly two years ago, I wrote a blog post about having open discussions when a concussion has occurred. You can read it here.

From 1998?

I've been an avid helmet wearer since the mid-1990s. Before that, I didn't know they made helmets for equestrians. Since buying my first helmet, I've worn one religiously ever since. While a helmet has saved my butt more than once, I've stilled had a few concussions.

The first one happened in the mid-1980s. I was galloping bareback, something we did every day, when my mare took a hard turn. I tumbled over her shoulder and landed on my head. I blacked out, and when I came to, I was at a friend's house with amnesia. I knew who I was, but I had no idea of what year it was or how old I was. I was taken to the emergency room, and after a few days, most of my memory returned.

Mid-1980s aboard Sunshine.

The next one, while not formerly diagnosed as a concussion, happened while I was picking out a mare's feet. I was bent over when she snapped a hind leg up to her belly to knock away a fly, whacking me in the process. I didn't hit the ground, but I definitely blacked out for a moment. While I had a sore spot on my head, I was otherwise okay.

This mare as it happens. Somewhere in the early 2000s.

The same mare, her name was Montoya, gave me yet another bang on the head when she kicked me in the face when I opened the trailer door. She let fly with both feet catching me in the face, chest, and arm. Not only did she whack my head, she cut my cornea and bruised the hell out of my arm. My ears rang for quite some time after that impact. I went to the emergency room for that one.

Even Speedy has concussed me!

Speedy has given me two pretty good bumps on the head. The first time, he spooked, bolted, and launched me into a metal pole. My helmet was crushed in the back, my shoulder was separated, and I was pretty beat up. My husband hauled ass to the emergency room yet again.

What a looker, eh?!

The second time Speedy tossed me on my head was at a show. We had the first ride of the morning, and besides being quite fresh, he was young and stupid. I swung my leg over and he bolted before I could get my butt in the saddle. I hung on for a while as he bucked and bolted, but he eventually got me off. My head hit the ground hard enough to tear up my helmet, but I never blacked out. My butt took the worst of the impact.

Yet another horse to give me a bonk on the head.

I share all of these mishaps with you to let you know that I don't take getting bashed in the skull lightly. With that said, it's happened enough times that I feel pretty confident about when I need to see a doctor. From Saturday morning until Monday morning, my husband kept a very close eye on me. We spent Sunday driving to the beach for lunch, and then hung out by the pool on Sunday evening. I never had any of the symptoms that many concussed people feel. Other than being very tender to the touch, all systems were normal.

Concussions are a big deal and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) add up. I get it. I worry that the next time will be the last time. I wear a helmet every time I am in the saddle and when I am lunging. While it would be safer to wear a helmet the entire time I am at the barn, I don't want to live in a perpetual state of worry.

Accidents just happen.

0 Comments

Stocking Up On Fly Products

5/14/2018

2 Comments

In case you haven't seen it yet on social media, Riding Warehouse is offering two different kinds of gift cards if you buy fly stuff. The website doesn't say how long the sale is going to last, so I placed my order over the weekend.

I took advantage of this offer before, and if I remember correctly, they sent the gift card as long as you bought something fly related. This year, you have to actually purchase a full $50 or $100 worth of fly stuff. I know because I checked. I had a fly mask and fly spray in my cart along with one or two other items that brought my total to just over $50. No gift card was listed. Hmmm ...

Knowing that I go through fly spray like it's water, I updated my cart to include a second bottle of fly spray. That bumped my total of fly products to $52. Suddenly a $10 gift card was applied to my cart.

You can't blame a girl for trying!

2 Comments

Trunks and Horses

3/7/2018

4 Comments

I am sure you know exactly what I am talking about. Now if only car manufacturers could install a flip-up saddle rack, we'd all be a lot happier.

What else is a trunk for?

My trunk's live-in occupants are pretty few compared to some trunks and back seats that I've seen. Even so, grocery shopping always requires a bit of planning. The brown bag, two coats, and boots live in my trunk. I go straight to the barn after work, so it's easier to just store that stuff in my car.

What lives in your trunk?

4 Comments

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About the
Writer & Rider

I am a lifetime rider.
I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010.
Welcome to my dressage journey.

Photo by Lori Ovanessian

Email Karen

About Speedy G

Speedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse and occasional trail horse. He is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.

May 2018

About Izzy

Izzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are schooling the dressage basics. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand Zweibrücker gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.

Second Show - July 2016

Bakersfield Dressage approved!

National Awards

USDF Second Level Rider Performance Award - 2018
USDF First Level Rider Performance Award - 2015
USDF Training Level Rider Performance Award - 2013

Stuff I'm Working On ...

Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC) Qualifying Scores
Second Level Scores:
Score 1: 63.485%
Score 2: 61.282%
Score 3: 62.879%

CDS Championship Qualifying
Second Level Scores:
Score 1: 63.485%
Score 2: 61.282%
Score 3: 62.879%
Score 4: 61.970%
Score 5: 62.973%

CDS Ruby Rider Award
Training Level Scores:
Score 1: 70.179%
Score 2: 72.600%

First Level Scores:
Score 1: 66.093%
Score 2: 68.750%

Second Level Scores:
Score 1: 63.485%
Score 2: 62.879%

USDF Second Level Rider Performance Award
Score 1 - 62.879%
Score 2 - 61.970%
Score 3 - 64.242%
Score 4 - 64.268%

USDF Bronze Medal
First Level - 70.179%
First Level - 72.600%
Second Level - 62.879%
Second Level - 61.970%
Third Level -
Third Level -

2018 Show Season

Show Rating
(***) CDS/USDF/USE
(*) CDS
(s) Schooling
(c) Clinic
(t) Ride-a-Test Clinic
(Q) Must Qualify

2018 Pending …
Season over

2018 Completed …
1/14/18 Hurtado Clinic (c)
2/10/18 Hurtado Clinic (c)
2/24/18 Hurtado Clinic (c)
3/17/18 Hurtado Clinic (t)
3/18/18 GEAHS (*)
3/31/18 Hurtado Clinic (c)
4/14-15/18 El Sueno (***)
5/27/18 Tehachapi (*)
6/16-17/18 El Sueno (***)
6/24/18 Tehachapi (*)
7/22/18 Tehachapi (*)
7/28-29/18 El Sueno (***)
8/11-12/18 RAAC (Q ***)
8/26/18 Tehachapi (*)

Speaking of Colic Season ...

Speaking of Feed ...

Speaking of Cooler Weather

Fall Feeding

Grass

Hay

Supplemental Feed

Supplements

Treats

Fly Control: Use a Barrel

ArenaKleen

My Five Things: Around the Barn

Signs of a Concussion

Stocking Up On Fly Products

Trunks and Horses

About the
Writer & Rider

About Speedy G

About Izzy

National Awards

Stuff I Read

By Topic

Archives

Grass

Hay

Supplemental Feed

Supplements

Treats

About the Writer & Rider

About Speedy G

About Izzy

National Awards

Stuff I Read

By Topic

Archives

About the
Writer & Rider