Past Features of the Month
Recipe for a Horse Accident
By Darrell WardTake one 17-year-old Quarter Horse gelding that has done it all, Lil Jon. Shown in open and youth shows and who, this year, took his 10th 4-H kid to the County Fair. The horse that is always depended upon for the lessons with the real little kids and grandmothers. The horse that you keep around for the great-grandkids.
Add Darrell, one old man who has also been around the barn a few times, has owned horses and ridden all his life, and has always trained and given instruction with a strong emphasis on safety -- and who knows better!
Throw in a pasture setting where the gelding has been running with "his mares" since the fair. It is rocky and uneven and still a bit wet from the evening rains.
Throw good sense to the wind by using an Arab tree saddle that pinches, wide work boots that hang in the stirrups, a helmet that is left hanging in the tack room, and a bit that has not been used on Lil Jon before.
Apply a touch of the heel when Lil Jon doesn't want to leave his mares for the trail ride, and you have a horse accident!
And if you are "lucky", when he goes over backwards, both Lil Jon and Darrell end up in a hole where Darrell's body does not have to bear the full 1200# of Lil Jon as he rolls around on top, trying to get up. But, he eventually did get up; the ambulance did get there, but they did cut off my good Wranglers, my new OFEA sweatshirt and everything else I was wearing. And I am at home, mighty sore and stiff, with a tremendous headache, a very purple body and a groin and chest area bearing many imprints of the saddle horn.
Lil Jon feels fine and is contentedly "munching" with his mares. I am getting just the right amount of sympathy from my "horse friends". And I will be ready for the December shows!
The Tennessee Walking Horse
By Kezzie Vickers
OFEA Board Member Brenda Aldred riding Ella, a Tennessee Walking Horse
The Tennessee Walking Horse is a light horse breed founded in middle Tennessee. Originally used as a utility horse, today the Tennessee Walker is used for showing, pleasure, trail and much more. Its smooth gliding gaits and gentle willing disposition have won the hearts of many.
Ranging from 14.3 to 17 hands and weighing approximately 900 to 1200 lbs., the Tennessee Walking Horse has a pretty head with well placed small ears. Walking Horse conformation is very different than Quarter Horse conformation. The Walker has a long sloping shoulder as well as a long sloping hip and a short back. To keep its long stride, the Walker has a longer bottom line than top line.
Tennessee Walkers are made up of the Narragansett and Canadian Pacer, Standardbred, Thoroughbred, Morgan and American Saddlebred stock. In 1885, a stallion named Allendorf was crossed with a Morgan mare named Maggie Marshall. This produced a foal named Allan, who was later chosen as the foundation sire of the Tennessee Walking Horse and designated as Allan F-1. In 1935, the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' Association was formed. In 1950, the breed was officially recognized by the US Department of Agriculture and in 1974, the registry's name expanded to the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association (TWHBEA). Since the start of the registry over 300,000 horses have been registered and membership has reached 19,000. (Click here to visit the TWHBEA Web site.)
The Tennessee Walker has set itself apart from all others with its three unique defining gaits. The Walker performs the flat walk, the running walk and a "rocking" canter. They also perform a "dog walk" or "trail walk" which is the normal slow walk.
The flat walk is a brisk long strided walk that can cover four to eight miles an hour. In this gait each foot moves individually forming an even four beats. The horses head nods in beat with the walk and has an overstride unique to the breed. An overstride is when the back legs step over or past the track of the front foot. Vertical action of the back legs is undesirable, the bigger the overstride and the lesser the vertical action, the better.
The running walk is much like the flat walk, but bigger and faster. In the running walk, the overstride usually ranges from six to 18 inches. The running walk is smooth and seems to float over the ground. The breed can travel from 10 to 20 miles an hour at this smooth gait.
Then, there is the canter. A Walking Horse canter has the same beat and footfall as other breeds, but they tend to have more of a rocking motion picking up their front end more. They also have an effortless flowing way of performing this gait.
In the show ring the Walking Horse has many different levels of action. The two basic divisions are the Flat Shod Horses and the Show horses or Padded horses. Within those two basic divisions, there are sub-divisions that define the amount of action a horse has or how high they pick their from legs up. For Flat Shod, there are Trail Pleasure horses, Light Shod horses, and Plantation horses. Then, for the Show division (padded horses) there are Show Pleasure horses and Show horses.
Besides the main gaits, Walkers can perform the trot, pace, rack, fox trot, and many other gaits. Although many of these other gaits are smooth, the desirable gaits for a Tennessee Walking Horse are the flat walk, running walk and canter. When judging a Tennessee Walker in a show ring, a judge should look for an even four beat walk, a head nod and an overstride. Remember, if he isn't nodding, he isn't walking.
I would encourage all of you to try a Tennessee Walker out, at least once in your lifetime. They are one of the smartest, kindest, most willing and gentle horses that you will ever meet. That, along with their smooth gliding gaits, make them a horse apart from all others.
Arena Etiquette
By Kezzie Vickers, OFEA Board MemberManners are very important anywhere you go with horses. When you ride in any arena with others, understanding and following a few rules of etiquette will help keep yourself and others safe, as well as ensure a pleasant experience for all. The following is a list of many accepted rules that most people follow in an arena.
Don't cut others off.
When passing another horse, don't go back onto the rail until you are about one or two horse lengths ahead of the horse you are passing. This is just as much for safety as it is for courtesy. You never know when a horse will kick or bite another horse (or person) and you can really ruin a person's ride by causing him or her to quickly pull their horse up.Stay one-to-two horses lengths away from other riders.
Pass other riders. Don't ride right up behind them. Again, you never know when another horse will bite or kick.Always pass on the inside.
Don't get trapped on the rail by trying to squeeze into a little hole. Pass people on the inside toward the middle of the arena, and you can avoid collisions and won't cut yourself off.Don't stop on the rail.
Don't stop to talk, mount or dismount where others are riding. This is mainly courtesy, but it isn't smart to get stuck against a wall either. Go to the middle where you are out of the way.If you see a horse that is acting up, give them space.
You can avoid most accidents and make the other rider's life much easier if you stay clear and give plenty of room. Anywhere there are horses, it is always smart to watch what is happening around you and avoid potentially dangerous situations.Don't discipline your horse or get after it when you are too close to others.
You can make necessary corrections, but don't do something that will make your horse or someone else's horse upset (such as slapping with reins, backing up fast, severe corrections). Do it when you have lots of space where no one will get hurt.Horses and horse activities have many inherent dangers. Most accidents can be avoided by following simple rules of etiquette and being aware of you surroundings. Stop problems before they start. If we all take care of one another, we can be much safer. If someone falls off, help them. If a horse is in a dangerous situation, let the owners know. Be a group, and watch out for others. Everyone's experiences will be better.
Advice from a Horse Show Mom
By Anonymous (My child would disapprove of me telling you all this!)At some point in a parent's life, a son or daughter will smile at you and say, "I want to learn to ride a horse. And then I want to win blue ribbons." What's a mother to do? Or for that matter, a father, since he'll become involved too, even though driving to and from lessons and shows is far more often the equivalent of a Soccer Mom. Only, you aren't driving a mini-van full of kids and soccer balls; you're going down the road pulling a three-ton plus horse trailer!
If you are new to this, I will attempt to give you some advice. I just wish that someone would have been there to explain all of it to me -- how to help your child handle the anxiety of competition, what's expected of the horse and the rider in various classes, which supplies moms and dads should always have on hand (safety pins and hair spray lead the list), how to deal with your child's triumphs and tears, and above all -- how to understand the points system.
Well, to be fair, some people did try to explain all this to me when we started, but it's a lot like learning to back a horse trailer -- some stuff you learn by doing. Besides, I can't tell you everything you need to know, or this would be a book. And, don't get me started on how much this sport costs! So, here are just a few of the best lessons I've learned. We'll cover the points system another day.
Lesson #1: Try to make yourself useful.
During the first year, I didn't know much about horses. I had to leave the big decisions (like what kind of bit to use) to the trainer, so I did what lots of other parents do -- tried to help out by polishing boots and cleaning tack. I think this was my first mistake because now this is MY JOB to get everything ready before a show. So, if you do this, be aware that there is so much stuff to do and load, you will need a very long list to keep it all straight and several more hours in the day to get it done. And, don't forget ANYTHING -- especially not the girth, which is what I forgot one time. Because that means you have to unhook the trailer and drive home to get it. The kid can't ride without a girth, and it will be YOUR entire fault. So, to handle all these duties with limited time, now and then, I fudge and don't polish the boots or clean all the tack. Heck, it all just gets muddy and dirty again at the next show anyway.Lesson #2: Be supportive, no matter what.
Besides knowing how to be the groom, I've learned that parents need "supportive show skills" as well. This is crucial because how well your child reacts to the ups and downs of competition is often a direct result of how well you as the parent handle them. There are shows where your kid will be on top of the world and other shows where she will demand that you sell the horse because she never wants to see him again. As much as you might want to take her up on this and just get out of this whole thing right here and now, you should know that she doesn't mean it. If it was your suggestion, you'd be in big trouble, saying something like this. So, parents, it's up to you to keep a sense of perspective, and that will help your child develop this too.Lesson #3: Don't give advice.
Now, as the well-meaning and supportive parents that we may be, there is one thing we should never do -- that is, give our opinions. At shows our kids would rather be hearing from their riding friends and trainers with last minute advice or post-ride commentary, not their moms and dads. Besides, our comments tend to be things like "sit up straight" and "smile" which are not that helpful anyway. So, I just try to stay away from the in-gate, or at least keep my comments brief and supportive, like "Do you want me to get you some hot cocoa?" In fact, things go much better when I just hold the kid's coat while she is in the show ring.Lesson #4: Chill out!
OK, for this lesson…I'm not sure how to say this without it sounding like a huge understatement, but here goes. The competition of showing can bring stresses and strains to the parent-child relationship. I think all you seasoned horse show parents know what I am talking about. For you newbies, let's just say that a case of horse-show nerves can create a little tension between parent and child. So, to keep this to a minimal level, my advice is to stay calm, and above all, fight that intense, irrational urge to get wrapped up in your child's performance. We parents cope with this in our own way. At the first shows I went to, I found myself holding my breath during each class, which didn't seem to help me or my rider. Now I try to remind myself that this is her experience, not mine, and the calmer I am, the better things go between us.Lesson #5: Be a team.
Well, there are so many more things to say about being a Show Mom or Show Dad; it is hard to keep this from getting too long. But, I have to add one last thing. I often find myself saying to my child, "This is not just about winning." She looks at me as if to say, "Duh! It's a com-pe-TI-tion!" OK, so it may sound trite, but winning strategy isn't the only thing children can learn in this sport. They also learn from their mistakes and most importantly, how to win (and not to win) graciously. So, if you find yourself saying this to your child, then I think you should act like you mean it. Don't just hoot and holler for a blue ribbon performance. Accept each performance, winning or not, and let the kid know that if the undesirable thing happens, it's ok. After all, a Horse Show Mom or Dad and the child are a team. And, just like any sport, it's about learning to do your best and how to be a good member of the team. It's not just about having a wall of ribbons. (Besides, after awhile, you just have to pack them away in boxes anyhow.) What your child will remember is the time you spent together in this wonderful world of horse showing. Good luck!
Websites for Horse Lovers
Here are just a few fun sites to check out.
Horse Tack Review
Did you know you can wash your suede chaps in the washing machine? Find out how at Horse Tack Review. This site features the opinions and tips of ordinary folks about equine-related products. Submit your own review of a product for a chance to win cool prizes.Shadowood Horse Quizzes
Think you know everything about horses? Find out by taking a quiz at Shadowood Horse Quizzes. Your answers will be graded and returned by the owner of the site. (Yes, really!)Horse Country
Horse Country is for horse-crazy kids of all ages. On this site, you can take more horse quizzes, download horse pictures to color, and read horse stories. Don't leave this site without checking out the FAQs on just about every horse subject you can imagine.Equisearch
Do you know what it means if a horse is "quidding?" What about "crow-hopping?" If not, you can find out what these and other terms mean in the glossary on Equisearch. This site is jam-packed with daily news, feature articles and plenty of advice. Sign up for the free newsletter, post your opinion on a horsey matter, or locate horse products, services and publications for sale. And, don't miss the 40-year-old horse in this site's Senior Horse Photo Gallery.Do you have a favorite website you'd like to recommend? E-mail the OFEA Webmaster with the site's domain name and a brief description or reason why you like this site. We'll post a link here.
OFEA invites members' suggestions and articles for the OFEA Web site. To share your idea or submit an original feature or article you have written, contact the OFEA Webmaster. Due to copyright protections, we cannot print articles that are not original or which have been previously published elsewhere (without written approval from the author and publisher).
