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Angleton Feed & Supply Angleton TX www.damonfarmandranch.com [email protected] (979) 849-6661

Arcola Feed & Hardware Arcola TX www.arcolafeed.com [email protected] (281) 431-1014

The Feed Station Austin TX www.jensfeedstation.com [email protected] (512) 301-7788

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Conroe Feeders Supply Conroe TX www.feederssupplycompanies.com [email protected] (936) 756-5549

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Damon Farm & Ranch Damon TX www.damonfarmandranch.com [email protected] (979) 742-3317

Chachere Feed Store Dayton TX www.chacherefeed.com [email protected] (936) 336-5273

Stockman Seed Feed and Fertilizer DeLeon TX [email protected] (254) 893-5149

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Spring Creek Feed Center Magnolia TX www.springcreekfeed.net [email protected] (281) 252-5400

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Columns: 8 Horse Bites

26 Tack Talk - Lew Pewterbaugh

42 On the English Front - Cathy Strobel

40 Hooves N’ Horses - Jaime Jackson

46 Cowboy Corner - Jim Hubbard

PUBLISHER EDITORVicki Long Steven Long

NATIONAL NEWS EDITORCarrie Gobernatz

LIFESTYLE EDITORMargaret Pirtle832-349-1427

[email protected]

EVENTS EDITOR Leslie Greco

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(281) 447-0772 Phone & (281) 893-1029 [email protected]

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• NORTH TEXASMari Crabtree - (216) [email protected]

• NEW MEXICO BUREAULaurie Hammer - (505)315-7842 [email protected]

Volume 21, No. 10 Horseback Magazine, P.O. Box 681397, Houston, TX 77268-1397, (281) 447-0772. The entire contents of the magazine are copyrighted October 2014 by Horseback Magazine. All rights reserved. Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Horseback Magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and other material unless accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope. Horseback Magazine is not responsible for any claims made by advertisers. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or management. Subscription rate is $25.00 for one year.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Horseback Magazine, P.O. Box 681397, Houston, TX 77268-1397. Fax: (281) 893-1029

Email: [email protected] Phone: (281) 447-0772

October 2014FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Thank goodness it is fall! My favorite time of year. It means cooler weather,

pumpkin flavored everything, and just some lovely days for riding the trails. It also means Halloween, and for fun we like to tell a tale of ghosts, and

hauntings. Last year we told of the famous ghosts of the Fort Worth Stockyards. In our research for a story this year, we came across the George Washington sightings during the Civil War. We thought this was a great story because of what we are currently enduring with those that wish to see our demise today. This tale was heavily documented during the day, and General George McClellan actually had his words about his encounter with the father of our Republic published in The Evening Courier, Portland, Maine. March 8 1862. As you read this story, think of the state of our great nation today. According to the legends, Washington’s ghost helped the Union Army because he did not want to see the Republic he and his men fought for disunite. Today, our nation is in trouble. Whether the issue is political, racial, or religious, we are a nation divided. In my own home, my husband leans to the left, while I to the right. We are facing very dangerous times and we need to find some common ground to unite and make sure that we can stand together and fight for our country and the Constitution our founding fathers built this great nation upon. We are an enduring democracy, the world’s oldest. Yet while we often differ, we pull together when the whole nation is threatened. E pluribus unum has meaning for every American. Translated, the Latin on our money means, “Out of many, one.” The legend has it that George Washington will save our country three times. He has done it twice with the Revolution, and his help with the Civil War. It is said he will return a third time, but only if our nation is worthy. Let us ask ourselves, are we worthy?

By Vicki Long

STAFF

Lifestyle & Real Estate:

12 Haras Cup - Haras Dos Cavaleiros

22 Two Big Hearts - Kelsey Hellmann

28 More than Child’s Play - Margaret Pirtle

34 Real Estate Roundup

36 Property Improvements - Tx Farm Credit

Hurray for Fall!

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSJim Hubbard, Steven Long, Vicki Long, Roni Norquist, Pat Parelli,

Kelsey Hellmann, Lew Pewterbaugh, Cathy Strobel, Cory Johnson, Margaret Pirtle, Jaime Jackson

On the Cover: George Washington

Cover Story:18 Saving the Greatest Nation - Roni Nordquist


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“Horse Bites is compiled from Press Releases sent to Horseback Magazine. Original reporting is done as circumstances warrant.

Content is edited for length & style.”

Fort Worth Extreme Mustang Makeover Champions Announced Photo by Rhonda Hole

Georgetown, Texas,– The Extreme Mus-tang Makeover, a wild horse-training event presented by the Mustang Heritage Founda-tion and the Bureau of Land Management’s Wild Horse and Burro, made its annual stop in Fort Worth, TX, September 18-20, 2014, at the Will Rogers Equestrian Center. Youth and adult trainers traveled from across the United States to showcase the skills they taught a Mustang in just over 100 days of training. Adult trainers were assigned an untouched, four to 6-year-old Mustang geld-ing in May and spent the summer gentling and preparing the horse for competition. Preliminary classes began on Thursday with contestants showing in classes including, handling and conditioning, a pattern class, and a combined leading and riding obstacle class. The top 10 trainers then moved on to the freestyle finals, which gave them an Horsebites - Con’t. on pg. 31

opportunity to show their mustang’s skills while using choreographed props and mu-sic. A compulsory maneuvers score was also added to determine the overall winners. Tom Hagwood, the 2013 Mus-tang Million Legends division champion, repeated his success in Fort Worth winning the adult division championship and tak-ing home a $20,000 prize. Hagwood from Torrington, WY, showed Early Times, a 5-year-old brown gelding from the Twin

Peaks, CA, herd management area to the top spot with a freestyle that combined rein-ing and working cowhorse maneuvers. Sid Zacharias of Spooner, WI, followed close behind to win reserve honors and $10,000. Zacharias combined reining and trick riding on Durango The Kid, a 5-year-old gelding gathered from Black Rock Range West, NV, and was voted fan favorite by the attending audience. Twenty-four youth, ages eight to 17, showcased 2-year-old Mustangs that were adopted before the event in in-hand classes including, handling and conditioning, trail, and freestyle sponsored by Time ‘N Timber Ranch of Tioga, TX. Prize money was then awarded to the top 10 highest combined class scores. Kayden Frazier of Comanche, TX, was the youth division overall champion with gelding, Legendary Keepsake, gathered from Jackson Mountain, NV. Frazier was also chosen fan favorite for her “Ghostbusters” themed freestyle routine. Tanner Thompson of Ben Wheeler, TX, showed Inigo Montoya

gathered from Desatoya, NV, to second place. Special additions to this year’s event included the Mustang Million 3-year-old Futurity and the Mustang Gathering, an all-around show open to all BLM-branded Mustangs. The futurity was an opportu-nity for adopters who showed a 2-year-old Mustang in-hand at the 2013 Mustang Million competition to show the now

3-year-old horses in trail, a pattern class, and a freestyle demonstration under saddle. For the first time since 2009 at the September event, the competing mustangs in the adult division were available to the public for adoption Saturday through competitive bid. All 33 Mustangs were placed into adop-tive homes for an average adoption price of $1,290. For complete event and adoption results, visit www.extrememustangmakeover.com. The Extreme Mustang Makeovers are made possible through partnership with the Bureau of Land Management and the generosity of sponsors Ram Trucks, Western Horseman, Zoetis, Vetericyn, Gist Silver-smiths, Martin Saddlery and Classic Equine, Cowboy Magic and Smith Brothers. Event and award sponsors for the Fort Worth Ex-treme Mustang Makeover included, Smart-Pak, Time ‘N Timber Ranch, JW Brooks Custom Hat Company, Sinclair Bits and Spurs and 95.9 The Ranch. Since the first Extreme Mustang Makeover event was held in 2007, the Mustang Heritage Foundation has facilitated the adoptions of more than 5,000 gentled American Mustangs. In 2015, the Founda-tion in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management will continue to increase its efforts to raise awareness of adoptions of America’s Mustangs.


Haras - Con’t. on pg. 15

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Working Equitation is a sport that originated in Europe in which the main objective is to

enhance equestrian techniques devel-oped in countries whose riders use horses in different aspects of ranch and fieldwork. All breeds and all countries can exert and compete in this sport. A Working Equitation Com-petition consists of 4 phases, three of which are obligatory for individual and team competitions; Dressage, Ease of Handling, and Speed. Cattle Handling, the fourth phase is exclu-sively for team competitions and in the United States this trial is not yet required. The Dressage trial tests the horse and rider and is meant to serve as an aid in training. The exercises keep building upon the previous lev-els. The difficulty of movements cor-responds to those expected in the Ease of Handling and Speed Trials at the given level. At the Ease of Handling Trial horses must overcome obstacles similar to those likely to appear in the field, such as bridges and gates, and in the Speed Trial similar obstacles must be overcome working against the clock. Totaling the scores from each phase determine the placing and give the outcome of the overall winner. Tack and Attire for Working Equitation is intended to showcase the equestrian traditions of the country where the competition is held, or the country of origin for horses and riders. In the United States, “field-work” tradition can be Western tack

and attire, or it can also be Hunt Seat attire from Fox Hunting traditions, or Dressage attire. For riders of Lusitano or Andalusian horses, Portuguese or Spanish tack is appropriate. Or for those just getting started, a polo shirt, breeches and boots are acceptable.

Haras Dos CavaleirosFor the last three years, Haras Dos Cavaleiros has been a driving force behind the advancement and diffu-sion of Working Equitation in the United States. As ardent supporters of this sport, Haras Dos Cavaleiros has brought the most renowned and experienced riders in this discipline worldwide to their facility, offering clinics open to the public interested in learning more about this exciting and unique discipline.

For the past 3 years Haras Dos Cavaleiros has been sponsoring Working Equitation Champion-ships, competitions and exhibitions in various States and different scenarios, among them; The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show in Houston, this year featured for the first time a new youth division (13 year olds and younger) to compete, as they believe it is never too early or late to start learning and putting into practice new skills. Haras Dos Cavaleiros has also sponsored IALHA Working Equitation Champi-onship since 2011.

WEIAUSA In 2013, Haras Dos Cavaleiros joined and became one of the strongest members of the Working Equitation

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October 24 - 26, 2014

Be a part of a fabulous three-day Working Equitation competition at Haras Hacienda. Open to the public, this event will feature special horse performances, exclusive vendor booths, entertainment for

children with inflatables and an obstacle competition, a fashion show by Jonathan Blake, and a ladies hat derby spon-sored by Thomas Markle.

Come and enjoy with your family a very special weekend.

FridayDRESSAGE PHASE

Starts at 8 amFASHION SHOW

by Jonathan Blake6pm

Saturday OBSTACLES PHASE

Starts at 8 amGALA NIGHT

with horse exhibit ion, fun and music

7pm

Sunday COMPETITION SPEED PHASE

Starts at 9 amHAT DERBY

by Thomas Markle 11 am


International Association of the USA (WEIAUSA), an organization that originated to support and honor the traditional roots of Working Equita-tion while promoting it in the United States. Colorado, Oregon, Georgia, Texas, Washington, California, Flori-da, Illinois have joined the WEIAUSA and many more are soon to join as the new Working Equitation fever sweeps the country. Haras Dos Cavaleiros, as part of WEIAUSA, is working hard to get USEF and WAWE recognition of the sport.

The Haras Cup ChampionshipThe Haras Cup, Friday Oct 24th - Sunday Oct 26th, is the largest and most luxurious event to celebrate this sport in the United States, and is a family event open to the public that will take place at Haras Hacienda, home to Haras Dos Cavaleiros, a top-class facility and hidden gem in Magnolia, Texas. It is located 40 min-utes from George Bush International airport, and 30 minutes from down-town Houston. Haras Hacienda’s outdoor gardens and luxurious old rustic and Latin décor buildings will take your breath away. With an exciting social agenda, VIP seating, vendor booths, food concessions, kids entertainment, an upscale restaurant on-site, you won’t have to worry about going far and missing the action in the arenas. If you want to take a relaxing break be-tween competitions, you may walk to a full-service Spa on location and get a new hair style, a massage or facial. Top brands and businesses are committed sponsors of this event that will benefit Kids Meals Houston.

Program:Friday, October 24 - Dressage Competition(starting at 7:45 a.m.). “The Woodlands Preparatory School”, official sponsor of the Junior’s Division, shall have an educational field trip for over 400 students at all grade levels will learn the ins-and-outs of an equestrian competi-tion. They will observe veterinar-ians, farriers, trainers, and world champions of the discipline, as they prepare the horses to com-pete. They will have the opportunity to cheer their peers competing in the youth divisions. During their stay on the grounds they will visit the Kids Meals Houston booth where they will be briefed on the organizations mis-sion and activi-ties. Kids Meals Houston volun-teers will talk to students on the importance of eat-ing well and will create awareness of other young children who have very limited access to food. A Kids Carnival entirely administered by Kids Meals Hous-ton with ameni-

ties including bouncing houses and kiddie-train will amuse kids while raising funds for the organization. That same day, following the competition, there will be a special treat for all fashion lov-ers; a cocktail party plus fashion show sponsored by Jonathan Blake (www.jonathanblake.com), pre-senting 20 models showing off his haute couture collection. By late afternoon there will be a small cocktail reception to

Haras - Con’t. from pg. 12

Haras - Con’t. on pg. 17


welcome the competitors, trainers, sponsors, and vendors.

Saturday, October 25Ease of Handling (Obstacles Trial)All day competitors at different lev-els will do their obstacle trial. At the VIP seating area, lunch and dinner will be served, and for those who just want a more relaxed approach, delicious food will be available to purchase at the food stands, located near the competition tracks. At 7pm the official Opening Night Gala will be celebrated, hosting spe-cial guests and renowned figures of the equestrian world. The national anthem will open an amazing soiree with horse performances followed by a DJ.

Sunday October 26th -Speed Test Day Speed trial test, the most fun to watch, will be throughout the day. Competitors will go against the clock to score the best time, careful not to drop an obstacle, which will make them lose points. This is a very dynamic and exciting test and each competitor may choose their own music. On our social agenda a Hat Derby Sponsored by Thomas Markle Jewelers will take place at 1 pm, awarding a precious piece of

jewelry to the lady that wears the most original and beautiful hat, in keeping with the tradition of Euro-pean countries where all women at-tending horse events dress elegantly featuring their most dazzling hats. Every lady is invited to participate. After the speed test, the winners and the overall winners of the competition will be announced and awarded by international au-thorities of Working Equitation. Trophies were graciously do-nated by Christofle (www.christofle.com), an official sponsor of the competition. This unprecedented event benefiting Kids Meals Houston, will also include a silent auction of various items ranging from restau-rant dinners, hotel rooms, private riding lessons, airfare courtesy of Aeroméxico, and a week in a lux-ury beach apartment in Acapulco, Mexico, a wall clock courtesy of Hublot, a diamond necklace worth over $8,000 graciously donated by Thomas Markle, as well as other luxury items.

For more information visit: www.harascup.com

Contact us at [email protected] (281) 259 4861 (281) 710 8932

Haras Hacienda, 26427 Peden Road Magnolia, TX 77355

Haras - Con’t. from pg. 17

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Sitting by the fireside, roast-ing marshmallows and tellingghost stories after a long ridewith friends, is as much anAmerican tradition as apple

pie. Most people like to tell tales wherehands are cut off and never found, orheadless horsemen who come back ev-ery year at Halloween searching for theirheads.

But ghost stories don’t alwayshave to be scary. Many folks asked cantell you that they themselves have had aghostly or paranormal experience at onetime or another. History is full of allkinds of ghostly encounters, some withgood out comes, some not so much.

One of the bloodiest battles ofthe Civil War was Gettysburg. There7,863 Union and Confederate soldiersmet their maker on the field of battle.Combined, the two sides suffered be-tween 46,000 and 51,000 casualties.And a statistically significant number ofspiritually sensitive individuals who visitthe place report feelings of a spectralpresence there.

In July of 1863, the men ofMaine’s 20th regiment reported seeing

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what appeared to be a ghost mounted on horseback roaming the fields between the two opposing armies. Union Col. John Pittenger was sent to investigate firsthand the spectral apparition which was dressed in clothing from the Revo-lutionary War.

Pittenger questioned GeneralHenry Jackson Hunt about the ghostdressed in Revolutionary War attire somany had witnessed galloping on a whitehorse on the battlefield. Hunt clearlystated he saw the face of the man. It was,according to him George Washington.Pittenger was doubtful, and reluctantlyturned in his report stating that Gen-eral Hunt and all the other men at thebattle would go to the grave never doubt-

ing President George Washington helped them win the battle at Gettysburg. Prior to Gettysburg in 1862, a spectral vision happened to another Union general who was in charge of the United States Army in Washington. Hisname was General George McClellan,and it was with none other than againour founding father, George Washing-ton.

During the Revolutionary War,General George Washington himselfclaimed to have had an encounter ofthe third kind in 1778. While lead-ing the Continental Army which wascamped at Valley Forge, he would writeabout a beautiful female standing acrossthe table where he was preparing a dis-patch. So taken aback, Washington wasat a loss for words. The angelic presencewould continue to aid him, and becamea great moral booster in this trying timeof America. So it is not hard to believethat after George Washington’s deathin 1799, he would share the experiencewith another general who was feeling thehardships of his position.

In 1862, the Republic was indire straits. General George McClellanwas put in charge of the United StatesArmy. On the third day after his arrivalin Washington, around 2 A.M., a wearyMcClellan fell asleep while studying hismaps and reviewing all the reports com-ing in from his scouts. He folded hisarms on the table, laid his head downand fell fast asleep.

A short time later, the door flewopen and a voice so powerful said tohim, “General McClellan, do you sleepat your post? Rouse you or ere it can beprevented, the foe will be in Washing-ton.” The room seemed to vanish around him with only the table before him. On that table where his maps had been was a “living map” complete with troop move-ments, patterns of the enemy lines, and

Con’t. on pg. 20


the distribution of forces. He also saw that he had been compromised. The en-emy was aware of his strategies. Once again, the voice spoke “General McClellan, you have been be-trayed! And had not God willed other-wise, ere the sun of tomorrow had set, the Confederate flag would have waved above the Capitol and your own grave. But note what you see. Your time is short.” * McClellan was excited and ap-prehensive at what he was witnessing. His paper map resembled a living map and at the same time his vision of a man was growing stronger and brighter. He looked up at once and beheld the face of George Washington himself. With a gentleness Washington again spoke saying “General McClellan, while yet in the flesh I beheld the birth of the American Republic. It was indeed a hard and bloody one, but God’s bless-ing was upon the nation, and therefore, through this, her first great struggle for existence, He sustained her and with His mighty hand brought her out trium-phantly. A century has not passed since

then, and yet the child Republic has taken her position of peer with na-tions whose pages of history extend for ages into the past. She has, since those dark days, by the favor of God, greatly prospered. And now, by very reason of this pros-perity, she has been brought to her sec-ond great struggle. This is by far the most perilous or-deal she has to en-dure; passing as she is from childhood to opening maturi-ty, she is called on to accomplish that vast result, self-conquest; to learn that important lesson, self-control, self rule, that in the future will place her in the van of power and

civilization... But her mission will not then be finished; for ere another century


Con’t. from pg. 18


shall have gone by, the oppressors of thewhole earth, hating and envying her ex-altation, shall join themselves togetherand raise up their hands against her. Butif she still be found worthy of her highcalling they shall surely be discomfited,and then will be ended her third and lastgreat struggle for existence. Thenceforthshall the Republic go on, increasing inpower and goodness, until her bordersshall end only in the remotest cornersof the earth, and the whole earth shallbeneath her shadowing wing become aUniversal Republic. Let her in her pros-perity, however, remember the Lord herGod, let her trust be always in Him, andshe shall never be confounded.” *

As he finished speaking, heblessed McClellan as thunder roaredoutside. Startled awake, he was aston-ished to see all the maps on his desk weremarked with writings and figures he hadmade during his vision. He needed nomore convincing that George Washing-ton had indeed been there with him andwas giving him advise on how to win thewar!

Without further ado, McClel-

lan rode his horse from camp to camp toimplement the new war plans. With theConfederate Army so close to the Capi-tol, if his vision had not happened as itdid, Washington D. C. would surelyhave been lost. The specter of America’sfounding father had helped to save theRepublic a second time with his appear-ance to the General.

McClelland concludes his ac-count of his Vision:

“Our beloved, glorious Wash-ington shall again rest quietly, sweetlyin his tomb, until perhaps the end ofthe Prophetic Century approaches thatis to bring the Republic to a third andfinal struggle, when he may once morelaying aside the crements of Mount Ver-non, become a Messenger of Succor andPeace from the Great Ruler, who has allNations of this Earth in His keeping.

“But the future is too vast forour comprehension; we are childrenof the present. When peace shall havefolded her bright wings and settled ourland the strange, unearthly map markedwhile the Spirit eyes of Washingtonlooked down, shall be preserved among

American Archives as a precious remind-er to the American nation what in theirsecond great struggle for existence, theyowe to God and the Glorified Spirit ofWashington. Verily the works of God areabove the understanding of man!” *

As strange and fearsome as itmust have been for McClellan, he knewenough that too many things were injeopardy for him not to heed the ad-vice which had come to him from so faraway.

In the words spoken by theghostly apparition of America’s found-ing father to General McClellan, willhe return to help save the United Statesof America for a third time? Are we stillworthy? Is that time approaching soon?

Happy Halloween,Horseback Magazine* Quotes from General McClellan’s own wordsprinted in The Evening Courier, PortlandMain. March 8 1862



Ithas been said that everyhorse deserves to be lovedby a girl. But it is that verybond between the two that

allows Taylor Reneau, to competeon the Texas A&M University Ro-deo Team.

Reneau is a junior at TexasA&M University majoring in Agri-cultural Science. While many col-lege students have their own strug-gles, this young lady found her spoton the rodeo team her first semesterdespite having a slight disability.

Reneau was born with aform of Spina Bifida called Myelo-meningocele. At birth her doctorscalled her condition Lipomenin-gcele; which is a type of neural tubedefect when part of the spinal cordprotrudes off the spinal columnand forms a sac under the skin. Hercondition is the most severe formof Spina Bifida; it almost always re-quires urgent surgery after birth. Attwo weeks old she under went sur-gery to untangle the mass of nervesand fix the spinal cord. Spina Bifidais the most common spine abnor-mality present at birth.

While Reneau was fortunateenough to have a normal childhoodcompared to many kids with thiscondition, she was diagnosed withscoliosis when she was in the fifthgrade. Over time she has lost sensa-tion down her left leg and has littleto no sensation in her foot. Never-theless, this has not dampened herspirits or kept her off a horse.

But this is something youwould only know about if you wereclose with this young lady. She is likemany Aggies. She goes to her class-es, shows ample amounts of schoolspirit and is active in college life.Her ambition is to become a highschool AG Science teacher. Teachingruns in her family so she would liketo follow that calling. Reneau said,“If there are kids interested in agri-culture they need someone to buildon that and keep them interested init. I can be that person to make adifference.”

At an early age Reneau be-came infatuated with horses. Herparents, Robin and Bobby Reneau,took notice of her interest, andonce they moved to the country

they bought their daughter two trailhorses.

She started trying out dif-ferent athletics in junior high, butsports like basketball and trackproved to be difficult. She said notgetting to play sports in junior highmakes you feel a little left out. Butbecause of all the nerve damage onher left side she did not have thesame abilities as the other kids.

This is about the time Re-neau started to take in interest inher neighbor’s, Barbara and TonyJenkins barrel horses. The Jenkinshelped Taylor start riding and starton barrels. She got her first begin-ner barrel horse and started goingto rodeos. She competed in all highschool rodeo events.

She has competed with theTexas High School Rodeo Region 4,the Lone Star High School Rodeoand the Winner Youth Rodeo As-sociation. High school rodeos gaveReneau confidence on a horse andaround people. It gave her a sport tocompete in and she believed it wassomething she could be good at de-spite her condition. She started like

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many barrel racers with a beginner horse and moved her way up to better horses. She ended her high school career with two good barrel horses, her main horse High Dash-in’, barn name Petee and her back up horse Centrifugal Motion, barn name Mo. Petee is in all aspects the perfect fit for Reneau. While many speed horses know their job and how to turn and come home really fast, not all horses know how to take care of their rider while doing so. Horse and rider have a connec-tion and he will take a turn as hard or soft as his rider can handle dur-ing that run. Petee has been through sev-eral setbacks in his career. At the age of four he was in a serious trailer ac-cident, he was the only horse in the trailer to survive. He recovered and does not have a problem loading up in a trailer for the next big rodeo. In addition to that he injured his back left hip and had to have a year of rehab. He has overcome his injuries and helps Reneau to ride like she does not have a noticeable problem

at all. To top off her high school rodeo career, in her senior year she got her Professional Rodeo Card. It was at the Cheyenne Rodeo in 2013 and it was her first time in a rodeo setting that large. She was on her back up horse and was not sure she would do well. She made the cut for the second go but missed out on the finals. She said, “This is one of my greatest achievements because it proved that I can do something worth while. I’m not just another rookie on a fast horse.” Needless to say the confi-dence build up at rodeos lead her to the Texas A&M Rodeo Team. She started her college rodeo season on her back up horse and her con-fidence started to fade. She finally got her main horse, Petee, back and everything just started falling to-gether. Like many barrel racers Re-neau rubber bands her feet to her stirrups. But her reason is a little different than most. She still has a significant amount of nerve damage and it has caused numbness in her

left leg. She cannot utilize her left leg much while riding so the rubber bands help keep her foot in the stir-rup. In addition to that she used a hard brace on her left ankle. Until this last semester she had also been using a Magic Seat to help her dur-ing her runs. But now she is more comfortable, and has a better feel for how Petee runs that she does not use it. Reneau said, “Petee is spe-cial to me. We’ve been through kind of the same stuff and have over come so much.” Her parents are very sup-portive but they never cut her slack. She is responsible for caring for her horse and hauling to her rodeos. Bobby Reneau said, “Tay-lor’s condition is a challenge not a handicap. She has done a really great job of adapting.” Both horse and rider have the same challenges and work great together. They are a team. No one with an untrained eye will notice their struggles.


A Leather Primer...

Horseback Magazine’s Saddle & Tack Editor

After years of columns about tack,opinions about tack, repairingtack, etc., I figure it’s time to talkabout leather. Everyone knows

most tack is made from leather, but whatkind of leather? What are the differencesin tannage? What is tanning? Well thismonth, I’ll try to answer some of thosequestions and others about leather.

Leather is the tanned skin of ananimal. Different tanning processes are used

according to the eventual use of the leather. The leather used for saddles and tack is generally vegetable tanned, Vegetabletanning is done using derivatives of treebark and other plant material. One of theold ways of veg tanning, or bark tanning,was to dig a pit, put the hides in, cover withbark, mostly oak, cover it and dig it up in 6months, and you had bark tanned leather.The tannic acid from bark and leaves wouldcure and “tan” the leather. Hermann OakLeather is the oldest company in the U.S.

still tanning leather with oak, Wickett andCraig is one of the newest. Both make reallyfine oak tanned leather. Of course, now thehides are put in big vats and the tanningsolution added, and the hides are tumbledfor a specific period of time.

Chrome tanning is used forgarment and softer leathers. The EPA haspretty much outlawed the use of chrometanning in the U.S. due to the toxicity ofthe waste. Chrome tanning uses chromiumsulfate. Most of the chrome tanning wesee today is done in Central and SouthAmerica. Almost every hair-on cowhide

comes from South America. Brazil seems todo the very best quality in hair-on hides.

Chrome oil tanned is the methodused for really soft, supple leathers. Colorscan be added to the tanning mix, and thecolor is “struck through” which means it goesall the way through the leather, although itis lighter inside. This is the leather you willfind in chaps, padded saddle seats, soft bags,jackets, etc. It can also be treated to be waterrepellant.

Alum tanned is a process usingaluminum salts, and is used primarily forlace leather. It is usually used in combinationwith another tanning method. Latigo, forinstance, can be made using a combinationof chrome tanning, vegetable tanning, andalum tanning. The method is determinedby the color and eventual use of the leather.

Re-tanned leather is first vegetabletanned, and then re-tanned in chromiumsalts, or vice versa, chrome tanned and thenre-tanned with vegetable tanning. One ofthe oldest tanning methods in the world isurine tanning, which is still widely used inprimitive countries. Fifteen to twenty years


Bandera’s Lew Pewterbaugh has been called the most knowledgeable saddle and tack authority in the Southwest. For private fitting consulta-

tion call (830) 328-0321 or (830) 522-6613 or email: [email protected].

ago, India was using urine tanning almost exclusively. Now, because of the amount of work they do for U.S. companies, many have gone to veg tanning. Indian leather also used to be almost exclusively water buffalo. But now companies are sending cowhide for them to make tack and saddles from. I’ll not get into what I think of companies that have western saddles made overseas in this issue. Saddles are made from skirting leather. Skirting leather is vegetable tanned, or bark tanned. It can be colored in the tanning process, but it must be unoiled and firm for tooling. The leather has to be “cased” or wet and then allowed to sit for a period so the leather can be formed around the saddle tree. It is very wet for some procedures. The saddle leather also has to be cased for tooling so it will hold the impression from the tools. If the leather is too dry, you get no impression, if it’s too wet, the water will push the design back up or the leather will spread too much. After the saddle is tooled and put together, then it is oiled or dyed and oiled. The oil keeps the leather supple and helps water proof it. The oil evaporates, depending on weather and storage conditions, so has to be replaced

periodically. Vegetable tanned leather can literally last thousands of years if properly maintained. Five thousand year old leather garments have been found intact in the Pyramids. My Heiser saddle is 91 years old and still in excellent condition, but I better tear it down and recondition it again this winter!! The better quality leather you start with, the longer it will last, but it still needs periodic care. It doesn’t hurt leather to get wet, as long as you replace the oils that are washed out of it. I’ve done many columns about caring for leather, so no sense doing that here. I just thought everyone would like to know a little more about different types of leather. I guess I should also mention, the only leather that you can really do tooling on is vegetable tanned. The latigo, harness, and alum tanned leathers have too much oil or wax or are too soft to take the tool impression. O.K. I just mentioned harness leather, which is vegetable tanned, but stuffed with tallow and wax to make it really flexible and water resistant. Some companies have been able to do a little barbed wire stamp or such on harness reins and headstalls, but you have to really hit it hard. Harness leather is every working

hands choice for good headstalls and reins. I’ll also mention here that tooling is not only decorative on a saddle or other tack, it also compresses the fibers of the leather and makes it stronger, less likely to curl, and more resistant to surface dust getting into the pores of the leather. Conversely, it’s harder to clean. Leather is an amazing product. As long as we keep eating cows, there should never be a shortage of leather. Our biggest problem with leather in the U.S. is an out of control government trying to regulate every business to death, forcing most of the tanneries either out of business or out of the country. As I have stated in so many previous columns, let’s all support those companies that continue to produce here in the United States. Whenever economically feasible, look for products not only made here, but made with raw materials produced right here in the U.S. It’s not always possible, but let’s all try.

28 HORSEBACK MAGAZINE • October 2014 www.horsebackmagazine.com28 HORSEBACK MAGAZINEMM • October 2014 www.horsebackmagazine.com

It’s been an amazing year for sisters Caylan, age fifteen and her younger sister Cadey age eleven.

Both girls were aspiring 4H entrepreneurs when they told their parents they would like to run a business as part of their yearly project. But no one could have envisioned that their idea would blossom into taking over an old feed store that had been a his-torical part of Sherman, Texas for 100 years. It was a day like any other when the girls entered the feed store to purchase supplies. As they gathered all they need-ed, the previ-ous owners ask them to sit and chat for a spell. What happend next was a to-tal surprise to the sisters and their father. The owners were wanting to retire and asked the girls if they would like to pur-chase the store. Of course, they knew that the girls couldn’t possibly pay a lump sum, but they had already figured out a way that they could pay some each month from the store’s profits until the cost of the store was paid. Texsoma Feed and Garden quick-ly became much more than a 4H project. The girls run the store each evening after school and on Saturdays, while their father holds down the fort during the day. From chicken feed to fly spray, this last year has been a massive learning

cycle of products. Caylan and Ca-dey have poured hours into learn-ing what their customers want, and on the week-ends bring in their friends to help haul sacks of feed and shavings into customers’ pickup trucks.

The town of Sher-man has helped the girls live a dream of o w n i n g their own store. Local customers drive miles

to buy and support the girls as they enter the world of business. From the small prof-its the store has made, Caylan and Cadey have set up a college fund to help them with the expense of higher education. But for now, the best education in the world in is right in their own feed store - helping customers and learning the art of business from the ground up.

The girls run the store each evening after school and on Satur-days, while Mr. Wilson holds down the fort during the day. Each day, he works to restore the building to its original turn-

o f - t h e - c e n t u r y condition. Mrs. Wilson also helps out when she’s not working at a local hospital as an ER nurse. Caylan and Cadey were par-ticipating in the 4H entrepreneurship program when they decided to run a business as part of their project. Their parents were thinking perhaps a

lemonade stand, but the girls had bigger plans. The family were already loyal cus-tomers at Texoma Feed, and the previous owners, who were approaching retirement age, offered to sell the business to the girls as part of their 4H project. Caylan and Cadey are excited to provide the people of Grayson County with a variety of pesticides, fertilizers, live-stock feeds, horse care products, dog and cat food, deer feed, wild bird seed, varmint control products, and even fresh, local honey! With the support of the commu-nity, Texoma Feed will continue to serve Sherman, Denison, McKinney, Durant, Oklahoma, and the surrounding commu-nities, including Pottsboro, Whitewright, Trenton, Gordonville, Whitesboro, Collins-ville, Tioga, Gunter, Howe, Tom Bean, Bells, Van Alstyne, Anna, Melissa, Celina, and Cal-era and Colbert, Oklahoma.

Texsoma Feed and Garden1100 N. Frisco Rd., Sherman, TX

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More ThanChild’s Play

For TheseSisters

by Margaret Pirtle

www.horsebackmagazine.com October 2014 • HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 29www.horsebackmagazine.com August 2014 • HORSEBACK MAGAZINE 29

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Mark Raisbeck, President ofCharlotte’s Saddlery, announc-es a new location will open in

the Austin area.Premier equestrian retailer,

Charlotte’s Saddlery, has announcedplans to open a new store before the endof the year in Austin, Texas. Located inthe northern part of town, this will bethe third retail location for Charlotte’s

Saddlery. The new store will feature over6,000 sq. ft. of retail space, with a fullline of saddles, equestrian clothing, fash-ion sportswear, stable equipment andaccessories, as well as a complete line ofhealthcare products for the recreationaland professional rider.

Just in time for the holidayshopping season, Charlotte’s Saddlery’snew store will be a full service Englishand Western tack store for the horse andrider. Charlotte’s Saddlery President,Mark Raisbeck stated, “Charlotte’s Sad-dlery offers everything for the rider, ex-cept the horse.” Some of the featuredlines will include: Ariat, Pikeur, TailoredSportsman and Charles Owens, as wellas R.J. Classic, Tredstep, and Weather-beeta. There will be plenty of Pessoa andPassier English saddles from which tochoose, along with Tucker, Circle Y andBilly Cook Western saddles, to name justa few. Charlotte’s Saddlery offers cus-

tomers special ordering for hard-to-findspecialty products.

“We are very excited about ex-panding into the greater Austin area. Byproviding expert product and equestrianknowledge, our customers know we arean excellent option for riders who wantand need personalized service at com-petitive prices,” said Raisbeck. “Char-lotte’s Saddlery specializes in equipmentand apparel for the English and Westernrider. We also offer saddle fittings, tackrepair, monogramming, and blanketcleaning and repair.”

The new Charlotte’s Saddlerystore, coming soon, will be located atThe Hub, Hwy 183 and 620 in northAustin.

About Charlotte’s SaddleryCharlotte’s Saddlery currently operatestwo retail stores in Houston and Tom-ball, Texas and has been in business forover 35 years. Twin brothers Mark andTim Raisbeck are the second genera-tion owners of one of the most respectedequestrian retail operations in the coun-try. For years, horse enthusiast havetrusted Charlotte’s Saddlery to providethem with all of their equestrian needs.

Charlotte’s Saddlery AnnouncesNew Location in the Austin Area


Ranch Heritage Day: Free Family Event at HillCountry State Natural Area

True to its name, Hill Country State NaturalArea, near Bandera, TX is a well-preservedhaven for native Hill Country flora andfauna, and for the nature-lovers who enjoythem. Camping, hiking, bicycling, andhorseback riding are enjoyed at the naturalarea every day of the year. However, beforethe property was donated to the State byLouise Merrick and opened as a natural areain 1984, it was a vibrant working ranch typi-cal of many established near Bandera in the1870’s. A visit to this jewel of the Texas StateParks system reveals vestiges of its rich ranch-ing history. Among them, the 2-story 1870’sBar-O Ranch House, nestled on the bank ofWest Verde Creek and the hand-woven fencesoutlining its now-fallow fields, bear witness toa time when cattle, sheep, and angora “hair”goats roamed its vast pastures, and seasonalcrops were planted in its fields.

On Saturday, October 18, thepublic is invited to step back in time and tocelebrate this history through Ranch HeritageDay, a free event from 11AM to 4PM, withexhibits and interactive demonstrations sureto delight those of all ages. The event reflectsthe farming and ranching history specific toits home region of Bandera, Texas, the justifi-ably self-proclaimed Cowboy Capital of theWorld, (more World Champion Cowboyshale from Bandera County than from anyother), and the staging point for the GreatWestern Cattle Trail of the 1860’s. A work-ing chuck wagon, like those used on the greatcattle drives, will offer free camp cookingsamples.

A horse-drawn covered wagon, likethose which carried the first settlers to Ban-dera, will offer free rides around the event.There’ll be wool-spinning, hot-branding, andhorse shoeing demonstrations, and an amaz-ing antique tractor display. (Yes, the tractorsstill run!) The Kitselman Fence Machine, thevery type that created those woven-on-sitefield fences that still stand in the natural area,will be in operation for all to see. There’llalso be story-telling, trick roping by worldchampion Kevin Fitzpatrick, and for thosewho bring their horse, a guided trail ride atthe end of the day.

Children are invited to operate anold-fashioned mechanical apple peeler, tolearn how to throw a rope, ride life-size rock-ing horses and to participate in a plethora ofinteractive activities, including a “goat scram-ble”, complete with prizes, for kids only!

The day will be topped off bya Ranch Skills Demonstration of cutting,driving, and penning cattle, and a fun RanchRodeo Competition, including Rescue Race,and Stampede Race events, in which localranch teams compete for top honors, mostimportantly “bragging rights” as Best RanchRodeo Team of the day! (No wagering,please!)

Whether you’re a local settler, awanna-be rancher, a history-lover, or if you’rejust in need of a city-slicker’s day out, thisevent is not to be missed.

“Where else will you find antique tractors, a horse-drawn wagon, a trick roper, a fence-maker, an apple peeler, a wool-spinner, a real chuck wagon, and all of these other activi-ties in one place?” asks Park Superintendent, Reagan Faught. Indeed, and not to mention, all FOR FREE! For more information, go to: www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/hill-country/park_events Email: Event coordinator: [email protected] Phone: (830) 796-4413

Time-Honored Pin Oak Charity Horse Show Contributes $200,000 in 2014 to Texas Children’s Hospital, Ronald McDonald House Family Rooms at Texas Children’s Hospital and

Candlelighter’s Childhood Cancer Family Alliance

HOUSTON, Texas - The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, which is gearing up for a series of 70th Anniversary social and competi-tive events between now and March 2015, recently presented three donations totaling $200,000 to its desig-nated charity beneficia-ries through proceeds generated from the 2014 horse show and related events: Texas Children’s Hospital received $150,000; Ronald McDonald House Family Rooms at Texas Children’s Hospital received $35,000; and Candle-lighter’s Childhood Cancer Family Alliance received $15,000.

Celebrations and check presentations with charity representa-tives, Pin Oak board members, volunteers, and sponsors were held on July 23 as part of the Candlelighters Summer Surprises event in the Texas Children’s Cancer Center, on August 27 at the Ron-ald McDonald House Houston, and on Sept. 10 at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus in Katy.

The gift to Texas Children’s Hospi-tal enables Pin Oak to complete its commit-ment of $400,000 to Child Life at the West Campus. The 2014 Pin Oak donation to Texas Children’s Hospital also initiates Pin Oak’s new commitment of

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$550,000 that will be distributed over 6 years to establish a Sports Medicine Fellowship and $100,000 of seed money for the planned new campus in The Woodlands. Pin Oak’s donation to Ronald McDonald House Hous-ton is for the Family Rooms inside of Texas Children’s Hospital that provide a respite to families with critically ill children who are experiencing long hospital stays. For Candle-lighters, the gift from Pin Oak funds three months of support for the Parking Program for families whose child is undergoing cancer treatment at the Texas Children’s Cancer Center. Established in 1945 in Houston, The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show is one of the oldest and most prestigious charity horse

shows in the nation. Pin Oak is a two-week annual event that attracts 1,200 majestic horses and 1,000 exhibitors from around the country. Pin Oak is an award winning horse show and was the first horse show to receive the coveted United States Equestrian Federation’s Heritage Competition desig-nation. Currently, Pin Oak is part of the United States Hunter Jumper exhibit in the Kentucky Horse Park, A Sporting Tradition: Iconic Horse Show off the US. The primary philanthropic goal of The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show each year is to contribute a six-figure donation to its designated charities to support the healing of sick children. The horse show has raised more than $6 million for children’s charities

since its inception. In 1947, The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show provided the first dona-tion toward the building of what is now the world renowned Texas Children’s Hospital. “It is an honor and privilege to support these wonderful charities and it is admirable for the equestrian community to come together so willingly to make such an impactful gift. It is a testament to Pin Oak’s legacy of giving and its continued tradition of excellence,” said Mary Jones, board member and Charity Liaison for Pin Oak. The 69th Pin Oak Charity Horse Show yielded a donation of $200,000 for the second consecutive year for the children’s charities it supports. The horse show was

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TOOTIE LYONS RIXMAN- REALTOR, ASSOCIATEHeritage Texas Country Properties605 S. AustinBrenham, TX

(C): (979) 277-2694(E): [email protected]

(W): www.heritagetexascountry.com/page-46/Tootie-Lyons-Rixman

SPECIALTIES: Acreage, Homes, Horse Prop-erty, Country Homes, Farm & RanchTERRITORY: Texas

REALTOR Roundup

TAMMY FOREMAN -REALTORHodde Real Estate Co.112 W. Main Street, Brenham, TX

(O): (979) 836-8532(C): (979) 451-2945

(E): [email protected](W): www.hodderealty.com

SPECIALTIES: Farms/Ranches, Equestrian, Residential, Country Homes, Land. TERRITORY: Texas

SASSY STANTON - BROKERStanton-Pinckard Realty2010 Commonwealth,Houston, TX

(O): (713) 861-4097(C): (713) 824-8387

(E): [email protected](W): www.stanton-pinckard.com

SPECIALTIES: Farm/Ranches, Land

TERRITORY: Texas

DEITRA ROBERTSON - REALTORDeitra Robertson Real Estate, Inc.38351 FM 1736Hempstead, TX(O): (832) 642-6789(C): (832) 642-6789

(E): [email protected](W): www.IKnowRanches.com

SPECIALTIES: Farms/Ranches, Horse Properties, LandTERRITORY: Texas

YOLANDA FUSILIER - BROKERPeak Realty17515 Spring Cypress Rd.Suite # C260Cypress, TX(O): (979) 921-9530(C): (713) 417-7567(E): [email protected]

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The right kind of improvements can add significant value to your property, as well as make it more functional. But before you begin constructing a pond,

adding fencing or renovating a homestead, give serious thought not only to the proj-ect, but to the team you choose to make your plans a reality.

Water Features:Water features are typically the top choices for improvement. Land buyers often look for ponds or lakes, and making these im-provements usually adds significant value to a piece of property. If you see two property sales on the same type of land, in the same area — one with a pond and the other without — the difference in the price can be signifi-cant. “Especially here in Texas, as well as other states, the focus on water availability and consumption has become a high prior-ity,” says Michael Biesiada, vice president and branch manager with Texas Farm Credit’s office in The Woodlands, who has more than 20 years of rural financing expe-rience. “Current availability of water wells and surface water retention certainly adds value to properties today but could have an exponentially positive impact on value in later years as the sensitivity increases.”

Barns, Barndominiums, Stables and Workshops:That’s not the case when it comes to rural recreational property, however, where a moderate structure often will add value to a piece of rural property. Today, the structure of choice for many is a “barndominium,”

a shed or barn that has a portion finished out to serve as a living quarters. Referring to barndominiums, Biesiada says that a building structure that is intentionally designed with at least 51 percent living area may qualify for either agricultural financing or stan-dard residential financing, which gives the customer options in financing terms and conditions. He offers these tips to keep in mind when building a barn, barndo, stable or workshop;

• If you are choosing to finance the proj-ect, consult with your lender initially to establish lending terms and conditions so you and the lender are on the same page and can accomplish your goals. • Hire a respected and accomplished architect who understands your specific use and needs. The architect’s knowledge and experience will intuitively include features that you may not think about until construction has begun, which could cause added costs if changed later.

• Hire a respected and accomplished builder/contractor who will provide ref-erences and a specific cost breakdown.

• Create a reserve account for your builder/contractor so he can be held accountable through completion of your project.

“Construction projects can test your pa-tience, so it is imperative to hire individ-uals you like and trust, who will get the job done per plans, in a timely manner, and within budget,” Biesiada adds.

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Homestead Improvements:Farm Credit also can finance home improvements, as long as the property meets certain criteria. Properties in rural areas may qualify through the co-operative lender’s rural residence pro-grams, while larger residential tracts may qualify through Farm Credit’s traditional farm and ranch lending activities. Residential financing is available in incorporated towns with populations less than 2,500. Full-time farmers and ranchers are not subject to the urban population limitation.

Other Property Improvements:It takes strong fences to keep horses in their place, and good grass to keep them happy and healthy. If you need to improve your pastures, install a small irrigation system for a hay field or construct new or better fences or corrals, such improvements can often be financed with a short- or interme-diate-term loan of three to five years. Just remember, if you’re planning an extensive fence-building project, do your research. Costs, design and con-struction materials vary significantly.


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held during the last two weeks of March 2014 at The Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy and was presented by title sponsors Haras Dos Cavaleiros and Irish Day Farm. “Our sponsors, exhibitors, and vol-unteers are truly the hearts and souls of The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show. Our Pin Oak supporters openly demonstrate their love and respect for horses and children with the generous gifts of their time, talent and trea-sure,” said Lynn Walsh, president of The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show and a long-time Pin Oak competitor and volunteer. “Not only donate $200,000 to these three charities once a year, but we are also involved with each of them on a regular basis many times throughout year. We know and care about the administrators, staff, volunteers, caregiv-ers, children and parents affiliated with our charity beneficiaries on a personal level.”

ACTHA Documents 1,762 Horses Re-Employed

Being a registry in addition to a competitive trail riding association the American Com-petitive Trail Horse Association has records on all of the horses that participate as mem-bers. “Our registry indicated 1,762 horses have been taken out of rescues, or rescue situations, to work at ACTHA. As far as I know we are alone in being able to document name of owner and contact information for

every rescue horse ACTHA has helped to return to the workplace. And nothing makes me and our staff prouder,” say Carrie Scrima a Founder of ACTHA.

Going on their 7th year of pro-viding “Casual Competition and Serious Fun” ACTHA has risen to the top of the trail riding world in every major category. Number of events held per year, the only na-tional competitive trail organization and the number of charities served... not only in cash contributions (over $500,000 and counting) but also in unwanted horses served.

“It has been a labor of love to be sure. We all work long hours for very modest pay. I get a kick out of it when I hear someone express that we are some rich heavily endowed company. Regardless of our wonderful contribution program our earn-ings are modest to say the least,” states Robin Tilghmam Chief Operating Officer.

Rob Butler Chief Information Officer continues, “The key to our existence and capability to serve almost 1,000 events per year lies squarely upon a devoted staff of 20 individuals and an incredible back office that processes 10’s of thousands of entries in every state and Canada. Everything inter-links from point standings, medal awards, national standings, ride locations ...you name it. All in real time. I’m not sure if this system could ever be recreated. It’s got so much code it would take a crazy amount of time and money to reproduce.”

As always ACTHA has room for sponsors who wish to join the cause. After

all it’s the horse that feeds us all. And an employed horse is not only good for the soul, it’s good for the industry! OUR MISSION • To create an enjoyable venue showcas-ing the wonderful attributes of the great American trail horse and granting them the recognition they so richly deserve.• To create a registry open to all breeds and a point designation system which will stay with each horse for its lifetime, thereby adding to their value and distinction.• To create and enable humane treatment and employment options for horses in need.

SAM HOUSTON RACE PARK NAMES FRED HUTTON AS NEW RACING SECRETARY

HOUSTON, TX – A new face will be part of the Sam Houston Race Park team as the Houston, Texas track prepares for its 21st season of Thoroughbred racing on January 16th. Fred Hutton, currently the Direc-tor of Racing at Zia Park, will seek to make his mark in Texas when the Sam Houston Race Park stables open December 4th. In his new position at SHRP, Hutton will also coordinate stall applications that are due on November 3rd. A longtime racing official and former jockey and trainer, Hutton has previously served in Racing Secretary roles at Zia Park, Prairie Meadows and Reming-



Horsebites -s Con’t. ffroommm ppgg. 441


More than a few years ago, as a child who lived to jump horses, I had my first exposure to dressage.

One day, the head of my chapter of the U. S. Pony Club decided to educate us on the illustrious sport of dressage and proudly gave us a demon-stration of her idea of how the sport was done. Watching with great interest, I was amazed by her lack of ability to sit the saddle. She proudly bounced her ro-bust figure around the arena on the back of a very kind horse as she explained the finer points of dressage. I don’t recall

exactly what she said or showed us at the time, but I can tell you that it was at that juncture in my life that I concluded that dressage was for people who were afraid to jump and knew it wasn’t for me.

As my horizons broadened, I eventually discovered the joy of com-bined training and realized that learning dressage would be a necessity if I was going to be able to experience the thrill of cross country and stadium jumping that make up the sport of eventing. Out of necessity, I willingly learned the test patterns and forged on. Eventing is a blast! My scores were acceptable and as far as I was concerned my dressage was just fine.

As luck would have it, train-ing for cross country was logistically between difficult and impossible from where I lived so my riding reverted back to hunters, equitation, and jumpers once more.

Nearly a decade went by before

I again spiked an interest in dressage. This time it was because I began to no-tice how the upper level movements ap-peared to be a lot of fun and I wanted to know how to do them. However, when I tried to learn the basics of how to put a horse on the bits, I started looking for untraditional shortcuts. I just knew there were easier ways to frame a horse up than to suffer through the boredom of traditional training. It didn’t take long to discover that it was much easier to ride a horse in draw reins or a tie down than to train a horse to be round. You could say that I had missed the point. I continued on the short-cut route for a while and wondered why the movements were so difficult. Clearly there was more to it. As I started realizing how little I knew about the sport, I began spending more time in lessons, clinics, reading and watching videos to educate myself. The same basic information kept coming back to haunt me and the principles of dres-

Why Ride Dressage


sage began to emerge from the plethora of information that was accumulating before me. Fortunately, the one thing that became clearest to me was that the more I learned, the more I discovered how little I actually knew. My thirst for knowledge became insatiable. Learning to do dressage is a lot like learning to read. Moving up to the next level without confirming the prop-er balance is like trying to read when you don’t know how to pronounce the letter “a”. You might make it through a few simple sentences, but you will never comprehend a novel. Just as with reading, the early stages of learning are tedious and sometimes feel as if you are going nowhere. But as the skills become established, the learning curve accelerates. As each accomplishment is logged, a new challenge emerges. There is always the next level or the next horse to keep it interesting. There will always be a greater level of accuracy or un-derstanding of the complexities of the sport to keep you motivated. Dressage is more than just for the pure satisfaction of the sport itself. Dressage is to riding as ballet is to danc-ing. If one wants to excel in any aspect of the art of dance, the basics and bal-ance learned from ballet will be a huge asset when carried over into tap, jazz, modern or even salsa dancing. The basics and balance learned from dressage will exemplify the results when applied to riding and training hunters, jumpers, reiners, or even trail riding. I have met several successful reining trainers who have a strong back-ground in dressage even though they use an entirely different saddle. The style and finesse of the hunter benefits tremendously from the balance learned from dressage. Jumpers gain remarkable strength, agility, and balance from dres-

sage training as well. Dressage as it turns out, is not about patterns or simply riding a move-ment. It is about balancing the horse before, during and after each move-ment, while guiding the horse through a specific pattern known as a test. If the balance is not confirmed at each level, the horse will not be prepared to move on to the next level and the movements will be incorrect. Reflecting back on why one should do dressage, I would have to say that it is collectively for the journey itself. Dressage is for the thinking rider of any discipline. It may start with the

inherent challenge of putting a horse on the bit that intrigues a rider. It could even be the challenge of perfecting the compulsory school figures composed of circles, serpentines and straight lines that compels the rider. Regardless of what aspect of dressage it is that peaks the interest of a horseman, the devel-opment of the skills and knowledge required to progress in the sport can become addicting. There is always the challenge of riding or training the next movement. Executing a perfect test is like reaching for the stars. Perfection is elusive, but to strive for it feeds the soul.


hooves - Con’t. on pg. 46

Barefoot Performance

Horses

It’s been a long-standing tradition to shoe performance horses – whether

they be racehorses, dressage horses, jumpers, endurance horses, or reiners. As more riders realize their equine partners can soundly perform barefoot, and may even enjoy increased performance, they are spreading the word. Horse owners who want to know if their horses can perform well barefoot also need to consider the trimming methods and other factors that come into play to create a happy performance horse. All horses can perform barefoot, or in some instances when professionally fitted with hoof boots (worn only when the horse is being ridden). But whether or not they can do so successfully will, perhaps

ironically, largely depend on the same kind of care given to shod horses! This would include:

1. Not riding or training the horse in a manner that overstresses his natural athletic ability, thereby causing pain, breakdown and lameness anywhere across his musculoskeletal system, not just his feet.

2. Not feeding a diet or medications that predispose or cause the horse to become laminitic, an epidemic problem across the equine community.

3. Failing to trim the hooves so they are naturally shaped.

“Natural horse care”, as I call it, incorporates natural boarding, riding and trimming. This collectively facilitates a tough hoof, enabling the horse to go without shoes (or in some instances with professionally fitted hoof boots). It has been well documented historically that shoeing weakens the hoof and causes hoof deformity. Today, we know this is true from experience. As well, compelling anecdotal

evidence from leading endurance riders has shown that shoeing obstructs circulation and causes fatigue, thereby precluding optimal performance. This idea applies not just to “performance horses”, but all horses! With so much buzz on the internet, the worldwide rise of numerous pro-barefoot associations, and the many books and journals espousing the benefits of going barefoot, it astonishes me that so many riders and professionals (farriers, vets, trainers) remain either uninformed or misinformed of – or resistant to – the burgeoning “barefoot revolution”. In large part, this can be attributed to the pseudo-scientific claims of the “farrier culture” itself, which have gone unchallenged for centuries until the recent rise of natural care advocates. Shoers, and even vets, continue to believe and widely pronounce that selective breeding is the culprit behind weak, inferior feet (“we have bred the hoof out of the horse”). Advocates now know this isn’t true at all, and that weak brittle walls, soft hypersensitive soles, less than optimal circulation and so forth can be attributed

LEFT: “Perseverance Orient,” an Arabian endurance horse living in South Africa (at Perseverance Endur-ance Horses breeding farm), is among a grow-ing number of horses around the world who regularly competes barefoot (and bitless). His hoofs are trimmed by his owner, Francois Seegers. Photo by Laura Seegers

ABOVE: Eight year old Quarterhorse/Arabian moves effortlessly over the rocky footing where he lives at the AANHCP field headquarters. Photo by Jill Willis


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directly to the deleterious effects of shoeing. Remove the shoe, provide a regular regimen of natural trimming and boarding, and that “inferior” hoof suddenly heals and becomes a superior foot. For millions of years, the equine hoof has been under the full force of natural selection. Within the evolutionary timeline, selective breeding is very new and genetically limited – it does not override the timeless latent “adaptation”

of Equus caballus’ foot. The latter is “hidden” or suppressed by domestic care practices within every domestic horse – from miniature to draft, Thoroughbred to Arab, and everything in between.

This is amply demonstrated today by the feet of wild horses of the U.S Great Basin, and similar arid biomes around the world. All these “feral” horses were originally derived from domestic stock, and all have overcome the adverse effects of domestication on their feet.

Given the chance, any domestic horse turned loose into the wild will immediately start developing the ancient genotypical adaptive hoof form. And let me be clear on this point: the hoof is not adapting to the “wild conditions” – the adaptation occurred millions of years ago, or more precisely at the dawn of the species, Equus caballus. It is merely shedding “waste material” caused by domestic conditions, and remodeling itself though natural patterns of growth

Barefoot success depends upon a species-appropriate diet, natural-ized living conditions, a competent natural trim and genuine natural horsemanship which means rid-ing in harmony with the horse’s natural gaits. A Paddock Paradise simulates the natural habitat of horses living in the wild in a num-ber of ways and helps to build and maintain strong, healthy hooves.Photos by Jill Willis


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that are obstructed by shoeing and unnatural trimming practices. Any horse can make the switch. The answer lies once more in the fact that the core natural hoof (adapted) lies dormant in all equine hooves. The challenge is to awaken it through holistic natural care. Today, thousands of horse caretakers are discovering how to do this. They have rejected the specious farriery science that ruins their horses’ feet, educated themselves about the horse’s natural state, and found ingenious ways to stimulate that core natural hoof out of its dormancy. They have learned that the natural hoof is capable of enduring and supporting any reasonable equestrian discipline, and that there are fewer lameness issues when barefoot than shod. And they have done all this without the professional support of the farriery community, which continues to labor under the misguided belief that domestic practices have genetically ruined the horse’s foot. This is not to say, however, that there aren’t serious concerns in regards to traditional practices – in particular the damage to feet caused by shoeing, unnatural boarding and riding practices, and/or invasive podiatric veterinary procedures. If the damage is permanent and devastating, then no amount of natural trimming or shoeing (or natural boarding for that matter) that is going to change this! But, ‘going natural’ will unquestionably minimize suffering and won’t exacerbate matters further and there is considerable anecdotal evidence that many hoof pathologies, once thought to be “incurable”, heal readily under genuine regimens of natural care. For this reason alone, I recommend that all horses be exempted from shoeing. Debilitating pathology aside, age, breed and shoeing history are never grounds for keeping any equine in shoes. It is the horse’s “way” to be barefoot. The belief in trimming one horse differently from the next, based on equestrian discipline, conformation, breed, etc., has its roots once more in the farrier culture of “corrective shoeing”. It is presupposed that horses “naturally” move differently from one another – due to breed, work, conformation and so on. Hence, it is essentially gospel that they must be trimmed and shod differently. This logic is specious because it ignores the species’ natural gaits and the latent adapted


Jaime Jackson is the author of 5 books, a hoof care professional & natural horse care consultant. He is the founding member of the non-profit equine advo-cacy organization, Association for the Advancement of Natural Horse Care Practices (www.aanhcp.net) & the principle instructor for the Institute for the

Study of Natural Horse Care Practices (www.isnhcp.net), which he and his business partner, Jill Willis,

created in 2009. He can be contacted at [email protected] and his website is

www.jaimejackson.com

hoof. Many of us now recognize that the natural trim generates the most optimal biomechanical hoof conformation possible, because it mimics the wild horse foot and supports the natural gaits. A horse moving naturally is biomechanically more efficient, less stressed, and less prone to breakdown and lameness. Moreover, his individual conformation, the nuances of his gaits based on his individual musculoskelature and temperament (e.g. breed), and the demands made on him by a knowledgeable rider who understands what it is to be a genuine natural rider, are all best served by the biomechanically efficient, naturally trimmed hoof. Arguably, virtually all equestrian based lameness in domestic horses is caused by unnaturally trimmed/shod horses ridden in violation of their natural gaits. A natural trim alone will not increase or reduce the amount of time between trims. All horses should be trimmed when they need it. Excessive growth (tantamount to waste material normally worn away in the wild) creates a teetering fulcrum for unnatural lever forces and unbalanced movement, and can wreak havoc. I recommend that

horses be trimmed at no more than four-week intervals unless natural wear (as seen in some natural boarding environments) renders it unnecessary.

My recommendations for natural boarding and general hoof care are described in my book, Paddock Paradise: A Guide to Natural Horse Boarding. I feel the subject is so important that I would be remiss in discussing what it means in the space of a paragraph or two. Briefly, PP provides a vision and method for boarding horses based on the band (family) movements of wild horses. It works, and many horse caretakers are writing to say they are successfully incorporating the basic principles of PP and are spreading the word.

Naturally trimmed barefooted horses, whether at liberty or mounted, are able to move more naturally than when shod. The equestrian’s overriding focus and objective should be to become a (genuine) natural rider so as to bring out the best in their horses. My philosophy is that horses, regardless of how they are to be used, should always be ridden naturally (in harmony with their natural gaits), and performance should be measured against

this holistic standard. Horses commanded to ride in violation of their natural athletic abilities, particularly at high performance levels, are inevitably doomed to lameness, suffering and sometimes destruction by euthanasia. On a much happier note, readers should be pleased to know that in the wild, horses are naturally competitive, love to run and jump, and are even prone to showing off on occasion. Horses are cooperative by nature and seem to enjoy human company when it is respectful and non-threatening. I think there’s an important message in all of this – horses instinctively want to cooperate and perform their very best for us. But in return, and so as not to cause them harm, we should keep it reasonable and keep it natural.



ton Park. “Having Fred join our team is another step forward in our continued efforts to enhance our racing program,” said Sam Houston Race Park President Andrea Young. “Fred brings a great deal of enthusiasm and energy with him. I have high expectations for our program and believe he will help us achieve our long term goals.” Hutton first began his career in horse racing as a jockey and then trainer, spending more than 30 years on that side of the business. He moved to the racetrack side of the business in the early 1990’s at Thistledown in Cleveland, Ohio as a racing official and later a mem-ber of the starting gate crew. In 2000 he joined Remington Park and held several management positions over the next ten years including Director of Racing/Rac-ing Secretary and Stakes Coordinator as well as Director of Simulcasting. Hutton has been at Zia Park since 2011. “I’m excited to grow my role at Penn National Gaming by joining a track of Sam Houston Race Park’s caliber as its Racing Secretary. The clear leader of Texas racing, I have been impressed by

the quality program they have developed over the past several seasons and will aim to build upon it going forward” said Hutton.

Hutton who will continue to serve in his current role at Zia Park will begin his new role at Sam Houston im-mediately.

Sam Houston Race Park will kick off the 2015 live racing season on January 16th with a 32 day Thorough-bred meet. The schedule for the 2015 Thoroughbred Meet will be Fridays (7 p.m.), Saturdays (6 p.m.), and Monday and Tuesday afternoons (1 p.m.). On March 27th, the track will follow with its annual 2015 American Quarter Horse Meet which will run for 24 days through May 16th. The 2015 Thoroughbred Stakes schedule will be announced in the next few weeks.

Sam Houston Race Park is Houston’s premier racing and entertain-ment facility, located just 15 minutes from downtown Houston, and offers a variety of attractions including 19 recently renovated luxury suites overlook-ing the race track, The Pavilion Centre, and award-winning dining options at

the Winner’s Circle Restaurant and the Jockey Club. For more information on live racing, upcoming shows, events and tickets, please visit www.shrp.com.


Hauling!

Howdy! Welcome to

Cowboy Corner. The livestock shows and rodeos around the state start their preparations for the winter events with committee meetings and functions. The trail rides promot-ing the rodeos have fall rides and plan the “big rides “prior to the “big shows”. The moderate tem-peratures and humidity make Tex-as a great place in the fall. Fall also means a lot of hauling. Many of the fall activi-ties in the counties involve hauling horses to parades, rides, or what-ever. The fall cattle work always in-cludes hauling, not only livestock, but related equipment. I remember when “goose-neck” trailers first came in use. The revolutionary design became, and has remained, very popular with usage. The ability to handle large loads, with good control, from ranch-type trucks, fits the ranch business. Bumper pull trailers these days are normally limited to less than twenty feet and cover a broad spectrum from livestock to horses, to utility. Popularity of medium size livestock trailers has been re-inforced by the “SUV” type ve-hicle. Gooseneck trailers are lim-ited to trucks with hitches in beds,

but bumper pull trailers are more flexible. Auto makers these days do a good job of installing towing equipment such as wiring and re-ceiver hitches with their “towing package” option.

Bumper pull trailer cou-plers are in three sizes, (1 7/8”, 2”, 2 5/16”), and I think changingreceivers with the right size ball is a lot easier than changing balls to fit the particular trailer coupler. Since the factory made trailer hitch receivers are the same size on full size trucks, you can borrow yourneighbor’s trailer and receiver to haul that extra load of hay. I have found over the years that it’s easier for me to carry four receivers, with the right drop from the hitch for my truck, rather than one receiv-er and three different balls. The fourth receiver is left without a ballfor use with pin type couplers used on farm equipment.

On the subject of trailerhitch balls, buy balls with the max-imum shank size. As an example 2” balls are available in 3/4”or 1 shank size. Lots of livestock trailers use 2”

balls so be sure the shank size is the largest available. The 2 5/16” balls all come in at least a 1” shank and are used with heavier utility and livestock trailers. A factory towing package on new trucks in recent years, in-cludes a separate circuit wiring har-ness with a seven prong RV-type plug attached to the rear bumper. Most livestock and utility trail-ers use a six prong round plug so an adapter is required between truck and trailer. I like to leave the adapter plugged into the truck since I have only one seven prong trailer and half a dozen with six prong wiring. However, every time I “come to town” an adapter gets donated to some dude who prob-ably has at least one earring and wears his cap bassackwards. Got to baling-wiring the adapter to the plug and the dona-tions stopped.

Happy Trails...

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